NOVEL CLAMP METER WITH ROTARY MECHANISM FOR CLAMP JAWS

• US 20100134094A1
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rishabh Instruments Pvt., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rishabh Instruments Pvt., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shahane, Kuldeep Himmatrao, Deshmukh, Amol Ashokrao, Shah, Tushar Gajkumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,944,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/126
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers

Abstract

The present invention provides a clamp meter with clamp jaws whose position is adjustable in different planes with respect to the plane of the main body of the clamp meter at various fixed angles, thereby helping the user to measure the current in the conductors which are disposed in tight physical spaces such as an electrical cabinet or electrical panel, or placed in awkward positions such as overhead locations. The present invention allows the user to operate the instrument and also read the display in all positions of the clamp jaws.

Claims

1. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism for clamp jaws comprising a main body that is made up of

a. a cover housing and a base housing, the two housings enclosing the measurement circuitry of the clamp meter;

b. a display screen, a function selection switch, and a set of push buttons to select testing parameters are housed within the housings and electrically connected to said measurement circuitry,

c. two input terminals,

d. a clamp housing that houses a pair of clamp jaws, each of said clamp jaws containing electrical coils, said coils being electrically connected to said circuitry;

said clamp jaws being connected to said clamp housing through an arrangement comprising a pivot sleeve and pivot screw for each of the clamps, and the two jaws from said pair of clamp jaws being connected to each other through a central hinge arrangement wherein each of the said jaws have a loop that are positioned axially, through which a pin, which is made of metal or any other suitable material such as hard plastic, hard rubber, or wood, passes to form the hinge arrangement,

e. a trigger that is used for opening and closing said clamp jaws, wherein when pressed, the trigger pushes the trigger-end of a pusher, said pin being fixedly attached to the other end of said pusher such that when said trigger is operated, said pusher gets pushed along its axis, thereby moving said pin in the same direction, and wherein said pin, through the central hinge arrangement, makes the clamp jaws rotate in their own plane, thereby opening them around the pin,

f. a compression spring for each of said jaws, wherein said compression springs are so located that said clamp jaws, in their open position, press against said compression springs, and whereby, upon the release of said trigger, said compression springs push said clamp jaws back into their closed position,

g. a rotary mechanism that allows rotation of said clamp jaws together around the longitudinal axis of said pusher, wherein said novel rotary mechanism comprises;

i. a disk that is formed integrally with the clamp housing, wherein the periphery of the disk is so shaped that it forms alternate protrusions and grooves in the plane of the disk,

ii. ball and catch arrangements, at least one in number, preferably two, that are provided on diametrically opposite sides of the disk, wherein each ball is provided with a locking spring such said ball is secured in a groove when not under application of a rotational force while turning said pair of clamp jaws.

2. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said trigger may be placed at any positions such as side of the clamp meter, or any other position from where clamp jaws can be appropriately worked.

3. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said disc is made from any electrically non conducting material, preferably hard or semi-hard.

4. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein said disc is not formed integrally with the clamp housing, that is said disc is manufactured separately and attached fixedly to the clamp housing by any means of attachment selected from a group comprising gluing, heat and pressure, welding, etc., or any combination thereof.

5. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the peripheral profile of said disc may be such that allows easy movement of said ball into any of said grooves and over any of said humps under the application of a rotating force, and also positions said ball into any of said grooves securely when not under the application of the rotating force.

6. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said ball and catch arrangements may be single or more than two.

7. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in the case two ball and catch arrangements are used, said two ball and catch arrangements may be placed anywhere along the periphery of said disk.

8. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein parts contained in items d, e, f, and g of claim 1 are be housed together in a jaw assembly that is separate from the measurement assembly containing the parts contained in items a, b, and c of claim 1.

9. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein said jaw assembly is connected wirelessly or with a physical connection to the measurement assembly.

10. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 9, wherein said ball and catch arrangements are replaced with any other suitable mechanisms incorporating mechanical rotary bearings, or a gear train.

11. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electrical coils are replaced with any sensors, and further wherein said electrical coils or said sensors are magnetically connected to said circuitry.

12. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein said trigger-end of said pusher and said hinge end of said trigger may be of any shape selected from a group comprising wedge shaped, split wedges, flat or any curvilinear surface.

13. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein instead of each of said compression springs and instead of each of said locking springs, a material with elastic properties is used said material being used in shape of a solid or hollow cylinder or any other suitable shape, and wherein said material is selected from a group comprising rubber, polymer, or any combination thereof.

14. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein the material used for the trigger, the clamp jaws, the cover and base housings may be any material selected from the group comprising metals, alloys, plastic, rubber, or any other such suitable material, or a combination thereof.

15. A novel clamp meter with rotary mechanism substantially as herein described and illustrated in accompanying drawings.