JPS63501170A - Electronic demand metering device package - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Electronic demand metering device package Background of the invention This invention relates to an electric meter including an electronic demand metering device, and more specifically, an electric meter including an electronic demand metering device. The physical location of all electronic demand meter equipment is suitable for easy assembly and efficient integration with Regarding structure.

Conventional electric meters are proportional to the power consumed by the load as the rotor of a small induction motor. It uses an aluminum disk driven by an electric field at a speed of . gear combination The dial or current disk integrates the movement of the disk and calculates the total energy consumed, usually the key. low watt hour (1 kilowatt hour is equivalent to consuming 1,000 watts of electricity per hour) Display the energy measured by the corresponding

In addition to measuring consumption as described above, some electrical meters measure consumption at scheduled peaks. Divide consumption into parts that occur during hours and off-peak hours, and also for the scheduled period. to record the maximum demand during the period and adjust billing according to such parameters. have the means to One such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,974 In one demand meter, a mechanical demand meter records electricity usage during a scheduled period. , store its value for later reading. The scheduled period can be e.g. at each meter reading. The time between readings or the billing period of the electricity company supplying the electricity. It may be a corresponding period. If the timer is for each regular demand section of less than one hour, for example At the end of the period, the demand metering device is restarted, so that at the end of the scheduled period, the storage If the value shown is the electricity generated in any one of the regular demand sections during this schedule period, It is designed to show the maximum amount of power used.

Mechanical demand metering devices, such as those described in the U.S. patent cited above, have limited flexibility. It is being The design of the physical form of a particular instrument is similar to that of another instrument with a different physical form. It cannot be transferred to. Furthermore, the demand measurement function of a particular demand metering device is It cannot be reconfigured without major mechanical redesign.

Electronic collection, integration and processing of electricity usage provides even greater flexibility. I can do it. For example, using an electronic processing device such as a microprocessor, Capable of managing the collection, storage, processing and display of dose and demand data. share U.S. Patent Nos. 4.179.654, 4.197.582, and 4.22 No. 9.795, No. 4,283,772, No. 4゜301.508, No. 4 ．． 361.872 and the flexibility it provides in measuring 4°. this Each electronic measurement device has a set of parameters related to power usage, such as frequency or pulse repetition rate. means for generating an electronic signal having such characteristics. Conventional electronic processing equipment Track electricity usage over a defined period of time by replacing mechanical demand metering devices do.

One desirable characteristic of electronic demand metering equipment is its snap-fit method of assembly. should be easy to manufacture using. Furthermore, electronic demand metering devices are available in numerous models. The number of components in the electromechanical part of an electrical meter is In comparison, it is necessarily required to include a large number of parts. As a result, the electric meter The secondary demand meter requires more frequent field maintenance than other parts of the electrical meter. expected to be necessary. For this reason, the second desirable and important aspect of electronic demand metering equipment is Key characteristics include ease of fault diagnosis and maintenance.

Electrical meter mechanical kilowatt clocking device handles multiple different voltages and loads Must. Can be used to drive aluminum discs in certain equipment In order to cope with the line voltages involved, the voltage coil in the electrical meter should be selected appropriately. different In order to cope with such loads, the use of mechanical gearing multipliers Select the desired relationship between plate rotation and mechanical dial reading. To do this As a result, electrical meters of basic IFi type electromechanical design are now unique to many installations. It can be applied to various purposes.

Versatility or greater versatility that allows it to be used in a variety of equipment-specific situations It would be desirable to provide an improved electronic demand metering device. This kind of versatility The demand metering device cited earlier uses a programmed constant that is It defines a multiplier action comparable to that performed by gearing and provides a universal electric The design of secondary demand metering equipment The programmed constants are digitally processed during normal operation. It is stored in the non-permanent memory of the computer, and when an actual power outage occurs, it is stored in the non-permanent memory of the internal persistent memory when a limited number of other types of events occur. be transferred. Removing the electronic demand metering device from the electrical meter is a programmed It is considered an apparent power outage that triggers the storage of a constant constant. In addition, existing fees Billing data is also stored in persistent memory.

The preferred method of field servicing for electronic demand metering equipment is to The idea is to replace what is thought to be available with a demand metering device of good quality. for specific purposes avoids the need to reprogram constants programmed for In order to avoid losing billing data, the previously cited patent requires 1. Transfer the contents of a durable storage device from one electronic demand metering device to another electronic demand metering device. and then transfer the original electronic demand metering device to this other demand meter. It describes how to replace it with a metering device. Electronic demand metering device package reads the contents of the durable storage device of the electronic demand metering device to be replaced, The data thus collected is written to the permanent storage of the replacement electronic demand metering device. can be a suitable interface to programming devices that can be programmed. desirable.

In order to reduce the cost of electronic demand metering equipment, the transformer inside it is replaced by an electronic demand meter. It would be desirable to eliminate the need to match the voltage device to the existing voltage of the facility. Transformation A common way to eliminate the line voltage is to add a suitable resistor value to reduce the line voltage to the desired standard value. The solution is to use a voltage drop resistor that has a voltage drop resistance. When a transformer is replaced with a voltage drop resistor, Additional precautions to avoid accidental contact between electrically conductive materials in electronic demand metering devices It is desirable to provide a

Purpose and summary of the invention The purpose of this invention is to improve the ease of manufacture, ease of maintenance and safety as stated above. The objective is to provide a package for an electronic demand metering device that satisfies the requirements.

