Hand-held non-contacting electric field detection tool

An ignition system diagnostic tool including:

• a portable hand held case having a pickup end adapted to be placed adjacent a component of a spark plug firing portion of an ignition system to be tested;
• metallic spring antenna means mounted within the case adjacent the pickup end for receiving an electric field generated by an ignition system;
• circuit means located within the case electrically operatively connected to the antenna means for detection of the received electric field and for generation of a detected electric field signal, said circuit means including a power source and a printed circuit board and a sensitivity selector to vary the sensitivity of the detection of the electric field by the circuit means;
• and
• indicator means in an opposite end of the case from the pickup end, operatively connected to the circuit means for providing a positive indication of the detected electric field.

An ignition system diagnostic tool including:

• a portable hand held case having a pickup end adapted to be placed adjacent a component of a spark plug firing portion of an ignition system to be tested;
• antenna means mounted within the case adjacent the pickup end for receiving an electric field generated by an ignition system;
• circuit means located within the case electrically operatively connected to the antenna means for detection of the received electric field and for generation of a detected electric field signal;
• indicator means in an opposite end of the case from the pickup end, operatively connected to the circuit means for providing a positive indication of the detected electric field upon receiving the generated electric field signal;
• and
• said circuit means including a spring biased ON/OFF switch biased to the OFF position, said switch having a spring biased flexible clip mounted on the exterior of the case and a plunger mounted within the case and actuated by the clip through an opening formed in said case adjacent the plunger switch to actuate said switch to the ON position for electrically operatively connecting the antenna means to the indicator means through the circuit means.