Patent Publication Number: US-10326194-B2

Title: Antenna mount for electrical panel boards

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of electrical enclosures, and more particularly, to an antenna mount for use with an electrical enclosure for an electrical panel. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Power management systems for residential or other facilities may employ wireless communication modules or equipment to communicate energy measurements or parameters monitored at various locations, such as at a load center, which is a panelboard for residential applications. A wireless communication module can include a radio antenna and radio circuitry, which are provided at each monitored location. When monitoring an electrical panel such as a panelboard, the electrical enclosure of the panelboard may interfere with radio signal transmission if the antenna is arranged in the enclosure. Moreover, the radio signal transmission may interfere with fault detection and other circuitry if the antenna is positioned inside the enclosure. However, if the radio antenna is positioned externally such as through a hole in the enclosure, the integrity of the enclosure is compromised by the hole created for the radio antenna and may not satisfy industry standards, such as UL mechanical, electrical and flammability requirements. In addition, there is a possibility that the radio antenna may pose a potential shock hazard to a user if the insulation for the antenna&#39;s electrical cable becomes compromised and line voltage electrical power is transmitted to the antenna. 
     SUMMARY 
     To address these and other shortcomings, there is disclosed an antenna mount for an enclosure of an electrical panel, such as a panelboard. The antenna mount includes an antenna cover (also referred to as “antenna shield” or “antenna housing”) which is mountable on the enclosure via a hole on a wall of the enclosure. The antenna cover includes an opening at one end through which to insert an antenna into the antenna cover, and a mounting assembly to mount the one end of the antenna cover onto the enclosure via the hole. The mounting assembly includes at least a flange which is configured to abut against or to be adjacent (e.g., in contact, near or in proximity) the wall of the enclosure around the hole when the antenna cover is arranged in the hole at a mounted position. The antenna mount also includes a retainer configured to engage the antenna cover to close the opening and retain the antenna in the antenna cover. 
     The disclosed antenna mount can be mounted onto an enclosure of an electrical panel, such as a panelboard, from the inside of the enclosure through a hole in the enclosure. Accordingly, the disclosed antenna mount can take advantage of an unused knock out (KO) on the enclosure and can be easily retrofitted onto existing electrical enclosures, even where the panelboard is recessed into a finished wall where an installer does not have access to the outside of the panelboard. The disclosed antenna mount also allows a radio antenna to extend out from the enclosure, and to provide a protective barrier around the antenna to prevent physical damage to the antenna and contact by a user. The disclosed antenna mount can also be formed from a dielectric material, plastic or other suitable materials to satisfy UL mechanical, electrical and flammability requirements. 
     In one embodiment, the mounting assembly is a snap-in mounting assembly. In this example, the mounting assembly also includes one or more flexible flaring arms that are arranged adjacent to the flange of the antenna cover. Each flexible flaring arm is configured to deflect to allow passage through the hole as the antenna cover is inserted through the hole and to expand and snap outward as a portion of the flexible flaring arm exits the hole to apply a clamping force together with the flange to retain the antenna cover on the enclosure at the mounted position. 
     In another embodiment, the mounting assembly is a screw-on mounting assembly. In this example, the mounting assembly further includes a threaded portion adjacent to the flange on the antenna cover. The antenna cover can be inserted and screwed into the hole at the threaded portion until the flange abuts or is adjacent the interior wall around the hole at the mounted position. Furthermore, the end of the antenna cover with the mounting assembly may include two flexible cantilever legs that are configured to engage the retainer. The retainer may take the form of a vinyl cap or boot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description of the various exemplary embodiments is explained in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an antenna mount mounted onto a wall of an enclosure for an electrical panel, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates another view of the enclosure of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a view of an antenna cover of the antenna mount of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the antenna cover of  FIG. 2  engaged in the hole of the wall of the enclosure for an electrical panel. 
