Non-contact current-sensing and voltage-sensing clamp

US9063184B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Gary Dale Carpenter · Pflugerville, US
• Wael R. El-Essawy · Austin, US
• Alexandre Peixoto Ferreira · Austin, US
• Thomas Walter Keller · Austin, US
• Karthick Rajamani · Austin, US
• Juan C. Rubio · Austin, US
• Michael A. Schappert · Wappingers Falls, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 20, 2012
• Grant date: Jun 23, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 3, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R15/207
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A clamping current and voltage sensor provides an isolated and convenient technique for measuring current passing through a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire, as well as providing an indication of an electrostatic potential on the wire, which can be used to indicate the phase of the voltage on the wire, and optionally a magnitude of the voltage. The device includes a body formed from two handle portions that contain the current and voltage sensors within an aperture at the distal end, which may be a ferrite cylinder with a hall effect sensor disposed in a gap along the circumference to measure current, or alternatively a winding provided through the cylinder along its axis and a capacitive plate or wire disposed adjacent to, or within, the ferrite cylinder to provide the indication of the voltage. When the handles are compressed the aperture is opened to permit insertion of a wire for measurement.