Weather resistant automatic meter reading unit

• US 20020041237A1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M&FC Holding, LLC
• Original Assignee: M&FC Holding, LLC
• Inventors: Nathan, Gil
• Granted Patent: US 6,918,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects
• 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

A chassis for a residential utility meter reading unit includes individual chambers including a transmitter chamber containing a printed circuit board, an indexing unit chamber containing the mechanism for operating dials that rotated in response to use of the utility product to indicate the magnitude of consumption, and a battery chamber releasably connected to the chassis and adapted to complete an electrical connection between batteries and circuit board as the third chamber moves relative to the chassis. A transparent cover overlaps a slot formed in the chassis and a leg extending from the battery chamber moveable in the slot. Rails on the chassis block movement of sliders on the battery pack away from the chassis to prevent disengagement of the battery chamber from the chassis unless the cover and its attachment screws are first removed.

Claims

1. A weather resistant utility meter reading unit for producing an indication of the quantity of a utility product consumed, comprising:

a chassis divided into chambers;

a first chamber containing a transmitting unit including a printed circuit board having a contact for connection to an electrical power source;

a second chamber separate from the first chamber, containing an index unit having multiple rotating indicators, each indicator pointing to a gradated scale representing the amount of consumed product, and closed by a removable cover; and

a third chamber sealed from the first chamber, sized to contain and hold batteries in a predetermined position therein, adapted for electrical connection to the printed circuit board to provide a source of electric power to said board, the third chamber releasably fixed to the chassis.

2. The utility meter reading unit of claim 1, wherein the first chamber further comprises:

a first cover having a first free edge around a periphery of the first cover;

second cover having a second free edge around a periphery of the first cover, the second edge directed toward the first cover and overlapping the first edge; and

a seal locating in a space overlapped by the first and second covers and located near the first and second edges.

3. The utility meter reading unit of claim 2, wherein:

the first cover is formed integrally with multiple first shoulders located within the first cover;

the second cover is formed integrally with multiple second shoulders located within the second cover, the second shoulders directed toward the first shoulders, a thin space being created between the first and second shoulder;

the printed circuit board having first and second surfaces, said surfaces being located between the first and second shoulders, whereby the printed circuit board is held in position inside the first chamber.

4. The utility meter reading unit of claim 1, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot extending to a first electric contact connected to the printed circuit board;

the third chamber includes a surface extending outward therefrom and sized to move within the slot, said surface carrying a second electric contact connected to the batteries;

a spring biasing the first and second electric contacts into mutual contact, whereby the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the batteries; and

the removable cover overlaps the slot and said surface to releasably hold the third chamber to the chassis.

5. The utility meter reading unit of claim 1, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot, first and second rails having a surface for blocking movement relative to the chassis;

further comprising

a leg extending outward from the third chamber, moveable along the slot, sliders fitted adjacent the blocking surfaces of the rails, moveable along the rails and having a surface for contacting the rails to prevent movement of the third chamber relative to the chassis; and

attachment screws engageable with the chassis for connecting the removable cover to the chassis; and

wherein

the removable cover overlaps the slot and leg to prevent movement of the third chamber relative to the chassis.

6. The utility meter reading unit of claim 5, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot extending to a first electric connection to the printed circuit board, and first and second rails having a blocking surface;

further comprising a leg fixed to and extending outward from the third chamber, moveable along the slot, carrying a second electric connection to the batteries, sliders located adjacent the blocking surface of the rails, moveable along the rails, having a surface for contacting the rails to prevent movement of the leg relative to the chassis; and

attachment screws engageable with the chassis for connecting the removable cover to the chassis; and

wherein

the removable cover overlaps the slot and leg to prevent movement of the leg relative to the chassis.

7. The utility meter reading unit of claim 6, further comprising:

a spring urging completion of an electric connection between the printed circuit board and batteries.

8. A utility meter reading unit for producing an indication of the quantity of a utility product consumed, comprising:

a chassis divided into chambers;

a first chamber containing a printed circuit board having a first terminal for connection to an electrical power source; and

a second chamber sized to contain and hold batteries therein, having a second terminal electrically connectable to the batteries, moveable relative to the chassis, adapted to complete an electrical connection between the first terminal and second terminal as the second chamber moves relative to the first chamber, and releasably fixed to the chassis.

9. The utility meter reading unit of claim 8, wherein the first chamber further comprises:

a first cover having a first free edge around a periphery of the first cover;

second cover having a second free edge around a periphery of the first cover, the second edge directed toward the first cover and overlapping the first edge; and

a seal locating in a space overlapped by the first and second covers and located near the first and second edges.

10. The utility meter reading unit of claim 9, wherein:

the first cover is formed integrally with multiple first shoulders located within the first cover;

the second cover is formed integrally with multiple second shoulders located within the second cover, the second shoulders directed toward the first shoulders, a thin space being created between the first and second shoulder;

the printed circuit board having first and second surfaces, said surfaces being located between the first and second shoulders, whereby the printed circuit board is held in position inside the first chamber.

11. The utility meter reading unit of claim 9, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot extending to a first electric contact connected to the printed circuit board;

the second chamber includes a surface extending outward therefrom and sized to move within the slot, said surface carrying a second electric contact connected to the batteries;

a spring biasing the first and second electric contacts into mutual contact, whereby the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the batteries; and

the removable cover overlaps the slot and said surface to releasably hold the second chamber to the chassis.

12. The utility meter reading unit of claim 8, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot, first and second rails having a surface for blocking movement relative to the chassis;

further comprising

a leg extending outward from the second chamber, moveable along the slot, sliders fitted adjacent the blocking surfaces of the rails, moveable along the rails and having a surface for contacting the rails to prevent movement of the third chamber relative to the chassis; and

attachment screws engageable with the chassis for connecting the removable cover to the chassis; and

wherein

the removable cover overlaps the slot and leg to prevent movement of the second chamber relative to the chassis.

13. The utility meter reading unit of claim 12, wherein:

the chassis includes a slot extending to a first electric connection to the printed circuit board, and first and second rails having a blocking surface;

further comprising a leg fixed to and extending outward from the third chamber, moveable along the slot, carrying a second electric connection to the batteries, sliders located adjacent the blocking surface of the rails, moveable along the rails, having a surface for contacting the rails to prevent movement of the leg relative to the chassis; and

attachment screws engageable with the chassis for connecting the removable cover to the chassis; and

wherein

the removable cover overlaps the slot and leg to prevent movement of the leg relative to the chassis.

14. The utility meter reading unit of claim 13, further comprising:

a spring urging completion of an electric connection between the printed circuit board and batteries.

15. A utility meter reading unit for producing an indication of the quantity of a utility product consumed, comprising:

a chassis divided into chambers, including

a slot extending along a predetermined direction,

first and second rails directed along the slot having a blocking surface preventing movement away from the slot;

a first chamber containing a printed circuit board having a first terminal for connection to an electrical power source;

a second chamber sized to contain and hold batteries, including

a leg extending into the slot,

a second terminal electrically connectable to the batteries and adapted to complete an electrical connection between the first terminal and second terminal as the leg moves along the slot,

sliders located adjacent the blocking surface having a surface for contacting the blocking surface to prevent movement of the leg away from the slot;

a removable cover overlapping the slot and leg to prevent movement of the leg out of the slot; and

attachment screws engageable with the chassis for connecting the removable cover to the chassis.