Electrical meter with retractable leads

• US 20060028198A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Hoopengarner
• Original Assignee: Paul Hoopengarner
• Inventors: Hoopengarner, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,312,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/157
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0408 Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/04 Housings; Supporting racks; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/12 Circuits for multi-testers , i.e. multimeters, e.g. for measuring voltage, current, or impedance at will

Abstract

An electrical meter 10 comprises a housing 12 with a spool 14 rotatably mounted therein. A first lead cable 16 and a second lead cable 18 are wound upon the spool 14. A wound spring 90 is connected to the spool and biases the spool against rotation in a direction that allows the lead cables to be unwound. A first head 20 and a second head 22 are respectively included on the end of the first lead cable 16 and the second lead cable 18. The heads abut against the housing and prevent the lead cables from being completely wound upon the spool when the meter is not in use. A circuit board 30 with electrical measurement circuitry is also mounted within the housing 12. The circuit board is electrically connected to a display 40 positioned on the outside of the housing 12.

Claims

1. An electrical meter comprising:

a. a housing having at least one aperture;

b. an electrical measurement circuit mounted within the housing;

c. a first lead cable and a second lead cable connected to the electrical measurement circuit, the first lead cable and the second lead cable both including a first end secured within the housing and a second end leading through the at least one aperture in the housing, the first lead cable and second lead cable operable to be fed through the at least one aperture such that a substantial portion of the first lead cable and second lead cable extend from the housing, and the first lead cable and the second lead cable operable to be retracted back through the at least one aperture such that a substantial portion of the first lead cable and the second lead cable are enclosed within the housing;

d. a display electrically connected to the electrical measurement circuit, the display operable to display electrical measurements taken using the first lead cable and the second lead cable.

2. The electrical meter of claim 1 further comprising a first head attached to the second end of the first lead cable and a second head attached to the second end of the second lead cable.

3. The electrical meter of claim 1 further comprising a biasing means operable to automatically retract the first lead cable and the second lead cable through the at least one aperture.

4. An electrical meter comprising:

a. a substantially enclosed housing having an aperture;

b. a spool rotatably mounted within the housing;

c. a lead cable wound around the spool, the lead cable comprising a first end connected to the spool and a second end leading through the aperture in the housing;

d. an electrical measurement circuit positioned within the housing and electrically connected to the lead cable; and

e. a display electrically connected to the electrical measurement circuit.

5. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the second end of the lead cable comprises a head with an electrical contact.

6. The electrical meter of claim 5 wherein the head is an alligator clip.

7. The electrical meter of claim 5 wherein the head is a post.

8. The electrical meter of claim 4 further comprising a wound spring positioned within the housing and connected to the spool, the wound spring operable to bias the spool against rotation in the first rotational direction.

9. The electrical meter of claim 8 wherein the electrical connection between the lead cable and the electrical measurement circuit includes an electrical path upon the wound spring.

10. The electrical meter of claim 9 further comprising a stationary axle mounted within the housing, wherein the spool and the wound spring are concentric at the axle, and the electrical connection between the lead cable and the electrical measurement circuit includes the axle.

11. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the spool is operable to rotate in the first direction when an outside force pulls the second end of the lead cable away from the housing.

12. The electrical meter of claim 11 wherein the spool is operable to rotate in a second direction that winds the lead cable on the spool when the outside force is removed from the second end of the lead cable.

13. The electrical meter of claim 11 further comprising a crank positioned on the outside of the housing and engaging the spool, movement of the crank operable to rotate the spool in a second direction that winds the lead cable on the spool.

14. The electrical meter of claim 4 further comprising a clip attached to the exterior of the housing.

15. The electrical meter of claim 4 further comprising a lock positioned upon the housing, the lock operable to be moved between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein movement of the lock to the locked position prohibits rotation of the spool.

16. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the display is a digital display.

17. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the display is an analog display.

18. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the display is mounted upon the housing.

19. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the electrical measurement circuit measures continuity.

20. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the electrical measurement circuit measures voltage.

21. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the electrical measurement circuit measures resistance.

22. The electrical meter of claim 4 wherein the electrical measurement circuit measures electric current.

23. The electrical meter of claim 4 further comprising a second lead cable.

24. The electrical meter of claim 23 further comprising a second spool with the second lead cable connected to the second spool.

25. The electrical meter of claim 4 further comprising a sensor mounted in the housing and a tag attached to the spool, wherein movement of the tag past the sensor causes the display to turn on.

26. An electrical meter comprising:

a. a substantially enclosed housing having an aperture;

b. a spool rotatably mounted within the housing, the spool biased against rotation in a first rotational direction;

c. a wound spring positioned within the housing and connected to the spool, the wound spring operable to bias the spool against rotation in the first rotational direction;

d. a lead cable wound around the spool, the lead cable comprising a first end connected to the spool and a second end leading through the aperture in the housing;

e. an electrical measurement circuit mounted within the housing and electrically connected to the lead cable;

f. a display positioned on the housing and electrically connected to the electrical measurement circuit;

g. a lock positioned upon the housing, the lock operable to be moved between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein movement of the lock to the locked position prohibits rotation of the spool in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction; and

h. a clip attached to the exterior of the housing.

27. A method of making electrical measurements comprising the steps of:

a. providing an electrical meter comprising

i. a housing having an aperture;

ii. a first lead cable and a second lead cable wound within the housing, each lead cable having a head protruding from the housing and each head having an electrical contact;

iii. a display positioned upon the housing; and

iv. a clip mounted on the housing;

b. attaching the clip to a garment in order to retain the electrical meter upon the garment;

c. pulling the head of the first lead cable and the head of the second lead cable away from the housing;

d. contacting the electrical contact on the head of the first lead cable to a first location in an electrical circuit and contacting the head of the second lead cable to a second location in an electrical circuit;

e. viewing the display on the housing in order to obtain an electrical measurement from the electrical circuit;

f. releasing the head of the first lead cable and the head of the second lead cable; and

g. retracting the first lead cable and the second lead cable into the housing.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of retracting the first lead cable and second lead cable into the housing is performed automatically after the head of the first lead cable or second lead cable are released.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of retracting the first lead cable and second lead cable into the housing is performed manually by turning a crank.