Automated run test system having built-in high voltage switching matrix for interconnection to a safety compliance testing instrument

• US 6,538,420 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Associated Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Associated Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Bald, Roger A., Chen, Pin-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Oda, Christine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teresinski, John
• Application Number:
  US09/828,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 324/551, 324/763, 324/537, 324/759, 324/555, 324/522, 324/750, 324/755, 324/121.R, 324/115, 324/114, 702/121, 702/511, 702/510, 702/572
• US Class Current: 324/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/12 Testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage ; Testing or monitoring effectiveness or level of insulation, e.g. of a cable or of an apparatus, for example using partial discharge measurements; Electrostatic testing G01R31/08, G01R31/327 and G01R31/72 take precedence; measuring in plasmas G01R19/0061; measuring dielectric constants G01R27/2617; ESD, EMC or EMP testing of circuits G01R31/002
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2849 Environmental or reliability testing, e.g. burn-in or validation tests of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of printed circuits boards G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855

Abstract

An electrical run test instrument having a connection to a device under test includes a line voltage input, a high voltage input, and a high voltage switching matrix that enables selective connections between the device under test and line voltage or high voltage inputs using the same test set-up. The high voltage input may be interconnected with a safety compliance test instrument, permitting both run tests and line tests to be performed in succession using the same basic connection to the device under test.

Claims

1. An electrical run test instrument, comprising:

an output connection to a device under test (DUT);

two input terminals, including;

(a) a high voltage input terminal arranged to receive a high voltage from at least one separate external safety compliance test instrument; and

(b) an AC line voltage input terminal arranged to receive an AC line voltage;

run test circuitry for receiving and processing run test measurements when the DUT is supplied with said AC line voltage; and

a high voltage switching matrix arranged to selectively connect said AC line voltage input terminal and said high voltage terminal to said output connection,

wherein;

(a) when said high voltage input terminal is connected by said switching matrix to said output connection, the high voltage from said at least one separate external safety compliance test instrument is supplied to said DUT to perform safety compliance tests, and

(b) when said AC line voltage input terminal is connected by said switching matrix to said output connection, (i) the AC line voltage is supplied to said DUT to perform said run tests, and (ii) said run test measurements are supplied to said run test circuitry by said switching matrix.

2. An electrical run test instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein inputs to the high voltage switching matrix include at least a line voltage input connected to said AC line voltage input terminal, a line neutral input, a high voltage input connected to said high voltage input terminal, a ground bond/continuity input, and a high voltage/ground bond return, and wherein outputs from the high voltage switching matrix include a DUT line output, a DUT neutral output, an earth ground connection, and a connection to the DUT case or chassis.

3. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein said high voltage switching matrix is further arranged to supply measurements of input voltage, output voltage, and output current to an analog-to-digital converter and to comparison circuitry on a main control board.

4. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein switching between the various inputs and outputs is accomplished through relays controlled by a processor on the main control board.

5. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor arranged to measure input voltage, amperage, power, and power factor of device under test running on line current.

6. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 1, further comprising circuitry arranged to measure a leakage current from an enclosure of the device under test to a neutral of the input line power.

7. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an operator interface arranged to permit test parameters to be pre-programmed or set through a keypad accessible to a user of the instrument and a menu driven display screen.

8. A run test instrument as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a remote interface that permits pre-programmed test functions to be initiated through a remote input port, and pass/fail indicator functions to be reviewed via a remote output port in order to enable manual control of the instrument from a remote location.