Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A tester for electronic components, said tester
comprising:
a DC voltage source having a positive side and a
negative side;
switching means connected to the positive and negative
sides of said voltage source, said switching means having
first and second positions;
a first lead selectively connected to the positive and
negative sides of said voltage source;
a second lead selectively coupled to the negative and
positive sides of said voltage source;
a first resistor connected between said second lead
and said switching means;
a two-state visual indicator means connected in
parallel with said first resistor, said visual indicator
means having first and second terminals;
audible indicator means connected in parallel with
said first resistor, said audible indicator means having
first and second terminals;
said first and second leads being adapted to be
selectively connected to two leads of an electronic
component, the position of said switching means and the
functioning condition of said visible and audible indicator
means indicating type and integrity of said component.
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2. The tester recited in claim 1 and further comprising a
third lead coupled to said second lead, said first, second
and third leads being adapted to be selectively connected
to at least two leads of the electronic component.
3. The tester recited in claim 2 wherein:
when said switching means is in said first position,
said first lead is connected to said negative side of said
voltage source and said second lead is connected through
said first resistor to said positive side of said voltage
source, thereby positively biasing one terminal of said
visual indicator means; and
when said switching means is in said second position,
said first lead is connected to said positive side of said
voltage source and said second lead is connected through
said first resistor to said negative side of said voltage
source, thereby negatively biasing said one terminal of
said visual indicator means.
4. The tester recited in claim 2 wherein:
said audible indicator means is connected across said
first resistor through said switching means; whereby
when said switching means in in said first position,
said first terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said positive side of said voltage source and
said second terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said second lead;
when said switching means is in said second position,
said first terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said second lead and said second terminal is
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connected to said negative side of said voltage source.
5. The tester recited in claim 3 wherein:
said audible indicator means is connected across said
first resistor through said switching means; whereby
when said switching means in in said first position,
said first terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said positive side of said voltage source and
said second terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said second lead;
when said switching means is in said second position,
said first terminal of said audible indicator means is
connected to said second lead and said second terminal is
connected to said negative side of said voltage source.
6. The tester recited in claim 2 wherein said tester is
adapted to test for quality three-lead components selected
from the group consisting of transistors, triacs and
silicon controlled rectifiers.
7. The tester recited in claim 6 wherein when a
transistor is to be tested, with said switching means in
said first position, said first lead connected to the
emitter of the transistor and said second lead connected to
the collector of the transistor, actuation of said audible
indicator means and one state of said visual indicator
means indicates shorting between emitter and collector,
non-actuation of said audible indicator means and actuation
of said one state of said visual indicator means indicates
leakage through the base junction of the transistor.
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8. The tester recited in claim 7 wherein, with said third
lead connected to the base of the transistor, actuation of
both said audible indicator means and said one state of
said visual indicator means indicates that the transistor
is good and that it is an NPN type device.
9. The tester recited in claim 8 wherein non-actuation of
said audible indicator means and said visual indicator
means with said switch selectively in both said first and
said second positions indicates that the transistor is bad
10. The tester recited in claim 8 wherein non-actuation of
said audible indicator means and said visual indicator
means with said switching means in said first position, and
actuation of said audible indicator means and the second
state of said visual indicator means when said switching
means is in said second position indicates that the
transistor is good and that it is a PNP type device.
11. The tester recited in claim 2 wherein said tester is
adapted to test for quality two-lead components selected
from the group consisting of diodes, light emitting diodes,
bipolar diodes, fuses and electrical continuity.
12. The tester recited in claim 11 wherein when a diode is
to be tested, non-actuation of both said indicator means
with said switching means in said first position, said
first lead connected to the anode of the diode and said
second lead connected to the cathode of the diode, and
actuation of said audible indicator means and the second
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state of said visual indicator means indicates that the
diode is not shorted or open.
13. The tester recited in claim 11 wherein when a diode is
to be tested, non-actuation of both said indicator means
with said switching means in said second position, said
first lead connected to the cathode of the diode and said
second lead connected to the anode of the diode, and
actuation of said audible indicator means and the first
state of said visual indicator means indicates that the
diode is not shorted or open.
14. A method for-testing electronic components with a
tester comprising a DC voltage source having a positive
side and a negative side, switching means connected to the
positive and negative sides of said voltage source, said
switching means having first and second positions, a first
lead selectively connected to the positive and negative
sides of said voltage source, a second lead selectively
coupled to the negative and positive sides of said voltage
source, a third lead coupled to said second lead, a first
resistor connected between said second lead and said
switching means, a two-state visual indicator means
connected in parallel with said first resistor, said visual
indicator means having first and second terminals, audible
indicator means connected in parallel with said first
resistor, said audible indicator means having first and
second terminals, said method comprising the steps of:
setting said switching means to said first position;
connecting said first lead to one terminal of a
three-terminal component;
connecting said second lead to a second terminal
of said component;
observing audible and visual indication means
responses to provide information on electrical shorts
within said component;
connecting said third lead to a third terminal of
said component;
observing audible and visual indication means
responses to provide information as to quality of said
component;
setting said switching means to said second
position to determine type of component.