Another object of the invention is to reduce manufacturing costs by substantially recessing and To provide a package of electronic demand metering equipment using a drop-in assembly method. That is.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package for an electronic demand metering device having an exterior made of non-conductive material. The goal is to provide a package.

Another object of the invention is that the contact area for the display device emits control signals thereto. Electronic demand metering that is a substantial distance away from the contact area of the circuit board where it is generated The purpose is to provide equipment packages. The electrical connection between the two contact areas is longitudinally parallel elastic bodies insulated from each other by a resilient insulating matrix. This is done through a resilient contact strip of the type having two conductors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector for modular electronic demand metering equipment. The pins that carry AC power are shorter than the other pins, so when installing The connection is made last and disconnected first when the electronic demand metering device is removed. The purpose is to provide connectors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a package for an electronic demand metering device in which a guide surface is integrally formed. The aim is to provide the following. This kind of guide surface works together with a part of the electric meter to measure demand. Guide the metering device into its operating position within the electrical meter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a demand metering device having a guide surface as described above. Together with this demand metering device, the demand metering device is attached in cooperation with the fixing notch of the electric meter. in its operating position, but in such a way that the fixing notch no longer comes into contact with the serrations. serrated ramps that allow easy removal of the metering device when flexed. It is to establish.

Briefly, the invention provides a module for electrical meters enclosed within an insulating housing. This product provides a module-type electronic demand metering device, and almost all parts can be dropped into place. Therefore, it can be installed in this housing by snap-fitting method. I can do it. Drop the display into the housing and connect its metal contact pads to the contact strips are used to interconnect with corresponding metal contact pads on the printed wiring board.

The contact strips are parallel longitudinal strips insulated from each other by a resilient insulating matrix. This type has an elastic conductor in the direction of the conductor. The formed ball contact strips are This is slightly longer than the distance between the 2m metal contact pads to be connected, so printed wiring When the plate is tightened in place, the contact strips are slightly compressed and pressed elastically. This results in a stable fit. The guide surface of the electronic demand metering device is In cooperation with surfaces on other parts, guiding the electronic demand metering device to its operating position Both are fixed in place. The connector has pins of different lengths, so , when installing the demand metering device, the power connection is made last and the demand metering device is removed. When disconnecting, the power connection is first disconnected.

In one embodiment of the invention, a non-conductive housing and , a display device within the at least one recess and a display device within the housing; A circuit board containing the practical parts of the electronic circuitry of the metering device, a display device and generally parallel to, but spaced apart from, means for securing the circuit board within the housing and the display device; To operate the circuit, the back cover of the circuit snaps into place on the housing. the housing and the back cover. The bar receives power when the demand metering device is in the operating position within the electrical meter. It acts to surround all electrically conductive parts within the demand metering device that can be used.

As a feature of this invention, a measuring device for an electric meter includes a support structure and a measuring device. an overlying plate, means for supporting said plate on said support structure, and a modular electronic device. A space for receiving a modular demand metering device and a space behind the board for receiving a modular demand metering device. a first slot provided in the plate, the first slot having parallel first and second sides; 1 and extending inside the plate in a direction parallel to the parallel first side and second side. at least a second groove having third and fourth sides parallel to the first and second sides; a hole, and a second hole adjacent the first side and second side, respectively, and extending laterally through the plate. the first and second fixing notches, the housing of the modular demand metering device, and the housing of the modular demand metering device; first and second fixing ramps on the housing and an electrical connector on the metering device; a plurality of connector pins on the modular demand metering device; At least first, second, third and fourth guide surfaces face outward from the housing. and the first, second, third and fourth guide surfaces are connected to the modular demand meter. The first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side are designed to guide the device into the cavity. and the plate is slidable between the first and second fixing notches. It is designed to be able to freely bend outward near the first and second When inserting the modular demand metering device into an electric meter, the fixing slope part should be the marking plate is deflected outward and the modular demand meter is in its operating position. is positioned so as to be fixedly engaged with the first and second fixing notches; the first side, second side, third side, and fourth side and the first, second, third, and fourth guides; Cooperative action between the surfaces allows the modular demand metering device to be inserted into the cavity. A guide part is constructed to guide the connector pins to align with the electrical connector when It looks like it will be done.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It will become clear from where you are. Use the same reference numerals for similar parts throughout the drawings. I'm there.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric meter including an electronic demand metering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Ru.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the electric meter shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the demand metering device taken along the line ■--■ in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the hook-type coupling device taken along line IV--IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the demand metering device of FIG. 1.

Figure 6 shows the relevant parts of the demand metering device of Figure 5, as well as a durable memory program. is a simplified block diagram showing the RAM device, together with how these elements interact with each other. This shows how the interface is connected.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the generation of a reset signal by the processor reset generator of FIG. It is f.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the display showing the contact areas with metal contact pads.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of a demand metering device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 is a detailed view of the rear part of the demand metering device of Figure 9, showing the elongated strip on the circuit board. A section of the back cover is shown to show the cooperation between the solder pads and the slots in the back cover. The minutes are notched.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the persistent memory programming device shown briefly in FIG. .

Figure 12 is a side view of the durable memory programming device taken along xn-xn in Figure 1. It is.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment The invention includes single-phase meters and polyphase meters with one or more current windings. , any suitable type of electric meter with an element rotating at a speed proportional to the power consumption It can be used as a container, but in the detailed explanation below, for the sake of concreteness, one An example is taken of a two-wire, single-phase meter of the type with a current coil and one voltage coil.

FIG. 1 shows an electric meter 10 including a small induction motor 12 that drives a metering device 14. Shown throughout. An induction motor 12 is connected to a voltage controller placed on both sides of a disk 22. The stator 16 includes a current coil 18 and a current coil 20.

The voltage coil 18 is constructed by winding a large number of turns of thin wire around an iron core 24. voltage The line 18 is connected between the lines 26 and 28 that feed the load (not shown). ing. The current coil 20 is connected to the core 30 by a small number of turns, typically one or two turns. It is constructed by winding a conductor with thick turns. Current coil 20 is connected to the negative via line 26. connected in series with the power supplied to the load.

A disk 22 is fixed to a shaft 32, which shaft is rotated under the influence of a rotating magnetic field that causes voltage distortion. In order to allow disk 22 and shaft 32 to rotate together, a suitable bearing (not shown) is provided. ) is supported. A permanent magnet 34 whose magnetic poles are arranged on both sides of the disk 22 is a circular A deceleration force proportional to the rotational speed of the plate 22 is applied.

The rotational torque generated by the voltage coil 18 and the current coil 20 and the permanent magnet The combination with the deceleration torque generated by It acts to rotate the disk 22 at a speed proportional to the amount of power consumed.

The metering device 14 has an integrated power metering device 36, which includes, for example, a plurality of dials 3. 8, which are suitably coupled with gears, and which rotate in proportion to the rotation of the shaft 32. is driven by a mechanical coupling 40. In the illustrated embodiment, mechanical coupling 40 has a worm 42 that can be integrally formed with the shaft 32, and this is the worm. It engages gear 44 causing it to rotate. Depending on the design of the particular electrical meter 10, The rotation of the worm gear 44 is measured by an integrated power meter with or without changing the speed and direction. Other elements may be provided on the mechanical coupling 40 for coupling to the metering device 36. . As is common practice, the power metering device 36 sums the number of revolutions of the shaft 32 for billing purposes. Calculate the value and set it to an appropriate magnification depending on the gear ratio used.

Demand metering device 46 in electrical meter 10 generates a pulse in response to rotation of shaft 32. The pulses are received on line 50 from device 48 . The demand metering device 46 is a unit. It is modular in that it can be inserted into or removed from the metering device 14. demand An example for the metering device 46 to present charge billing and failure diagnosis data to the user. It may include any convenient type of display 52, such as a liquid crystal display. Furthermore, demand Metering device 46 has a set of control switches 54 . The demand metering device 46 is 1 by sliding it straight upward into the position shown in the figure. It can be inserted. The action of sliding the demand metering device 46 into place makes all necessary electrical connections and acts to secure it in place. However, this will be explained in more detail later.

A metal plate 56, preferably made of sheet metal, most preferably aluminum, is the metering device. 14 sides are covered, and the necessary markings are optionally printed on the surface of the metal plate. or may be provided in other forms. The metal plate 56 is connected to at least the first and a second screw 58 to the substructure of the electrical meter 10 (not shown). be done. The lower portion of the metal plate 56 has screws or screws to hold it to the substructure. There are no other connecting members, so there is no need for a device to secure the demand metering device 46 in place. As a portion, it can be deflected outward. The bottom of the metal plate 56 is attached to the metal plate 56. Three vertical slots 60, 62, 64 are provided which communicate with a rectangular slot 66 opening into the It is.

Next, referring also to the side view of the electric meter 10 shown in FIG. 70 (only side 68 shown in FIG. 2) extends upwardly through rectangular slot 66. It extends and becomes a guide surface for guiding the demand metering device 46 to a predetermined position within the metering device 14 .

A guide boss 72 extends out from the demand metering device 46 through a vertical slot 62 and extends out from the demand meter 46 through a vertical slot 62. When the metering device 46 is slid upwardly into position within the metering device 14, the demand metering device This provides further guidance for fitting the housing 46 into the metering device 14. Fixing notch 7 4.76 is a horizontal opening from both sides of the rectangular slot 66. Fixing slope part 78. 80 (only the fixing ramp 78 is shown in FIG. 2) is the fixing notch 76. 74 respectively to place the demand metering device 46 in the operating position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Fix it. During the operation of sliding the demand metering device 46 upward into the operating position shown. , the fixing ramps 78,80 deflect the unfixed lower portion of the metal plate 56 outward. Then, the fixing ramps 78 and 80 are completely inserted into the fixing notches 76 and 74, respectively. sit down At that point, the metal plate 56 snaps back into its undeflected state and The metering device 46 is fixed in place.

A pair of finger hooks 82 and 84 extend downward from the lower end of the demand metering device 46 and are fixed. obtained by placing the slopes 78 and 80 in the fixing notches 76 and 74, respectively. The demand metering device 46 can be opened for fault diagnosis, replacement, or other purposes by releasing the locked lock. In order to be able to remove it from the metering device 14, the metal plate 56 is fixed. This allows the worker to bend the lower part slightly outward.

