Combination battery, light bulb, and fuse tester

• US 20040160225A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HSN Improvements LLC (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Original Assignee: HSN Improvements LLC (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Inventors: Kung, C. H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/447
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/74 Testing of fuses

Abstract

A combination battery, light bulb, fuse tester having novel features. In particular, the tester includes a novel probe apparatus comprising an actuator, a pair of opposed probe arms, each of the probe arms having an electrical contact on an end thereof, the probe arms being adapted such that operation of the actuator biases the ends of the probe arms away from each other to an open position allowing the electrical poles of a battery, light bulb, or fuse to be tested to be contacted by the contacts on the probe arms. Additional features include magnetic probe contacts to facilitate the testing of a battery, light bulb, or fuse.

Claims

1. Battery contacting probe apparatus for use in a battery tester comprising:

an actuator;

a pair of opposed probe arms, each of said probe arms having an electrical contact on an end thereof;

said actuator operatively connected to said probe arms wherein movement of said actuator biases said ends of said probe arms away from each other to an open position allowing the electrical poles of a battery to be tested to be contacted by said contacts on said probe arms.

2. The probe apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises:

a rack and pinion gear system.

3. The probe apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rack and pinion gear system comprises:

a resiliently biased trigger having a first rack positioned on an upper surface thereof;

a pinion gear;

a second rack including a set of lower teeth and oppositely opposed sets of upper teeth;

gear teeth molded on the lower portion of said probe arms;

wherein said first rack engages said pinion, said pinion engages said lower teeth of said second rack, and said upper teeth of said second rack engage said gear teeth molded on the lower portion of said probe arms.

4. The probe apparatus of claim 3 wherein said resiliently biased trigger is biased by at least one spring.

5. The probe apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pair of probe arms include a spring attached to a lower portion thereof resiliently biasing said probe arms to a normally closed position.

6. The probe apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said electrical contacts is made of a magnetic material to facilitate the engagement of said electrical contact with said poles of a battery.

7. The probe apparatus of claim 6 wherein the other of said electrical contacts is made from a generally non-magnetic material.

8. The probe apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second rack includes a slot positioned between said oppositely opposed sets of upper teeth for slidably receiving an anchoring post.

9. The probe apparatus of claim 1 wherein said probe arms are adapted for contacting the poles of a fuse or a light bulb for measuring the efficacy thereof.

10. The probe apparatus of claim 4 wherein said trigger includes a slot formed therein for slidably receiving an associated rib.

24. The probe apparatus of claim 6 wherein said magnetic material is neodium.

25. The probe apparatus of claim 7 wherein said non-magnetic material is copper.

11. A battery tester comprising:

a case;

a battery testing circuit;

an actuator;

a pair of opposed probe arms, each of said probe arms having an electrical contact on an end thereof and being pivotably mounted in said case;

said battery testing circuit operatively connected to said electrical contacts;

said actuator operatively connected to said probe arms wherein movement of said actuator biases said ends of said probe arms away from each other to an open position allowing the electrical poles of a battery to be tested to be contacted by said contacts on said probe arms such that said load-based battery testing circuit can measure the efficacy of said battery.

12. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein said actuator comprises:

a rack and pinion gear system.

13. The battery tester of claim 12 wherein said rack and pinion gear system comprises:

a resiliently biased trigger having a first rack positioned on an upper surface thereof;

a pinion gear;

a second rack including a set of lower teeth and oppositely opposed sets of upper teeth;

gear teeth molded on the lower portion of said probe arms;

wherein said first rack engages said pinion, said pinion engages said lower teeth of said second rack, and said upper teeth of said second rack engage said gear teeth molded on the lower portion of said probe arms.

14. The battery tester of claim 13 wherein said resiliently biased trigger is biased by at least one spring.

15. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein said pair of probe arms include a spring attached to a lower portion thereof resiliently biasing said probe arms to a normally closed position.

16. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein one of said electrical contacts is made of a magnetic material to facilitate the engagement of said electrical contact with one of said poles of a battery.

17. The battery tester of claim 16 wherein the other of said electrical contacts is made from a generally non-magnetic material.

18. The battery tester of claim 13 wherein said second rack includes a slot positioned between said oppositely opposed sets of upper teeth for slidably receiving an anchoring post.

19. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein said probe arms are adapted for contacting the poles of a fuse or a light bulb for measuring the efficacy thereof and further comprising a conductivity circuit adapted for the same.

20. The battery tester of claim 14 wherein said trigger includes a slot formed therein for slidably receiving an associated rib.

21. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein said battery testing circuit includes potentiometers which may trimmed to a desired setting.

22. The battery tester of claim 11 wherein said battery testing circuit is load-based.

23. The battery tester of claim 11 further comprising red, amber and green LED indicators operatively connected to said battery testing circuit for indicating the bad, low, and good status, respectively, of a tested battery.

26. The battery tester of claim 16 wherein said magnetic material is neodium.

27. The battery tester of claim 11 further comprising a light for illuminating a face of an associated battery tester case.

28. A tester for a battery comprising at least one electrical contact for contacting a battery to be tested wherein said electrical contact is comprised of a permanent magnetic material of sufficient magnetic strength to hold a battery thereagainst.