Electricity meter with solid-state circuits

• US 4,744,004 A
• Filed: 05/27/1987
• Issued: 05/10/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TransData, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TransData, Inc.
• Inventors: Hammond, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): TOLIN, GERALD P
• Application Number:
  US07/054,629
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 324/156, 324/141, 324/142, 174/35 R, 174/35 MS, 364/483, 364/703, 200/50 AA, 361/424, 361/364, 361/366, 361/368, 361/372-375
• US Class Current: 361/668
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects

Abstract

Metering apparatus which employs a structure conforming to long accepted industrial standards but which is adapted to meet the requirements for highly versatile solid-state meter circuits having a multitude of outputs both in terms of electrical signals and visual display. The meter structure is provided an EMF and RF barrier coupled to through the interconnection of the meter cover to neutral reference. Further, a key actuated switching input is provided through the cover face of the meter with the use of a pattern of contact surfaces positioned on the inner surface of the face. These surfaces cooperate with spring biased contacts arranged to achieve proper contact with them when the meter cover is rotated into its latched orientation. A separate terminal block is provided which is coupled through a multi-lead connector to the meter circuit and which provides discrete individual terminal outputs readily wired by utility personnel trained in the use of older mechanical metering systems.

Claims

1. An electricity meter, comprising:

housing means including a condutive path to a neutral reference;

fixed socket component means supported upon said housing means and connectable with a monitored source of power;

meter socket component means having electrical connectors removably connected with said fixed socket component means, having a circular base connector portion and a meter support portion extending therefrom;

a solid-state meter circuit supported upon said meter support portion and electrically coupled with said meter socket component means electrical connectors for evaluating said source of power and providing electrical parameter outputs including a visual readout display forwardly disposed from said base connector portion;

an electrically insulative, transparent cover having a generally cylindrical body portion extending from a circular rearward edge portion to a forwardly disposed face and positioned over said meter circuit to effect the enclosure thereof while providing visual access to said visual readout through said forwardly disposed face;

electrically conductive ring connector means positioned over said cover circular rearward edge and rotatably engageable with said meter socket means for coupling said cover thereto;

electrically conductive metallic barrier means positioned within said cover adjacent said generally cylindrical body portion for reflecting sunlight, and dissipating electromagnetic field and radio frequency phenomena;

first electrical conducting means for electrically coupling said barrier means with said ring connector means;

second electrical conducting means coupled with said meter socket component means and effecting electrical connection between said ring connector means and said housing means path to a neutral reference with said cover and ring connector portion and said meter socket component means connected with said fixed socket component means.

2. The electricity meter of claim 1 in which said barrier comprises a sheet of aluminum foil suported by a flexible electrically insulative plastic layer.

3. The electricity meter of claim 2 in which said first electrical conducting means comprises a tab integrally formed with said aluminum foil sheet and extending from said barrier, said tab being positioned over said cover circular rearward edge for contact with said electrically conductive ring connector means when said ring connector means is positioned over said cover annular rearward edge.

4. The electricity meter of claim 1 in which:

said housing means inludes a reference contact surface coupled with said electrical path and mounted adjacent said fixed socket component means; and

said second electrical conducting means includes a first resilient conductor extending from said meter socket component means base connector portion to effect abutting contact with said electrically conductive ring connector, and a second resilient conductor electrically coupled with said first resilient conductor and movable into electrical contact with said reference contact surface when said meter socket component means is connected with said fixed socket component means.

5. The electricity meter of claim 1 in which:

said solid-state meter circuit provides said parameter outputs at multi-temrinal communications ports; and

including terminal block means mounted within said hosuing for providing a plurality of screw connector terminals corresponding with said multi-terminals of said communications port;

a multi-pin connector mounted upon said terminal block means;

distribution circuit means for connecting each said pin of said multi-pin connector with a said screw connector terminal; and

elongate multi-lead flexible ribbon cable coupled in signal exchange relationship between said muli-terminal communications port and said multi-pin connector.

6. The electricity meter of claim 5 in which said ribbon cable is folded and wrapped with a conductive groundable shield and insulative wrapping material to form a flexible cable of generally circular cross section.

7. An electricity meter mounted upon a housing carrying a fixed socket connectable with a monitored source of power, comprising:

a meter socket component having electrical connectors removably connected with said fixed socket component and having a circular base connector porion incorporating latch comopnents and a meter support portin extending therefrom;

a solid-state meter circuit supported upon said meter socket component meter support portion and electrically coupled with said electrical connectors for evaluating said source of power and providing electrical power parameter outputs including a visual readout display at a readout region forwardly disposed from said meter socket component, said circuit being responsive to switched inputs to carry out corresponding predetermined circuit operation functions;

a plurality of switch terminals mounted in the vicinity of said readout region, each electrical coupled with said circuit, each including an outwardly biased electrically conductive contact point, and being mutually positioned to define a pattern of said contact points;

