Arrangement for measuring the current flowing in an electric conductor

• US 7,911,197 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Roellgen, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, MINH NHUT
• Application Number:
  US12/627,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/117.00H
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/207 Constructional details independent of the type of device used

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for measurement of a current flowing in an electrical conductor having a magnetic circuit, for coupling to the electrical conductor, wherein the magnetic circuit has an air gap. A magnetic-field-sensitive component is located in the air gap in the magnetic circuit and is used to measure the magnetic field produced by the electrical conductor. Two control cores are arranged in the air gap in the magnetic circuit, wherein the control cores each have a control winding for magnetic saturation of the respective control core. The magnetic-field-sensitive component is arranged between the control cores and one or more additional elements are located in the vicinity of the magnetic-field-sensitive component, and are suitable for guidance of disturbing magnetic fields in the vicinity of the magnetic-field-sensitive component, independent of the control cores.

Claims

1. An arrangement for measurement of a current flowing in an electrical conductor, the arrangement comprising:

a magnetic circuit with an air gap for coupling to the electrical conductor;

two control cores for controlling the air gap, the control cores being arranged in the air gap, wherein the control cores each have a control winding for magnetic saturation of the respective control core;

a magnetic-field-sensitive component arranged in the air gap between the control cores in order to measure the magnetic field produced by the electrical conductor; and

one or more additional elements located in the vicinity of the magnetic-field-sensitive component and suitable for guidance of magnetic fields in the vicinity of the magnetic-field-sensitive component independent of the control cores.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements can be magnetized.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements are composed of a soft-magnetic material.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements have a relative permeability that is greater than or equal to a relative permeability of the control cores.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements are arranged on both sides of the magnetic-field-sensitive component.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements have a residual permeability when the control cores are saturated.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional elements contain ferromagnetic metals.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic circuit surrounds the electrical conductor.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control cores comprise ferrite cores.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control cores have a rectangular frame and, on at least one side of the frame, have a control winding for saturation of the control core.

11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein each control core is in the form of a ring and, in a sub area of the ring, have a control winding for saturation of the control core.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control cores have a control winding on two opposite sides.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control cores lie on a common plane.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control cores are arranged rotated with respect to one another.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic-field-sensitive component comprises a Hall sensor.