Device for testing continuity and/or short circuits in a cable

• US 5,477,152 A
• Filed: 10/14/1994
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Hayhurst, Arthur R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieder, Kenneth A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US08/324,851
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 324/539, 324/541, 324/542, 324/555, 324/556, 324/133
• US Class Current: 324/542
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/50 Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58

Abstract

A device for testing current paths is attachable to a conductor. The device automatically checks the current paths of the conductor for continuity of a center conductor, continuity of a shield and a short circuit between the shield and the center conductor. The device includes a pair of connectors and a circuit to provide for testing of the conductive paths of the cable. The pair of connectors electrically connects the conductive paths of a cable to be tested with the circuit paths of the circuit. The circuit paths in the circuit include indicators to simultaneously indicate the results of the testing.

Claims

1. A device for testing cables having at least first and second conductive paths, the device comprising:

connector means for electrically coupling the device to ends of a cable to be tested so as to make electrical contact with the first and second conductive paths at each end of the cable;

including a plurality of connector pairs, each connector in a pair having a first contact for electrical connection with the first conductive path and a second contact for electrical connection with the second conductive path;

circuit means, electrically coupled to the connector means, for detecting whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and second conductive paths of the cable; and

the circuit means includes first, second, and third circuit paths;

the first circuit path is connected to the first conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a first power source, or a first power source connection, and a first indicator means;

the second circuit path is connected to the second conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a second power source, or a second power source connection, and a second indicator means;

the third circuit path is connected to the first and the second circuit paths, utilizes the second power source or the second power source connection, and includes a third indicator means; and

said first, second and third indicator means, included in the plurality of circuit paths, for simultaneously indicating whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and second conductive paths of the cable.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power sources include first and second batteries, the first battery included in the first circuit path, the second battery included in both the second and third circuit paths.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicators are light emitting diodes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive path of the cable to be tested is a center conductor, and the second conductive path of the cable to be tested is a shield which surrounds the center conductor.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary connector electrically connected to the circuit so that equipment in addition to cables can be tested with the device.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a switch electrically connected to the circuit and operative to place the device in a first auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator means so that the device can be used to test equipment and to indicate whether the equipment is operative with the third indicator means.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the switch is also operative to place the device in a second auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is not placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator means but in which current is supplied to the auxiliary connector from the second power source so that the device can be used to test equipment.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is operative to test cables using the connector means regardless of the mode in which the switch places the device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector means includes a plurality of different connector pairs so that a plurality of different types of cables can be tested with the device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein three different types of connector pairs are provided.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the three different types of connector pairs include:

a bayonet null connector pair, a phono plug connector pair, and an F-type connector pair.

12. A device for testing cables having at least first and second conductive paths, the device comprising:

connector means for electrically coupling the device to ends of a cable to be tested so as to make electrical contact with the first and second conductive paths at each end of the cable, including a plurality of connector pairs, each connector in a pair having a first contact for electrical connection with the first conductive path and a second contact for electrical connection with the second conductive path;

circuit means, electrically coupled to the connector means, for detecting whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and second conductive paths of the cable;

the circuit means includes first, second, and third circuit paths;

the first circuit path is connected to the first conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a first power source, or a first power source connection, and a first indicator means;

the second circuit path is connected to the second conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a second power source, or a second power source connection, and a second indicator means;

the third circuit path is connected to the first and the second circuit paths, utilizes the second power source or the second power source connection, and includes a third indicator means;

said first, second and third indicator means, included in the plurality of circuit paths, for simultaneously indicating whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and second conductive paths of the cable; and

an auxiliary connector electrically connected to the circuit so that equipment in addition to cables can be tested with the device by supplying power to the equipment with the second power source.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first conductive path of the cable to be tested is a center conductor, and the second conductive path of the cable to be tested is a shield which surrounds the center conductor.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising a switch electrically connected to the circuit and operative to place the device in a first auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator means so that the device can be used to test equipment and to indicate whether the equipment is operative with the third indicator means.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the switch is also operative to place the device in a second auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is not placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator means but in which current is supplied to the auxiliary connector from the second power source so that the device can be used to test equipment.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the device is operative to test cables using the connector means regardless of the mode in which the switch places the device.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary connector is a banana connector.

18. A device for testing cables having at least first and second conductive paths, the device comprising:

connector means for electrically coupling the device to ends of a cable to be tested so as to make electrical contact with the first and second conductive paths at each end of the cable, including a plurality of connector pairs, each connector in a pair having a first contact for electrical connection with the first conductive path and a second contact for electrical connection with the second conductive path, and where the first conductive path of the cable to be tested is a center conductor, and the second conductive path of the cable to be tested is a shield which surrounds the center conductor;

circuit means, electrically coupled to the connector means, for detecting whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and second conductive paths of the cable; and

the circuit means includes first, second, and third circuit paths; and

the first circuit path is connected to the first conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a first power source, or a first power source connection, and a first indicator means; and

the second circuit path is connected to the second conductive path of the cable through the connector means and includes a second power source, or a second power source connection, and a second indicator means; and

the third circuit path is connected to the first and the second circuit paths, utilizes the second power source or the second power source connection, and includes a third indicator means; and

said first, second and third indicator means, included in the plurality of circuit paths, for simultaneously indicating whether the first conductive path is open, whether the second conductive path is open, and whether there is a short circuit between the first and the second conductive paths of the cable.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the power source includes first and second batteries, the first battery included in the first circuit path, the second battery included in both the second and third circuit paths.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the connector means includes a plurality of different connector pairs so that a plurality of different types of cables can be tested with the device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein three different types of connector pairs are provided.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the three different types of connector pairs include:

a bayonet null connector pair, a phono plug connector pair, and an F-type connector pair.

23. The device of claim 18, further comprising an auxiliary connector electrically connected to the circuit so that equipment in addition to cables can be tested with the device.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising a switch electrically connected to the circuit and operative to place the device in a first auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator so that the device can be used to test equipment and to indicate whether the equipment is operative with the third indicator.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the switch is also operative to place the device in a second auxiliary test mode in which the auxiliary connector is not placed in a common circuit path with the third indicator but in which current is supplied to the auxiliary connector from the second power source so that the device can be used to test equipment.

26. The device of claim 18, wherein the indicator means includes three separate indicators, and the indicators are light emitting diodes.