This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 201110148989.7, filed on Jun. 3, 2011, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in this application.
The present invention relates to an electrical current sensor device and, more particularly, to an electrical current sensing circuit with a negative feedback circuit for eliminating the impact of the temperature drift to the elements in the circuit under a changing environment.
Many types of electrical current sensors are known and are in wide use today throughout the electronics industry. Commonly, many of these sensors include a Hall effect generator that senses the magnetic field associated with an electrical current and, in turn, produces a Hall effect output voltage that is proportional to the magnetic field.
Hall effect generators generally comprise a layer of homogeneous semiconductor material, known as the Hall plate, constructed upon a dielectric substrate. An excitation current is applied to the Hall plate, when the Hall effect generator is placed in a magnetic field and supplied with excitation current, the Hall effect output voltage is produced in the Hall plate which is orthogonal to the magnetic field and the excitation current, and then the output voltage is measured out.
Various types of sensing device utilizing the Hall effect phenomena have been used in the past, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,407. As shown in
During operation, an electrical conductor is inserted through a hole in the PCB. As electrical current flows through the conductor, a magnetic field is created within the toroid core and across the gap of the toroid core. The Hall effect generator 106 and the inductive loop 108 are therefore subjected to the magnetic field. The constant current source 104 supplies a temperature-compensated constant current to the Hall plate. As a result, the Hall effect generator 106 produces an output voltage that is proportional to the magnetic field concentrated onto its Hall plate, and this output voltage is then supplied to the amplifier 102 to be amplified to a useful level, finally an electrical current can be detected.
However, the above-mentioned electrical current sensor 100 can only detect a higher current due to the Hall effect, and the signal of the output voltage is lower with a poor accuracy. Generally, a distortion and a temperature drift are presented on the circuit, which decreases the measurement accuracy of the electrical current. Moreover, the sensitivity of the Hall element in the Hall effect generator 106 is insufficient due to the alternating and transient current.
Thus, there is a need for an improved electrical current sensor with an improved electrical current sensing circuit to overcome the above drawbacks.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide an electrical current sensing circuit with a negative feedback circuit which can eliminate the temperature drift under a changing environment and, in turn obtain an accurate output voltage.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a printed circuit board assembly with an electrical current sensing circuit, which can eliminate the temperature drift under a changing environment and, in turn obtain an accurate output voltage.
Yet one aspect of the present invention is to provide an electrical current sensor device with an electrical current sensing circuit, which can detect a low current and a high current, and eliminate the temperature drift under a changing environment and, in turn obtain an accurate output voltage, finally improve the measurement accuracy.
To achieve above objectives, an electrical current sensing circuit of the present invention comprises a Wheatstone bridge circuit having at least four magnetoresistive elements connecting and a pair of output terminals, the magnetoresistive elements adapted for sensing an external magnetic field with a first direction generated by a carrying-current electrical conductor, and outputting a differential signal; and a negative feedback circuit connecting with the output terminals, actuated by the differential signal and generated a magnetic field with a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, thereby eliminate the impact of the temperature drift to the magnetoresistive element character.
As an embodiment, the four magnetoresistive elements are divided into a first element pair and a second element pair that have two opposed pinning directions, which are perpendicular to the first direction of the external magnetic field.
Preferably, the negative feedback circuit comprises a preamplifier and a main wire, the preamplifier is connected with the output terminals, and the main wire is configured between the first element pair and second element pair and the configuring direction of the main wire is vertical with the pinning directions of the first element pair and the second element pair.
Preferably, the distance between the first element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor is different from that between the second element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor.
Alternatively, the distance between the first element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor is the same with that between the second element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor.
Preferably, the first element pair has a first sensitivity and a first saturation point, and the second element pair has a second sensitivity and a second saturation point.
As another embodiment, the first sensitivity is equal to the second sensitivity, and the first saturation point is not equal to the second saturation point.
As yet one embodiment, the first sensitivity is not equal to the second sensitivity, and the first saturation point is not equal to the second saturation point.
A printed circuit board assembly of the present invention comprises an electrical current sensing circuit, an analog-to-digital converter and a central processing unit connecting. The electrical current sensing circuit comprises a Wheatstone bridge circuit having at least four magnetoresistive elements connecting and a pair of output terminals, the magnetoresistive elements adapted for sensing an external magnetic field with a first direction generated by a carrying-current electrical conductor, and outputting a differential signal; and a negative feedback circuit connecting with the output terminals, actuated by the differential signal and generated a magnetic field with a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, thereby eliminating the impact of the temperature drift to the magnetoresistive element character.
As an embodiment, the four magnetoresistive elements are divided into a first element pair and a second element pair that have two opposed pinning directions, which are perpendicular to the first direction of the external magnetic field.
Preferably, the negative feedback circuit comprises a preamplifier and a main wire, the preamplifier is connected with the output terminals, and the main wire is configured between the first element pair and second element pair and the configuring direction of the main wire is vertical with the pinning directions of the first element pair and the second element pair.
Preferably, the distance between the first element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor is different from that between the second element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor.
Alternatively, the distance between the first element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor is the same with that between the second element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor.
Preferably, the first element pair has a first sensitivity and a first saturation point, and the second element pair has a second sensitivity and a second saturation point.
As another embodiment, the first sensitivity is equal to the second sensitivity, and the first saturation point is not equal to the second saturation point.
As yet one embodiment, the first sensitivity is not equal to the second sensitivity, and the first saturation point is not equal to the second saturation point.
An electrical current sensor device of the present invention comprises at least one printed circuit board assembly, a holder for holding the printed circuit board assembly, a shielding cover covering on the holder for shielding an external magnetic field generated by external environment and a display device formed on the shielding cover and connected with the printed circuit board assembly. The printed circuit board assembly comprises an electrical current sensing circuit comprising a Wheatstone bridge circuit having at least four magnetoresistive elements connecting and a pair of output terminals, the magnetoresistive elements adapted for sensing an external magnetic field with a first direction generated by a carrying-current electrical conductor, and outputting a differential signal; and a negative feedback circuit connecting with the output terminals, actuated by the differential signal and generated a magnetic field with a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, thereby eliminating the impact of the temperature drift to the magnetoresistive element character.
In comparison with the prior art, firstly, the present invention applies the magnetoresistive elements to form a Wheatstone bridge circuit for replacing the Hall effect generator, the sensitivity of the magnetoresistive elements is higher than the Hall element. Secondly, the electrical sensing circuit of the present invention provides a negative feedback circuit which can eliminate the impact of the temperature drift to the magnetoresistive elements under a changing environment and, in turn obtain an accurate output voltage. Moreover, the electrical current sensor device of the present invention further includes a shielding cover for shielding the external magnetic field which is generated by the external space (such as the earth) or the outer equipments (such as a motor near the electrical current sensor device), and preventing the external magnetic field to affect the magnetoresistive elements, thereby improved the measurement accuracy of the current.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, principles of this invention.
The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings:
a shows one arrangement of the sensitivity and saturation point of the GMR elements of the Wheatstone bridge circuit;
b shows another arrangement of the sensitivity and saturation point of the four GMR elements of the Wheatstone bridge circuit;
a is a simplified view of electrical current sensing circuit shown in
b is a simplified view of electrical current sensing circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention;
a is a perspective view of an electrical current sensor device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
b is an exploded view of the electrical current sensor device shown in
Various preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views. As indicated above, the invention is directed to an electrical current sensing circuit having a negative feedback circuit, which can eliminate the temperature drift of the circuit under a changing environment and, in turn obtain an accurate output voltage.
Now the detailed structure of the electrical current sensing circuit 200 is described as following. As shown in
Within the contemplation of the present invention, the negative feedback circuit 220 is connected with to the output terminals A3, A4, as shown in
Preferably, each of the GMR elements of the present invention can be separated into multiple square segments which are connected by electrodes. Basing on this configuration, the stability and the reliability of the GMR element can be improved significantly.
Preferably, in this embodiment, the first element pair and the second element pair of the GMR elements have two different sensitivities, that is, the G1 and G3 have the same sensitivity S1, and G2 and G4 have the same sensitivity S2, therein S1 is not equal to S2. Alternatively, S1 is larger than S2 for sensing the lower current, and S2 is smaller for sensing the higher current. The detailed date can be configured during the actual manufacturing process. Furthermore, the saturation points of the two pairs are different. Concretely, the saturation point of the first element pair is smaller than that of the second element pair. More concretely, the saturation point of G1 and G3 is B1, and the saturation point of G2 and G4 is B2, as show in
Alternatively, the sensitivity (S3) of the four GMR elements G1-G4 is the same, and the saturation points have two types as mentioned above, referring to
In this embodiment, when the carrying-current electrical conductor 28 is positioned besides the electrical sensing circuit 200, the distance D1 between the first element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor 28 is different from the distance D2 between the second element pair and the carrying-current electrical conductor 28, as shown in
Alternatively, the G1, G2, G3, G4 have the same distance to the carrying-current electrical conductor 28, as illustrated in
a-9b show an electrical current sensor device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the electrical current sensor device 500 includes at least one PCBA 300, a holder 501 for holding the PCBA 300, a shielding cover 502 covering on the holder 501, and a display device 503 formed on the shielding cover 502 and connected with the PCBA 300. Concretely, the holder 501 is in a column shape and a passage (not labeled) is provided to allow the carrying-current electrical conductor 28 to pass through. More concretely, the holder 501 made of ceramic material, and the holder 501 can be separated into two pieces, alternatively it can be an integrated unity. At least one slot 509 is formed on the inner wall of the holder 501 for accommodating the PCBA 300. And the shielding cover 502 is made of permalloy material and in a column shape according to the holder 501, which is adapted for shielding the magnetic field generated by the external space (for example the earth), and the outer equipment (such as the motor near the electrical current sensor device 500). Due to the shielding cover 502, the GMR elements will only sense the magnetic field generated by the carrying-current electrical conductor 28, the differential output voltage from the Wheatstone bridge circuit 210 is linearly proportioned with the current through the carrying-current electrical conductor 28, thus measurement accuracy of the electrical current is improved.
Combining with
While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110148989.7 | Jun 2011 | CN | national |