System and method for voltage and current sensing

• US 9,116,179 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thang
• Application Number:
  US14/069,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 324/76.11, 324/126, 324/127, 324/117.R, 324/244, 298/35, 336/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 flexible printed circuit board including;

a first layer;

a second layer coupled to the first layer; and

a third layer coupled to the second layer, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers, and at least one of the first, second, or third layers is pivotably coupled to another of the first, second, or third layers; and

a Rogowski coil including;

an outer coil having;

an upper portion disposed on the first layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a first opening therethrough; and

a lower portion disposed on the third layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a third opening therethrough; and

an inner conductor disposed on the second layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a second opening therethrough, the first, second, and third openings each configured to receive at least one active lead therethrough, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is movable between a first configuration, in which the first, second, and third layers are disposed in the same plane, and a second configuration, in which at least one of the first, second, or third layers is disposed at an angle relative to another of the first, second, or third layers.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion of the outer coil are interconnected by a plurality of vias.

3. 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.

4. The current sensor according to claim 3, wherein the conditioning circuit is configured to integrate the differentiated signal to output a processed current signal indicative of the current.

5. The current sensor according to claim 3, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes a fourth layer pivotably coupled to the third layer, the fourth layer connecting the inner conductor to the conditioning circuit.

6. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is movable to a third configuration, in which 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 1, wherein the first, second, and third openings are coaxial such that the at least one lead is disposable through the first, second, and third openings when the flexible printed circuit board is in the second configuration.

8. A current sensor comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board including;

a first layer;

a second layer coupled to the first layer; and

a third layer coupled to the second layer, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers, and at least one of the first, second, or third layers is pivotably coupled to another of the first, second, or third layers;

a Rogowski coil including;

an outer coil having;

an upper portion disposed on the first layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a first opening therethrough; and

a lower portion disposed on the third layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a third opening therethrough; and

an inner conductor disposed on the second layer of the flexible printed circuit board and defining a second opening therethrough, the first, second, and third openings configured to receive at least one active lead therethrough, the Rogowski coil configured to output a differentiated signal corresponding to a current passing through the at least one active lead, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is movable between a first configuration, in which the first, second, and third layers are disposed in the same plane, and a second configuration, in which at least one of the first, second, or third layers is disposed at an angle relative to another of the first, second, or third layers; 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.

9. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the conditioning circuit includes a first portion and a second portion interconnected by the flexible printed circuit board.

10. The current sensor according to claim 9, wherein the at least one active lead is disposed between the first and second portions of the conditioning circuit.

11. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion of the outer coil are interconnected by a plurality of vias.

12. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is movable to a third configuration, in which 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.

13. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes a fourth layer pivotably coupled to the third layer, the fourth layer connecting the inner conductor to the conditioning circuit.

14. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third openings are coaxial such that the at least one lead is disposable through the first, second, and third openings when the flexible printed circuit board is in the second configuration.