THREE-PHASE SELECTABLE ENERGY METER

• US 20120235667A1
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Agrawal, Sachin, Hack, Christian David, Wilson, David Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/04 Housings; Supporting racks; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2433 with built-in switch

Abstract

A three-phase selection energy meter is disclosed. In one embodiment, an energy meter includes a base; a phase A terminal barrel, a phase B terminal barrel and a phase C terminal barrel; and a phase selection member movably engaged with the base, the phase selection member permitting individual selection of each of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel prohibits selection of the other two of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

Claims

1. A three-phase selectable energy meter comprising:

a base;

a phase A terminal barrel, a phase B terminal barrel and a phase C terminal barrel; and

a phase selection member movably engaged with the base, the phase selection member permitting individual selection of each of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel prohibits selection of the other two of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

2. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 1, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including an aperture corresponding to each of;

the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

3. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 2, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel includes actuating the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel via the corresponding aperature of the terminal bracket.

4. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 1, wherein the phase selection member includes:

a conductive strip; and

an actuation member holder movably attached to the conductive strip, the actuation member holder including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

5. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 4, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel;

wherein the three apertures are uniformly separated by a first distance; and

wherein at least two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder are separated from one another by a second distance distinct from the first distance.

6. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 5, wherein one of the three apertures of the actuation member holder is configured to align with one of the three apertures of the terminal bracket, simultaneously mis-aligning two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder with two of the three apertures of the terminal bracket.

7. A three-phase selectable energy meter comprising:

a base housing a phase A terminal barrel, a phase B terminal barrel and a phase C terminal barrel;

a phase selection member movably engaged with the base, the phase selection member permitting individual selection of each of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel prohibits selection of the other two of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel; and

an actuation member engaged with the phase selection member and only one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

8. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 7, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including an aperture corresponding to each of;

the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

9. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 8, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel includes actuating the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel with the actuation member via the corresponding aperature of the terminal bracket.

10. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 7, wherein the phase selection member includes:

a conductive strip; and

an actuation member holder configured to hold the actuation member, the actuation member holder movably attached to the conductive strip, the actuation member holder including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

11. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 10, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel;

wherein the three apertures are uniformly separated by a first distance; and

wherein at least two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder are separated from one another by a second distance distinct from the first distance.

12. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 11, wherein one of the three apertures of the actuation member holder is configured to align with one of the three apertures of the terminal bracket, simultaneously mis-aligning two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder with two of the three apertures of the terminal bracket.

13. A three-phase selectable energy meter comprising:

a base housing;

a phase A terminal barrel, a phase B terminal barrel and a phase C terminal barrel; and

a relay; and

a phase selection member including a connecting strip electrically connected to the relay, the phase selection member being movably engaged with the base and permitting individual selection of each of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel prohibits selection of the other two of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

14. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 13, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including an aperture corresponding to each of;

the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

15. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 14, wherein the individual selection of the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel includes actuating the one of the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel or the phase C terminal barrel via the corresponding aperature of the terminal bracket.

16. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 13, wherein the phase selection member includes an actuation member holder movably attached to the connecting strip, the actuation member holder including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel.

17. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 16, further comprising:

a terminal bracket coupled to the base and the phase selection member, the terminal bracket including three apertures respectively corresponding to the phase A terminal barrel, the phase B terminal barrel and the phase C terminal barrel;

wherein the three apertures are uniformly separated by a first distance; and

wherein at least two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder are separated from one another by a second distance distinct from the first distance.

18. The three-phase selectable energy meter of claim 17, wherein one of the three apertures of the actuation member holder is configured to align with one of the three apertures of the terminal bracket, simultaneously mis-aligning two of the three apertures of the actuation member holder with two of the three apertures of the terminal bracket.