Magnetic sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023092117-A1
Application number	US-202217948789-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2022
Priority date	Sep 21, 2021
Publication date	Mar 23, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A magnetic sensor 1 includes a plurality of MR elements disposed in first to fourth areas. Each of the first to fourth areas includes a first end edge and a second end edge located at both ends in a first reference direction, and a third end edge and a fourth end edge located at both ends in a second reference direction. Each of the first and second end edges extends along the second reference direction. Each of the third and fourth end edges extends along a third reference direction. Each of the plurality of MR elements has a shape long in a direction different from each of the first reference direction, the second reference direction, and the third reference direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A magnetic sensor comprising a plurality of magnetoresistive elements disposed in at least one area, wherein:
the at least one area includes a first end edge and a second end edge located at both ends in a first reference direction, and a third end edge and a fourth end edge located at both ends in a second reference direction orthogonal to the first reference direction; each of the first end edge and the second end edge extends along the second reference direction; each of the third end edge and the fourth end edge extends along a third reference direction intersecting with each of the first reference direction and the second reference direction; and each of the plurality of magnetoresistive elements has a shape long in a direction different from each of the first reference direction, the second reference direction, and the third reference direction.

2 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged along the second reference direction, and also two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged along a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of magnetoresistive elements.

3 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply port; a ground port; an output port; and a resistor section provided between the power supply port or the ground port and the output port, wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements constitute at least a part of the resistor section.

4 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one area comprises a plurality of areas; and the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed dividedly in the plurality of areas.

5 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of areas are disposed to be arranged along the first reference direction.

6 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of areas include a first specific area and a second specific area; and a center of gravity of the first specific area and a center of gravity of the second specific area are displaced from each other in the second reference direction.

7 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a plurality of structural bodies each structured to cause the plurality of magnetoresistive elements to detect a specific component of a target magnetic field, wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a structural body extending across at least two of the plurality of areas.

8 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 7 , wherein:
the plurality of areas include a first specific area and a second specific area; and a center of gravity of the first specific area and a center of gravity of the second specific area are displaced from each other by a gap between two adjoining structural bodies of the plurality of structural bodies in the second reference direction.

9 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a plurality of yokes each made of a soft magnetic body.

10 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged along each of the plurality of yokes.

11 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of structural bodies include a plurality of inclined surfaces each inclined relative to a reference plane parallel to the first reference direction and the second reference direction.

12 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive elements are disposed such that two or more magnetoresistive elements are arranged on each of the plurality of inclined surfaces.

13 . The magnetic sensor according to claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of areas include a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area; the first area, the second area, the third area, and the fourth area are arranged in this order in one direction parallel to the first reference direction; a center of gravity of the second area is displaced from a center of gravity of the first area in one direction parallel to the second reference direction; a center of gravity of the third area is displaced from the center of gravity of the second area in another direction parallel to the second reference direction; and a center of gravity of the fourth area is displaced from the center of gravity of the third area in the one direction parallel to the second reference direction.

Assignees

• Tdk Corp

Inventors

• Hiraki Tetsuya
• Watanabe Kazuya

Classifications

• G01R33/0017

  Means for compensating offset magnetic fields or the magnetic flux to be measured; Means for generating calibration magnetic fields · CPC title

• G01R33/0011

  comprising means, e.g. flux concentrators, flux guides, for guiding or concentrating the magnetic flux, e.g. to the magnetic sensor · CPC title

• G01R33/0005

  Geometrical arrangement of magnetic sensor elements; Apparatus combining different magnetic sensor types (G01R33/0206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R33/0206

  Three-component magnetometers · CPC title

• G01R33/0052

  Manufacturing aspects; Manufacturing of single devices, i.e. of semiconductor magnetic sensor chips (devices based on galvano-magnetic effect or the like H10N50/85) · CPC title