Motor unit contactless passive operation time counter
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring usage of a motor unit having a motor and a motor cable leading to the motor to provide operational power to the motor, the apparatus comprisinga housing that attaches to the motor cable such that the motor cable passes through an interior region of the housing,a sensor situated in the interior region of the housing and operable to sense current flowing in the motor cable, anda counter that logs accumulated time of operation of the motor based on an amount of time that current is sensed by the sensor to be flowing in the motor cable, wherein the sensor includes a circuit board situated in the housing and at least one integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, wherein the motor cable is oriented so as to lie adjacent the integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, wherein the sensor includes at least one layer of metallic foil that is wrapped around the circuit board, the integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, and a portion of the motor cable that is situated inside the housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided that measures usage of a motor unit having a motor and a motor cable leading to the motor to provide operational power to the motor. The apparatus includes a housing that attaches to the motor cable such that the motor cable passes through an interior region of the housing. A sensor is situated in the interior region of the housing and is operable to sense current that flows in the motor cable. The apparatus has a counter that logs accumulated time of operation of the motor based on an amount of time that current is sensed by the sensor to be flowing in the motor cable.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring usage of a motor unit having a motor and a motor cable leading to the motor to provide operational power to the motor, the apparatus comprising
a housing that attaches to the motor cable such that the motor cable passes through an interior region of the housing, a sensor situated in the interior region of the housing and operable to sense current flowing in the motor cable, and a counter that logs accumulated time of operation of the motor based on an amount of time that current is sensed by the sensor to be flowing in the motor cable, wherein the sensor includes a circuit board situated in the housing and at least one integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, wherein the motor cable is oriented so as to lie adjacent the integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, wherein the sensor includes at least one layer of metallic foil that is wrapped around the circuit board, the integrated circuit chip on the circuit board, and a portion of the motor cable that is situated inside the housing.
Specification