Device and method for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor
First Claim
1. A device for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor, said device comprising:
- a magnetic circuit having an air gap;
a magnetic field sensitive component disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit, said magnetic field sensitive component being suitable for measuring the magnetic field generated by current flowing in the electrical conductor;
one or more control cores incorporated into said magnetic circuit to control an effective length of said air gap, said control cores being disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit;
wherein said one or more control cores each has a control winding to saturate said respective control core to control the effective length of said air gap; and
said magnetic field sensitive component being disposed between said control cores.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device is provided for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor with a magnetic circuit for coupling to the electrical conductor. The magnetic circuit has an air gap, and a magnetic field sensitive component is disposed in the air gap. The magnetic field sensitive component measures the magnetic field generated by the electrical conductor. Two control cores are disposed in the air gap to control an effective size of the air gap. The control cores each have a control winding for magnetic saturation of the respective control core to control the effective length of the air gap. The magnetic field sensitive component is disposed between the control cores.
25 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A device for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor, said device comprising:
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a magnetic circuit having an air gap;
a magnetic field sensitive component disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit, said magnetic field sensitive component being suitable for measuring the magnetic field generated by current flowing in the electrical conductor;
one or more control cores incorporated into said magnetic circuit to control an effective length of said air gap, said control cores being disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit;
wherein said one or more control cores each has a control winding to saturate said respective control core to control the effective length of said air gap; and
said magnetic field sensitive component being disposed between said control cores. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor, the method comprising:
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providing a device for measuring current flowing in an electrical conductor, the device comprising;
a magnetic circuit having an air gap;
a magnetic field sensitive component disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit, said magnetic field sensitive component being suitable for measuring the magnetic field generated by current flowing in the electrical conductor;
one or more control cores incorporated into said magnetic circuit to control said air gap, said control cores being disposed in said air gap of said magnetic circuit;
wherein said one or more control cores each have a control winding to saturate said respective control core to control an effective length of said air gap;
said magnetic field sensitive component being disposed between said control cores;
measuring the magnetic field in said magnetic circuit without excitation of said control cores; and
measuring the magnetic field in said magnetic circuit with saturated control cores. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A device for measuring a current over a first range and a second range, said device comprising:
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a magnetic circuit positioned adjacent to a conductor and defining an air gap;
a magnetic field sensitive component positioned in said air gap to measure a magnetic field generated by current flowing in an electrical conductor;
a control core incorporated into said magnetic circuit adjacent to said magnetic field sensitive component; and
a control winding that, when activated, saturates said control core;
wherein said device is configured to measure currents flowing in the electrical conductor in a first range of current values when said control winding is unactivated, and further wherein said device is configured to measure currents flowing in the electrical conductor in a second range of current values, at least some of which are greater than the first range of current values, when said control winding is activated. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of measuring current over a first range and a second range, the method comprising:
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positioning a magnetic circuit adjacent to a conductor that carries a current to be measured;
positioning a magnetic field sensitive component in an air gap of said magnetic circuit;
measuring a magnetic field generated by current in the first range flowing in the electrical conductor;
incorporating a control core having a control winding into said magnetic circuit adjacent to said magnetic field sensitive component; and
activating said winding to saturate said control core to allow the device to measure current in the second range flowing in the electrical conductor.
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Specification