JP2016099111A - Current sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique that brings about both good assemblability and reduced total size of a current sensor that individually measures current flowing through a plurality of parallelly extending bus bars.SOLUTION: Each bus bar has a coil portion 13 obtained by bending a middle section thereof into a U-shape in a plane perpendicular to an extending direction thereof. The coil portions 13 are arranged such that positions of the bus bars in the extending direction thereof are alternately staggered. Each coil portion 13 is provided with a magnetoelectric conversion element 5 disposed such that a magnetosensitive direction thereof matches the extending direction of the bus bar. An inner width of the U-shape of each coil portion 13 is smaller than a width of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 in an arrayed direction of the bus bars. The magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 are supported by a sensor substrate 10. The sensor substrate 10 supports the magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 such that a magnetoelectric conversion element for a coil portion of one bus bar sits adjacent to the coil portion of the one bus bar on a side closer to coil portions of adjacent bus bars.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a current sensor that measures a current flowing through each of a plurality of bus bars extending in parallel.

  2. Description of the Related Art A current sensor is known in which a middle portion of an elongated bar-like conductive member is bent in a U shape to form a curved portion, and a magnetoelectric conversion element is disposed inside the curved portion (for example, Patent Document 1). The elongated bar-like conductive member is called a bus bar. In the present specification, the term “bus bar” will be used hereinafter. The magnetoelectric transducer measures a magnetic field induced by a current flowing through the bus bar. There is a unique relationship between the magnitude of the current flowing through the bus bar and the magnitude of the magnetic field. A current sensor using a magnetoelectric conversion element specifies the magnitude of a current flowing through a bus bar based on a unique relationship between a current and a magnetic field. The technique of Patent Document 1 utilizes the fact that the magnetic field induced by the current flowing through the bus bar is concentrated inside the curved portion. Since this type of current sensor measures a magnetic field concentrated inside the bending portion, it does not require a magnetic collecting core and is advantageous for miniaturization.

JP 2007-183221 A

  For example, in an inverter that performs feedback control of a three-phase AC motor, it is necessary to measure the current of each phase of the three phases. Inside the inverter, three bus bars that transmit three-phase alternating current extend in parallel. In the case of an apparatus using two three-phase AC motors, for example, an electric vehicle equipped with two traveling motors, it is necessary to measure the current flowing through a total of six bus bars. A large number of assembly steps are required to attach the current sensor of Patent Document 1 to the curved portion of each bus bar. On the other hand, the larger the number of bus bars, the larger the current sensor becomes. In particular, since the current sensor of Patent Document 1 has the magnetoelectric conversion element disposed inside the bending portion, the inner width of the U-shape of the bending portion must be larger than the width of the magnetoelectric conversion element. The greater the inner width of the U-character, the greater the overall width of the plurality of bus bars in the arrangement direction. Furthermore, as the number of bus bars increases, the size of the U-shaped inner width significantly increases the overall width of the plurality of bus bars in the arrangement direction. The present specification relates to a current sensor that measures a current flowing through each of a plurality of bus bars, and provides a technique that achieves both good assembly and downsizing of the entire sensor.

  The current sensor disclosed in this specification measures a current flowing through each of a plurality of bus bars extending in parallel. This current sensor includes a bending portion provided in the middle of each bus bar, a magnetoelectric conversion element arranged for each bending portion, and a sensor substrate that supports a plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements. The curved portion is obtained by bending a middle portion of the bus bar into a U shape within a plane orthogonal to the bus bar extending direction. The plurality of curved portions are arranged so that the positions in the bus bar extending direction are staggered. The magnetoelectric conversion element is arranged with respect to each bus bar with its magnetic sensing direction in the bus bar extending direction. The plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements are supported by a sensor substrate extending in the direction in which the bus bars are arranged. Furthermore, the inner width of the U-shape of the curved portion is smaller than the width of the magnetoelectric transducer in the bus bar arrangement direction. The sensor substrate supports the magnetoelectric conversion element so that the magnetoelectric conversion element for the curved portion of one bus bar is adjacent to the curved portion of the one bus bar on the side close to the curved portion of the adjacent bus bar.

  In the current sensor, first, the magnetoelectric conversion element is not disposed inside the bending portion, but is disposed adjacent to the bending portion so that the U-shaped inner width of the bending portion is larger than the width of the magnetoelectric conversion element. Can also be reduced. This contributes to reducing the width of the entire current sensor in the bus bar arrangement direction. In the current sensor, the magnetoelectric conversion element for the curved portion of one bus bar is disposed adjacent to the curved portion of the one bus bar on the side close to the curved portion of the adjacent bus bar. That is, a plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements are concentrated in a narrow range in the bus bar extending direction. This structure contributes to reducing the length of the entire current sensor in the bus bar extending direction. Further, since the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements are supported by the sensor substrate, the arrangement of the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements can be completed only by installing the sensor substrate with respect to the plurality of bus bars. This contributes to simplifying the assembly process of the current sensor.

  Note that, by arranging the plurality of bending portions so that the positions in the bus bar extending direction are staggered, the influence of the magnetic flux generated by the adjacent bending portion with respect to the magnetoelectric conversion element of one bus bar can be suppressed. For convenience of explanation, the magnetoelectric conversion element of one bus bar is referred to as a focused element. The reason why the curved portions are arranged alternately is that the incident direction of the magnetic flux generated by the adjacent curved portions to the element of interest forms an angle with the magnetic sensitive direction. As the distance between the adjacent bus bars is reduced to reduce the size of the current sensor, the influence of the adjacent curved portion on the element of interest increases. Arranging the curved portions alternately has an effect of suppressing an increase in the influence of the adjacent curved portions due to the downsizing of the current sensor.

  As described above, the current sensor disclosed in the present specification achieves both miniaturization and good assembly. Details of the technology disclosed in this specification and further improvements will be described in the embodiments of the present invention.

It is a perspective view of the current sensor of the first embodiment. It is a top view of the current sensor of the 1st example. (A) is a front view of the current sensor of the first embodiment, and (B) is a rear view of the first embodiment. (A) is a side view seen from the IV-A line direction shown in FIG. 2, (B) is a cross-sectional view cut along the IV-B line shown in FIG. 2, and (C) is an IV shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the -C line | wire. It is a perspective view of the current sensor of 2nd Example. It is a top view of the current sensor of the 2nd example. It is a front view of the current sensor of 2nd Example. (A) is the side view seen from the VIII-A line direction shown in FIG. 6, (B) is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the VIII-B line shown in FIG. 6, (C) is VIII shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the -C line | wire.

  (First Embodiment) A current sensor 2a according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the current sensor 2a of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the current sensor 2a as viewed from above (viewed toward the negative direction of the Z axis of the coordinate system shown in FIG. 1). Figure). 3A is a front view of the current sensor 2a viewed from the front (viewed in the negative direction of the X axis of the same coordinate system), and FIG. 3B is a view of the current sensor 2a viewed from the back. It is the seen rear view (figure seen toward the positive direction of the X-axis of the same coordinate system). 4A is a side view as viewed from the direction of the line IV-A shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4B is a sectional view cut along the line IV-B shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-C shown in FIG. 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the current sensor 2 a measures a current flowing through each bus bar 12 by a plurality of magnetoelectric transducers 5 provided on each of the plurality of bus bars 12. The bus bar 12 is, for example, connected between an inverter (not shown) that supplies AC driving power to a driving motor (not shown) of an electric vehicle and the driving motor with an electrically low resistance. The bus bar 12 is formed into a predetermined shape by pressing an elongated flat metal plate.

  In the present embodiment, an inverter that supplies power to two three-phase AC motors is assumed. Therefore, six bus bars 12 for passing an output current extend in parallel in the inverter, and a current sensor for measuring the current flowing through each bus bar is required. The current sensor 2 a is installed in the middle of the bus bar 12. In the present embodiment, an air-core coil portion 13 having a U-shaped curve in the middle of the bus bar 12 is provided, and the magnitude of the magnetic flux (magnetic flux density) generated thereby is detected by the magnetoelectric transducer 5. Since the current and the magnetic flux density have a unique relationship, the value of the current flowing through the bus bar 12 can be measured by detecting the magnetic flux density by the magnetoelectric transducer 5. The current sensor 2a is a coreless sensor that does not have a magnetic core.

  In the present embodiment, each bus bar 12 includes a coil portion 13 and lead portions 14 and 15 extending from both ends of the coil portion 13. As shown well in FIG. 2, the coil portion 13 has a midway of the bus bar 12 in a plane (coordinate system in the drawing) orthogonal to the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction of the coordinate system in the drawing). In the YZ plane). The coil axis CL extends in parallel with the bus bar extending direction.

