Through-the-lid pit antenna

• US 10,276,939 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Webb, Spencer L., Bushey, Ronald Todd, Splitz, David Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T
• Application Number:
  US15/824,540
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002, 34087001, 34087003, 343702, 343895, 343700 MS, 343719, 343872, 343769
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/002 Protection against seismic waves, thermal radiation or other disturbances, e.g. nuclear explosion; Arrangements for improving the power handling capability of an antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/04 Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0464 Annular ring patch
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/36 with top loading

Abstract

A pit antenna assembly includes a node, the node including an antenna, the antenna configured to radiate radio waves; an inner tube defining a first inner tube end and a second inner tube end, the first inner tube end disposed opposite from the second inner tube end, the inner tube defining an inner tube bore extending through the inner tube from the first inner tube end to the second inner tube end, the antenna received within the inner tube bore through the first inner tube end, the inner tube configured to electromagnetically couple energy from the antenna; and a top disc, the top disc connected to the second inner tube end of the inner tube, the top disc configured to radiate the energy from the antenna.

Claims

1. A pit antenna assembly comprising:

a node, the node comprising an antenna, the antenna configured to radiate radio waves;

an inner tube defining a first inner tube end and a second inner tube end, the first inner tube end disposed opposite from the second inner tube end, the inner tube defining an inner tube bore extending through the inner tube from the first inner tube end to the second inner tube end, the antenna received within the inner tube bore through the first inner tube end, the inner tube configured to electromagnetically couple energy from the antenna; and

a top disc, the top disc connected to the second inner tube end of the inner tube, the top disc configured to radiate the energy from the antenna.

2. The pit antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the top disc defines a top center opening;

the second inner tube end of the inner tube is received by the top center opening of the top disc; and

a longitudinal axis of the inner tube is substantially perpendicular to the top disc.

3. The pit antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bottom disc defining a bottom center opening, the inner tube extending through the bottom center opening, the bottom disc attached to the top disc by a standoff, the top disc, the standoff, and the bottom disc connected in electrical communication, the bottom disc configured to radiate the energy from the antenna.

4. The pit antenna assembly of claim 3, further comprising a disc spacer positioned between the top disc and the bottom disc, the disc spacer comprising a dielectric insulation material.

5. The pit antenna assembly of claim 3, further comprising an outer tube defining a first outer tube end and a second outer tube end, the first outer tube end disposed opposite from the second outer tube end, the outer tube defining an outer tube bore extending through the outer tube from the first outer tube end to the second outer tube end, the second outer tube end connected to the bottom disc, the inner tube positioned in the outer tube bore.

6. The pit antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the inner tube defines an inner surface and an outer surface;

the inner surface defines the inner tube bore; and

at least a portion of the outer surface is covered with a dielectric insulation material.

7. The pit antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner tube is electrically isolated from the antenna.

8. The pit antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the top disc defines a slot extending through the top disc.

9. A pit assembly comprising:

a pit vault defining a top end and a bottom end, a vault cavity defined within the pit vault, a vault opening of the vault cavity defined at the top end;

a lid shaped and sized complimentary to the vault opening, the lid defining a top surface and a bottom surface, a lid opening defined extending through the lid from the top surface to the bottom surface, the lid covering the vault opening and at least partially enclosing the vault cavity; and

a pit antenna comprising;

an antenna assembly defining a disc shape and positioned atop the top surface of the lid; and

a coupling assembly attached to the antenna assembly, the coupling assembly defining a tubular shape, the coupling assembly extending downwards from the antenna assembly, the coupling assembly extending through the lid opening and into the vault cavity, the coupling assembly defining an inner tube bore configured to receive an antenna.

10. The pit assembly of claim 9, wherein:

the antenna assembly comprises a top disc, a bottom disc, and a disc spacer;

the disc spacer is positioned between the top disc and the bottom disc; and

the bottom disc is positioned adjacent to the top surface of the lid.

11. The pit assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the coupling assembly comprises an inner tube and an outer tube;

the outer tube is attached to the bottom disc;

the inner tube extends through the outer tube, the bottom disc, and the disc spacer and is attached to the top disc; and

the inner tube defines the inner tube bore.

12. The pit assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the pit antenna further comprises a cover;

the cover defines a cover cavity; and

the top disc, the disc spacer, and the bottom disc are enclosed in the cover cavity by the cover and the top surface of the lid.

13. The pit assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the antenna assembly further comprises a plurality of standoffs attaching the top disc to the bottom disc;

the plurality of standoffs are arranged in a circular distribution; and

the top disc, the bottom disc, and the standoffs are connected in electrical communication.

14. The pit assembly of claim 9, wherein the pit antenna further comprises a nut, the nut defining a nut bore and internal threading disposed within the nut bore, the coupling assembly extending through the nut bore, the internal threading engaging external threading defined by the coupling assembly, the lid secured on the pit antenna between the antenna assembly and the nut.

15. The pit assembly of claim 9, further comprising a node disposed within the vault cavity, the node comprising a node antenna received within the inner tube bore, the node antenna electrically isolated from the pit antenna, the node antenna configured to radiate radio frequency energy, the coupling assembly configured to receive the radio frequency energy within the vault cavity, and the antenna assembly configured to radiate the radio frequency energy outside of the vault cavity as radio waves.

16. A method of coupling a pit antenna to a node, the method comprising:

inserting a node antenna of the node into an inner tube bore of the pit antenna, a coupling assembly of the pit antenna comprising an inner tube, the inner tube bore defined by the inner tube, the node and the coupling assembly positioned within a vault cavity defined by a pit vault;

passively receiving radio-frequency energy from the node antenna with the coupling assembly of the pit antenna; and

passively radiating the radio-frequency energy as radio waves outside of the pit vault from an antenna assembly of the pit antenna, the radio waves carrying a signal, the antenna assembly electrically connected to the coupling assembly, the antenna assembly disposed external to the pit vault.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the node antenna is electrically isolated from the pit antenna.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the pit antenna to a lid configured to at least partially enclose the pit vault.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting the coupling assembly through a lid opening defined by the lid.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the node to the coupling assembly of the pit antenna.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting data from a water meter through the signal.