Solid optical current sensor
US5583428A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 7, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 7, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R15/246
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
To increase the measuring sensitivity of a simple-to-manufacture, multi-faced solid optical current sensor, at least one of the light-reflecting lateral faces is displaced radially inward with respect to the remaining light-reflecting lateral faces and has a lesser minimum distance from a center of the solid optical current sensor than the other lateral faces. Because of this displacement, the incident light beam does not move through a closed polygonal progression in the course of a single circuit around a recess for a current conductor, whose current intensity is to be measured by means of the Faraday effect. Helically overlapping displacements of the light circuit paths are created, which cause an increase in light sensitivity. The lateral face or another lateral face can also be displaced outwardly instead of inwardly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.