Next, to explain specifically about FIG. 2, the integrating power metering device 36 is an ordinary one. Although it does not constitute a part of this invention, it does not constitute a part of this invention. It is shown in dashed lines only to indicate its location relative to the other. Additionally, ordinary electrical connectors 90 is also indicated by a broken line. The electrical connection to electrical connector 90 is a regular short connector. This is done by contact pins 92 (only two of which are shown in FIG. 2). short hair It will be appreciated that connector pin 92 is much shorter than the longer connector pin 91. cormorant. Therefore, when inserting the demand metering device 46 into the metering device 14, a long connector pin is required. After pin 91 and all other pins of the same length are in electrical contact with the external circuit, Short connector pin 92 and all other pins of the same length make all electrical contact. Ru. Conversely, when the demand metering device 46 is removed from the metering device 14, with this configuration, After the short connector pin 92 and its companion break contact, the long connector pin 9 1 and his friends cut off contact. This arrangement of pins is determined by the demand metering device 46. e.g. for monitoring or displaying data generated locally or remotely. If the demand metering device 46 produces an external output for a pulse generator or other device, Useful when For example, short connector pins 92 can connect demand metering device 46 to AC power. The long connector pin 91, on the other hand, is not required. It can be used to connect monitoring data from the metering device 46. Therefore, demand When the required metering device 46 is inserted into the metering device 14, the power is connected to the demand metering device 46. Make sure all other connections are made before connecting. When removing the demand metering device 46 , the power connection is first disconnected.

Of course, the electric meter 10 includes not only the electric meter 1o but also an induction motor 12 and a measuring device. 14 and another support structure (not shown) for pulse generator 48; Even if shown in the drawings and explained, it is not helpful in explaining the invention, but it is difficult to explain the invention. It is omitted because it is troublesome for Ming. The weighing device 14 is supported by such a support structure. One or more conventional columns 93 can be used to do this, but the drawings do not show This is shown as just one example.

Next, referring also to the sectional view of FIG. 3, the demand metering device 46 includes the main body 96 and the It is enclosed in a housing 94 made up of a bar 98. Main body 96 and back side The cover 98 is preferably made of a non-conductive plastic material, and is Polycarbonate plastic materials have a high value of high impact resistance and high impact resistance. is most preferred. Referring now to FIG. 4, the rear cover 98 is It is attached to the body 96 using several hook-shaped coupling members 100. hook-shaped connection The member 100 has a loop integrated with the main body 96 near the portion that abuts the back side member 98. 102 is molded and extends laterally from the body. hook-shaped connection The part of the member 100 that matches that part is integrally molded with the back cover 98, and a hook extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom in general alignment with the loop 102; I have 104. Loop 102 has an opening 106. Hook 104 is tilted It has a surface 108 and a step 110. Opening 106 allows hook 104 to be bent as shown. flex the hook 104 from the unstretched position to the flexed position (not shown). The first part of the hook 104 can be inserted into the hook 102. be wide enough to allow a wide section to pass through it. Ru. Once the inclined surface 10g is inserted past the loop 102, the back cover Due to the natural elasticity of the plastic material from which the hook 98 is made, the hook 104 is secured as shown. position, step 110 is captured below loop 102. Hook-shaped coupling member 10 0 holds the hook 104 on the body 96 until the step 110 is released from the loop 102. You can release the fixation by pushing the back cover 98 towards you. It can be removed from body 96 to access the interior of housing 94.

When removing the demand metering device 46 from the metering device 14, the worker's fingers cannot be inserted. As shown in FIG. ) can be provided.

Before completing the description of the package of the demand metering device 46, it is important to note that the package While meeting the objectives of ease of use, ease of maintenance and safety, the demand metering device 46 The electrical behavior of the demand metering device 46 will be explained in order to understand how it interacts with the electrical behavior of the demand metering device 46. Explain the work.

FIG. 5 shows a simplified block diagram of a demand metering device 46 according to an embodiment of the present invention. There is. The power usage signal on line 5o is supplied to the processing device 116 in the demand metering device 46. be done. The processing unit 116 performs appropriate calculations on the usage data to obtain the desired amount. Retrieve the demand parameters and store the results.

Additionally, processing unit 116 provides an output on line 118 suitable for driving display device 52. It is possible to live. The stored data is transferred via line 120 to a remote location (Fig. for further analysis and/or for charging fees. I can do it.

Since the environment in which the electric needle device is used may be extreme, the display device 52 is configured to monitor environmental parameters. Special compensation for the meter may be required. This kind of special compensation is displayed A device temperature compensator 122 may be included.

Data that processing device 116 transmits for display and/or that processing device 116 internally transmits. The manner in which the control operates on the input data to produce the values stored in the It can be changed by selection by switch 54. This kind of control switch is Only the mechanical connection with the metering device 14 is relevant to the invention. Ru.

As previously discussed, processing unit 116 typically includes non-permanent random access memory. device, which means that in the event of a power outage, the data stored in it will be lost. Ru. This means that the loss of such usage and/or demand data Electrical meters that have a negative economic impact on the power company that supplies them must be approved. It is normal to be unable to do so. For example, electrically erasable and programmable A non-permanent storage element, such as a programmable read-only memory element, is used in the processing device ff1l16. It is well known that However, such long-term storage devices have short erase and write times. Usually, it is relatively slow, for example, about 10 to 20 milliseconds. This is big Too slow for most uses. . Besides this drawback, writing to such a memory element compared to the power required by the non-permanent memory elements of processing unit 116. It's very big. Finally, electrically erasable and programmable read-only notes A wear mechanism in re-cells limits the number of times such cells can be erased and re-recorded. do. After approximately 10,000 write and erase cycles, these memory devices Its reliable useful life is over. Of course, the memory elements in processing unit 116 are It must be written and erased thousands of times a day. For this reason, electrically Erasable and programmable read-only memory provides operational memory for processing unit 116. It has a very short lifespan. Electrically erasable and programmable read-only Endurance memory 124, which uses memory elements for erase and possibly only for a relatively small number of test cycles. It is useful to use it for rewriting. In the demand metering device 46, the demand metering device 46 This action does not occur frequently enough to limit the life of the device 46. After power outage The data can be read from persistent memory when the test operation is completed. I can do it.