         FIGS. 4, 5 and 6  illustrate different views of a retainer of the antenna mount of  FIG. 1 , which can be engaged to or disengaged from the antenna cover. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the antenna mount of  FIG. 1A  mounted onto a wall of an enclosure for an electrical panel. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a view of an antenna mount along with an antenna to be retained therein, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates another view of the antenna mount of  FIG. 8  with the antenna retained therein. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a further view of the antenna mount of  FIG. 8  mounted onto a wall of an enclosure for an electrical panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Antenna mounts are disclosed for an electrical enclosure of an electrical panel, such as a panelboard. An antenna mount is mounted onto the electrical enclosure and provides a protective housing for an antenna of a wireless communication module or system, such as for example one which is used to communicate conditions or sensed parameters of the electrical panel, control signals or other data in a power management system. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an antenna mount  120 , which is mountable onto a wall  102  of an electrical enclosure  100 , such as for an electrical panel, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The wall  102  may have a plurality of holes  104  and/or knock outs (KOs)  110 , such as single or double KOs. The knock outs are pre-weakened portions of the wall  102 , which can be removed to provide a hole, such as the holes  104 , of varying sizes and shapes. The antenna mount  120  includes an antenna cover  130  and a retainer  170 . The antenna cover  130  includes first end portion  132  and second end portion  134  opposite the first end portion  132 . The first end portion  132  (also referred to as an “insertion end”) is configured to be inserted through one of the holes  104  from an interior to an exterior of the enclosure to mount the antenna cover  130  onto the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100 . For example, the antenna cover  130  has a size and shape (e.g., a diameter) which allow the antenna cover to be inserted through one of the holes  104 . The second end portion  134  of the antenna cover  130  is mountable onto the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100 , via one of the holes  104 , on the wall  102 . An example of the electrical enclosure  100  is shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the second end portion  134  of the antenna cover  130  includes an opening  146  through which to insert or remove an antenna from a cavity in the antenna cover  130 . The second end portion  134  also includes a mounting assembly  136 . In this example, the mounting assembly  136  is a snap-in mounting assembly that includes a flange  140  and a plurality of flexible flaring arms  150  adjacent to the flange  140 . The plurality of flexible flaring arms  150  are spaced-apart along a circumference of the second end portion  134 . The flange  140  includes one or more grooves  142  and slots  144 . The flexible flaring arms  150  are formed of a flexible or resilient dielectric material. Each of the flexible flaring arms  150  is configured to deflect to allow passage through the hole  104  of the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100  as the antenna cover  130  is inserted through the hole  104 . The flexible flaring arms  150  then expand and snap outward as a portion of each of the flexible flaring arms  150  exits the hole to apply a clamping force together with the flange  140  to retain the antenna cover  130  on the enclosure  100  at a mounted position (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
     The flexible flaring arm  150  includes an end  152 , arranged adjacent or in proximity to the flange  140 . The end  152  is configured to contact and apply a force against a surface of the wall  102  in a hole  104  and against the exterior wall of the enclosure  100  around the hole  104 , when the mounting assembly  136  is snapped in the hole  104 . In this example, the end  152  has a step- or L-shape, with a surface of one portion  152 A configured to contact the exterior of the wall  102  around the hole  104  and a surface of another portion  152 B configured to contact a surface of the wall  102  in the hole  104 . The portion  152 A has a cross-sectional dimension greater than the portion  152 B, which extends therefrom. The portion  152 B can be used to deflect the flaring arm in order to remove the antenna cover  130  from the hole  140 . For example, each pair of flexible flaring arms  150  may differ as to length (e.g., length of the flexible flaring arm  150  or the length of the portion  152 B), to allow it to work with enclosures of different thicknesses. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the retainer  170  includes a plurality of circumferential arms  172 , an aperture  174  and a handle  180  for a user to hold and manipulate the retainer  170 . The circumferential arms  172  are configured to extend through a corresponding slot  144  of the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  in an unlocked position as shown in  FIG. 4 . The circumferential arms  172  can then be rotated as shown in  FIG. 5  to engage corresponding grooves  142  of the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  to move the retainer  170  toward a locked position to secure the retainer  170  onto the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130 . 
     To more securely hold the retainer  170  and the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  together in the locked position, the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  can include protrusions which are configured to engage corresponding depressions on the retainer  170 , or vice-a-versa, when in the locked position. For example, the flange  140  can include protrusions  148  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) which engage corresponding depressions  178  on arms or extensions  176  of the retainer  170  (shown in a top view of the retainer  170  in  FIG. 6 ). Accordingly, force must be applied to disengage the protrusions  148  from the depressions  178  in order to move the retainer  170  from the locked position to the unlocked position. The number, size and shape of the protrusions and the depressions can be configured to withstand forces generated by electrical devices in the electrical enclosure, or the surrounding environment. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the antenna mount  120  mounted through the hole  104  onto the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100  between the flange  140  and the flexible flaring arms  150 . As further shown, the retainer  170  is engaged to the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  in the locked position, with the circumferential arms  172  engaged to corresponding grooves  142  (also shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) of the flange  140 . In the locked position, the retainer  170  closes the opening  146  (not shown) of the antenna cover  130  and retains an antenna  190  in the antenna cover  130 . For example, the antenna  190  is housed and retained in the antenna mount  120 , and a cable  192  of the antenna  190  extends through the aperture  174  (shown generally by the dotted lines) of the retainer  170 . 
     In this example, the antenna cover  130  is mountable from an inside of the electrical enclosure  100 . For example, the first end portion  132  is inserted through one of the holes  104  in the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100  from an interior to an exterior of the enclosure to mount the antenna cover  130  onto the wall of the enclosure, such as shown in  FIG. 3 . An antenna (e.g., antenna  190  of  FIG. 7 ) is inserted into the antenna cover  130  through the opening (e.g., the opening  146  in  FIG. 3 ). The retainer  170  is engaged to the flange  140  of the antenna cover  130  by inserting the circumferential arms  172  through corresponding slots  144  (in  FIG. 4 ) and then rotating the circumferential arms  172  to engage corresponding grooves of the flange  140  (in  FIG. 5 ) until the retainer  170  is placed in the locked position to retain the antenna in the antenna cover  130  (in  FIG. 7 ). 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate an antenna mount  220 , which is mountable onto a wall  102  of an electrical enclosure  100 , in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the antenna mount  220  includes an antenna cover  230  and a retainer  270 . The antenna cover  230  includes first end portion  232  and second end portion  234  opposite the first end portion  232 . The first end portion  232  (also referred to as an “insertion end”) is configured to be inserted through the hole  104  from an interior to an exterior of the electrical enclosure  100  to mount the second end portion  234  of the antenna cover  230  onto the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100 . For example, the antenna cover  230  has a size and shape (e.g., a diameter) which allow the antenna cover to be inserted through the hole  104 . 
