PALM-HELD AUTOMOTIVE ACOUSTICAL SENSING DEVICE
First Claim
1. An acoustical sensing device, comprising:
- a clamp for temporary attachment to an engine component whereby vibrations from said engine component are conducted to a frame of said clamp;
a condenser microphone element mechanically coupled to said clamp via an airtight seal completely convering said microphone element, whereby said condenser microphone element responds substantially only to said conducted vibrations from said frame of said clamp;
an amplifier circuit having an input coupled to said condenser microphone and an output coupled an audio connector for connection to an external pair of headphones;
one or more batteries coupled to a power supply of said amplifier;
a housing for enclosing said amplifier circuit, said batteries and said connector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A palm-held acoustical sensing device provides improved accessibility within an engine compartment for sensing engine noise in order to perform diagnostics. Miniaturized electronics are provided within a compact housing that permits free use of the sensing device within an engine compartment, enabling access to engine components that have previously been accessible only with great difficulty. Clamping sensors having wider bandwidth than existing clamping sensors provide improved sensing capability and an electronics and battery housing having one or more sensor input jacks provides for attachment of multiple sensors, improved storage and a lower cost unit providing the advantages of both a flexible shaft sensing unit and a clamping unit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An acoustical sensing device, comprising:
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a clamp for temporary attachment to an engine component whereby vibrations from said engine component are conducted to a frame of said clamp;
a condenser microphone element mechanically coupled to said clamp via an airtight seal completely convering said microphone element, whereby said condenser microphone element responds substantially only to said conducted vibrations from said frame of said clamp;
an amplifier circuit having an input coupled to said condenser microphone and an output coupled an audio connector for connection to an external pair of headphones;
one or more batteries coupled to a power supply of said amplifier;
a housing for enclosing said amplifier circuit, said batteries and said connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A palm-held acoustical sensing device, comprising:
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a flexible wiring shaft having an acoustical sensor disposed at a first end for directing at noise sources within an engine compartment;
an amplifier circuit having an input coupled to said acoustical sensor and an output coupled to a connector for connection to an external pair of headphones;
one or more batteries coupled to a power supply of said amplifier;
a housing for enclosing said amplifier circuit, said batteries and said connector, wherein said housing is substantially rectangular, adapted to fit within the palm of a human hand, and has outside dimensions less than or equal to 0.5 in by 2.0 in by 2.0 in, whereby said housing does not impede accessibility of said human hand within said engine compartment, and wherein said flexible wiring shaft is connected to said housing and includes wiring disposed within said flexible wiring shaft for connecting said acoustical sensor to said input of said amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An acoustical sensing device, comprising:
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at least two acoustical sensors for sensing engine compartment noise;
a switch coupled to said at least two acoustical sensors for selecting among said at least two acoustical sensors; and
an amplifier circuit having an input coupled to said switch and an output coupled to a fourth audio connector for connection to an external pair of headphones, whereby an audible representation of said engine component noise detected by a selected one of said at least two acoustical sensors is provided by said headphones. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification