GAS METER HAVING ULTRA-SENSITIVE MAGNETIC MATERIAL RETROFITTED ONTO METER DIAL AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING METER RETROFIT
First Claim
1. A method for retrofitting a mechanical meter of the type having a meter shaft driven dial assembly with at least one dial index pointer and an index cover having a transparent portion for observing the dials and dial index pointers, the method comprising:
- removing a meter index cover to permit access to a meter index dial pointer;
attaching a magnet to the index dial pointer so that it is carried in an orbit around a dial pointer shaft to which the dial pointer is attached; and
mounting a sensor to the meter, the sensor when installed being adapted to sense the passage of the index dial pointer mounted magnet and to detect at least a partial orbit of the index pointer;
the attaching of the magnet and the mounting of the sensor being performed without removing the shaft driven meter dial index assembly from the meter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Device, structure and method for retrofitting a utility meter such as a gas meter with a retrofit module or for new installations to conventional meters so that it can be read remotely and so that retrofit may be accomplished simply by unskilled workers and without damage or alteration of meter. The method for retrofitting a meter of the type having shaft driven dial with dial index pointer and index cover involves removing the meter index cover to access the meter index dial pointer; attaching a magnet to the pointer so that it is carried in orbit around the pointer shaft to which the pointer is attached; and mounting a sensor to the meter adapted to sense the passage of the pointer-mounted magnet and to detect the orbit of index pointer; the attaching of the magnet and the mounting of the sensor being performed without removing the meter dial index assembly.
156 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for retrofitting a mechanical meter of the type having a meter shaft driven dial assembly with at least one dial index pointer and an index cover having a transparent portion for observing the dials and dial index pointers, the method comprising:
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removing a meter index cover to permit access to a meter index dial pointer; attaching a magnet to the index dial pointer so that it is carried in an orbit around a dial pointer shaft to which the dial pointer is attached; and mounting a sensor to the meter, the sensor when installed being adapted to sense the passage of the index dial pointer mounted magnet and to detect at least a partial orbit of the index pointer; the attaching of the magnet and the mounting of the sensor being performed without removing the shaft driven meter dial index assembly from the meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automatic meter reading (AMR) module for a utility meter of the type having an index assembly with at least one index dial and at least one index dial pointer that rotates about an index pointer shaft to indicate the flow of a utility commodity through the meter, the advanced metering reading module comprising:
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an index cover at least a portion of which is transparent so that movement of the index dial and the index pointer to which the index cover is to be attached are visible to an observer during meter operation; a carrier for holding a magnet to the at least one index pointer at a non-zero radial distance from the index pointer shaft so that the carried magnet orbits the index pointer shaft in operation as the utility commodity flows through the meter; a sensor that is adapted to detect the passage of the magnet past the sensor on each orbit during operation; and a sensor circuit that receives an input signal from the sensor and develops a count related to the number of times the sensor has detected the passage of the pointer carried magnet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus comprising:
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a sensor that is adapted to detect the passage of the magnet carried in a fitment on an outer radial portion of a meter index dial pointer past the sensor on each orbit during operation; and a sensor circuit that receives an input signal from the sensor and develops a count related to the number of times the sensor has detected the passage of the pointer carried magnet.
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41. A system for performing automated meter reading comprising:
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an AMR retrofit assembly including a mechanical to electrical conversion device, a radio for communicating a meter reading to an external requestor and optionally for receiving data and commands; a network for communicating the meter reading from the radio to the external requester wherein the external requestor comprises a requesting network server; and the server for controlling the operation of the system.
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Specification