Stray voltage detecting
First Claim
1. A stray voltage detector comprisinga housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis;
- a pair of field intensity indicators, each indicator operably connected to an associated one of the charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor; and
a conductive shield trace extending between the electrostatic charge sensors;
the voltage detector thus being constructed to provide simultaneous electric field intensity feedback from both indicators to an operator moving the housing along the axis over a surface with a localized region at an elevated voltage, to assist in locating the localized elevated voltage region;
wherein the electrostatic charge sensors each comprise a conductor positioned and configured to define a capacitor in cooperation with the localized elevated voltage region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stray voltage detector has a portable housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis, and a pair of field intensity indicators, each indicator connected to an associated one of the charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor. The voltage detector is constructed to provide simultaneous electric field intensity feedback from both indicators to an operator moving the housing along the axis over a surface with a localized region at an elevated voltage, to assist in locating the localized elevated voltage region. The detector is useful for locating high-voltage regions, even when there is little or no current flowing through such regions to generate a magnetic field.
42 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A stray voltage detector comprising
a housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis; -
a pair of field intensity indicators, each indicator operably connected to an associated one of the charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor; and a conductive shield trace extending between the electrostatic charge sensors; the voltage detector thus being constructed to provide simultaneous electric field intensity feedback from both indicators to an operator moving the housing along the axis over a surface with a localized region at an elevated voltage, to assist in locating the localized elevated voltage region; wherein the electrostatic charge sensors each comprise a conductor positioned and configured to define a capacitor in cooperation with the localized elevated voltage region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of detecting stray mains voltage, the method comprising
providing a portable detector with a housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis, and a pair of field intensity indicators, each indicator operably connected to an associated one of the electrostatic charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor; -
moving the housing along the axis over a surface with a localized region at an elevated voltage, such that the elevated voltage region passes under a first, then a second of the pair of sensors, while monitoring the indicators; in response to the indicators indicating a shift in maximum field intensity from the first to the second sensor, moving the housing back along the axis until the indicators indicate approximately an equal field intensity at the sensors; and recording housing position as a location of a stray mains voltage. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A stray voltage detector responsive to a localized elevated voltage region of an exposed surface, the detector comprising
a housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis, each electrostatic charge sensor comprising a conductor positioned and configured to define a capacitor in cooperation with the localized elevated voltage region; -
left and right audio speakers each operably connected to an associated one of the charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor; and left and right visual field intensity displays, each display operably connected to an associated one of the charge sensors, such that the indicators and displays provide simultaneous left and right audio-visual feedback indicative of relative field intensity; the voltage detector thus being constructed to provide simultaneous electric field intensity feedback, from both the speakers and the displays, to an operator moving the housing along the axis over the exposed surface, to assist in locating the localized elevated voltage region. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A stray voltage detector responsive to a localized elevated voltage region of an exposed surface, the detector comprising
a housing carrying a pair of electrostatic charge sensors spaced apart along an axis, each electrostatic charge sensor comprising a conductor positioned and configured to define a capacitor in cooperation with the localized elevated voltage region; -
a pair of field intensity indicators, each indicator operably connected to an associated one of the charge sensors and constructed to indicate a relative electric field intensity at its associated sensor; a GPS receiver carried by the housing; and stray voltage location memory storage contained within the housing and configured to store data indicative of determined positions of located stray voltages; the voltage detector thus being constructed to provide simultaneous electric field intensity feedback from both field intensity indicators to an operator moving the housing along the axis over the exposed surface, to assist in locating the localized elevated voltage region, and to store voltage location data. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification