Magnetic sensor
AssigneeTDK Corporation
InventorsTaiju Akushichi, Tamon Kasajima
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To provide a magnetic sensor capable of detecting a weak magnetic field at a position situated apart from a magnetic field source. A magnetic sensor includes magnetic bodies whose magnetic collecting surfaces face mutually opposite sides and a magnetic detecting part 30 that detects magnetic flux passing between the magnetic bodies. With this configuration, magnetic flux collected from one magnetic collecting surface of one magnetic body passes to another magnetic collecting surface of another magnetic body through the magnetic detecting part, thereby making it possible to efficiently collect a magnetic field spreading in a space. Thus, even when a distance from a magnetic field source is large, magnetic collection can be achieved with high uniformity of a magnetic field.
Claims5
A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a first magnetic body having i) a first magnetic collecting surface extending in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and ii) a first back surface positioned on an opposite side of the first magnetic collecting surface;
- a second magnetic body having i) a second magnetic collecting surface extending in the first and second directions and ii) a second back surface positioned on an opposite side of the second magnetic collecting surface;
- and
- a sensor chip having an element forming surface on which a magnetosensitive element is formed,
- wherein the first and second magnetic bodies are arranged such that the first back surface of the first magnetic body and the second back surface of the second magnetic body face each other,
- wherein the first magnetic body has a first magnetic coupling part protruding toward the second magnetic body along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions,
- wherein the second magnetic body has i) a first protruding portion protruding toward the first magnetic body along the third direction, ii) a second protruding portion protruding in parallel with the first protruding portion toward the first magnetic body along the third direction, iii) a second magnetic coupling part protruding from the first protruding portion along the second direction, and iv) a third magnetic coupling part protruding from the second protruding portion along the second direction,
- wherein the second magnetic coupling part includes an end surface extending in the third direction and the first direction, and the third magnetic coupling part includes an end surface extending in the third direction and the first direction such that the end surface of the second magnetic coupling part and the end surface of the third magnetic coupling part face each other, and
- wherein the sensor chip is arranged such that at least a part of the element forming surface is covered with the first magnetic coupling part, the second magnetic coupling part, and the third magnetic coupling part and such that the first magnetic coupling part is arranged between the end surface of the second magnetic coupling part and the end surface of the third magnetic coupling part in the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.