Patent ID: 8288031

Claim:
A battery disconnect unit for selectively coupling a battery pack to a load, comprising: a base portion configured to hold first and second contactors, a pre-charging relay, and a charging relay, thereon; a circuit board having first, second, third, and fourth bus bars coupled thereto extending outwardly from the circuit board; the first and second bus bars being coupled to first and second terminals, respectively, of the first contactor, the first bus bar further configured to be electrically coupled to a first voltage terminal of the battery pack, the second bus bar further configured to be electrically coupled to a first end of the load; the third and fourth bus bars being coupled to first and second terminals, respectively, of the second contactor, the third bus bar further configured to be electrically coupled to a second voltage terminal of the battery pack, the fourth bus bar further configured to be electrically coupled to a second end of the load; and the circuit board further includes a pre-charging resistor disposed thereon, the pre-charging relay and the pre-charging resistor being coupled in series with one another, and further coupled in parallel to the first contactor, such that a first control signal induces the pre-charging relay to electrically couple the first voltage terminal of the battery pack through the pre-charging resistor to the first end of the load, and a second control signal induces the second contactor to electrically couple the second voltage terminal of the battery pack to the second end of the load, for pre-charging the load.