Patent Abstract:
An adapter assembly that works with a standard utility meter to wirelessly transmit data about consumption. The adapter assembly generates information about consumption by cooperating with a pointer of an index of a utility meter. In some embodiments, the adapter assembly includes an upper portion and a clip that interface together. The upper portion and the clip are configured to maintain alignment with the pointer and not create stress on the index.

Full Description:
This application is related to U.S. Ser. No. 13/042,913, which is filed concurrently herewith, is titled “Utility Meter Adapter,” and names Michael B. Davis and Nathan Edward Woody as inventors, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     RELATED FIELDS 
     Utility meter adapters, and more particularly, improved adapters for retrofitting an analog utility meter to support remote data collection. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The usage of utility products such as gas and electricity and water are typically measured using meters. In the context of gas, a gas meter is used to measure the volume of gas moving through the meter. At least one diaphragm is located inside the typical gas meter that expands and contracts as gas moves through the meter. The movement of the diaphragm causes a rotation of a series of gears inside the meter, which in turn engages a gear located on the back of the face (also referred to herein as the index) of the meter. The gear on the back of the index of the meter turns a pointer that acts as a counter mechanism and that is visible on the face of the meter. Other types of utility meters also include similar types of gears and indexes. Typically, a utility company employee physically inspects each customer&#39;s meter and notes the positioning of the counter with respect to the dials on the face of the meter. 
     The process of determining meter consumption has become more automated in recent years. Automated meters that automatically capture consumption data and transmit this data wirelessly are used in some contexts. In lieu of replacing all existing meters with new automated meters, adapters are used that retrofit existing meters so they are capable of providing remote data collection capability. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed are adapter assemblies that work with analog utility meters, such as but not limited to Sensus brand utility meters, to transmit data about consumption. The adapter assembly cooperates with a pointer of an index of a utility meter to generate magnet pulses as the pointer rotates. In some embodiments, the adapter assembly includes an upper portion and a clip that mate together. The upper portion and the clip are configured to interact with each other to maintain alignment with the pointer and reduce stress on the index. 
     Accurate and complete understanding of the way in which this invention works is not necessary to practice the invention, and Applicants do not wish to be bound by the forgoing or any other understanding of how their invention or any of the prior art works. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure including the best mode of practicing the appended claims and directed to one of ordinary skill in the art is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification. The specification makes reference to the following appended figures, in which use of like reference numerals in different figures is intended to illustrate like or analogous components. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of an upper portion of an adapter assembly according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front plan view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 , taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 , taken along line C-C of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view taken at inset circle B in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side plan view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top front perspective view of a clip of an adapter assembly according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a back perspective view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a front plan view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the clip of  FIG. 9 , taken along line E-E of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the clip of  FIG. 9 , taken along line D-D of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 16  is a bottom plan view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 17  is a side plan view of the clip of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 18  is a front plan view of an index positioned with respect to the upper portion of  FIG. 1  and the clip of  FIG. 9 , according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a front bottom perspective view of the index of  FIG. 18  fitted with the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is a front plan view of the index of  FIG. 18  fitted with the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional view of the index of  FIG. 18  fitted with the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18 , taken along line G-G of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional view of the index of  FIG. 18  fitted with the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18 , taken along line F-F of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 23  is an exploded perspective view of the upper portion of  FIG. 1  and the clip of  FIG. 9  positioned with respect to a pointer of an index, such as the index illustrated in  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 24  is a back bottom perspective view of the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18  fitted with a pointer of the index of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 25  is another back bottom perspective view of the adapter assembly of  FIG. 18  fitted with a pointer of the index of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-25  illustrate different views of various components of an adapter assembly  10  according to one embodiment of the invention. An adapter assembly  10  according to this embodiment comprises an upper portion  12  ( FIGS. 1-8 ) and a clip  14  ( FIGS. 9-17 ) that mate together (see  FIGS. 18-25 ). 
