Arc suppression and protection of integrated flex circuit fuses for high voltage applications in chemically aggressive environments

摘要

A battery pack, an integrated device for measuring individual battery voltages in a battery pack, and protecting the battery pack in the event of a circuit break event, and a method of forming a voltage integrated circuit for use in a battery powered automotive drive system. The battery pack includes numerous voltage sensing circuits with structured gauge line fuses and an encapsulation formed around each of the fuses. The encapsulation is robust enough to provide environmental isolation from the structured fuse, thus avoiding the tendency of the fuse to form short circuits to adjacent circuits under normal battery pack operation and after a power interruption episode in which the fuse is blown.