Energizable electrical test device for measuring current and resistance of an electrical circuit

• US 20060145714A1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Probe Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Power Probe, Inc.
• Inventors: Cruz, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/754.30
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters

Abstract

Provided is an electrical test device having multi-meter functionality and being adapted to provide current sourcing to an electrical system for selective measurement of a plurality of parameters. The electrical test device comprises a conductor probe element, a power supply, a processor and a display device. The power supply is interconnected between an external power source and a probe element. The processor is connected to the probe element and is configured to provide an input signal to the electrical system and receive an output signal in response thereto. The output signal is representative of at least one of the parameters of the electrical system. The display device is configured to display reading the output signal which is representative of the parameter. The electrical device is configured to allow for selective powering of the electrical system upon energization of the probe element during measurement of the parameters.

Claims

1. An electrical test device having multimeter functionality and being adapted to provide current sourcing to an electrical system for selective measurement of a plurality of parameters thereof, the electrical test device comprising:

a conductive probe element configured to be placed into contact with the electrical system and provide an input signal thereto;

a power supply interconnected between an external power source and the probe element;

a processor electrically connected to the probe element and configured to manipulate the input signal provided to the electrical system and receive an output signal in response to the input signal, the output signal being representative of at least one of the parameters of the electrical system; and

a display device electrically connected to the processor and configured to display a reading of the output signal, the reading being representative of the parameter;

wherein the electrical test device is configured to allow for selective powering of the electrical system upon energization of the probe element during measurement of the parameters.

2. The electrical test device of claim 1 wherein:

the electrical test device is configured to be switchable between one of an active mode and a passive mode;

the active mode defined by measurement of the parameters during powering of the electrical system;

the passive mode defined by measurement of the parameters without powering the electrical system.

3. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing having an auxiliary jack formed therein and being electrically connected to the processor; and

an auxiliary cable having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising a pair of auxiliary test leads and an auxiliary ground lead;

wherein the auxiliary ground and test leads being adapted to be selectively insertable into the auxiliary jack at the proximal end and connectable to the electrical system at the distal end for detecting continuity in the electrical system.

4. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising:

a piezo element electrically connected to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to cause the piezo element to generate an audible tone during measurement of at least one of the parameters.

5. The electrical test device of claim 1 wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display.

6. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising a pair of power leads configured to connect the test device to the external power source.

7. The electrical test device of claim 6 wherein the external power source is a vehicle battery.

8. The electrical test device of claim 6 further comprising a ground lead configured to be connected to a ground source.

9. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising a keypad configured to allow for switching between measurement modes of the parameters.

10. The electrical test device of claim 1 wherein the parameters measurable by the test device include at least one of circuit continuity, resistance, voltage, current, load impedance and frequency.

11. The electrical test device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to cause periodic energization of the probe element for powering the electrical system at predetermined intervals for testing a relay switch.

12. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising a pair of signal lamps connected to the processor and configured to illuminate in response to continuity measurement.

13. The electrical test device of claim 12 wherein the signal lamps are configured as light emitting diodes.

14. The electrical test device of claim 1 further comprising at least one illumination lamp connected to the processor and configured to illuminate an area adjacent the probe element.

15. The electrical test device of claim 14 wherein the illumination lamp is configured as a light emitting diode.

16. An electrical test device having multimeter functionality and being adapted to provide current sourcing to an electrical system for selective measurement of a plurality of parameters thereof, the test device being configured to be switchable between one of an active mode and a passive mode respectively defined by measurement of the parameters with and without powering of the electrical system, the test device comprising:

a conductive probe element configured to be placed into contact with the electrical system and provide an input signal thereto;

a power supply interconnected between an external power source and the probe element;

a processor electrically connected to the probe element and configured to manipulate the input signal provided to the electrical system and receive an output signal in response to the input signal, the output signal being representative of at least one of the parameters of the electrical system; and

a display device electrically connected to the processor and configured to display a reading of the output signal, the reading being representative of the parameter;

wherein the electrical test device is configured to allow for selective powering of the electrical system upon energization of the probe element during measurement of the parameters.

17. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising:

a housing having an auxiliary jack formed therein and being electrically connected to the processor; and

an auxiliary cable having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising a pair of auxiliary test leads and an auxiliary ground lead;

wherein the auxiliary ground and test leads being adapted to be selectively insertable into the auxiliary jack at the proximal end and connectable to the electrical system at the distal end for detecting continuity in the electrical system.

18. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising:

a piezo element electrically connected to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to cause the piezo element to generate an audible tone during measurement of at least one of the parameters.

19. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising:

a pair of power leads configured to connect the test device to a vehicle battery; and

a ground lead configured to be connected to a ground source

20. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising a keypad configured to allow for switching between measurements of the parameters.

21. The electrical test device of claim 16 wherein the parameters measurable by the test device include at least one of circuit continuity, resistance, voltage, current, load impedance and frequency.

22. The electrical test device of claim 16 wherein the processor is configured to cause periodic energization of the probe element for powering the electrical system at predetermined intervals for testing an electro-mechanical device.

23. The electrical test device of claim 22 wherein the electro-mechanical device is a relay switch.

24. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising a pair of signal lamps connected to the processor and configured to illuminate in response to continuity measurement.

25. The electrical test device of claim 16 wherein the processor is configured to cause the speaker and the display device to simultaneously and respectively generate an audible signal and display a reading of the output signal.

26. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising:

a pair of power leads configured to be connected to the power source; and

a ground lead configured to be connected to a ground source.

27. The electrical test device of claim 16 further comprising at least one signal lamp electrically connected to the processor and configured to receive the output signal therefrom and illuminate in response to detection of voltage polarity of the electrical system.