1. An electromagnetic shielding device for electromagnetic shielding of a power transmitting arrangement configured to house an electromagnetically shielded conducting element, wherein the shielding device has essentially the form of a sleeve, said electromagnetic shielding device comprising:
a shielding sleeve extending axially along longitudinal axis and having a weakened portion, which is configured to be contracted axially and to be contracted radically inwardly toward the longitudinal axis, from an initial non-connected state to a final connected state in which the weakened portion applies a spring force to said shielded conducting element for establishing an electrical connection and a shielding continuity between the shielding sleeve and the shielded conducting element, wherein the shielding sleeve provides a continuous electromagnetic shielding across the shielded conducting element, where insulation and shielding of the conducting element is removed.
2. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, wherein the weakened portion of the shielding sleeve is characterized as a weakened ring section, wherein a wall of this weakened ring section defines a plurality of slots oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shielding sleeve and defining wall sectors between the slots which, in cross section, are bent in a V-shaped form having an inwardly oriented point, the contraction of the weakened ring section being realized by inwardly bulging of said wall sectors in between the slots.
3. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein the wall sectors between the slots of the weakened ring section are adapted to be bent inwards, such that in assembled condition the sectors will apply a spring force to the shielding of the conducting element.
4. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein the sectors between the slots of the weakened ring section are adapted to be bent inwards forming essentially a V-shape.
5. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the slots is shaped so that at least one of the adjacent sectors comprises at least one weakened portion or a constriction to facilitate bending thereof.
6. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein the weakened portion comprises a reduced diameter compared to the main body of the shielding sleeve.
7. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein the shielding sleeve comprises at least one axial end compression edge which by axially applying a pressure to this compression edge is configured to compress the shielding sleeve, thus inwardly bending said wall sectors between the slots of the weakened ring section and thus contracting the weakened portion.
8. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 7, wherein the compression edge is the axial end edge of an axial end section of the shielding sleeve which does not define any slots.
9. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 2, wherein a radial distance, separating each V-shaped wall sector from the longitudinal axis is reduced when the weakened portion of the shielding sleeve is contracted axially and radically inwardly toward the longitudinal axis, from the initial non-connected state to the final connected state.
10. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, allowing a shielding of at least 40 dB in the range of 10 kHz-5 MHz.
11. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, adapted to house a cable which comprises at least one portion for power or signal transmission and a preferably coaxially arranged portion for electromagnetic shielding of said cable.
12. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, adapted to be installed in a power connector arrangement, the power connector arrangement being able to transmit a power of more than 50 kW.
13. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection between the electromagnetic shielding device and the electromagnetic shielding of the conducting element is established without separate contact spring elements.
14. The electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1, made from sheet of metal which is stamped and rolled into an essentially cylindrical shape.
15. An assembly, comprising:
at least one electromagnetic shielding device according to claim 1;
at least one electromagnetically shielded conductor for power or signal transmission; and
a connector housing, wherein the at least one shielded conductor is at least partially mounted inside the at least one shielding device; the shielding device and the shielded conductor being mounted inside the connector housing.
16. The assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a female contact terminal, the female contact terminal at least partly mounted inside the electromagnetic shielding device.
17. The assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a housing part of a counter-connector having another shielding element, wherein the other shielding element and electromagnetic shielding device are in contact with each other thereby providing a shielding continuity over the whole assembly.
18. A method for manufacturing an electromagnetic shielding device comprising the following steps:
a) providing an electromagnetic shielding device in accordance with claim 1;
b) inserting the electromagnetically shielded conductor;
c) contracting the weakened portion to establish an electrical connection between the electromagnetic shielding device and the shielding of the conductor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A tire defect tester comprising:
a first electrode arranged to direct energy toward a tire;
a second electrode arranged on an opposite side of the tire from the first electrode to receive energy passing through the tire from the first electrode;
an energy sensor electrically connected to the second electrode; and
a fault indicator circuit responsive to the energy sensor and configured to indicate the presence of a flaw upon energy above a threshold level being sensed at the second electrode.
2. The tire defect tester of claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes a high voltage probe.
3. The tire defect tester of claim 2, further comprising a signal generator configured to periodically activate the first electrode.
4. The tire defect tester of claim 3, wherein the signal generator is a periodic signal generator and includes a relaxation oscillator.
5. The tire defect tester of claim 4, wherein the relaxation oscillator includes a spark gap, one or more resistors, and one or more capacitors.
