1. An apparatus for securing a fitting or coupling to a hose having a spiral or helical bead on its outer surface, the fitting or coupling having a cylindrical portion configured for insertion into the end of the hose, said apparatus comprising:
an elongated binding strip having an inner surface for contacting the hose and an opposite outer surface, said outer surface defining at least one groove along the length of said strip,
said inner surface including a plurality of rib segments, adjacent ones of said rib segments connected by a hinge segment so that said rib segments bend about said hinge segments when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose; and
at least one tension element configured to be wrapped around said binding strip within said at least one groove when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one tension element is a band clamp.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein;
said band clamp includes a tension band and a buckle; and
said outer surface of said binding strip includes a recess for receiving said buckle therein when said tension band is wrapped around said binding strip.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said outer surface defines upstanding ribs adjacent said recess substantially surrounding said buckle when said buckle is within said recess.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of said plurality of rib segments includes opposite ribs extending transversely across said binding strip, whereby said ribs contact the hose when said binding strip is wrapped therearound.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said plurality of rib segments define at least one groove configured to receive the spiral bead of the hose therein when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one groove is arranged at an angle relative to the length and transverse dimension of said binding strip to correspond to the spiral configuration of the bead on the hose.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least some of said plurality of rib segments includes at least one cavity defined between said opposite ribs.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one cavity includes only one cavity between said opposite ribs.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one cavity is open at one edge of said binding strip.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said plurality of rib segments define at least one groove configured to receive the spiral bead of the hose therein when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one cavity includes a cavity on both sides of said at least one groove.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an endmost one of said rib segments includes an enlarged rib configured to engage a cut end of the spiral bead of the hose.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding strip defines a channel extending along the length of said binding strip through each of said plurality of rib segments, said channel configured to receive a retainer rib formed in the fitting or coupling when said binding strip is wrapped simultaneously around the hose and a portion of the fitting or coupling.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding strip includes opposite ends configured to overlap when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said opposite ends include substantially flat facing surfaces when the opposite ends are overlapped.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said binding strip includes a positive fixation element between said facing surfaces at said opposite ends thereof.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said positive fixation element includes:
a screw;
a screw bore through one of said opposite ends for passage of said machine screw therethrough; and
a threaded bore defined in the other of said opposite ends configured to threadedly receive said machine screw.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said positive fixation element includes a snap-fit arrangement between said opposite ends.
20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding strip is molded from plastic.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding strip includes indexing ribs defined in only some of said plurality of rib segments, said indexing ribs configured to contact the edge of the hose.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said binding strip includes at least three arc segments that combine to form an enclosed cylinder.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a groove defined in the cylindrical portion of the fitting or coupling, said groove having a depth and a width;
a V-shaped circumferential seal configured to fit within said groove, said seal having an undeformed width less than said width of said groove and an undeformed height greater than said height of said groove, said seal deformable when said cylindrical portion is inserted into the end of the hose so that said seal has a deformed width greater than said undeformed width and a deformed height less than said undeformed height.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said seal is deformable so that said deformed width equals said width of said groove.
25. A binding strip for securing a fitting or coupling to a hose having a spiral or helical bead on its outer surface, the fitting or coupling having a cylindrical portion configured for insertion into the end of the hose, said binding strip comprising:
an elongated body having an inner surface for contacting the hose and an opposite outer surface, said outer surface defining at least one groove along the length of said strip configured to receive a band clamp,
said inner surface including a plurality of rib segments, adjacent ones of said rib segments connected by a hinge segment so that said rib segments bend about said hinge segments when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose,
wherein said elongated body defines a channel extending along the length of said body through each of said plurality of rib segments, said channel configured to receive a retainer rib formed in the fitting or coupling when said binding strip is wrapped simultaneously around the hose and a portion of the fitting or coupling.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein at least some of said plurality of rib segments includes opposite ribs extending transversely across said elongate body, whereby said ribs contact the hose when said binding strip is wrapped therearound.
27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said plurality of rib segments define at least one groove configured to receive the spiral bead of the hose therein when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said at least one groove is arranged at an angle relative to the length and transverse dimension of said elongated body to correspond to the spiral configuration of the bead on the hose.
29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said at least some of said plurality of rib segments includes at least one cavity defined between said opposite ribs.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said at least one cavity includes only one cavity between said opposite ribs.
31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said plurality of rib segments define at least one groove configured to receive the spiral bead of the hose therein when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one cavity includes a cavity on both sides of said at least one groove.
33. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein an endmost one of said rib segments includes an enlarged rib configured to engage a cut end of the spiral bead of the hose.
34. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said elongated body includes opposite ends configured to overlap when said binding strip is wrapped around the hose.
35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said opposite ends include substantially flat facing surfaces when the opposite ends are overlapped.
36. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said binding strip is molded from plastic.
37. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said elongated body includes indexing ribs defined in only some of said plurality of rib segments, said indexing ribs configured to contact the edge of the hose.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of characterizing a device under test, the method comprising:
installing a first test board in a fixture;
installing a device under test in the fixture;
performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture;
removing the first test board from the fixture;
installing a second test board in the fixture;
performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first test board is an input test board and the second test board is an input test board.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
installing a first output test board in a fixture;
installing a second output test board in the fixture;
wherein the performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture includes performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture and the first output test board installed in the fixture;
wherein the performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture includes performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture and the second output test board installed in the fixture.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the first test board is frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the first output test board is frequency dependent at the first frequency;
the second test board is frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency;
the second output test board is frequency dependent at the second frequency.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first test board is an output test board and the second test board is an output test board.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first test board is frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the second test board is frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the first test board includes a signal path;
when the first test board is installed in the fixture and the device under test is installed in the fixture, the signal path is coupled to the test device,
the second test board includes a signal path;
when the second test board is installed in the fixture and the device under test is installed in the fixture, the signal path is coupled to the device under test.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein:
the first test board is frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the second test board is frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency;
the first test board includes a signal path, the signal path includes an impedance transformer, wherein the impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the first frequency;
the second test board includes a signal path, the signal path includes an impedance transformer, wherein the impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the second frequency.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters;
the performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein:
the first test board is frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the second test board is frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency;
the performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters at the first frequency;
the performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters at the second frequency.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture further includes performing load pull measurements;
performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture further includes performing load pull measurements.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the performing load pull measurements are performed using a fixed output power algorithm.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
installing a standard in the fixture;
performing measurements with the standard and the first test board installed the fixture;
performing measurements with the standard and the second test board installed the fixture.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
deriving data from the measurements performed with the standard and the first test board installed the fixture and the measurements performed on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture;
deriving data from the measurements performed with the standard and the second test board installed the fixture and the measurements performed on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the standard is characterized as a golden device.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the standard is characterized as a zero length through.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the installing a first test board in the fixture includes inserting a first pin of the first test board into a connector of the fixture;
the installing a second test board in the fixture includes inserting a second pin of the second test board into the connector of the fixture.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the performing measurements on the device under test with the first test board installed in the fixture produces a first set of data;
the performing measurements on the device under test with the second test board installed in the fixture produces a second set of data;
the method further comprising using the first set of data and the second set of data to design an integrated circuit include a design of the device under test.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
building an integrated circuit using the design of the integrated circuit.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the device under test is attached to a device carrier, the device carrier is attached to a mid section, wherein installing the device under test includes installing the midsection in the fixture.
21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
installing a third test board in the fixture;
performing measurements on the device under test with the third test board installed in the fixture.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the third test board is frequency dependent at a third frequency.
23. A method of characterizing a device under test, the method comprising:
installing a first input test board in a fixture;
installing a first output test board in a fixture;
installing a device under test in the fixture;
performing measurements on the device under test with the first input test board installed in the fixture and the first output test board installed in the fixture;
removing the first input test board from the fixture;
removing the first output test board from the fixture;
installing a second input test board in a fixture;
installing a second output test board in a fixture;
performing measurements on the device under test with the second input test board installed in the fixture and the second output test board installed in the fixture.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein:
the first input test board includes a first signal path, the first signal path is coupled to the device under test when the first input test board and the device under test are installed in the fixture;
the first output test board includes a second signal path, the second signal path is coupled to the device under test when the first output test board and the device under test are installed in the fixture;
the second input test board includes a third signal path, the third signal path is coupled to the device under test when the second input test board and the device under test are installed in the fixture;
the second output test board includes a fourth signal path, the fourth signal path is coupled to the device under test when the second output test board and the device under test are installed in the fixture.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein:
the first input test board and the first output test board are frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the second input test board and the second output test board are frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency;
the first signal path includes a first impedance transformer, wherein the first impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the first frequency;
the second signal path includes a second impedance transformer, wherein the second impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of the fundamental frequency (f0) of the first frequency;
the third signal path includes a third impedance transformer, wherein the third impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the second frequency;
the fourth signal path includes a fourth impedance transformer, wherein the fourth impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of the fundamental frequency (f0) of the second frequency.
26. The method of claim 23 wherein:
the first input test board and the first output test board are frequency dependent at a first frequency;
the second input test board and the second output test board are frequency dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency.
27. A method of testing a device, the method comprising:
installing a first test board in a fixture, the first test board including a first signal path;
installing a device under test in the fixture;
performing measurements of the device under test with the first test board and the device under test installed in the fixture, wherein during the performing measurements, the first signal path is coupled between the device under test and a fixture connector to convey signals;
installing a second test board in a fixture, the second test board including a second signal path;
performing measurements of the device under test with the second test board and the device under test installed in the fixture, wherein during the performing measurements, the second signal path is coupled between the device under test and the fixture connector to convey signals.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the performing measurements of the device under test with the first test board and the device under test installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters;
the performing measurements of the device under test with the second test board and the device under test installed in the fixture further includes measuring S-parameters.
29. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the first test board is dependent at a first frequency;
the second test board is dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency;
the first signal path includes an impedance transformer, wherein the impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the first frequency;
the second signal path includes an impedance transformer, wherein the impedance transformer is a quarter wave length of a fundamental frequency (f0) of the second frequency.
30. The method of claim 27 wherein:
the first test board is dependent at a first frequency;
the second test board is dependent at a second frequency, the second frequency is different than the first frequency.