Anti-turn mechanism for multiple connector sizes

A conductive member for mounting a meter socket line connector includes an aperture configured to receive a fastener for the line connector and a protrusion in a different plane than that of the aperture. The protrusion includes a first notch configured to receive a first-size line connector that is secured to the conductive member by the fastener through the aperture and a second notch configured to receive a second-size line connector that is secured to the conductive member by the fastener through the aperture. The protrusion is configured to receive a corner of either the first-size line connector or the second-size line connector without changes to the conductive member.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In the electric utility industry, plug-in, socket-type, watt-hour meters are commonly used to measure electric power consumption at residential or commercial sites. The most common type is more properly known as a kilowatt hour meter or a joule meter. When used in electricity retailing, the utilities record the values measured by these meters to generate an invoice for the electricity. These meters may also record other variables including the time when the electricity was used.

The socket for the watt-hour meter is usually installed in a housing that is mounted on a wall of the residence or commercial building. Typically, the housing is transparent or has a window so that the meter can be read without opening the housing. The meter socket contains line and load terminals which are respectively connected to electric line and load connectors. The line and load connectors are connected to cables providing electrical power to/from the meter socket. The terminals receive the blade contacts of a plug-in watt-hour meter to complete an electric circuit through the meter between the line and load terminals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to implementations described herein, a conductive member for mounting a meter socket line connector may include an aperture configured to receive a fastener for the line connector and a protrusion located in a different plane than that of the aperture. The protrusion may include a first notch configured to receive a first-size line connector that is secured to the conductive member by the fastener through the aperture and a second notch configured to receive a second-size line connector that is secured to the conductive member by the fastener through the aperture. The protrusion may be configured to receive a corner of either the first-size line connector or the second-size line connector without changes to the conductive member. The first notch and the second notch may each engage two surfaces of a respective first-size or second-size line connector to prevent rotation of the line connectors around the fastener.

FIGS. 1A and 1Bprovide views of a watt-hour meter assembly10in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented. More particularly,FIG. 1Aprovides a view of a meter socket box20that includes a watt-hour meter30, andFIG. 1Bprovides a view of a meter socket40located within meter socket box20. Some portions of meter socket40(e.g., those portions that are unrelated to implementations described herein) are not shown.

Referring collectively toFIGS. 1A and 1B, meter socket40may be located within meter socket box20. Meter socket box20may include openings in side and/or end walls for receiving line cables22and load cables24. Line cables22and load cables24are shown inFIG. 1Afor simplicity. In some installations, line cables22and load cables24may be included within conduits and/or enter/exit in the back of meter socket box20. In one implementation, meter socket40may be mounted to a panel attached to the back wall of meter socket box20. Meter socket box20may include a removable front cover26or door with an opening28for receiving the dome portion of meter30, which extends through opening28when installed in meter socket40.

Meter30may be coupled to a plurality of bus members or lines at meter socket40. Meter30typically includes a cylindrically-shaped enclosure containing a metering device with the meter display on the front side and a plurality of blade connectors (not shown) extending from the back side. The blade connectors may be adapted to be received by jaw-type terminals in meter socket40to electrically connect the line and load buses (e.g., associated with line cables22or load cables24) through meter30.

Meter socket40may include a non-conductive base42, line connectors46, fasteners48, conductive plates50-1through50-4(referred to herein collectively as “conductive plates50” or generically as “conductive plate50”), and/or bus bars. In one implementation, each of conductive plates50may be integral with one or more terminals (e.g., terminal51,FIG. 2) to receive blade contacts (not shown) of meter30.

Connector46may include, for example, a conventional power line fitting, such as a solderless-type lug that may use retaining screws to clamp a conductive lead (e.g., from line cables22or load cables24) within connector46. Connector46may be provided in different configurations and sizes (e.g., different physical dimensions). For example, connector46may include a single-line connector (as shown inFIG. 1B) or a double-line connector (as shown inFIG. 6B) depending on a particular application of meter socket40. In implementations described herein, connector46may include a single mounting aperture to receive a fastener (e.g., fastener48) for mounting. Each of connectors46may be attached to non-conductive base42and one of the conductive plates50.

As shown inFIG. 1B, fasteners48may be used to secure connectors46to the conductive plates50of the load side of meter socket40(e.g., conductive plates50-1and50-2associated with load cables24). Although not shown inFIG. 1B, connectors46may also be secured to the conductive plates50of the line side of meter socket40(e.g., conductive plates50-3and50-4associated with line cables22). Thus, wires from line cables22or load cables24may be in electrical communication with terminals that receive blade contacts for meter30.

