Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to a lever bypass plug-in meter socket. More particularly, the invention encompasses a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meters. The present invention is also directed to a novel plug-in meter socket for electrical watt-hour meter with a quick bypass.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The instant patent application claims priority to and the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/227,903, filed on Jul. 23, 2009, titled “Lever Bypass Plug-in Meter Socket for Electric Watt-hour Meters,” the entire disclosure of which provisional application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a lever bypass plug-in meter socket. More particularly, the invention encompasses a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meters. The present invention is also directed to a novel plug-in meter socket for electrical watt-hour meter with a quick bypass. 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0003]    Socket type electrical watt-hour meters are used to measure and indicate the amount of electrical power consumption in a residence, industry or business. Typically, a socket type watt-hour meter plugs into a meter socket using a blade-like stab or meter blade connector located on the watt-hour meter. The meter socket itself is mounted inside a meter base or a panel. A meter socket commonly has a spring loaded receptacle-like jaw to receive and contact the watt-hour meter blade insertion. The meter jaw and spring provide enough force to press meter blade and conduct electricity while maintaining a certain current load and a heat rise. One disadvantage of the current meter socket is that the spring bias force may exceed the industry standard limit for the force required to insert and extract the watt-hour meter. Another disadvantage of the current meter socket is that the spring does not provide consistent pressure over time for a reliable connection between the meter jaw and watt-hour meter blade. 
         [0004]    The meter socket for a plug-in type watt-hour meter commonly uses “U” shaped one-piece or two piece jaw with return wrap receiving contacts. A disadvantage of the one-piece jaw, is that its shape limits the thickness of material used and more importantly, the one-piece jaw provides a long electrical current path by not directly contacting the meter blade and the bus bar. Similarly, there is a large amount of heat generated at the point of conduction in both the one piece and two piece jaws where such heat rise may cause meter malfunction if not properly dissipated. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,021 (Dixon, et al.), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses exemplary embodiments comprising a system, which can comprise a bypass hub for an electrical meter. The bypass hub can comprise an electrically conductive blade comprising a first socket engageable end and a second socket engageable end. The electrically conductive blade can define a through-hole. The electrically conductive blade can be coupled to a shaft via at least one blade retainer. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,722 (Zhang, et al.), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a meter socket assembly comprising a meter jaw assembly and an extended bus bar for contact with a meter blade of a watt hour meter. The meter jaw assembly further comprises a meter jaw and a jaw spring guide that are mounted together by a fastening device to the extended bus bar. The extended bus bar comprises a chamfered terminal end and cutout portion to easily accept the meter blade. The jaw spring guide overlies the meter jaw and applies a bias force inward to urge the contact face of the meter jaw toward the extended bus bar closing any insertion space and guaranteeing tight contact with the meter blade. A meter socket guide snaps on to the bus bar to maintain the alignment of meter jaw with watt-hour meter blade. 
         [0007]    Another disadvantage of the known meter socket is the difficulty in aligning both the one piece and the two piece jaws in both the vertical and horizontal direction with the meter blade. 
         [0008]    Therefore there is a need for improvement in meter socket assemblies and in particular meter jaw assemblies. 
         [0009]    This invention improves on the deficiencies of the prior art and provides an inventive lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meter. 
       PURPOSES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The invention in one aspect is a novel lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meter. 
         [0011]    Therefore, one purpose of this invention is to provide a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meters. 
         [0012]    Another purpose of this invention is to provide a reliable and quick solution for an electric watt-hour meter to operate in either an active or an inactive bypass mode. 
         [0013]    Yet another purpose of this invention is to provide a hybrid meter socket which inherits the high performance and quality of a lever bypass clamping jaw meter socket for heavy duty industrial utilities, and the convenience of a quick bypass for metering maintenance. 
         [0014]    Therefore, in one aspect this invention comprises a connector subassembly for a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meters, comprising: 
         [0000]    (a) a first connector subassembly, comprising a first housing, said first housing having a first wall connected to a second wall, said second wall connected to a third wall, and said third wall connected to a fourth wall to form an enclosure, and wherein said first wall is separated from said fourth wall to form an opening for the passage of at least one bypass blade;
 
