Current sensor
First Claim
1. A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current line, the current sensor comprising:
- an electrically conductive busbar interposable in the current line to allow the electric current to flow through the busbar, the busbar having a first end portion connectable to a first side of the current line, a second end portion connectable to a second side of the current line, and a middle portion that joins the first and second end portions;
an electrically nonconductive case including a case body and a case lid, the case body encapsulating the middle portion of the busbar and having an inner room, the case lid being attached to the case body to cover the inner room;
a connector including a connector body and a connector terminal supported in the connector body, the connector body being joined to the case body, the connector terminal having a first portion exposed to the inner room of the case body and a second portion exposed to an outside of the connector body to be connectable to an external device;
a semiconductor bare chip arranged in the inner room of the case body and having a detection circuit that detects the electric current based on a resistance of the busbar and a voltage drop across the busbar, the detection circuit outputting a data signal indicative of the detected electric current to the external device via the connector;
a first bonding wire that electrically couples the bare chip to the busbar; and
a second bonding wire that electrically couples the bare chip to the first portion of the connector terminal of the connector.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A current sensor includes a busbar, a case, a connector, and a bare chip having a current detection circuit. The busbar has a crimp terminal at one end, a ring terminal at the other end, and a shunt resistor welded between the crimp and ring terminals. The shunt resistor is encapsulated in the case, and the busbar has an electrode exposed to a sealed inner room of the case. The connector has a connector body unitary with the case and has a connector terminal that is exposed to the inner room at one end and exposed to an outside of the connector body at the other end. The bare chip is arranged in the inner room of the case and wire-bonded to each of the busbar and the connector terminal.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A current sensor for measuring an electric current flowing through a current line, the current sensor comprising:
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an electrically conductive busbar interposable in the current line to allow the electric current to flow through the busbar, the busbar having a first end portion connectable to a first side of the current line, a second end portion connectable to a second side of the current line, and a middle portion that joins the first and second end portions; an electrically nonconductive case including a case body and a case lid, the case body encapsulating the middle portion of the busbar and having an inner room, the case lid being attached to the case body to cover the inner room; a connector including a connector body and a connector terminal supported in the connector body, the connector body being joined to the case body, the connector terminal having a first portion exposed to the inner room of the case body and a second portion exposed to an outside of the connector body to be connectable to an external device; a semiconductor bare chip arranged in the inner room of the case body and having a detection circuit that detects the electric current based on a resistance of the busbar and a voltage drop across the busbar, the detection circuit outputting a data signal indicative of the detected electric current to the external device via the connector; a first bonding wire that electrically couples the bare chip to the busbar; and a second bonding wire that electrically couples the bare chip to the first portion of the connector terminal of the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification