Snap fit Hall effect circuit mount apparatus and method

A method for configuring a current sensor assembly for sensing the flux of a magnetic field formed by current passing through a conductor, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a rigid magnetically permeable guide core extending between facing first and second ends and formed about a conductor receiving space, the first and second ends forming first and second guide couplers, respectively, and defining a mounting gap therebetween having a mounting gap dimension;
• providing a resilient clip member including first and second clip couplers at oppositely facing first and second edges, respectively, the first and second guide couplers configured to operably receive the first and second clip couplers, respectively, to mount the clip within the mounting gap with a sensing space formed on a first side of the clip member between the first and second ends;
• and
• mounting a sensor to the first side of the clip member;
• positioning the conductor within the conductor receiving space;
• and
• engaging the first guide and first clip couplers and the second guide and second clip couplers to secure the clip member between the first and second ends with the sensor substantially residing between the first and second ends.

An apparatus for sensing magnetic field flux formed by current passing through a conductor, the apparatus comprising:

• a rigid flux guide core extending between facing first and second ends and formed about a conductor receiving space, the first and second ends defining a mounting gap therebetween having a mounting gap dimension;
• a resilient clip member including oppositely facing first and second edges and first and second oppositely facing sides;
• first and second securing means for securing the first and second edges to the first and second ends, respectively, with a sensing space formed on a first side of the clip member between the first and second ends;
• and
• a sensor mounted to the first side of the clip member substantially within the sensing space.

An apparatus for use with a rigid magnetically permeable core extending between facing first and second ends and formed about a conductor receiving space, the first and second ends defining a sensing gap therebetween having a sensing gap dimension, the apparatus for sensing flux passing through the sensing gap, the core having a core thickness, the apparatus comprising:

• a resilient clip member including first and second clip couplers at oppositely facing first and second edges, respectively, the first and second clip couplers formed to be operably received by the first and second core ends, respectively, to mount the clip within the sensing gap with a sensing space formed on a first side of the clip member between the first and second ends, the first clip coupler including first and second restraining members that extend from opposite ends of and in a first direction from the first edge, the second clip coupler including third and fourth restraining members that extend from opposite ends of and in a second direction opposite the first direction from the second edge, the first and second restraining members and the third and fourth restraining members defining first and second guide receiving spaces, respectively, that are each substantially similar to the guide thickness wherein the guide is received within the guide receiving spaces, the clip member forming a first slot that is substantially parallel to the first edge, the dip member including third and fourth edges that traverse the distances between the first and third and the second and fourth restraining members, respectively, and, wherein, the first slot is open to the third edge and is closed at the fourth edge thereby forming a first leg member;
• and
• a flux sensor mounted to the first side of the clip member substantially within the sensing space.