Clamp probe for non-contact electrical parameter measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10775409-B2
Application number	US-201815975000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for measuring electrical parameters (e.g., voltage, current, power) in an insulated or blank uninsulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a clamp probe. A clamp probe may include a normally closed, spring loaded jaw having a flexible strap therein that includes one or more non-contact sensors. The jaw may also include a Rogowski coil to enable non-contact current measurements. A user may compress handles of the clamp probe to open its jaw. In the open position, the user may position the jaw around the conductor under test and release the handles. The jaw then closes and tightens the flexible strap around the insulated conductor such that the one or more non-contact sensors are positioned adjacent the insulated conductor to obtain an accurate measurement of an electrical parameter of the insulated conductor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clamp probe for use with a non-contact electrical parameter measurement device to measure an electrical parameter in an insulated conductor under test, the clamp probe comprising:
a clamp portion comprising first and second clamp arms that comprise respective proximal and distal ends, the first and second clamp arms movable relative to each other between a closed position wherein the distal ends of the first and second clamp arms are substantially adjacent each other and a clamp cavity sized and dimensioned to receive an insulated conductor is formed between the first and second clamp arms, and an open position wherein the distal ends of the first and second clamp arms are spaced apart from each other to permit the insulated conductor to pass between the first and second distal ends into the clamp cavity;
a bias element coupled to the clamp portion that biases the first and second clamp arms toward the closed position;
a grip portion operative to be actuated by a user to cause the clamp portion to move from the closed position into the open position against the bias applied by the bias element;
a flexible strap comprising a first strap end and a second strap end, the first strap end coupled to the distal end of the first clamp arm and the second strap end coupled to the distal end of the second clamp arm, at least a portion of the flexible strap being elastically deformable around the insulated conductor positioned within the clamp cavity to exert a force against the insulated conductor in a direction toward the distal ends of the first and second clamp arms,
wherein, while the first and second clamp arms are in the closed position, a portion of the flexible strap that faces at least one of the first and second clamp arms is at least partially spaced apart from the at least one of the first and second clamp arms; and
at least one non-contact sensor coupled to the flexible strap between the first strap end and the second strap end of the flexible strap, the at least one non-contact sensor positioned proximate the insulated conductor when the insulated conductor is within the clamp cavity.

2. The clamp probe of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-contact sensor comprises a plurality of non-contact sensors spaced apart from each other on the flexible strap.

3. The clamp probe of claim 1 , wherein the bias element comprises a spring.

4. The clamp probe of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the flexible strap is made from a natural or synthetic elastomer.

5. The clamp probe of claim 1 wherein the first and second clamp arms include a Rogowski coil that enables non-contact measurement of current in the insulated conductor.

6. The clamp probe of claim 1 , further comprising an interface connector operatively coupled to the at least one non-contact sensor, the interface connector being detachably coupleable to a corresponding interface connector of a main body of the non-contact electrical parameter measurement device.

7. A device for measuring an electrical parameter in an insulated conductor, the device comprising:
a clamp probe, comprising:
a clamp portion comprising first and second clamp arms that comprise respective proximal and distal ends, the first and second clamp arms movable relative to each other between a closed position wherein the distal ends of the first and second clamp portions are substantially adjacent each other and a clamp cavity sized and dimensioned to receive an insulated conductor is formed between the first and second clamp arms, and an open position wherein the distal ends of the first and second clamp portions are spaced apart from each other to permit the insulated conductor to pass between the first and second distal ends into the clamp cavity;
a bias element coupled to the clamp portion that biases the first and second clamp arms toward the closed position;
a grip portion operative to be actuated by a user to cause the clamp portion to move from the closed position into the open position against the bias applied by the bias element;
a flexible strap comprising a first strap end and a second strap end, the first strap end coupled to the distal end of the first clamp arm and the second strap end coupled to the distal end of the second clamp arm, at least a portion of the flexible strap being elastically deformable around the insulated conductor positioned within the clamp cavity to exert a force against the insulated conductor in a direction toward the distal ends of the first and second clamp arms,
wherein, while the first and second clamp arms are in the closed position, a portion of the flexible strap that faces at least one of the first and second clamp arms is at least partially spaced apart from the at least one of the first and second clamp arms; and
at least one non-contact sensor coupled to the flexible strap between the first strap end and the second strap end of the flexible strap, the at least one non-contact sensor positioned proximate the insulated conductor when the insulated conductor is within the clamp cavity;

control circuitry communicatively coupleable to the at least one non-contact sensor, in operation, the control circuitry:
receives sensor data indicative of signals detected by the at least one non-contact sensor; and
processes the received sensor data to determine at least one electrical parameter of the insulated conductor.

8. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a main body that contains the control circuitry.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the main body comprises at least one interface connector, and the clamp probe is detachably connectable to the at least one interface connector of the main body.

10. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a main body that includes the clamp probe and the control circuitry.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one non-contact sensor comprises a plurality of non-contact sensors spaced apart from each other on the flexible strap.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry, in operation, processes the received sensor data to determine a voltage in the insulated conductor.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry, in operation, processes the received sensor data to determine a current in the insulated conductor.

14. The device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a wireless communications subsystem operatively coupled to the control circuitry, in operation, the wireless communication subsystem wirelessly transmits the determined electrical parameter to an external system.

15. The device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a display that, in operation, visually presents the determined electrical parameter to a user of the device.

16. The device of claim 7 wherein the first and second clamp arms of the clamp probe include a Rogowski coil that enables non-contact measurement of current in the insulated conductor.

17. The device of claim 7 , wherein the bias element of the clamp probe comprises a spring.

18. The device of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the flexible strap of the clamp probe is made from a natural or synthetic elastomer.

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Worones Jeffrey

Classifications

• G01R31/00

  Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere ({measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238;} testing line transmission systems H04B3/46; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• G01R1/0416

  Connectors, terminals (G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364) · CPC title

• G01R1/06733

  Geometry aspects (G01R1/06727 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G01R1/22

  Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers · CPC title