The invention pertains to electrical devices to provide access to electrical signals for test and monitor purposes. More particularly, the invention pertains to such devices which can be extended into electrical equipment to provide access to an electrical connector which is located in a difficult to reach location.
There is an ongoing need to be able to monitor the operation of electrical equipment for various reasons whether the equipment is in a development phase, an installation phase or a post installation, operational phase.
There are many instances where access ports are readily available through which test or monitoring equipment can be extended to be coupled to appropriate connectors or test points. At times, circumstances develop where the electrical connectors or test points of interest can not be readily accessed without powering the equipment down and removing one or more blocking panels. With the panels removed, the test or monitoring equipment can be coupled to the points of interest and the equipment powered up for test and evaluation.
The above solution does not address circumstance where powering equipment down will result in a loss of data, or a loss of the particular circumstances which are being exhibited and which need to be analyzed for diagnostic and/or corrective purposes.
There thus is an ongoing need for electrical devices which are sized and shaped to provide access to connectors or test points which are not readily available. It would also be preferable if such devices could be safely coupled to the terminals or points of interest without having to power down the associated equipment which might result in a loss of data or the particular circumstances which need to be analyzed and diagnosed.
An apparatus which embodies the invention includes first and second elongated, pivotally coupled non-conductive members. A plurality of separate conductive elements is carried by one of the members in the general vicinity of a distal end thereof.
While embodiments of this invention can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, as well as the best mode of practicing same, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
In one aspect of the invention, an electrical device is formed into the shape of an elongated, generally non-conductive, opposing pair of members or fingers. The devices can be spring-loaded so as to bias distal ends of the members toward one another.
One device which embodies the invention incorporates a probe, a plurality of electrical conductors, which is carried by one of the members adjacent to the distal end thereof. The elements of the probe, which are electrically isolated from one another, can be arranged linearly or arcuately all without limitation. In another aspect of the invention, one or more electrical conductors can be carried by both.
The members can be shaped so at to provide a space or an open region therebetween. The region extends generally from a pivot point of the members to the vicinity of the probe or electrical conductors. When installed on a piece of equipment, the distal ends of the members are biased toward one another with the elements of the probe being biased into contact with the connector elements or test points of the equipment of interest.
In one embodiment of the invention, an elongated clip-like connector can be shaped so as to provide access to a port of an optical network terminal. Such terminals might include an external hinged cover which when opened exposes an internal sheet metal case having an electrical access port. Removing a cover of the access port provides an opening into an internal region of the case.
An electrical connector which embodies the invention can be inserted into the opening in the case, past existing electrical connectors or equipment so as to provide access to one or more contact points within the case which are not otherwise readily available for carrying out diagnostic processing or maintenance activities.
Case 20 also carries an interior removal cover generally indicated at 24 which can carry an electrical or optical terminal indicated generally at 26. The cover 24 can be removed from the case as illustrated in
As those of skill in the art will understand, not all the electrical conductors or electrical points of interest are readily available through the entryway or port 28. In particular, as illustrated in
When proximal ends 48a, 48b are forced toward one another, in opposition to biasing force of the spring 46, the distal ends 42c, 42d separate from one another. As illustrated in
Each of members 50-1, -2 . . . -n of the plurality 50 is coupled by an electrical conductor, such as 50a, b, . . . n, to a displaced connector 54. Test and monitoring equipment T can be coupled via the connector 54 to the plurality of contacts 50-1, -2 . . . -n as would be understood by those of skill in the art. Neither the type of test or monitoring equipment nor the analysis associated therewith are limitations of the present invention.
Those of skill in the art will understand that the shape of the device 40 is exemplary only. Other shapes come within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the members of the plurality 50 could be arranged arcuately or circularly, as opposed to linearly in
The device 60 carries a probe 70 positioned adjacent to the distal ends 62e, 62f. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Those of skill in the art will understand that connector configurations other than those illustrated by connectors 30, 32, 34 which are located in difficult to access locations can be accessed electrically via devices in accordance with the invention. Such devices would carry probes with electrical configurations compatible with the respective connector of interest.
It will also be understood that the coupling connectors such as 54, 74 can be located on, at adjacent to or displaced from the respective devices 40, 60, 80 and the like all without limitation. Further, the contact configurations carried at the respective distal ends such as distal ends 62e, 62f need not be linearly arranged they could be arcuately arranged in accordance with the configuration of the connector of interest to be coupled to.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.