Intelligent wiring devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9792805-B2
Application number	US-201615072672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A system for monitoring parameters of load equipment is provided. A power connector is provided with intelligence, at least one sensor, and a wireless communication component. The power connector is capable of monitoring physical parameters measured by the at least one sensor, such as voltage, current, temperature, and moisture. The system can further provide an alarm if the sensed parameter falls out of a predetermined range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for connecting power to a load, comprising
a main housing enclosing one or more power conductors;
one or more openings in the main housing corresponding to receptacle conductors connected to the power conductors for receiving a power connector of a load device;
at least one sensor adapted to sense a physical property of the device or a connected load;
a microprocessor adapted to receive a signal from said at least one sensor; and
a wireless communication component adapted to communicate with a remote device; and
wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of current sensor cores, each arranged coaxially with different rower conductors.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a voltage sensor.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a current sensor.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a moisture sensor.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a humidity sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an ambient temperature sensor.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a power sensor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a power factor sensor.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive sensor information from the at least one sensor, and to communicate the sensor information to the remote device via the wireless communication component.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive sensor information from the at least one sensor, and the microprocessor is further programmed to compare the received sensor information with a range, and to provide an alarm to the remote device via the wireless communication component if the sensor information is outside of the range.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive instructions from the remote device via the wireless communication component, and to update a range based on the received instructions.

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary device comprising a second housing, the second housing comprising an auxiliary sensor, the auxiliary sensor communicating auxiliary sensor information to the microprocessor.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises pass-through power conductors enclosed in the second housing, the power conductors extending from the second housing at a first end, and terminating in receptacle conductors corresponding to the receptacle conductors of the main housing at a second end, such that the second housing is adapted to be connected between the main housing and the load.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor cores each have an outer diameter substantially equal to a distance between power conductors, and the plurality cores are arranged on different axial planes.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor cores are coplanar.

17. A device for connecting power to a load, comprising
a main housing enclosing one or more power conductors connected to respective contacts extending out of the housing;
at least one sensor adapted to sense a physical property of the device or a connected load;
a microprocessor adapted to receive sensor input from the at least one sensor; and
a communication wireless component adapted to communicate with a remote device; and
wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of current sensor cores, each arranged coaxially with different power conductors.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a voltage sensor.

19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a current sensor.

20. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

21. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a moisture sensor.

22. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a humidity sensor.

23. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises an ambient temperature sensor.

24. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a power sensor.

25. The device of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a power factor sensor.

26. The device of claim 17 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive sensor information from the at least one sensor, and to communicate the sensor information to the remote device via the wireless communication component.

27. The device of claim 17 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive sensor information from the at least one sensor, and the microprocessor is further programmed to compare the received sensor information with a range, and to provide an alarm to the remote device via the wireless communication component if the sensor information is outside of the range.

28. The device of claim 17 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive instructions from the remote device via the wireless communication component, and to update a range based on the received instructions.

29. The device of claim 17 , further comprising an auxiliary device comprising a second housing, the second housing comprising an auxiliary sensor, the auxiliary sensor communicating auxiliary sensor information to the microprocessor.

30. The device of claim 29 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises pass-through power conductors enclosed in the second housing, the power conductors extending from the second housing at a first end, and terminating in receptacle conductors corresponding to the receptacle conductors of the main housing at a second end, such that the second housing is adapted to be connected between the main housing and the load.

31. The device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of sensor cores each have an outer diameter substantially equal to a distance between power conductors, and the plurality cores are arranged on different axial planes.

32. The device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of sensor cores are coplanar.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Itzler Roy J
• Scanzillo Thomas L
• Abughazaleh Shadi A
• Williams Michael K

Classifications

• H02J3/18

  Arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks · CPC title

• G05F1/66

  Regulating electric power · CPC title

• G05F1/46

  wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is DC (G05F1/625 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y04S40/126

  using wireless data transmission · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title