RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT TOOL

• US 20170234917A1
• Filed: 02/15/2016
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mahoney, Mark Milton, Strachan, Jonathan, Weber, David Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,209,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/14 Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72

Abstract

A tool to measure resistance of a wire harness is disclosed herein. An example disclosed tool includes a connector with first and second plugs. The example disclosed tool also includes a resistor. A first terminal of the resistor is electrically coupled to the first plug. Additionally, the example disclosed tool includes a thermal switch attached to the resistor with a thermally conductive adhesive. A first terminal of the thermal switch is electrically coupled to a second terminal of the resistor, and a second terminal of the thermal switch is electrically coupled to the second plug.

Claims

1. A tool for measuring resistance of a wire harness comprising;

a connector having first and second plugs;

a resistor having a first terminal electrically coupled to the first plug; and

a thermal switch attached to the resistor, a first terminal of the thermal switch electrically coupled to a second terminal of the resistor, a second terminal of the thermal switch electrically coupled to the second plug.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the connector is a dual-pin banana plug.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the resistor is a power resistor.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the resistor has an impedance value between two to ten ohms.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the thermal switch is a normally-closed switch.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the thermal switch has a trigger threshold between 57 degrees Celsius and 63 degrees Celsius.

7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the thermal switch has reset threshold 17 degrees below the trigger threshold.

8. The tool of claim 1, further including a heat shrink casing around the resistor and the thermal switch.

9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the thermal switch is attached to the resistor with a thermally conductive adhesive.

10. A resistance measurement tool comprising;

a connector having first and second plugs;

a resistor having a first terminal electrically coupled to the first plug;

a first switch having a first terminal electrically coupled to a second terminal of the resistor; and

a second switch attached to the resistor, a first terminal of the second switch electrically coupled to a second terminal of the first switch, a second terminal of the thermal switch electrically coupled to the second plug.

11. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the connector is a dual-pin banana plug.

12. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the resistor is a power resistor.

13. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the resistor has an impedance value between two to ten ohms.

14. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the first switch is a push-button switch.

15. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the second switch is a normally-closed thermal switch.

16. The resistance measurement tool of claim 15, wherein the second switch has a trigger threshold between 57 degrees Celsius and 63 degrees Celsius.

17. The resistance measurement tool of claim 16, wherein the thermal switch has reset threshold 17 degrees below the trigger threshold.

18. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, further including a heat shrink casing around the resistor and the thermal switch.

19. The resistance measurement tool of claim 10, wherein the second switch is attached to the resistor with a thermally conductive adhesive.