Chassis electrical system tester

• US 7,057,394 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Bell, Joseph A., Wilson, Harry R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/052,410
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 324/555, 324/556, 324/503
• US Class Current: 324/503
• 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

Abstract

A portable emulator of a bus body electrical system provides for chassis electrical testing. The portable emulator/tester provides indicator/load circuits and switches which operate as outputs from and inputs to the bus electrical system. The emulator may be connected to a vehicle chassis prior to mating of the chassis with the body by the test connectors that are keyed to those used for the body.

Claims

1. Apparatus for testing of vehicle electrical systems, comprising:

a chassis electrical control system including a body computer having a plurality of output connections and a plurality of input connections for connection to vehicle body electrical systems, the chassis electrical control system being electrically isolated from a vehicle body electrical system; and

a portable vehicle body electrical system emulator including,

a housing,

a harness extending from the housing, the harness terminating in a plurality of test connectors for connection to the chassis electrical control system,

a plurality of visual indicators mounted on the housing,

a plurality of switches mounted on the housing,

a plurality of load emulation circuits, one being associated with and including an illumination element for each visual indicator, the plurality of load emulation circuits including a power dissipating element, and

a plurality of input emulation circuits, one being associated with and including each switch, the plurality of input emulation circuits providing emulation of switches installed on a vehicle body.

2. Apparatus for testing of vehicle electrical systems as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a replaceable graphic overlay on a face of the housing; and

the plurality of switches and visual indicators being located on the same face of the housing as the graphic, with the graphic overlay including indicia marking the switches and visual indicators as belonging in groups.

3. Apparatus for testing of vehicle electrical systems as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

each group of switches and visual indicators being associated with a particular test connector.

4. Apparatus for testing of vehicle electrical systems as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

selected load emulation circuits, intended for connection to a high power side field effect transistor, comprising in parallel, a resistor and a series connected resistor and light emitting diode.