US3662263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for measuring current in high-voltage lines
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1970-10-28
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Granted: 1972-05-09
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Expires: 1990-10-28
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for measuring the current flowing through a highvoltage line and transferring the result to a low-potential locality has at the high line-voltage side a magnetic or electric field which varies in dependence upon the current to be measured. An optical modulator controlled by the field variations is interposed in one of two beams of coherent light to modulate this one beam relative to the other. An interferometer or the like device superimposes the modulated and unmodulated beams to produce an interference fringe pattern of alternately bright and dark stripes which travel from one to the other side of the pattern area. Light conductors transmit the resulting optical pulses to photoelectric sensors on low potential. The corresponding electric pulses control a device for counting the interference stripes. At any time the count corresponds to the then obtaining intensity value of the current.
Inventors
- 👤 Joachim Bensel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:56
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R15/00; G01R15/14; G01R15/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
Apparatus for measuring current in a high-voltage line and transferring the measuring result to a low-voltage locality electrically insulated from the line, comprising means at the high line voltage for providing a field varying in dependence upon the current to be measured; an optical system having a coherent light supply with two paths of respective coherent-light beams and having a field-responsive optical modulator device disposed in said field for response to the field variations, said modulator device being interposed in one of said two beam paths for modulation of one of said beams relative to the other, and said optical system having interference means subject to said modulated beam and to said unmodulated beam for producing a reversibly travelling pattern of bright-black interference fringe stripes; photoelectric sensor means responsive to said travelling interference stripes, and reversible counter means connected to said sensor means for counting said stripes, whereby the counting state of said counter means at a time corresponds to the then measured value of said current.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
Apparatus for measuring current in a high-voltage line and transferring the measuring result to a low-voltage locality electrically insulated from the line, comprising means at the high line voltage for providing a field varying in dependence upon the current to be measured; an optical system having a coherent light supply with two paths of respective coherent-light beams and having a field-responsive optical modulator device disposed in said field for response to the field variations, said modulator device being interposed in one of said two beam paths for modulation of one of said beams relative to the other, and said optical system having interference means subject to said modulated beam and to said unmodulated beam for producing a reversibly travelling pattern of bright-black interference fringe stripes; photoelectric sensor means responsive to said travelling interference stripes, and reversible counter means connected to said sensor means for counting said stripes, whereby the counting state of said counter means at a time corresponds to the then measured value of said current.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said light supply comprising coherent-light source at said low-voltage locality.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said light supply comprising a laser at said low-voltage locality, and a beam splitter in the beam path of said laser for splitting the source beam into said two coherent-light beams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said light supply comprising a coherent-light source at said low-voltage locality and an interferometer device arranged in the beam path of said source for splitting the source beam into two coherent-light beams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said field-providing means comprising a current-voltage converter responsive to the line current and having a current-proportional output voltage, and field means connected to said output voltage for producing said current-responsively varying field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising two light conductors connected to said interference means, and said photoelectric senSor means comprising two photocells connected to said respective two light conductors to issue respective trains of electric pulses, and a discriminating control network having two inputs connected to said respective photocells to receive said pulse trains, said network having two selectively operable outputs connected to said reversible counter means for controlling it by said pulses to count in forward and reverse directions respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, said light conductors being formed of rods whose diameter corresponds to that required for complete darkening of said cells in the intervals between successive bright interference fringe stripes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, said network consisting substantially of a flip-flop stage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, said modulator device comprising two individual optical modulators for the respective two half-waves of the current to be measured, and two rectifier devices connecting said current-voltage converter to said respective modulators for controlling them in dependence upon variations of said current.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising two of said interference means connected to said respective two modulators, two pairs of light conductors, the two light conductors of each pair being connected to one of said two interference means respectively, said photoelectric sensors means comprising four photocells connected to said respective light conductors for issuing trains of electric pulses, and a control network having four inputs connected to said four photocells respectively and having outputs connected to said reversible counter device for controlling the latter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said field-providing means having an electrical field, and said modulator device comprising an electro-optical modulator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said field-providing means comprising a current-voltage converter disposed at said high-voltages line and having an output voltage varying in dependence upon the current to be measured, and said electro-optical modulator being connected to said converter to be controlled by said converter output voltage.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said modulator device being composed of a plurality of individual optical modulator members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a digital-analog converter connected to said counter device for furnishing a measuring value in analog form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |