Watthour meter socket adapter with auxiliary component mounts

• US 6,428,350 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ekstrom Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ekstrom Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Robinson, Darrell, Pruehs, Allen V.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/998,748
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 439/517, 439/508, 361/662, 361/668, 361/607, 361/669, 361/747, 361/756, 361/663
• US Class Current: 439/517
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/04 Housings; Supporting racks; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/55 characterised by the terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/113 co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus

Abstract

A support supports an auxiliary component, like a circuit board, in a non-interferingly manner with electrical contacts in a watthour meter socket adapter housing. In another aspect, a circuit board is provided with contacts along one edge which form spring jaws for receiving a terminal. A conductive tab on the circuit board resiliently completes an electrical circuit between a contact in the housing and a circuit or electrical component on the circuit board.

Claims

1. A watthour meter socket adapter including a housing having a base wall and a sidewall extending from the base wall, the socket adapter comprising:

a circuit board;

a support carried in the housing for supporting the circuit board in the housing; and

an electrical contact defining a spring jaw carried on the circuit board for receiving a terminal therein in a snap-in connection.

2. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact comprises:

first and second contact clips fixedly mounted on the circuit board and having spaced ends defining the spring jaw therebetween for receiving a terminal.

3. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact comprises:

an electrical conductive element fixedly carried on the circuit board;

one contact clip fixedly mounted on the circuit board and having one end spaced from the conductive element to define the spring jaw therebetween for receiving a terminal.

4. A watthour meter socket adapter including a housing having a base wall and a sidewall extending from the base wall and a plurality of jaw contacts mounted in the base wall and connectable to utility power conductors, the socket adapter comprising:

a support carried in the housing for supporting a circuit board in the housing;

a circuit board carrying an electrically conductive circuit; and

an electrically conductive tab carried on the circuit board and connected to the circuit, the tab biasingly engaging one jaw contact mounted in the housing to complete an electrical connection between the circuit on the circuit board and the jaw contact in the housing.

5. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 4 wherein the tab is formed of a spring metal.

6. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 4 wherein:

the tab projects outwardly from the circuit board and is resiliently formed to be biased into contact with an electrical contact mounted in the housing.

7. A watthour meter socket adapter having a housing formed of a base wall and a sidewall extending from the base wall, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a circuit board fixedly supported within the housing; and

an electrical contact carried on the circuit board adapted for receiving a watthour meter blade terminal therein.

8. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 7 wherein the electrical contact comprises:

first and second contact clips fixedly mounted on the circuit board and having spaced ends defining a spring jaw therebetween for receiving a terminal.

9. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 8 wherein the electrical contact comprises:

an electrical conductive element fixedly carried on the circuit board;

one contact clip fixedly mounted on the circuit board and having one end spaced from the conductive element to define a spring jaw therebetween for receiving a terminal.

10. A watthour meter socket adapter including a housing formed of a base wall and a sidewall projecting from the base wall, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a plurality of apertures formed in the base wall;

at least one electrical contact mounted in one of the apertures;

a circuit board carrying an electrically conductive circuit; and

an electrically conductive tab carried on the circuit board and adapted to biasingly engage the at least one electrical contact to complete an electrical connection between the electrically conductive circuit on the circuit board and the electrical contact in the housing.

11. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 10 wherein the tab is formed of a spring metal.

12. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 10 wherein:

the tab projects outwardly from the circuit board and is resiliently formed to be biased into contact with the one electrical contact mounted in the housing.

13. A watthour meter socket adapter including a housing having a base wall and a side wall extending from the base wall, the socket adapter comprising:

a plurality of jaw blades mounted in the base wall of the housing and having a jaw end releasably receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter and a blade end releasably connectable to electrical power connections;

a circuit board having at least one electrically conductive portion mounted on one surface; and

means for connecting the at least one electrically conductive portion on the circuit board with one jaw blade.

14. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 13 wherein the connecting means comprises:

an electrically conductive mounting jaw biasingly engagable with the jaw blade and the circuit board to form an electrical circuit between the conductive portion on the circuit board and the jaw blade.

15. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 14 wherein the connecting means comprises:

the jaw blade having an edge portion;

the mounting jaw having a pair of spring arms connected at one end by a central base, the pair of spring arms biasingly engaged about the edge portion of the jaw blade; and

the circuit board releasably engageable between the edge of the jaw blade and one of the pair of spring arms on the mounting jaw.

16. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 13 further comprising:

at least one support carried in the housing and adapted for releasably receiving the circuit board, the support positioning the circuit board adjacent to at least one of the jaw blades.

17. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 13 wherein the support comprises:

a slot formed in the housing, the slot having an open end adapted to receive an edge of the circuit board therein.