CURRENT SENSING DEVICES AND METHODS

• US 20130320961A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulse Electronics Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pulse Electronics Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
• Inventors: Lint, James Douglas, Jin, Fuxue, Aldaco, Victor, Machado, Russell L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,304,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/181 using coils without a magnetic core, e.g. Rogowski coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/28 Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002; testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers or computer components G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 ; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A low-cost and high-precision current sensing device and methods for use and manufacturing. In one embodiment, the current sensing apparatus comprises a Rogowski-type coil which is manufactured in segments so as to facilitate the manufacturing process. In an exemplary embodiment, the current sensing apparatus segments are asymmetric in shape and/or composition (e.g., bobbin shape, size, and/or winding configuration) so as to account for asymmetries in the magnetic field distribution around a bus bar, or to accommodate its shape in a more compact form factor, and/or to improve the immunity to the effects of an external magnetic field. Methods of manufacturing and using the aforementioned current sensing apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:

a plurality of coil-like sensing elements, at least one of said sensing elements having a configuration different than that of each of the remainder of the plurality of elements; and

wherein the at least one sensing element having the different configuration is configured to be disposed relative to a sensed structure such that one or more electrical attributes of the current sensing inductive device are enhanced.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the different configuration comprises a different number of winding turns.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a bus conductor associated with one phase of a multiple-phase electrical system.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes comprises enhanced current sensing sensitivity.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes comprises reduced cross-phase interference.