CN111174847B

CN111174847B - Auxiliary module of meter

Info

Publication number: CN111174847B
Application number: CN201811329389.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈璟忠
Original assignee: Chicony Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Chicony Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-09
Filing date: 2018-11-09
Publication date: 2021-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-09
Also published as: CN111174847A

Abstract

A meter auxiliary module is used for being assembled on a fluid meter and comprises a first assembly part and a second assembly part. The first assembly includes a clamping structure for securing the first assembly to the fluid meter. The second assembly is configured to be connected with the first assembly and comprises a shell, a light-emitting piece, an image acquisition piece and a cover. The shell is provided with a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is positioned at the bottom of the shell. The light emitting piece and the image acquisition piece are arranged in the shell. A cover is coupled to the housing and covers the second opening, wherein the cover is movable relative to the housing.

Description

Auxiliary module of meter

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a meter support module.

Background

With the development of technology, the metering devices used in sundays are gradually transformed into electronic and so-called smart meters. Taking a water meter as an example, early water meters were mostly mechanical. The mechanical water meter can utilize water flow to drive a gear of the water meter to rotate so as to calculate the consumption, and the mechanical water meter does not relate to too many electronic control functions or electronic sensing functions. For this reason, electronic water meters have been developed to facilitate the acquisition of water usage or the recording of water usage in a digital manner. Unlike mechanical water meters, electronic water meters use sensors to sense water usage and digitally record water usage.

However, to replace the entire number of mechanical water meters for the user with electronic water meters would create more problems. For example, the mechanical water meter lines are complicated and difficult to replace, or cost considerations may arise. Therefore, how to balance between the mechanical water meter and the electronic water meter has become one of the intense development issues in the related art.

Disclosure of Invention

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a meter auxiliary module for assembling on a fluid meter, and includes a first assembly and a second assembly. The first assembly includes a clamping structure for securing the first assembly to the fluid meter. The second assembly is configured to be connected with the first assembly and comprises a shell, a light-emitting piece, an image acquisition piece and a cover. The shell is provided with a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is positioned at the bottom of the shell. The light emitting piece and the image acquisition piece are arranged in the shell. A cover is coupled to the housing and covers the second opening, wherein the cover is movable relative to the housing.

In some embodiments, the second assembly further comprises a waterproof gasket. The waterproof gasket is arranged at the bottom of the shell and surrounds the first opening.

In some embodiments, the meter auxiliary module further comprises an elastic member. The elastic piece is connected with the cover and the shell.

In some embodiments, the first assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member. The first clamping piece comprises a first base and a first support connected with the first base. The second clamping member comprises a second base and a second support connected with the second base, wherein the clamping structure is formed by mutually connecting the first base and the second base.

In some embodiments, the first base has a protrusion, the second base has a recess, and the protrusion is configured to be inserted into the recess.

In some embodiments, the first base and the second base are arc-shaped extending along the same curved track.

In some embodiments, the first assembly further comprises a locking hole, and the second assembly further comprises a locking portion. The locking part is connected with the shell and is provided with an alignment key, and the alignment key is configured to be embedded into the locking hole.

In some embodiments, the meter support module further comprises a lock attachment. The locking accessory is configured to pass through the alignment key of the locking accessory part and lock into the locking accessory hole.

In some embodiments, the housing of the second assembly includes a lower housing and an upper housing, the upper housing is detachably assembled to the lower housing, wherein the upper housing is connected to the lower housing and extends from the lower housing to the upper housing.

In some embodiments, the upper housing has an inclined surface, the second opening is located on the inclined surface, and the cover extending from the lower housing to the upper housing covers the inclined surface and the second opening.

In some embodiments, the meter support module further comprises a spectroscope. The spectroscope is arranged in the shell, and is optically coupled between the cover and the fluid meter and between the image acquisition element and the fluid meter.

