Current sensor

• US 20100301835A1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAE Magnetics Limited (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SAE Magnetics Limited (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasajima, Tamon
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/117R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/207 Constructional details independent of the type of device used

Abstract

A current sensor includes, a current-measured wiring including parallel wiring sections in which portions of the same wiring are arranged in parallel such that electric current to be measured flows therein in opposite directions each other; a magnetism detection unit which is arranged between parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections and detects a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to a plane formed by the parallel wirings; a current detection unit which detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring, based on the magnetic field detected by the magnetism detection unit; and a magnetic core surrounding the parallel wiring sections so as to intensify the magnetic field generated around the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections when electric current flows in the wirings. The magnetic core has a pair of plates facing each other over a plane formed by the parallel wirings, the pair of plates having flat and parallel inner faces, and the magnetism detection unit is arranged between the pair of plates of the magnetic core.

Claims

1. A current sensor comprising:

a current-measured wiring including parallel wiring sections in which portions of a same wiring are arranged in parallel such that electric current to be measured flows in the parallel wiring sections in opposite directions each other;

a magnetism detection unit which is arranged between parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections and detects a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to a plane formed by the parallel wirings;

a current detection unit which detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring, based on the magnetic field detected by the magnetism detection unit; and

a magnetic core surrounding the parallel wiring sections so as to intensify a magnetic field generated around the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections when electric current flows in the parallel wirings, wherein

the magnetic core has a pair of walls facing each other over the plane formed by the parallel wirings, in which a distance between the pair of walls in a part located between the parallel wirings is the same as or longer than a distance in other parts, and

the magnetism detection unit is arranged between the pair of walls of the magnetic core.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic core is formed such that a distance between the pair of walls in a part located at a center between the parallel wirings is the same as or longer than a distance in other parts.

3. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic core is formed such that respective inner surfaces of the pair of walls are flat and parallel to the plane formed by the parallel wirings.

4. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the current detection unit includes:

a coil which is arranged within the magnetic core, and when electric current flows in the coil, generates a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections, and

a coil control unit which controls electric current to be flown in the coil, and the coil control unit controls the electric current flows in the coil such that the coil generates another magnetic field in a direction opposite to the magnetic field detected by the magnetism detection unit so as to offset the magnetic field, and detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring based on the electric current flowing in the coil.

5. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein

a plane with an element for detecting a magnetic field of the magnetism detection unit is arranged at the center inside the coil.

6. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein

the current-measured wiring, and the magnetism detection unit and the coil are respectively mounted on a top surface and a back surface of a same substrate, and are insulated from each other.

7. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic core is formed in an annular shape, and

a substrate for mounting the current-measured wiring and the magnetism detection unit has notches to which another pair of walls linking the pair of walls of the magnetic core are able to be inserted respectively.

8. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a width of at least one wall of the pair of walls of the magnetic core is formed to be larger than a width of another wall linking the pair of walls.

9. The current sensor according to claim 1, further comprising,

within the magnetic core, a shield which is opened in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections, and blocks an external magnetic field in a direction parallel to the plane.

10. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic detection unit includes

a bridge circuit including a plurality of magneto resistive effect elements connected with each other, the bridge circuit being capable of detecting a differential voltage between predetermined connecting points, the magneto resistive effect elements outputting resistance values which vary in accordance with a direction of a magnetic field to be input and being arranged such that fixed magnetization directions of the magneto resistive effect elements are in a same direction;

and

a magnetic body arranged in the vicinity of the bridge circuit and changing the direction of the magnetic field to be input to the magneto resistive effect elements, and

the current detection unit detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring based on an operating voltage detected from the bridge circuit.

11. The current sensor according to claim 10, wherein

the bridge circuit includes four magneto resistive effect elements,

two element forming regions, in each of which a pair of the magneto resistive effect elements not adjacently-connected with each other in the bridge circuit are formed in almost the same area, are provided corresponding to respective pairs of the magneto resistive effect elements, and

the magnetic body is arranged between the two element forming regions.

12. The current sensor according to claim 11, wherein

the magnetic body is disposed on a plane where the magneto resistive effect elements are formed.

13. The current sensor according to claim 10, wherein

the magnetic body is made of a soft magnetic material.

14. The current sensor according to claim 10, wherein

the magneto resistive effect elements and the magnetic body are arranged on a same straight line along the fixed magnetization direction of the magneto resistive effect elements.

15. A current measured device comprising the current sensor according to claim 1.

16. A method of manufacturing a current sensor, comprising:

with respect to a current-measured wiring including parallel wiring sections in which portions of a same wiring are arranged in parallel such that electric current to be measured flows in the parallel wiring sections in opposite directions each other, arranging a magnetism detection unit between parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections, the magnetism direction unit detecting a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to a plane formed by the parallel wirings;

connecting the magnetism direction unit to a current detection unit which detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring based on the magnetic field detected by the magnetism detection unit;

providing a magnetic core to surround the parallel wiring sections so as to intensify a magnetic field generated around the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections when electric current flows in the parallel wirings, the magnetic core having a pair of walls facing each other over a plane formed by the parallel wirings, in which a distance between the pair of walls in a part located between the parallel wirings is the same as or longer than a distance in other portions, and

when providing the magnetic core, arranging the magnetism detection unit between the pair of walls of the magnetic core.

17. The method of manufacturing the current sensor according to claim 16, further comprising:

before providing the magnetic core, arranging a coil which generates, when electric current flows in the magnetic coil, a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the parallel wirings located in the parallel wiring sections, and

connecting the coil to a coil control unit which controls the electric current flowing in the coil such that the coil generates another magnetic field in a direction opposite to the magnetic field detected by the magnetism detection unit so as to offset the magnetic field, and detects electric current flowing in the current-measured wiring based on the electric current flowing in the coil, and

providing the magnetic core such that the coil is arranged within the magnetic core.