Polarity tester for an electronic communication port

• US 7,906,956 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Filipe P. Matias
• Original Assignee: Filipe P. Matias
• Inventors: Matias, Filipe P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoai-An D
• Application Number:
  US12/228,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 324/133, 324/76.11, 324/72.5, 324/555, 324/556, 324/509, 324/538, 340/663, 340/662, 340/660, 340/657, 340/540, 340/500, 340/664
• US Class Current: 324/133
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/14 Indicating direction of current; Indicating polarity of voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4072 Drivers or receivers G06F13/4086 takes precedence; for multistate logic circuits H03K19/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4077 Precharging or discharging

Abstract

A polarity tester is engagable with an electronic communication port to test the polarity thereof. A connector is supported on a housing and features a plurality of electrical contacts for placement into electrical connection with a respective plurality of electrical contacts in the communication port when the connector is selectively engaged therewith. The plurality of electrical contacts include a power supply contact and a ground contact and a conductive path is defined within the housing to extend between the power supply and ground contacts. An indicator is connected within the conductive path to provide to a user of the polarity tester, when the connector is engaged with the communication port, an indication of whether electricity flows into the conductive path from the respective plurality of electrical contacts in the communication port through the power supply contact.

Claims

1. A polarity tester engagable with an electronic communication port to test the polarity thereof, the polarity tester comprising:

a housing;

a connector supported on the housing and comprising a plurality of electrical contacts and a sheath closing around the plurality of electrical contacts, the connector being adapted to place the plurality of electrical contacts in electrical connection with a respective plurality of electrical contacts in the communication port when the connector is selectively engaged therewith, the plurality of electrical contacts including a power supply contact and a ground contact;

a conductive path defined within the housing an extending from the power supply contact to the ground contact; and

an indicator connected within the conductive path between the power supply contact and the ground contact, and arranged to provide to a user of the polarity tester, when the connector is engaged with the communication port, an indication of whether electricity flows into the conductive path from the respective plurality of electrical contacts in the communication port through the power supply contact.

2. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is arranged to provide to the user a confirmatory signal when electricity flows into the conductive path through the ground contact.

3. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is arranged to provide to the user a warning signal when electricity flows into the conductive path through the ground contact.

4. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is arranged to provide a visual signal to the user of the polarity tester.

5. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises a light source.

6. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises a signalling LED, the conductive path connecting an anode of the signalling LED to one of the power supply and ground contacts and connecting a cathode of the signalling LED to an opposite one of the power supply and ground contacts.

7. The polarity tester according to claim 6 wherein the conductive path connects the anode of the signalling LED to the power supply contact and connects the cathode of the signalling LED to the ground contact.

8. The polarity tester according to claim 7 wherein the indicator further comprises a second LED connected in parallel with the signalling LED, the conductive path connecting an anode of second LED to the ground contact and connecting a cathode of the second LED to the power supply contact and the signalling and second LEDs being of two distinctive colours.

9. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises a bi-colour LED connected in the conductive path and arranged to illuminate in a first colour when electricity flows into the conductive path through the power supply contact and illuminate in a second colour, distinct from the first colour, when electricity flows into the conductive path through the ground contact.

10. The polarity tester according to claim 6 further comprising a resistor connected within the conductive path in series with the indicator.

11. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the conductive path is defined by a printed circuit board supported within the housing.

12. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a lid releasably connectable to a main body of the housing in which the conductive path is defined, the connector projecting from the main body for selective covering by the lid.

13. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the connector is arranged to engage with the communication port only in a predetermined orientation relative thereto.

14. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a USB connector.

15. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an IEEE 1394 connector.

16. The polarity tester according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is mounted within the housing and arranged to provide a visual signal to the user of the connector, the housing defining a viewing path through which the signal is visible.

17. The polarity tester according to claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises material through which the visual signal is visible to the user.

18. The polarity tester according to claim 1 comprising a tongue positioned within the sheath to form a key for determining a proper orientation in which the connector can be received in the communication port.