     In some embodiments, upper portion  12  of adapter assembly  10  is circular, although upper portion  12  can be any suitable shape. Upper portion  12  includes a front surface  18  and a back surface  20  ( FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, a lip  19  extends from front surface  18  around the periphery of the front surface of upper portion  12 . One or more cavities  22  are formed on front surface  18  of upper portion  12 , the cavities being shaped and sized to receive one or more magnets  16 . In the embodiment shown, front surface  18  includes two cavities  22 . The cavities  22  include a plurality of ribs  21  that help contain magnet  16  within cavity  22  once magnet  16  is pressed into cavity  22 . In some embodiments, front surface  18  also includes an indicator tab  24 , which is explained in more detail below. In some embodiments, the cavities are of similar shape and size, although alternative configurations can be used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , back surface  20  of upper portion  12  includes a left projection  26  and a left protrusion  28 , which are spaced apart from one another to form first gap  30 . Back surface  20  of upper portion  12  also includes a right projection  32  and a right protrusion  34 , which are spaced apart from one another to form second gap  36 . Left protrusion  28  and right protrusion  34  are spaced apart from one another to form a third gap  58  ( FIG. 5 ). Left projection  26  and right projection  32  each include an edge  54  (shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 ) that extends laterally from each projection to reduce the size of the gaps  30  and  36 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , left and right projections  26 ,  32  each include a planar side  56 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , projections  26 ,  32  have a slightly greater depth than protrusions  28 ,  34 . As also shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIGS. 24-25 , back surface  20  also includes a middle protrusion  38  having an opening  40  that is shaped and sized to receive a tip  6  of a pointer  4  of the gas meter index  2  illustrated in  FIGS. 23-25 . Middle protrusion  38  also includes a tongue  41 , which is adjacent opening  40  and extends laterally from middle protrusion  38 . 
     The upper portion fits together with the clip to form adapter assembly  10  for use with index  2 . As shown in  FIGS. 21-25 , the back surface  20  of upper portion  12  is positioned relative to the back surface  42  of clip  14  as the upper portion  12  and clip  14  fit together.  FIGS. 9-17  show various views of clip  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 9-12 , clip  14  includes two arms  46   a ,  46   b , which extend from the back  42  of clip  14  and which each include an extension  48   a ,  48   b  that extends laterally from the respective arm  46   a ,  46   b . Turning to  FIGS. 23-25 , arms  46  of clip  14  are configured to be received within the first gap  30  and the second gap  36 , respectively, of the back surface  20  of upper portion  12  when clip  14  mates with upper portion  12 . Extension  48  abuts planar side  56  of left and right projections  26 ,  32  when clip  14  mates with upper portion  12  (see  FIGS. 24-25 ). 
     Clip  14  also includes a cavity  52  between a front surface  44  of the clip and the back of clip  14  ( FIG. 9 ). Cavity  52  is shaped and sized to accommodate the body  8  of pointer  4  of index  2  ( FIG. 23 ), as explained below. The back  42  of clip  14  also includes a tongue  50  that fits between left protrusion  28  and right protrusion  34  of the back surface  20  of upper portion  12  and lies adjacent to back surface  20  of upper portion  12  and above tongue  41  when upper portion  12  and clip  14  are fitted together. 
     In use, as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 23 , upper portion  12  and clip  14  mate together to engage pointer  4  of index  2 . Specifically, upper portion  12  is positioned with respect to index  2  from a first direction  60  so that the pointer  4  slides through the third gap  58  formed between left protrusion  28  and right protrusion  34  of upper portion  12  ( FIG. 5 ) and so that tip  6  of pointer  4  slides into opening  40  of middle protrusion  38  of upper portion  12 . Protrusions  28  and  34  cradle pointer  4  and exert force on the sides of the pointer  4  to maintain the alignment of pointer  4  within the adapter assembly and prevent upper portion  12  and clip  14  from wobbling. Exerting force on the sides of the pointer  4  also helps push the upper portion  12  and clip  14  assembly away from index  2  so that neither upper portion  12  or clip  14  rubs against index  2 , which could shorten the life span of index  2 . In some embodiments, the third gap  58  between left protrusion  28  and right protrusion  34  is smaller than a diameter of the pointer to ensure a tight fit between upper portion  12  and pointer  4 . In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 6 , left and right protrusions  28 ,  34  extend from back surface  20  of upper portion  12  at a radius and at an angle other than a right angle, which causes them to abut the sides of edges  54  of projections  26 ,  32 . In this way, the edges  54  of projections  26 ,  32  act as a stopping mechanism for flexing protrusions  28 ,  34  and creating a spring load that exerts force on the sides of pointer  4 . Left and right protrusions  28 ,  34  can extend from back surface  20  at any suitable angle to maintain the desired spring load force exerted on pointer  4 , so long as the angle is not great enough to cause protrusions  28 ,  34  to lose elasticity. 
