Accessory for utilization with non-contact electrical detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11821925-B2
Application number	US-202117521703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2021
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

Accessories are removably received by a non-contact electrical detector for measuring an electrical characteristic without galvanic contact between the accessory and a non-contact sensor in the non-contact electrical detector. In some embodiments, an accessory is positioned in a gap between first and second extensions of the non-contact electrical detector. In some embodiments, an accessory includes first and second recesses on opposite sides of the accessory. First and second clamp arms of a non-contact electrical detector are inserted within the first and second recesses to removably hold the accessory. An external conductive prong of the accessory is electrically coupled, or is selectively electrically coupleable, with an internal conductive prong of the accessory. The external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a receptacle of an electrical outlet. In use, the accessory positions the internal conductive prong within a sensing area of the non-contact electrical sensor of the non-contact electrical detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An accessory, comprising:
a non-conductive body;
an internal conductive prong within the non-conductive body;
a first external conductive prong that extends outward from the non-conductive body, wherein the first external conductive prong is selectively electrically coupleable with the internal conductive prong;
a second external conductive prong that extends outward from the non-conductive body, wherein the second external conductive prong is selectively electrically coupleable with the internal conductive prong, and the second external conductive prong is electrically isolated from the first external conductive prong; and
a switch that selectively electrically couples the first external conductive prong and the second external conductive prong to the internal conductive prong, the switch having:
a first position that electrically couples the first external conductive prong to the internal conductive prong while the second external conductive prong is decoupled from the internal conductive prong; and
a second position that electrically couples the second external conductive prong to internal conductive prong while the first external conductive prong is decoupled from the internal conductive prong,

wherein the first and second external conductive prongs are configured to be inserted into respective first and second receptacles of an electrical outlet to electrically couple the first and second external conductive prongs to the respective first and second receptacles of the electrical outlet.

2. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the internal conductive prong is a first internal conductive prong, the accessory further comprising a second internal conductive prong within the non-conductive body, wherein:
the first internal conductive prong is electrically coupled to the first external conductive prong; and
the second internal conductive prong is electrically coupled to the second external conductive prong.

3. The accessory of claim 2 , wherein:
the first internal conductive prong is electrically coupled to the first external conductive prong by at least a first electrical wire; and
the second internal conductive prong is electrically coupled to the second external conductive prong by at least a second electrical wire.

4. The accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third external conductive prong extending outward from the non-conductive body, wherein the third external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a third receptacle of the electrical outlet to electrically couple the third external conductive prong to the third receptacle of the electrical outlet.

5. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein, in use, the non-conductive body of the accessory positions the internal conductive prong within a sensing area of a non-contact electrical sensor without galvanically contacting the non-contact electrical sensor.

6. A system, comprising:
a non-contact electrical detector including:
a housing; and
a non-contact electrical sensor; and

an accessory configured to be positionable in a form factor of the non-contact electrical detector that is configured to receive the accessory, the accessory including:
a non-conductive body configured to be removably inserted into the form factor of the non-contact electrical detector;
an internal conductive prong positioned within the non-conductive body; and
an external conductive prong that extends outward from the non-conductive body, the external conductive prong being electrically coupled, or selectively electrically coupleable, with the internal conductive prong.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a receptacle of an electrical outlet to electrically couple the external conductive prong to the receptacle of the electrical outlet.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the external conductive prong is a first external conductive prong, and the accessory further includes:
a second external conductive prong extending outward from the non-conductive body.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a first receptacle of an electrical outlet to electrically couple the first external conductive prong to the first receptacle of the electrical outlet; and
the second external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a second receptacle of the electrical outlet to electrically couple the second external conductive prong to the second receptacle of the electrical outlet.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the non-contact electrical detector includes:
a receiving structure integral with the housing, the receiving structure having the form factor configured to removably receive the accessory, the receiving structure including:
a first extension of the housing;
a second extension of the housing; and
a gap between the first extension and the second extension, the accessory being removably positionable within the gap between the first and second extensions, wherein the first extension, the second extension, and the gap delimit the form factor of the receiving structure configured to receive the accessory;

wherein the non-contact electrical sensor is positioned within the housing proximate to the gap such that a sensing area of the non-contact electrical sensor extends into the gap to detect an electrical characteristic of the internal conductive prong within the accessory when the accessory is positioned within the gap of the receiving structure.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the non-contact electrical detector includes:
a clamp having the form factor configured to removably receive the accessory, the clamp being in mechanical cooperation with the housing of the non-contact electrical detector, the clamp including:
a first clamp arm extending outward from the housing and having a first end; and
a second clamp arm extending outward from the housing and having a second end, the first end of the first clamp arm being biased toward the second end of the second clamp arm to removably clamp the accessory;

wherein the non-contact electrical sensor is positioned proximate the first end of the first clamp arm or the second end of the second clamp arm to detect an electrical characteristic of the internal conductive prong within the accessory.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the non-contact electrical sensor is a non-contact voltage (NCV) sensor configured to detect a voltage.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the external conductive prong is a first external conductive prong, the accessory further including:
a second external conductive prong that extends outward from the non-conductive body, wherein the second external conductive prong is selectively electrically coupleable to the non-contact electrical detector, the second external conductive prong is configured to be inserted into a ground receptacle of an electrical outlet.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the external conductive prong is a first external conductive prong, the accessory further including:
a second external conductive prong that extends outward from the non-conductive body, wherein the second external conductive prong is selectively electrically coupleable with the internal conductive prong;
a switch that selectively electrically couples the first and second external conductive prongs to the internal conductive prong, the switch being selectively positioned in:
a first position that electrically couples the first external conductive prong to the internal conductive prong while the second external conductive prong is not coup

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Painting Brian D
• Silva Luis R
• Woo Ginger M
• Steuer Ronald

Classifications

• G01R19/0084 Primary

  Measuring voltage only · CPC title

• H01R11/24

  with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H01R13/6683

  with built-in sensor · CPC title

• H01R13/6691

  with built-in signalling means (H01R13/717 takes precedence) · CPC title