By the arrangement, the image of the numerical value display area of the fluid meter can be acquired through the image acquisition part, so that the function of digitizing the metering numerical value of the fluid meter is achieved. During the image acquisition, because the brightness condition in the shell of the meter auxiliary module is controllable, the image acquisition can be carried out under the condition of stable illumination, so as to prevent the image from having insufficient brightness or overexposure. In addition, the user can also directly observe the numerical value display area by opening the cover to confirm the metering numerical value. Therefore, the digital value of the mechanical fluid meter can be digitalized without replacing components.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly of a meter auxiliary module on a fluid meter according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the meter support module of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of the fluid meter and the first assembly of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of the first assembly of fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates a schematic top view of the first assembly after rotation relative to the fluid meter.

Fig. 6 and 7 are a perspective view and a top view respectively illustrating the assembly of the calibration jig on the first assembly.

Fig. 8 is a schematic top view illustrating a calibration process performed by the calibration jig.

Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the meter auxiliary module of fig. 1 and a fluid meter thereunder.

Fig. 10 and 11 are a schematic cross-sectional view and a schematic front view of the meter auxiliary module of fig. 1 after the cover is opened.

Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a meter auxiliary module assembled on a fluid meter according to a second embodiment of the disclosure, the cross-sectional view being the same as fig. 9.

[ notation ] to show

Auxiliary module for 100A and 100B meter

102 lock attachment

110 first assembly

112 locking screw

114 nut

120 first clamping member

122 first base

124 first support

126 projection

128 first connection part

129 first locking hole

130 second clamping member

132 second base

134 second support

136 recess

138 second connecting part

139 second locking hole

140 second assembly

142 casing

143 locking part

144 lower casing

145 para key

146 upper casing

147 inclined plane

148A first engaging portion

148B second engaging portion

149A first opening

149B second opening

150 first light-transmitting sheet

152 second light transmitting sheet

154 cover

160 connecting socket

162 circuit board

164 light emitting element

166 image acquisition member

168 waterproof gasket

170 elastic member

172 batteries

180 spectroscope

200 fluid meter

202 metering value display area

204 pipeline

206 projecting piece

210 correction jig

212 projecting key

9-9 line segment

L1, L2 light ray

Detailed Description

In the following description, numerous implementation details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that these implementation details should not be used in a limiting sense to the present disclosure. That is, in some embodiments of the disclosure, such practical details are not necessary. In addition, some conventional structures and components are shown in simplified schematic form in the drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like components.

The use of the terms first, second, third, etc. herein is used to describe various components, assemblies, regions, layers and so on may be understood. These components, elements, regions, layers should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer from another. Thus, a first component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

The meter auxiliary module of the present disclosure can be assembled on a fluid meter to facilitate a user to observe a measurement value of the fluid meter, and the meter auxiliary module also provides a function of image acquisition of the fluid meter to digitize the measurement value of the fluid meter. Referring to fig. 1 and 2, fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a meter auxiliary module 100A assembled on a fluid meter 200 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the meter auxiliary module 100A of fig. 1. The meter support module 100A of the present disclosure may be assembled on a fluid meter 200, wherein the fluid meter 200 is, for example, a water meter, a natural gas meter or a gas meter, and the fluid meter 200 is illustrated as a mechanical water meter by way of example in fig. 1.

Meter auxiliary module 100A includes lock attachment 102, first assembly 110, and second assembly 140. The first assembly 110 is ring-shaped and surrounds a sidewall of the fluid meter 200 to hold the fluid meter 200. Second assembly 140 overlies first assembly 110 and fluid meter 200 and is assembled to first assembly 110 by way of locking attachment 102. After the second assembly 140 is assembled above the fluid meter 200, the second assembly 140 covers the measurement display area 202 of the fluid meter 200.

Referring to fig. 2, 3 and 4, fig. 3 is a schematic top view of the fluid meter 200 and the first assembly 110 of fig. 2, and fig. 4 is an exploded view of the first assembly 110 of fig. 3. First assembly 110 includes a locking screw 112, a nut 114, a first clip 120, and a second clip 130.

The first clamping member 120 includes a first base 122, a first bracket 124, a protrusion 126, and a first connecting portion 128. The first base 122 may be designed to have an arc shape such that the first base 122 may be adapted to surround the arc-shaped sidewall of the fluid meter 200. The first bracket 124 is connected to the first base 122 and has a first locking hole 129. The protruding portions 126 are disposed at both ends of the first base 122. The first connection portion 128 is disposed on an outer wall of the first base 122.

The second clamping member 130 includes a second base 132, a second bracket 134, a recess 136 and a second connecting portion 138. The second base 132 may be designed to have an arc shape such that the second base 132 may be adapted to surround the arc-shaped sidewall of the fluid meter 200. The first base 122 and the second base 132 may have symmetrical shapes, such as arcs extending along the same curved path. The second bracket 134 is coupled to the second base 132 and has a second locking hole 139. The recessed portions 136 are disposed at both ends of the second base 132, and the size of the recessed portions 136 corresponds to the size of the protruding portions 126. The second connection portion 138 is disposed on an outer wall of the second base 132.

The first and

second holders

120 and 130 can be assembled together, and the fluid meter 200 is located between the assembled first and

second holders

120 and 130. Specifically, after assembly, the first base 122 of the first clip 120 and the second base 132 of the second clip 130 are connected to each other to form a clip structure, and the clip structure can surround the fluid meter 200. In other embodiments, the first base 122 and the second base 132 may be formed along the same straight track and have a frame shape after being assembled. The protrusion 126 of the first clip 120 may be configured to fit into the recess 136 of the second clip 130. During the assembly process, the protrusion 126 is inserted into the recess 136, so that the first clamping member 120 and the second clamping member 130 can be easily aligned. The first connecting portion 128 contacts the second connecting portion 138, and they may have a hole for the locking screw 112 to pass through, and the nut 114 may be sleeved on the locking screw 112 and located in the hole to fix the connection relationship between the first connecting portion 128 and the second connecting portion 138. In other embodiments, the first connecting portion 128 and the second connecting portion 138 can be fixed by a snap, a rivet, or a magnetic attraction.

In addition, the assembly position of the first and

second clamping members

120 and 130 is designed to correspond to the mechanism of the fluid meter 200. For example, in the case that the fluid meter 200 includes the pipe 204 and the protrusion 206, the clamping structure of the first clamping member 120 and the second clamping member 130 is assembled between the pipe 204 and the protrusion 206, so as to prevent the first clamping member 120 and the second clamping member 130 from falling off the fluid meter 200 through the pipe 204 and the protrusion 206.

Referring back to fig. 1 and fig. 2, the second assembly 140 includes a housing 142 and a locking portion 143, wherein the housing 142 includes a lower housing 144 and an upper housing 146, and the lower housing 144 is located between the first assembly 110 and the upper housing 146. The locking part 143 is connected to the lower housing 144 of the housing 142 and includes an alignment key 145, wherein the alignment key 145 is a protruding point corresponding to the first locking hole 129 and the second locking hole 139. During assembly, when the second assembly 140 is disposed on the first assembly 110, the alignment key 145 may be first placed into the first locking hole 129 and the second locking hole 139 to facilitate alignment. After the alignment is completed, the locking portions 143 can cover the first bracket 124 and the second bracket 134, respectively. The locking member 102 can be disposed through the locking portion 143 and the alignment key 145, respectively, and fix the locking portion 143 on the first bracket 124 and the second bracket 134. Specifically, the locking attachment 102 can be locked into the first locking attachment hole 129 and the second locking attachment hole 139 after passing through the locking attachment 143 and the alignment key 145, so as to assemble the first assembly 110 and the second assembly 140 together. In other embodiments, the first assembly 110 and the second assembly 140 can be assembled together by a snap fit.

The first locking hole 129 and the second locking hole 139 are designed to be holes for connecting other mechanical members besides the locking purpose. Since the second assembly 140 is assembled on the first assembly 110, when the first assembly 110 assembled on the fluid meter 200 is not in the desired position due to rotation, the second assembly 140 is misaligned with respect to the fluid meter 200. In this regard, the first locking hole 129 and the second locking hole 139 may be used to place a calibration jig, so as to calibrate the first assembly 110 by the calibration jig, thereby preventing the second assembly 140 from being misaligned.

