Patent ID: 9588160
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: G01R

Claim:
1. A wire manager for installation within a within a building power distribution panel or raceway and measuring multiple currents provided to branch circuits of a building, the wire manager comprising: a wire manager housing including a body for mounting to the building power distribution panel or raceway, and a removable cover that forms the housing when fitted to the body, wherein the housing isolates internal circuits of the wire manager from other circuits within the building power distribution panel or raceway when the cover is fitted to the body of the wire manager, wherein the wire manger body defines a plurality of apertures along one side of the wire manager body through which individual wires corresponding to the branch circuits can be inserted; a printed wiring board including multiple current sensors positioned so that ends of the individual current sensors are positioned within the apertures of the body of the wire manager, wherein the multiple current sensors have clamshell housings for detachably securing corresponding ones of the wires and through which the corresponding wire is passed when the clamshell housing is open and wherein when the clamshell housing is closed around the corresponding wire, the corresponding wire is secured by contact with the clamshell housing, whereby the clamshell housing secures the corresponding wire in a fixed position, wherein the clamshells contain portions of corresponding ferrite cylinders each defining a central void along the central axis thereof, wherein the corresponding wire passes through the central void when secured within the corresponding current sensor, and wherein the current sensors further comprise a current sensing element that detects a magnetic flux in the ferrite elements of the current sensor that are caused by the current passing through the corresponding wire and generates a corresponding one of multiple outputs indicative of a magnitude of the current, wherein the closure secures the corresponding wire to the current sensing element when the closure is closed around the corresponding wire; and a processing circuit integrated within the wire manager body for computing power consumption of the multiple branch circuits from the multiple outputs indicative of the currents passing through the multiple wires, and providing an interface for communicating a result of the computing to an external system.