A power supply and power monitoring device 126 receives alternating current power from line 26.28; generates a regulated DC voltage that requests such power via line 128; Applied to all circuits within demand metering device 46. Power supply and power monitoring device 12 6, in addition to generating regulated DC power, also determines the state of AC power on lines 26 and 28. 11 via line 130 in response to a detected condition. ．． 6, and if there is an apparent power outage, the processing device 116 to the durable memory 124, and in the event of an actual power outage. If so, reset the processing device 116.

In summary, a temporary power outage on line 26.28 causes an unregulated direct current When the pressure falls below a first threshold, a timer is started. before the timer expires when the unregulated DC voltage is higher than a second threshold, which is slightly higher than the first threshold. If not, the processor 116 retains the billing data and programmed constants. A command is received to transfer the data to the form memory 124. Power supply and power monitoring device 126 The capacitor located at Stores enough energy to keep your billing data and programs the constant stored in the memory 124. There is.

The length of the timing cycle of the power supply and power monitoring device 126 depends on the supply voltage. The drop occurred from a major power outage rather than a surge, noise, or purely temporary power outage. It is set to a value long enough to guarantee that there is a risk. The demand metering device 46 is connected to the electric meter 1 0 or when the electric meter 10 is connected to the line 26 and line 28 When the power supply and power monitoring device 126 is disconnected from the is recognized as an impending power outage, and the non-permanent memory in the processing unit 116 Then, the process of writing data into the persistent memory 124 is executed. For this reason, Progera, The equipment-specific data and billing data contained in the stored constants are These data are also stored in memory 124 from the previous non-permanent memory 124. A suitable memory that allows data to be transferred to a replacement non-permanent memory 124. ・If a programming device is available, use the durable memo in the replacement demand metering device 46. It can be used to write to the memory 124.

In FIG. 6, processor reset generator 132 is shown, which specifically This is one element of the power supply and power monitoring system 126 that is specifically related to the power supply and power monitoring system 126. processing equipment The action of reset generator 132 maintains the regulated DC voltage on line 128 during normal operation. Monitor to ensure that the regulated DC voltage is no longer high enough to maintain proper operation of the processing equipment. A reset signal is sent to the processing unit 116 whenever the value falls below the expected value. It is to apply. Normal when the regulated DC voltage rises from zero to the normal value Also when the processor is powered on, the processor reset generator 132 issues a signal to the processor 116. It is convenient to generate a reset signal.

Processor reset generator 132 has a switching transistor Q1, which The base is regulated DC power through a breakdown or avalanche diode D1 in series with resistor R1 It is connected to the. A second resistor R2 is the base of switching transistor Q1. connected between and the earth. In a preferred embodiment, the breakdown of breakdown diode D1 The voltage is approximately 2.7 volts, and resistors R1 and R2 have the same resistance value.

To explain the operation, when the voltage of the regulated DC power supply is lower than the threshold, switching - Transistor Q1 is cutoff and the reset signal on line 130b is a regulated DC Follows the voltage of the power supply. When the voltage is above the threshold voltage, the switching transistor Q1 turns on, thus keeping line 130b low. This relationship is the This is shown in Figure 7. The voltage of the regulated DC power supply increases from the nominal value of 5 volts to approximately 3.9 volts. When the voltage on line 130b drops to the threshold of , when the voltage of the power supply decreases, it follows the voltage of the power supply. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, , the reset signal is activated when the voltage of the regulated DC power supply drops below the threshold and then returns to the normal value. Once increased, as well as when the voltage of the regulated DC power supply increases after a power outage or during normal turn-on. Both times when it rises during power-on, it becomes a reset signal. Processing unit reset hold signal Line 134 is kept floating during normal operation; When the metering device 46 is removed, it can be grounded for purposes to be explained later.

In normal operation, when the demand metering device 46 is attached to the electric meter 10, the processing As device 116 provides serial data to non-volatile memory 124 via line 136, Serial data is received from non-volatile memory 124 via line 138.

Pull-up resistor 140 is activated when the data output from persistent memory 124 is high. , acts to return line 138 to approximately +5 volts, thus ensuring proper logic levels. do. Additionally, clock and chip select signals are sustained via lines 142 and 144, respectively. is applied to the shape memory 124. The regulated DC voltage and ground are normally wires 146, respectively. , 148 to persistent memory 124 .

Persistent memory programmer 150 connects demand metering device 46 from electrical meter 10. When removed, the data stored in the durable memory 124 is read and this memo is Connect to the removed demand metering device 46 to write the data programmed into the You can. Memory programmer interface 152 is a persistent so that memory programming device 150 can control non-volatile memory 124; In order to to quickly and reliably connect signals and voltages between devices. Ru. Six elongated solder pads 154, 156° 158 on demand metering device 46 ．． 160, 162, 166 are respectively lines 144.138°136.142, 146, 148. Seventh elongated solder pad 16 on demand metering device 46 4 is connected to the processing unit reset hold signal line 134. Long and thin solder pad 15 4,156,158,160,162,164.166 is the durable memory 124 is formed on the same circuit board (not shown in the drawing) that holds the ink -It has a shape that makes it easy to connect face to face.

