Battery system and hybrid current sensor therefor

Abstract

The hybrid current sensor may include a main conductor having a first end and a second end, where a current flow direction extends between the first end and the second end, and a magnetic core disposed at least partially around a central portion of the main conductor. The magnetic core may define a core gap region above a first surface of the main conductor, where a chip assembly is disposed within the core gap region, such that in a first portion, the core gap region has a first gap along a transverse direction perpendicular to the current flow direction, and where in a second portion, the core gap region has a second gap along the transverse direction that is larger than the first gap.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] [Related Applications] This application claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202110960920.8, filed on August 20, 2021, and further claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202111652183.1, filed on December 30, 2021.

[0002] Today, the current capacity for battery systems for electric vehicles is increasing. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) implement solid-state batteries similar to, but much larger than, smartphone batteries. Battery management systems (BMSs) require highly accurate current measurements to satisfy various operating modes. Vehicle propulsion and battery charging are examples that operate in the high current range, while vehicle-off communication is an example that operates in the low current range. In some examples, currents in HEVs or EVs of 2000 A or more can be supported. Various sensors can be used to monitor current, including, for example, Hall sensors. Many non-contact current sensors in battery systems can be based on monitoring a magnetic field, where the sensor includes a magnetic core structure surrounding a current conductor. Given the large range of currents that can be monitored in today's HEV / EV battery systems, these known sensors can suffer from measurement errors, especially in the high or low current regimes. For example, the linearity of the response may degrade at high current levels for some sensor designs due to magnetic core saturation, while for other sensor designs excessive noise may occur at low current levels.

[0003] It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present disclosure is provided. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment, a hybrid current sensor is provided. The hybrid current sensor may include a main conductor having a first end and a second end, where a current flow direction extends between the first end and the second end. The hybrid current sensor may include a magnetic core disposed at least partially around a central portion of the main conductor, where the magnetic core defines a core gap region above a first surface of the main conductor and a chip assembly disposed within the core gap region. Thus, a first portion of the core gap region may include a first gap along a transverse direction perpendicular to the current flow direction, while a second portion of the core gap region has a second gap along the transverse direction that is larger than the first gap.

[0005] In another embodiment, a battery system may include a battery for outputting a primary current in a vehicle. The battery system may include a hybrid current sensor coupled to measure the primary current along a current flow direction. The hybrid current sensor may include a bus structure having a first end and a second end; a magnetic core disposed at least partially around the bus structure, the magnetic core defining a core gap region above a first surface of the bus structure. The hybrid current sensor may also include a chip assembly disposed within the core gap region. Thus, the magnetic core in a first portion may define a C-shape along a first transverse plane perpendicular to the current flow direction, while the magnetic core in a second portion may define a U-shape along a second transverse plane perpendicular to the current flow direction.

[0006] In a further embodiment, a hybrid current sensor is provided including a busbar structure adapted to conduct a main current along a current flow direction. The hybrid current sensor may also include a magnetic core disposed at least partially around the busbar structure, the magnetic core having a U-shaped structure in a plane extending perpendicular to the current flow direction, the U-shaped structure defining a core gap region above a first surface of the busbar structure. The hybrid current sensor may also include a chip assembly disposed in the core gap region, with a pole piece disposed within the first portion of the core gap region and no pole piece disposed within a second portion of the core gap region. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a representation of a battery system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0008] [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a detail of one embodiment of a sensor arrangement.

[0009] [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a hybrid current sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a side view of the hybrid current sensor of FIG. 3A.

[0011] [Figure 3C] FIG. 3B is a view from a first end of the hybrid current sensor of FIG. 3A.

[0012] [Figure 3D] FIG. 3B is a view from a second end of the hybrid current sensor of FIG. 3A.

[0013] [Figure 3E] FIG. 3B is a top view of the hybrid current sensor of FIG. 3A.

[0014] [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 is a diagram of the current magnetic field as a function of the main conductor current for a component of a chip assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] [Figure 4B] 1 is a diagram of the current magnetic field as a function of the main conductor current for a known sensor arrangement;

[0016] [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of another hybrid current sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a further hybrid current sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] [Figure 7] 1 is a side profile view of a hybrid sensor of the present embodiment in an external magnetic field. FIG.

