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US 7,126,360 B1Granted
Differential signal acquisition probe having retractable double cushioned probing tips with EOS/ESD protection capabilities
AssigneeTektronix, Inc.
InventorKei-Wean C. Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A differential measurement probe has spring loaded probe assemblies and a pressure sensors disposed in a housing. The pressure sensors forms an electrical switch having an electrical AND function for passing an activation signal to a EOS/ESD protection control module in response to axial movement of the housing relative to the probe assemblies. First compressive elements produces first pre-loaded compressive forces and increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies and second compressive elements produces second pre-loaded compressive forces and increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies subsequent to the first increasing compressive forces on the probe assemblies.
Claims37
A differential measurement probe comprising:
- first and second coaxial probe assemblies with each coaxial probe assembly having a probing tip;
- a housing receiving the first and second coaxial probe assemblies with the probing tips of the first and second coaxial probe assemblies extending from one end of the housing;
- first compressible elements disposed within the housing with one of the first compressible elements applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the first coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the first coaxial probe assembly and the other of the first compressible elements applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the second coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the second coaxial probe assembly;
- second compressible elements disposed within the housing with one of the second compressible elements applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the first coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force on the first coaxial probe assembly and a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the first coaxial probe assembly and the other of the second compressible elements applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the second coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force on the second coaxial probe assembly and a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the second coaxial probe assembly;
- and
- first and second pressure sensors disposed in the housing for passing an activation signal in response to the axial movement of the housing relative to the first and second coaxial probe assemblies with each of the first and second pressure sensors having a first contact associated with each of the respective coaxial probe assemblies and a second contact associated with the housing.
3 more elements
A differential measurement probe coupled via first and second coaxial cables to at least a first electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module with the differential measurement probe passing an activation signal to the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection control module for coupling the differential measurement probe to input circuitry of the measurement test instrument comprising:
- first and second coaxial probe assemblies with each coaxial probe assembly formed from a semi-rigid coaxial cable having a probing tip at one end and a threaded connector at the other end with the threaded connector being coupled to the coaxial cable;
- a housing having an internal cavity extending the length of the housing and exposed at opposing ends of the housing with the first and second coaxial probe assemblies disposed within the internal cavity having the probing tips of the first and second coaxial probe assemblies extending from one end of the housing and the threaded connectors of the first and second coaxial probe assemblies extending from the other end of the housing;
- first compressible elements disposed within the housing with one of the first compressible elements applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the first coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the first coaxial probe assembly and the other of the first compressible elements applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the second coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the second coaxial probe assembly;
- second compressible elements disposed within the housing with one of the second compressible elements applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the first coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force on the first coaxial probe assembly and a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the first and coaxial probe assembly and the other of the second compressible elements applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the second coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force on the second coaxial probe assembly and a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the second coaxial probe assembly;
- and
- first and second pressure sensors passing an activation signal in response to the axial movement of the housing relative to the first and second coaxial probe assemblies with each of the first and second pressure sensors having a first electrically conductive contact positioned on an outer shielding conductor of one of the semi-rigid coaxial cables of the first and second coaxial probe assemblies, with one of the first electrically conductive contacts electrically coupled to the outer shielding conductor and the other first electrically conductive contact electrically insulated from the outer shielding conductor and a second electrically conductive contact disposed in the housing with one of the second electrically conductive contacts of the first and second pressure sensors coupled to the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection control module via an electrical conductor;
- the probing tips of the first and second coaxial probe assemblies coupled to electrical ground via the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection control module prior to the first electrically conductive contacts of the first and second pressure sensors engaging the second electrically conductive contacts of the first and second pressure sensors and the probing tips coupled to the input circuitry of the measurement test instrument when the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection control module receives the activation signal passed in response to the first electrically conductive contacts of the first and second pressure sensors engaging the second electrically conductive contacts of the first and second pressure sensors.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.