Abstract: A signal lead structured to be attached to an electrical device that comprises a signal pad, a spring housing, a spring, and a flexible conduit. The spring is carried in the spring housing, and a portion of the spring extends beyond a surface of the spring housing when the spring is unsprung. The spring is structured to touch the electrical device and carry an electrical signal between the electrical device and the signal pad when the signal lead is attached to the electrical device. The flexible conduit is coupled to the signal pad at an end of the flexible electrical conduit and extends away from the spring housing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved cable assembly for connecting an electrical test and measurement probe to a device under test. One end of the probe is connected to a device under test (“DUT”), while the other end is connected to the instrument through one or more cables. To prevent mechanical stresses to the probe-DUT interface caused by the cables' resistance to bending and twisting, embodiments of the improved cable assembly use one or more pliable spines to hold the cable assembly in position after it has been bent or twisted. This provides a more secure connection to the DUT and prevents damage to the probe-DUT interface. Each spine is anchored to the tip of the probe, and may be further secured by an outer housing or additional anchors. A flexible boot may surround the cable assembly and/or outer housing, further protecting the cables from damage. Alternatively, one or more spines may be placed inside the boot.

Abstract: A connector for terminating a cable including a compressible fitting and a crimp nut. The compressible fitting has an inner passage to receive a portion of the cable and a threaded outer wall coaxial with and surrounding the inner passage. The outer wall includes a first slot extending radially through the outer wall and axially away from a first end of the outer wall. The crimp nut is configured to thread onto the outer wall of the compressible fitting. The crimp nut is further configured, in a first position, not to constrict the inner passage and, in a second position, to radially compress the outer wall of the compressible fitting to reduce a bore diameter of the inner passage and to electrically connect the outer wall with the portion of the cable received in the inner passage of the compressible fitting. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A connector for terminating a cable including a compressible fitting and a crimp nut. The compressible fitting has an inner passage to receive a portion of the cable and a threaded outer wall coaxial with and surrounding the inner passage. The outer wall includes a first slot extending radially through the outer wall and axially away from a first end of the outer wall. The crimp nut is configured to thread onto the outer wall of the compressible fitting. The crimp nut is further configured, in a first position, not to constrict the inner passage and, in a second position, to radially compress the outer wall of the compressible fitting to reduce a bore diameter of the inner passage and to electrically connect the outer wall with the portion of the cable received in the inner passage of the compressible fitting. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved cable assembly for connecting an electrical test and measurement probe to a device under test. One end of the probe is connected to a device under test (“DUT”), while the other end is connected to the instrument through one or more cables. To prevent mechanical stresses to the probe-DUT interface caused by the cables' resistance to bending and twisting, embodiments of the improved cable assembly use one or more pliable spines to hold the cable assembly in position after it has been bent or twisted. This provides a more secure connection to the DUT and prevents damage to the probe-DUT interface. Each spine is anchored to the tip of the probe, and may be further secured by an outer housing or additional anchors. A flexible boot may surround the cable assembly and/or outer housing, further protecting the cables from damage. Alternatively, one or more spines may be placed inside the boot.

Abstract: A zero insertion force (ZIF) connector can include a connector housing defining an opening and an interior space for receiving a mating member, multiple LIGA springs positioned within the interior space and configured to apply pressure to the mating member while in a first position, and a locking component to cause the LIGA springs to move to a second position responsive to a user pressing the locking component. The LIGA springs do not apply pressure to the mating member while in the second position.

Abstract: A signal lead structured to be attached to an electrical device that comprises a signal pad, a spring housing, a spring, and a flexible conduit. The spring is carried in the spring housing, and a portion of the spring extends beyond a surface of the spring housing when the spring is unsprung. The spring is structured to touch the electrical device and carry an electrical signal between the electrical device and the signal pad when the signal lead is attached to the electrical device. The flexible conduit is coupled to the signal pad at an end of the flexible electrical conduit and extends away from the spring housing.

Abstract: A high bandwidth solder-less lead may be connected to an electrical device having land patterns so that signals on the device may be more easily measured through the lead. The lead includes an attachment mechanism to mount the lead on the device, a microspring housing and at least one microspring. The microspring connects one of the particular land patterns on the device to the lead where it may be easier to couple to a measurement device than to the electrical device itself. The lead may be coupled to a flexible electrical conduit to make attaching to the testing device even easier. In other versions, a uniform connector may be temporarily attached to the solder-less lead to test the device. Then the connector may be disconnected from the first lead and connected to another lead to test another area of the device.

Abstract: A fault detection circuit for a flexible probe tip includes one or more conductive fault detection traces on a flexible substrate which are connected to a fault detector capable of determining if an electrical discontinuity or defect is present in the fault detection traces. The fault detector may also include a fault indicator, such as a light, to indicate to a user that it has detected a discontinuity and therefore that flexible probe tip should not be soldered onto the user's device under test. The fault detector may determine that there is a discontinuity in the fault detection traces by checking if the impedance of the fault detection trace changes, or by checking for a drop in voltage from one end of the fault detection trace to the other end, or by using other methods.

Abstract: A magnetic anchor base assembly can include a magnetic coupling component and magnetic sub-components integrated therewith. Each magnetic sub-component can be configured to magnetically couple with a metal band that is configured to couple with a test probe.

Abstract: A multiport zero insertion force (ZIF) connector can include a multiport connector housing defining an opening and an interior space for receiving a multi-path circuit device having multiple types of electrical connection paths therethrough and multiple LIGA springs positioned within the interior space to apply pressure to the multi-path circuit device while in a first position. A locking component can be configured to cause the LIGA springs to move to a second position responsive to a user pressing the locking component, wherein the LIGA springs do not apply pressure to the multi-path circuit device while in the second position.

Abstract: A zero insertion force (ZIF) connector can include a connector housing defining an opening and an interior space for receiving a mating member, multiple LIGA springs positioned within the interior space and configured to apply pressure to the mating member while in a first position, and a locking component to cause the LIGA springs to move to a second position responsive to a user pressing the locking component. The LIGA springs do not apply pressure to the mating member while in the second position.

Abstract: A multiport zero insertion force (ZIF) connector can include a multiport connector housing defining an opening and an interior space for receiving a multi-path circuit device having multiple types of electrical connection paths therethrough and multiple LIGA springs positioned within the interior space to apply pressure to the multi-path circuit device while in a first position. A locking component can be configured to cause the LIGA springs to move to a second position responsive to a user pressing the locking component, wherein the LIGA springs do not apply pressure to the multi-path circuit device while in the second position.

Abstract: A high bandwidth solder-less lead may be connected to an electrical device having land patterns so that signals on the device may be more easily measured through the lead. The lead includes an attachment mechanism to mount the lead on the device, a microspring housing and at least one microspring. The microspring connects one of the particular land patterns on the device to the lead where it may be easier to couple to a measurement device than to the electrical device itself The lead may be coupled to a flexible electrical conduit to make attaching to the testing device even easier. In other versions, a uniform connector may be temporarily attached to the solder-less lead to test the device. Then the connector may be disconnected from the first lead and connected to another lead to test another area of the device.

Abstract: A rear-mount integrated rotary encoder comprises a mechanical portion and a printed circuit board portion. The mechanical portion of a rear mount integrated rotary encoder comprises a housing including a bushing for receiving one end of a rotatable shaft. The rotatable shaft passes through an open front portion of the housing and is mechanically connected to exposed rotatable circuit contacting members. The printed circuit board portion has an encoder contact pattern formed thereon. The printed circuit board has an area larger than the cross sectional area of the housing. The encoder contact pattern surrounds (or is at least concentric with respect to) an aperture in the circuit board. The rotatable shaft of the rotary encoder is passed through the aperture such that the rotatable circuit contacting members contact the encoder contact pattern on the circuit board.

Abstract: An incremental bus structure for a modular measurement instrument includes interface connector structural elements interconnecting segments of a system bus. The system bus contains electrically conductive lines with the system bus having at least one subset of N electrically conductive lines. Each interface connector is part of a measurement module and has at least one set of N electrically conductive input and output contacts corresponding with the N electrically conductive lines. The first input contact of the set of N contacts for each connector is coupled to an electronic element associated with its measurement module and the second and subsequent input contacts are connected to the first and subsequent output contacts.