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Ring optical current transducer

  • US 5,124,634 A
  • Filed: 04/25/1990
  • Issued: 06/23/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A toroidal optical current transducer for measuring current in a conductor comprising:

  • (a) a generally planar optical bench defining a bench orifice through which the current to be measured is passed in an electrical bench conductor, said bench having a first bench mounting surface 30, and a second bench mounting surface 32;

    (b) a light source supplying reference light of nominally predetermined intensity;

    (c) a polarizer having a first polarizing angle mounted on said optical bench receiving the reference light and transmitting a portion of said reference light as polarized light;

    (d) a first glass bar mounted on said optical bench, said bar having;

    (1) a light transmission axis along which light propagates and a bench surface mounted to one of the bench mounting surfaces,(2) an input end generally planar surface receiving polarized light from said polarizer, said input end surface oriented at an input angle to the transmission axis of approximately 90 degress, and(3) an output generally planar surface transmitting the polarized light to an associated component, said output end surface oriented at an output angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees;

    (e) a second glass bar mounted on said optical bench, said bar having;

    (1) a light transmission axis along which light propagates and a bench surface mounted to one of the bench mounting surfaces,(2) an input end generally planar surface receiving polarized light from an associated component, said input end surface oriented at an input angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees, and(3) an output end generally planar surface transmitting the polarized light to an associated component, said output end surface oriented at an output angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees;

    (f) a third glass bar mounted said optical bench, said bar having;

    (1) a light transmission axis along which light propagates and a bench surface mounted to one of the bench mounting surfaces,(2) an input end generally planar surface receiving polarized light from an associated component, said input end surface oriented at an input angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees, and(3) an output end generally planar surface transmitting the polarized light to an associated component, said output end surface oriented at an ouput angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees;

    (b) a fourth glass bar mounted on said optical bench, said bar having;

    (1) a light transmission axis along which light propagates and a bench surface mounted to one of the bench mounting surfaces.(2) an input end generally planar surface receiving polarized light from an associated component, said input end surface oriented at an input angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees, and(3) an output end generally planar surface transmitting the polarized light to an associated component, said output end surface oriented at an output angle to the transmission axis of approximately 45 degrees;

    (h) said bars prestressed to provide two stress axes, said axes orthogonal to each other and to the transmission axis;

    (i) said bars surrounding the bench orifice, and optically coupled to each other by having an input end surface adjoining the output end of an adjoining bar;

    (i) said bars mounted to said bench in a manner preserving their optical alignment while damping any vibrational coupling between said bench and said bars;

    (k) an analyzer having a second polarizing angle mounted on said optical bench receiving the light transmitted from the fourth bar, said second polarizing angle being displaced from said first polarizing angle by about 45 degrees, said analyzer transmitting a single analyzer light beam; and

    (l) a light activated device receiving said analyzer light beam and producing a current proportionate to the resulting Faraday rotation of the polarized light as a result of the magnetic field produced by the current to be measured.

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