Connectors46may carry high voltage and, thus, proper spacing/alignment of each connector46with other components of meter socket40is important to prevent arcing. To prevent loss of proper spacing due to rotation of connector46(e.g., around fastener48), an anti-turn arrangement may be provided. In implementations described herein, conductive plate50may include an anti-turn protrusion100configured to accommodate different-sized connectors46. Anti-turn protrusion100may include, for example, an embossment or separate material applied to conductive plate50. Anti-turn protrusion100may allow conductive plate50to receive different sizes of connectors46so that different connectors can be changed in the field without requiring a change to conductive plate50(or a bus bar). As described further herein, anti-turn protrusion100may be formed to engage two surfaces of connector46, in different sizes, to provide a better anti-turn restraint than, for example, a single-side engagement. Although described herein primarily in the context of conductive plate50, in other implementations, anti-turn protrusion100may be applied to another conductive member, such as a bus bar, a bracket, etc. In other implementations, anti-turn protrusion100may be used in other contexts (e.g., other than a meter socket) to align different sizes of a lug or another device connected to a base.

FIGS. 2-4provide a top view, a front view, and an isometric view, respectively, of conductor plate50with anti-turn protrusion100according to an implementation described herein.FIG. 5provides an enlarged top view of a portion of conductor plate50. Referring collectively toFIGS. 2-5, conductor plates50may include apertures52, an aperture54, and anti-turn protrusion100. Apertures52may generally be sized and positioned to receive mounting screws (e.g. to secure conductor plates50to non-conductive base42). Aperture54may be sized to receive fastener48(e.g., to secure connector46to conductive plate50).

Anti-turn protrusion100may include a pair of internal notches110and120to receive different sizes of connector46. Anti-turn protrusion100may be positioned at a distance from the center of aperture54to permit notch110and notch120to engage with a corner of a connector46when connector46is installed at aperture54. Each notch110and120may include a top edge and a side edge having sufficient length to engage two surfaces of a connector46. More particularly, notch110may include a side edge112and a top edge114, and notch120may include a side edge122and a top edge124. The length of side edge112, top edge114, side edge122, and top edge124may all be longer than a radius of a rounded corner of connector46that may be received in notch110or notch120.

As best shown inFIG. 3, anti-turn protrusion100extends into a different plane than that of aperture54. More particularly, anti-turn protrusion100may extend to a height, H, above the plane defined by the rest of conductive plate50around aperture54. Although shown as a sloped surface rising to height H, in other implementations, anti-turn protrusion100may have a constant height. The height, H, of anti-turn protrusion100may vary depending upon the particular application, such as the size of the connectors used in meter socket40. Generally, the height, H, may be configured to create a sufficient surface area along side edge112, top edge114, side edge122, and top edge124to engage surfaces of connector46to prevent rotation of connector46around fastener48.

As shown inFIG. 5, anti-turn protrusion100may be positioned with respect to aperture54such that side edge112of notch110is a particular distance X1from the center of aperture54and top edge114is a particular distance Y1from the center of aperture54. The distance X1may correspond to, for example, the half-width of connector46when connector46is a standard single-line connector (e.g., with an aperture to receive fastener48centered along a width of connector46). The distance Y1may correspond to, for example, the length from the center of an aperture to receive fastener48to a leading edge of connector46when connector46is a standard single-line connector.

Still referring toFIG. 5, anti-turn protrusion100may also be positioned with respect to aperture54such that side edge122of notch120is a particular distance X2from the center of aperture54and top edge124is a particular distance Y2from the center of aperture54. The distance X2may correspond to, for example, the half-width of connector46when connector46is a standard double-line connector (e.g., with an aperture to receive fastener48centered along a width of connector46). The distance Y2may correspond to, for example, the length from the center of an aperture to receive fastener48to a leading edge of connector46when connector46is a standard double-line connector.

In one implementation, anti-turn protrusion100may be formed as an integral part of conductive plate50. For example, anti-turn protrusion100may be molded or cast as a single piece with conductive plate50. In another implementation, anti-turn protrusion100may be formed via a punching process. In still other implementations, anti-turn protrusion100may be formed as a separate piece and attached to a base (e.g., conductive plate50). For example, anti-turn protrusion100may be attached to conductive plate50using a welding process or mechanical fasteners. If formed as a separate piece, anti-turn protrusion100may be formed of the same or a different material than conductive plate50.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bprovide top views of different-sized connectors installed on conductive plate50. Connectors inFIGS. 6A and 6Bmay correspond to different-sized connectors46described above.FIG. 6Aprovides a top view of anti-turn protrusion100receiving a single-line connector56.FIG. 6Bprovides a top view of anti-turn protrusion100receiving a double-line connector58.

Referring toFIG. 6A, a corner of single-line connector56may engage with notch110of anti-turn protrusion100so that single-line connector56is constrained from rotation (e.g., about fastener48) along two surfaces, a side62and a side64. Single-line connector56may include a width, W1, as shown inFIG. 6A. Width W1may correspond to twice the distance of X1(FIG. 5) between the center of aperture54and side edge112of anti-turn protrusion100. Single-line connector56may also include a length, L1, between side64and the center of the aperture in single-line connector56that accepts fastener48, as shown inFIG. 6A. Length L1may correspond to the distance Y1(FIG. 5) between the center of aperture54and top edge114in notch110of anti-turn protrusion100. Notch120may not be used in installation of single-line connector56.

Referring toFIG. 6B, a corner of double-line connector58may engage with notch120of anti-turn protrusion100so that double-line connector58is constrained from rotation (e.g., about fastener48) along two surfaces, a side66and a side68. Double-line connector58may include a width, W2, as shown inFIG. 6B. Width W2may correspond to twice the distance of X2(FIG. 5) between the center of aperture54and side edge122of anti-turn protrusion100. Double-line connector58may also include a length, L2, between side68and the center of the aperture in double-line connector58that accepts fastener48, as shown inFIG. 6B. Length L2may correspond to the distance Y2(FIG. 5) between the center of aperture54and top edge124in notch120of anti-turn protrusion100. Notch110may not be used in installation of double-line connector58.

FIG. 7provides an isometric view of two anti-turn protrusions100applied directly to a bus bar70. Each anti-turn protrusion100and aperture54may have features described above in connection with any ofFIGS. 1B-6B. As shown inFIG. 7, anti-turn protrusions100and their respective apertures54may be configured as mirror images about a centerline (CL) of bus bar70. Thus, each anti-turn protrusion100(e.g., on different sides of the centerline CL) may engage with a different upper corner of an installed connector46. In other configurations, anti-turn protrusions100may be arranged to accept the same corner of an installed connector or may be arranged with no particular symmetry between each other.

FIG. 8provides an enlarged view of an anti-turn protrusion200according to another implementation. Anti-turn protrusion200may be configured to accommodate three different sizes of connectors46. Anti-turn protrusion200may include notch110, notch120, and a notch130. Similar to anti-turn protrusion100, notches110and120of anti-turn protrusion200may be positioned with respect to aperture54such that notch110may receive a corner of a first size connector46(such as single-line connector56) and notch120may receive a corner of a second sized connector46(such as double-line connector58).

Still referring toFIG. 8, anti-turn protrusion200may be positioned with respect to aperture54such that a side edge132of notch130is a particular distance X3from the center of aperture54and top edge134of notch130is a particular distance Y3from the center of aperture54. The distance X3may correspond to, for example, the half-width of connector46when connector46is a non-standard single-line connector (e.g., with an aperture to receive fastener48centered along a width of connector46). The distance Y3may correspond to, for example, the length from the center of an aperture to receive fastener48to a leading edge of connector46when connector46is a non-standard single-line connector. In other implementations, anti-turn protrusion200may be configured to receive additional and/or differently-sized connectors.

In implementations described herein, a conductive member for receiving a line connector is provided. The conductive member may include an aperture configured to receive a fastener for the line connector and a protrusion in a different plane than that of the aperture. The protrusion may include notches configured to receive different-sized line connectors (e.g., when the line connectors are secured to the conductive member by the fastener through the aperture). Each of the two or more notches may be configured to engage two surfaces of a line connector to prevent rotation of the line connector about the fastener.

Although the invention has been described in detail above, it is expressly understood that it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that the invention may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various changes of form, design, or arrangement may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although notches110,120, and130are shown having essentially right angles to receive corners of connectors46, in other embodiments, differently-shaped notches may be used to receive differently-shaped connectors46. Additionally, although described herein primarily in the context of a meter socket connection, one or more anti-turn protrusions100may be applied in other contexts to provide alignment and versatility for attaching other types of lugs/devices to a base structure. Therefore, the above mentioned description is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.