Patent · US Expired

Hand-held sensing instrument

US5415038A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
11References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 1992
Grant dateMay 16, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/5313
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This invention relates to hand-held instruments such as moisture meters (1). An extruded aluminum channel is cut to form a housing blank (2). This blank has inwardly directed ribs (20, 21) which form grooves so that a circuit (22) may be easily slid into the housing, as may a backing plate (27). End caps (5, 14) are secured to the ends of the blank (2) using self-tapping screws (5(a), 5(b)) which engage the ends of ribs (20, 21). The instrument is of extremely rigid construction and does not distort easily and secondly, the method of production is extremely simple and versatile. Versatility is achieved, for example, by the fact that the backing plate may include any different type of sensor and the front of the instrument may be configured according to a label which is secured to the housing blank which may cover apertures which are not needed for switches. Thus, the same housing blank may be used for all instruments and the same manufacturing techniques may also be used.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.