DEVICES FOR SENSING CURRENT

• US 20130285825A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Peczalski, Andy M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,488,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/664
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/207 Constructional details independent of the type of device used
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0011 comprising means, e.g. flux concentrators, flux guides, for guiding or concentrating the magnetic flux, e.g. to the magnetic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices

Abstract

Devices for sensing current are described herein. One device includes a first magnetic sensor configured to determine a first magnetic field associated with a current conductor while the current conductor is conducting a current, a second magnetic sensor, a particular distance from the first magnetic sensor, configured to determine a second magnetic field associated with the current conductor while the current conductor is conducting the current, and a fastener configured to secure the current sensor to the current conductor such that the first and second magnetic sensors are on a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

Claims

1. A current sensor, comprising:

a first magnetic sensor configured to determine a first magnetic field associated with a current conductor while the current conductor is conducting a current;

a second magnetic sensor, a particular distance from the first magnetic sensor, configured to determine a second magnetic field associated with the current conductor while the current conductor is conducting the current; and

a fastener configured to secure the current sensor to the current conductor such that the first and second magnetic sensors are on a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

2. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the magnetic sensors includes a tunneling magnetoresistance element.

3. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the magnetic sensors includes an anisotropic magnetoresistance element.

4. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor is mounted on a first face of a circuit board.

5. The current sensor of claim 4, wherein the second magnetic sensor is mounted to a second face of the circuit board.

6. The current sensor of claim 5, wherein the current sensor includes a third magnetic sensor connected to the second face of the circuit board via a number of bond wires.

7. The current sensor of claim 5, wherein the current sensor includes a third magnetic sensor mounted on the second face of the circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board including at least one of polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene.

8. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein the current sensor includes a notification functionality configured to provide a notification responsive to the first and second magnetic sensors determining the first and second magnetic fields, respectively.

9. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic sensors are not individually packaged and are contained in a same enclosure.

10. The current sensor of claim 1, wherein the first and second magnetic sensors are individually packaged.

11. A current sensor, comprising:

a first magnetic sensor mounted on a circuit board;

a second magnetic sensor attached to a surface of the first magnetic sensor opposing the circuit board; and

a third magnetic sensor attached to a surface of the second magnetic sensor opposing the first magnetic sensor.

12. The current sensor of claim 11, wherein the first and second magnetic sensors have a first orientation with respect to the circuit board and the third magnetic sensor has a second orientation with respect to the circuit board.

13. The current sensor of claim 11, wherein:

the first, second, and third magnetic sensors are contained in a same package; and

the package is configured to be mounted to the circuit board.

14. A current sensor, comprising:

a fastener configured to secure the current sensor to a current conductor, while the current conductor is conducting a current, wherein upon being secured, the current sensor is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the current conductor;

a plurality of magnetic sensors, wherein each magnetic sensor is configured to determine a respective magnetic field associated with the current conductor at each of a plurality of rotational positions while the current sensor is being rotated about the longitudinal axis of the current conductor

a notification functionality configured to provide a notification responsive to at least one of the determined magnetic fields exceeding a threshold.

15. The current sensor of claim 14, wherein the current sensor is configured to be secured to the current conductor such that one of the plurality of magnetic sensors contacts the current conductor.

16. The current sensor of claim 14, wherein the fastener includes a plurality of clip portions, each configured to engage the current conductor.

17. The current sensor of claim 16, wherein the fastener includes a pivot portion connecting the plurality of clip portions.

18. The current sensor of claim 14, wherein the current sensor is configured to determine the current conducted by the current conductor based, at least in part, on the at least one determined magnetic field associated with a rotational position of the current sensor corresponding to the respective determined magnetic fields exceeding the threshold.

19. The current sensor of claim 18, wherein the current sensor is configured to combine the plurality of magnetic fields determined by the plurality of magnetic sensors.

20. The current sensor of claim 14, wherein the notification functionality includes a light emitting diode.