Patents Assigned to Alps Green Devices Co. Ltd.
  • Patent number: 9435829
    Abstract: A current sensor includes first and second current paths each including a first conductive portion and second and third conductive portions extending in the X direction from both ends of the first conductive portion, and being neighboring and apart in the Y direction; and first and second magnetoelectric conversion elements arranged with the first conductive portion of the first current path interposed therebetween, and having sensitive axes along the Y direction. The second and third conductive portions of each of the first and second current paths are apart in the Z direction. The second conductive portion of the second current path is arranged in the Y direction with respect to the first and second magnetoelectric conversion elements. Perpendicular lines from the center line of the second conductive portion of the second current path to the first and second magnetoelectric conversion elements have the same direction and equivalent lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hebiguchi, Shinji Mitsuya, Manabu Tamura, Ryuji Mukaiyama
  • Patent number: 9435831
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a magnetic sensor module including a plurality of magnetic sensor units connected in series. The magnetic sensor units each include a first magnetic sensor element and a second magnetic sensor element which have sensitivity axes oriented in opposite directions. A first terminal of the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to a first potential source. A third terminal of the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to a second potential source. A second terminal and a fourth terminal of the last magnetic sensor unit are connected to constitute a sensor output terminal. The first terminal of each of the magnetic sensor units excluding the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to the second terminal of the next magnetic sensor unit and the third terminal thereof is connected to the fourth terminal of the next magnetic sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Aratono, Masahiro Iizuka, Masamichi Saito, Akira Takahashi, Shigenobu Miyajima, Kenji Ichinohe, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yosuke Ide, Shinji Mitsuya
  • Patent number: 9422614
    Abstract: An Fe-based amorphous alloy of the present invention has a composition formula represented by Fe100-a-b-c-x-y-z-tNiaSnbCrcPxCyBzSit, and in the formula, 1 at %?a?10 at %, 0 at %?b?3 at %, 0 at %?c?6 at %, 6.8 at %?x?10.8 at %, 2.2 at %?y?9.8 at %, 0 at %?z?4.2 at %, and 0 at %?t?3.9 at % hold. Accordingly, an Fe-based amorphous alloy used for a powder core and/or a coil encapsulated powder core having a low glass transition temperature (Tg), a high conversion vitrification temperature (Tg/Tm), and excellent magnetization and corrosion resistance can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiko Tsuchiya, Hisato Koshiba, Kazuya Kaneko, Seiichi Abiko, Takao Mizushima
  • Patent number: 9423429
    Abstract: A first magnetoelectric conversion element group including magnetoelectric conversion elements, and a second magnetoelectric conversion element group including magnetoelectric conversion elements are arranged across a cutout of a wiring board. The first and second groups are arranged line-symmetrically with respect to a first imaginary line. The elements in the first and second groups are arranged line-symmetrically with respect to a second imaginary line. The first imaginary line and the second imaginary line orthogonally intersect each other at a placement position at which a current path to be measured is placed. The orientation of the sensitivity axis of each of a plurality of magnetoelectric-conversion-element sets having point symmetry about the placement position is parallel or antiparallel. An element spacing, which is spacing between neighboring elements in the first and second groups, is narrower than a group spacing, which is the narrowest spacing between the first and second groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Fukui
  • Patent number: 9400315
    Abstract: A current sensor includes first and second magnetic sensors that are placed around a current line through which a current flows so that the current line is positioned therebetween, and that detect an induction field generated by the current. Each of the first and second magnetic sensors has a main sensitivity axis and a sub-sensitivity axis. The direction of the main sensitivity axis of each of the first and second magnetic sensors is oriented in a direction that is not orthogonal to the direction of the induction field. The directions of the main sensitivity axes of the first and second magnetic sensors are oriented in the same direction and the directions of the sub-sensitivity axes are oriented in the same direction, or the directions of the main sensitivity axes are oriented in opposite directions and the directions of the sub-sensitivity axes are oriented in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hebiguchi, Isao Sato, Takashi Fujisaki, Mitsuo Aratono, Akira Takahashi, Masato Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9372240
    Abstract: A current sensor according to the present invention includes a bus bar, a magnetic sensor element disposed so as to face the bus bar, a wiring board on which the magnetic sensor element is provided, and a signal line electrically connected to the magnetic sensor element. The wiring board includes a base portion facing the bus bar and an extending portion extending from the base portion, and the signal line is connected to the extending portion and provided in a direction intersecting the wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Manabu Tamura
  • Patent number: 9335349
    Abstract: A current sensor of the present invention includes a mounting unit including a disposition region in which a current path is disposed, a pair of magnetic detection elements disposed in the mounting unit so as to sandwich therebetween the disposition region, and an arithmetic circuit performing an arithmetic operation on the current value of the current path on the basis of the detection values of the pair of magnetic detection elements. The pair of magnetic detection elements is disposed on sides opposite to each other with respect to a virtual line passing through the gravity center of the current path in cross-sectional view of the current path, and individually has sensitivity axes parallel to a direction perpendicular to the direction of a current conducted through the current path and the direction of the virtual line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Manabu Tamura
  • Patent number: 9229061
    Abstract: An internal impedance of an electrical storage device is measured by using a signal of a frequency which ions in the electrical storage device are difficult to follow (e.g., a frequency equal to or higher than 10 kHz), and an internal temperature of the electrical storage device is calculated from a measured value of the internal impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hebiguchi
  • Patent number: 9229032
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a magnetoresistive element that has a stripe shape and that has a sensing axis in a certain direction. The magnetoresistive element includes element portions that are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the stripe shape, and permanent magnet portions, each of which is disposed between adjacent ones of the element portions. Each element portion has a layered structure including a free magnetic layer whose magnetization direction is changed with respect to an external magnetic field, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a ferromagnetic pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned. The permanent magnet portion includes a hard bias layer, and an electrode layer that is disposed so as to cover the hard bias layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ide, Masamichi Saito, Akira Takahashi, Kenji Ichinohe, Yoshihiro Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 9207288
    Abstract: An electrical current sensor includes a magnetic detection element whose characteristics are changed by an inductive magnetic field from a current to be measured, a plurality of coils that are connected in series with each other and which are arranged in the vicinity of the magnetic detection element, and generates a canceling magnetic field for canceling the inductive magnetic field by a feedback current flowing in the coils, and a switch circuit that selects a coil electrically connected with an input terminal and/or an output terminal of the feedback current from the plurality of coils, and controls a coil for allowing the feedback current to flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nomura, Manabu Tamura
  • Patent number: 9207264
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a substrate, a conductive body being provided above the substrate and extending in one direction, and magnetoresistance effect elements being provided between the substrate and the conductive body and outputting output signals owing to an induction magnetic field from a current to be measured being conducted through the conductive body, wherein each of the magnetoresistance effect elements has a laminated structure including a ferromagnetic fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a free magnetic layer whose magnetization direction fluctuates with respect to an external magnetic field, the ferromagnetic fixed layer is a self-pinned type formed by antiferromagnetically coupling a first ferromagnetic film and a second ferromagnetic film through an antiparallel coupling film, the Curie temperatures of the first ferromagnetic film and the second ferromagnetic film are approximately equal, and a difference between the magnetization amounts
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ide, Masamichi Saito, Akira Takahashi, Masahiro Iizuka, Kenji Ichinohe, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Mitsuo Aratono
  • Patent number: 9201126
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor which are configured to detect an induced magnetic field from target current to be measured flowing through a current line. The first and second magnetic sensors each include a magnetoresistive element that includes a free magnetic layer and a hard bias layer applying a bias magnetic field to the free magnetic layer. The bias magnetic field in the magnetoresistive element of the first magnetic sensor is oriented opposite to the bias magnetic field in the magnetoresistive element of the second magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinji Mitsuya
  • Patent number: 9201101
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a first current path, a second current path disposed parallel to the first current path, and a pair of first magnetic sensors. The first current path has a pair of main surfaces and includes a plate-shaped first region. The second current path has a pair of main surfaces and includes a plate-shaped second region. The first magnetic sensors are arranged on the respective main surfaces in the first region such that sensing axes of the first magnetic sensors are parallel to the respective main surfaces in the first region. The first magnetic sensors are configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a target current flowing through the first region. The second region is placed such that the main surfaces in the second region are perpendicular to the sensing axes of the first magnetic sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Nomura
  • Patent number: 9170281
