Abstract
Two ferromagnetic elements are disclosed that delimit a region for an electrical conductor, in which a current intensity should be measured. Each ferromagnetic element has an end surface. The end surfaces of the two ferromagnetic elements face each other and delimit an air gap. A magnetic field sensor is arranged in the air gap or near the air gap. The region delimited by the ferromagnetic elements is open on a side opposite the air gap and can thus receive the electrical conductor. The current intensity is measured by means of a magnetic field measurement. The ferromagnetic elements can be, in particular, L-shaped.
Claims
1. A current sensor for measuring a current intensity in an electrical conductor, the current sensor comprising: a magnetic field sensor, two ferromagnetic elements, each having an end surface which is shaped and arranged in such a way that the two end surfaces face each other and delimit an air gap, and the two ferromagnetic elements, together with the air gap, in a plane of the current sensor, delimit a region for the electrical conductor which is open on a side opposite the air gap.
2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the two ferromagnetic elements are each designed to be L-shaped, having a first leg and a second leg, the end surfaces delimiting the air gap on the second legs and the region for the electrical conductor between the first legs.
3. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensor is arranged in one of the following positions: within the air gap; or outside the air gap, between the air gap and a position provided for the electrical conductor; or outside the air gap so that the air gap lies between the magnetic field sensor and the region for the electrical conductor.
4. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensor is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a circuit board.
5. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein the two ferromagnetic elements are arranged on one plane of the circuit board and the circuit board has a recess for the electrical conductor.
6. The current sensor according to claim 4, wherein the two ferromagnetic elements are guided through the circuit board.
7. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor is encased in a housing.
8. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor comprises an electrical conductor piece which is provided to form a section of the electrical conductor.
9. The current sensor according to claim 8, wherein the electrical conductor piece has a reduced cross-section in the region between the ferromagnetic elements.
10. An electrical system having an electrical conductor, comprising the current sensor according to claim 1 for measuring a current intensity in the electrical conductor of the electrical system, wherein the electrical conductor in the region between the ferromagnetic elements of the current sensor has a reduced cross-section.
11. A current sensor for measuring a current intensity in an electrical conductor, the current sensor comprising: a magnetic field sensor, and two ferromagnetic elements each having an L-shaped profile with a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first legs of the two ferromagnetic elements extend parallel to each other and the second legs of the two ferromagnetic elements extend towards each other and define an air gap therebetween, wherein a region dimensioned to receive a portion of the electrical conductor is defined by the two ferromagnetic elements, and the region is connected to the air gap.
12. The current sensor according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic field sensor is arranged in one of the following positions: within the air gap; or outside the air gap, between the air gap and a position provided for the electrical conductor; or outside the air gap so that the air gap lies between the magnetic field sensor and the region for the electrical conductor.
13. The current sensor according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic field sensor is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a circuit board.
14. The current sensor according to claim 13, wherein the two ferromagnetic elements are arranged on one plane of the circuit board and the circuit board has a recess for the electrical conductor.
15. The current sensor according to claim 13, wherein the two ferromagnetic elements are guided through the circuit board.
16. The current sensor according to claim 11, wherein the current sensor is encased in a housing.
17. The current sensor according to claim 11, wherein the current sensor comprises an electrical conductor piece which is forms a section of the electrical conductor.
18. The current sensor according to claim 17, wherein the electrical conductor piece has a reduced cross-section in the region between the ferromagnetic elements.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The disclosure and the advantages thereof are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a current sensor and a busbar.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a current sensor and a busbar.
[0025] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0026] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the current sensor and a busbar.
[0027] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a current sensor and a busbar.
[0028] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a current sensor and a busbar.
[0029] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a current sensor.
[0030] FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a current sensor.
[0031] FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of the current sensor having an integrated conductor piece.
[0032] FIG. 14 shows a side view of the embodiment from FIG. 13.
[0033] FIG. 15 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14.
[0034] FIG. 16 shows a current sensor in connection having a higher-level circuit board.
[0035] FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of a current sensor.
[0036] FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of a current sensor.
[0037] FIG. 19 shows a perspective view of a current sensor.
[0038] FIG. 20 shows an embodiment of a current sensor.
[0039] FIG. 21 shows a current sensor in connection having a higher-level circuit board.
[0040] FIG. 22 shows three current sensors having a common circuit board.
[0041] The drawings represent only exemplary embodiments. The drawings are in no way to be interpreted as a restriction to the exemplary embodiments shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the current sensor 1 and a busbar 4 which, in this example, forms the electrical conductor in which a current intensity should be measured. The two ferromagnetic elements 2 are L-shaped and each have a first leg 21 and a second leg 22. The second leg 22 has an end face 23 in each case. The two end faces 23 face each other and thus delimit an air gap 5 in which a magnetic field sensor 3 is arranged. The first legs 21 together with the second legs 22 and the air gap 5 delimit a region 6 for the electrical conductor 4. The region 6 can be seen to be open on the side opposite the air gap 5. This precisely enables the simple assembly of the current sensor 1, as already explained. The direction of the current flow through the busbar 4 is here perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The rectangular cross-section of the electrical conductor 4 does not constitute a restriction of the electrical conductor 4.
[0043] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the current sensor 1 and largely corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in which the majority of the elements shown have already been discussed. In contrast to FIG. 1, here the busbar 4 is oriented differently to the current sensor 1, and it becomes clear that the busbar 4 does not have to lie completely within the region 6 with regard to the cross-section thereof to measure a current intensity in the busbar 4. The magnetic field sensor 3 is arranged in the air gap 5. Examples of alternative positions 31, 32 for the magnetic field sensor are shown in dashed lines. For example, the magnetic field sensor can be in a position 31 outside the air gap 5 in such a way that the air gap 5 lies between the magnetic field sensor and the region 6. The magnetic field sensor can, however, also lie in a position 32 within the region 6, between the air gap 5 and the busbar 4. These alternative positions 31, 32 for the magnetic field sensor are of course also possible with an arrangement of the busbar 4 as in FIG. 1.
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a current sensor 1 and a busbar 4. The direction 100 of a current flow through the busbar 4 is shown. In the case of the ferromagnetic elements 2, one of the end faces 23 can be seen; a magnetic field sensor 3, for which connection pins 33 are shown, is arranged in the air gap 5.
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a current sensor 1 and a busbar 4; some of the elements shown have already been discussed with reference to FIG. 1. One of the connection pins 33 for the magnetic field sensor 3 is shown, which connects the magnetic field sensor 3 to a circuit board 7 for controlling and reading out the magnetic field sensor 3. The circuit board 7 has one or more connection pins 71 for connection to a higher-level system.
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a current sensor 1 and a busbar 4, analogous to FIG. 4. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the magnetic field sensor 3 is arranged outside the air gap 5.
[0047] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a current sensor 1 and a busbar 4. The direction 100 of a current flow through the busbar 4 is shown. A magnetic field sensor 3, which is connected to a circuit board 7 via connection pins 33, is arranged in the air gap 5 between the ferromagnetic elements 2. The circuit board 7 is used to control and read out the magnetic field sensor 3 and has connection pins 71 for connecting the circuit board 7 to a higher-level system.
[0048] FIG. 7 shows a current sensor 1 with ferromagnetic elements 2 and a magnetic field sensor 3 which is arranged in the air gap 5 between the ferromagnetic elements 2. Examples of alternative positions 31, 32 for the magnetic field sensor 3 are also indicated by dashed lines. A circuit board 7 for controlling and reading out the magnetic field sensor 3 belongs to the current sensor 1. The ferromagnetic elements 2 are arranged here on a plane of the circuit board 7. A recess 72 is provided in the circuit board 7 for the busbar 4 in which a current intensity should be measured. In this exemplary embodiment, when the current sensor 1 is installed, the busbar 4 must be guided through the cutout 72.
[0049] FIG. 8 is an embodiment of a current sensor 1, largely analogous to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7; in FIG. 7 the elements shown have already been explained. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the recess 72 for the busbar 4 in the circuit board 7 is designed so that the current sensor 1 can be plugged over the busbar 1, which simplifies the assembly compared to the embodiment of FIG. 7.
[0050] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7. The elements shown have already been explained in connection with FIG. 7. The direction 100 of the current flow is indicated for the busbar 4. For the magnetic field sensor 3, the connection pins 33 for connection to the circuit board 7 are also shown.
[0051] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a current sensor 1 and a busbar 4, for which the direction 100 of the current flow is shown. In the air gap 5 between the ferromagnetic elements 2 is arranged the magnetic field sensor 3, for which connection pins 33 for connecting to a circuit board are shown. The busbar 4 has a reduced cross-section 200 in the region of the current sensor 1.
[0052] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a current sensor 1, which is a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. Most of the elements shown have already been explained in FIG. 5. The components of the current sensor 1 are surrounded here by a housing 8 (shown in dashed lines), only the connection pins 71 for connecting the circuit board 7 to a higher-level system are accessible from outside the housing 8. The housing 8 is designed in such a way that a recess 81 results in which can be received an electrical conductor in which the current intensity should be measured. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the recess is such that the current sensor 1 can be pushed over the electrical conductor.
[0053] FIG. 12 shows a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11. All the elements shown have already been explained with reference to FIG. 11. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the recess 81 in the housing 8 does not allow the subsequent sliding of the current sensor 1 onto an electrical conductor, rather the electrical conductor must be guided through recess 81 during assembly.