  The plurality of coil portions 13 are arranged so that the coil portions 13 of adjacent bus bars do not overlap each other when viewed from the bus bar arrangement direction (the Y-axis direction of the coordinate system in the drawing). The plurality of coil portions 13 are also arranged so that the positions in the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction of the coordinate system in the drawing) are staggered in order along the bus bar arrangement direction. In other words, the coil parts of the even-numbered bus bars in the bus bar arrangement direction are aligned in the straight line in the bus bar arrangement direction, and the coil parts of the odd-numbered bus bars are different from the coil parts of the even-numbered bus bars, It is lined up in the direction of the bus bar.

  The magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is, for example, a three-terminal type Hall element packaged in a flat plate shape with a resin mold. The magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is disposed at the end of the coil portion 13 so that the normal line of the magnetosensitive surface thereof substantially coincides with or is parallel to the coil axis line CL. The direction of the normal of the magnetic sensitive surface coincides with the magnetic sensitive direction. That is, the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is arranged with the magnetic sensing direction directed toward the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). In this embodiment, one magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is provided for each bus bar 12 so that one coil part 13 corresponds to one, and each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is integrated on one sensor substrate 10. Has been attached.

  In the first embodiment, the sensor substrate 10 has a strip shape, and each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is attached such that the back surface of the magnetic sensitive surface is in contact with the sensor substrate 10. Each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is planarly attached to the sensor substrate 10 by electrically connecting a terminal 6 bent in an L shape to the sensor substrate 10 by soldering or the like. That is, each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is attached to the sensor substrate 10. For example, a power supply line, a ground, and an output line are printed on the sensor substrate 10 in correspondence with the three terminals of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5. A connector 11 is provided at the end of the sensor substrate 10. The connector 11 is for supplying electric power to each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 and for taking out a sensor signal corresponding to the magnetic flux density from each magnetoelectric conversion element 5. In this embodiment, the connector 11 is connected to an inverter controller (not shown), for example. In addition, the code | symbol 11a shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, the sensor substrate 10 is represented by a virtual line in order to facilitate understanding of the positional relationship between the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 and the coil unit 13. In addition, it should be noted that, among the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements 5, reference numerals 6 are assigned to the terminals of some of the magnetoelectric conversion elements 5, and reference numerals are omitted from the terminals of the other magnetoelectric conversion elements 5. . In FIG. 1, the connector 11 is not shown.

  In the current sensor 2a, the sensor substrate 10 is erected so as to extend in the arrangement direction of the bus bars 12 (Y-axis direction of the same coordinate system) with respect to the plurality of bus bars 12 arranged in parallel. Coil portions 13 of adjacent bus bars 12 are arranged so as to sandwich the sensor substrate 10 alternately from both sides. That is, the plurality of coil portions 13 are arranged in a staggered manner (alternately) to sandwich the sensor substrate 10. The magnetoelectric conversion element 5 corresponding to each bus bar 12 is disposed at the end of the coil portion 13 in the coil axis CL direction and close to the adjacent coil portion 13. That is, the respective magnetoelectric transducers 5 are arranged at the ends of the coil portions 13 facing in a staggered manner. In other words, the magnetoelectric transducer 5 corresponding to each bus bar 12 is disposed adjacent to the coil portion 13 in the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction of the coordinate system in the drawing), and the coil portion of the adjacent bus bar 12 is The side closer to 13 is adjacent to the coil portion 13 of each bus bar. And the sensor board | substrate 10 is pinched | interposed between the some coil parts 13 arrange | positioned at zigzag form. In other words, the sensor substrate 10 is sandwiched between the coil portions 13 of the even-numbered bus bars and the coil portions 13 of the odd-numbered bus bars in the bus bar arrangement direction. Each coil part 13 will be located in the front surface 10a and the back surface 10b of the sensor board | substrate 10. FIG. According to the positional relationship between the plurality of coil portions 13 and the sensor substrate 10, the magnetoelectric transducers 5a and 5b arranged at the end portions of the coil portions 13 of the adjacent bus bars 12a and 12b are respectively Are attached to the surface 10a and the back surface 10b. In other words, the plurality of magnetoelectric transducers 5 are alternately attached to the front surface and the back surface of the sensor substrate 10. Therefore, a plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 (5a, 5b) can be efficiently installed on one sensor substrate 10.

