Electrical current sensor
AssigneeHamilton Standard Controls, Inc.
InventorLarry E. Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compact and inexpensive current sensor includes a planar coil assembly mounted, as by printing, on a substrate such as a circuit board. A closed-loop flux concentrator extends through the coil and also through the board. A conductor carrying the AC current to be sensed is positioned in proximity with the flux concentrator. The flux concentrator is of one-piece construction, having a pair of opposed leg portions in overlapping relation and fastened to the circuit board. A current-summing amplifier amplifies the low-amplitude emf provided by the coil assembly and, with further circuitry, provides an indication and/or control commensurate with the sensed current being above or below some value.
Claims5
For sensing the current in a conductor intended to carry an laternating electrical current, an improved current sensor of the type including a substantially annular coil assembly having a pair of output terminals and having closed-loop flux concentrating means extending through the coil, the flux concentrating means being adapted to be in justaposition with the current-carrying conductor, and wherein an emf representative of the current in the conductor appears at the output terminals of the coil assembly, the improvement wherein:
- said coil assembly is substantially planar and is printed on the surface of a circuit board;
- said flux concentrator is of one-piece construction and extends through said planar coil assembly and said circuit board, said flux concentrator including a pair of oppositely-extending leg portions disposed in adjacent overlapping relation, said flux concentrator being secured to said circuit board by fastening means acting between said overlapping leg portions of said flux concentrator and said circuit board;
- and
- including circuit means connected to the output terminals of said planar coil assembly for at least amplifying the emf appearing thereat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.