(b) at least one meter jaw terminal contact secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said meter jaw terminal is inside said enclosure, and wherein said meter jaw terminal is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(c) at least one spring bracket secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said spring bracket is inside said enclosure, and wherein said spring bracket is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(d) wherein at least a portion of said meter jaw terminal contact is sufficiently away from said third wall so as to form at least one opening for at least one meter blade; and
 
(e) wherein said spring bracket has an extended portion that extends from said third wall towards said first wall, and said extended portion is sufficiently away from said first wall so at to form at least one opening for the passage of said at least one bypass blade, wherein said at least one bypass blade is made from an electrically conductive material, and thereby forming said connector subassembly for a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meters.
 
         [0015]    In another aspect this invention comprises a lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meter, comprising: 
         [0000]    (a) a meter socket housing comprising at least one first connector subassembly, at least one second connector subassembly, and at least one rotary bypass blade assembly;
 
(b) said at least one first connector subassembly, comprising a first housing, said first housing having a first wall connected to a second wall, said second wall connected to a third wall, and said third wall connected to a fourth wall to form an enclosure, and wherein said first wall is separated from said fourth wall to form an opening for the passage of at least one first bypass blade;
 
(c) at least one meter jaw terminal contact secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said meter jaw terminal is inside said enclosure, and wherein said meter jaw terminal is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(d) at least one spring bracket secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said spring bracket is inside said enclosure, and wherein said spring bracket is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(e) wherein at least a portion of said meter jaw terminal contact is sufficiently away from said third wall so as to form at least one opening for at least one first meter blade;
 
(f) wherein said spring bracket has an extended portion that extends from said third wall towards said first wall, and said extended portion is sufficiently away from said first wall so at to form at least one first opening for the passage of said at least one first bypass blade;
 
(g) said at least one second connector subassembly, comprising a first housing, said first housing having a first wall connected to a second wall, said second wall connected to a third wall, and said third wall connected to a fourth wall to form an enclosure, and wherein said first wall is separated from said fourth wall to form an opening for the passage of at least one second bypass blade;
 
(h) at least one meter jaw terminal contact secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said meter jaw terminal is inside said enclosure, and wherein said meter jaw terminal is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(i) at least one spring bracket secured to said third wall via at least one securing means such that said spring bracket is inside said enclosure, and wherein said spring bracket is made from an electrically conductive material;
 
(j) wherein at least a portion of said meter jaw terminal contact is sufficiently away from said third wall so as to form at least one opening for at least one second meter blade;
 
(k) wherein said spring bracket has an extended portion that extends from said third wall towards said first wall, and said extended portion is sufficiently away from said first wall so at to form at least one second opening for the passage of at least one second bypass blade;
 
(l) wherein said first connector subassembly is opposite said second connector subassembly such that said at least one first bypass blade opening directly faces said at least one second bypass blade opening;
 
(m) said rotary bypass blade assembly comprising a lever connected to a lever rod, said lever rod having at least one blade assembly, wherein said blade assembly comprises a blade housing having at least one first bypass blade and at least one second bypass blade, wherein said at least one first bypass blade is directly opposite said at least one second bypass blade, and wherein said at least one first bypass blade and said at least one second bypass blade protrude out of said blade housing in an outwardly direction, and wherein said at least one first bypass blade and said at least one second bypass blade is made from an electrically conductive material; and
 
(n) wherein said at least one first bypass blade and said at least one second bypass blade are between said at least one first bypass blade opening and said at least one second bypass blade opening such that upon rotation of said lever said at least one first bypass blade is in electrical contact with said first housing, and said at least one second bypass blade is in electrical contact with said second housing, and thereby forms said lever bypass plug-in meter socket for electric watt-hour meter.
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with drawings. These drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. Like numbers represent like features and components in the drawings. The invention may best be understood by reference to the ensuing detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1 , illustrates a perspective view of a first or right side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2 , illustrates a perspective view of a second or left side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3 , illustrates a perspective view of a spring bracket of this invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4 , illustrates a perspective view of a meter jaw terminal contact of this invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5 , illustrates a cut-away cross-sectional view of a meter jaw of this invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6 , illustrates a side view of a lever with a blade securely held between the line and load connectors of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention with the bypass in a non-active position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7 , illustrates a side view of a lever with a blade securely held between the line and load connectors of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention with the bypass in an active position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8 , illustrates an isometric view of a lever with a blade securely held between the line and load connectors of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention with the bypass in a non-active position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9 , illustrates an isometric view of a lever with a blade securely held between the line and load connectors of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention with the bypass in an active position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10 , illustrates a top view of the inventive plug-in type meter socket. 
           [0027]      FIG. 11 , illustrates a top view of the inventive plug-in style meter socket with the rotary blade assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    This invention presents a plug-in style meter socket for electrical watt-hour meters with lever quick bypass. This inventive hybrid meter socket inherits the high performance and quality of lever bypass clamping jaw meter socket for heavy duty industrial utilities, and the convenient of quick bypass for metering maintenance. The meter socket also takes advantage of plug-in style meter sockets&#39; easy insertion and extraction of electrical watt-hour meters. The meter jaws in the inventive meter socket uses an inventive lever bypass clamping jaw housing as stationary meter jaw base. A copper half-jaw reinforced by a spring bracket is fastened on to the clamping jaw housing. The combination of the clamping jaw housing and the copper half-jaw creates a receptacle opening for accepting meter blade. On the lower side of the jaw housing, the spring bracket is formed biasing outward so that it could engage rotary bypass and press the bypass blade contacting on the jaw housing inner surface to make electrical bypass circuit. As one can appreciate that the bypass circuit is shorting the same phase line and load contacts through the bypass blade when an installed electrical watt-hour meter needs to be changed or tested. 
         [0029]    Another advantage of the inventive hybrid meter socket is that the meter socket is compatible with, and shares all accessory shields of existing heavy duty quick lever bypass meter socket to make all configurations of 4 to 14 meter jaws for accepting most variety of commercial electrical watt-hour meters. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1 , illustrates a perspective view of a first or a right side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw  23 , of this invention. The first or the top half of the plug-in meter jaw  23 , comprises a base bracket  10 , having at least one opening  11 , for a securing means (not shown). The plug-in meter jaw  23 , further comprises of a first or top housing  15 , having a face wall  12 , a side wall  14 , a back wall  16 , a blade wall  18 , and a bypass blade opening  20 . The housing  15 , can also have a bracket  28 , to secure the housing  15 , to a plug-in style meter socket  100 , shown in  FIG. 10 . The housing  15 , can also have a rod or shaft  26 , secured to the housing  15 , via at least one securing means  27 . As one can see that a meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , along with a spring bracket  70 , has been secured to the housing  15 , via at least one securing means  22 , and which creates a meter blade insertion opening  120 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 2 , illustrates a perspective view of a second or a left side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw  43 , of this invention. The second or the bottom half of the plug-in meter jaw  43 , comprises a base bracket  30 , having at least one opening  31 , for a securing means (not shown). The plug-in meter jaw  43 , further comprises of a second or bottom housing  35 , having a face wall  32 , a side wall  34 , a back wall  36 , a blade wall  38 , and a bypass blade opening  40 . The housing  35 , can also have a bracket similar to bracket  28 , to secure the housing  35 , to a plug-in style meter socket  100 , shown in  FIG. 10 . The housing  15 , can also have one or more opening  39 , for securing the housing  35 . 