  In the first embodiment, notches 14a and 15a are formed in the lead portions 14 and 15, and the sensor substrate 10 is inserted into these notches 14a and 15a. The groove widths of the notches 14 a and 15 a are set to be equal to or slightly wider than the plate thickness of the sensor substrate 10. This facilitates positioning of the sensor substrate 10 with respect to each bus bar 12 (12a, 12b). That is, the position of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 is accurately determined with respect to each coil part 13. Further, by inserting the sensor substrate 10 into the notches 14a and 15a, the relative positions of the coil portions 13 of the respective bus bars 12 are also accurately determined. As well shown in FIG. 2, the notches 14 a and 15 a are formed away from the formation position of the coil portion 13 by a separation distance Da. The separation distance Da corresponds to the package thickness of the magnetoelectric transducers 5a and 5b. That is, since the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 (5a, 5b) disposed at the end of the coil portion 13 is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the coil portion 13 and the sensor substrate 10, this space must be provided. Such a separation distance Da is ensured.

  In the present embodiment, notches 14 a and 15 a are formed on both sides of the coil portion 13. Thus, the bus bar 12 can be uniformly pressed as a bus bar 12 that can be used for any one of them without distinguishing between the bus bar 12a provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5a and the bus bar 12b provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5b. it can. That is, the bus bars 12a and 12b can be shared. Therefore, when the bus bar 12a provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5a and the bus bar 12b provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5b are separately manufactured, it is not necessary to form the notch 14a in the bus bar 12a, and the notch 15a is provided in the bus bar 12b. There is no need to form.

  In the current sensor 2a according to the first embodiment, a plurality of coil sections 13 are arranged at different positions in the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction) in adjacent bus bars 12a and 12b among the plurality of bus bars 12. The plurality of coil portions 13 are arranged such that adjacent coil portions 13 do not overlap when viewed from the bus bar arrangement direction (Y-axis direction). The plurality of magnetoelectric transducers 5 are arranged at the end of the coil portion 13 in the direction of the coil axis CL and close to the adjacent coil portion 13 among the plurality of coil portions 13. The magnetosensitive direction of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 is oriented in the direction of the axis CL of the coil portion 13. In the magnetoelectric transducer 5 for the coil portion 13 of one bus bar 12, a magnetic field that passes through the inside (U-shape inside) of the coil portion 13 penetrates the magnetosensitive surface vertically. On the other hand, the magnetic field generated by the coil portion 13 of the adjacent bus bar 12 penetrates the magnetic sensitive surface of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 with respect to the coil portion 13 of one bus bar 12 obliquely. The magnetoelectric conversion element 5 detects a component perpendicular to the magnetic sensitive surface of the magnetic flux passing therethrough. The arrangement of the alternating coil portions 13 suppresses interference of magnetic fields generated by the coil portions 13 of the adjacent bus bars 12.

  The plurality of magnetoelectric transducers 5 (5a, 5b) are arranged at the ends of the coil portion 13 in the direction of the coil axis CL. In other words, the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is not disposed inside the coil portion 13 that curves in a U-shape. As a result, the current sensor 2a can be reduced in size by reducing the size of the coil portion 13. Specifically, the inner width W2 (see FIG. 3A) of the coil bar 13 in the bus bar arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) is the width W1 of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 in the bus bar arrangement direction (see FIG. 3A). Can be made smaller. As a result, the width of the entire current sensor 2a in the bus bar arrangement direction can be reduced. In FIG. 3A, only the rightmost magnetoelectric conversion element 5a and the coil portion 13 are marked with symbols W1 and W2 indicating the width. The width of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5a other than the right end is the same as the width W1 of the right end magnetoelectric conversion element, and the inner width of the coil section 13 other than the right end is the same as the inner width W2 of the right end coil section 13.

  In addition, each magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is arranged next to the coil portion 13 in the bus bar extending direction and next to the side close to the coil portion 13 of the adjacent bus bar 12. As a result, the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 can be collected in a narrow width along the bus bar extending direction. As a result, it is possible to realize a current sensor 2a having a small width in the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction) (see FIG. 4).

  In the current sensor 2a of the first embodiment, all the magnetoelectric transducers 5 are supported on one sensor substrate 10. Therefore, the mounting of all the magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 is completed only by arranging the sensor substrate 10 with respect to the plurality of bus bars 12. The current sensor 2a is easy to assemble. This also applies to the current sensors of the following embodiments.

