GB2124787A

GB2124787A - Battery and fuse tester

Info

Publication number: GB2124787A
Application number: GB08222663A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George G Collins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-08-06
Filing date: 1982-08-06
Publication date: 1984-02-22
Also published as: GB2124787B

Abstract

A test device having a body including an electric bulb 3 rated at 9 or 12 volts, illumination of the bulb being visible from outside the body; and at least two pairs of terminal stubs 5, 6 projecting from the body at regions spaced from each other, the members of each pair of terminal stubs being connected respectively to the terminals of the bulbs, the terminal stubs of one pair being spaced apart from each other by a first spacing of between 9 and 13 mm and the terminal stubs of the other or another pair being spaced apart from each other by a second spacing between 22 and 28 mm. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Test device for fuses and batteries The invention relates to a device for testing fuses and batteries. The fuses which the device is intended to test are motor-car fuses of the glass-tubular type or the more modern flat plastic type. The device is also suitable for testing 6 volt dry square lantern type batteries or 9 volt rectangular dry cell batteries of the kind commonly used in radios, calculators, etc.

According to the invention there is provided a test device having a body including an electric bulb rated at 1 2 volts, illumination of the bulb being visible from outside the body; and at least two pairs of terminal stubs projecting from the body at regions spaced from each other, the members of each pair of terminal stubs being connected respectively to the terminals of the bulb, the terminal stubs of one pair being spaced apart from each other by a first spacing of between 9 and 1 3 mm and the terminal stubs of the other or another pair being spaced apart from each other by a second spacing between 22 and 28 mm.

It is found that with two pairs of terminal stubs of this particular spacing, nearly all of the conventional sizes and types of motor-car fuses can be tested in situ. Also, 6 and 9 volt batteries of the type described above can readily be tested.

Preferably the body is slab-shaped and said two pairs of terminal stubs project from opposite edges of the slab. Preferably the body is made of plastics and encapsulates the bulb.

For testing batteries, the brightness of the bulb will depend upon the nominal voltage of the battery and its state of discharge. In order to assist judgement of the brightness of the bulb it is proposed to make the two faces of the slab-shaped plastics body of different opacities.

In a particularly convenient form of construction for the device there are only two pairs of terminal stubs and these are constituted by the ends of conductor leads which run through the body and emerge at opposite sides with different spacings, the bulb terminals being connected to the conductor leads within the body.

The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a test device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a view illustrating the application of the device of Fig. 1 to a first range of fuse sizes; Figure 3 is a view illustrating the application of the device of Fig. 1 to a second range of fuse sizes; Figure 4 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to a flat plastic type fuse of the modern kind; Figure 5 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to test a 9 volt battery; and Figure 6 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to the testing of a 6 volt battery.

Referring to Fig. 1, the device comprises a pair of copper wires 1, 2 of 1.5 mm diameter which have straight end sections and which are bent as shown. A twelve-volt incandescent electric bulb 3 has its terminals soldered to the wires 1 and 2 respectively. The whole assembly is encapsulated in a siab-shaped translucent white plastics body 4 in a moulding operation. Of particular importance is the spacing of the wires 1 and 2 where they emerge from opposite edges of the slabshaped body 4 to constitute pairs of projecting terminal stubs 5, 6. The members of pair 5 are spaced apart 25 mm and the members of pair 6 are spaced apart 11 mm.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the significance of this spacing. In Fig. 2 there are shown four cartridge fuses 7 to 10 which are of such a size as to make it possible for the terminal stubs of pair 5 to contact the fuse end caps. In Fig. 3 there are four other fuses indicated at 11 to 1 4. These are of such a size that their end caps may be contacted by terminal stubs 6.

Furthermore, Fig. 4 illustrates a flat-plastics fuse which has two terminal tabs 7, 8. Contact with these may be made by terminal stubs 6 while the fuse is in its fuse-holder.

The method of testing the fuses with the device of the present invention is to apply the appropriate terminal stubs of the device to the fuse terminals while the fuse is in situ. If the fuse is carrying current then it will by-pass the bulb 3 and the bulb will not be illuminated.

On the other hand, if the fuse is blown, then when an attempt is made to pass current through it, the bulb 3 will take the current and be illuminated.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the use of the same device to test 9 or 6 volt batteries. Again, the spacing of terminal stubs 5 and 6 is appropriate to make contact with the terminals of the different batteries. Clearly, the bulb will glow if the battery has sufficient remaining charge.

In order to allow a quantitative estimation to be made of the intensity of illumination, and thus of the state of discharge of the battery, one face of the plastics body can be made of more opaque material so that the bulb can be seen through it only if the battery is fully charged. The other face of the body, however, can be relatively translucent, or transparent.

1. A test device having a body including an electric bulb rated at 9 or 1 2 volts, illumi nation of the bulb being visible from outside

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Test device for fuses and batteries The invention relates to a device for testing fuses and batteries. The fuses which the device is intended to test are motor-car fuses of the glass-tubular type or the more modern flat plastic type. The device is also suitable for testing 6 volt dry square lantern type batteries or 9 volt rectangular dry cell batteries of the kind commonly used in radios, calculators, etc. According to the invention there is provided a test device having a body including an electric bulb rated at 1 2 volts, illumination of the bulb being visible from outside the body; and at least two pairs of terminal stubs projecting from the body at regions spaced from each other, the members of each pair of terminal stubs being connected respectively to the terminals of the bulb, the terminal stubs of one pair being spaced apart from each other by a first spacing of between 9 and 1 3 mm and the terminal stubs of the other or another pair being spaced apart from each other by a second spacing between 22 and 28 mm. It is found that with two pairs of terminal stubs of this particular spacing, nearly all of the conventional sizes and types of motor-car fuses can be tested in situ. Also, 6 and 9 volt batteries of the type described above can readily be tested. Preferably the body is slab-shaped and said two pairs of terminal stubs project from opposite edges of the slab. Preferably the body is made of plastics and encapsulates the bulb. For testing batteries, the brightness of the bulb will depend upon the nominal voltage of the battery and its state of discharge. In order to assist judgement of the brightness of the bulb it is proposed to make the two faces of the slab-shaped plastics body of different opacities. In a particularly convenient form of construction for the device there are only two pairs of terminal stubs and these are constituted by the ends of conductor leads which run through the body and emerge at opposite sides with different spacings, the bulb terminals being connected to the conductor leads within the body. The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a test device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a view illustrating the application of the device of Fig. 1 to a first range of fuse sizes; Figure 3 is a view illustrating the application of the device of Fig. 1 to a second range of fuse sizes; Figure 4 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to a flat plastic type fuse of the modern kind; Figure 5 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to test a 9 volt battery; and Figure 6 is an illustration of application of the device of Fig. 1 to the testing of a 6 volt battery. Referring to Fig. 1, the device comprises a pair of copper wires 1, 2 of 1.5 mm diameter which have straight end sections and which are bent as shown. A twelve-volt incandescent electric bulb 3 has its terminals soldered to the wires 1 and 2 respectively. The whole assembly is encapsulated in a siab-shaped translucent white plastics body 4 in a moulding operation. Of particular importance is the spacing of the wires 1 and 2 where they emerge from opposite edges of the slabshaped body 4 to constitute pairs of projecting terminal stubs 5, 6. The members of pair 5 are spaced apart 25 mm and the members of pair 6 are spaced apart 11 mm. Figs. 2 and 3 show the significance of this spacing. In Fig. 2 there are shown four cartridge fuses 7 to 10 which are of such a size as to make it possible for the terminal stubs of pair 5 to contact the fuse end caps. In Fig. 3 there are four other fuses indicated at 11 to 1 4. These are of such a size that their end caps may be contacted by terminal stubs 6. Furthermore, Fig. 4 illustrates a flat-plastics fuse which has two terminal tabs 7, 8. Contact with these may be made by terminal stubs 6 while the fuse is in its fuse-holder. The method of testing the fuses with the device of the present invention is to apply the appropriate terminal stubs of the device to the fuse terminals while the fuse is in situ. If the fuse is carrying current then it will by-pass the bulb 3 and the bulb will not be illuminated. On the other hand, if the fuse is blown, then when an attempt is made to pass current through it, the bulb 3 will take the current and be illuminated. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the use of the same device to test 9 or 6 volt batteries. Again, the spacing of terminal stubs 5 and 6 is appropriate to make contact with the terminals of the different batteries. Clearly, the bulb will glow if the battery has sufficient remaining charge. In order to allow a quantitative estimation to be made of the intensity of illumination, and thus of the state of discharge of the battery, one face of the plastics body can be made of more opaque material so that the bulb can be seen through it only if the battery is fully charged. The other face of the body, however, can be relatively translucent, or transparent. CLAIMS

1. A test device having a body including an electric bulb rated at 9 or 1 2 volts, illumi nation of the bulb being visible from outside the body; and at least two pairs of terminal stubs projecting from the body at regions spaced from each other, the members of each pair of terminal stubs being connected respectively to the terminals of the bulbs, the terminal stubs of one pair being spaced apart from each other by a first spacing of between 9 and 1 3 mm and the terminal stubs of the other or another pair being spaced apart from each other by a second spacing between 22 and 28 mm.

2. A test device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first spacing is substantially 11 mm and the second spacing is substantially 25 mm.

3. A test device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body is slab-shaped and said two pairs of terminal stubs project from opposite edges of the slab.

4. A test device as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the body is made of plastics and encapsulates the bulb.

5. A test device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the body is slab-shaped and one face of the slab is more translucent than the other.

6. A test device as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein there are only two pairs of terminal stubs and these are constituted by the ends of conductor leads which run through the body and emerge at opposite sides with different spacings, the bulb terminals being connected to the conductor leads within the body.

7. A test device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.