Abstract:
The invention is directed to a device combining a handled tool, such as wire strippers, with one or more testing components useful for testing electrical circuits, such as continuity testers and voltage detectors, with the testing components integrated into a like number of handle grips.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates generally to hand tools commonly used by electricians and others who work with electrical wiring and circuits, and more particularly to the combination of such tools with useful testing devices commonly used by such users. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Combination hand tools are well known in the art. Within the field of combination hand tools are tools combining testing components useful for testing electrical circuits. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,677, dated Nov. 27, 1973, to David C. Garrett, et al. The &#39;677 patent combines a continuity tester with a flashlight. The continuity tester is integrated with the flashlight and interrupts the function of the flashlight when it is being used to test circuits. U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,446, dated Feb. 10, 1981, to Raymon Ponte also discloses a continuity tester combined with a flashlight. The &#39;446 patent improves upon the &#39;677 patent by also providing a clamping structure to hold the flashlight in place for hands-free operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,876, dated Sep. 24, 1991, to Keith Norman, discloses a combination device incorporating a continuity tester with a flashlight and another tool, such as a screwdriver or a socket holder. 
   Each of the foregoing patents involve complicated devices integrated with flashlights. Each is configured to incorporate continuity testers but no other type of electrical circuit tester. The claimed device surmounts these deficiencies in the prior art by allowing the testing component to be integrated with hand tools other than flashlights, and to incorporate testing components in addition to continuity testers. Moreover, the simplified design of the combination device allows for low cost mass production, thereby improving on the overly complicated designs of the prior art and making the claimed device an attractive tool for persons working with electrical circuits. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one aspect, the invention is directed to a device combining a handled tool, such as wire strippers, wire cutters, pliers, and the like, with a testing component suitably adapted to test electrical circuits, said testing component integrated into a handle grip. 
   This aspect may include one or more of the following features: the handle grip having interior pockets suitably adapted to accommodate the tool handle and the testing component, with an insulated wall separating the pockets; the handle grip having reinforcing ribs; the testing component having a power source and an indicator; the power source of the testing component being a single battery or a pair of batteries; the indicator of the testing component being a lamp or a buzzer; the testing component being a continuity tester; the continuity tester being further comprised of a first contact plate, a second contact plate, a plurality of wires, and a base strip; the continuity tester being further comprised of a first tester lead and a second tester lead; the continuity tester being further comprised of a printed circuit board, having integrated thereon a first integrated contact plate, a second integrated contact plate, and an indicator; the testing component being a voltage detector; and the handle grip having apertures to provide access to the testing component. 
   In another aspect, the invention is directed to a device combining a handled tool, such as wire strippers, wire cutters, pliers, and the like, with two testing components suitably adapted to test electrical circuits, said testing components being a continuity tester and a voltage detector, and said testing components integrated into a pair of handle grips, one testing component per handle grip. 
   Other features and advantages of the invention are described below. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the combination device utilizing a single testing component. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the combination device shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the individual components of the combination device, i.e., a handled tool, a handle grip, and a testing component. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the continuity tester embodiment of the testing component. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of a handle grip together with a cross sectional view of the handle grip. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the combination device utilizing two testing components. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a plan view of one embodiment of the combination device. The device is a combination of a handled tool  2 , a testing component  6 , and a handle grip  4 . The handled tool  2  is any hand tool having a first member  10  and a second member  16 , with the first member  10  having a handle end  12  and a working end  14  and the second member  16  having a handle end and a working end, such that the first member  10  is pivotally connected to the second member  16  at a pivot point  22 . The handled tool  2  is operated by manual manipulation of the handle ends of the first and second members  10 , 16 . Examples of such tools are wire cutters, pliers, scissors, and the like. In the preferred embodiment, the handled tool  2  is a pair of wire strippers. No claim is made on the handled tool  2  independent of the combination. 
