Device for measuring current
First Claim
1. A device for measuring current, comprising a magnetic field sensor for measuring a magnetic field produced by a current flowing through a current conductor, the magnetic field sensor encapsulated into a housing, and a yoke of a magnetic material with a relative permeability of at least 100, wherein the yoke has two ends separated by an air gap and with front sides that lie opposite each other, wherein the yoke has two sidewalls and is formed such that it borders the current conductor with the exception of the air gap completely, wherein the housing with the magnetic field sensor is placed inside the yoke and outside the air gap of the yoke, and wherein a length of the yoke measured at right angles to the current conductor and parallel to the air gap of the yoke is at least the same size as a height of the yoke measured perpendicularly to the air gap.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for measuring current comprises a magnetic field sensor (2) for measuring the magnetic field produced by a current I flowing through a current conductor (1) and a yoke (3) of a magnetic material with a relative permeability of at least 100. The magnetic field sensor (2) preferably comprises a semiconductor chip with at least one Hall element and an electronic circuit for the operation of the Hall element. Two magnetic field concentrators (7, 8) separated by an air gap (6) are arranged on a surface of the semiconductor chip such that field lines (9) of the magnetic field (see FIG. 3) that issue from the first magnetic field concentrator (7) in the vicinity of the air gap (6) and impinge on the second magnetic field concentrator (8) in the vicinity of the air gap (6) pass through the at least one Hall element. The yoke (3) consists of an oblong piece of sheet metal or a laminate of sheet metals with two ends (10, 11) that has been brought by bending into a form with which the front sides of the ends (10, 11) of the yoke (3) lie opposite each other and are separated by an air gap (14). The ends (10, 11) of the yoke (3) are tapered so that a width of the ends of the yoke is less than a width of the yoke.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A device for measuring current, comprising a magnetic field sensor for measuring a magnetic field produced by a current flowing through a current conductor, the magnetic field sensor encapsulated into a housing, and a yoke of a magnetic material with a relative permeability of at least 100, wherein the yoke has two ends separated by an air gap and with front sides that lie opposite each other, wherein the yoke has two sidewalls and is formed such that it borders the current conductor with the exception of the air gap completely, wherein the housing with the magnetic field sensor is placed inside the yoke and outside the air gap of the yoke, and wherein a length of the yoke measured at right angles to the current conductor and parallel to the air gap of the yoke is at least the same size as a height of the yoke measured perpendicularly to the air gap.
- 19. A device for measuring current, comprising a magnetic field sensor for measuring a magnetic field produced by a current flowing through a current conductor, the magnetic field sensor encapsulated into a housing, and a yoke of a magnetic material with a relative permeability of at least 100, wherein the yoke has two ends separated by an air gap and with front sides that lie opposite each other, wherein the yoke has two sidewalls and is formed such that it borders the current conductor with the exception of the air gap completely, wherein the housing with the magnetic field sensor is placed inside the yoke and outside the air gap of the yoke, and wherein a length of the yoke measured at right angles to the current conductor and parallel to the air gap of the yoke is at least the same size as a height of the yoke measured perpendicularly to the air gap and wherein the magnetic field sensor is placed on the side of the current conductor that does not face the air gap of the yoke.
Specification