Current sensor for universal application
First Claim
1. A current sensor quantitatively measuring current flow in an electrical conductor of any cross-sectional shape comprising:
- an insulating housing;
a magnetic flux concentrator in said housing comprising a pair of magnetic pole pieces having respective flat surfaces in spaced parallel facing relation to provide a magnetic sensing region therebetween and a magnetic shunt connected to said pole pieces across said region, said pole pieces further comprising magnetic terminal means accessible exteriorly of said housing;
magnetizable means having a selectively predetermined configuration surrouding the cross-sectional shape of said electrical conductor in spaced relation thereto, said magnetizable means being removably attached to said magnetic terminal means establishing a magnetizable loop including said flux concentrator around said conductor providing a linear magnetic field in said magnetic sensing region having an intensity proportional to current flow in said conductor, said magnetizable means being oriented to locate said shunt between said conductor and said magnetic sensing region;
means in said housing including transducer means disposed between said flat surfaces responsive to said magnetic field intensity in said magnetic sensing region providing electric signals in proportion to said magnetic field intensity; and
electric wiring terminal means for each electric signal externally disposed on said housing, said electric wiring terminal means connected to said means responsive to magnetic field intensity receiving said electric signals thereat.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic flux concentrator comprising spaced pole pieces (4,6) and magnetic shunt (8) bridging the pole pieces within an insulating housing (2) which also contains a magnetoresistive transducer (24) and electronic circuitry (26) for sensing magnetic field intensity between the pole pieces and relating that intensity as electric signals provided at wiring terminals (28) at the exterior of the housing. The pole pieces have magnetic terminal portions adjacent openings in the housing for removable attachment thereto of selected ferrous strap configurations (42,50,52,60) determined by the cross-sectional shape of the electrical conductor (46) in which current flow is to be measured, the respective strap configuration and flux concentrator forming a magnetic loop around the conductor for picking up the magnetic flux induced by current flow in the conductor.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A current sensor quantitatively measuring current flow in an electrical conductor of any cross-sectional shape comprising:
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an insulating housing; a magnetic flux concentrator in said housing comprising a pair of magnetic pole pieces having respective flat surfaces in spaced parallel facing relation to provide a magnetic sensing region therebetween and a magnetic shunt connected to said pole pieces across said region, said pole pieces further comprising magnetic terminal means accessible exteriorly of said housing; magnetizable means having a selectively predetermined configuration surrouding the cross-sectional shape of said electrical conductor in spaced relation thereto, said magnetizable means being removably attached to said magnetic terminal means establishing a magnetizable loop including said flux concentrator around said conductor providing a linear magnetic field in said magnetic sensing region having an intensity proportional to current flow in said conductor, said magnetizable means being oriented to locate said shunt between said conductor and said magnetic sensing region; means in said housing including transducer means disposed between said flat surfaces responsive to said magnetic field intensity in said magnetic sensing region providing electric signals in proportion to said magnetic field intensity; and electric wiring terminal means for each electric signal externally disposed on said housing, said electric wiring terminal means connected to said means responsive to magnetic field intensity receiving said electric signals thereat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A current sensor quantitatively measuring current flow in an electrical conductor of any cross-sectional shape comprising:
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an insulating housing; a plurality of externally accessible electrical wiring terminals supported in said housing; a magnetic flux concentrator supported in said housing comprising a pair of separate pole pieces having respective flat surfaces in spaced parallel facing relation to provide a linear magnetic sensing region therebetween, portions of said pole pieces being adjacent openings in said housing, and magnetic shunt means juxtaposed said pole pieces across said magnetic sensing region; means responsive to magnetic field intensity in said magnetic sensing region disposed in said housing comprising magnetoresistive transducer means disposed in said magnetic sensing region between said flat parallel surfaces and electric circuit means comprising a circuit board having wired connections to said terminals and said magnetoresistive transducer means; and magnetizable means removably attached to said portions of said pole pieces adjacent said openings in said housing forming a magnetic loop including said flux concentrator around said electrical conductor, dimensions and configuration of said magnetizable means being determined by cross-sectional shape of said conductor, and said shunt being disposed between said conductor and said magnetic sensing region. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification