Current sensor

Abstract

SOLUTION: A current sensor is formed of at least one magnetoelectric transducer, a conductor, a signal processing IC, an IC support part, and an element support part, which are sealed by a sealing part. The current sensor comprises: a pair of first lead terminals that are partially exposed to the outside of the sealing part, are electrically connected with the conductor, input measurement current to the conductor, and output the measurement current from the conductor; and a metal member that is partially exposed to the outside of the sealing part, and is separated from the conductor. The element support part further supports the metal member on a surface on the same side as a first surface on which the IC support part supports the signal processing IC.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a current sensor.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose current sensors having magnetoelectric conversion elements. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6415148 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6017182

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] In a current sensor having a magnetoelectric conversion element, it is desired to more surely suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the current sensor even when the measured current of the measurement target is large.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] A current sensor according to one aspect of the present invention may include at least one magnetoelectric element. The current sensor may include a conductor that at least partially surrounds the at least one magnetoelectric element in a plan view and through which a measurement current measured by the at least one magnetoelectric element flows. The current sensor may include a signal processing IC that processes the signal output from the at least one magnetoelectric element. The current sensor may include an IC support portion that supports the signal processing IC on a first surface. The current sensor may include an insulating element support portion that supports the at least one magnetoelectric element on the same side as the first surface and is spaced apart from the IC support portion and the conductor. The current sensor may include a sealing portion that seals the at least one magnetoelectric element, the conductor, the signal processing IC, the IC support portion, and the element support portion. The current sensor may include a pair of first lead terminals that are partially exposed outside the sealing portion, are electrically connected to the conductor, input the measurement current to the conductor, and output the measurement current from the conductor. The current sensor may include a metal member that is partially exposed to the outside of the sealing portion and spaced apart from the conductor and the IC support portion. The element support portion may further support the metal member on the same side as the first surface.

[0005] The current sensor may further include a plurality of second lead terminals, some of which are exposed outside the sealing portion and electrically connected to the signal processing IC. The metal member is separate from the plurality of second lead terminals and does not need to be electrically connected to the signal processing IC.

[0006] In any of the current sensors, the IC support portion may be integrally configured with at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals.

[0007] In any of the current sensors, the plurality of second lead terminals may be exposed from a surface opposite to the surface of the sealing portion on which the pair of first lead terminals are exposed. The metal member may be exposed from a surface different from the surface of the sealing portion on which the pair of first lead terminals and the plurality of second lead terminals are exposed.

[0008] In any of the current sensors, the metal member may include a first metal member and a second metal member. The conductor may be disposed between the first metal member and the second metal member.

[0009] Any of the current sensors may further include a plurality of second lead terminals, some of which are exposed outside the sealing portion and electrically connected to the signal processing IC. The IC support portion may be integrally formed with at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals. The metal member may be at least one second lead terminal different from the at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals.

[0010] In any of the current sensors, the plurality of second lead terminals may be exposed from the side of the sealing portion opposite to the side on which the pair of first lead terminals are exposed.

[0011] In any of the current sensors, the metal members may include a first metal member and a second metal member, each comprising two second lead terminals different from at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals. The conductor and the IC support portion may be arranged between the first metal member and the second metal member.

[0012] In any of the current sensors, the element support portion may be made of polymer tape.

[0013] In any of the current sensors, the pair of first lead terminals and the plurality of second lead terminals may be arranged facing each other via the signal processing IC in a first direction intersecting the thickness direction of the signal processing IC. The IC support portion may, in a plan view, be located only on the signal processing IC side of the end of the conductor on the signal processing IC side in the first direction.

[0014] In any of the current sensors, the width of the element support portion that contacts the metal member may be 0.4 mm or more.

[0015] In any of the current sensors, the distance in plan view between the conductor and each of the first and second metal members may be 0.5 times or more the thickness of the first and second metal members.

[0016] It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all of its features. Furthermore, subcombinations of these features may also constitute an invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1A] This is a schematic plan view of the current sensor according to the first embodiment, as seen from the ceiling side. [Figure 1B] Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view of the current sensor shown along line AA. [Figure 1C] This is a schematic plan view of the area around the conductor of a current sensor according to a modified example of the first embodiment, as seen from the ceiling side. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic plan view of the current sensor according to the second embodiment, as seen from the ceiling side. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the current sensor shown along line AA. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0019] The current sensor comprises a primary conductor through which the measurement current flows, a magnetoelectric conversion element that detects the magnetic field generated by the measurement current, and a signal processing IC that amplifies the signal from the magnetoelectric conversion element and outputs it externally. The primary conductor, magnetoelectric conversion element, and signal processing IC are encapsulated in resin to form a single semiconductor package.

[0020] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a current sensor including a U-shaped primary conductor, a magnetoelectric conversion element disposed in an opening of the primary conductor, and a signal processing IC. An insulating member that supports the magnetoelectric conversion element is arranged to contact the bottom surface of a support portion that supports the signal processing IC without contacting the primary conductor.

[0021] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a current sensor including a U-shaped primary conductor, a magnetoelectric conversion element disposed in an opening of the primary conductor, and a signal processing IC, similar to Patent Document 1. An insulating member that supports the magnetoelectric conversion element is arranged to contact the back surface of the primary conductor.

[0022] In the current sensor described in Patent Document 2, the insulating member that supports the magnetoelectric conversion element is adhered to the primary conductor. Therefore, when there are conductive impurities between the insulating member and the sealing portion, there is a possibility that the magnetoelectric conversion element may malfunction due to the high voltage applied to the primary conductor.

[0023] In the current sensor described in Patent Document 1, the support portion supports the signal processing IC, and the insulating member supports the support portion and the magnetoelectric conversion element. In order for the insulating member to stably support the magnetoelectric conversion element surrounded by the primary conductor, the support portion has to be in a shape that surrounds the primary conductor. On the other hand, since a large current flows through the primary conductor, it generates heat most easily within the package. The heat generated by the primary conductor is transmitted to the insulating member and the support portion, and further to the signal processing IC. Therefore, in the current sensor described in Patent Document 1, although the possibility of malfunction is not higher than that of the current sensor described in Patent Document 2, the temperature of the signal processing IC becomes high, and there is a possibility of malfunction when a current is applied over a long period.

[0024] Therefore, in the first and second embodiments, there is provided a current sensor that can further reduce the possibility of malfunction even when the measured current of the measurement target is large, and can effectively allow the measured current to flow for a longer time.

[0025] Figures 1A and 1B show the internal configuration of a semiconductor package that functions as a current sensor 10 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1A is a schematic plan view of the current sensor 10 according to the first embodiment, as seen from the top side (Z-axis direction). Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view of the current sensor 10 shown in Figure 1A, along line AA.

[0026] In Figure 1A, the coordinate system is defined as follows: the X-axis is parallel to the plane of the paper and runs from bottom to top; the Y-axis is parallel to the plane of the paper and runs from right to left; and the Z-axis is perpendicular to the plane of the paper and runs from back to front. Any one of the X, Y, or Z axes is perpendicular to the other axes.

[0027] The current sensor 10 comprises a signal processing IC 100, a magnetoelectric conversion element 20, an IC support part 112, an element support part 114, a conductor 120, a sealing part 130, a pair of lead terminals 140, a plurality of lead terminals 150, and a suspension pin 160. The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is electrically connected to the signal processing IC 100 via a wire 30. The signal processing IC 100 is electrically connected to the plurality of lead terminals 150 via a wire 108.

[0028] The sealing portion 130 seals the magnetoelectric conversion element 20, conductor 120, signal processing IC 100, IC support portion 112, element support portion 114, wire 30, and wire 108 with resin. The resin may be, for example, an epoxy-based thermosetting resin with silica added.

[0029] The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 detects a magnetic field in a specific direction that changes according to the measured current flowing through the conductor 120, and the signal processing IC 100 amplifies the signal according to the magnitude of the magnetic field and outputs the amplified signal via the lead terminal 150. The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is made of a compound semiconductor formed on a GaAs substrate and may be a chip cut out in the shape of a square or rectangle when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 may have a substrate made of silicon or a compound semiconductor and a magnetoelectric conversion part provided on the substrate. The thickness of the substrate is adjusted by polishing the negative side of the Z-axis direction. The substrate may have a desired thickness in the range of 50 μm to 600 μm. Since a magnetic field in the Z-axis direction is detected, a Hall element is suitable as the illustrated magnetoelectric conversion element. Also, if the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is positioned to detect a magnetic field in any one axis direction on the XY plane, for example, if it is positioned to detect a magnetic field in the X-axis direction, then a magnetoresistive element or a fluxgate element is suitable as the magnetoelectric conversion element.

[0030] In the first embodiment, an example is described in which the current sensor 10 comprises one magnetoelectric conversion element 20. However, the current sensor 10 may comprise two or more magnetoelectric conversion elements 20. At least a portion of each of the multiple magnetoelectric conversion elements 20 may be surrounded by a conductor 120 in a plan view. A portion of the conductor 120 may be positioned between each of the multiple magnetoelectric conversion elements 20. When the current sensor 10 comprises two magnetoelectric conversion elements 20a and 20b, the conductor 120 has, for example, a slit 140a opening to the side 130a and a slit 140c opening to the side 130d, as shown in Figure 1C. The magnetoelectric conversion element 20a may be positioned in the slit 140a, and the magnetoelectric conversion element 20b may be positioned in the slit 140c.

[0031] The signal processing IC 100 processes the signal output from the magnetoelectric conversion element 20. The signal processing IC 100 is a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). In plan view, the signal processing IC 100 is cut into a rectangular or square shape. The signal processing IC 100 is electrically connected to the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 via wire 30. Furthermore, the signal processing IC 100 is electrically connected to a plurality of lead terminals 150 via wire 108. Wires 30 and 108 may be formed from a conductive material mainly composed of Au, Ag, Cu, or Al. The signal processing IC 100 is a signal processing circuit made of a Si monolithic semiconductor formed on a Si substrate. A compound semiconductor substrate may be used instead of the Si substrate. The signal processing circuit processes an output signal corresponding to the magnitude of the magnetic field output from the magnetoelectric conversion element 20. Based on the output signal, the signal processing circuit outputs an output signal indicating the current value of the measured current flowing through the conductor 120 via the lead terminals 150. The signal processing IC 100 is cut into a rectangular or square shape in plan view. The thickness of the substrate for the signal processing IC 100 is adjusted by polishing the negative Z-axis side. The substrate has a desired thickness in the range of 50 μm to 600 μm. The signal processing circuit of the signal processing IC 100 includes a circuit that takes a small output signal corresponding to the magnitude of the magnetic field of the magnetoelectric conversion element as input and amplifies at least the input signal.

[0032] The conductor 120 has a U-shape in plan view and at least partially surrounds the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 in plan view, through which the measurement current measured by the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 flows. The conductor 120 is electrically connected to a pair of lead terminals 140. The conductor 120 may be physically integrated with the pair of lead terminals 140. The measurement current is input from one of the pair of lead terminals 140, and the measurement current is output from the other lead terminal 140 via the conductor 120. The pair of lead terminals 140 and the conductor 120 may be integrally formed by a lead frame of a conductive material mainly composed of copper with a thermal conductivity of 100 W / mK or more. The measurement current measured by the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 flows through the pair of lead terminals 140 and the conductor 120. The conductor 120 has a slit 140a that opens to the side surface 130a of the sealing portion 130. The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is placed inside the slit 140a. The measurement current flowing through the conductor 120 flows along the U-shape from one end to the other. This generates a magnetic field around the conductor 120, which is proportional to the magnitude of the measurement current and the distance from the conductor 120. At the location where the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is placed, a magnetic field is generated in which the Z-axis component is largest. Since the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 is placed inside the slit 140a, high sensitivity to the measurement current can be obtained.

[0033] A pair of lead terminals 140 and a plurality of lead terminals 150 are arranged facing each other via the signal processing IC 100 in a direction (Y-axis direction) that intersects the thickness direction (Z-axis direction) of the signal processing IC 100. Part of the pair of lead terminals 140 is exposed from side 130a of the sealing portion 130. Part of the plurality of lead terminals 150 is exposed from side 130b of the sealing portion 130, opposite to side 130a. Part of the suspension pins 160 are exposed from side 130c and side 130d of the sealing portion 130, which are opposite to side 130a and side 130b in the X-axis direction. The suspension pins 160 are metal components for supporting the semiconductor package on the lead frame during the manufacturing stage. The suspension pins 160 are leads that support the sealing portion 130, which is molded resin, throughout the assembly process.

[0034] The multiple lead terminals 150 are metal components to which at least two of the multiple lead terminals 150 are electrically connected to the signal processing IC 100, and the suspension pins 160 are metal components that are not electrically connected in order to output signals from the signal processing IC 100 to the outside. The suspension pins 160 are separate from the multiple second lead terminals. The multiple lead terminals 150 and the suspension pins 160 may be made up of a lead frame of a conductive material mainly composed of copper with a thermal conductivity of more than 100 W / mK, together with a pair of lead terminals 140 and a conductor 120. The multiple lead terminals 150 and the suspension pins 160 are isolated from the conductor 120 and electrically insulated from the conductor 120.

[0035] The two suspension pins 160 extend from the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130 toward the conductor 120 to a position opposite the conductor 120. The suspension pins 160 are spaced apart from the conductor 120 and are electrically insulated from the conductor 120. The conductor 120 is positioned between the two suspension pins 160. The conductor 120 may be arranged to be surrounded by the two suspension pins 160. The two suspension pins 160 are examples of a first metal member and a second metal member.

[0036] The exposed portions of the two suspension pins 160 do not necessarily have to be located in the center of the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130. They may be designed to be in an optimal position considering factors such as heat dissipation generated by the conductor 120, spatial constraints, or creepage distance between the lead terminals 140 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 20.

[0037] The pair of lead terminals 140, the conductor 120, the multiple lead terminals 150, and the suspension pin 160 may be integrally constructed from a lead frame made of a conductive material mainly composed of copper with a thermal conductivity exceeding 100 W / mK. The pair of lead terminals 140 are primary-side lead terminals and are an example of a pair of first lead terminals. The multiple lead terminals 150 are secondary-side lead terminals and are an example of a multiple second lead terminals. The lead frame has a desired thickness in the range of 50 μm to 600 μm.

[0038] The IC support portion 112 is a plate-shaped member that supports the signal processing IC 100 on the ceiling-side surface 112a of the current sensor 10. The IC support portion 112 may be integrally configured with at least one of the multiple lead terminals 150. In the first embodiment, the IC support portion 112 is integrally configured with the lead terminals 150a and 150b located at both ends in the X-axis direction of the multiple lead terminals 150. The IC support portion 112 may be composed of lead frames for all of the multiple lead terminals 150. The signal processing IC 100 may be bonded to the surface 112a of the IC support portion 112 via an adhesive layer 116. The adhesive layer 116 may be an adhesive tape. The adhesive tape may be a tape made of epoxy resin, and may be a die bond tape having a general adhesive layer, or a die bond tape that also functions as a dicing tape having an adhesive layer.

[0039] In a plan view, the IC support portion 112 is located only on the signal processing IC side of the conductor 120, beyond the end of the conductor 120 on the signal processing IC 100 side in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the IC support portion 112 is not positioned to surround the conductor 120. Therefore, there is less heat inflow from the IC support portion 112 to the signal processing IC 100. Furthermore, it is easier to embed resin between the IC support portion 112 and the conductor 120.

[0040] The element support portion 114 supports the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 on the same side 114a as the surface 112a of the IC support portion 112. The element support portion 114 is spaced apart from the IC support portion 112 and the conductor 120. The conductor 120 has a stepped portion 140b such that the surface 114a of the element support portion 114 and the surface 120a of the conductor 120 are spaced apart in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction) of the element support portion 114. The portion of the conductor 120 facing the element support portion 114 has a stepped portion 140b such that it protrudes toward the ceiling side (positive Z-axis side) of the sealing portion 130. The stepped portion 140b may be provided on the conductor 120 by a partial punching process so that the element support portion 114 and the conductor 120 do not come into contact. The stepped portion 140b may also be provided on the conductor 120 by coining. The element support portion 114 is electrically insulated from the IC support portion 112 and the conductor 120. The element support portion 114 further supports two suspension pins 160 that extend toward the conductor 120 from the side surfaces 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130, respectively, on surface 114a. The element support portion 114 may be made of an insulating material. This allows the creepage distance between the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 and the conductor 120 to be extended. The element support portion 114 may be a polymer tape such as polyimide tape.

[0041] The magnetoelectric conversion element 20 may be bonded to the element support portion 114 via an adhesive layer 21. The adhesive layer 21 may be an adhesive tape. The adhesive tape may be a tape made of epoxy resin, and may be a die bond tape having a general adhesive layer, or a die bond tape that also functions as a dicing tape having an adhesive layer.

[0042] The width of the portion of the suspension pin 160 that supports the element support portion 114 may be 0.4 mm or more. The width of the adhesive region in the Y-axis direction where the suspension pin 160 and the element support portion 114 are bonded together may be 0.4 mm or more.

[0043] Furthermore, the distance k1 in plan view between the conductor 120 and each of the two suspension pins 160 may be 0.5 times or more the thickness of the two suspension pins 160.

[0044] According to the current sensor 10 of the first embodiment, while having the same insulation properties as the current sensor described in Patent Document 1, the IC support portion 112 does not need to surround the conductor 120 which becomes hot, thus suppressing the rise in temperature of the signal processing IC 100. In addition, the heat generated in the conductor 120 is transferred to the suspension pin 160 which is physically separated from the IC support portion 112 and released to the outside of the sealing portion 130. Therefore, the signal processing IC 100 can be made less susceptible to the effects of the heat generated in the conductor 120.

[0045] The suspension pin 160 may not be positioned between the IC support portion 112 and the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130, but rather between the conductor 120 and the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130. This prevents heat from flowing from the suspension pin 160 to the signal processing IC 100, allowing it to be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the sealing portion 130. As a result, the signal processing IC 100 can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat generated by the conductor 120.

[0046] If at least a portion of the suspension pin 160 is located between the IC support portion 112 and the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130, the width k2 of the suspension pin 160 may be 10% or more of the distance k3 between the IC support portion 112 and the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130. This allows heat to be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the sealing portion 130 via the suspension pin 160. As a result, the signal processing IC 100 can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat generated in the conductor 120.

[0047] If the bonding area between the element support portion 114 and the suspension pin 160 is too small, the element support portion 114 becomes prone to deformation, causing the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 to shift position due to bending or twisting, resulting in large variations in sensitivity between individual components. Furthermore, if the bonding area is too small, the element support portion 114 and the suspension pin 160 may easily detach during the manufacturing process, potentially causing the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 to shift position or tilt. This raises concerns that the wire 30 electrically connecting the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 to the signal processing IC 100 may be subjected to increased stress. Additionally, while polymer tapes such as polyimide tape can be used as the element support portion 114, processing tapes with very narrow widths is generally difficult. Therefore, considering the feasibility of processing, it is preferable that at least one side of the bonding area is 0.4 mm or larger. That is, the width of the element support portion 114 in the Y-axis direction is preferably 0.4 mm or larger.

[0048] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving heat dissipation as described above and suppressing deformation of the element support portion 114, it is desirable that the suspension pin 160 be as close as possible to the conductor 120 in a plan view. However, it is difficult to manufacture the conductor 120 and suspension pin 160 from a single lead frame such that the distance between the conductor 120 and the suspension pin 160 in a plan view is less than 0.5 times the thickness of the lead frame (conductor 120 and suspension pin 160). Therefore, it is preferable to design the distance between the conductor 120 and the suspension pin 160 in a plan view to be 0.5 times or more the thickness of the lead frame.

[0049] Figures 2A and 2B show the internal configuration of a semiconductor package that functions as a current sensor 10 according to the second embodiment. Figure 2A is a schematic plan view of the current sensor 10 according to the second embodiment, viewed from the top side (Z-axis direction). Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the current sensor 10 shown in Figure 2A, taken along line AA.

[0050] The current sensor 10 according to the second embodiment differs from the current sensor 10 according to the first embodiment in that the metal member supporting the element support portion 114 is a secondary lead terminal 150, rather than a suspension pin 160.

[0051] The element support portion 114 is supported by lead terminals 150a and 150b, which are located at both ends in the X-axis direction, among the multiple lead terminals 150. Of the multiple lead terminals 150, lead terminals 150c and 150d, which are located inside each of lead terminals 150a and 150b and adjacent to each of lead terminals 150a and 150b, are integrally formed with the IC support portion 112.

[0052] The conductor 120 and the IC support portion 112 are positioned between lead terminals 150a and 150b.

[0053] It is difficult to manufacture a conductor 120 and lead terminals 150 on a single lead frame such that the distance in plan view between the conductor 120 and each of the lead terminals 150a and 150b is less than 0.5 times the thickness of the lead frame (conductor 120 and lead terminals 150). Therefore, it is preferable to design the distance k1 in plan view between the conductor 120 and each of the lead terminals 150a and 150b to be 0.5 times or more the thickness of the lead terminals 150a and 150b.

