Electricity: measuring and testing – Measuring – testing – or sensing electricity – per se – Casings
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-07
2001-11-13
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Measuring, testing, or sensing electricity, per se
Casings
C324S110000, C361S669000, C361S672000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316932
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to utility meter assemblies and more particularly, to a weatherproof and tamper-resistant meter cover assembly.
Modern residential electric meters include a new kV A-base meter which generally has an internal assembly including a terminal block, and comparators linked to solid-state electronics for monitoring, storing and displaying utility usage data over time. In the past, A-base utility meter covers have used various housing configurations to protect the internal meter electronics and terminal block from weather conditions and tampering. However, such configurations have remained limited in their ability to effectively seal against wet weather conditions, and to protect the meter from tampering, without substantial increases in cost.
For example, known meter housing configurations use a separate sealing gasket to effectively seal the meter internal assembly against wet weather conditions, but the use of a separate sealing gasket represents substantial additional manufacturing cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an A-base meter cover assembly which improves the protection of the meter internal assembly from wet weather conditions. It would also be desirable to provide such a meter cover assembly fabricated from molded plastic so that manufacturing costs are low. It would be further desirable to provide a meter cover assembly which improves the protection of internal meter electronics from tampering. It would be still further desirable to provide such a meter cover assembly which does not require the use of a gasket to effectively seal the meter internal assembly against wet weather conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects may be attained by an A-base meter cover assembly for an electricity meter. The electricity meter can be, for example, an EV or kV A-base meter made by General Electric Company, Somersworth, N.H. The meter cover assembly, in one embodiment, is fabricated from a thermoplastic injection molding compound, such as polycarbonate, and includes a base cover and a terminal cover. The base cover includes a first portion having a top, a bottom and two sides, and includes a screw mount at about the midpoint between the two sides. The second portion includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front wall in a substantially boxlike configuration and forming a terminal block cavity. The second portion has a terminal block opening therethrough, and a pair of openings for mounting hardware. A first locking tab extends substantially perpendicularly from the front wall, near the first side wall. A second locking tab extends substantially perpendicularly from the second side wall near the front wall. A snap portion projects from the outer surface of the first side wall. Adjacent the terminal block openings is a plurality of continuous channels in the front wall. A plurality of ribs projects from the front wall to form a flange surrounding the terminal block opening. A first guide tab extends substantially perpendicularly from the front surface of the front wall, and a second guide tab extends substantially perpendicularly from the second side wall.
The terminal cover includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall having a front surface and a rear surface, and a first side wall and a second side wall in a substantially boxlike configuration. The first side wall has an opening which corresponds to the snap portion on the base cover, and the second side wall has an opening corresponding to the second locking tab on base cover. The terminal cover front wall has an opening therethrough which corresponds to the first locking tab on the base cover. A dam and a plurality of deflectors extend from the rear surface of the terminal cover front wall.
In use, the meter cover assembly is generally assembled when the meter base cover is mounted on a utility meter base, such as an A-base. The terminal cover covers the base cover and locks into place when the base cover locking tabs insert through the corresponding openings in the terminal cover, and the snap portion inserts through its corresponding opening through the terminal cover. Thus in an assembled configuration, the meter base cover and terminal cover are maintained in an alignment in which the dam and deflectors on the terminal cover insert into the channels surrounding the terminal block opening on the base cover. The dam and deflectors make contact with the ribs projecting from around the terminal block opening to form a continuous barrier against water flow into the terminal cavity. Further, the configuration of the locking tabs and engagement protect the meter from tampering with meter electronics by providing stops against removal of the terminal cover from the base cover.
The above described meter cover assembly will meet the needs of the new kV A-base meter, using an all plastic, low-cost housing. In addition, the meter cover assembly provides protection of internal A-base meter electronics from wet weather conditions without the use of a gasket. Further, the meter cover assembly improves the protection of internal meter electronics from tampering.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5571031 (1996-11-01), Robinson et al.
Horan Patrick J.
Theriault Andre
Andersen Henry S.
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
General Electric Company
Horton Esq. Carl B.
Wasserbauer, Esq. Damian G.
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