12496results about "Measurement instrument housing" patented technology

A housing and a bottom cover are secured together and have pairs of aligned through-apertures, and probe pins are accommodated in respective pairs of through-apertures to provide an IC socket. Each probe pin comprises a tube having a stop flange formed around its outer periphery, a movable plunger accommodated in the tube such that an extension portion of the movable plunger in urged to project out of a narrowed first end portion of the tube by a first coil spring, and a fixed plunger fitted to a second end portion of the tube. Each probe pin is urged by a second coil spring such that the stop flange on the tube is urged into abutment with a shoulder portion of a through-aperture of the bottom cover, whereby a tip end of the fixed plunger is projected beyond the outer surface of the bottom cover and a tip end of the movable plunger is projected beyond the outer surface of the housing.

An electric energy monitor or meter for efficient measuring and recording electrical energy usage data relating to a particular appliance or circuit. One embodiment comprises a thin-profile monitoring device through which an electrical conductor, for example the normal line cord plug of an appliance or the output wire from a circuit breaker to the load, is inserted. A display may be provided to show the accumulated energy usage. In other embodiments a device of the invention can be installed in a light switch, appliance, plug, or receptacle. Data can also be transmitted by various means to a computing device such as a personal computer or the like. The device of the invention allows for interaction with Internet-based information dissemination or gathering, meter distribution by means of incentive or promotional give-away, and control of energy usage through connection to an energy management system.

A probe block assembly has an electrically insulative housing and an electrically conductive plate. The front side of the housing has a forward face and a recessed face. The electrically conductive plate is positioned against the recessed face of the housing. A plurality of probes extend from the forward face of the housing and are electrically isolated from each other and from the conductive plate. A plurality of probes extend from a front surface of the conductive plate and are in electrical contact with each other.

A power meter reader system for automatically reading an indication on a power meter unit having a cyclical property that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption. The system comprises a detection unit that includes a sensor unit for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal, a processing unit for generating an information signal based on data related to the consumption detection signal, and a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal based on the information signal. The processing unit also generates a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication. The system further includes a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit for receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption. The detection unit may also employ a prediction model for reducing power consumption in the detection unit.

A test probe consists of an elongated screw machine contact biased by a helical spring and mounted in a through hole of a non-conductive substrate. One end of the contact includes a crown for engaging a solder ball lead of an IC package, and the contact includes an intermediate collar which maintains the contact within the through hole. The helical spring is disposed about the contact, with one end thereof engaging the lower end of the collar. The other end of the helical spring has contiguous coils and is of a reduced diameter so as to extend beyond the lower end of the non-conductive substrate to make electrical contact with a printed circuit board. When the test probe is compressed between the IC package and the printed circuit board, the inherent twisting of the helical spring causes the contact to tilt and make electrical contact with the contiguous coils, thereby establishing a direct electrical path between the IC package and the printed circuit board, with minimum resistance and minimum inductance. In an alternate embodiment, each probe is disposed within a dielectric housing which, in turn, is disposed in a through hole in a conductive substrate to effectively shield the probe from electrical interference.

A power strip is providing including a housing coupled to a first end portion of a power supply cord, the housing having an electrical receptacle mounted thereto and connected to the power supply cord, the power supply cord having a second end connectable to a power source. A current sensor is coupled to the power supply cord between the electrical receptacle and the second end for detecting electrical current flow through the power supply cord and providing an output signal that varies in proportion to the current flow through the power supply cord. A processing circuit coupled to the output of the current sensor includes a display device for displaying at least one of the current, voltage, power, and phase associated with the power supply cord at the current sensor. The display device can be remotely coupled to the power strip for positioning the display in a convenient location.

A method for fabricating microelectronic spring structures is disclosed. In an initial step of the method, a layer of sacrificial material is formed over a substrate. Then, a contoured surface is developed in the sacrificial material, such as by molding the sacrificial material using a mold or stamp. The contoured surface provides a mold for at least one spring form, and preferably for an array of spring forms. If necessary, the sacrificial layer is then cured or hardened. A layer of spring material is deposited over the contoured surface of the sacrificial material, in a pattern to define at least one spring form, and preferably an array of spring forms. The sacrificial material is then at least partially removed from beneath the spring form to reveal at least one freestanding spring structure. A separate conducting tip is optionally attached to each resulting spring structure, and each structure is optionally plated or covered with an additional layer or layers of material, as desired. An alternative method for making a resilient contact structure using the properties of a fluid meniscus is additionally disclosed. In an initial step of the alternative method, a layer of material is provided over a substrate. Then, a recess is developed in the material, and fluid is provided in the recess to form a meniscus. The fluid is cured or hardened to stabilize the contoured shape of the meniscus. The stabilized meniscus is then used to define a spring form in the same manner as the molded surface in the sacrificial material.