15. A method for testing electronic components with a
tester capable of providing indications of simple circuit
continuity and, in two- and three-terminal solid state
components, of short and open conditions, transistor type,
and latchability of SCR's and triacs, the tester comprising
a DC voltage source having a positive side and a negative
side, switching means connected to the positive negative
sides of said voltage source, said switching means having
first and second positions, a first lead selectively
connected to the positive and negative sides of said
voltage source, a second lead selectively coupled to the
negative and positive sides of said voltage source, a first
resistor connected between said second lead and said
switching means, a third lead coupled between said first
resistor and said switching means, a second resistor
connection in said third lead, a three-state visual
indicator and diode means connected in parallel with said
first resistor, said visual indicator and diode means
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having first and second terminals, said method comprising
the steps of:
setting said switching means to said first
position;
connecting said first lead to one terminal of an
electronic component to be tested;
connecting said second lead to a second terminal
of said component;
observing visual indication means responses to
provide information on electrical shorts within said
component;
when testing a three terminal component,
connecting said third lead to the third terminal of said
component thereby biasing said component ON through said
second resistor;
observing responses of said visual indication
means to provide information as to quality of said
component; and
setting said switching means to said second
position to determine type of component.
16. A quality tester for electronic components, said
tester selectively providing indications of simple circuit
continuity and, in two- and three-terminal solid state
components, of short and open conditions, transistor type,
and latchability of SCR's and triacs, said tester
comprising:
a DC voltage source having a positive side and
and a negative side;
bistable switching means connected to the
positive and negative sides of said voltage source, said
switching means having first and second stable positions;
a first lead selectively connected to the
positive and negative sides of said voltage source;
a second lead selectively coupled to the negative
and positive sides of said voltage source;
a first resistor connected between said second
lead and said switching means;
a third lead connected between said first
resistor and said switching means; and
a three-state visual indicator and diode means
connected in parallel with said first resistor, said visual
indicator and diode means having first and second terminals
and providing selective quality indications for the
component being tested,
said first and second leads being adapted to be
connected to the leads of a two-lead device such as an LED,
fuse, diode and two circuit leads for circuit continuity
testing, the emitter and collector of a transistor, the
two main terminals of a triac and the anode and cathode of
a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), to determine shorts
and open circuits, said third lead being adapted to be
connected to the base of the transistor, and the gate of
the triac and the SCR, whereby said second resistor biases
the transistor on and latches the triac and the SCR;
said switching means and said visual indicator
and diode means being adapted to distinguish NPN and PNP
transistors from each other and to determine state of
latching ability of SCR's and triacs in either their
positive or negative state by reversing the polarity of
the applied voltage to said first and second leads and to
said visual indicator and diode means, said switching means
further changing the voltage polarity on said first and
second leads to determine shorts, opens and conductive
direction through various of the electronic components to
be tested.
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17. The tester recited in claim 16, and further
comprising audible indicator means connected in parallel
with said first resistor and said visual indicator and
diode means, said audible indicator means having first and
second terminals and providing audible indications of
current conduction in the component being tested, said
buzzer functioning simultaneously with one of said
indicators of said visual indicator and diode means.
18. The tester recited in claim 16 wherein:
when said switching means is in said first
position, said first lead is connected to said negative
side of said voltage source and said second lead is
connected through said first resistor to said positive side
of said voltage source, thereby positively biasing one
terminal of said visual indicator and diode means; and
when said switching means is in said second
position, said first lead is connected to said positive
side of said voltage source and said second lead is
connected through said first resistor to said negative side
of said voltage source, thereby negatively biasing said one
terminal of said visual indicator and diode means.
19. The tester recited in claim 17 wherein;
said audible indicator means is connected across
said first resistor through said switching means; whereby
when said switching means is in said first
position, said first terminal of said audible indicator
means is connected to said positive side of said voltage
source and said second terminal of said audible indicator
means is connected to said second lead;
when said switching means is in said second
position, said first terminal of said audible indicator
means is connected to said second lead and said second
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terminal is connected to said negative side of said voltage
source.
20. The tester recited in claim 17 wherein when a
transistor is to be tested, with said switching means in
said first position, said first lead connected to the
emitter of the transistor and said second lead connected to
the collector of the transistor, actuation of said audible
indicator means and one state of said visual indicator and
diode means indicates shorting between emitter and
collector, non-actuation of said audible indicator means
and actuation of said one state of said visual indicator
and diode means indicates leakage through the base junction
of the transistor.
21. The tester recited in claim 20 wherein, with said
third lead connected to the base of the transistor,
actuation of both said audible indicator means and said one
state of said visual indicator and diode means indicates
that the transistor is good and that it is an NPN type
device.
22. The tester recited in claim 21 wherein
non-actuation of said audible indicator means and said
visual indicator and diode means with said switch
selectively in both said first and said second positions
indicates that the transistor is bad.
23. The tester recited in claim 21 wherein
non-actuation of said audible indicator means and said
visual indicator and diode means with said switching means
in said first position, and actuation of said audible
indicator means and the second state of said visual
indicator and diode means when said switching means is in
said second position indicates that the transistor is good
and that it is a PNP type device.
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24. The tester recited in claim 17 wherein when a
diode is to be tested, non-actuation of both said indicator
means with said switching means in said first position,
said first lead connected to the anode of the diode and
said second lead connected to the cathode of the diode, and
actuation of said audible indicator means and the second
state of said visual indicator and diode means indicates
that the diode is not shorted or open.
25. The tester recited in claim 17 wherein when a
diode is to be tested, non-actuation of both said indicator
means with said switching means in said second position,
said first lead connected to the cathode of the diode and
said second lead connected to the anode of the diode, and
actuation of said audible indicator means and the first
state of said visual indicator and diode means indicates
that the diode is not shorted or open.