Another portion of the memory programmer interface 152 includes a spring pin connector. It has connectors 168, 170, 172゜174, 176, 178, 180. , these are attached to a durable mace programming device 150, and some of them are It's a minute. Spring pin connector 168, 170° 172.174, 176.17 8, 11110 respectively to elongated solder pads 154, 156, 158, 160, 1 62, 164, 166 and can be electrically connected thereto. Figure 6 When interfaced as shown in FIG. reads data from persistent memory 124 (or replacement persistent memory 124'). Provides all the power and stimulation signals necessary to capture and write data to it You can.

Non-permanent memory programmer 150 has a control signal generator 182, which It receives manual input, generates regulated DC power, and stores persistent memory 124 (or Generates clock and chip select signals for application to persistent memory 124') It contains ordinary circuits that can be used to Additionally, the control signal generator 182 is connected to the line 13 formatting a data word for connection to persistent memory 124 via 6. have the means. This data word can be read, written, or written to persistent memory 124. can select the erase operation mode. Persistent memory programming device 15 A temporary storage device 184 located at The billing data read from memory 124 and the programmed constants are The demand metering device 4 stores the contents temporarily stored therein. 6 can be copied to the exchangeable persistent memory 124'. The above reading and copying During operation, the control signal generator 182 is connected to the non-permanent memory 124 or a replacement non-permanent For memory 124', apply a chip select signal on line 144 and a clock signal on line 142. Apply a check signal. While reading or copying data, control signal generator 182 processes Connect the processing device reset hold signal line 134 connected to the device reset generator 132. It acts like a ground. This keeps the base of transistor Q1 at ground potential. The processing device 116 is maintained in a reset state.

The control signal generator 182 may be, for example, a mechanically or electrically controlled switch. , a suitable argument for persistent memory 124 (or replacement persistent memory 124'). Any conventional device that generates a control level signal can be used. temporary storage device 184 decodes the input message and formats the appropriate output message before storage. It may be any convenient device for making. Temporary storage device 184 may be, for example, may have a microprocessor with a communication buffer. For example, durable memory 124 may be an NMC9306 type persistent memory, and the processing unit 116 is an NMC9306 type persistent memory. It may be a 7503 type microprocessor. Both of these are as of the time of filing this application. It is available on the market.

Due to differences in the data formats of the two communicating devices, the non-permanent memory 124 and the processing device When exchanging data between specific microprocessors used in 116, Problems may occur. Features for use in persistent memory programming device 150 A forthcoming solution is to store a portion of the data message in non-permanent memory 124. persistent memory 124 (or Useful for formatting data messages for transmission to long-term memory 124'). The first step is to provide an efficient communication buffer in the temporary storage device 184. Similarly, the communication The file selectively shifts and nullifies data received from persistent memory 124. Take a visual action to copy this data protocol to the My Store in temporary storage 184. convert it into something acceptable to the processor.

The data read from persistent memory 124 and written to temporary storage device 184 is After being copied to the replacement durable memory 124', the processing unit reset hold signal line 13 4 earth signal is excluded. This causes the processor reset generator 134 to reset. A signal can be generated, which can be used to test the demand metering device 46. To do this, the copied contents of non-permanent memory 124 are read into processing device 116. demand Metering device 46 is physically removed from non-volatile memory programming device 150; Therefore, when power is cut off from the demand metering device 46, an apparent power outage occurs as described above. acts to erase persistent memory 124 and store data therein.

A demand metering device 46 is attached to the electric meter, and the voltage applied to it is adjusted to a predetermined value. When the temperature rises, the contents stored in persistent memory 124 are transferred to processing unit 116. be returned.

After completing the explanation of the mechanical structure of the demand metering device 46, the assembly of the demand metering device 46 is completed. The majority of Note first that this is done while the body 96 rests on its surface. I want to be understood. A glass or plastic window 186 is located behind the rectangular viewing aperture 190. It is arranged in the recess 188. Although the display device 52 is a flat device as a whole, behind the window 186, the symbol (when activated) opens a rectangular viewing aperture 190. Visible through. Display holder 192 is preferably a molded plastic element. Preferably, the display device 52 is placed on the rear side and the display device 52 is placed adjacent to the window 186. Hold in operating position. Display retainer 192 includes one or more support bosses. 194 is extended later.

Each of the three control switches 54 is mechanically similar except for its location and operation.

As an example, it will suffice to describe test switch 196. It is integrated into the main body 96. A shaped tubular passageway 198 opens into an enlarged portion 200 at its inner end.

Switch actuator 202 is slidably fit into tubular passageway 198. The actuator shaft 204 that can be formed and the actuator shaft 204 that is formed integrally with the actuator shaft 204 and an enlarged cylindrical portion 206 that can fit loosely into the enlarged portion 200. ing. A conical inner opening 20111 connects with the inner end of the enlarged portion 200. truncated circle The narrow end of the conical elastic spring 210 is inserted into the conical inner opening 208 to accommodate the actuator shaft. 204. The larger of the frustoconical elastic springs 210 A flange 212 around the end is integrally formed with the body 96 and the flange 21 overlaps with 4. The frustoconical elastic spring 210 provides a tactile response when compressed. It can be any ordinary device. That is, at a certain point when compressed, a frusto-conical elastic spring Ne210 is equivalent to the over-centered release feeling you experience with typewriter keys. gives a feeling. In addition, for example, a piece of conductive rubber (not shown in Figure 3) A piece of conductive material is placed inside the frustoconical elastic spring 210 to contact the circuit. This will be explained in more detail later.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of display 52, with contacts located along one edge of display 52. An area 216 is shown having a plurality of metal contact pads 218, which The display device 52 is controlled and electrical signals thereto are connected thereto. common As usual, metal contact pads 218 can be formed using conventional printed wiring board techniques. However, this is not of particular interest here. Returning to Figure 3, The printed wiring board 220 is connected to the support boss 194 and the tightening flange 214, as well as located on possible support bosses (not shown), e.g. Secure it in place using conventional retention means such as screws 222 (only one shown). It is held tightly. Contact areas 224 on the surface of printed wiring board 220 are connected to display device 52. A mirror image of the contact area 216 above.

