Test and measurement device including grooves for receiving probes in a use position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664708-B2
Application number	US-201414151384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2014
Priority date	Jan 9, 2014
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A test and measurement device including a housing, a circuit disposed within the housing, and a display located on the housing. The device includes a first probe and a second probe. Each of the first probe and the second probe includes a probe body, a conductive tip, and a probe wire. Each of the first probe and the second probe is coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit. The device also includes a first groove that has a first projection and a second projection. The first groove is configured to receive one of the probe bodies, and the projections are configured to retain the one of the probe bodies within the first groove. A second groove is configured to receive the other of the probe bodies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test and measurement device comprising:
a housing;
a circuit disposed within the housing;
a display located on a first side of the housing;
a first probe including a first probe body, a first conductive tip, and a first probe wire, the first probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a second probe including a second probe body, a second conductive tip, and a second probe wire, the second probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a first groove including a first projection and a second projection, the first groove configured to receive the first probe body, the first projection and the second projection configured to retain the first probe body within the first groove;
a second groove configured to receive the second probe body;
a first recess configured to receive the first probe body; and
a second recess configured to receive the second probe body,
wherein the first groove receives the first probe body and the second groove receives the second probe body in a use position, in which the first and second probes can be used to make electrical measurements, and
wherein the first recess receives the first probe body and the second recess receives the second probe body in a non-use position, in which the first and second probes cannot be used to make electrical measurements.

2. The test and measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a first terminal configured to receive a coupling member of the first probe wire, and a second terminal configured to receive a coupling member of the second probe wire.

3. The test and measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first groove includes a first arcuate surface, a first wall, and a second wall, and the second groove includes a second arcuate surface, a third wall, and a fourth wall.

4. The test and measurement device of claim 3 , wherein the second wall of the first groove is integrally formed with the fourth wall of the second groove.

5. The test and measurement device of claim 3 , wherein the first projection and the second projection define a first width of an opening of the first groove, and the third wall and the fourth wall of the second groove define a second width of an opening of the second groove, the first width being smaller than the second width.

6. The test and measurement device of claim 5 , wherein the second wall of the first groove defines a substantially concave surface of the first groove, and the fourth wall of the second groove defines a substantially convex surface of the second groove.

7. The test and measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first groove includes a first opening having a first width and the second groove includes a second opening having a second width, the first width being smaller than the second width.

8. The test and measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first probe body is secured by a snap-fit engagement within the first groove.

9. The test and measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first probe body is secured by a snap-fit engagement within the first recess, and the second probe body is secured by a snap-fit engagement within the second recess.

10. A test and measurement device comprising:
a housing;
a circuit disposed within the housing;
a first probe including a first probe body, a first conductive tip, and a first probe wire, the first probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a second probe including a second probe body, a second conductive tip, and a second probe wire, the second probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a first groove formed on the housing and including a first projection and a second projection;
a second groove formed on the housing;
a first recess formed on the housing apart from the first groove;
a second recess formed on the housing apart from the second groove;
a non-use position of the first probe and the second probe in which the first probe body is received in the first recess, but not the first groove and the second probe body is received in the second recess, but not the second groove; and
a use position of the first probe in which the first probe body is received and secured within the first groove.

11. The test and measurement device of claim 10 , wherein, when in the use position, the second probe body is slidably received by the second groove.

12. The test and measurement device of claim 10 , wherein, when in the use position, the second probe body is displaced from the second groove.

13. The test and measurement device of claim 10 , wherein the housing includes a first terminal configured to receive a coupling member of the first probe wire, and a second terminal configured to receive a coupling member of the second probe wire.

14. The test and measurement device of claim 10 , wherein the first groove includes a first arcuate surface, a first wall, and a second wall, and the second groove includes a second arcuate surface, a third wall, and a fourth wall.

15. The test and measurement device of claim 14 , wherein the first projection and the second projection define a first width of an opening of the first groove, and the third wall and the fourth wall of the second groove define a second width of an opening of the second groove, the first width being smaller than the second width.

16. The test and measurement device of claim 10 , wherein, when in the use position, the first probe body is secured by a snap-fit engagement within the first groove.

17. A test and measurement device comprising:
a housing;
a circuit disposed within the housing;
a first probe including a first probe body, a first conductive tip, and a first probe wire, the first probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a second probe including a second probe body, a second conductive tip, and a second probe wire, the second probe coupled to the housing and in electrical communication with the circuit;
a first groove including a first projection and a second projection, the first groove configured to receive one of the first probe body or the second probe body, the first groove including a first opening having a first width;
a second groove configured to receive the other of the first probe body or the second probe body, the second groove including a second opening having a second width,
wherein the first width is smaller than the second width,
wherein the first groove includes a first accurate surface, a first wall, and a second wall, and the second groove includes a second arcuate surface, a third wall, and fourth wall,
wherein the first width is defined by a distance between the first projection and the second projection of the first groove, and the second width is defined by a distance between the third wall and the fourth wall of the second groove, and
wherein the second wall of the first groove defines a substantially concave surface of the first groove, and the fourth wall of the second groove defines a substantially convex surface of the second groove.

18. The test and measurement device of claim 17 , wherein the housing includes a first terminal configured to receive a coupling member of one of the first probe wire or the second probe wire and a second terminal configured to receive a coupling member of the of the other of the first probe wire or the second probe wire.

19. The test and measurement device of claim 17 , wherein the one of the first probe body or the second prob

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Dorman Justin D
• Crowe Jason R
• Nguyen Evans H
• Hyland Dwight

Classifications

• G01R1/06788 Primary

  Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments (end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18) · CPC title

• G01R1/04

  Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals · CPC title