   The testing component  6  is combined with the handled tool  2  by the handle grip  4 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The handle grip  4  is suitably adapted to fit over the handle end  12  of the first member  10  of the handled tool  2  and suitably adapted to accommodate the testing component  6 . So configured, the handle grip  4  provides both a means for integrating the testing component  6  with the handled tool  2  and a means for improving the user&#39;s ability to manually grasp the handled tool  2  during use. 
     FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of a testing component  6 . The testing component  6  is any simple device suitably adapted to test electrical circuits. In order to accomplish this task, the testing component  6  comprises a power source  50  and an indicator. The power source has a first terminal  52  and a second terminal, whereby the first terminal  52  and second terminal are of opposite polarity. In one embodiment the power source  50  comprises a battery having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first and second terminals of the battery corresponding to the first terminal  52  and second terminal of the power source  50 . In the preferred embodiment the power source  50  comprises a pair of batteries  62 , 68  in parallel, whereby the first and second batteries  62 , 68  each have a first and second terminal, the first terminals of the first and second batteries  62 , 68  corresponding to the first terminal  52  of the power source  50 , and the second terminals of the first and second batteries  62 , 68  corresponding to the second terminal of the power source  50 . In this embodiment, the batteries  62 , 68  may be standard button-style batteries. The indicator of the testing component  6  may be a lamp  82  or a buzzer  84 . In the preferred embodiment, the indicator is a light emitting diode. In another embodiment the indicator is a piezoelectric buzzer. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 3 , the testing component  6  is a continuity tester  90 . Such a device is used to determine whether two separate ends of wires are joined in a continuous electrical circuit. Such a continuity tester  90  is necessary when the wires in question travel outside of sight lines, either through walls, floors, ceilings, or other structural members, or within other devices, such that visual determination of a closed electrical circuit is not possible. To determine whether two separate ends of wires are joined in a continuous electrical circuit, the end of one of the wires in question is placed in contact with the power source  50  of the continuity tester  90 , and the end of the other wire in question is placed in contact with the indicator of the continuity tester  90 . If the wires are joined in a continuous electrical circuit, power from the power source  50  will travel through that circuit and activate the indicator. If the wires are not joined in a continuous electrical circuit, the indicator will not be activated. 
   In one embodiment, the continuity tester  90  is comprised of the power source  50  and the indicator, and of a first contact plate  92 , a second contact plate  94 , a plurality of wires  96 , and a base strip  98 . The first contact plate  92  and the second contact plate  94  are constructed of an electrically conductive material. In one embodiment this material is metallic. In the preferred embodiment, the material is copper. The first and second contact plates  92 , 94  may be substantially flat and of any suitable shape. In the preferred embodiment the first and second contact plates  92 , 94  are rectangular. The base strip  98  is constructed of an insulating, non-conductive material and is suitably adapted to accommodate the contact plates  92 , 94 , power source  50 , and indicator. In this embodiment, the first contact plate  92  is serially in connection by a wire with the first terminal of the power source  50 , the second terminal of the power source  50  is serially in connection by a wire with the indicator, and the indicator is serially in connection by a wire with the second contact plate  94 . The first contact plate  92 , second contact plate  94 , power source  50 , and indicator are fixedly attached to the base strip  98 . 
   In another embodiment, the continuity tester  90  is further comprised of a first tester lead and a second tester lead. These leads are constructed of an electrically conductive material, such as a wire. The first tester lead is serially in connection with the first terminal of the power source  50  and the second tester lead is serially in connection with the indicator  80 . The leads may have alligator clips on their distal ends. These leads serve as remote alternatives to the first contact plate  92  and the second contact plate  94 , allowing the continuity tester  90  to be used on circuits having free wires in difficult to reach locations. 
   In yet another embodiment, the first contact plate, the second contact plate, and the indicator are integrated into a printed circuit board. The power source  50  is fixedly attached to the printed circuit board. In this embodiment, the first integrated contact plate is serially in connection with the first terminal of the power source  50 , the second terminal of the power source  50  is serially in connection with the indicator, and the indicator is serially in connection with the second integrated contact plate. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, the testing component  6  is a voltage detector  110 . Such a device is used to determine whether a wire or an electrical outlet is “live”, i.e., has power flowing through it. Such a voltage detector  110  is necessary because working with powered electrical components may present a danger to the electrician, and it is often not evident whether a component is powered. To determine whether an electrical component is powered, the voltage detector  110  is placed in close proximity to the electrical component, while the user activates the voltage detector  110 . If the electrical component is powered, the circuit is completed and the indicator is activated. If the electrical component is not powered, the indicator will not be activated. 
   In yet another embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIG. 5 , the device comprises two testing components  6 , a continuity tester  90  and a voltage detector  110 , and two handle grips  4 . The second handle grip  4  is suitably adapted to fit over the handle end of the second member  16  of the handled tool  2  and suitably adapted to accommodate the testing components  6 . Each testing component  6  is placed within one of the handle grips  4 . 
     FIG. 4  shows the handle grip  4  in detail. The handle grip  4  is constructed of an insulating, non-conducting material, such as rigid plastic, rubberized plastic, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or other like materials. The handle grip  4  has an open first end  30  and a closed second end  32 , thereby forming a close-ended tube having an outer skin and an interior space. Within the interior space of the handle grip  4  is formed a handle pocket  38  and a tester pocket  40 . The handle pocket  38  is adjacent to the tester pocket  40  and separated from the tester pocket  40  by a common wall  42 . The common wall  42  serves as an insulating barrier between the two pockets  38 , 40 . The handle pocket  38  is thus bounded by a portion of the outer skin of the handle grip  4  and the common wall  42 , and the tester pocket  40  is bounded by the remaining portion of the outer skin of the handle grip  4  and the common wall  42 . So configured, the common wall  42  subdivides the interior space of the handle grip  4  into the handle pocket  38  and the tester pocket  40 . The handle pocket  38  is suitably adapted to accommodate the handle end  12  of the first member  10  of the handled tool  2 , and the tester pocket  40  is suitably adapted to accommodate the testing component  6 . The portion of the outer skin of the handle grip  4  bounding the tester pocket  40  has apertures  44  providing access to the testing component  6 . 
   The handle end  12  of the first member  10  of the handled tool  2  is inserted into the open first end  30  of the handle grip  4  and placed all the way into the handle pocket  38 , such that the handle end  12  of the first member  10  of the handled tool  2  contacts the closed second end  32  of the handle grip  4 . So inserted, the handle end  12  of the first member  10  is securely encased by the handle grip  4 . Friction retains the handle grip  4  onto the handle end  12  of the first member  10  of the handled tool  2 . The testing component  6  is inserted into the open first end  30  of the handle grip  4  and placed into the tester pocket  40 . Friction retains the testing component  6  within the handle grip  4 . 
   In one embodiment, the handle grip  4  is further comprised of reinforcing ribs  46  situated within the interior space and exterior to the handle pocket  38  and the tester pocket  40 . These ribs  46  provide a greater exterior diameter to the handle grip  4 , making the handled tool  2  more comfortable to hold and use. When the reinforcing ribs  46  are utilized, interior walls of the handle grip  4  bound those portions of the handle pocket  38  and the tester pocket  40  adjacent to the reinforcing ribs  46 , with the reinforcing ribs  46  interposed between these interior walls and the outer skin of the handle grip  4 . 
   In embodiments of the invention comprising a continuity tester  90 , the apertures  44  of the handle grip  4  are situated along the outer skin of the handle grip  4  in alignment with the first contact plate  92  (or first integrated contact plate), the second contact plate  94  (or second integrated contact plate), and the indicator of the continuity tester  90 . 
   In the embodiment of the invention comprising two handle grips  4  and two testing components  6 , the second handle grip  4  is configured as described above. 
   Other embodiments not specifically set forth herein are also within the scope of the following claims.