     The second end portion  234  of the antenna cover  230  includes an opening  246  through which to insert or remove an antenna  290  from a cavity in the antenna cover  230 , and one or more cantilever legs  244  having a plurality of ribs  247  to engage an interior surface of the retainer  270 . The second end portion  234  also includes a mounting assembly  236  for mounting the antenna cover  230  in the hole  104  of the wall  102 . The mounting assembly  236  is a screw-on mounting assembly that includes a flange  240  and threaded portion (e.g., threads)  250  adjacent to the flange  240 . The threaded portion  250  and the threads thereon can be formed through a molding process (e.g., molded threads), and can have a thread spacing, which is configured according to the thickness of the wall (e.g., 16 gauge, 14 gauge, 12 gauge, etc.) and the dimension of the hole in the wall. 
     To mount the antenna cover  230  onto the wall  102 , the first end portion  232  of the antenna cover  230  is inserted through the hole  104  of the wall  102 . The threaded portion  250  of the antenna cover  230  is then screwed into the hole  104  until the flange  250  abuts, contacts or is adjacent (e.g., in contact, near or in proximity) a surface of the wall  102  (e.g., an interior of the wall  102  or interior wall) around the hole  104 . The threaded portion  250  can include a threaded sub-portion  250 A (e.g., a sub-portion of thread(s)), which straightens out the flange  240  of the antenna cover  230  as the threaded portion  250  is screwed into the hole  104  so the flange  240  is flush against the wall  102  (rather than angled), when the antenna cover  230  is mounted in the hole  104  of the wall  102  at the mounted position. Accordingly, the antenna cover  230  may seal the hole  104  of the electrical enclosure  100  when the antenna cover  230  is mounted onto the enclosure  100 . The antenna cover  230  thus may be particularly useful for outdoor applications where the electrical enclosure is located outside of a building. 
     The retainer  270  may include an aperture  274  to allow an antenna cable  292  to extend therethrough, similar to the aperture  174  in the retainer  170  of  FIG. 4 . In this example, the retainer  270  has at least a portion of the antenna cable  292  (e.g., a coaxial cable) pre-assembled thereon so the antenna cable  292  extends therethrough. The antenna cable  292  includes one end with a first connector  292 A to connect with a corresponding connector  290 A of the antenna  290 , and another end with a second connector  292 B for connecting to another cable connected to wireless radio circuitry of a wireless communication module or system. A clip  294  can be used to further secure the antenna connector  290 A and cable first connector  292 A together. The connectors  290 A,  292 A and  292 B can be male or female-type cable connectors, which can be snapped or screwed into or onto another cable connector. In this example, the connector  290 A is a female-type connector, and the connector  292 A is a male-type connector. The retainer  270  may be a cap or a boot, which can be made of a dielectric material, plastic or vinyl. The antenna  290  can be connected to the antenna cable  292 , and inserted into a cavity of the antenna cover  230  through the opening  246 . The retainer  270  can then be engaged and secured onto the second end portion  234  of the antenna cover  230 , via the cantilever leg(s)  244  and their ribs  247  which engage an interior surface of the retainer  270 . The retainer  270  covers the opening  246  of the antenna cover  230 , and retains the antenna  290  in a cavity of the antenna cover  230 , such as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     In  FIG. 10 , the antenna mount  220  is mounted on the wall  102  of the electrical enclosure  100 . As shown, the retainer  270  is securely connected to the antenna cover  230  in a locked position, which closes the opening  246  (not shown) of the antenna cover  230  and retains the antenna  290  (not shown) inside the antenna cover  230  with the antenna cable  292  extending out from the retainer  270 . 
     The disclosed embodiments of the antenna mount are simply provided as examples. The size and shape of an antenna cover of an antenna mount can be changed to fit antennas of different sizes and shapes than those described and shown in the present disclosure. The antenna mount or components thereof can be formed of a dielectric material, plastic or any suitable material depending on the application. Each of the components or sub-components of the antenna mount, such as for example the antenna cover, the mounting assembly, the threaded portion and the retainer, can be molded components. The retainer may also be engaged to an end portion of the antenna cover, using various fastening arrangements such as a screw-on assembly with threads or a snap-in assembly with resilient elements. 
     It will be appreciated by the person having ordinary skill in the art that in some instances antenna mounts according to the present invention might be mounted from the exterior of the load center enclosure. For example, the antenna mount of  FIG. 1A  can be modified with a flexible or resilient flange. Further the antenna might be mounted within the cover prior to or after placement of the antenna mount on the wall of the enclosure. 
     While particular embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variations can be apparent from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.