Utility meter pit lid mounted antenna assembly and method
First Claim
1. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus for transmitting utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box receiving a utility meter and having a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough, said communication apparatus comprising:
- an antenna element having a top cap larger than the pit lid opening and received thereabove, and having a depending base extending from said top cap and passing through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box;
antenna securement means for securing said antenna element in a fixed position relative to an associated pit lid with said top cap of said antenna element received above the pit lid opening and with said depending base thereof extending through said pit lid opening, said antenna securement means comprising a preformed member for receiving both said top cap and said depending base, said preformed member having threads about an outside diameter portion thereof received radially outward from said depending base and threaded nut means for engaging said preformed member threads so as to capture against the pit lid lower side for securing said antenna element;
an RF transmitter situated inside the underground pit box and associated with said antenna element depending base such that RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter are propagated by said antenna element; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an underground pit box to said RF transmitter situated inside such underground pit box;
whereby said antenna element top cap, at least partly situated above an exterior, above ground portion of the pit box lid, propagates utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methodology for radio utility meter reading processing of data acquisition for use with an automatic billing system involves a utility meter transmitter antenna system installed at or near ground level. An RF utility meter communication apparatus transmits utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box. The pit box includes a utility meter and has a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough. An antenna element has an upper member extending at least partly through such pit lid opening. A depending base of the antenna element extends from the upper element and passes through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box. The depending antenna element is capacitively coupled or provided with some other form of non-mechanical coupling to the output of an RF transmitter also included within the pit box. The antenna element components are nested for ease of attachment to or removal from a pit lid, with a rotatable threaded nut received about a depending antenna element for drawing tight against the underside of the pit lid, with an upper antenna element received above such pit lid. An antenna element may be directly coupled with a metallic pit lid so that such metallic pit lid functions as part of the antenna. Alternative embodiments may be provided for structure of the antenna element, so as to minimize the structure and components needed for removably securing or installing the antenna arrangement, supported on the removable pit lit of a conventional pit box.
125 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus for transmitting utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box receiving a utility meter and having a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough, said communication apparatus comprising:
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an antenna element having a top cap larger than the pit lid opening and received thereabove, and having a depending base extending from said top cap and passing through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box;
antenna securement means for securing said antenna element in a fixed position relative to an associated pit lid with said top cap of said antenna element received above the pit lid opening and with said depending base thereof extending through said pit lid opening, said antenna securement means comprising a preformed member for receiving both said top cap and said depending base, said preformed member having threads about an outside diameter portion thereof received radially outward from said depending base and threaded nut means for engaging said preformed member threads so as to capture against the pit lid lower side for securing said antenna element;
an RF transmitter situated inside the underground pit box and associated with said antenna element depending base such that RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter are propagated by said antenna element; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an underground pit box to said RF transmitter situated inside such underground pit box;
whereby said antenna element top cap, at least partly situated above an exterior, above ground portion of the pit box lid, propagates utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
said RF transmitter is battery operated; and
wherein said apparatus further includes a transmitter housing supported within the pit box and receiving therein said RF transmitter and a battery for operation of said RF transmitter.
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3. An apparatus as in claim 2, further including housing attachment means for mounting said transmitter housing on said antenna securement means.
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4. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said housing attachment means comprises complementary engagable features respectively formed on an end of said antenna securement means preformed member distal to said antenna element top cap, and formed on an external portion of said transmitter housing.
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5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said transmitter housing external portion includes an extension member physically interconnective with said antenna securement means distal end and electrically interconnective without physical contact with said antenna element depending base.
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6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said transmitter housing extension member is generally cylindrical, with engagable features residing on the outside diameter thereof relatively adjacent a base portion thereof at which said extension member extends from a main body portion of said transmitter housing, and with outer and inner cylindrical walls of said transmitter housing extension member defining an at least partially hollow interior for telescopically receiving said antenna element depending base therein, electrically interconnected therewith via capacitive coupling without direct physical contact of said transmitter housing extension member with said antenna element depending base.
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7. A pit lid antenna nested mounting arrangement for improved radio transmission of utility meter data from an underground pit box of the type having a removable generally ground level pit lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, comprising:
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a generally elongated antenna element formed so as to reside with a head portion thereof at least partly through an associated pit lid opening and with the remainder thereof depending downwardly into the associated pit box;
an antenna main body nesting component comprising an elongated generally cylindrical and hollow tubular piece with a relatively enlarged head end corresponding with said antenna element head portion for nesting receipt thereof, said main body nesting component further defining outside diameter threads, and defining at least one matable engagement element at an end thereof distal to said head end thereof;
a capture nut fittable around said threaded outside diameter of said main body nesting component for drawing tight against an underside surface of the associated pit box lid as said relatively enlarged head end of said main body nesting component and as said antenna head portion are caught and drawn tight on the outside of the pit lid through the opening thereof;
a transmitter housing received within the pit box and with a battery operated radio transmitter enclosed therein, said housing having an antenna coupling post with an open end for telescopically receiving said antenna element depending portion therein capacitively coupled thereto without direct physical contact, and said housing antenna coupling post further having an external matable engagement element adjacent a base portion thereof, complementary to said antenna main body nesting component matable engagement element for selectively locking said antenna coupling post and said transmitter housing to said main body nesting component; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an associated pit box to said radio transmitter situated in such pit box, so that said antenna element and said radio transmitter propagate utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of removably installing a nested pit lid antenna mounting arrangement for improved radio transmission of utility meter data from an underground pit box of the type having a removable generally ground level pit lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, comprising the steps of:
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providing a generally elongated antenna element placed so as to reside with a head portion thereof at least partly through an associated pit lid opening and with a remainder portion thereof depending downwardly into the associated pit box;
providing an antenna main body nesting component comprising an elongated generally cylindrical and hollow tubular piece with a relatively enlarged head end corresponding with said antenna element head portion, and nesting said antenna element therein;
further providing said main body nesting component with outside diameter threads, and with at least one matable engagement element at an end thereof distal to said head end thereof;
fitting a capture nut around said threaded outside diameter of said main body nesting component and drawing said nut tight against an underside surface of the associated pit box lid so that said relatively enlarged head end of said main body nesting component and said antenna head portion are also caught and drawn tight on the outside of the pit lid through the opening thereof;
providing a transmitter housing within the pit box and enclosing a battery operated radio transmitter therein;
providing said transmitter housing with an antenna coupling post with an open end into which said antenna element depending portion is telescopically placed capacitively coupled thereto without direct physical contact;
further providing said housing antenna coupling post with an external matable engagement element adjacent a base portion thereof, complementary to said antenna main body nesting component matable engagement element, and selectively locking said antenna coupling post and said transmitter housing to said main body nesting component using such respective engagement elements; and
installing utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within such associated pit box to said radio transmitter situated in such pit box, so that said antenna element and said radio transmitter are removably installed for propagating utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification