SYSTEM TO CONNECT AND MULTIPLEX SENSOR SIGNALS

• US 20140218882A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veris Industries LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: TrendPoint Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Sandberg, Chet, Trout, Jonathan D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/760
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0408 Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle

Abstract

Improvements in a system to connect and multiplex sensor signals that connects and multiplexes sensor signals is disclosed. The number of plug connections may line up and match the number of circuit breakers on one side of a panel. The device installs on panel board configurations to gathers precise power information for amps, volts, power factor, watts and kWh—and is certified to provide utility-grade data on each branch circuit metering. Up to 4 panel board strips per units of 4, 8 or 21 can be connected together to monitor 120 circuits. The system is adaptable to three phase monitoring and ground fault measurement and monitoring which is not conveniently provided by existing hard wired systems. The number of plug connections may line up with and match the number of circuit breakers on one side of the panel.

Claims

1. A system to connect and multiplex sensor signals comprising:

a multiplex board;

said multiplex board having a plurality of connectors for input from at least one sensor;

at said at least one sensor being a current sensor;

said current sensor coupled to a conductor without requiring power interruption through said conductor;

said current sensor connects with secondary wiring to said input;

said input is a socket on said multiplex board;

said socket connect to a converter on said multiplex board to convert an analog signal from said current sensor to a digital signal, and

said multiplex board has at least one communication connector that connects said multiplex board with an integrated communication network to a monitoring system.

2. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein said multiplex board further includes at least a second communication connector that allows connection to at least a second multiplex board.

3. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 2 that allows for at least multiple multiplex boards to monitor at least 120 circuits.

4. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein said multiplex board includes up to 21 input connections for up to 21 sensors wherein said up to 21 input connections in an elongated strip for said up to 21 sensors to align with circuit breakers within an electrical panel.

5. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein communication connection is a RS-485 bus or cambus.

6. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein said connectors allow connection for reading a measurements selected from the group consisting of temperature, ground leakage, ground fault, voltage, amps, volts, vibration, leak, power factor, watts, three phase voltage, three phase amps, three phase power and kWh and humidity.

7. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring computer is at least one of a group consisting of building management system or data center infrastructure system, data logging and event logging.

8. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 7 wherein said data logging and event logging records at least 120 data points for intervals of at least 30 seconds.

9. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 1 wherein said current sensor measures current between 0.001 amps and 4000 amps.

10. The system to connect and multiplex sensor according to claim 1 wherein sensors are removable and replaceable without removing power to said multiplex board.

11. A system to connect and multiplex sensor signals comprising:

a multiplex board;

said multiplex board having a connector for a wiring harness for a plurality of connections for input from at least one sensor;

at said at least one sensor with a variable input;

said current sensor coupled to a conductor without requiring power interruption through said conductor;

said current sensor connects with said wiring harness that connects to said multiplex board;

said connect on said multiplex board has multiple converters that discretely converts signals from said at least one sensor to convert to a digital signal, and

said multiplex board has at least one communication connector that connects said multiplex board with an integrated communication network to a monitoring system.

12. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein said multiplex board further includes at least a second communication connector that allows connection to at least a second multiplex board.

13. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 12 that allows for at least multiple multiplex boards to monitor at least 120 circuits.

14. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein said multiplex board includes up to 21 input connections for up to 21 sensors wherein said up to 21 input connections in an elongated strip for said up to 21 sensors to align with circuit breakers within an electrical panel.

15. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein communication connection is a RS-485 bus or cambus.

16. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein said connectors allow connection for reading a measurements selected from the group consisting of temperature, ground leakage, ground fault, voltage, amps, volts, vibration, leak, power factor, watts, three phase voltage, three phase amps, three phase power and kWh and humidity.

17. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein said monitoring computer is at least one of a group consisting of building management system or data center infrastructure system, data logging and event logging.

19. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to claim 11 wherein said current sensor measures current between 0.001 amps and 4000 amps.

20. The system to connect and multiplex sensor according to claim 11 wherein sensors are removable and replaceable without removing power to said multiplex board.

18. The system to connect and multiplex sensor signals according to wherein said data logging and event logging records at least 120 data points for intervals of at least 30 seconds.