ELECTRICAL TERMINAL TEST POINT AND METHODS OF USE
First Claim
1. An electrical terminal test point comprising:
- a conducting mechanism configured to provide an electrical connection to a contact point, wherein the electrical connection is established and removed from the contact point without disrupting electrical continuity through the contact point; and
an attachment mechanism separate from the conducting mechanism, said attachment mechanism configured to maintain the electrical connection between the conducting mechanism and the contact point.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of an electrical terminal test point that can be temporarily attached to an electrical terminal (e.g., terminal block) in order to provide an interface between the test leads/jumpers of a test device and the electrical contact points of the electrical terminal. In one aspect, embodiments of the electrical terminal test point provide a shield for the electrical contact points of the electrical terminal (whether or not being used for testing) from inadvertent contact and prevents test leads/jumpers of test device from accidentally falling off or being knocked off of their contact points. Electrical terminal test point can be installed and removed without affecting the electrical connections made by electrical terminal (e.g., without removing terminal screws of electrical terminal).
49 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An electrical terminal test point comprising:
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a conducting mechanism configured to provide an electrical connection to a contact point, wherein the electrical connection is established and removed from the contact point without disrupting electrical continuity through the contact point; and an attachment mechanism separate from the conducting mechanism, said attachment mechanism configured to maintain the electrical connection between the conducting mechanism and the contact point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. The electrical terminal test point of claim 10, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a spring-loaded J-hook.
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21. A terminal block test point comprising:
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a shield configured to protect one or more contact points of a terminal block; one or more conducting mechanisms substantially perpendicular to and extending through the shield, respective conducting mechanisms configured to provide an electrical connection to one of the one or more contact points of the terminal block, respective contact points configured to establish a connection between two or more leads associated with the terminal block, wherein respective conducting mechanisms are capable of being removed from the corresponding contact point without disrupting the connection established by the contact point; one or more attachment mechanisms substantially perpendicular to and extending through the shield, said attachment mechanisms separate from the one or more conducting mechanisms, respective attachment mechanisms configured to maintain the electrical connection between at least one of the one or more conducting mechanisms and the corresponding at least one contact point of the terminal block and further to cause at least a portion of the shield to contact at least a portion of the terminal block.
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22. A method comprising:
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attaching an electrical terminal test point to an electrical terminal for the purpose of performing one of a plurality of tests in association with the electrical terminal, said electrical terminal test point comprising; one or more conducting mechanisms, each configured to provide an electrical connection to one of a plurality of contact points of the electrical terminal, respective contact points configured to establish a connection between two or more leads associated with the electrical terminal, wherein respective conducting mechanisms are capable of being attached and removed from the corresponding contact point without disrupting the connection established by the contact point; and one or more attachment mechanisms separate from the one or more conducting mechanisms, said attachment mechanisms configured to maintain the electrical connection between the one or more conducting mechanisms and the corresponding one or more contact points of the electrical terminal; and attaching one or more test leads of a test device to the one or more conducting mechanisms of the electrical terminal test point. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification