Signal acquisition probe having a retractable double cushioned probing tip with EOS/ESD protection capabilities
AssigneeTektronix, Inc.
InventorKei-Wean C. Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A measurement probe has a spring loaded probe assembly and a pressure sensor disposed in a housing. The pressure sensor forms an electrical switch for passing an activation signal to a EOS/ESD protection module in response to axial movement of the housing relative to the probe assembly. A first compressive element produces a first pre-loaded compressive force and an increasing compressive force on the probe assembly and a second compressive element produces a second pre-loaded compressive force and an increasing compressive force on the probe assembly subsequent to the first increasing compressive force.
Claims30
A measurement probe comprising:
- a coaxial probe assembly having a probing tip;
- a housing receiving the coaxial probe assembly with the probing tip extending from one end of the housing;
- a first compressible element disposed within the housing with of the first compressible element applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly;
- a second compressible element disposed within the housing with the second compressible element applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force on the coaxial probe assembly and a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly;
- and
- a pressure sensor disposed in the housing for passing an activation signal in response to the axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly with the pressure sensor having a first contact associated with the coaxial probe assembly and a second contact associated with the housing.
A measurement probe coupled via a coaxial cable to an electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module with the measurement probe passing an activation signal to the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module for coupling the measurement probe to input circuitry of the measurement test instrument comprising:
- a 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 coaxial probe assembly disposed within the internal cavity having the probing tip extending from one end of the housing and the threaded connector extending from the other end of the housing;
- a first compressible element disposed within the housing applying a first pre-loaded compressive force to the coaxial probe assembly and a first increasing compressive force by axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly;
- a second compressible element disposed within the housing applying a second pre-loaded compressive force to the coaxial probe assembly subsequent to the application of the first increasing compressive force with the second compressible element applying a second increasing compressive force by further axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly;
- and
- a pressure sensor responsive to the axial movement of the housing relative to the coaxial probe assembly having a first electrically conductive contact positioned on the semi-rigid coaxial cable and electrically coupled to an outer shielding conductor of the semi-rigid coaxial cable and a second electrically conductive contact disposed within the housing with the second electrically conductive contact coupled to the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module via an electrical conductor;
- the probing tip of the coaxial probe assembly coupled to electrical ground via the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module prior to the second compressible element applying the second pre-loaded compressive force to the coaxial probe assembly with the electrical over stress and electrostatic discharge protection module responsive to an activation signal passed by the first electrically conductive contact of the pressure sensor engaging the second electrically conductive contact of the pressure sensor disposed within the housing to couple the probing tip to the input circuitry of the measurement test instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.