Device for measuring electrical current, voltage and temperature on an electrical conductor made of rigid material

• US 8,947,097 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Mller, Klaus-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): ISLA RODAS, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US11/660,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,455 Days
• Field of Search: 324/126, 324/127, 361/763
• US Class Current: 324/416
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/142 Arrangements for simultaneous measurements of several parameters employing techniques covered by groups G01R15/14 - G01R15/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/146 Measuring arrangements for current not covered by other subgroups of G01R15/14, e.g. using current dividers, shunts, or measuring a voltage drop if no voltage isolation is involved G01R1/203 or G01R19/0092
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/22 using light-emitting devices, e.g. LED, optocouplers G01R31/31901 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/32 Compensating for temperature change

Abstract

A device for measuring electrical current, voltage and temperature in a conductor made of rigid material is disclosed. The conductor is formed from two conductor sections, between which an electrical resistor element is provided that is made of a material having greater resistance than the material of the conductor sections. In the region of the resistor element, a flattened area with a depression is provided, over which a measuring arrangement, through which a portion of the current flowing through the conductor flows, is placed in the manner of a bridge. In the measuring arrangement is arranged in the vicinity of a contact piece by means of which the conductor can be connected in an electrically conducting manner to another conductor such that the heat generated at the contact point is measured.

Claims

1. A device for measuring electrical current, voltage, and temperature in a low voltage system, comprising:

a contact piece for connecting to a distribution bar; and

a conductor made of rigid material, wherein the conductor includes;

two conductor sections, wherein each conductor section is formed on opposite ends of the conductor;

an electrical resistor element disposed between the two conductor sections, wherein the electrical resistor is formed of a material having greater resistance than a material of which the two conductor sections are formed;

an area in a region of the resistor element that is flatter than the two conductor sections and forms a depression between the two conductor sections;

a measuring arrangement formed over the depression as a bridge between the two conductor sections, the measuring arrangement including at least one measuring device and a microprocessor, wherein the measuring arrangement has a printed circuit board and a measuring circuit and wherein the measuring circuit and a first microprocessor, which processes the signals coming from the measuring circuit are located on the printed circuit board, wherein the output signal of the at least one measuring device is fed to the microprocessor via a respective potential isolator,

wherein the contact piece is connected to a first of the two conductor sections and includes two contact prongs that are connected to one another via a contact spring, the contact spring having first and second sections formed on opposite sides of the contact piece, and the first and second sections of the contact spring are connected via a connecting element, and

wherein the contact piece makes contact with a vertically running conductor in that the conductor with the contact piece is pushed over the vertically running conductor, so that the vertically running conductor is located in the intermediate space between the two contact prongs, and

wherein an arrangement of the conductor supplies current to switching, control, and regulating devices within a switchgear system.

2. An electrical low-voltage system comprising the device as claimed in claim 1.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact piece is connected to a first end of the conductor and projects outwardly from the first end of the conductor.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the contact piece projects outwardly in a lengthwise direction from the conductor.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connector is connected to a second end of the two conductor sections on a second end of the conductor.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact piece includes a first leg connected to the first of the two conductor sections and a second leg that supports the contact prongs.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact spring is U-shaped.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and second sections of the contact spring are U-shaped and parallel to each other.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact spring is configured to apply a spring force on each prong of the contact piece via the connecting section to clamp the contact piece onto the distribution bar.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor element is made of manganin.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the resistor element is soldered between the two conductor sections, and wherein the thinner area forms a depression between the two conductor sections, over which the measuring arrangement is placed.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the measuring device and microprocessor of the measuring arrangement are mounted to a printed circuit board and comprise a measuring circuit.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the microprocessor of the measuring arrangement is a first microprocessor, which pre-processes the signals coming from the measuring circuit.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the potential isolators are optocouplers provided for DC isolation of the first microprocessor and plural second microprocessors.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor element is soldered between the conductor sections, and wherein the flatter area forms a depression between the two conductor sections, over which the measuring arrangement is placed.

18. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one measuring device and microprocessor of the measuring arrangement are mounted to a printed circuit board and comprise a measuring circuit.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor of the measuring arrangement is a first microprocessor, which pre-processes the signals coming from the at least one measuring device, and which is located on a printed circuit board.

20. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor of the measuring arrangement is a first microprocessor and the potential isolators are optocouplers for DC isolation of the first microprocessor and plural second microprocessors.

6. The device as claimed in 5, wherein the connector projects outwardly from the second end of conductor.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connector projects outwardly in a lengthwise direction.

21. A device for measuring electrical current, voltage and temperature in a low voltage system, comprising:

a contact piece for connecting to a distribution bar; and

a conductor made of rigid material, wherein the conductor includes;

two conductor sections, wherein each conductor section is formed on opposite ends of the conductor;

an electrical resistor element disposed between the two conductor sections, wherein the electrical resistor is formed of a material having greater resistance than a material of which the two conductor sections are formed;

an area in a region of the resistor element that is flatter than the two conductor sections and forms a depression between the two conductor sections;

a measuring arrangement formed over the depression as a bridge between the two conductor sections, the measuring arrangement including at least one measuring device and a microprocessor, wherein the measuring arrangement has a printed circuit board and a measuring circuit and wherein the measuring circuit and a first microprocessor, which processes the signals coming from the measuring circuit are located on the printed circuit board, wherein the output signal of the at least one measuring device is fed to the microprocessor via a respective potential isolator,

wherein the contact piece is connected to a first of the two conductor sections and includes two contact prongs that are connected to one another via a contact spring, the contact spring having first and second sections formed on opposite sides of the contact piece, and the first and second sections of the contact spring are connected via a connecting element,

wherein the contact piece makes contact with a vertically running conductor in that the conductor with the contact piece is pushed over the vertically running conductor, so that the vertically running conductor is located in the intermediate space between the two contact prongs,

wherein an arrangement of the conductor supplies current to switching, control, and regulating devices within a switchgear system,

wherein the contact piece includes a first leg connected to the first of the two conductor sections and a second leg that supports the contact piece, and

wherein the first leg and the second leg of the contact piece form a Z-shape.