Bus bar current detecting apparatus

• US 20060082357A1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Nobuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,538,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/126
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/20 using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices , i.e. measuring a magnetic field via the interaction between a current and a magnetic field, e.g. magneto resistive or Hall effect devices

Abstract

A current detecting portion A includes a magnetic shield attached to a bus bar BU, a magnetic shield attached to a bus bar BV, and a magnetic shield attached to a bus bar BW. On bus bars BV, BU and BW arranged in parallel, current sensors SU, SV and SW are arranged at alternately displaced positions along each bus bar. The magnetic shields are also arranged at alternately displaced positions along each bus bar. The arrangement of the magnetic shield and the current sensors is what is called a staggered arrangement, whereby magnetic interference from an adjacent bus bar to a current sensor can be avoided.

Claims

1. A current detecting apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of bus bars each for passing a current;

a current sensor sensing a magnetic field near a first bus bar among said plurality of bus bars for detecting a current passing through said first bus bar; and

a magnetic shield provided to a second bus bar among said plurality of bus bars that is arranged at a position where magnetic interference to said current sensor may be caused, for reducing the magnetic interference to said current sensor.

2. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processing portion receiving an output of said current sensor to sense a value of a current passing through a corresponding bus bar; and

a flexible substrate with flexibility provided with an interconnection line electrically connecting said processing portion and said current sensor.

3. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said current sensor is a current sensor of a coreless type that performs current sensing without using a magnetic core.

4. A current detecting apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of bus bars each for passing a current, at least part of said plurality of bus bars being arranged in parallel; and

a plurality of current sensors respectively arranged to said plurality of bus bars, wherein

said plurality of current sensors are arranged at alternately displaced positions along said part of plurality of bus bars being arranged in parallel.

5. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

each of said plurality of current sensors senses a magnetic field near a corresponding bus bar in order to detect a current passing through the corresponding bus bar, and

said current detecting apparatus further comprises

a plurality of magnetic shields respectively arranged to said plurality of bus bars each for reducing magnetic interference to a current sensor arranged at an adjacent bus bar.

6. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said plurality of magnetic shields are arranged at alternately displaced positions along said part of plurality of bus bars being arranged in parallel.

7. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a processing portion receiving an output of said current sensor to sense a value of a current passing through a corresponding bus bar; and

a flexible substrate with flexibility provided with an interconnection line electrically connecting said processing portion and said current sensor.

8. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said current sensor is a current sensor of a coreless type that performs current sensing without using a magnetic core.

9. A current detecting apparatus, comprising:

a first bus bar for passing a current;

a plurality of current sensors arranged to said first bus bar; and

a processing portion receiving outputs of said plurality of current sensors to sense a value of the current passing through said first bus bar.

10. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said first bus bar has a plate-like shape, and wherein

said plurality of current sensors include first and second magnetic field sensors sensing a magnetic field near said first bus bar, said first magnetic field sensor being arranged at a top surface of said first bus bar, and said second magnetic field sensor being arranged at a bottom surface of said first bus bar.

11. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising

an operating portion receiving outputs of said first and second magnetic field sensors and performing a processing of canceling a noise.

12. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second bus bar arranged at a position where magnetic interference to said first and second magnetic field sensors may be caused; and

a magnetic shield provided to said second bus bar for reducing the magnetic interference to said first and second magnetic field sensors.

13. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said first bus bar has a plate-like shape, and wherein

said plurality of current sensors include first and second magnetic field sensors sensing a magnetic field near said first bus bar, said first and second magnetic field sensors being arranged at an identical surface of said first bus bar.

14. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a second bus bar arranged at a position where magnetic interference to said first and second magnetic field sensors may be caused; and

a magnetic shield provided to said second bus bar for reducing the magnetic interference to said first and second magnetic field sensors.

15. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising

a flexible substrate with flexibility provided with interconnection lines electrically connecting said processing portion and said plurality of current sensors.

16. The current detecting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

each of said plurality of current sensors is a current sensor of a coreless type that performs current sensing without using a magnetic core.