ELECTRIC METER COVER INCLUDING AN INTEGRALLY MOLDED OPTICAL PORT WITH LENS

• US 20040061490A1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Lightbody, Simon H., Huber, Benedikt T., Macfarlane, I. Ross
• Granted Patent: US 6,737,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects

Abstract

A cover for use on an electric meter is disclosed which includes an optical port which aids in transmission of optical signals from an optical transmitter, such as a light emitting diode, to an optical receiver, such as a photodiode or similar. The optical port further includes lenses located in the optical transmission path to focus the optical signal, either convergently or divergently, proximate to the optical receiver thereby improving signal reception.

Claims

1. An electric meter cover comprising an optical port, said optical port operative to allow transmission of an optical signal through said electric meter cover, said optical port further comprising a lens operative to focus said optical signal.

2. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said lens is convex.

3. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said lens is concave.

4. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said lens is further operative to cause said optical signal to converge toward a receiver proximate to said lens.

5. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said optical signal is transmitted by a transmitter proximate to said lens.

6. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said optical signal comprises a communications signal.

7. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said cover comprises a plastic material.

8. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said optical port is integrally molded into said cover.

9. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said lens is integrally molded into said optical port.

10. The electric meter cover of claim 1 wherein said optical port is integrally molded into said cover, further wherein said lens is integrally molded into said optical port.

11. An electric meter cover comprising an integrally molded housing having an optical port, said optical port including a lens.

12. The electric meter cover of claim 11 further comprising an integrally molded viewing window.

13. The electric meter cover of claim 11 wherein said lens is operative to focus an optical signal.

14. The electric meter cover of claim 13 wherein said lens is further operative to cause said optical signal to converge toward a receiver proximate to said lens.

15. The electric meter cover of claim 13 wherein said optical signal is transmitted by a transmitter proximate to said lens.

16. An electric meter cover comprising an optical port and at least one light pipe, said light pipe further comprising a lens, said light pipe operative to allow transmission of an optical signal toward said lens and wherein said lens is operative to focus said optical signal.

17. The electric meter cover of claim 16 wherein said lens is convex.

18. The electric meter cover of claim 16 wherein said lens is concave.

19. The electric meter cover of claim 16 wherein said lens and said optical port are integrally molded into said electric meter cover.

20. An electric meter cover comprising a first and second transparent portion operative to allow transmission of light through said first and second transparent portions wherein said first transparent portion further comprises a lens operative to alter said light and wherein said second transparent portion is operative to allow unaltered transmission of said light.

21. The electric meter cover of claim 20 wherein said lens is further operative to focus said light.

22. The electric meter cover of claim 20 wherein said light comprises an optical signal.

23. An electric device cover comprising an integrally molded viewing window and an optical port, said optical port comprising at least one lens, said lens operative to focus an optical transmission transmitted through said optical port.

24. A method of transmitting an optical signal between an electric meter housed within a cover and an external optical device, said cover having at least one lens operative to allow transmission of said optical signal through said cover, said electric meter including a transmitter located proximate to said lens, said transmitter operative to generate said optical signal, said method comprising:

coupling said optical device externally to said cover, said optical device comprising a receiver;

transmitting said optical signal from said transmitter through said lens;

focusing, by said lens, said optical signal proximate to said receiver.

25. A meter comprising:

a housing defining an interior portion and an exterior portion, said meter located in said interior portion, said housing including an optically transmissive portion operative to convey an optical signal between said interior and exterior portions; and

wherein said meter further comprises an internal optical transmitter, said internal optical transmitter located within said housing and substantially proximate to said optically transmissive portion, said internal optical transmitter operative to generate a first optical signal to an external optical receiver, said external optical receiver located in said exterior portion; and

further wherein, said optically transmissive portion further comprises a first lens, said first lens operative to focus said first optical signal.

26. The meter of claim 25, further comprising an internal optical receiver located within said housing and substantially proximate to said optically transmissive portion, said internal optical receiver operative to receive a second optical signal from an external optical transmitter located in said exterior portion and wherein said optically transmissive portion further comprises a second lens operative to focus said second optical signal.

27. The meter of claim 26, wherein said second lens is operative to cause said second optical signal to substantially converge upon said internal optical receiver.

28. The meter of claim 25, wherein said first optical signal comprises a wavelength located substantially within the visible spectrum.

29. The meter of claim 25, wherein said first optical signal comprises a wavelength located substantially within the infrared spectrum.

30. The meter of claim 25, wherein said first lens is operative to cause said first optical signal to substantially converge upon said external optical receiver.

31. The meter of claim 25, wherein said first lens is operative to increase a divergence of said first optical signal.

32. The meter of claim 25, wherein said housing further comprises a viewing window, said meter comprising a display located in said interior portion and proximate to said viewing window, said viewing window operative to magnify an appearance of said display to said exterior portion.