     Next, clip  14  is positioned with respect to index  2  from a second direction  62 , which is opposite first direction  60 , so that clip  14  cooperates with pointer  4  and is mated onto upper portion  12  ( FIG. 18 ). Clip  14  can be snap fit onto upper portion  12  to lock the upper portion  12  with respect to the pointer  4 . Specifically, body  8  of pointer  4  abuts the cavity  52  of clip  14  when the tip  6  of pointer  4  is received within opening  40  of middle protrusion  38  of upper portion  12 . Tongue  50  of clip  14  is received between left and right protrusions  28 ,  34  and above tongue  41  of middle protrusion  38 . Tongue  50  acts as a guiding pin and helps reduce any rocking of upper portion  12  and clip  14  when fitted together around pointer  4 . 
     The rotation of the internal gears of the gas meter cause the pointer  4  to rotate, which can be used to track consumption as described above. Because the adapter assembly  10  is securely coupled to the pointer  4 , the rotation of the pointer  4  causes the adapter assembly  10 , and thus the magnets  16 , to also rotate in a concentric motion. In some embodiments, one of the magnets  16  aligns with the axis of rotation of the pointer  4 . The rotation of the magnet furthest from the center of upper portion  12  generates magnetic pulses that can be used to determine that the adapter assembly  10  is present on the index  2  and/or can be used to track the number of rotations of the pointer of the gas meter, and thus the consumption of gas as known to those of skill in the art. The magnet closer to the center of upper portion  12  can be used as a tamper detection feature so that it generates a signal if someone attempts to tamper with the adapter assembly  10 . For example, if upper portion  12  and clip  14  are removed from pointer  4 , the magnet closer to the center of upper portion  12  moves from its initial position and thus generates a signal corresponding to such movement. In some embodiments, a sensor board and radio assembly (not shown) are mounted adjacent the adapter assembly  10  and receives the pulses generated by the magnets, converts them into electronic form, and transmits them to a remote location. In some embodiments, the sensor board is located approximately 0.1-0.3 inches or any other suitable distance from the adapter assembly. 
     In some embodiments, upper portion  12  includes an indicator tab  24  positioned on front surface  18 , which is radially aligned with opening  40  of middle protrusion  38  so that indicator tab  24  serves as an indicator for the orientation of pointer  4 . Thus, even though pointer  4  is hidden from view by adapter assembly  10 , indicator tab  24  allows the positioning/orientation of pointer  4  on index  2  to be determined. In addition to or as an alternative to indicator tab, upper portion  12  could include a notch, marking, or other suitable indicator. Similarly, upper portion  12  can optionally include a notch  64  ( FIG. 24 ) that aligns with the tip  6  of pointer  4  and that can be used to determine where pointer  4  is located on index  2 . As shown in  FIGS. 18-20 , adapter assembly  10  is small enough that the majority of index  2  is still visible when adapter assembly  10  engages pointer  4 . 
     The configuration of upper portion  12  and clip  14  allows the two components to fit together around pointer  4  in a manner that allows the adapter assembly  10  to track to the pointer  4  without impacting the rotation of the pointer. Because adapter assembly  10  includes clip  14 , clip  14  having a front surface  44  that is spaced apart from the back of the clip, the back surface  20  of the upper portion  12  of adapter assembly does not contact the index in use. This reduces stress or friction on the index, which could shorten the life span of the index, as adapter assembly  10  rotates with pointer  4 . Moreover, this configuration allows pointer  4  to rotate without obstruction. 
     In some embodiments, upper portion  12  and/or clip  14  are formed of polycarbonate, which is lightweight compared to the magnets  16 , which are made of neodymium and iron in some embodiments. The lightweight nature of the adapter assembly  10  allows it to rotate freely with the pointer  4  and without exerting undue pressure on the pointer  4  (and in turn on the index). In other embodiments, adapter assembly  10  is made of other suitable materials. 
     Numerous modifications of this invention may be made in the composition, application, manufacturing process and other aspects of this invention without departing from the objectives and spirit of the description above and in the Figures.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8