Adjustable length Rogowski coil measurement device with non-contact voltage measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746767-B2
Application number	US-201815975187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for measuring electrical parameters in an insulated conductor without requiring a galvanic connection. A non-contact, electrical parameter sensor probe may be operative to measure both current and voltage in an insulated conductor. The sensor probe includes a body, a Rogowski coil coupled to the body, and a non-contact voltage sensor coupled to the body or the Rogowski coil. The size of the loop of the Rogowski coil is selectively adjustable, such that the loop may be tightened around the conductor under test until the conductor is positioned adjacent a portion of the body or Rogowski coil that includes the non-contact voltage sensor. Measured electrical parameters may be provided to a user, e.g., via a display, or may be transmitted to one or more external systems via a suitable wired or wireless connection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical parameter sensor probe operative to detect an electrical parameter in an insulated conductor without requiring galvanic contact with the insulated conductor, the electrical parameter sensor probe comprising:
a Rogowski coil;
a body comprising a first channel and a second channel, the first and second channels having respective first and second open ends, the respective first ends of the first and second channels being spaced apart from each other, and the respective second ends of the first and second channels being adjacent each other, each of the first and second channels sized and dimensioned to slidably contain a respective length of the Rogowski coil therein such that a loop of the Rogowski coil is formed between the respective first open ends of the first and second channels, and a size of the loop is selectively adjustable by movement of the Rogowski coil within the first channel with a first portion of the Rogowski coil passing the respective second end of the first channel and within the second channel with a second portion of the Rogowski coil passing the respective second end of the second channel; and
a non-contact sensor coupled to the body and positioned between the respective first ends of the first and second channels, the non-contact sensor operative to sense at least one electrical parameter in the insulated conductor when the insulated conductor is within the loop formed by the Rogowski coil.

2. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , wherein the second channel of the body comprises a lateral opening that extends between the first and second open ends, the lateral opening sized and dimensioned to allow a length of the Rogowski coil to be selectively inserted into and removed from the second channel.

3. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 2 , wherein the lateral opening has a width that is less than a diameter of the Rogowski coil, and at least a portion of the second channel adjacent the lateral opening is formed from a flexible material that elastically deforms to allow the length of the Rogowski coil to be selectively inserted into and removed from the second channel.

4. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , wherein the second channel of the body comprises a fastener operative to allow a length of the Rogowski coil to be selectively inserted into and removed from the second channel.

5. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , wherein the Rogowski coil is not removable from the first channel during normal use of the electrical parameter sensor probe.

6. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact sensor comprises at least one of a non-contact voltage sensor or a non-contact current sensor.

7. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-contact voltage sensor coupled to the Rogowski coil, the non-contact voltage sensor operative to sense a voltage in the insulated conductor when the insulated conductor is within the loop formed by the Rogowski coil.

8. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 , further comprising an interface connector operatively coupled to the non-contact sensor and the Rogowski coil, the interface connector being detachably coupleable to a corresponding interface connector of a main body of a non-contact electrical parameter measurement device.

9. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 wherein the non-contact sensor comprises at least one of a non-contact voltage sensor, a Hall Effect sensor, a fluxgate sensor, an anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensor, or a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor.

10. The electrical parameter sensor probe of claim 1 wherein the Rogowski coil includes a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end being curved such that the first and second ends abut each other to minimize an air gap between a winding of the Rogowski coil at the first and second ends.

11. A device for measuring an electrical parameter in an insulated conductor, the device comprising:
an electrical parameter sensor probe, comprising:
a Rogowski coil;
a body comprising a first channel and a second channel, the first and second channels having respective first and second open ends, the respective first ends of the first and second channels being spaced apart from each other, and the respective second ends of the first and second channels being adjacent each other, each of the first and second channels sized and dimensioned to slidably contain a respective length of the Rogowski coil therein such that a loop of the Rogowski coil is formed between the respective first open ends of the first and second channels, and a size of the loop is selectively adjustable by movement of the Rogowski coil within the first channel with a first portion of the Rogowski coil passing the respective second end of the first channel and within the second channel with a second portion of the Rogowski coil passing the respective second end of the second channel; and
a non-contact sensor coupled to the body and positioned between the respective first ends of the first and second channels, the non-contact sensor operative to sense at least one electrical parameter in the insulated conductor when the insulated conductor is within the loop formed by the Rogowski coil; and
control circuitry communicatively coupleable to the non-contact sensor and the Rogowski coil, in operation, the control circuitry:
receives sensor data indicative of signals detected at least one of the non-contact sensor or the Rogowski coil; and
processes the received sensor data to determine at least one electrical parameter of the insulated conductor.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a main body that contains the control circuitry.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the main body comprises at least one interface connector, and the electrical parameter sensor probe is detachably connectable to the at least one interface connector of the main body.

14. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a main body that includes the electrical parameter sensor probe and the control circuitry.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry, in operation, processes the received sensor data to determine a voltage in the insulated conductor.

16. The device of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry, in operation, processes the received sensor data to determine a voltage and a current in the insulated conductor.

17. The device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a wireless communications subsystem operatively coupled to the control circuitry, in operation, the wireless communication subsystem wirelessly transmits the determined at least one electrical parameter to an external system.

18. The device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a display that, in operation, visually presents the determined at least one electrical parameter to a user of the device.

19. The device of claim 11 wherein the non-contact sensor comprises at least one of a non-contact voltage sensor, a Hall Effect sensor, a fluxgate sensor, an anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensor, or a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor.

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Worones Jeffrey
• Steuer Ronald
• Rodriguez Ricardo

Classifications

• G01R15/202

  using Hall-effect devices (Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08) · CPC title

• G01R15/181 Primary

  using coils without a magnetic core, e.g. Rogowski coils · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G01R15/142

  Arrangements for simultaneous measurements of several parameters employing techniques covered by groups G01R15/14 - G01R15/26 · CPC title

• G01R19/2503 Primary

  for measuring voltage only, e.g. digital volt meters (DVM's) (G01R19/2506 - G01R19/257 take precedence) · CPC title