Portable self powered line mountable electric power line and environment parameter monitoring transmitting and receiving system

• US 9,198,500 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• 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): Assouad, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/046,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 324/106, 324/127
• 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 a housing with an opening for accepting the power line conductor and a first jaw assembly and a second jaw assembly. The first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are located within the housing and are configured to engage the power line conductor. The first jaw assembly is fixed relative to the housing and the second jaw assembly is movable relative to the housing. A first magnetic core is movable relative to the first jaw assembly and a second magnetic core is fixed to the second jaw assembly. The first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are configured to surround the power line. An actuator is connected to the second jaw assembly and is configured to move the second jaw assembly relative to the first jaw assembly.

Claims

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

a housing including an opening for accepting the power line conductor;

a first jaw assembly and a second jaw assembly, the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are located within the housing and are configured to engage the power line conductor, the first jaw assembly is fixed relative to the housing and the second jaw assembly is movable relative to the housing;

a first magnetic core movable relative to the first jaw assembly including a first guide mechanism attached to the opposing sides of the housing configured to move the first magnetic core;

a second magnetic core fixed to the second jaw assembly, the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are configured to surround the power line, wherein the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are configured to move in unison when in engagement until the second jaw assembly firmly clamps the power line conductor and the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are configured to clamp onto power line conductors of different diameters while the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are held together; and

an actuator connected to the second jaw assembly and configured to move the second jaw assembly relative to the first jaw assembly.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic core is moveable along a track between at least one stop and at least one spring member.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are configured to move independently when separated.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic core is located on a first side of the opening in the housing and the second magnetic core is located on a second opposite side of the opening in the housing.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said actuator and a support mechanism at least partially form an isolated fluid path configured to allow rain water to drain out of the housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core includes a plurality of windings.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of windings are in electrical communication with a power supply.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of windings are in electrical communication with a power storage unit.

9. The device of claim 1, including a transmitter receiver configured to send and receive data.

10. The device of claim 1, including a second guide mechanism configured to move the second magnetic core.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second guide mechanism is attached to the opposing sides of the housing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first jaw assembly includes a first inclined surface that is steeper than an inclined surface of a jaw insert adjacent the first jaw assembly.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the second magnetic core is encased by a cover.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic core includes a first pair of distal ends and the second magnetic core includes a second pair of distal ends and the first pair of distal ends are configured to directly contact the second pair of distal ends when the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core move in unison.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are U-shaped.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein the opposing sides of the housing are fixed from movement relative to each other.

14. A method of attaching a device to a power line conductor comprising the steps of:

a) resting a first jaw assembly on a power line conductor, the first jaw assembly fixed relative to a housing;

b) moving a second jaw assembly toward the first jaw assembly with an actuator;

c) moving a second magnetic core toward a first magnetic core with the actuator, wherein the second magnetic core is fixed relative to the second jaw assembly and the first magnetic core is moveable relative to the first jaw assembly, the first magnetic core includes a first pair of distal ends and the second magnetic core includes a second pair of distal ends and the first pair of distal ends are configured to directly contact the second pair of distal ends when the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core move in unison; and

d) moving the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core relative to the first jaw assembly until the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly firmly clamp the power line conductor, wherein the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly can accommodate power line conductors of varying diameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step b) further includes turning a screw in a first direction to move the second jaw assembly toward the first jaw assembly.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core surround the power line conductor.

17. The method of claim 15, including biasing the first magnetic core against a spring member.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein step a) further includes sliding the power line conductor across inserts fixed to the housing including a first inclined surface before sliding the power line conductor across the first jaw assembly including a second inclined surface, an angle of incline of the second inclined surface is greater than an angle of incline of the first inclined surface.

22. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are configured to move in unison when in direct contact until the second jaw assembly firmly clamps the power line conductor and the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly are configured to clamp onto power line conductors of different diameters while the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core are in direct contact.