Attachment device and method for fastening electrical cable monitoring instruments to electrical cables

• US 7,570,045 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James G. Biddle Company, Sigma Space Corp.
• Original Assignee: James G. Biddle Company
• Inventors: Stitt, Jeffrey Lyn, Ferguson, William Eakins Jr., Sagl, Andrew Paul, Wolfe, Gregory Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen; Ernest F
• Application Number:
  US11/548,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 324/149, 324/127, 324/133, 324/142, 324/117.H, 324/117.R, 336174-176, 340/664, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/02 General constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/14 Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks

Abstract

The present invention is an attachment device and a method for fastening and removing an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable. The attachment device comprises monitoring instrument sensor with opening for positioning electrical cable such that said electrical cable can be positioned to pass through the sensitive volume at least partially surrounded by said sensor, at least one elongated elastic member securely attached to said cable monitoring instrument such that, when elastically deformed to a shape characterized by high mechanical energy such that deformed elastic member allows said electrical cable access to and from the sensitive volume at least partially surrounded by said monitoring instruments sensor. The elongated elastic member, when relaxed to the a shape characterized by lower mechanical energy than high mechanical energy shape, with the electrical cable positioned to pass through sensitive volume, applies elastic force to the electrical cable to hold the electrical cable passing through the sensitive volume firmly and securely in contact with the cable monitoring instrument with no relative motion.

Claims

1. An attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable comprising:

a monitoring instrument sensor arranged in a configuration of at least half a toroid like structure having at least one opening for positioning the electrical cable to pass through a sensitive volume at least partially surrounded by said sensor,

at least one elongated elastic member securely attached to said cable monitoring instrument arranged that, when elastically deformed to a shape characterized by high mechanical energy, the deformed elastic member allows said electrical cable access to and from the sensitive volume at least partially surrounded by said monitoring instruments sensor, wherein

said elongated elastic member, when relaxed to the a shape characterized by lower mechanical energy than said shape characterized by high mechanical energy, with the electrical cable positioned to pass through said sensitive volume, applies an elastic force to said electrical cable to hold the electrical cable passing through the sensitive volume firmly and securely in contact with the cable monitoring instrument with no relative motion.

2. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, wherein the elongated elastic member is at least partially positioned outside the sensitive volume.

3. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, wherein an elastic deformation and associated mechanical energy are predominantly localized in at least one elongated elastic member comprised of two elongated elastic parts joined by a connecting member, and said two elongated elastic parts are deformable in the plane perpendicular to the electrical cable axis.

4. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 3, wherein two elongated elastic parts joined by a connecting member deformable in the plane perpendicular to the electrical cable axis further comprise one or more concave portions when observed from the direction originating on the cable axis, said concave portion or portions having at least one opening larger than the diameter of said electrical cable.

5. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, wherein an elastic deformation and associated mechanical energy are predominantly localized in at least one elongated elastic member deformable in a plane containing said electrical cable axis.

6. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, further comprising at least one short helical spring arranged that the elastic deformation and associated mechanical energy are predominantly localized in said short helical spring.

7. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, further comprising at least one elastic body such that the elastic deformation and associated mechanical energy are predominantly localized in said elastic body.

8. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 7, wherein the elastic body is an elastomeric body elastically deformable in the direction perpendicular to the longest dimension of said elongated elastic member.

9. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 7 wherein the elastic body is a tightly wound helical spring deformable in the direction perpendicular to the longest dimension of said elongated elastic member.

10. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 1, further comprising a Faraday shield arranged to partially enclose the electrical cable monitoring instrument.

11. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 10, wherein at least one elongated elastic member is securely attached to said Faraday shield.

12. The attachment device for fastening an electrical cable monitoring instrument to an electrical cable of claim 10, wherein at least one elongated elastic member is securely attached to the monitoring instrument sensor not enclosed by, and separate from, the Faraday shield.