Power connector with integrated status monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11515677-B2
Application number	US-202017123610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2020
Priority date	Jun 13, 2017
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

An electronic power connector including at least one contact configured to electrically connect a power supply to a load. The electronic power connector further including an insulating sleeve configured to receive the at least one contact. The insulating sleeve includes a sensor slot located at a first end of the insulating sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic power connector comprising:
at least one contact configured to electrically connect a power supply to a load;
an insulating sleeve configured to receive the at least one contact, the insulating sleeve including a sensor slot located at an end of the insulating sleeve; and
a transformer winding configured to sense a current.

2. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a voltage sensor.

3. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

4. The electronic power connector of claim 3 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense at least one selected from the group consisting of a temperature proximate to the contact, an ambient temperature, and an internal temperature of the electronic power connector.

5. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the insulating sleeve is made of a thermally conductive or insulating material.

6. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the power supply is a single-phase power supply having a voltage of approximately 100 volts AC to approximately 240 volts AC.

7. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the power supply has a voltage of at least one selected from a group consisting of approximately 24 volts direct current, approximately 48 volts direct current, and approximately 400 volts direct current.

8. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the power supply is a three-phase power supply having a voltage of approximately 208 volts AC to approximately 600 volts AC.

9. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna configured to transmit an electrical characteristic.

10. The electronic power connector of claim 1 , wherein the electronic power connector further comprises:
a cover; and
an insulating cover for the cover configured to equalize the internal temperature throughout the connector.

11. A power connector comprising:
a sleeve; and
a contact carrier located within the sleeve, the contact carrier includes a contact transformer module having
at least one connector contact configured to electrically connect a power supply to a load, and
a sensor slot located at an end of an insulating sleeve; and

a transformer.

12. The power connector of claim 11 , wherein the contact carrier further includes a transformer winding configured to sense a current.

13. The power connector of claim 11 , wherein the sensor slot is configured to receive a sensor.

14. The power connector of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a voltage sensor.

15. The power connector of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

16. The power connector of claim 11 , further comprising at least one antenna located within the sleeve, the antenna configured to transmit an electrical characteristic.

17. The power connector of claim 11 , wherein the power supply has a voltage of at least one selected from a group consisting of approximately 24 volts direct current, approximately 48 volts direct current, and approximately 400 volts direct current.

18. A method of sensing various characteristics of an electronic power connector, the method comprising:
providing a sensor slot located at an end of the electronic power connector, the sensor slot configured to receive a sensor;
providing a transformer; and
sensing, via the sensor, a characteristic.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the characteristic is a voltage.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the characteristic is a temperature.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Abughazaleh Shadi Alex
• Papageorge Ryan
• Scanzillo Thomas
• Samojeden Matthew

Classifications

• H01R13/5213

  Covers · CPC title

• G01K7/42

  Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature · CPC title

• G01R31/68

  Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R13/40

  Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members · CPC title

• H01R13/6633

  with inductive component, e.g. transformer · CPC title