Self-contained branch circuit monitor
First Claim
1. A self-contained branch circuit monitor in a load center, comprising:
- a sensor coil of wire wound as a toroidal coil about a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire in the load center threaded through the toroidal core'"'"'s center;
a flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil'"'"'s outside circumference; and
a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil, the monitoring circuit'"'"'s operation being powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire in the load center, the monitoring circuit being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire and to transmit signals representing a value of the measured current in the branch circuit wire to a radio relay receiver inside the load center, for forwarding to a network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self-contained branch circuit monitor 2 is has a small form factor configured to fit in the limited space available in a load center 1, in association with a branch circuit breaker 10A occupying a branch location slot 45 in the load center 1. A flexible printed circuit board 4 is wrapped around an outside circumference of a toroidal sensor coil 6 of a current transformer. A current monitoring circuit 15 is formed on the flexible printed circuit board. The monitoring circuit is electrically connected to leads 7, 9 from the sensor coil and is powered by current 17 induced in the sensor coil from current 5 in the branch circuit wire. A branch circuit wire 3A is threaded through the current transformer'"'"'s center. A transmitter 22 is part of the flexible printed circuit board, to transfer the monitored current data to other locations.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A self-contained branch circuit monitor in a load center, comprising:
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a sensor coil of wire wound as a toroidal coil about a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire in the load center threaded through the toroidal core'"'"'s center; a flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil'"'"'s outside circumference; and a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil, the monitoring circuit'"'"'s operation being powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire in the load center, the monitoring circuit being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire and to transmit signals representing a value of the measured current in the branch circuit wire to a radio relay receiver inside the load center, for forwarding to a network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A self-contained branch circuit monitor in a load center, comprising:
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a sensor coil of wire wound as a toroidal coil about a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire threaded through the toroidal core'"'"'s center; a flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil'"'"'s outside circumference; a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil, the monitoring circuit'"'"'s operation being powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire, the monitoring circuit being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire; a rectifier coupled to the leads from the sensor coil; a capacitor coupled to the rectifier, the capacitor being charged by the current induced in the sensor coil during a first stage of operation; and a voltage regulator coupled to the capacitor, the voltage regulator configured to sense when the capacitor has been charged to a threshold value indicating a transition to a second stage of operation wherein the capacitor supplies operating power to components in the self-contained branch circuit monitor, the components being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A load center, comprising:
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a self-contained branch circuit monitor configured to fit in a wiring trough of the load center; a sensor coil in the self-contained branch circuit monitor with a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire in the load center threaded through the toroidal core'"'"'s center; a flexible printed circuit board in the self-contained branch circuit monitor, the flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil'"'"'s outside circumference; and a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil and powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire in the load center of a branch circuit device in the load center and to transmit signals representing a value of the measured current in the branch circuit wire to a radio relay receiver inside the load center, for forwarding to a network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A self-contained branch circuit monitor in a load center, comprising:
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a sensor coil of wire wound as a toroidal coil about a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire in the load center threaded through the toroidal core'"'"'s center; a flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil'"'"'s outside circumference; and a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil, the monitoring circuit'"'"'s operation being powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire in the load center, the monitoring circuit being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire and to transmit signals representing a value of the measured current in the branch circuit wire to a receiver inside the load center.
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Specification