Housing for utility meter AMR components
First Claim
1. An apparatus for housing components of an AMR system associated with a utility meter, wherein said utility meter is located inside a substantially non RF transparent environment, said substantially non RF transparent environment comprises at least one access-surface defining an access-hole there through, said apparatus comprising:
- a top-section comprising a top-section-upper-piece associated with a top-section-lower-piece so that said top-section-upper-piece is substantially adjacent to said top-section-lower-piece thereby forming a top-section-void there between, said top-section-void suitably sized for receiving a transmitter and a corresponding antenna;
a depending base having a first end and a second end wherein said first end is associated with said top-section-lower-piece and extend to a point distal to the said top-section-lower-piece; and
wherein said top-section is suitably configured for being associated with said access-surface so that said top-section-lower-piece is substantially adjacent to said access-hole so that said depending base extends from said top-section, through said access-surface and to a point at least partly through the access-surface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to an enclosure for housing transmitter components of an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system electrically associated with a utility meter disposed in a substantially non-RF transparent location. The enclosure comprises a first section mechanically associated with a second section where the first section is disposed outside the non-RF transparent location, and said second section extends from said first section to a point within said non-RF transparent location. The first section may house an antenna and a transmitter while the second section may house a power source electrically associated with said transmitter.
40 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for housing components of an AMR system associated with a utility meter, wherein said utility meter is located inside a substantially non RF transparent environment, said substantially non RF transparent environment comprises at least one access-surface defining an access-hole there through, said apparatus comprising:
-
a top-section comprising a top-section-upper-piece associated with a top-section-lower-piece so that said top-section-upper-piece is substantially adjacent to said top-section-lower-piece thereby forming a top-section-void there between, said top-section-void suitably sized for receiving a transmitter and a corresponding antenna; a depending base having a first end and a second end wherein said first end is associated with said top-section-lower-piece and extend to a point distal to the said top-section-lower-piece; and wherein said top-section is suitably configured for being associated with said access-surface so that said top-section-lower-piece is substantially adjacent to said access-hole so that said depending base extends from said top-section, through said access-surface and to a point at least partly through the access-surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An apparatus for housing components of an AMR system associated with a utility meter, wherein said utility meter is installed in an underground pit enclosure associated with a pit lid that is generally at ground level, said pit lid defining an opening there through, said apparatus comprising:
-
a depending base comprising a first end and a second end; a top-section mechanically associated with said first end, wherein said top-section is suitably configured to rest generally on top of said pit lid and substantially co-planer with said pit lid so that said second end is located at least partly through the opening in said pit lid; and wherein said top-section is suitably configured to receive a transmitter and a corresponding antenna so that said transmitter and antenna are positioned outside said pit enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An apparatus for housing components of an AMR system associated with a utility meter, wherein said utility meter is installed in a substantially non RF transparent enclosure associated with at least one access lid, said access lid defining an opening there through, said apparatus comprising:
-
a top-section mechanically associated with a depending base, said top-section defining a void suitably sized for receiving a transmitter and a corresponding antenna, wherein said top-section is suitably configured to rest generally adjacent to an access lid and substantially co-planer with said access lid so that said depending base extends from said top-section to a point at least partly through an opening in said access lid; and wherein said top section comprises an RF transparent section providing propagation path for RF signals generated by said transmitter and antenna. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification