Overhead Communicating Device

• US 20100085036A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Haensgen, Gregg James, Banting, John Fredrick, McBee, Bruce W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,383,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/14 Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging

Abstract

A power line monitoring device is mounted to a power line. The device includes circuitry for monitoring the power line and communicating information regarding the power line. A ground reference point of the circuitry is electrically coupled to the power line. Therefore, the monitoring device, including its circuitry, has substantially the same voltage potential as the power line. Accordingly, there is a substantially equalized or uniform electric field around the device. The substantially equal voltage potential and electric field allow communications with the monitoring device to have reduced noise and interference, as compared to other devices that have different voltage potentials than their corresponding power lines. A pad of semi-conductive material may be disposed between the power line and the electrical conductors to slow a rate of change of the voltage potential of the device circuitry when mounting the device to the power line, thereby minimizing risk of corona discharge.

Claims

1. An overhead device, comprising:

a device configured to be mounted directly to a power line, the device comprising electrical circuitry that includes a ground reference point; and

means for electrically coupling the ground reference point of the device to the power line such that the ground reference point and the power line have substantially equal voltage potentials.

2. The overhead device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor that collects information regarding the power line.

3. The overhead device of claim 2, wherein the device comprises a communications device configured to communicate with another device that is located remote from the overhead device, the communications device being configured to communicate at least a portion of the information collected by the sensor to the other device.

4. The overhead device of claim 2, wherein the collected information comprises information regarding at least one of a current of the power line, a voltage of the power line, a temperature on the power line, and whether a vibration is present on the power line.

5. The overhead device of claim 1, further comprising:

a current transformer comprising a member about which a winding is at least partially disposed, the current transformer receiving an induced current on the winding via magnetic flux energy generated by alternating current on the power line; and

a circuit electrically coupled to the winding and converting the inducted current received by the current transformer into an electrical energy that powers the device.

6. The overhead device of claim 5, wherein the electrical circuitry of the device comprises the circuit electrically coupled to the winding.

7. The overhead device of claim 5, wherein the current transformer further comprises two arms that are positionable in open and closed positions, one of the arms comprising the member and winding, and

wherein the power line extends at least partially through an opening defined by the arms when the arms are in the closed position.

8. The overhead device of claim 7, wherein the current transformer further comprises a spring that biases the arms towards the closed position, and

wherein the means for electrically coupling comprises the spring.

9. The overhead device of claim 1, further comprising means for slowing a rate of voltage potential change of the ground reference point of the device when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

10. The overhead device of claim 9, wherein the means for slowing comprises a semi-conductive material that is disposed substantially between the power line and the means for electrically coupling.

11. The overhead device of claim 1, wherein the device has a voltage potential that is substantially equal to the voltage potential of the power line.

12. A power line monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor that collects information regarding a power line to which the overhead device is mounted;

a communications device that communicates at least a portion of the information collected by the sensor to a location remote from the overhead device; and

a circuit board that comprises circuitry associated with the sensor and the communications device, the circuitry comprising a ground reference point that is electrically coupled to the power line when the overhead device is mounted to the power line, a voltage potential of the ground reference point being raised based on a voltage potential of the power line when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

13. The power line monitoring device of claim 12, further comprising means for slowing a rate of voltage potential change of the ground reference point when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

14. The power line monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the means for slowing comprises a semi-conductive material disposed substantially between the power line and the spring.

15. The power line monitoring device of claim 13, wherein the means for slowing comprises a semi-conductive material that has a resistivity of at least about 5 ohms per centimeter.

16. The power line monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the voltage potential of the ground reference point is raised to be substantially equal to the voltage potential of the power line.

17. The power line monitoring device of claim 12, wherein the collected information comprises information regarding at least one of a current of the power line, a voltage of the power line, a temperature on the power line, and whether a vibration is present on the power line.

18. The power line monitoring device of claim 12, further comprising:

a current transformer comprising a member about which a winding is at least partially disposed, the current transformer receiving an induced current on the winding via magnetic flux energy generated by alternating current on the power line; and

a circuit electrically coupled to the winding and converting the inducted current received by the current transformer into an electrical energy that powers the communications device.

19. The power line monitoring device of claim 17, wherein the current transformer further comprises two arms that are positionable in open and closed positions, one of the arms comprising the member and winding, and

wherein the power line extends at least partially through an opening defined by the arms when the arms are in the closed position.

20. The power line monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the current transformer further comprises a spring that biases the arms towards the closed position, and

wherein the spring electrically couples the power line to at least one electrically conductive member that is electrically coupled to the ground reference point when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

21. A power line monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor that collects information regarding a power line to which the overhead device is mounted;

a communications device that communicates at least a portion of the information collected by the sensor to a location remote from the overhead device;

a circuit board that comprises circuitry associated with the sensor and the communications device, the circuitry comprising a ground reference point;

a housing that at least partially encloses the circuit board;

a first electrically conductive member coupled to the housing, the first electrically conductive member being disposed outside of the housing and electrically contacting the power line when the overhead device is mounted to the power line; and

at least a second electrically conductive member extending through the housing and electrically coupling the first electrically conductive member to the ground reference point of the circuitry, thereby raising a voltage potential of the ground reference point in accordance with a voltage potential on the power line when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

22. The power line monitoring device of claim 21, wherein the voltage potential of the ground reference point is raised to be substantially equal to the voltage potential of the power line.

23. The power line monitoring device of claim 21, further comprising means for slowing a rate of voltage potential change of the ground reference point when the overhead device is mounted to the power line.

24. The power line monitoring device of claim 23, wherein the means for slowing comprises a semi-conductive material that is disposed substantially between the power line and the first electrically conductive member.

25. A method for monitoring a power line, comprising the steps of:

mounting a power line monitoring device to a power line, the power line monitoring device comprising a sensor, communications device, and circuitry, wherein the circuitry comprises a ground reference point;

collecting, by the sensor, information regarding the power line;

communicating, by the communications device, at least a portion of the information collected by the sensor to a location remote from the power line monitoring device; and

electrically coupling the ground reference point of the circuitry to the power line so that a voltage potential of the ground reference point is raised based on a voltage potential of the power line.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of harvesting energy from the power line to power the communications device.