Patent Application
20060063423
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a meter socket and, more specifically, to a unitary meter socket support base.
2. Background Information
Meter centers are used for metering electric power delivered to multiple tenants from a common feeder system. Typically, the meter center includes an upright cabinet forming an enclosure divided into side-by-side meter and disconnect switch compartments. Feeder buses, typically three-phase buses and a neutral bus connected to the utility lines, extend horizontally through the rear of the cabinet. The meter compartment has a pair of vertical supply buses, or “line” buses, connected to a selected pair of the feeder phase buses by phase balancers, so named because connections can be made to selected phases to generally balance the feeder bus phase currents. The line buses can include a neutral bus if the meters have a neutral connection. A meter socket is structured to mount a meter in the meter compartment for each tenant load circuit and electrically connects the meter to the supply buses and the tenant load buses.
That is, the meter socket includes a plurality of pincer-like jaw assemblies. Each jaw assembly is in electrical communication with either the line or the load buses within the meter center. The jaw assemblies face, that is, open toward, the front of the meter center. The meter is, typically, a cylindrical enclosure having a display on the front side, a metering device enclosed therein, and a plurality of conductive stabs extending from the back side. The stabs are structured to be coupled to the jaw assemblies thereby coupling the line and load buses through the meter. In this configuration, the metering device may collect data as to how much electricity is used by each tenant.
The meter socket was, typically, an assembly that included multiple components. For example, typically, a pair of meterjaws are supported by base unit. Two or more base units are required to support a meter. Additionally, the conductors were typically coupled by one or more fasteners to the separate base units. Further, certain base units included separate components, such as pedestals and risers. The pedestals were used to space the base from the meter center housings. The risers were rigid non-conductive members structured to hold lugs in a specific location, spaced away from the base, so that the lugs align with the stabs on a meter. Additionally, the lugs were also coupled to the meter socket assembly by fasteners or other such coupling devices. Because the meter socket assembly included the various separate components, the meter socket assembly needed to be assembled prior to use. To reduce the time and energy required to assemble a meter socket assembly, it would be advantageous to have a meter socket base with a reduced number of components or, more preferably, a single piece base.
There is, therefore, a need for a one-piece molded socket base.
There is a further need for a one-piece molded socket base that incorporates a conductor assembly.
There is a further need for a one-piece molded socket base that reduces the number of fasteners required to mount the socket assembly.
These needs, and others, are met by the present invention which provides a meter socket assembly having a one-piece, or “unitary,” molded socket base and a conductor assembly. The unitary socket base is structured to support at least two pairs of meter jaw assemblies. The socket base, which is a unitary body, includes a platform portion and at least two risers extending upwardly from the platform portion. The platform portion has, preferably, a generally square cross-sectional shape. In one embodiment, there are four pedestal risers, one extending from each corner of the platform portion. In a preferred embodiment, the socket base includes two elongated risers extending from two opposite sides of the platform portion. Each elongated riser runs about the entire length of the side of the platform portion from which the riser extends upwardly. The socket base is further structured to be coupled to the conductor assembly with a reduced number of fasteners.
The conductor assembly includes at least one jaw assembly having a pair of pincer-like jaw members and an associated bus, as well as, at least one line bus and at least one load bus. The jaw assembly bus is made from a generally flat, elongated conductive member that has been bent into an L-shape. That is, the jaw assembly bus has a first leg and a second leg which are generally perpendicular to each other. The jaw members are coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the jaw assembly bus first leg, and more specifically to the outer side of the jaw assembly bus first leg. Each riser is structured to support at least one jaw assembly and an associated bus. Each riser includes one or more generally flat plateaus at the distal end of the riser. Each plateau is structured to support a jaw assembly. Each plateau further includes an opening. Each jaw assembly includes a threaded post extending from the jaw assembly bus first leg inner side. The threaded post extends through the plateau opening and may be secured with a nut. The jaw assembly bus second legs extend downwardly adjacent to the risers and are structured to be coupled to either a line or load bus disposed on or within the socket base platform portion. This configuration requires fewer fasteners than the coupling means of the prior art.
A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As used herein, “unitary” shall mean an integral body that does not include separate components coupled together by a fastening means.
As used herein, “inner side,” when describing a side of a jaw assembly bus, shall mean the side adjacent to the socket base. Similarly, “outer side,” when describing a side of a jaw assembly bus, shall mean the side facing away from the socket base.
As used herein, directional terms, such as “upper” and “lower” relate to the socket assembly as shown in the Figures and are not limiting upon the claims.
As shown in
The platform portion 16 preferably has a thickness of between about 1½ and 1⅝ inches and each riser 18 has a height above the platform portion 16 of between about 1⅞ and 2⅛ inches. More preferably, the platform portion 16 preferably has a thickness of about 1⅝ inches and each riser 18 has a height above the platform portion of about 2 inches.
Additionally, as shown in
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment the conductor assembly 14 includes at least one and preferably two line side jaw assemblies 40A, 40B and two load side jaw assemblies 42A, 42B, as well as two line conductors 60A, 60B, and two load conductors 70A, 70B. As shown best in
The line conductor 60A is an elongated, generally flat, conductive member 62A having a first end 64A and a second end 66A. The conductive member 62A extends below the platform portion 16, generally longitudinally under the elongated riser 18A. The line conductor first end 64A extends to one side of the platform portion 16 and is structured to be coupled to the meter center line bus (not shown). The line conductor second end 66A extends from the side of the platform portion 16 opposite the line conductor first end 64A. The line conductor second end 66A may be bent about ninety degrees so that the line conductor second end 66A extends generally parallel to the side of the elongated riser 18A. The line conductor second end 66A may further include a lug tab 68A extending generally parallel to the plane of the platform portion 16. If desired, a coupling lug may be placed on the lug tab 68A. The load conductor 70A is, preferably, an insulated wire 72A. The insulated wire 72A is disposed between the two elongated risers 18A, 18B and on top of the conductor seat 19.
The meter socket assembly 10 is assembled as follows. The line side jaw assembly 40A is disposed on the upper (as shown in
After the line side jaw assembly 40A and the load side jaw assembly 42A are secured, the line conductor 60A is disposed on the lower side of the platform portion 16 generally longitudinally under the elongated riser 18A. The line side jaw assembly 40A second leg 38 extends downwardly along the side of the elongated riser 18A and is parallel to the line conductor second end 66A. Thus, the line side jaw assembly 40A second leg 38 and the line conductor second end 66A are joined together by a coupling device 36. The load conductor 70A is disposed between the two elongated risers 18A, 18B and on top of the conductor seat 19. The load conductor 70A is further coupled to the load conductor lug 44A. Thus, in this configuration, the line conductor 60A is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the line side jaw assembly 40A, and, the load conductor 70A is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the load side jaw assembly 42A. Thus, when a meter is coupled to the meter socket assembly 10 a circuit is completed and the flow of electricity through the meter may be monitored and recorded.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. For example, it is further noted that elongated risers 18A, 18B may further include a medial plateau 22. Additional jaw assemblies 40, such as jaw assembly 40 coupled to a neutral conductor, may be disposed at the medial plateaus. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
