Revenue meter bayonet assembly and method of attachment

• US 6,983,211 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hirschbold, Markus F., Cowan, Peter C., Jonker, Rene T., Giles, David W., Macfarlene, I. Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/309,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 702/61, 702/64, 324/107, 324/110
• US Class Current: 702/61
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/523 by an interconnection through aligned holes in the boards or multilayer board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/116 Lands, clearance holes or other lay-out details concerning the surrounding of a via
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09627 Special connections between adjacent vias, not for grounding vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09854 Hole or via having special cross-section, e.g. elliptical
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3447 Lead-in-hole components H05K3/3415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3468 Applying molten solder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/429 Plated through-holes specially for multilayer circuits, e.g. having connections to inner circuit layers

Abstract

A method and arrangement are disclosed for attaching one or more electrical bayonet-type blades to a circuit board with the bayonets being used to receive voltage and current signals from the electric circuit of an electrical meter. The arrangement includes a circuit board with at least one opening adapted to receive one blade. In addition, a sensor is coupled with the electric circuit to sense at least one electrical parameter from the circuit and generating a corresponding analog signal. A solder pad disposed on at least one surface of board surrounds the opening. Solder is applied around the electrically conducting bayonet on one surface of the circuit board and around the electrically conducting bayonet of the surface of the circuit board opposite to the solder pad.

Claims

1. An electrical meter for sensing electrical parameters from an electric circuit, the meter including bayonets disposed on the meter, the bayonets mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device, the bayonets being used to receive voltage and current signals from the electric circuit to the meter, and one or more sensors coupled with the electric circuit and operative to sense one or more the electrical parameters in the electric circuit and generate one or more analog signals indicative of the electrical parameters, the meter comprising:

a circuit board with a plurality of openings each adapted to receive the bayonet;

a plurality of electrically conducting bayonets mounted on the circuit board through the openings to provide at least one of a first voltage bayonet and a first current bayonet, wherein a gap is provided between the openings and the bayonets;

solder passing through the gap and extending to both sides of the circuit board; and

a sensor coupled with the electric circuit and operative to sense at least one electrical parameter from the electric circuit and generate an analog signal indicative of the electrical parameters.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a current transformer, the current transformer having a core, wherein at least the first current bayonet pass through the core of the current transformer.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second current bayonet mounted on the circuit board electrically connected to the first current bayonet by an electrical connection.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the electrical connection is embedded onto the circuit board.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the circuit board comprises a multi-layer printed circuit board.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the electrical connection comprises an electrical trace embedded between at least a first layer and a second layer of the multi-layer printed circuit board.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one opening comprises thru-hole plating.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical meter comprises a revenue meter.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising an analog to digital converter coupled with the sensor operative to convert the analog signal to one or more digital samples.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising at least one digital processing device coupled to the analog to digital converter operative to calculate data from the digital processing device.

11. The device of claim 10 further comprising at least one digital display operative to display the data from the digital processing device.

12. A method for manufacturing an electrical meter for sensing electrical parameters from an electric circuit through bayonets connecting to a circuit board, the circuit board comprising a plurality of openings each adapted to receive the bayonet, the meter including the bayonets disposed on the meter, the bayonets mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device, the bayonets used to receive voltage and current signals from the electric circuit to the meter, and one or more sensors coupled with the electric circuit and operative to sense one or more the electrical parameters in the electric circuit and generate one or more analog signals indicative of the electrical parameters, the method comprising:

inserting the bayonet through the opening in the circuit board;

applying solder to the circuit board such that the solder flows through a gap, wherein the gap is provided between the openings and the bayonets.

13. The method of claim 12 further including placing the bayonet through a core of a current transformer before inserting the bayonet through the opening in the circuit board.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the solder is applied using a solder pot.

15. The method of claim 12 where the solder is applied using a wave solder machine.

16. The method of claim 12 further including placement of other electrical modules before applying solder to the circuit board.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the other electrical module comprise transient suppression devices.

18. In an electrical meter for sensing electrical parameters from an electric circuit, the meter including bayonets disposed on the meter, the bayonets mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device, the bayonets used to receive voltage and current signals from the electric circuit to the meter, and one or more sensors coupled with the electric circuit and operative to sense one or more electrical parameters in the electric circuit and generate one or more analog signals indicative of the electrical parameters, the meter comprising:

a circuit board with a plurality of openings each adapted to receive a bayonet;

a plurality of electrically conducting bayonets mounted on the circuit board through the openings to define as at least one of a voltage and a current bayonet, wherein a gap is provided between the openings and the bayonets;

solder passing through the gap and extending to both sides of the circuit board; and

wherein at least one of the bayonets further comprise a support feature, the support feature adapted to support the electrical sensor.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the support feature comprises a protrusion in at least one of the bayonets, the protrusion further adapted to support the electrical sensor between the circuit board and the protrusion.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the protrusion comprises a leg that attaches to the circuit board.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the electrical sensor comprises a current transformer, the current transformer having a core, wherein at least one leg of the bayonet passes through the core of the current transformer.

22. The device of claim 20 wherein the openings comprise through-hole plating.

23. The device of claim 21 further comprising a second bayonet mounted on the circuit board electrically connected to the leg of a bayonet that passes through the electrical sensor.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the electrical connection is embedded on the circuit board.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the circuit board comprises a multi-layer printed circuit board.