Electrical conductor testing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016202291-A1
Application number	US-201514595513-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2015
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A testing device measures a characteristic of an electrical conductor. The testing device includes a substrate having at least one flexible portion, at least one sensor located on the substrate, and a holding mechanism. The at least one sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor. The holding mechanism is configured to hold the testing device to an outer portion of the electrical conductor such that the at least one sensor is held in a position with respect to the electrical conductor.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . A testing device configured to measure a characteristic of an electrical conductor, the testing device comprising:
a substrate having at least one flexible portion; at least one sensor located on the substrate, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor; and a holding mechanism configured to hold the testing device to an outer portion of the electrical conductor such that the at least one sensor is held in a position with respect to the electrical conductor.

2 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the electrical conductor is one or more of electrical shielding or insulation.

3 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the entire substrate is flexible.

4 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor is located on the at least one flexible portion.

5 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one rigid portion and the at least one sensor is located on the at least one rigid portion.

6 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of rigid portions with the at least one flexible portion extending between the plurality of rigid portions.

7 . The testing device of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of rigid portions is a rigid printed circuit board, and wherein the at least one sensor is located on the rigid printed circuit board.

8 . The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical connection configured to be coupled to a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to receive, via the electrical connection, the signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor generated by the at least one sensor.

9 . The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless transmitter configured to send a wireless signal to a computing device, wherein the wireless signal is based on the signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor generated by the at least one sensor.

10 . The testing device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a microprocessor configured to process the signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor generated by the at least one sensor, wherein the wireless signal comprises the processed signal indicative of the characteristic of the electrical conductor.

11 . The testing device of claim 10 , wherein the microprocessor is located on the substrate.

12 . The testing device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a power source located on the substrate, wherein the power source is configured to power one or more of the wireless transmitter and the microprocessor.

13 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be wrapped around the electrical conductor.

14 . The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a spacer configured to be placed adjacent to the electrical conductor, wherein a portion of the holding mechanism is configured to be located around the electrical conductor and hold the spacer adjacent to the electrical conductor.

15 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a spring mechanism.

16 . The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
electromagnetic shielding located such that, when the holding mechanism holds the testing device to the outer portion of the electrical conductor, the at least one sensor is located between the electrical conductor and the electromagnetic shielding.

17 . The testing device of claim 16 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding is configured to attenuate an electromagnetic field generated by an electrical component other than the electrical conductor before the electromagnetic field reaches the at least one sensor.

18 . The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one overlap marker located on one of the substrate or the holding mechanism.

19 . The testing device of claim 18 , wherein further comprising:
a microprocessor configured to determine an amount of overlap of the testing device based on a position of the at least one overlap marker when the substrate or the holding mechanism is located around the electrical conductor.

20 . The testing device of claim 19 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an estimated size of the electrical conductor based on the amount of overlap.

21 . The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

22 . The testing device of claim 21 , wherein the holding mechanism is configured such that the sensors in the plurality of sensors are held in particular axial positions with respect to the electrical conductor.

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Gilbert John M

Classifications

• G01R15/183

  using transformers with a magnetic core · CPC title

• G01R19/0092 Primary

  Measuring current only · CPC title

• G01R15/148 Primary

  involving the measuring of a magnetic field or electric field (G01R15/18, G01R15/20, G01R15/24, G01R15/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R15/181

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

• G01R1/0416 Primary

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