[0054] FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of a current sensor 1, which comprises an integrated conductor piece 41. Also shown are the ferromagnetic elements 2, magnetic field sensor 3 having connection pins 33 to a circuit board 7, which is used to control and read out the magnetic field sensor 3, and a connection pin 71 for connecting the circuit board 7 to a higher-level system. The current sensor 1 also has a housing 8 (shown in dashed lines). The integrated conductor piece 41 can also have a reduced cross-section in the region of the ferromagnetic elements 2, analogous to the illustration in FIG. 10 for a busbar 4 that does not belong to the current sensor 1.
[0055] FIG. 14 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13. The elements shown have already been explained in connection with FIG. 13. As can be seen, the electrical conductor piece 41 protrudes from the housing 8. The electrical conductor piece 41 can be connected to an electrical conductor on both sides to form a conductor path in which a current intensity should be measured.
[0056] FIG. 15 shows a side view of a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14. The difference from the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 lies in the arrangement of the circuit board 7 relative to the ferromagnetic elements 2. This arrangement corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9.
[0057] FIG. 16 shows a current sensor 1 having a housing 8, which corresponds approximately to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12. The illustrated elements of the current sensor 1 have already been explained in relation to these figures. The circuit board 7 is connected to a higher-level circuit board 300 via connection pin 71. The busbar 4, in which a current intensity should be measured, is shown here with an angled profile. The arrangement of the higher-level circuit board 300 relative to the current sensor 1 and busbar 4 is of course only an example.
[0058] FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of a current sensor 1 having a magnetic field sensor 3 in the air gap 5 between the second legs 22 of the ferromagnetic elements 2. The magnetic field sensor 3 is connected via connection pins 33 to the circuit board 7, which has a connection pin 71 for connection to a higher-level system and is designed to control and read out the magnetic field sensor 3. A busbar 4 is received in the region 6 between the first legs 21 of the ferromagnetic elements 2. In the embodiment shown, the ferromagnetic elements 2 penetrate the circuit board 7, more precisely the second legs 22 rest on the circuit board 7, and the first legs 21 run through the circuit board 7 and extend on the side of the circuit board 7 opposite the second legs 22.
[0059] FIG. 18 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17. The elements shown have already been explained in connection with FIG. 17. In contrast to the embodiment in FIG. 17, the magnetic field sensor 3 is arranged outside the air gap 5; in addition, the second legs 22 are spaced apart from the circuit board 7.
[0060] FIG. 19 shows a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17. The elements shown have largely already been explained with reference to FIG. 17. The direction 100 of a current flow through the busbar 4 is also shown.
[0061] FIG. 20 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17. The elements shown have already been explained in connection with FIG. 17.
[0062] FIG. 21 shows an embodiment of a current sensor 1, corresponding approximately to the embodiment shown in FIG. 17. The ferromagnetic elements 2 penetrate the circuit board 7, which is used to control and read out the magnetic field sensor 3 (see FIG. 17) and is connected to a higher-level circuit board 300 via connection pin 71. The current sensor 1 is shown here for measuring a current intensity in a busbar 4 having an angled profile. The arrangement of the higher-level circuit board 300 relative to the current sensor 1 and busbar 4 is of course only an example.
[0063] FIG. 22 shows an arrangement 400 of three current sensors 1, each of which here corresponds approximately to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Each current sensor 1 has two L-shaped ferromagnetic elements 2, between which a busbar 4 is shown here, in which a current intensity should be measured with the respective current sensor 1. Each current sensor 1 has a magnetic field sensor 3 which is arranged in the air gap between the respective ferromagnetic elements 2. Each magnetic field sensor 3 is connected to a circuit board 7 common to the three current sensors 1 shown via a respective connection pin 33. The circuit board 7 is used to control and read out the three magnetic field sensors 3. The circuit board 7 has a connection pin 71 for connection to a higher-level system. An arrangement as shown here, for example, can be used to measure the currents in the individual phases of a multi-phase, specifically three-phase, electrical system.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0064] a. Current sensor [0065] b. Ferromagnetic element [0066] c. Magnetic field sensor [0067] d. Busbar (electrical conductor) [0068] e. Air gap [0069] f. Region (for electrical conductors) [0070] g. Circuit board (current sensor) [0071] h. Housing [0072] 21 First leg [0073] 22 Second leg [0074] 23 End surface [0075] 31 Magnetic field sensor (alternative position) [0076] 32 Magnetic field sensor (alternative position) [0077] 33 Connection pin (magnetic field sensor) [0078] 41 Electrical conductor piece [0079] 71 Connection pin (circuit board) [0080] 72 Recess (in circuit board) [0081] 81 Recess (in housing) [0082] 100 Direction (current flow) [0083] 200 Reduced cross-section (busbar) [0084] 300 Higher-level circuit board [0085] 400 Arrangement
