Portable Measurement Device with Small Closed Loop for Tight Wire Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamp meters find it difficult to measure individual wires in bundled configurations due to their large clamp arms, making it hard to pick out and clamp wires with narrow gaps between them.
Innovation Solution
A portable measurement device with a closed loop of smaller inner diameter, featuring a slidable movable jaw and a stationary portion with inductance coils, allowing for easy clamping and measurement of wires in tight spaces, and a biasing element to facilitate automatic closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional clamp meters with large clamp arms are used, then they can measure electrical parameters in general scenarios, but they cannot conveniently pick out and measure individual wires from bundled wires with narrow gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of clamp arm dimensions, reducing the inner diameter of the closed loop from conventional large sizes to a small size (less than 10mm). This parameter change enables the measurement device to access and measure individual wires within tightly bundled wire configurations where conventional clamp meters cannot fit.
2Ease of operation
If the closed loop inner diameter is reduced to measure wires in tight spaces, then measurement accessibility improves, but the device may have difficulty generating sufficient clamping force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic clamping mechanism where the movable jaw can be manually positioned to the open position for wire insertion, then automatically closes to the closed position under spring biasing force. This dynamic operation ensures adequate clamping force is generated despite the reduced size of the closed loop, maintaining measurement capability while improving accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element (spring) provides automatic self-closing action of the movable jaw after wire insertion. The spring stores elastic potential energy that automatically converts to kinetic energy to close the jaws around the wire, eliminating the need for manual force application and ensuring consistent clamping force without requiring the user to exert additional effort.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables convenient picking and measuring of wires with small gaps between them, as the device can form a small closed loop for sensing currents, improving measurement accessibility in bundled wire scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a stationary portion and a movable jaw. The movable jaw and the stationary portion form a closed loop... each having an inductance coil... sensing electric currents flowing through a wire passing through the closed loop
Implementation Method 2
the switch comprises a biasing element for exerting a biasing force to the movable jaw to move it from the open position to the closed position
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~3
AI summary
A portable measurement device comprises: an elongated body with a distal end and a proximal end; a stationary portion fixedly mounted to the distal end, and a movable jaw movably mounted to the distal end and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein in the closed position the movable jaw and the stationary portion form a closed loop with an inner diameter of less than or equal to 10 mm, wherein the closed loop can generate a sensing current, and in the open position the movable jaw and the stationary portion define a gap allowing a wire under test passing therethrough and into the loop between the movable jaw and the stationary portion; a switch for driving the movable jaw to move between the closed position and the open position; and a measurement circuit disposed within the elongated body and electrically coupled to the stationary portion and the movable jaw to receive and measure the sensing current.