The contact pads in contact area 224 are connected to the metal contact pads 218 in contact area 216 (FIG. (see). Side 228 and opposing side of display holder 192 A rectangular slot 226 is provided between surfaces 230 and between contact area 216 and contact area 224. It is formed. A rectangular contact strip 232 is disposed within the rectangular slot 226 and One end 234 contacts contact area 216 and a second end 236 contacts contact area 224. touch

The rectangular contact strip 232 is of the type with a core 238 in which parallel longitudinal elastic conductive strands are encapsulated using an elastic matrix, and this matrix are insulated from each other by The conductive strands of core 238 are substantially parallel to each other. Therefore, the pattern of voltages set at first end 234 is present at second end 236. This is the exact image of the voltage pattern. For this reason, it is generated on the printed wiring board 220. The control signal for the display device 52 that is connected to the It is connected directly to the appropriate area of the display device 52 without any hassle. Furthermore, rectangular Installation of the contact strip 232 is accomplished by simply dropping it into the rectangular slot 226 during assembly. Just soak it in. Rectangular contact strip 232 connects contact area 216 and contact area 224. is made slightly longer than the interval between the , when the printed wiring board 222 is installed, the rectangular contact strip 232 is slightly compressed in the vertical direction. resiliency that allows a reliable connection over a considerable period of time by being compressed A stable and firmly pressed contact is guaranteed. Display device 52 and control switch 54 Otherwise, all elements of demand metering device 46 are mounted on printed wiring board 220. . In the current explanation, only the persistent memory 124 is mounted on the printed wiring board 220. is of interest and therefore is shown and described in the drawings and constitutes the demand metering device 46. It should be noted that the remaining components are also on printed wiring board 220. However, the drawing becomes confusing. These are not shown for clarity.

Next, to explain the rear view of all the demand meter equipment shown in Figures 9 and 10, The elongated solder pads 154 to 160 and the elongated solder pads disposed on the printed wiring board 220 First and second parallel elongated slots 240 are formed above the solder pads 162-166. , 242 are consistent. The first and second alignment holes 244, 246 are mechanically As part of the configuration, the back cover 98 includes a demand metering device 46. A long-term memory programming device 150 (not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) and Match. The printed wiring board 220 also has alignment holes arranged to align with the alignment holes 246. It has a hole 248 for use. The elongated solder pads 154 to 166 form elongated grooves. It extends laterally past the holes 240 and 242 so that the elongated slot 240 or a probe (not shown in the drawings) inserted straight into the elongated slot 242. contactable with a selected one of elongated solder pads 154-166; It will be recognized.

Next, a front view of the durable memory programming device 150 shown in FIG. To explain the side view shown in the figure, the first and second coarse matching columns 250, 252 extends upwardly from panel 254. operatively in contact with the coarse alignment columns 250, 252; The demand meter 2 device 46 placed face up on the coarse matching column 252 so as to touch The contour is shown in dashed lines in FIG. Spring pin connectors 168-180 When the alignment pin 256 adjacent to contacts the coarse alignment columns 250, 252 as shown in the figure, , an alignment hole 246 in the back cover 98 and an alignment hole 248 in the printed wiring board 220 (See FIGS. 9 and 10). Similarly, alignment bin 258 is In the state shown, it is entirely aligned with the alignment hole 244 (FIG. 9).

Adjacent to both sides of the demand metering device 46 are a pair of rotary tightening knobs 260, 262. It is located. The flat side 264 of the rotary tightening knob 260 and the rotary tightening knob 260 Turn the corresponding flat side 264 of the knob 262 toward the demand metering device 46 to measure the demand. It is possible to place the metering device 46 in the position shown in the dashed line or to remove it therefrom. come. to secure demand metering device 46 in a programming position on panel 254; , alignment bins 256, 258 enter the respective alignment holes and spring pin connector 16. 8-180 and the respective elongated solder pads 154-166. applied by spring pin connectors 168-180 until contact is achieved. Pushing the demand metering device 46 down toward the panel 254 against the opposing spring force Ru. After that, turn the rotary tightening knobs 26o and 2s2 to the fixed positions shown in the figure to Metering device 46 can be held in the programming position.

Particularly, referring to FIG. operations, both in terms of disconnection and control of reading or writing data to persistent memory 124. May have appropriate indicators and controls to assist the operator.

For example, a table displaying data received from or written to persistent memory 124. A display device 268 may be provided.

to select the mode and apply power to the demand metering device 46, or for other purposes. Additionally, a plurality of function keys 270 may be provided on the panel 254. Panel 25 4 is provided with a numeric keypad 272 for controlling the contents of the persistent memory programming device 150. Persistent memory 12 in temporary storage 184 or directly in demand metering device 46 You can send program input for 4. Display device 268, function keys The specific functions of the 270 and numerical keypad 272 are beyond the scope of this invention. It is not a personal report, so I will not explain it in detail.

