High precision current sensor

• US 20060043960A1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishihara, Masato, Itoh, Tomoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,205,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/117.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/185 with compensation or feedback windings or interacting coils, e.g. 0-flux sensors using galvano-magnetic field sensors G01R15/20; conversion of DC into AC using transductors G01R19/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/202 using Hall-effect devices Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08

Abstract

A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current bus bar includes: a magnetic core with an opening, through which the current bus bar passes with a predetermined interval; and a first magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bas bar. The magnetic core has a first gap and a second gap. The first magnetic sensor is disposed in the first gap. The second gap is capable of preventing magnetic saturation of the magnetic core.

Claims

1. A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current bus bar comprising:

a magnetic core with an opening, through which the current bus bar passes with a predetermined interval; and

a first magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bas bar, wherein

the magnetic core has a first gap and a second gap,

the first magnetic sensor is disposed in the first gap, and

the second gap is capable of preventing magnetic saturation of the magnetic core.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the second gap is disposed on an opposite side of the first gap.

3. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic core further includes a plurality of gaps except the first and the second gaps, and

the plurality of gaps are capable of preventing magnetic saturation of the magnetic core.

4. The current sensor according to claim 3, further comprising:

a bonding member disposed in at least one of the gaps except the first gap.

5. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein

the bonding member provides a mounting portion for mounting the magnetic core to an external object.

6. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein

the first magnetic sensor has dimensions equal to dimensions of the first gap, and

the magnetic core, the first magnetic sensor and the bonding member provides one-piece core.

7. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic core has rectangular shape with four sharp corners, and

the magnetic core is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the current bus bar.

8. The current sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bus; and

a current detection circuit coupled to the first and the second magnetic sensors, wherein the second magnetic sensor is disposed in the second gap, and

the current detection circuit compensates for an effect of residual flux density in the magnetic core on the basis of outputs of the first and the second magnetic sensors.

9. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein

the second gap is wider than the first gap.

10. The current sensor according to claim 9, wherein

the second gap is disposed on an opposite side of the first gap.

11. The current sensor according to claim 9, wherein

the magnetic core further includes a plurality of gaps except the first and the second gaps, and

the plurality of gaps are capable of preventing magnetic saturation of the magnetic core.

12. A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current bus bar comprising:

a magnetic core with an opening, through which the current bus bar passes with a predetermined interval; and

a first magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bus bar, wherein

the magnetic core has a first gap and a slit,

the first magnetic sensor is disposed in the first gap, and

the slit is capable of preventing magnetic saturation of the magnetic core.

13. The current sensor according to claim 12, wherein

the slit is disposed on an opposite side of the first gap.

14. A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current bus bar comprising:

a magnetic core with an opening, through which the current bus bar passes with a predetermined interval;

a first magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bus bar;

a second magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density in the magnetic core, the magnetic flux density generated by the electric current passing through the current bus bar; and

a current detection circuit coupled to the first and the second magnetic sensors, wherein

the magnetic core has one gap,

the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are disposed in the gap, and

the current detection circuit compensates for an effect of residual flux density in the magnetic core on the basis of outputs of the first and the second magnetic sensors.

15. The current sensor according to claim 14, wherein

the gap includes two different width portions,

the first magnetic sensor is disposed in one width portion of the gap, and

the second magnetic sensor is disposed in the other width portion of the gap.

16. The current sensor according to claim 14, wherein

the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are different in magnetic sensing capability.