SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VOLTAGE AND CURRENT SENSING

• US 20140167740A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: GILBERT, JAMES A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/20 Modifications of basic electric elements for use in electric measuring instruments; Structural combinations of such elements with such instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/181 using coils without a magnetic core, e.g. Rogowski coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/28 adapted for measuring in circuits having distributed constants

Abstract

A current sensor is disclosed. The current sensor includes a Rogowski coil disposed on a flexible printed circuit board with at least one active lead passing through the Rogowski coil.

Claims

1. A current sensor comprising:

a Rogowski coil disposed on a flexible printed circuit board with at least one active lead passing through the Rogowski coil.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the Rogowski coil comprises:

an outer coil having an upper portion and a lower portion interconnected by a plurality of vias; and

an inner conductor disposed within the outer coil.

3. The current sensor according to claim 2, wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises:

a first layer comprising the upper portion of the outer coil;

a second layer comprising the inner conductor; and

a third layer comprising the lower portion of the outer coil.

4. The current sensor according to claim 3, wherein the first layer is coupled to the second layer and is pivotable relative thereto.

5. The current sensor according to claim 3, wherein the second layer is coupled to the third layer and is pivotable relative thereto.

6. The current sensor according to claim 3, wherein the first, second, and third layers are folded over each other to enclose the inner conductor between the upper and lower portions of the outer coil.

7. The current sensor according to claim 2, wherein the outer coil and the inner conductor are coupled to a conditioning circuit and output a differentiated signal corresponding to a current passing through at least one active lead to the conditioning circuit.

8. The current sensor according to claim 7, wherein the conditioning circuit is configured to integrate the differentiated signal to output a processed current signal indicative of the current.

9. A current sensor comprising:

a Rogowski coil disposed on a flexible printed circuit board with at least one active lead passing through the Rogowski coil, the Rogowski coil configured to output a differentiated signal corresponding to a current passing through at least one active lead; and

a conditioning circuit coupled to the Rogowski coil, the conditioning circuit configured to integrate the differentiated signal to output a processed current signal indicative of the current.

10. The current sensor according to claim 9, wherein the conditioning circuit includes a first portion and a second portion interconnected by the flexible printed circuit board.

11. The current sensor according to claim 10, wherein the at least one active lead is disposed between the first and second portions of the conditioning circuit.

12. The current sensor according to claim 9, wherein the Rogowski coil comprises:

an outer coil having an upper portion and a lower portion interconnected by a plurality of vias; and

an inner conductor disposed within the outer coil.

13. The current sensor according to claim 12, wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises:

a first layer comprising the upper portion of the outer coil;

a second layer comprising the inner conductor; and

a third layer comprising the lower portion of the outer coil.

14. The current sensor according to claim 13, wherein the first layer is coupled to the second layer and is pivotable relative thereto.

15. The current sensor according to claim 13, wherein the second layer is coupled to the third layer and is pivotable relative thereto.

16. The current sensor according to claim 13, wherein the first, second, and third layers are folded over each other to enclose the inner conductor between the upper and lower portions of the outer coil.

17. A current sensor comprising:

a Rogowski coil disposed on a flexible printed circuit board with at least one active lead passing through the Rogowski coil, the Rogowski coil configured to output a differentiated signal corresponding to a current passing through at least one active lead, wherein the Rogowski coil comprises;

an outer coil having an upper portion and a lower portion interconnected by a plurality of vias; and

an inner conductor disposed within the outer coil; and

a conditioning circuit coupled to the Rogowski coil, the conditioning circuit configured to integrate the differentiated signal to output a processed current signal indicative of the current.

18. The current sensor according to claim 17, wherein the conditioning circuit includes a first portion and a second portion interconnected by the flexible printed circuit board and the at least one active lead is disposed between the first and second portions of the conditioning circuit.

19. The current sensor according to claim 18, wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises:

a first layer comprising the upper portion of the outer coil;

a second layer comprising the inner conductor; and

a third layer comprising the lower portion of the outer coil.

20. The current sensor according to claim 19, wherein the first, second, and third layers are folded over each other to enclose the inner conductor between the upper and lower portions of the outer coil as first and second portions are approximated relative to each other.