Electrical connection for transferring signals while reducing interference

Abstract

An apparatus (2) is described including one or more signal sources (6). The apparatus (2) also includes a measurement front end (7) having at least first (+Vin) and second (-Vin) inputs. The apparatus (2) also includes a substantially planar connector (1) having a length (L) between first (1a) and second (1b) ends and supporting a number of conductors (3) spanning between the first (1a) and second (1b) ends. At each point between the first (1a) and second (1b) ends the conductors (3) are substantially equi-spaced from one another within the substantially planar connector (1). The conductors (3) include at least one signal conductor (8) connecting the signal sources (6) to the first input (+Vin). The conductors (3) also include at least two further conductors (10, 11) connecting to the one or more signal sources (6). One or both of the two further conductors (10, 11) also connect to the second input (-Vin). Each of the at least one signal conductor (8) and the at least two further conductors (10, 11) belongs to one or more closed loops. The one or more closed loops have areas and impedances configured such that in response to a uniform time-varying external magnetic field being applied to the apparatus, a first unwanted electromotive force induced at the first input (+Vin) will be substantially equal to a second unwanted electromotive force induced at the second input (-Vin).

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to connectors for transmitting signals while reducing or eliminating interference from time-varying electromagnetic fields. Background technique [0002] In many applications, it is desirable or required to communicate small signals from one point to another while minimizing the effect of interference on the communicated signal. Disturbances can sometimes be viewed as including magnetic and electrostatic components. An example of such an application is an electricity meter, where the current sensing element may typically be required to operate with high accuracy (<0.2%) over a wide dynamic range (1000:1 current). The smallest signal expected to be detected from a current sensing element may be very small (eg, on the order of 1 μV). For example, the signal may be small because the sensor may be a shunt with low resistance to minimize voltage drop and thus heat, or to minimize the number of turns required on a dI / dt typ...

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Problems solved by technology

Also, in some cases there may be additional current carrying conductors that are not monitored by the meter

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