         [0032]    It should be understood that each final assembly has a total of 6 connectors for 3 phase or 4 connectors for single phase. This final assembly comprises of the first or a right side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw  23 , and the second or left side connector subassembly of the plug-in meter jaw  43 , and both these subassemblies  23 ,  43 , face each other so that that bypass blade opening  20 , and the bypass blade opening  40 , are facing each other, for the insertion or passage of bypass blades  82 ,  86 , of a rotary bypass blade assembly  85 , shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3 , illustrates a perspective view of a spring bracket  70 , of this invention. The spring bracket  70 , comprises of a flat base or portion  72 , having at least one opening  73 , for a securing means  22 . The spring bracket  70 , further comprises of an angled or slope portion  74 , which is secured to an upper spring bracket or spring tab support  76 . As one can appreciate that the spring bracket  70 , is mated with the meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , such that the securing means  22 , secures them via the opening  63 , to the back wall  16 , of the housing  15 , or the opening  73 , to the back wall  36 , of the housing  35 . The spring bracket  70 , also has an extended or bottom or lower spring bracket  78 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4 , illustrates a perspective view of a meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , of this invention. The meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , comprises of a jaw or bracket base  62 , having at least one opening  63 , for a securing means  22 . The meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , has an angled or slope portion  64 , which is secured to a blade tab  66 , having a termination tab  68 . For the purposes of illustration two blade tabs  66 , are shown, however, it should be understood that the meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , could have one or more blade tab  66 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5 , illustrates a cut-away cross-sectional view of a meter jaw  23 ,  43 . For the purposes of illustration housing  15 , is being used, however, the cross-sectional area would be similar for the housing  35 . One can see that the jaw housing  15 , has meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , secured to a spring bracket  70 , using at least one fastener  22 , and which creates a meter blade insertion opening  120 , at the first or upper end, and a bypass blade opening  20 , at the second or lower end. As one can see in  FIG. 5 , that once a meter blade (not shown) is inserted into the meter blade insertion opening  120 , the meter blade is securely held in place between the back wall  16 , and the blade tab  66 . Similarly, when the bypass blade  86 , is inserted into the bypass blade opening  20 , the bypass blade  86 , is securely held in place between the face wall  12 , and the extended spring bracket  78 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 6 , illustrates a side view of a rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , having a lever  88 , with a first or top or upper bypass blade  82 , and a second or bottom or lower bypass blade  86 , which are securely held in a meter socket housing  101 , of the plug-in style meter socket  100 , shown in  FIG. 10 . The rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , is positioned, such that the rotary bypass blade assembly  85 , is between the line and load connectors  23 ,  43 , of the plug-in meter jaw of this invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the bypass assembly  80 , is in a non-active position. The rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , has the lever  88 , in a bypass mode, such that the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are not in electrical contact with the housing  15 ,  35 . The lever  88 , is connected to a lever rod or shaft or bypass assembly rod  87 , shown in  FIG. 8 , and the lever rod  87 , is secured to blade housing  84 . The bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are also secured to the blade housing  84 . For most applications it is preferred that the top or first bypass blade  82 , and the bottom or second bypass blade  86 , are about 180 degree apart from each other, and at the opposite end of the blade housing  84 . The blade housing  84 , is made of an electrically non-conductive material, while the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are made from an electrically conductive material. Arrow  81 , indicates the movement or rotation direction of the lever bypass blades  82 ,  86 , while arrow  89 , indicates the movement or rotation direction of the lever  88 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 7 , illustrates a side view of a rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , having the lever  88 , with a bypass blade  82 ,  86 , securely held between the line and load connectors or the plug-in meter jaw  23 ,  43 , of this invention with the bypass in an active position. The rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , has the lever  88 , in an active mode, such that the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are in direct electrical contact with the housing  35 ,  15  respectively. 
