Electronic meter with a removable protective plug

• US 10,474,591 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gauge Tech
• Inventors: Kagan, Erran, Banhegyesi, Tibor, Cohen, Avi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roche, John B
• Application Number:
  US15/921,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20180225231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/12 using hardware independent of the central processor, e.g. channel or peripheral processor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An intelligent electronic device (IED), e.g., an electrical power meter, having at least one removable memory device for storing data sensed and generated by the intelligent electronic device is provided. The IED includes a housing; at least one sensor; at least one analog-to-digital converter; at least one processing unit coupled to the at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the digital data and store the digital data in a removable memory; and at least one device controller coupled to the at least one processing unit, the at least one device controller including an interface disposed on the housing for interfacing with the removable memory, wherein the at least one device controller is operative as a USB master or USB slave device controller.

Claims

1. An electronic meter comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor configured for sensing at least one electrical parameter distributed to a load external from the housing;

at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor and configured for converting an analog signal output from the at least one sensor to a digital data;

at least one processing unit coupled to the at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the digital data and store the digital data in a removable memory; and

at least one device controller coupled to the at least one processing unit, the at least one device controller including at least one interface disposed on the housing for interfacing with the removable memory, wherein the at least one interface includes a communication port configured to receive the removable memory,

wherein the housing includes an opening and a channel surrounding the opening, the communication port arranged within the opening of the housing, the opening configured to receive a plug, the plug including a cover having a lip portion surrounding a periphery of the cover and a seal extending from the lip portion, the seal configured to mate with the channel and the cover covers the opening when the plug is received by the opening to couple the plug to the at least one interface and protect the communication port from environmental conditions.

2. The electronic meter as in claim 1, wherein the opening includes a port opening portion arranged about the communication port and a circular opening portion, the circular opening portion configured for rotatably retaining the plug.

3. The electronic meter as in claim 2, wherein the plug further includes a leg portion extending perpendicularly from the cover, the leg portion being rotatably retained within the circular opening portion of the opening.

4. The electronic meter as in claim 3, wherein the leg portion includes a circular step configured to retain the plug in the circular opening portion, the circular step having a diameter greater than a diameter of the leg portion.

5. The electronic meter as in claim 2, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to prevent removal of the plug from the at least one interface.

6. The electronic meter as in claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism includes a seal to indicate tampering.

7. The electronic meter as in claim 1, wherein the communication port is at least one of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, an Ethernet port, an RS-232 port and/or an RS-485 port.

8. The electronic meter as in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a face plate including a display, the at least one interface being disposed on the face plate.

9. An electronic meter comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor configured for sensing at least one electrical parameter distributed to a load external from the housing;

at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor and configured for converting an analog signal output from the at least one sensor to a digital data;

at least one processing unit coupled to the at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the digital data and store the digital data in a memory; and

at least one interface accessible externally from the housing, the at least one interface includes a component coupled to the at least one processing unit and/or the memory, the component recessed within an opening on a surface of the housing, the opening includes a first opening portion arranged about the component and a second opening portion, the opening configured to receive a plug to prevent access to the component, wherein the plug includes a cover and a leg portion extending perpendicularly from the cover, the leg portion being rotatably retained within the second opening portion of the opening, the lea portion being configured to slide within the second opening portion toward or away from the housing to enable the cover to be pressed toward the housing such that the cover covers the first and second opening portions and to enable the cover to be drawn away from the housing to enable the cover to be rotated with respect to the housing to expose the first opening portion.

10. The electronic meter as in claim 9 further comprising a channel surrounding the opening, wherein the cover includes a lip portion a seal extending around the periphery of the cover and a seal extending from the lip portion, the seal configured to mate with the channel when the plug is received by the opening and the cover is pressed toward the housing.

11. The electronic meter as in claim 9, wherein the leg portion includes a circular step configured to retain the leg portion in the second opening portion, the circular step having a diameter greater than a diameter of the leg portion.

12. The electronic meter as in claim 9, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to prevent removal of the plug from the at least one interface.

13. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the component is a switch.

14. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the component is a reset button.

15. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the component is a demand reset button.

16. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the component is a user input.

18. The electronic meter as in claim 9, wherein the component is a communication port.

19. The electronic meter as in claim 18, wherein the communication port is at least one of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, an Ethernet port, an RS-232 port and/or an RS-485 port.

20. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the component is a communication port.

21. The electronic meter as in claim 20, wherein the communication port is at least one of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, an Ethernet port, an RS-232 port and/or an RS-485 port.

22. The electronic meter as in claim 9, wherein the component is at least one of a switch, a reset button, a demand reset button and/or a user input.

23. The electronic meter as in claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism includes a seal to indicate tampering.

24. The electronic meter as in claim 9, wherein the housing further comprises a face plate including a display, the at least one interface being disposed on the face plate.

17. An electronic panel meter comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor configured for sensing at least one electrical parameter distributed to a load external from the housing;

at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor and configured for converting an analog signal output from the at least one sensor to a digital data;

at least one processing unit coupled to the at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the digital data and store the digital data in a memory; and

a communication port coupled to the at least one processing unit, wherein the housing includes an opening and a channel surrounding the opening, the opening includes a first opening portion and a second opening portion, the communication port arranged within the first opening portion, the opening configured to receive a plug to protect the communication port from environmental conditions, wherein the plug includes a cover and a leg portion extending perpendicularly from the cover, the cover including a lip portion surrounding a periphery of the cover and a seal extending from the lip portion, the leg portion being rotatably retained within the second opening portion of the opening, the leg portion being configured to slide within the second opening portion toward or away from the housing to enable the cover to be pressed toward the housing such that the seal mates with the channel and the cover covers the first and second opening portions and to enable the cover to be drawn away from the housing to enable the cover to be rotated with respect to the housing to expose the first opening portion.