Portable self powered line mountable device for measuring and transmitting relative humidity

• US 9,241,559 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• 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): NGUYEN, VINH P
• Application Number:
  US14/096,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 324/126, 324/127, 340/870.17, 340/584, 340601-602, 340657-664, 374/109, 374/135, 374/138, 374141-142, 374/152, 374/208
• 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 device for attaching to an electric power line conductor includes an electrically conductive housing with an opening for accepting the power line conductor that is configured to be grounded to the power line conductor. At least one magnetic core configured to surround the power line conductor and power a power supply electronics module. An ambient air relative humidity measuring device is located within the housing.

Claims

1. A device for attaching to an electric power line conductor comprising:

an electrically conductive housing including an opening for accepting the power line conductor and configured to be grounded to the power line conductor;

at least one magnetic core configured to surround the power line conductor and power a power supply electronics module; and

an ambient air relative humidity measuring device located within the housing, wherein the ambient air relative humidity measuring device is electromagnetically shielded from the current flowing in the power line conductor by locating the ambient air relative humidity measuring device within an electromagnetic shielding box, the electromagnetic shielding box is located inside the housing and includes a humidity opening fluidly connected to the housing for directing ambient air to the ambient air relative humidity measuring device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes a fluid flow path that is configured to direct air from a bottom of the housing through a chimney having slots in a top of the chimney, through a slot in the bottom of the electromagnetic shielding box, and then to the ambient air relative humidity measuring device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the chimney includes an ambient temperature sensor assembly located within the chimney.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the humidity opening is located in an opposite end of the electrically conductive housing from the opening for accepting the power line conductor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion selectively attachable to the first housing portion, the opening for accepting the power line conductor is located in the first housing portion and the humidity opening is located in the second housing portion.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic shielding box is fluidly connected to the humidity opening with a fluid flow path that is configured to direct air from the humidity opening through a tubular chimney protruding into the housing, the chimney including slots that are in fluid communication with a slot in the bottom of the electromagnetic shielding box for directing the ambient air to the ambient air relative humidity measuring device.

7. The device of claim 6, comprising an ambient temperature assembly located within the chimney.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the chimney is located within a tubular sleeve attached to the housing.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the slot is located on an opposite side of the electromagnetic shielding box from the opening for accepting the power line conductor.

10. A method of measuring relative humidity with a device configured to be attached to a power line conductor comprising:

signal conditioning measured values of relative humidity taken with an ambient air relative humidity measuring device located within an electrically conductive housing including an opening for accepting the power line conductor and configured to be grounded to the power line conductor, the ambient air relative humidity measuring device located within the housing, wherein the ambient air relative humidity measuring device is electromagnetically shielded from the current flowing in the power line conductor by locating the ambient air relative humidity measuring device within an electromagnetic shielding box, the electromagnetic shielding box is located inside the housing and includes a humidity opening fluidly connected to the housing for directing ambient air to the ambient air relative humidity measuring device;

sending the signal conditioned measured values to a remote location with a transmitter-receiver unit located within a housing; and

powering a sensor electronics module and the transmitter-receiver unit from current flowing in the power line conductor.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the signal conditioned measured values are transmitted by the transmitter-receiver unit to a remote location receiver.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the measured values are transmitted by the said transmitter-receiver unit to the remote location receiver on a real time basis.

13. The method of claim 12 including forecasting an electric load on the power line conductor based on the signal conditioned measured values.

14. The method of claim 10 including processing the measured values to determine a current carrying capacity of the power line conductor.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the humidity opening is located in an opposite end of the electrically conductive housing from the opening for accepting the power line conductor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion selectively attachable to the first housing portion, the opening for accepting the power line conductor is located in the first housing portion and the humidity opening is located in the second housing portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic shielding box is fluidly connected to the humidity opening with a fluid flow path that is configured to direct air from the humidity opening through a tubular chimney protruding into the housing, the chimney including slots that are in fluid communication with a slot in the bottom of the electromagnetic shielding box for directing the ambient air to the ambient air relative humidity measuring device.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising an ambient temperature assembly located within the chimney, wherein the chimney is thermally insulated from the housing.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the chimney is located within a tubular sleeve attached to the housing.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the slot is located on an opposite side of the electromagnetic shielding box from the opening for accepting the power line conductor.