         [0038]      FIG. 8 , illustrates an isometric view of a rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , a lever  88 , with a bypass blade  82 ,  86 , securely held between the line and load connectors or the plug-in meter jaw  23 ,  43 , of this invention with the bypass assembly  80 , in a non-active position. The lever  88 , and the lever rod or bypass assembly rod  87 , could be made as a one piece item or could be made separately and then secured to each other by means well know in the art, for example, welding.  FIG. 8 , also illustrates an embodiment of this invention showing the rotary bypass blade assembly  80 , having two blade assembly  85 , on the bypass assembly rod  87 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 9 , illustrates an isometric view of a rotary levered bypass assembly  80 , a lever  88 , with a bypass blade  82 ,  86 , securely held between the line and load connectors or the plug-in meter jaw  23 ,  43 , of this invention with the bypass assembly  80 , in an active position. 
         [0040]      FIG. 10 , illustrates a top view of an inventive plug-in type meter socket  100 , with the line and load connectors or the plug-in meter jaws  23 ,  43 , lever bypass assembly  80 , and meter socket housing  101 . As one can see that the meter socket housing  101 , has a rotary bypass blade assembly  80 , having three rotary bypass blade assembly  85 , connected to a single lever rod or shaft  87 , and to a single lever  88 . In the bypass active mode each of the rotary bypass blade assembly  85 , has bypass blades  82 ,  86 , that rotate and get inserted into housing  23 ,  43 , via bypass blade openings  20 ,  40 , respectively. Similarly, in the bypass inactive mode, upon open rotation of the lever  88 , each of the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , rotate out of the housing  23 ,  43 , via the bypass blade openings  20 ,  40 , respectively. The housing  101 , has a bridge  108 , a first or left connector assembly  102 , a second or right connector assembly  106 , and two middle connector assemblies  104 ,  105 , where the two middle connector assemblies have opposite polarity. 
         [0041]      FIG. 11 , illustrates a top view of the inventive plug-in style meter socket  100 , with the rotary blade assembly  80 , of this invention. The plug-in style meter socket  100 , has the meter socket housing  101 , with a cover  110 , and a fifth terminal wire or ground wire  109 . The cover  110 , also has at least one meter blade insertion opening  122 . 
         [0042]    As one can see that the meter socket assembly  100 , comprising a meter jaw assembly  23 ,  43 , with an extended spring bracket  70 . The meter jaw assembly  23 ,  43 , further provides a plug-in capability for meter blades (not shown) and also provides meter bypass capability utilizing the rotary bypass blade assembly  80 . 
         [0043]    The meter jaw assembly  23 ,  43 , further comprises of a housing  15 ,  35 , a meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , and an extended spring bracket  70 . The meter jaw terminal  60 , and the spring  70 , are fastened to the housing  15 ,  35 , via at least one securing means  22 . 
         [0044]    The top of the spring bracket  70 , backs up the meter jaw terminal  60 , and applies more clamping force when a meter blade (not shown) is inserted; the extended (bottom) portion  78 , of the spring bracket  70 , supplies force to the other direction by pushing bypass blades  82 ,  86 , against the wall  36 ,  16 , of the housing  35 ,  15 , to ensure electrical contact when the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are engaged. 
         [0045]    The inventive meter socket  100 , that utilizes the jaw assembly  23 ,  43 , further comprises sets of jaw assemblies  23 ,  43 , a base  10 ,  30 , a levered bypass assembly  80 , and other components inherent to the function of the meter socket  100 . It should be appreciated that each final assembly has a total of 6 connectors for 3 phase or 4 connectors for single phase. 
         [0046]    The inventive meter socket  100 , offers a desired combination of features: a plug-in meter socket  100 , having a lever bypass assembly  80 . The construction of the inventive meter socket  100 , takes advantage of high performance of the commercial lever bypass meter socket solid busing and includes the convenience of plug-in meter socket jaw mechanism. 
         [0047]    To engage the bypass, the lever  88 , is pushed or rotated in a direction so that the bypass blade  82 ,  86 , turns with the lever  88 , and insert both sides of the bypass blades  82 ,  86 , between the bypass blade openings  40 ,  20 , of the jaw housing  35 ,  15 , and comes in contact with the spring bracket  70 , to make electrical contact, therefore bypassing electrical watt hour meter (not shown). 
         [0048]    The bypass blades  82 ,  86 , are made of an electrically conductive material, such as, for example, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, iron, to name a few. 
         [0049]    The meter jaw terminal or contact  60 , is made of an electrically conductive material, such as, for example, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, iron, to name a few. 
         [0050]    The spring bracket  70 , are made of an electrically conductive material, such as, for example, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, iron, to name a few. 
         [0051]    While the present invention has been particularly described in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.