Automatic switchable low threshold current power supply

• US 9,167,885 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murray W. Davis
• Original Assignee: Murray W. Davis
• Inventors: Davis, Murray W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US14/479,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/3073 Brush for cleaning specific unusual places not otherwise covered, e.g. gutters, golf clubs, tops of tin cans, corners
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/028 Bristle profile, the end of the bristle defining a surface other than a single plane or deviating from a simple geometric form, e.g. cylinder, sphere or cone
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/0616 of coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/20 Modifications of basic electric elements for use in electric measuring instruments; Structural combinations of such elements with such instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/186 using current transformers with a core consisting of two or more parts, e.g. clamp-on type G01R15/142 - G01R15/16 take precedence; tong testers G01R1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/086 in power transmission or distribution networks, i.e. with interconnected conductors
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/22 Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/30 Constructions
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/28 Clamped connections, spring connections made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A method of operating a device connected to an electric power line conductor includes the steps of attaching a device to a first electric power line conductor, sensing a current in the first electric power line conductor and selecting between a first set of windings and a second set of windings connected in series with the first electric power line conductor.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device connectable to at at least one electric power line conductor comprising the steps of:

attaching the device to a first electric power line conductor;

sensing a current in the first electric power line conductor; and

selecting between a first number of windings and a second number of windings connected in series with the first electric power line conductor by rotating a rotary by-pass switch blade and a rotary tap selector switch blade mounted on a common shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the device includes an automatic switchable connecting device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the automatic switchable connecting device includes the rotary tap selector blade and a first set of contact fingers and a second set of contact fingers.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the automatic switchable connecting device engages the rotary tap selector blade with the first set of contact fingers in response to a first current profile and the second set of contact fingers in response to a second current profile.

5. The method of claim 4 including selecting the first set of contact fingers when a current level in the first electric power line conductor is low and falls below a first set point.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first set point includes a current level having a decreasing rate of change of current measured in the first electric power line conductor.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein selecting the first set of contact fingers directs the current through the first number of windings.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first number of windings includes at least two turns.

9. The method of claim 4 including selecting the second set of contact fingers when a current level rises above a second set point.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second set point includes a current level having an increasing rate of change of current in the first electric power line conductor.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting the second set of contact fingers directs the current through the second number of windings.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second number of windings includes at least three turns.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein a wire diameter of the first number of windings is greater than a wire diameter of the second number of windings.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the first number of windings includes an electrically conductive insulated first winding of wire wound into at least two turns having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be attached to the first electric power line conductor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second number of windings are wound into at least one turn and have a first end connected to the second end of the first number windings and a second end configured to be attached to a second electric power line conductor.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the automatic switchable connecting device is configured to move between a first position with the first winding of wire in series with the first power line conductor and the second power line conductor in response to a first power line current profile and a second position with the first power line conductor, the first winding of wire, and the second winding of wire connected to the second power line conductor in series in response to a second power line current profile.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electric power line conductor is an exterior utility power line configured to extend between utility poles.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second electric power line conductor is an exterior utility power line configured to extend between utility poles.