A connector includes a connector body including a hole, a contact disposed in the hole and arranged such that, when the connector is connected to a substrate, the contact is connected to a corresponding electrical pad on the substrate, a conductive elastomeric interface arranged such that, when the connector is connected to the substrate, the conductive elastomeric interface is between the connector body and the substrate, and a cable connected to the contact. The contact includes a ground ferrule and a locking ferrule arranged to mate with the hole, and the hole of the connector body and the locking ferrule are at least partially threaded. When the connector is connected to the substrate and when the locking ferrule is threaded with the hole, the ground ferrule contacts at least one of the conductive elastomeric interface and the upper surface of the substrate.

A current sensing module for disposal proximate a conductor is disclosed. The current sensing module includes a housing having a first section and a second section that together define an opening for receiving the conductor therethrough. The second section is in operable connection with the first section. The current sensing module further includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) based current sensor disposed within the first section proximate the opening for receiving the conductor.

A method of manufacturing a protruding-volute contact for attaining electrical continuity with an electrode of electronic equipment or inspection equipment, the method comprising the steps of forming a plastic mold (resist structure) with a metal mold; forming a layer consisting of metallic material on the plastic mold (resist structure) by means of electroforming; and performing convex formation of a metal microstructure made from the layer consisting of metallic material so as to form a spiral spring that protrudes volutedly outward. With such method, an inspection contact or coupling contact having high reliability and capable of attaining electrical continuity of large electric current can be produced at low cost.

A socket for test includes: a support block, having a first face and a second face different from the first face, and formed with through holes; probes, provided in the through holes, and electrically connected to terminals of a device to be tested provided on a side of the first face and to terminals connected to a testing apparatus provided on a side of the second face, the probes including a first probe for grounding and a second probe different from the first probe; and a first plate member, formed with a first hole corresponding to the first probe and having a smaller diameter than a diameter of the first probe, slots radially extended from the first hole, and a second hole corresponding to the second probe and having a larger diameter than a diameter of the second probe, the first plate member being in electrical contact with the support block.

A socket signal extender (SSE), and a system and method of testing an assembled device under test (DUT) board employing an SSE. In one embodiment, the SSE includes a cover having a portion configured to fit within a test socket. The portion is free of logic and includes electrical conductors configured to provide an electrical connection to contacts of the test socket.

The electrical measuring apparatus (17) and temperature sensing apparatus minimises the number of connections required for each contact (30, 31) of a battery (18). The present invention measures the core temperature of the battery (18) which is useful in monitoring the health of the battery (18). The apparatus comprises first connection means to connect to the first contact (30) of the battery (18) and second connection means to connect to the second contact (31) of the battery (18). The apparatus includes a thermistor (36) which connects in series with one lead (32) of the connecting means. Accordingly, the apparatus does not require the temperature sensor (36) to be independently connected to the battery (18).

A hand held testing meter is provided which allows the meter to be viewed and securely supported on the user's hand, while the user's fingers are free to hold and manipulate test instruments. An elastomeric band is provided which is engageable to the meter extending substantially across the meter rear surface. The elastomeric band is resiliently extendable to securely receive a user's hand intermediate the meter rear surface and the elastomeric band.

An interconnect for testing semiconductor components includes a substrate, and contacts on the substrate for making temporary electrical connections with bumped contacts on the components. Each contact includes a recess and a support member over the recess configured to electrically engage a bumped contact. The support member is suspended over the recess on spiral leads formed on a surface of the substrate. The spiral leads allow the support member to move in a z-direction within the recess to accommodate variations in the height and planarity of the bumped contacts. In addition, the spiral leads twist the support member relative to the bumped contact to facilitate penetration of oxide layers thereon. The spiral leads can be formed by attaching a polymer substrate with the leads thereon to the substrate, or by forming a patterned metal layer on the substrate. In an alternate embodiment contact, the support member is suspended over the surface of the substrate on raised spring segment leads.