Handheld tester for starting/charging systems

• US 20050030039A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Namaky, Hamid, Roberts, Robert A., Koran, Matthew H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/380
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/388 involving voltage measurements

Abstract

An improved hand held starting/charging system tester. According to one aspect of the present invention, the portable handheld tester includes a connector to which various test cables can be removably connected to the tester. Detection circuitry within the tester determines which of several types of test cable is connected to the tester before testing. According to another aspect of the present invention, the portable handheld tester includes an improved user interface that permits a user to review test data from previously performed tests and further permits a user to either skip a previously performed test (thereby retaining the previously collected data for that test) or re-do the test (thereby collecting new data for that test). According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the portable handheld tester that performs a more complete set of tests of the starting/charging system.

Claims

1. A hand-held, portable tester for testing a starter/charger system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

(a) an electronic test circuit, said test circuit capable of performing at least one test on the starting/charging system;

(b) a hand-held, portable enclosure housing said electronic test circuit; and

(c) a housing connector providing a first plurality of electrical connections, said housing connector being affixed to said housing and in circuit communication with said electronic test circuit, for placing said electronic test circuit in circuit communication with the starter/charger system via a test cable electrically connected to said housing connector via a removable cable connector providing a second plurality of electrical connections.

2. A hand-held, portable tester for testing a starter/charger system of an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said electronic test circuit is further characterized by performing a plurality of tests on the starting/charging system.

3. A hand-held, portable tester for testing a starter/charger system of an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said electronic test circuit is further characterized by performing at least one test on a starting unit of the starting/charging system;

a plurality of tests on a charging unit of the starting/charging system, at least one of said tests on the charging unit of the starting/charging system being a diode ripple test.

4. A hand-held, portable tester for testing a starter/charger system of an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said electronic test circuit is further characterized by performing at least one test on a starting unit of the starting/charging system;

at least four tests on a charging unit of the starting/charging system, at least one of said tests on the charging unit of the starting/charging system being a diode ripple test.