US 4,734,638 A · Electric outlet and cable tracing method and apparatus

Abstract

A tradesman may identify which circuit is connected with any number of outlets or other terminations in an electrical wiring system, such as commonly found in buildings, through the use of a handheld, carry-about detector-indicator device. Operation relies upon having prearranged excitation of each of several circuits typical of the usual building power distribution through introducing unique tag signals into each of the various wiring circuits by connecting a tag signal exciter to the building's wiring, usually at the main power box. The tradesman then may merely walk about and "plug" the indicator into various outlets or, by a suitable adaptor or clip leads, connect with lamp receptacles and the like, whereupon the indicator will give display of a "number", for example between "1" and "8", or some other such display which will promptly tell the user which circuit his detection indicator is coupled with.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Circuit tracer method effective for identifying each of several substantially separate circuits, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a source effective for developing a plurality of uniquely coded tag signals each comprising a high frequency signal effectively modulated with a distinctive substantially lower frequency pulse train signal;
b. exciting each of said several circuits with a substantially separate uniquely coded tag signal;
c. sensing the tag signal on at least one of possibly several terminal locations on each said circuit;
d. indicating which uniquely coded tag signal is being sensed;
and,
e. utilizing the indicated tag signal for circuit identification.

3 more elements

Circuit tracer apparatus effective for identifying each of several circuits comprising:

a. portable exciter means including:
aa. generating means producing several uniquely coded tag signals each comprising a high frequency signal modulated by a distinictive lower frequency pulse train signal;
ab. plural driver means coupled with said generating means and effective for amplifying and coupling each of the several tag signals in a substantially separate way with each of the several circuits;
b. portable detector means including:
ba. sensing means useful for portably coupling with at least one of possibly several locations on each of the several circuits and receiving the tag signal present at the coupled circuit location;
bb. decoding means coupled with said sensing means and effective to detect instantly present said pulse train signal and thereby produce an indicant signal value relatable to each unique code effectively provided by the received tag signal;
and,
bc. display means coupled with said decoding means and effective to produce a display of said incident signal value.

5 more elements

Circuit tracer apparatus effective for identifying each of a plurality of circuits including:

a. portable exciter means producing several unique tag signals each comprising a high frequency signal modulated by a distinctive lower frequency pulse train signal and each being couplable to a different one of said plurality of circuits;
and,
b. detector means having an input couplable with any one of said plurality of circuits and providing indication of which unique tag signal is superimposed thereon by way of display means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electric outlet and cable tracing method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Electric outlet and cable tracing method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20