[0019] [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram of signal deviation caused by stray magnetic fields for a hybrid current sensor according to the present embodiments.

[0020] [Figure 9A] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to some embodiments. [Figure 9B] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to some embodiments.

[0021] [Figure 9C] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to a further embodiment. [Figure 9D] 10 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to a further embodiment.

[0022] [Figure 9E]FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a further embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to an additional embodiment. [Figure 9F] 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a further embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to an additional embodiment.

[0023] [Figure 10] 9C and 9E show the resulting magnetic field measurements (dashed lines) and nonlinearity amounts as a function of main current for the different C-core designs of FIGS. 9A, 9C, and 9E.

[0024] [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12A] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12B] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12C] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12D] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional hybrid current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] [Figure 13A] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13B] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an additional current sensor according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] [Figure 14A] 10A-10C are exploded views of various housing configurations that may be used in conjunction with sensor arrangements according to further embodiments. [Figure 14B]10A-10C are exploded views of various housing configurations that may be used in conjunction with sensor arrangements according to further embodiments. [Figure 14C] 10A-10C are exploded views of various housing configurations that may be used in conjunction with sensor arrangements according to further embodiments.

[0027] [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary circuit arrangement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Disclosed herein is an improved current sensor based on a hybrid sensor core structure, and a battery system based on the current sensor. The improved current sensor may be referred to herein as a hybrid current sensor, meaning that the current sensor combines structural elements from various types of current sensors in a novel manner.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a representative diagram of a battery system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Battery system 100 can generally be any system having components that receive current from a battery. For example, battery system 100 can be suitable for implementation in conjunction with an EV or HEV according to different embodiments. Battery 102 can be coupled to an internal vehicle electrical system 108, as shown in FIG. 1, which can include multiple components, including an inverter, a motor, etc., as known in the art. Battery 102, according to various non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure, can represent an array of individual batteries and can be capable of generating currents in the range of up to 2000 A.

[0030] The battery system 100 further includes a hybrid current sensor 104 and a controller 106. Various variations of the hybrid current sensor 104 are described in more detail with respect to subsequent figures. Briefly, the hybrid current sensor 104 may have a novel magnetic core structure that includes at least two overall core sections or regions having different shapes that provide improved current sensing capabilities. The hybrid current sensor 104 may be positioned in any location suitable for sensing current propagating within the battery system 100.

[0031] The battery system 100 further includes a controller 106, e.g., a microcontroller, coupled to the hybrid current sensor 104 to provide more accurate current measurements, as described in more detail below. In some examples, the hybrid current sensor 104 may include multiple sensor elements, e.g., integrated circuit chips, where different sensor elements are suitable for measuring current over different current ranges. The controller 106 may include logic or associated circuitry to best interrogate the sensor elements of the hybrid current sensor 104 over different current ranges to provide more accurate current sensing.

[0032] 2 provides details of one embodiment of the sensor arrangement 110. In this example, the hybrid current sensor 104 is coupled to a controller 106, shown as a microcontroller. The hybrid current sensor 104 may include a magnetic core (not specifically shown) having a novel hybrid structure, as well as a low-current integrated circuit (IC) chip 114 and a high-current IC chip 116. These different chips may include Hall sensor elements or xMR (extreme magnetoresistance) elements and may be located in different regions of the magnetic core to provide improved current sensing capabilities over various current conditions, as described in more detail below. The controller 106 may receive output signals from the low-current IC chip 114 and the high-current IC chip 116 and process the received signals to extract current information related to the battery system accordingly.

[0033] 3A-3E show various views of a hybrid current sensor 204, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hybrid current sensor 204 may represent a variation of the hybrid current sensor 104 discussed above. The hybrid current sensor 204 is coupled to measure current within a battery system, such as the battery system 100 described above. As such, the hybrid current sensor 204 may include a main conductor 206 disposed within a main current path of an electric vehicle, where the direction of current flow is indicated by an arrow, in this case parallel to the x-axis of the illustrated Cartesian coordinate system. The main conductor 206 may represent, for example, a bus bar or similar conductive element, which may be directly or indirectly coupled to, for example, a battery.

[0034] 3A , the main conductor 206 has a first end 220 and a second end 222, where the current flow direction extends between the first end 220 and the second end 222, such that the current flow is generally parallel to the X-axis as described above. The hybrid current sensor 204 includes a magnetic core 208 disposed at least partially around a central portion 224 of the main conductor 206. The central portion 224 can generally be any location of the main conductor 206 between the first end 220 and the second end 222, and is not necessarily a location that is midway between the first end 220 and the second end 222.

[0035] The magnetic core 208 has a somewhat complex shape, various features of which are also described in detail with respect to FIGS. 3B-3E. Briefly, with particular reference to FIGS. 3B-3D, the magnetic core 208 includes a first portion 210 defining a C-shape in a first plane extending perpendicular to the direction of current flow along a first vertical surface of the magnetic core 208. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3B, a first plane P1 (parallel to the YZ plane and perpendicular to the X axis) is shown on the right-hand vertical surface of the magnetic core 208. The shape of the magnetic core in P1 is C-shaped parallel to the YZ plane, as shown by the representation in FIG. 3C. Additionally, the magnetic core 208 includes a second portion 212 defining a U-shape in a second plane extending parallel to the first plane along a second vertical surface of the magnetic core. In other words, as shown in Figure 3B, a second plane P2 (parallel to the YZ plane and perpendicular to the X axis) is shown on the left-hand vertical surface of the magnetic core 208. The shape of the magnetic core in this second plane P2 is a U-shape parallel to the YZ plane, as shown by the representation in Figure 3D.

[0036] 3C-3E , additional features of the hybrid current sensor 204 resulting from the C-shape of the first portion 210 and the U-shape of the second portion 212 are shown. Thus, the magnetic core 208 forms a core gap region 226 above the first surface 228 of the main conductor 206, which defines different gaps within different regions: a first gap G1 along the transverse direction (Y-axis) perpendicular to the current flow direction (X-axis), and a second gap G2 along the transverse direction, where the second gap G2 is larger than the first gap G1. In other words, the "bent arms" of the upper portion of the C-shaped region (first portion 210) form a smaller gap G1 than the gap G2 formed by the "straight arms" of the U-shaped region (second portion 212).

[0037] 3C-3E , the chip assembly 218 is disposed within the core gap region 226. In this embodiment, the chip assembly 218 includes a low-current chip 214 (which may be similar to the low-current IC chip 114) disposed within the first gap G1, and a high-current chip 216 (which may be similar to the high-current IC chip 116) disposed within the second gap G2. In the top view of FIG. 3E , the core gap region 226 defines a T-shape along the upper surface 230 of the magnetic core 208 above the first surface 228 of the main conductor 206. This T-shaped core gap region accommodates the low-current chip 214 within a space defined by the first gap G1, which is relatively smaller than the relatively larger space defined by the second gap G2, within which the high-current chip 216 is disposed.

[0038] 3B , the low-current tip 214 is positioned a first distance (denoted as h1) above the first surface 228, and the high-current tip 216 is positioned a second distance (denoted as h2) above the first surface 228 that is less than the first distance. In particular, the low-current tip 214 is positioned at a height above the first surface 228 that positions the low-current tip 214 within a narrowed portion of the core gap region 226 defined by the gap G1, and is positioned between the “bent arms” of the first portion 210. As such, the separation of the low-current tip 214 from the bent arms of the magnetic core 208 is less than the separation of the high-current tip 216 from the straight arms of the magnetic core 208.

[0039] During operation, hybrid current sensor 204 measures the current conducted through main conductor 206, which may represent the current within the EV. In particular, as previously discussed, the current range for vehicle propulsion may range up to 2000 A, while vehicle-off communication may involve much lower currents, for example, in the range of less than 100 A.

[0040] In practice, the chip assembly 218 includes a sensor element for detecting a magnetic field, where the magnetic field strength is proportional to the load current on the main conductor 206, e.g., a bus bar. It should be noted that, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the low current chip 214 and the high current chip 216 may have the same circuitry, but the gain value set up for the low current chip 214 during calibration of the hybrid current sensor 204 is different from the gain value for the high current chip 216.

[0041] An advantage offered by the hybrid current sensor 204 is its ability to better measure current in both low and high current ranges. More specifically, the C-shaped first portion 210 functions to concentrate the magnetic field when the current is low, e.g., ±100 A. By positioning the low-current chip 214 (e.g., a Hall sensor-based integrated circuit chip) within the portion of the core gap region 226 defined by the gap G1, current sensing is more accurate and the current measurement noise level, which in turn reduces the magnetic field measurement noise level. On the other hand, the U-shaped second portion 212 with a relatively larger gap G2 is more suitable for measuring high current levels, e.g., 1500 A or greater, where the relatively larger gap can avoid magnetic core saturation that would otherwise occur at such high current levels if a relatively smaller gap were used.

[0042] To optimize sensor response and obtain better external stray field suppression, in some embodiments, the low-current tip 214 and the high-current tip 216 are shorter along the X-axis than the first portion 210 and the second portion 212, respectively, as shown in FIG. 3E. Thus, the length L1 of the low-current tip 214 is less than the length L3 of the first portion 210, while the length L2 of the high-current tip 216 is less than the length L4 of the second portion 212.

[0043] Advantageously, the controller 106 can interrogate both the low-current chip 214 and the high-current chip 216 so that the best current measurement can be determined according to the level of current being measured. To further illustrate this point, FIG. 4 shows the current magnetic field as a function of primary conductor current for components of a chip assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, two different curves are shown, where curve IC1 represents the magnetic field (flux density) curve for the low-current chip 214, while curve IC2 represents the magnetic field curve for the high-current chip 216. As shown, the magnetic field increases much more rapidly with increasing primary conductor current, relative to curve IC1. Thus, the detected magnetic field is a more accurate measure of the actual primary conductor current, a factor that makes it appropriate to use the low-current chip 214 to accurately measure relatively lower current levels, e.g., particularly current levels up to approximately 500 amperes.

[0044] Although the magnetic field increases much more slowly with increasing primary current, as shown in the IC2 curve, this characteristic is useful for measuring relatively higher currents, such as currents above 1000 A. In other words, by maintaining the relative flux density at a relatively lower level for high current values, saturation, which would otherwise result in measurement errors, can be avoided. To further illustrate this point, FIG. 4B shows the current magnetic field as a function of primary current for a known sensor arrangement. In this case, the curve represents the flux density for a magnetic core design using only a C-shaped structure, where the entire core has a C-shape, as in the known design. As shown, a strong nonlinearity in the magnetic flux as a function of increasing current occurs at current levels above 1200 A due to saturation of the C-shaped magnetic core.

[0045] In other words, the U-shaped portion of the hybrid current sensor may be used for high current measurements, thereby avoiding the inherent nonlinearity exhibited at high current levels by C-shaped designs. Thus, because current measurements at high current levels are performed using the U-shaped portion, various designs for the C-shaped portion of the hybrid current sensor may be used in this embodiment. To illustrate this point, FIGS. 9A-9F provide further examples of C-shaped designs that may be suitable for the first portion 210 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In these examples, the material of the C-shaped portion may be assumed to be silicon steel, having a high magnetic permeability, e.g., a relative permeability in the range of greater than 2000, e.g., greater than 2500. However, other non-limiting embodiments may use other materials with suitable magnetic permeabilities, e.g., a permeability in the range of 1000 to several thousand or more.

[0046] 9A and 9B show a top perspective view and a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to some embodiments. 9C and 9D show a top perspective view and a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to a further embodiment. 9E and 9F show a top perspective view and a cross-sectional side view of a further embodiment of a C-shaped magnetic core according to an additional embodiment. In each of these non-limiting embodiments, the size of the gap and the height and length of the opposing faces of the core are shown in millimeters.

[0047] FIG. 10 shows graphs of the resulting magnetic field measurements (dashed lines) and nonlinearity amounts (solid lines) as a function of main current for the different C-core designs of FIGS. 9A, 9C, and 9E. In the design of FIG. 9E, nonlinearity does not appear until a main current level of approximately 1100 A is reached, while in the design of FIG. 9A, nonlinearity appears at a main current level of approximately 550 A. On the other hand, the magnetic field at low current values ​​increases more rapidly with main current in the design of FIG. 9A. Thus, all of the designs of FIGS. 9A-9F may be suitable for use as the first portion 210 of a hybrid current sensor, where the second portion 212 may be designed to measure main currents above values ​​of approximately 500 A. In other words, the designs of FIGS. 9A-9F may be suitable for use as the first portion 210 of a hybrid current sensor, where the first portion 210 is designed to measure currents at levels below 500 amperes, and in some cases, 100 amperes or less.

[0048] 3A-3E, the main conductor 206 has a busbar with a notch design that accommodates the magnetic core 208 to position the opposing arms of the magnetic core 208 closer together to generate a stronger magnetic field. In other embodiments, the notch in the main conductor 206 may be omitted, for example, in applications where the IC chip does not require a relatively higher magnetic field.

[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of another hybrid current sensor 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the hybrid current sensor 304 may include a main conductor 306 that is not notched for a simpler design. The hybrid current sensor 304 includes a magnetic core 308 having the same overall structure as the magnetic core 208 described above, including a first portion 310 that is C-shaped and a second portion 312 that is U-shaped. In the hybrid current sensor 304, the functions of these different portions of the magnetic core 308 are similar to those described for the first portion 210 and the second portion 212 of the magnetic core 208, respectively. The absence of a notch in the busbar structure of the main conductor 306 results in the magnetic core 308 being relatively wider along the Y-axis. This relatively wider dimension results in a relatively wider second gap G3 within the second portion 312 of the magnetic core 308 compared to the second gap G2 of the magnetic core 208. Thus, the magnetic flux density for the high current tip 216 will be relatively lower, which may be sufficient for applications where the high current tip 216 is adapted for measurements in the presence of relatively lower magnetic fields.

[0050] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnetic core may be provided with pole pieces to create an effective smaller first gap within the first portion.

[0051] FIG. 6 illustrates a top perspective view of a further hybrid current sensor, designated hybrid current sensor 404, in accordance with an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, hybrid current sensor 404 may include a main conductor 406 that is a notched busbar configuration, as in main conductor 206. Hybrid current sensor 404 includes a magnetic core 408 having a main portion 416 of the magnetic core 408 that has a generally U-shape. In a gap region 426 within main portion 416, the U-shaped main portion, pole piece 418 is positioned toward the front of the magnetic core 408, along the X-axis, as viewed in FIG. 6 . Positioning pole piece 418 within this region effectively creates a first portion 410 of magnetic core 408 and a second portion 412 of magnetic core 408. The second portion 412, which is devoid of pole pieces, may be similar to second portion 212 of magnetic core 208 and defines a similar gap G2. With the pole piece positioned between the U-shaped arms, the first portion 410 may effectively have a smaller gap, thus concentrating the magnetic field and producing a higher magnetic flux density near the low current tip 214. In this manner, the magnetic core 408, like the magnetic core 208, may provide similar magnetic response characteristics with respect to the low current tip 214 and the high current tip 216, as generally shown in FIG.

[0052] In summary, by providing a hybrid structure for the magnetic core, the present embodiment provides an additional current sensing channel that is particularly suitable for measuring small current ranges with significantly improved sensing resolution and reduced output error for high current ranges. Further demonstration of the advantages provided by the present embodiment is shown with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In particular, Figure 7 shows a side view of the hybrid sensor of the present embodiment in an external magnetic field, and Figure 8 shows the signal deviation caused by stray magnetic fields for the hybrid current sensor of the present embodiment.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, an external stray magnetic field of 2 mT can be assumed. In Figure 8, the X-axis plots current in amperes, while the Y-axis plots relative signal strength in percent. At zero current, the signal strength of both the low-current chip (IC1) and the high-current chip (IC2) is relatively higher. With increasing current, the relative signal strength decreases for both chips by just 0.03% to 0.04%. Thus, stray field suppression for both chips is very good.

[0054] In additional embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple sensor chips (chips) can be positioned within a given portion of the core gap region of the magnetic core. Figures 11A-12D show top perspective views of additional hybrid current sensors according to further embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiments of Figures 11A and 11B, two chips are positioned within the magnetic core gap region at the first portion of each magnetic core, where the gap is smaller. In the embodiments of Figures 12A-12D, a total of three chips are distributed within the core gap region, where at least one chip is distributed within both the first and second portions of the magnetic core.

[0055] 11A , a hybrid current sensor 504 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 504 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 304, with like components being numbered the same. The difference is that a tip assembly 518 is provided in which both the low-current tip 214 and the high-current tip 216 are disposed within gap G1 in the hybrid current sensor 504. In one non-limiting example, the low-current tip 214 may be configured to handle a low current range, e.g., + / −100 A, while the high-current tip 216 is configured to handle a high current range, e.g., + / −1500 A. In a different embodiment, both the low-current tip 214 and the high-current tip 216 may be configured to handle a current range of + / −1500 A.

[0056] 11B , a hybrid current sensor 554 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 554 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 204, with like components being numbered the same. The difference is that a tip assembly 518 is provided in which both the low-current tip 214 and the high-current tip 216 are disposed within gap G1 in the hybrid current sensor 504. In one non-limiting example, the low-current tip 214 may be configured to handle a low current range, e.g., + / −100 A, while the high-current tip 216 is configured to handle a high current range, e.g., + / −1500 A. In a different embodiment, both the low-current tip 214 and the high-current tip 216 may be configured to handle a current range of + / −1500 A.

[0057] 12A , a hybrid current sensor 604 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 604 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 304, with like components being numbered the same. A difference is that in this embodiment, a chip assembly 618 is provided in which both the low-current chip 214 and the high-current chip 216 are disposed within gap G1 in the hybrid current sensor 604. Another difference is that the chip assembly 618 in this embodiment includes a third chip 217 disposed within gap G2 of the second portion 312. According to some non-limiting embodiments, the low-current chip 214 may handle low-current measurements, e.g., in the range of + / −100 A, while both the high-current chip 216 disposed within gap G1 and the third chip 217 within gap G2, which may be considered an additional high-current chip, may handle a high-current measurement range, e.g., + / −1500 A, for purposes of functional safety in redundant signals.

[0058] 12B , a hybrid current sensor 624 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 624 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 604, with like components being numbered the same. The difference is that a chip assembly 628 is provided in which both the high-current chip 216 and the third chip 217 are disposed within gap G2 of the second portion 312. According to some non-limiting embodiments, the low-current chip 214 may handle low-current measurements, e.g., in the range of + / −100 A, while both the high-current chip 216 disposed within gap G1 and the third chip 217 within gap G2 may handle high-current measurement ranges, e.g., + / −1500 A, for purposes of functional safety in redundant signals.

[0059] 12C , a hybrid current sensor 644 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 644 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 204, with like components being numbered the same. A difference is that a chip assembly 618 is provided in which both the low-current chip 214 and the high-current chip 216 are disposed within gap G1 in the hybrid current sensor 644. Another difference is that the chip assembly 618 includes a third chip 217 disposed within gap G2 of the second portion 212. According to some non-limiting embodiments, the low-current chip 214 may handle low-current measurements, e.g., in the range of + / −100 A, while both the high-current chip 216 disposed within gap G1 and the third chip 217 within gap G2 may handle high-current measurement ranges, e.g., + / −1500 A, for purposes of functional safety in redundant signals.

[0060] 12D , a hybrid current sensor 664 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the overall structure of the hybrid current sensor 664 may be similar to that of the hybrid current sensor 644, with like components being numbered the same. The difference is that a chip assembly 628 is provided in which both the high-current chip 216 and the third chip 217 are disposed within gap G2 of the second portion 312. According to some non-limiting embodiments, the low-current chip 214 may handle low-current measurements, e.g., in the range of + / −100 A, while both the high-current chip 216 disposed within gap G1 and the third chip 217 within gap G2 may handle high-current measurement ranges, e.g., + / −1500 A, for purposes of functional safety in redundant signals.

[0061] In additional embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple sensor chips (chips) can be positioned within a given portion of the core gap region of a magnetic core made from a single C-shaped section. In the embodiment below, three separate sensor chips are provided within the gap formed by the C-shaped core.

[0062] 13A-13B show top perspective views of additional current sensors according to further embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of FIGS. 13A and 13B, three chips are disposed within a magnetic core gap region formed within the gap of a C-shaped magnetic core. Referring to FIG. 13A, a sensor arrangement 700 is shown including a C-shaped magnetic core and a busbar 706, which may have a single notch within the gap region as shown. In this embodiment and other embodiments described below, the C-shaped core is disposed at least partially around a central portion of a main conductor, representing the busbar 706, where the magnetic core is characterized by a C-shape at least around the periphery of its outer surface.

[0063] The chip assembly 702 disposed within the core gap region includes a low-current chip 214, a high-current chip 216, and a third chip 217, which may be an even higher-current chip. The high-current chip 216 and the third chip 217 may be positioned flush with each other as shown, while the low-current chip 214 may be positioned below the plane of the high-current chip 216 and the third chip 217. For example, all of these chips may function as Hall IC chips, with the low-current chip 214 positioned for low-current precision measurement, e.g., in the ±100 A range, while the high-current chip 216 and the third chip 217 positioned for detection in a high-current range, e.g., ±1500 A, and providing functional safety by generating redundant signals. As further shown in FIG. 13A , each chip 214, 216, 217 of the chip assembly 702 may be coupled to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 708 via a respective set of pin assemblies 214A, 216A, and 217A. In this example, busbar 706 has a notched region as shown, where chip assembly 702 is positioned adjacent to the notched region. Note that the chip assembly is mechanically secured to the PCB of PCB assembly 708 via a set of pin assemblies, which are set of pin assemblies 214A, 216A, and 217A. In this and other embodiments, PCB assembly 708 is oriented vertically, where the length of PCB assembly 708 extends perpendicular to the length of the main conductor, i.e., busbar 706.

[0064] 13B, a partially exploded view of an assembly 710 including the components of sensor arrangement 700 when disposed within a housing 712 including a rear cover 714 is shown. Note that a vertical PCBA layout can be useful for increasing PCBA area with small sensor sizes. In this embodiment and other embodiments described below, housing 712 is disposed at least partially around PCB assembly 708 and magnetic core. As shown in this embodiment, the housing can have an outer surface with a C-shape disposed adjacent a portion of the magnetic core and rear cover 714 disposed adjacent PCB assembly 708.

[0065] 14A-14C, exploded views of various housing configurations are shown that may be used in conjunction with a sensor arrangement similar to the sensor arrangement 700 of Figure 13A. Figure 14A illustrates an arrangement 720 that includes a housing 724 configured to have a somewhat C-shape to enclose the core 704, with a connector 722 above the housing, and a rear cover 726 for covering the PCBA 708 and coupling to the housing 724.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 14B, an arrangement 730 is shown that includes a housing 734 that is sealed by both a front cover 736 that is positioned adjacent to a continuous portion of the magnetic core, and a rear cover 726 that is positioned adjacent to the PCB assembly 708.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 14C, an arrangement 740 is shown that includes a housing 744, a rear cover 726, and a side cover 748 that is positioned adjacent to the side of the magnetic core and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the busbar 706 as shown.

[0068] Referring now to FIG. 15, an exemplary circuit layout 800 is shown. The exemplary circuit layout 800 illustrates the overall circuit layout for some of the sensor embodiments previously discussed, such as those of FIGS. 12A-13B. A battery management system (BMS) 806 and power supply are coupled to a low-current chip 214 (which may be classified as ASIL QM), a high-current chip 216, and a third chip 217 (which may be ASIL B / C rated). These three chips provide outputs conducted via respective analog-to-digital (A / D) interfaces to a controller 802. The controller 802 is coupled to a controller area network (CAN) transceiver, which is further connected to the BMS 806.

[0069] As used herein, elements or steps described in the singular and preceded by the words "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding a plurality of elements or steps, unless such exclusion is expressly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

[0070] While the present disclosure refers to particular embodiments, many modifications, alterations, and variations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the sphere and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, but is intended to have the full scope defined by the language of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. a main conductor having a first end and a second end, wherein a current flow direction of a main current in the main conductor extends between the first end and the second end; a magnetic core disposed at least partially around a central portion of the main conductor, the magnetic core having a first portion exhibiting a C-shape in a first transverse plane extending perpendicular to the current flow direction and a second portion exhibiting a U-shape in a second transverse plane extending perpendicular to the current flow direction, the first portion having a first pair of arms and the second portion having a second pair of arms, the magnetic core defining a core gap region extending between the first pair of arms and the second pair of arms; and a chip assembly disposed within the core gap region; the core gap region has a first gap along a transverse direction perpendicular to the current flow direction in the first portion, and the core gap region has a second gap along the transverse direction in the second portion, the second gap being larger than the first gap; The hybrid current sensor, wherein the chip assembly includes a low current chip having a first gain setting and a pair of high current chips having second gain settings different from the first gain setting.

2. The hybrid current sensor of claim 1 , wherein the main conductor has a notch, and the chip assembly is positioned adjacent to the notch.

3. The hybrid current sensor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the low current chip and the pair of high current chips include Hall sensors.

4. 4. The hybrid current sensor of claim 1, wherein the pair of high current chips are disposed within the second portion of the core gap region and the low current chip is disposed within the first portion of the core gap region.

5. 5. The hybrid current sensor of claim 1, wherein the low current chip is adapted to measure the main current in a range of up to 500 amperes, and the pair of high current chips are adapted to measure the main current in a range of up to 2000 A.

6. A hybrid current sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a first chip of the pair of high current chips and the low current chip are arranged within the first portion, and a second chip of the pair of high current chips is arranged within the second portion.

7. a battery for outputting mains current in the vehicle; a hybrid current sensor coupled to measure the main current along a current flow direction; wherein the hybrid current sensor comprises: a busbar structure having a first end and a second end; a magnetic core disposed at least partially around the busbar structure, the magnetic core having a first portion exhibiting a C-shape in a first transverse plane extending perpendicular to the current flow direction and a second portion exhibiting a U-shape in a second transverse plane extending perpendicular to the current flow direction, the first portion having a first pair of arms and the second portion having a second pair of arms, the magnetic core defining a core gap region extending between the first pair of arms and the second pair of arms; and a chip assembly disposed within the core gap region; the core gap region has a first gap along a transverse direction perpendicular to the current flow direction in the first portion, and the core gap region has a second gap along the transverse direction in the second portion, the second gap being larger than the first gap; The battery system, wherein the chip assembly includes a low current chip having a first gain setting and a pair of high current chips having a second gain setting different from the first gain setting.

8. 8. The battery system of claim 7, wherein the low current chip is adapted to measure the main current in a range of up to 500 amperes and the pair of high current chips is adapted to measure the main current in a range of up to 2000 A.

9. A battery system as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the pair of high current chips are arranged within the second portion of the core gap region, and the low current chip is arranged within the first portion of the core gap region.

10. A battery system as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein a first chip of the pair of high current chips and the low current chip are arranged within the first portion, and a second chip of the pair of high current chips is arranged within the second portion.

11. A controller electrically coupled to receive outputs from the low current chip and the pair of high current chips; a controller area network transceiver coupled to the controller; and a battery management system coupled to receive an output from the controller area network transceiver; The battery system according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising:

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