Detachable magnetic coupler communication apparatus

• US 4,491,793 A
• Filed: 09/21/1983
• Issued: 01/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Germer, Warren R., Palmer, Ansell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snow, Walter E.
• Application Number:
  US06/533,895
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 324/113, 324/157, 250/239, 250/551, 346/14 MR, 455/602, 455/613, 340/870.28, 350/96.2
• US Class Current: 324/157
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/06 acting through a wall or enclosure, e.g. by bellows, by magnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a meter cover (housing) mounted receptacle and detachable magnetic coupler incorporating optical communication devices for electronically communicating with electronic circuitry housed within the meter cover.

Claims

1. In a system of the type including a meter having electronic circuitry housed within a cover of the meter, the combination comprising:

(a) a fixed coupler assembly of magnetically inductive material rigidly mounted through a portion of the meter cover, said fixed coupler assembly having a face portion external of the meter cover and including an aperture extending into said fixed coupler assembly from the face portion, said fixed coupler assembly further including,

(1) an optical communication means of a first type disposed in the aperture of said fixed coupler assembly for optical communication external of the meter cover at the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly, and

(2) means connecting said optical communication means of said first type to the electronic circuitry for electronically communicating therewith;

(b) a magnetic coupler assembly comprising a magnet having a surface on one end thereof for mating attachment to the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly and including an aperture extending into said magnet from said surface, said aperture being positioned on said surface for alignment with the aperture in the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly when the surface end of said magnet is brought into mating attachment with the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly, said magnetic coupler assembly further including,

(1) an optical communication means of a second type disposed in the aperture of said magnet for optical communication out the surface end thereof,

(2) a cover of magnetically inductive material surrounding said magnet, said cover being inductively coupled to said magnet to thereby increase the magnetic holding force of said magnet by providing a closed loop magnetic circuit having a path for the magnetic flux generated by said magnet which flows between said cover and said magnet, said cover being formed with a shield surrounding said magnet in the form of a lip forming a part of the closed loop magnetic circuit and extending outward of the surface end of said magnet whereby the lip of said shield is formed to closely surround said fixed coupler assembly at the face portion thereof to, (i) effect alignment of the optical communication means of said first and second types, (ii) inhibit the entry of ambient light between the face portion and the surface end of said fixed coupler assembly and said magnet respectively, and (iii) enable said fixed coupler assembly to be inserted into the closed loop magnetic circuit to provide an additional path for magnetic flux to flow between said shield and said magnet, via said fixed coupler assembly, to thereby further increase the holding force of said magnetic coupler assembly against said fixed coupler assembly when said fixed and magnetic coupler assemblies are magnetically attached; and

(c) external communication means connected to the optical communication means of said second type in said magnetic coupler assembly for electronically communicating information between the electronic circuitry in the meter cover and said external communication means, via the optical communication means of said first and second types, when said fixed and magnetic coupler assemblies are magnetically attached.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the optical communication means of said first and second types is a light emitting diode and the other of said first and second types is a photocell.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fixed coupler assembly further includes a transparent protective shield on the face portion thereof for protecting the optical communication means disposed in the aperture of said fixed coupler assembly.

4. A meter that is designed to be linked for optical communication purposes via two coupler assemblies that are configured to be coupled together in preparation for such communication, said meter comprising a cover and means for mounting a single one of the following two coupler assemblies on the cover so that the mounted coupler assembly projects through the cover and is structured to cooperate with the other coupler assembly in the manner specified by the following combination comprising:

(a) a first coupler assembly including,

(1) a body of magnetically inductive material having a face portion and including an aperture extending into said body from the face portion, and

(2) an optical communication means of a first type disposed in the aperture of said body for optically communicating out the face portion of said body; and

(b) a second coupler assembly including,

(1) a magnet having a surface on one end thereof formed to magnetically couple said magnet to the face portion of said first coupler assembly and including an aperture extending into said magnet from said surface, said aperture being positioned on said surface for alignment with the aperture in the face portion of said first coupler assembly when the surface end of said magnet is brought into registry with the face portion of said first coupler assembly,

(2) an optical communication means of a second type disposed in the aperture of said magnet for optical communication out the surface end thereof, and

(3) a cover of magnetically inductive material surrounding said magnet, said cover being inductively coupled to said magnet to thereby increase the magnetic holding force of said magnet by providing a closed loop magnetic circuit having a path for the magnetic flux generated by said magnet which flows between said cover and said magnet, said cover being formed with a shield surrounding said magnet in the form of a lip forming a part of the closed loop magnetic circuit and extending outward of the surface end of said magnet whereby the lip of said shield is formed to closely surround said first coupler assembly at the face portion thereof to, (i) effect alignment of the optical communication means of said first and second types, (ii) inhibit the entry of ambient light between the face portion and the surface end of said first coupler assembly and said magnet respectively, and (iii) enable said first coupler assembly to be inserted into the closed loop magnetic circuit to provide an additional path for magnetic flux to flow between said shield and said magnet, via said first coupler assembly, to thereby further increase the holding force of said second coupler assembly against said first coupler assembly when said first and second coupler assemblies are magnetically attached.

5. In a meter of the type including electronic circuitry housed within a meter cover, apparatus for electronically communicating with the electronic circuitry externally of the meter cover comprising:

(a) a fixed coupler assembly of magnetically inductive material rigidly mounted through a portion of the meter cover, the structure of said fixed coupler assembly being characterized by a substantially cylindrical body having a substantially flat face portion on one end thereof external of the meter cover and including a first alignment means formed in the face portion of said body, said fixed coupler assembly being further characterized by first and second apertures extending through said body from the face portion end thereof, said fixed coupler assembly further including,

(1) a first optical emitter device,

(2) a first optical detector device,

(3) means for mounting said first optical emitter and detector devices in the first and second apertures respectively of said body, whereby said first optical emitter and detector devices may optically communicate externally of the meter cover through the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly, and

(4) means for electrically connecting said first emitter and detector devices to the electronic circuitry inside the meter cover; and

(b) a detachable coupler assembly having a structure characterized by a substantially cylindrical magnet having a substantially flat magnetized surface on one end thereof formed for magnetic attachment to the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly, said magnet further being characterized by third and fourth apertures extending through said magnet from the magnetized surface end thereof and being positioned for alignment with the first and second apertures respectively in the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly, said detachable coupler assembly further including,

(1) a second optical emitter device,

(2) a second optical detector device,

(3) means for mounting said second optical emitter and detector devices in the third and fourth apertures respectively of said magnet whereby said second optical emitter and detector devices may communicate through the third and fourth apertures respectively in the magnetized surface end of said magnet, and

(4) a substantially cylindrical cover of magnetically inductive material circumventing said magnet, said cover being inductively coupled to said magnet to thereby increase the magnetic holding force of said magnet by providing a closed loop magnetic circuit having a path for the magnetic flux generated by said magnet which flows between said cover and said magnet, said cover being positioned on said magnet to form an annular lip extending beyond the magnetized surface end of said magnet and forming a part of the closed loop magnetic circuit, said lip being formed to closely surround the body of said first coupler assembly at the face portion thereof and including a second alignment means formed therein for mating engagement with said first alignment means in the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly to, (i) effect alignment of the apertures in the face portion and magnetized surface end of said fixed and detachable coupler assemblies respectively, whereby said first optical emitter device in said fixed coupler assembly communicates with said second optical detector device in said detachable coupler assembly, and said first optical detector device in said fixed coupler assembly communicates with said second optical emitter device in said detachable coupler assembly, (ii) inhibit the entry of ambient light between the face portion of said fixed coupler assembly and the surface end of said magnet respectively, and (iii) enable said fixed coupler assembly to be inserted into the closed loop magnetic circuit to provide an additional path for magnetic flux to flow between the lip of said cover and said magnet, via the body of said fixed coupler assembly, to thereby further increase the holding force of said magnetic coupler assembly against said fixed coupler assembly when said fixed and detachable coupler assemblies are magnetically attached to form an optical communication link for electronically communicating, externally of the meter cover, with the electronic circuitry inside the meter cover.