  (Second Embodiment) A current sensor 2b according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the current sensor 2b as viewed from above (viewed toward the negative direction of the Z axis of the coordinate system shown in FIG. 5). Figure). FIG. 7 is a front view of the current sensor 2b as viewed from the front (viewed in the negative direction of the X axis in the same coordinate system). 8A is a side view as viewed from the direction of the line VIII-A shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-B shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-C shown in FIG. 6. Also in FIG. 5, illustration of the connector 21 described later is omitted.

  The current sensor 2b of the second embodiment also measures the current flowing through each bus bar 22 by the magnetoelectric transducer 5 provided in each of the plurality of bus bars 22. In the second embodiment, the bus bar 22 includes a coil portion 23 and lead portions 24 and 25 extending from both ends of the coil portion 23. Although the coil portion 23 is equivalent to the coil portion 13 of the first embodiment, the lead portions 24 and 25 are wider than the lead portions 14 and 15 of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the magnetoelectric transducer 5 (5a, 5b) is inserted into the notches 24a, 25a formed in the lead portions 24, 25. Therefore, by forming the lead portions 24 and 25 of the second embodiment so wide, the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is positioned upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) so that the normal line of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is the coil axis line. The magnetoelectric transducer 5 is arranged so as to be substantially coincident with or parallel to CL. In other words, the magnetoelectric transducer 5 is raised by the lead portions 24 and 25. In addition, the groove width of the notches 24a and 25a is set to be equal to or slightly wider than the package thickness of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 (5a and 5b). This facilitates positioning of the magnetoelectric transducer 5 (5a, 5b) with respect to each bus bar 22 (22a, 22b).

  In the current sensor 2 b, the sensor substrate 20 formed in a strip shape is arranged so that the mounting surface is orthogonal to the magnetic sensitive surface of the magnetoelectric transducer 5. Thereby, the terminal 6 of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is connected so as to stand up with respect to the sensor substrate 20. Therefore, it is not necessary to secure a space for mounting the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 on the sensor substrate 20 in a planar manner, so that the width of the sensor substrate 20 is smaller than that of the sensor substrate 10 of the first embodiment (see FIG. 6). Also in the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment, the plurality of coil portions 23 are arranged in a staggered manner, and the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 are arranged at the ends of the plurality of coil portions 23 close to the adjacent coil portions 23. Thereby, the magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 are also arranged in a staggered manner. A connector 21 is provided at the end of the sensor substrate 20. Reference numeral 21 a in FIG. 7 is a terminal provided on the connector 21.

  A predetermined separation distance Db is secured in the extending direction (X-axis direction) of the bus bar 22 between the adjacent magnetoelectric conversion elements 5a and 5b. The predetermined separation distance Db is set in advance based on, for example, the layout of the printed wiring provided on the sensor substrate 20 or the mounting position relationship of the magnetoelectric transducer 5. The predetermined separation distance Db is well shown in FIGS.

  In this embodiment, notches 24a and 25a are formed on both sides of the coil portion 23. As a result, the bus bar 22 can be uniformly pressed as a bus bar 22 that can be used in any manner without distinguishing between the bus bar 22a provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5a and the bus bar 22b provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5b. it can. That is, the bus bars 22a and 22b can be shared. Therefore, when the bus bar 22a provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5a and the bus bar 22b provided with the magnetoelectric conversion element 5b are separately manufactured, it is not necessary to form the notch 24a in the bus bar 22a, and the bus bar 22b is provided with the notch 25a. There is no need to form.

  In the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment, the plurality of coil portions 23 are arranged so that the positions in the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction) are staggered. The coil portions 23 of the adjacent bus bars 22a and 22b are arranged so as not to overlap when viewed from the bus bar arrangement direction (Y-axis direction). In addition, the plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements 5 are arranged at the ends of the coil portions 23 in the direction of the coil axis CL and close to the adjacent coil portions 23 among the plurality of coil portions 23. These arrangements are the same as those of the current sensor 2a of the first embodiment. Therefore, the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment can also suppress interference of magnetic flux generated by the coil portion 23 of the adjacent bus bar, and can reduce the size of the current sensor 2b in the bus bar extending direction.

  In particular, in the current sensor 2 b, the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 and the sensor substrate 20 are arranged so that the mounting surface of the sensor substrate 20 is orthogonal to the magnetic sensitive surface of the magnetoelectric conversion element 5. Therefore, the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is connected to stand up with respect to the sensor substrate 20. Thereby, since the width | variety of the sensor board | substrate 20 becomes narrow compared with the sensor board | substrate 10 of 1st Example, the current sensor 2b can anticipate further size reduction of the current sensor 2b.

  In the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment, the sensor substrate 20 is arranged at a position away from the bus bar 22 in the positive direction of the Z axis in the coordinate system in the drawing. The sensor substrate 20 may be disposed at a position away from the bus bar 22 in the negative direction of the Z axis. The Z-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to both the bus bar arrangement direction (Y-axis direction in the drawing) and the bus bar extending direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). Therefore, in other words, the sensor substrate 20 may be disposed at a position away from the plurality of bus bars 22 in a direction orthogonal to both the arrangement direction and the extending direction of the plurality of bus bars 22.

  Points to be noted regarding the embodiment will be described. In each of the above-described embodiments, the configuration in which six bus bars 12 (current sensor 2a of the first embodiment) and bus bars 22 (current sensor 2b of the second embodiment) are arranged in parallel has been described. The number of the bus bars 12 and the bus bars 22 is not limited to a specific number as long as it is two or more (a plurality). In addition, the interval between adjacent bus bars 12 (bus bar 12a and bus bar 12b) in each of the above-described embodiments is set to a distance that is not easily affected by the adjacent phase magnetic flux (the magnetic flux generated by the phase current flowing through the adjacent bus bar 12). In addition, the coil portions 13 and 23 arranged at different positions in the bus bar extending direction in the adjacent bus bars 12 and 22 are also set in a positional relationship that is hardly affected by the adjacent phase magnetic flux. The interval between the bus bars 12 and 22 and the positional relationship between the coil portions 13 and 23 are set in advance based on the results of experiments and simulations that are performed individually and specifically.

  In the current sensor 2a of the first embodiment, notches 14a and 15a are provided in the bus bar 12 (lead portions 14 and 15), and the sensor substrate 10 is inserted therein. The bus bar 12 may not be provided with a notch, but may be provided with a notch in the sensor substrate and the bus bar inserted therein. In the current sensor 2b of the second embodiment, notches 24a and 25a are provided in the bus bar 22 (lead portions 24 and 25), and the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 is inserted therein. The bus bar 22 may not be provided with a notch, and the magnetoelectric conversion element 5 may be provided with a notch, and the bus bar may be inserted therein.

  The coil parts 13 and 23 in an Example are equivalent to an example of the bending part in a claim.

  Specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. Further, the technical elements described in the present specification or drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Moreover, the technique illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical usefulness by achieving one of the objects.

2a, 2b: current sensors 5, 5a, 5b: magnetoelectric transducer 10, 20: sensor board 11, 21: connectors 12, 12a, 12b, 22, 22a, 22b: bus bars 13, 23: coil sections 14, 15, 24 25: Lead portions 14a, 15a: Notch CL: Coil axis Da, Db: Separation distance

Claims (4)

A current sensor that measures the current flowing through each of the plurality of bus bars extending in parallel;
A curved portion that is curved in a U shape in a plane perpendicular to the bus bar extending direction in the middle of each of the plurality of bus bars;
Magnetoelectric transducers arranged with the direction of magnetic sensing directed toward the extending direction of the bus bar with respect to each of the curved portions,
A sensor substrate extending in the direction in which the plurality of bus bars are arranged, and supporting the magnetoelectric conversion elements of the plurality of bus bars;
With
The plurality of curved portions are arranged so that the positions in the bus bar extending direction are staggered,
The U-shaped inner width of the curved portion is smaller than the width of the magnetoelectric transducers in the bus bar arrangement direction,
The sensor substrate supports the magnetoelectric conversion element so that the magnetoelectric conversion element with respect to the curved portion of one bus bar is adjacent to the curved portion of the one bus bar on the side close to the curved portion of the adjacent bus bar. A current sensor.   The plurality of magnetoelectric conversion elements are alternately attached to one surface and the other surface of the sensor board, and the sensor board includes the coil parts of the odd-numbered bus bars and the coil parts of the even-numbered bus bars in the bus bar arrangement direction. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor is sandwiched between the current sensor and the current sensor.   The current sensor according to claim 2, wherein a notch into which one of the plurality of bus bars and the sensor substrate is inserted is provided.   2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor substrate is disposed at a position away from the plurality of bus bars in a direction orthogonal to both the arrangement direction and the extending direction of the plurality of bus bars.

Images