U.S. patent application number 12/274355 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-20 for revolvable clamp meter.
Invention is credited to SHAW-LIN LIU.
Application Number | 20100123454 12/274355 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42171491 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100123454 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; SHAW-LIN |
May 20, 2010 |
REVOLVABLE CLAMP METER
Abstract
The clamp meter contains a revolving member configured between
the meter's body member and jaw member. The revolving member is
composed of a first base and a second base located on the
interfacing sides of the body member and the jaw member,
respectively. The first base and the second base are revolvably
joined together by an axle extended axially from the body member
into the jaw member via the first and second bases' aligned axle
holes. The first base has at least a roller ball elastically
embedded in a concave and exposed towards the second base. The
roller ball would roll into one of a number of notches of the
second base as the base and jaw members are rotated relative to
each other, thereby creating a number of preset configurations of
the included angle between the body and jaw members.
Inventors: |
LIU; SHAW-LIN; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008, 1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
42171491 |
Appl. No.: |
12/274355 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
324/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01R 1/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
324/127 |
International
Class: |
G01R 15/18 20060101
G01R015/18 |
Claims
1-4. (canceled)
5. A clamp meter, comprising: a body member having a display panel;
a jaw member; and a revolving member joining said body and jaw
members together, said revolving member having a first base located
on said body member, a second base located on said jaw member, and
an axle extended axially from said body member into said jaw member
via a first axle hole of said first base and a second axle hole of
said second base so that said body and jaw members are capable of
revolving relative to each other; wherein at least a roller ball is
embedded in a concave on said first base around said first axle
hole; said roller ball is elastically supported by a spring inside
said concave so that said roller ball is raised towards said second
base or suppressed entirely into said concave; a plurality of
notches are provided on said second base around said second axle
hole; said notches are positioned such that, as said body member
and said jaw member are rotated relative to each other, said roller
ball rolls into one of said notches, thereby creating a number of
preset configurations of the included angle between said body and
jaw members.
6. The clamp meter according to claim 5, wherein said revolving
member further contains a flat disc fixedly and perpendicularly
joined to an end of said axle; the diameter of said disc is larger
than that of said second axle hole so that said second base is
reliably sandwiched between said disc and said first base.
7. The clamp meter according to claim 6, wherein said disc has a
first protrusion towards said second base; said second base has at
least a second protrusion towards said disc; as such, said body
member and said jaw member are rotated relative to each only up to
a specific angle, clockwise or counterclockwise.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to clamp meters, and
more particularly to a clamp meter whose jaw member and body member
are capable of revolving relative to each other so that the clamp
meter's display panel could be conveniently turned to face the
operator for easy reading.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] As shown in FIG. 7, a clamp meter is an electrical device
having a body member 41 and a jaw member 42. The jaw member 42 has
two jaws which open to allow clamping around an electrical cable L.
This allows the electrical current or other electrical
characteristic in the cable L to be measured, without having to
make physical contact with the cable L, and the measurement is
shown in a display panel 411 of the body member 41.
[0003] A major inconvenience of the clamp meter is that, when the
meter clamps the cable L, the display panel 411 is quite often not
facing the operator of the clamp meter. Either the clamp meter has
to be twisted or the operator has to turn his head so as to read
the measurement on the display panel 411. There are circumstances
that, for example, when the cable L is located in a box B and the
display panel 411 is facing a lateral side B1 of the box B, it is
extremely difficult for the operator to read the measurement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Therefore a novel clamp meter is provided where its jaw
member and body members are capable of revolving relative to each
other and the clamp meter's display panel therefore could be
conveniently turned to face the operator for easy reading.
[0005] The clamp meter contains a revolving member configured
between the meter's body member and jaw member. The revolving
member is composed of a first base and a second base located on the
interfacing sides of the body member and the jaw member,
respectively. The first base and the second base are revolvably
joined together by an axle extended axially from the body member
into the jaw member via the first and second bases' aligned axle
holes. The first base has at least a roller ball elastically
embedded in a concave and exposed towards the second base. The
roller ball would roll into one of a number of notches of the
second base as the base and jaw members are rotated relative to
each other, thereby creating a number of preset configurations of
the included angle between the body and jaw members.
[0006] The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0007] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing a clamp meter
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a sectional diagram showing the clamp meter of
FIG. 1 viewed from the direction marked 2-2 in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the clamp member
of FIG. 1 viewed from the direction marked 3-3 in FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram showing an operational
scenario of the clamp meter of FIG. 1 in measuring a cable inside a
box where the jaw and body members are at 90 degrees relative to
each other.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a sectional diagram showing the clamp meter of
FIG. 1 viewed from the direction marked 5-5 in FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram showing the clamp member
of FIG. 1 viewed from the direction marked 6-6 in FIG. 5.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing an operational
scenario of a conventional clamp meter in measuring a cable inside
a box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only,
and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, a clamp meter according to an
embodiment of the present invention contains a body member 10
having a display panel 11, and a jaw member 20 at an end of the
body member 10 for clamping around a cable L. The clamp meter
measures a current or other electrical characteristic of the cable
L and displays the measurement in the display panel 11. The clamp
meter further contains a revolving member 30 composed of a first
base 31 and a second base 32 located on the interfacing sides of
the body member 10 and the jaw member 20, respectively. The first
base 31 and the second base 32 are revolvably joined together so
that, when the clamp meter clamps the cable L, its body member 10
or jaw member 20 could be turned to make the display panel 11 to
face the operator, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The clamp meter's
measurement is therefore much more convenient to read.
[0017] The first base 31 has a through first axle hole 310 so that
an axle 311 is extended axially from the body member 10 via the
first axle hole 310. Correspondingly, the second base 32 has a
second axle hole 321 aligned with the first axle hole 310 to
receive the axle 311. As such, the first and second bases 31 and 32
are revolvably joined together. Along an interfacing face of the
first base 31 with the second base 32, at least a roller ball 313
is provided around the first axle hole 310. The roller ball 313 is
housed in a concave 312 and a spring 314 inside the concave 312
elastically supporting the roller ball 313 so that the roller ball
313 is raised towards the second base 32 or suppressed entirely
into the concave 312. Similarly, along an interfacing face of the
second base 32 with the first base 31, a number of notches 322 are
provided around the second axle hole 321. The notches 322 are
positioned such that, as the body member 10 and the jaw member 20
are rotated relative to each other, the roller ball 313 would roll
into one of the notches 322 along the way, thereby creating a
number of preset configurations of the included angle between the
body and jaw members 10 and 20.
[0018] The revolving member 30 could further contain a flat disc 33
fixedly and perpendicularly joined to an end of the axle 311 that
penetrates through the second base 32. The diameter of the disc 33
is larger than that of the second axle hole 321 so that the second
base 32 is reliably sandwiched between the disc 33 and the first
base 31.
[0019] On an interfacing face of the disc 33 with the second base
32, a first protrusion 331 towards the second base 32 is provided.
On the other hand, on an interfacing face of the second base 32
with the disc 33, at least a second protrusion 323 towards the disc
33 is provided. As such, when the body member 10 and the jaw member
20 are engaged into a relative rotation, they will be stopped at
some point instead of continuously revolving around each other. For
example, when the jaw member 20 is twisted clockwise or
counterclockwise, it could be twisted only up to 90 degrees and
cannot be twisted further due to the blocking of the first and
second protrusions 331 and 323.
[0020] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *