Current sensing inductive devices
First Claim
1. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:
- a plurality of bobbin elements, each element having at least a portion of a conductive winding wound thereon; and
a return conductor configured to electrically couple a leading one of the plurality of bobbin elements with a trailing one of the plurality of bobbin elements;
wherein a first bobbin element of the plurality of bobbin elements includes a first conductive element, the first conductive element configured to electrically couple the return conductor to a first end of the conductive winding;
wherein at least two of the plurality of bobbin elements are physically coupled to one another via a hinged coupling; and
wherein the hinged coupling comprises;
a pair of outer hinge features disposed on a first one of the plurality of bobbin elements;
a pair of inner hinge features disposed on a second one of the plurality of bobbin elements; and
a hinge pin disposed within the pairs of inner and outer hinge features.
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Accused Products
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 comprise a number of bobbin elements that are wound and subsequently formed into complex geometric shapes such as torus-like shapes. In an alternative embodiment, bonded windings are utilized which allow the segments to be formed without a bobbin or former. In yet another alternative embodiment, the aforementioned current sensing devices are stacked in groups of two or more. Methods of manufacturing and using the aforementioned current sensing apparatus are also disclosed.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:
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a plurality of bobbin elements, each element having at least a portion of a conductive winding wound thereon; and a return conductor configured to electrically couple a leading one of the plurality of bobbin elements with a trailing one of the plurality of bobbin elements; wherein a first bobbin element of the plurality of bobbin elements includes a first conductive element, the first conductive element configured to electrically couple the return conductor to a first end of the conductive winding; wherein at least two of the plurality of bobbin elements are physically coupled to one another via a hinged coupling; and wherein the hinged coupling comprises; a pair of outer hinge features disposed on a first one of the plurality of bobbin elements; a pair of inner hinge features disposed on a second one of the plurality of bobbin elements; and a hinge pin disposed within the pairs of inner and outer hinge features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:
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one or more bobbin elements, each bobbin element having at least one winding disposed thereon, the at least one winding disposed in one or more layers of windings; and a return conductor configured to electrically couple a leading one of the one or more bobbin elements with a trailing one of the one or more bobbin elements; wherein at least a first one of the bobbin elements is physically coupled to a second one of the bobbin elements via a hinged coupling; and wherein the hinged coupling comprises; a pair of outer hinge features disposed on the first one of the bobbin elements; a pair of inner hinge features disposed on the second one of the bobbin elements; and a hinge pin disposed within the pairs of inner and outer hinge features. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:
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a plurality of bobbin elements, each bobbin element having at least one winding disposed thereon, the at least one winding disposed in one or more layers of windings; wherein at least a first one of the plurality of bobbin elements comprises a pair of flanges configured to have a winding spool disposed there between, the at least one winding wound onto the winding spool; wherein the at least first one of the plurality of bobbin elements is physically coupled to a second one of the plurality of bobbin elements via a hinged coupling; and wherein the hinged coupling comprises; an outer hinge feature disposed on the first one of the bobbin elements, the outer hinge feature comprises an aperture and a cavity; and an inner hinge feature disposed on the second one of the bobbin elements, the inner hinge feature comprises a coupling element comprised of a winding spool portion and an insertable portion; wherein the outer hinge feature is configured to be coupled to the inner hinge feature; and wherein the winding spool portion of the second one of the plurality of bobbin elements fits within the cavity of the first one of the plurality of bobbin elements, while the insertable portion of the second one of the plurality of bobbin elements simultaneously fits within the aperture of the first one of the plurality of bobbin elements. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A current sensing inductive device, comprising:
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a plurality of segmented winding elements that are disposed adjacent one another, the plurality of segmented winding elements comprised of a start segmented winding element disposed at one end of the plurality of segmented winding elements and a finish segmented winding element disposed at the other end of the plurality of segmented winding elements, each of the plurality of segmented winding elements comprising a plurality of turns of a conductive winding that runs between the start segmented winding element and the finish segmented winding element, the plurality of turns disposed in a plurality of layers; a shielding layer comprising a plurality of shielding layer turns of the conductive winding on each of the plurality of segmented winding elements, the plurality of shielding layer turns being disposed atop the plurality of turns of the conductive winding, the shielding layer being secured to a conductive terminal disposed proximate the finish segmented winding element and comprising an open connection disposed within the start segmented winding element; a return wire that runs continuously between the finish segmented winding element of the plurality of segmented winding elements and the start segmented winding element of the plurality of segmented winding elements, the return wire traversing continuously along each of the plurality of segmented winding elements; and a start portion for the plurality of turns of the conductive winding and a finish portion for the return wire is disposed adjacent the start segmented winding element. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification