Magnetic sensor
AssigneeTDK Corporation
InventorKazuya WATANABE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnetic sensor includes first to third detection units for detecting components in X, Y, and Z directions of an external magnetic field. A reference plane orthogonal to the Z direction includes first to third regions formed by vertically projecting the first to third detection units thereonto. The first region includes two partial regions located on opposite sides of the third region in a direction parallel to a first straight line, and the second region includes two partial regions located on opposite sides of the third region in a direction parallel to a second straight line, the first and second straight lines being two mutually orthogonal straight lines that pass through the centroid of the third region and are perpendicular to the Z direction.
Claims12
A magnetic sensor comprising:
- a first detection unit for detecting a first component of an external magnetic field, the first component being in a direction parallel to a first direction;
- a second detection unit for detecting a second component of the external magnetic field, the second component being in a direction parallel to a second direction;
- a third detection unit for detecting a third component of the external magnetic field, the third component being in a direction parallel to a third direction;
- and
- a support for supporting the first to third detection units, wherein
- the first to third directions are orthogonal to each other,
- each of the first to third detection units includes at least one magnetic detection element,
- the third detection unit further includes a soft magnetic structure formed of a soft magnetic material,
- the support has a reference plane orthogonal to the third direction,
- the reference plane includes a first region, a second region, and a third region different from each other,
- the first region is a region formed by vertically projecting the first detection unit onto the reference plane,
- the second region is a region formed by vertically projecting the second detection unit onto the reference plane,
- the third region is a region formed by vertically projecting the third detection unit onto the reference plane, and
- the first region includes a first partial region and a second partial region located on opposite sides of the third region in a direction parallel to a first straight line, and the second region includes a third partial region and a fourth partial region located on opposite sides of the third region in a direction parallel to a second straight line, the first straight line and the second straight line being two mutually orthogonal straight lines that pass through a centroid of the third region and are perpendicular to the third direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.