Automated electrical connector wear monitoring
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsShawn Matthew Johnston, Michael John MacPherson, Clinton William Erie, Eric J. Campbell, Steven Charles Erickson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A testing device that includes a resistance measuring device electrically communicating across connection points which electrically includes an electrical connector. The testing device also includes a threshold monitor analyzing the resistance being measurable using the resistance meter to determine when the resistance exceeds a threshold for contact resistance. Finally, the testing device also includes a warning indicator. The warning indicator triggered in response to the resistance exceeding the threshold indicates to replace the connector.
Claims18
A testing device for electrical connector wear indication during a hardware test comprising:
- a resistance measuring device electrically communicating across connection points, the connection points measuring resistance of an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector includes an insulating coating along a contact area mating with the electrical connector and a multilayered structure of at least two layers of metallic materials with different resistances, wherein one of the layers of metallic materials is immediately below the insulating coating and the thickness and type of insulating coating is correlated to be consistent with wear rate of the layer of metallic material immediately below the insulating coating;
- a threshold monitor analyzing a resistance being measured using the resistance measuring device to determine when the resistance exceeds a threshold for contact resistance;
- and
- a warning indicator that is triggered in response to the resistance exceeding the threshold indicates to replace the electrical connector.
A method for automated electrical connector wear indication during a hardware test comprising:
- measuring a resistance across connection points which electrically includes an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector includes an insulating coating along a contact area mating with the electrical connector and a multilayered structure of at least two layers of metallic materials with different resistances, wherein one of the layer of metallic materials is immediately below the insulating coating and the thickness and type of insulating coating is correlated to be consistent with the laver of metallic material immediately below the insulating coating;
- determining when a change in the resistance exceeds a threshold for contact resistance;
- and triggering a warning indicator in response to the resistance exceeding the threshold.
A computer program product for electrical connector wear monitoring, the computer program product can include a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code executable by a hardware processor to cause the processor to:
- implement, using the hardware processor,
- measure, using the hardware processor, a resistance across connection points that electrically includes an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector includes an insulating coating along a contact area mating with the electrical connector and a multilayered structure of at least two layers of metallic materials with different resistances, wherein one of the layers of metallic materials is immediately below the insulating coating and the thickness and type of insulating coating is correlated to be consistent with the layer of metallic material immediately below the insulating coating;
- determine, using the hardware processor, when the resistance exceeds a threshold for contact resistance;
- and
- trigger, using the hardware processor, a warning indicator to replace the connector in response to the resistance exceeding the threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.