[0054] The width k2 of lead terminals 150a and 150b may be 10% or more of the distance k3 between the IC support portion 112 and the sides 130c and 130d of the sealing portion 130. This allows heat to be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the sealing portion 130 via lead terminals 150a and 150b. As a result, the signal processing IC 100 can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat generated in the conductor 120.

[0055] The IC support portion 112 may be integrally configured with at least one other lead terminal 150, other than lead terminals 150a and 150b to which the element support portion 114 is supported.

[0056] According to the current sensor 10 of the second embodiment, while having the same insulation properties as the current sensor described in Patent Document 1, the IC support portion 112 does not need to surround the conductor 120 which becomes hot, thus suppressing the rise in temperature of the signal processing IC 100. Furthermore, the heat generated in the conductor 120 is transferred to the lead terminals 150a and 150b, which are physically separated from the IC support portion 112, and released to the outside of the sealing portion 130. Therefore, the signal processing IC 100 can be made less susceptible to the effects of the heat generated in the conductor 120.

[0057] If the bonding area between the element support portion 114 and each of the lead terminals 150a and 150b is too small, the element support portion 114 becomes prone to deformation, causing the magnetoelectric conversion element 20 to shift position due to bending or twisting, resulting in large variations in sensitivity between individual components. Furthermore, if the bonding area is too small, there is a higher possibility that the element support portion 114 and each of the lead terminals 150a and 150b will detach during the manufacturing process. In addition, while it is conceivable to use polymer tape such as polyimide tape as the element support portion 114, processing with a width that is too narrow is generally difficult. Therefore, considering the feasibility of processing, it is preferable that at least one side of the bonding area is 0.4 mm or more. That is, it is preferable that the width of the element support portion 114 in the Y-axis direction is 0.4 mm or more.

[0058] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0059] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 10 Current Sensor 20, 20a, 20b Magnetoelectric conversion element 21,116 Adhesive layer 30,108 wires 100 Signal Processing ICs 112 IC support part 114 Element support section 120 conductor 130 Sealing part 140,150 lead terminals 160 Hanging pins

Claims

1. At least one magnetoelectric conversion element, A conductor through which the measurement current measured by the at least one magnetoelectric conversion element flows, which at least partially surrounds the at least one magnetoelectric conversion element in a plan view, A signal processing IC that processes the signal output from at least one magnetoelectric conversion element, An IC support portion that supports the signal processing IC on the first surface, The at least one magnetoelectric conversion element is supported on the same side as the first surface, and an insulating element support portion is spaced apart from the IC support portion and the conductor, A sealing portion that seals the at least one magnetoelectric conversion element, the conductor, the signal processing IC, the IC support portion, and the element support portion, A pair of first lead terminals are provided, which are partially exposed from the first side surface of the sealing portion, electrically connected to the conductor, input the measured current to the conductor, and output the measured current from the conductor. A metal member is partially exposed from the second side opposite to the first side of the sealing portion and is spaced apart from the conductor and the IC support portion. Multiple second lead terminals exposed from the second side and Equipped with, The element support portion further supports the metal member on the same side as the first surface, The IC support portion is integrally configured with at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals, At least a portion of the metal member is a second lead terminal different from at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals, At least some of the plurality of second lead terminals are electrically connected to the signal processing IC. The metal member includes a first metal member and a second metal member which are two second lead terminals different from at least one of the plurality of second lead terminals. The conductor and the IC support portion are current sensors arranged between the first metal member and the second metal member.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductor has a stepped portion such that the first surface of the element support portion and the surface of the conductor facing the first surface are spaced apart in the thickness direction of the element support portion.

3. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the element support portion is a polymer tape.

4. The pair of first lead terminals and the plurality of second lead terminals are arranged facing each other via the signal processing IC in a first direction intersecting the thickness direction of the signal processing IC. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the IC support portion is located only on the signal processing IC side of the conductor in the first direction, in a plan view.

5. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the width of the portion of the metal member that supports the element support portion is 0.4 mm or more.

6. The current sensor according to claim 1, wherein the distance in a plan view between the conductor and each of the first metal member and the second metal member is 0.5 times or more the thickness of the first metal member and the second metal member.

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