Electric supply μ FIG.7 FIG.9 international search report

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) In a modular demand metering device for electric meters, the display device is a non-conductive housing having one recess; a display device within the at least one recess; a display device within the housing; a circuit board containing a substantial portion of the electronic circuitry of the demand metering device; securing said circuit board within said housing generally parallel but spaced apart therefrom; means for interconnecting said circuit board and said display device to operate said display device; a means of connecting; a means for connecting said circuit board to an external circuit and a non-conductive backside cover to said housing; a bar, the housing and the back cover are arranged so that the demand metering device is electrically connected to the All of said demand metering devices capable of receiving electrical power when in the operating position within the meter. the conductive portion of the housing, and the back cover is slid into place on the housing. Has a means of simplifying the assembly of the demand metering device by knap coupling Modular demand metering device. 2) In the modular demand metering device according to claim 1), the interconnection The means to a first plurality of conductive contact pads in the display device facing toward the circuit board; , on the circuit board, corresponding conductive contact pads of the first plurality of conductive contact pads; a first distance from the first plurality of conductive contact pads; a second plurality of conductive contact pads; between the first plurality of conductive contact pads and the second plurality of conductive contact pads; contact strips arranged longitudinally within a resilient insulating matrix. The first plurality of elastic conductors are a voltage present on said second plurality of conductive contact pads at an end in contact with a conductive contact pad; It acts to generate a voltage pattern that is an image of the pattern, and therefore the first and a second plurality of corresponding conductive contact pads are made. A modular demand metering device designed to 3) In the modular demand metering device according to claim 1), the at least a display holder within the one recess, the display holder holding the display means for retaining the display device within the at least one recess; The vessel has dimensions smaller than the dimensions of said at least one recess, and thus a groove between a side surface of the at least one recess and an opposing side surface of the display device holder; an aperture is formed, and the interconnecting means further includes the slot opposite the circuit board. a first plurality of conductive contact pads on the display device; a second end of the slot opposite a corresponding pad of a plurality of conductive contact pads of the slot; a second plurality of conductive contact pads on said circuit board at said first plurality of conductive contact pads; and said second plurality are spaced apart by the length of said slots, and further include said second plurality of said interconnects. a contact strip in the slot between the first plurality and the second plurality; having a plurality of contact strips arranged longitudinally within a resilient insulating matrix. having an elastic conductor, the conductor being in contact with the first plurality of conductive contact pads; a voltage pattern that is an image of the voltage pattern on the second plurality of conductive contact pads; act to generate a pressure pattern, so that said first plurality and said second plurality A modular demand metering device in which interconnections between corresponding pads are achieved. 4) In the modular demand metering device according to claim 3), the contact strip the length of the contact strip is greater than the length of the slot, and the length of the contact strip is approximately equal to the length of the slot. the corresponding parameters of the first plurality and the second plurality; A modular demand metering device that allows elastically pressed contact between the pads. . 5) In the modular demand metering device according to claim 1), the circuit board is Means for connecting to an external circuit connects a connector within the electrical meter external to the demand metering device. It has a plurality of parallel pins that act to be inserted into the connector, and the plurality of parallel pins at least a first pin having a first length and a substantially different second length; at least a second pin having a first length, the first length being less than the second length; substantially short, so that when inserting said demand metering device into said electrical meter, said small The at least first pin is connected to the connector after at least the second pin is connected. When the demand metering device is electrically connected to the electric meter and removed from the electric meter, Before the at least second pin is separated from the connector, the at least A modular demand metering device, wherein the first pin is disconnected from the connector. 6) In a measuring device for an electric meter, a support structure; a plate in the weighing device; means for supporting said plate on said support structure; and a modular electronic demand metering device. and, a cavity behind the board for receiving the modular demand metering device; a first slot in the plate having parallel first and second sides; Adjacent from the first slot, extending in a direction parallel to the parallel first side and second side, and has third and fourth sides parallel to the first and second sides, and is provided on the plate. at least a second slot; first and second portions on the plate that extend laterally in contact with the first side and the second side; a fixing notch, and at least a first and a first second, third and fourth guide surfaces extending outwardly; The guide surface slides on the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side to perform a guiding action. a housing that is flexible and that guides the modular demand metering device into the empty space; Zing and first and second fixing slopes provided on the housing; The plate is free to deflect outward in the vicinity of the first and second fixing notches. Come, The first and second fixing ramps connect the modular demand metering device to the electricity. When inserted into the instrument, bend the plate outwardly and When the metering device is in its operating position, the first and second fixing notches are locked. an electrical connector positioned to engage the metering device; a plurality of connector pins on the modular demand metering device; the first side, second side, third side, and fourth side and the first, second, third, and fourth guides; When the modular demand metering device is inserted into the cavity, the A plan for performing a guiding action to guide the connector pins into mating with the electrical connector. quantity device. 7) In the measuring device according to claim 6), the housing includes a first and a second housing. a recess, and the first and second recesses connect the modular demand metering device to the empty space. A weighing device that is located so that it can be accessed to make it easier to take it out. 8) In the measuring device according to claim 6), the plate has first and second finger rests. , and the first and second finger rests extend the fixing notch from the fixing slope. Manually rotate the plate, including the first and second fixing notches, outward until it is released. so that it can be bent, and thus the modular demand metering device can be removed from the void. A measuring device that can be removed.