6. The tire defect tester of claim 1, wherein the energy sensor is a current sensor.
7. The tire defect tester of claim 1, wherein the fault indicator circuit includes a capacitor arranged to store energy received from the energy sensor and a comparator arranged to compare the energy received on the capacitor to the threshold level.
8. The tire defect tester of claim 7, wherein the fault indicator circuit further includes a microcontroller configured to determine the presence of a flaw in the tire based on an output received from the comparator.
9. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising a motor enabling signal, electrically connecting to a motor arranged to rotate the tire.
10. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller arranged and configured to trigger high voltage pulses at the first electrode.
11. The tire defect tester of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to store data records related to the tire.
12. The tire defect tester of claim 11, wherein the data records include flaw records having information regarding at least one of the location of the flaw on the tire, the type of flaw, the severity of the flaw, the tire having the flaw, and the time the flaw was detected.
13. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising a signal generator including:
a capacitor arranged to discharge current upon electrical connection to the high voltage probe;
a rectifier electrically connected to the capacitor and selectively connecting the capacitor to the high voltage probe; and
a transformer electrically connected between the rectifier and the high voltage probe.
14. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising one or more communication interfaces connecting a high voltage assembly to a control assembly, the high voltage assembly electrically connected to the energy source and the energy sensor.
15. The tire defect tester of claim 14, wherein the one or more communication interfaces are RS-232 interfaces.
16. The tire defect tester of claim 1, wherein the energy sensor includes an electrode placed at a position opposite the energy source.
17. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising a flaw indicator arranged to be activated by a control assembly upon detection of a flaw in the tire.
18. The tire defect tester of claim 1, further comprising a tire type input received by a control assembly, the tire type input regulating an energy level of a signal generated by the energy source.
19. A method of testing tires for defects, the method comprising:
directing an energy signal toward a first location on a surface of a tire;
detecting an attenuated energy signal on a surface of the tire opposite the first surface; and
comparing the attenuated energy signal to a predetermined energy signal value to determine the presence of a flaw in a tire at the first location.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined energy signal value includes a threshold energy signal value.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the threshold energy signal value is a signal value selected by a user.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined energy signal value includes a previously-observed energy signal value.
23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
rotating the tire;
directing a second energy signal toward a second location on the surface of the tire;
detecting a second attenuated energy signal on the surface of the tire opposite the first surface; and
comparing the second attenuated energy signal to the predetermined energy signal value to determine the presence of a flaw in a tire at the second location.
24. The method of claim 19, further comprising rotating the tire.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising, upon determining the presence of a flaw in the tire, halting rotation of the tire to indicate the location of the flaw.
26. The method of claim 19, further comprising periodically generating energy signals to be directed toward a surface of the tire by an energy source.
27. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing a record of the flaw in a memory.
28. The method of claim 19, further comprising performing statistical analysis of flaws detected by the tire tester.
29. The method of claim 19, further comprising, upon detection of a flaw in the tire, activating a tire flaw indicator.
30. A tire tester comprising:
means for directing an energy signal toward a first location on a surface of a tire;
means for detecting an attenuated energy signal on a surface of the tire opposite the first surface; and
means for comparing the attenuated energy signal to a predetermined energy signal value to determine the presence of a flaw in a tire at the first location.
31. The tire tester of claim 30, wherein the means for directing an energy signal toward a first location on a surface of a tire includes an energy source.
32. The tire tester of claim 31, wherein the energy source includes a high voltage probe.
33. The tire tester of claim 30, wherein the means for detecting an attenuated energy signal on a surface of the tire opposite the first surface includes an energy sensor.
34. The tire tester of claim 33, wherein the energy sensor includes a current sensor.
35. The tire tester of claim 30, wherein the means for comparing the attenuated energy signal to a predetermined energy signal value includes a peak detector.
36. A control circuit for a tire defect tester having first and second electrodes on opposite sides of a tire, the control circuit comprising:
a pulse generator arranged to trigger a voltage pulse at a circuit output, the circuit output electrically connectable to a first electrode;
an energy sensor arranged to receive energy from a circuit input, the circuit input electrically connectable to a second electrode; and
a fault indicator circuit responsive to the energy sensor and configured to indicate the presence of a flaw upon energy above a threshold level being sensed at the circuit input.
37. A method of detecting defects in tires using a tire tester having a control circuit, the method comprising:
generating an energy signal in a control circuit;
detecting an attenuated energy signal; and
comparing the attenuated energy signal to a predetermined energy signal value to determine the presence of a flaw in a tire.