阅读说明：本技术 电流传感器 (Current sensor ) 是由 J.罗谢尔 Y.勒鲁瓦 于 2018-06-29 设计创作，主要内容包括：电流传感器(2)包括具有第一检测线路(10)和第二检测线路(12)的感测零件(4),感测零件(4)被适配成检测可移动目标的通过；连接装置(8),其被适配成传递来自于感测零件(4)的检测信号。根据本发明,该电流传感器还包括复制装置(6),其被适配成将第一检测线路(10)复制到第一检测线路乙(14)上,并将第二检测线路(12)复制到第二检测线路乙(16)上。(The current sensor (2) comprises a sensing part (4) with a first detection line (10) and a second detection line (12), the sensing part (4) being adapted to detect the passage of a movable object; a connection device (8) adapted to transmit a detection signal from the sensing part (4). According to the invention, the current sensor further comprises a copying device (6) adapted to copy the first detection line (10) onto the first detection line B (14) and to copy the second detection line (12) onto the second detection line B (16).)

1. Sensor (2) for transmitting detection information in the form of a current change, comprising: a sensing part (4) having a first detection line (10) and a second detection line (12), the sensing part (4) being adapted to detect the passage of a movable object; -connection means (8) adapted to deliver a detection signal from said sensing part (4);

characterized in that the sensor (2) further comprises a copying device (6) adapted to copy the first detection line (10) onto the first detection line B (14) and to copy the second detection line (12) onto the second detection line B (16).

2. Sensor (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means (8) are coupled to the copying means (6).

3. A sensor (2) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said connection means (8) comprise: a first terminal (18) coupled to the first detection line (10); a second terminal (20) coupled to a first detection line B (14); a third terminal (22) coupled to the second detection line (12); and a fourth terminal (24) coupled to the second detection line B (16).

4. A sensor (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the replication means (6) are integrated into the current sensor (2).

5. A sensor (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the replication means (6) are integrated to the connection means (8).

6. Assembly of at least two sensors, a sensor (2) and a second sensor (26), according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the two current sensors (2, 26) are electrically coupled in parallel by means of a connecting device (8, 8_ 26).

7. The assembly of at least two sensors according to claim 6, characterized in that the first terminal (18) and the second terminal (20) of the connecting device (8) are coupled to the first terminal (18 _ 26) and the second terminal (20 _ 26) of another connecting device (8 _ 26), and the third terminal (22) and the fourth terminal (24) of the connecting device (8) are coupled to the third terminal (22 _ 26) and the fourth terminal (24 _ 26) of another connecting device (8 _ 26).

8. Assembly of at least two sensors according to any of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the two current sensors (2, 26) are coupled to an electronic computer (28).

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to a connection technique of electronic devices such as, for example, sensors.

The invention is particularly suitable for use in the automotive field. For example, the invention may be implemented in a camshaft sensor or a crankshaft sensor to transmit information in the form of current changes.

Background

Nowadays, motor vehicles comprise more and more on-board electronic devices, which require connections with more or less complexity. In motor vehicles, a plurality of sensors are thus used and coupled to an electronic computer, for example to ensure the safety of the driver, the ventilation of the air in the cabin and the operation of the internal combustion engine.

In order to ensure that the internal combustion engine is operating well, a plurality of sensors are used and coupled to, for example, at least one electronic computer, also referred to as an "engine control computer".

In this way, for example, at least one crankshaft sensor and at least one camshaft sensor are used, and they enable the position of the piston during an engine cycle to be known with considerable accuracy by means of a dedicated information technology program executed by the engine control computer.

The crankshaft sensor comprises, inter alia, a sensing part (part) adapted to detect the passage of a tooth of the crankshaft gear and a processing device adapted to shape a detection signal from the sensing part of the crankshaft sensor. Depending on the detection principle of the sensing part, such as for example the hall effect, three wires are used at the output of the crankshaft sensor to transmit the detection signal to the engine control computer. This type of crank sensor is generally referred to by those skilled in the art as a voltage sensor, i.e., the information it generates is in the form of voltage variations. However, as sensors increase, the need for connection pins at the engine control computer also increases.

Over the last few years, current sensors have been developed to reduce the number of connections to electronic computers. Thus, these sensors transmit information in the form of current changes. Thus, with this new technology, the crankshaft sensor now comprises, for example, only two connecting lines. Of course, the sensing feature remains the same as the voltage sensor.

With the new technology it is now possible to couple current sensors in parallel in the same wire bundle.

In order to connect the sensors to the engine control computer, it is necessary to connect them to the wiring harness by implementing at least one splice per sensor. Thus, by using these current sensors, the total number of pins used at the engine control computer is substantially unchanged. The presence of splices in the wire harness significantly increases the manufacturing costs of the motor vehicle and in particular increases the risk of electrical failure.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention proposes a reproduction device which makes it possible to remedy, partially or totally, the technical drawbacks of the prior art indicated.

To this end, a first aspect of the invention proposes a sensor for transmitting information in the form of a change in current, comprising: a sensing part having a first detection line and a second detection line, the sensing part adapted to detect passage of a movable target; a connection device adapted to communicate a detection signal from the sensing part; copying means adapted to copy the first detection line onto a first detection line b (bis) and to copy the second detection line onto a second detection line b.

For example, for ease of integration in a current sensor, it is proposed to couple the connection means to the replication means.

In order to optimize the connection between at least two current sensors, it is proposed in one embodiment of the invention that the connection device comprises: a first terminal coupled to a first detection line; a second terminal coupled to a first detection line b; a third terminal coupled to the second detection line; and a fourth terminal coupled to the second detection line b.

In order to reduce the manufacturing costs, it is proposed, for example, that the replication means are integrated into the current sensor.

As a variant, it is proposed that the copying means are integrated into the connecting means.

In a second aspect of the invention, an assembly (ensemble) of at least two current sensors, namely a current sensor and a second current sensor, is proposed, the two current sensors being electrically coupled in parallel by means of a connecting device.

In one embodiment, the first and second terminals of the connection device are coupled to the first and second terminals of another connection device, and the third and fourth terminals of the connection device are coupled to the third and fourth terminals of another connection device.

In order to control the two current sensors, it is proposed, for example, that the two current sensors are coupled to an electronic computer.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description. This description is purely illustrative and should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic view of the principle of a current sensor according to the invention,

figure 2 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the principle of electrically connecting two current sensors of FIG. 1 in parallel, an

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the principle of electrically connecting two current sensors of fig. 2 in parallel in a supplementary embodiment.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a current sensor 2 according to the invention. The current sensor 2 comprises a sensing part 4, a replication means 6 and a connection means 8. Preferably, the current sensor 2 delivers a detection signal in the form of a change in current. The current sensor 2 may be, for example, a camshaft position sensor or a crankshaft position sensor. This is given purely by way of illustration and in no way limits the scope of the invention.

The sensing part 4 is adapted to detect the passage of the teeth of an object, for example of a crankshaft (not shown in the figures), on the one hand, and to generate, by means of the first detection line 10 and the second detection line 12, a detection signal representative of the passage of the teeth, on the other hand. The sensing part 4 is based on the hall effect detection principle, for example. Since the internal structure of the sensing part 4 is well known to those skilled in the art, it will not be described in detail in the specification text.

Ingeniously, the duplicating means 6 are adapted to duplicate the first detection line 10 and the second detection line 12. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the copying means 6 copy the first detection line 10 to the first detection line b 14. Furthermore, the copying means 6 are adapted to copy also the second detection line 12 to the second detection line b 16. The replication means 6 are for example realized on a silicon chip, which may be the silicon chip of the current sensor 2.

The connecting device 8 is for example an electrical connector having a first terminal 18, a second terminal 20, a third terminal 22 and a fourth terminal 24. The connection means 8 may be a standard four-terminal connector on the market or a connector manufactured according to the desired application. The connection device 8 may also comply with tightness and electromagnetic compatibility standards known to the person skilled in the art and necessary for use in the automotive environment.

In one embodiment, the first terminal 18 is coupled to the first detection line 10, the second terminal 20 is coupled to the first detection line b 14, the third terminal 22 is coupled to the second detection line 12, and finally the fourth terminal 24 is coupled to the second detection line b 16. Advantageously, the reproduction means 6 are compatible with the imprint (impression) of the connection means 8.

In another embodiment the replication means 6 are arranged at the connection means 8 and form part of the connection means 8, as shown in fig. 2. Thus, the first terminal 18 is skillfully coupled to the second terminal 20, thereby enabling the duplication of the first detection line 10, and the third terminal 22 is coupled to the fourth terminal 24, thereby enabling the duplication of the second detection line 12. In one embodiment the replication means 6 may be metal tracks inside the connection means 8.

Fig. 3 shows the current sensor 2 and the second current sensor 26 coupled to an electronic computer 28. In a preferred embodiment, the second current sensor 26 has the same technical features as the current sensor 2 described above.

Thus, the second current sensor 26 includes the sensing part 4_26, the copying means 6_26, and the connecting means 8_ 26. The sensing part 4_26 generates a detection signal through the first detection line 10_26 and the second detection line 12_ 26.

The copying means 6_26 copies the first detection line 10_26 to the first detection line b 14_26 and copies the second detection line 12_26 to the second detection line b 16_ 26.

The connection means 8_26 comprise a first terminal 18_26, a second terminal 20_26, a third terminal 22_26 and a fourth terminal 24_ 26.

Advantageously, by means of the device of the invention, it is possible to couple the current sensor 2 in parallel with the second current sensor 26 without the need to implement splicing in the wiring harness of the motor vehicle. Thus, as shown in the example of fig. 3, the first terminal 18 of the sensor 2 is coupled to the electronic computer 28 via a first electrical transmission line 30, the second terminal 20 is coupled to the first terminal 18_26 of the second current sensor 26, the third terminal 20 of the current sensor 2 is coupled to the electronic computer 28 via a transmission line 32, and finally the fourth terminal 24 is coupled to the third terminal 22_26 of the second current sensor 26.

Of course, the connecting means 8 may also take a different form than that shown in fig. 3.

In order to simplify the connection technology of the current sensors 2, 26, as an embodiment variant, an integrated electric polarizer (dtrompeur) 34 is ingeniously proposed, which enables the assembly time of the current sensors 2, 26 to be optimized. In fact, as known to the person skilled in the art, the current flowing through the current sensor 2, 26 is a polarized current, i.e. the current flows in a determined direction, and therefore a good operation of the current sensor 2, 26 needs to follow this polarity. The electric polarizer 34 will be described in the case of the current sensor 2.

The electric polarizer 34 includes a diode bridge having a first diode D1, a second diode D2, a third diode D3, and a fourth diode D4, which are coupled in series with each other. For example, the cathode D1_ K1 of the first diode D1 is coupled to the anode D2_ a2 of the second diode D2, the cathode D2_ K2 of the second diode D2 is coupled to the cathode D3_ K3 of the third diode D3, the anode D3_ A3 of the third diode D3 is coupled to the cathode D4_ K4 of the fourth diode D4, and finally the anode D4_ a4 of the fourth diode D4 is coupled to the anode D1_ a1 of the first diode D1.

In one embodiment, the first detection line 10 is coupled to the cathode D2_ K2 and the cathode D3_ K3; and the second sense line 12 is coupled to anode D1_ a1 and anode D4_ a 4.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the first terminal 18 is coupled to the cathode D1_ K1 and the anode D2_ a2, and the third terminal 22 is coupled to the anode D3_ A3 and the cathode K4_ D4. Thus, as known to those skilled in the art, depending on the polarity of the current, at least two of the four diodes of the electric polarizer 34 will be activated, allowing an optimal flow of current without the risk of damaging the sensors 2, 26 and/or the electronic computer 28.

In order to simplify the connection technique between the current sensors 2, 26, a replication device 6 is also used. Thus, in the case of fig. 4, the duplicating means 6 is adapted to duplicate the first terminal 18 and the third terminal 22. In the example of fig. 4, the replication means 6 are integrated into the connection means 8, but the replication means 6 may also be integrated into the chip of the current sensor 2.

The invention thus enables at least two current sensors to be connected in parallel without the need to effect splicing in the wiring harness of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, by means of the invention and the presence of the electric polarizer, it is no longer necessary to follow the polarity of the current sensor, thus optimizing the assembly time of said current sensor.

The invention is of course not limited to the preferred embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings and the implementation variants shown, but extends to all variants that can be envisaged by a person skilled in the art.