    Abstract: A current measurement apparatus includes multiple GMR elements and a calculation unit. The multiple GMR elements each include a pinned magnetic layer having a pinned magnetization direction, and a free magnetic layer having a magnetization direction to be changed by an external magnetic field. The calculation unit obtains the magnitude of a current to be detected, from outputs of the multiple GMR elements. The multiple GMR elements are disposed in ring shape around a conductor through which the current to be detected flows, and are electrically connected so as to form a series variable resistor by using the multiple GMR elements. The magnetization directions of the pinned magnetic layers are pinned in the same direction when viewed from an extension direction of the conductor at each of the positions of the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Hayashi, Tatsuya Kogure, Akira Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9146260
    Abstract: A magnetic balance type current sensor includes a magnetic balance type current sensor including a magnetoresistance effect element whose characteristic changes owing to an induction magnetic field from a current to be measured flowing through a conductor, a feedback coil configured to be disposed in the vicinity of the magnetoresistance effect element and generate a cancelling magnetic field cancelling out the induction magnetic field, a magnetic shield configured to attenuate the induction magnetic field and enhance the cancelling magnetic field, and a hard bias layer configured to be provided on or above the magnetic shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Masamichi Saito, Akira Takahashi, Masahiro Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9081031
    Abstract: An electrical current sensor includes a first laminated body having a magnetic detection element disposed over a first substrate, a protective film formed over the first substrate and the magnetic detection element, and a coil formed over the protective film, and a second laminated body having a shield layer formed over a second substrate and which is formed by bonding the first laminated body and the second laminated body to each other with an adhesion layer interposed therebetween such that the magnetic detection element and the shield layer face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naruaki Oki, Yoshihiro Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 9069032
    Abstract: A magnetic balance type current sensor includes: a magnetic detection bridge circuit of which output varies due to an induced magnetic field from a current wire; a magnetic field attenuation unit that attenuates the induced magnetic field that acts on a magnetoresistive effect element; and a feedback coil which generates a cancel magnetic field that cancels the induced magnetic field in accordance with the output of the magnetic detection bridge circuit, and through which a current corresponding to the current to be measured flows when it enters a balanced state in which the cancel magnetic field and the induced magnetic field cancel each other, wherein the feedback coil is provided in such a manner that a direction of the cancel magnetic field that acts on the magnetic field attenuation unit is opposite to a direction of the induced magnetic field that acts on the magnetic field attenuation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hebiguchi
  • Patent number: 9063185
    Abstract: A first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor are disposed so that the main sensitivity axis direction of the first magnetic sensor is oriented in the direction of an induction magnetic field from a current flowing through a current line, the main sensitivity axis direction of the second magnetic sensor is oriented in a direction opposite to the direction of an induction magnetic field from the current flowing therethrough, the individual main sensitivity axis directions of the first and second magnetic sensors are oriented in a same direction, and the individual sub-sensitivity axis directions of the first and second magnetic sensors are oriented in the same directions as or directions opposite to the directions of the sub-sensitivity axis components of the induction magnetic fields to which the first and second magnetic sensors are individually subjected from a current flowing through an adjacent current line adjacent to the current line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hebiguchi
  • Patent number: 9046554
    Abstract: A current sensor includes: a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor; a first analog-to-digital converter which is connected to the first magnetic sensor and converts an output signal of the first magnetic sensor from an analog signal to a digital signal so as to be output; a second analog-to-digital converter which is connected to the second magnetic sensor and converts an output signal of the second magnetic sensor from an analog signal to a digital signal so as to be output; and an operation device which is connected to the first analog-to-digital converter and the second analog-to-digital converter, and outputs an operation value by subjecting the output signal of the first analog-to-digital converter and the output signal of the second analog-to-digital converter to differential operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nomura, Manabu Tamura
  • Patent number: 9041392
    Abstract: There is provided a current sensor capable of performing malfunction determination with high accuracy even under the influence of an adscititious magnetic field. A current sensor includes first and second current sensor units, a computation unit, a storage unit, and a determination processing unit. The first current sensor unit measures a target current. The first and second current sensor units have almost the same sensitivity. The computation unit calculates and outputs an addition value and a difference value of outputs of the first and second current sensor units. In the storage unit, the addition and difference values output from the computation unit are stored. The determination processing unit determines whether a malfunction has occurred by using the addition and difference values stored in the storage unit. The determination processing unit determines that a malfunction has occurred, in a case where there is a correlation between the addition and difference values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Kotera, Manabu Tamura, Hisanori Kiyomatsu