Lighting tester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8970220-B2
Application number	US-201113179276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2011
Priority date	Jul 9, 2010
Publication date	Mar 3, 2015
Grant date	Mar 3, 2015

Abstract

A combination lighting tester tool. The combination lighting tester tool includes at least three independent testing tools for identifying and diagnosing a problem in a lighting system. For example, the tester includes a lamp testing function in which a high voltage test signal is generated and transmitted using an antenna. When the test signal is in proximity to a gas filled lamp, the voltage is of sufficient magnitude to ionize the gas inside the lamp, causing the lamp to illuminate. The tester also includes a ballast testing function in which the power lines or wires connecting a ballast to a lamp or lighting fixture are tested, and a filament tester for testing the filaments in a lamp for continuity or resistance. The tester also includes a worklight for illuminating an area under test and one or more display devices (e.g., LEDs, an LCD display, or the like) which provide an indication of, for example, a test being performed or a result of a test.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting tester for testing one or more types of lamps, the lighting tester comprising:
a housing;
an antenna coupled to the housing and including a first pull-out shaft and a second pull-out shaft that are pulled out and extended away from the housing of the lighting tester, at least one of the first pull-out shaft and the second pull-out shaft being coated with an electrically insulating material, the first pull-out shaft configured to be in electrical communication with the second pull-out shaft,
wherein the first pull-out shaft is the first of the first and second pull-out shafts to be extended from the lighting tester, and the first pull-out shaft is the last of the first and second pull-out shafts to retract into the lighting tester;
the housing containing
a first test circuit configured to generate a test voltage signal, the test voltage signal capable of being applied via the antenna to a lamp and ionizing a gas within the lamp,

a second test circuit configured to receive a signal associated with a lighting ballast, the signal capable of being received without contacting the lighting ballast, and determine whether the signal is indicative of a high-frequency voltage generated by the lighting ballast, and
a third test circuit configured to receive a first terminal and a second terminal of the lamp and test a filament of the lamp for continuity;
a worklight configured for use in conjunction with at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit; and
at least one output device configured to provide a signal indicative of the operation of at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

2. The lighting tester of claim 1 , wherein the one or more types of lamps include at least one of low-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, high-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, and high-intensity discharge fluorescent lamps.

3. The lighting tester of claim 1 , further comprising at least one selection device configured to select one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

4. The lighting tester of claim 1 , wherein the lighting tester is configured for single-handed operation.

5. The lighting tester of claim 1 , further comprising a non-contact voltage detector.

6. A lighting tester for testing one or more types of lamps, the lighting tester comprising:
a housing containing
a first test circuit configured to generate a test voltage signal, the test voltage signal capable of being applied to a lamp and ionizing a gas within the lamp,

a second test circuit configured to receive a signal associated with a lighting ballast and determine whether the signal is indicative of a high-frequency voltage generated by the lighting ballast, and
a third test circuit configured to receive a first terminal and a second terminal of the lamp and test a filament of the lamp for continuity; and
an antenna coupled to the housing and including a first pull-out shaft and a second pull-out shaft that are pulled out and extended away from the housing of the lighting tester, at least one of the first pull-out shaft and the second pull-out shaft being coated with an electrically insulating material, the first pull-out shaft configured to be in electrical communication with the second pull-out shaft,
wherein the first pull-out shaft is the first of the first and second pull-out shafts to be extended from the lighting tester, and the first pull-out shaft is the last of the first and second pull-out shafts to retract into the lighting tester.

7. The lighting tester of claim 6 , further comprising a worklight configured for use in conjunction with at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

8. The lighting tester of claim 6 , further comprising at least one display device configured to provide a signal indicative of the operation of at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

9. The lighting tester of claim 6 , wherein the one or more types of lamps include at least one of low-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, high-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, and high-intensity discharge fluorescent lamps.

10. The lighting tester of claim 6 , further comprising a rotary dial configured to select one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

11. The lighting tester of claim 6 , wherein the lighting tester is configured for single-handed operation.

12. The lighting tester of claim 6 , wherein the lighting tester is configured to be powered by one or more batteries.

13. A lighting tester for testing one or more types of lamps, the lighting tester comprising:
a housing;
an antenna coupled to the housing and including a first pull-out shaft and a second pull-out shaft that are pulled out and extended away from the housing of the lighting tester, at least one of the first pull-out shaft and the second pull-out shaft being coated with an electrically insulating material, wherein the first pull-out shaft is in electrical communication with the second pull-out shaft,
wherein the first pull-out shaft is the first of the first and second pull-out shafts to be extended from the lighting tester, and the first pull-out shaft is the last of the first and second pull-out shafts to retract into the lighting tester;
the housing containing
a first test circuit configured to generate a test voltage signal, the test voltage signal capable of being applied via the antenna to a lamp and ionizing a gas within the lamp,
a second test circuit configured to receive a signal associated with a lighting ballast and determine whether the signal is indicative of a high-frequency voltage generated by the lighting ballast, and
a third test circuit configured to receive a first terminal and a second terminal of the lamp and test a filament of the lamp for continuity; and

a worklight configured for use in conjunction with at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

14. The lighting tester of claim 13 , further comprising at least one display device configured to provide a signal indicative of the operation of at least one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

15. The lighting tester of claim 13 , wherein the one or more types of lamps include at least one of low-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, high-pressure discharge fluorescent lamps, and high-intensity discharge fluorescent lamps.

16. The lighting tester of claim 13 , further comprising a rotary dial configured to select one of the first test circuit, the second test circuit, and the third test circuit.

17. The lighting tester of claim 13 , wherein the lighting tester is configured for single-handed operation.

18. A lighting tester for testing a lamp, the lighting tester comprising:
a housing;
an antenna coupled to the housing and including a first pull-out shaft and a second pull-out shaft that are pulled out and extended away from the housing of the lighting tester, at least one of the first pull-out shaft and the second pull-out shaft being coated with an electrically insulating material, the first pull-out shaft configured to be in electrical communication with the second pull-out shaft,
wherein the first pull-out shaft is the first of the first and second pull-out shafts to be extended from the lighting tester, and the first pull-out shaft is the last of the first and second

Assignees

• Morrow Jonathan P
• Nguyen Evans H
• Zenghong Hu
• Jianqin Lin
• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Morrow Jonathan P
• Nguyen Evans H
• Zenghong Hu
• Jianqin Lin

Classifications

• G01R31/24 Primary

  Testing of discharge tubes (during manufacture H01J9/42) · CPC title

• H05B41/2851

  for protecting the circuit against abnormal operating conditions · CPC title

• H05B47/20

  Responsive to malfunctions or to light source life; for protection · CPC title

• G01R31/44

  Testing lamps · CPC title

• H05B37/03

  Electricity · mapped topic