US 2016/0258984 A1 · SELF-CONTAINED BRANCH CIRCUIT MONITOR

Abstract

A self-contained branch circuit monitor 2 is has a small form factor configured to fit in the limited space available in a load center 1, in association with a branch circuit breaker 10A occupying a branch location slot 45 in the load center 1. A flexible printed circuit board 4 is wrapped around an outside circumference of a toroidal sensor coil 6 of a current transformer. A current monitoring circuit 15 is formed on the flexible printed circuit board. The monitoring circuit is electrically connected to leads 7, 9 from the sensor coil and is powered by current 17 induced in the sensor coil from current 5 in the branch circuit wire. A branch circuit wire 3A is threaded through the current transformer's center. A transmitter 22 is part of the flexible printed circuit board, to transfer the monitored current data to other locations.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A self-contained branch circuit monitor in a load center, comprising:

a sensor coil of wire wound as a toroidal coil about a toroidal core, the toroidal core having a branch circuit wire threaded through the toroidal core's center;
a flexible printed circuit board wrapped around the toroidal coil's outside circumference;
and
a monitoring circuit formed on the flexible printed circuit board, the monitoring circuit electrically connected to leads from the sensor coil, the monitoring circuit's operation being powered by current induced in the sensor coil from current in the branch circuit wire, the monitoring circuit being configured to use the operating power to sample the current induced in the sensor coil as a measure of the current in the branch circuit wire.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self-contained branch circuit monitor

Life of this patent

Self-contained branch circuit monitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18