an electrically insulative cover having a generally cylindrical body portion extending from a circular rearward edge portion to a forwardly disposed face, said circular rearward postion being positioned adjacent said meter socket component ciruclar base connector portion to position said body portion over said meter circuit to effect the enclosure thereof while providing visual access to said display;

annular connector means mounted upon said cover circular rearward edge and rotatable therewith from release to latched positions to effect attachment with said meter socket component by latching engagement with said meter socket component latch components;

a plurality of electrical contact surfaces mounted internally with said cover at said face, said contact surfaces being mutually spaced in a contact surface pattern corresponding with said contact point pattern such that each said contact surface effects a continuous slideable contact with a correspoding contact point with said cover moved from said releast to said latched positions; and

key actuated switch means mounted upon and extending through said cover face, electrically coupled with said contact surfaces and actuable to multiple positions to effect switched interconnections of selectones of said contact surfaces to derive said meter circuit switched inputs.

8. The electricity meter of claim 7 in which each said switch terminal contact point is configured as a spring biased rod extending outwardly a distance selected to assure contact with a said contact surface when said cover is mounted upon said meter socket component and said annular connector means is in said latched position.

9. The electricity meter of claim 7 in which said key actuated switch means is a single pole, double throw momentary switch and said contact surfaces represent two normally open terminals and one common terminal of said switch.

10. The electricity meter of claim 7 in which:

said cover is transparent;

including electrically conductive metallic barrier means positioned within said cover adjacent said generally cylindrical body portion for reflecting sunlight and dissipating electromagnetic field and radio frequency phenomena; and

electrically conductive path means for coupling said barrier with a neutral reference.

11. The electricity meter of claim 7 in which:

said solid-state meter circuit provides said parameter outputs at a multi-terminal communications port; and

including terminal block means mounted within said housing for providing a plurality of screw connector terminals corresponding withsaid multi-terminals of said communications port;

a multi-pin connector mounted upon said terminal block means;

distribution circuit means for connecting each said pin of said multi-pin connector with said screw connector terminal;

an elongate multi-lead flexible ribbon cable coupled in signal exchange relationship between said multi-terminal communications port and said multi-pin connector.

12. The electricity meter of claim 11 in which said ribon cable is folded and wrapped in an insulative wrapping material to form a flexible cable of generally circular cross section.

13. An electricity meter mounted with a housing including a conductive path to a neutral reference and connected with a monitored source of electrical power, comprising:

fixed socket component means supported upon said housing and connectable with said monitored source of electrical power;

meter socket component means having electrical connectors removably connected with said fixed socket component means, having a circular base connector portion and a meter support portion extending therefrom;

a meter circuit having solid-state components supported upon said meter socket component means meter support portion and electrically coupled with said electrical connectors for evaluating said source of power and providing electrical power parameter outputs including a visual readout display at a readout region forwardly disposed from said meter socket component, said circuit being responsive to switched inputs to carry out corresponding predetermined circuit developed operations;

three switch terminal mounted at said readout region, each electricaly coupled with said circuit, each including an outwardly extending, outwardly biased, electrically conductive contact point;

an electrically insulative transparent cover having a generally cylindrical body portion extending from a circular rearward edge portion to a forwardly disposed face, said circular rearward edge being positioned adjacent said meter socket component means circular base connector portion to position said body over said meter circuit to effect enclosure thereof;

electrically conductive ring connector means mounted upon said cover at said circular rearward edge and rotatable therewith from release to latched positions to effect attachment with said meter socket component circular base connector portion;

an electrically conductive barrier comprising an aluminum foil sheet supported by a flexible plastic layer positioned within said cover adjacent said generally cylindrical body portion and having an integrally formed conductive tab secured in electrically conducting relationship with said ring connector means;

three discrete electrical contact surfaces mounted internally upons aid cover at said face, said contact surfaces being mutually spaced in correspondence with said contact points such that each said contact surface effects a continuous slidable contact with a corresponding contact point said cover moved from said release to said latched positions;

key actuated momentary, single pole, double throw switch means mounted upon and extending through said cover face, electrically coupled with said contact surfaces and actuable to derive said meter circuit switched inputs; and

electrical conducting means in resilient contact with said ring connector and mounted to said meter socket component means for forming a conductive path therefrom to said neutral reference.

14. The electricity meter of claim 13 in which each said switch terminal contact point is configured as a spring biased rod extending outwardly a distance selected to assure contact with a said contact surface when said cover is mounted upon said meter socket component and said ring connector means is in said latched position.

15. The electricity meter of claim 13 in which:

said solid-state meter circuit provides said parameter outputs at a multi-terminal communications port; and

including terminal block means mounted within said housing for providing a plurality of screw connector terminals corresponding with said multi-terminals of said communications port;

a multi-pin connector mounted upon said terminal block means;

distribution circuit means for connecting each said pin of said multi-pin connector with a said screw connector terminal;

an elongate multi-lead flexible ribbon cable coupled in signal exchange relationship between said multi-terminal communications port and said multi-pin connector.

16. The electricity meter of claim 15 in which said ribbon cable is folded and wrapped with an insulative wrapping material to form a flexible cable of generally circular cross section.