For example, referring to fig. 3 and fig. 5, fig. 5 is a schematic top view of the first assembly 110 rotated relative to the fluid meter 200, and the first assembly 110 of fig. 5 is rotated counterclockwise relative to the first assembly 110 of fig. 3. In the case where first assembly 110 of fig. 3 is defined to be located at an expected location, first assembly 110 of fig. 5 is considered to be not located at the expected location. Referring to fig. 6 and 7, fig. 6 and 7 respectively illustrate a perspective view and a top view of the calibration jig 210 assembled on the first assembly 110. When the first assembly 110 is not located at the desired position, the protruding keys 212 of the calibration jig 210 can be inserted into the first and second locking holes 129 and 139 to assemble the calibration jig 210 on the first assembly 110. The calibration fixture 210 has a viewing window 214 so that a user can recognize whether the metering value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200 is shielded through the viewing window 214. In the example of FIG. 7, the measurement value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200 is masked. At this time, the user can rotate the first assembly 110, so that the first assembly 110 can be located at a desired position relative to the fluid meter 200, as shown in fig. 8, fig. 8 shows a schematic top view after being corrected by using the correction jig 210. When the first assembly 110 is rotated to a desired position relative to the fluid meter 200, the complete measurement display area 202 is visible through the viewing window 214 of the calibration fixture 210. Therefore, after the calibration by the calibration fixture 210, the second assembly 140 assembled on the first assembly 110 can be prevented from being misaligned with respect to the fluid meter 200.

Referring to fig. 1 and 9, fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the meter auxiliary module 100A of fig. 1 and the fluid meter 200 therebelow, which is illustrated along line 9-9 of fig. 1. In order to facilitate understanding of the contents depicted in fig. 9, hatching is depicted in fig. 9 for each component or structure. As shown in fig. 9, the second assembly 140 further includes a first light-transmitting sheet 150, a second light-transmitting sheet 152, a cover 154, a connecting seat 160, a circuit board 162, a light-emitting element 164, an image capturing element 166 and a waterproof gasket 168.

The upper case 146 is detachably assembled to the lower case 144. Specifically, the lower housing 144 includes a first engaging portion 148A, the upper housing 146 includes a second engaging portion 148B, and the lower housing 144 and the upper housing 146 can be assembled together by engaging the first engaging portion 148A and the second engaging portion 148B with each other. The lower housing 144 and the upper housing 146 have a first opening 149A and a second opening 149B, respectively, wherein the first opening 149A is located at the bottom of the lower housing 144, the upper housing 146 has a slope 147, and the second opening 149B is located on the slope 147. The first light-transmitting sheet 150 and the second light-transmitting sheet 152 are respectively disposed in the first opening 149A and the second opening 149B to prevent moisture or dust from entering the housing 142 from the outside of the housing 142. The first light-transmitting sheet 150 and the second light-transmitting sheet 152 may be made of glass, plastic, or acrylic. In addition, a waterproof gasket 168 is disposed at the bottom of the housing 142 and is located between the fluid meter 200 and the housing 142, and the waterproof gasket 168 surrounds the first opening 149A. The waterproof gasket 168 has elasticity, and can prevent external moisture or dust from intruding from a gap between the fluid meter 200 and the housing 142 under the condition that the gasket is compressed due to being sandwiched between the fluid meter 200 and the housing 142, thereby providing a good waterproof effect and a good dustproof effect. In this embodiment, the waterproof gasket 168 may be an O-ring or a bead of rubber. In other embodiments, waterproof gasket 168 may be implemented as a waterproof glue.

The cover 154 is disposed on the housing 142 and connected to the lower housing 144 of the housing 142, and the cover 154 extends from the lower housing 144 to the upper housing 146 to cover the inclined surface 147 of the upper housing 146 and also covers the second opening 149B and the second light-transmitting sheet 152 disposed in the second opening 149B. The cover 154 is movable relative to the housing 142. For example, the connection between the cover 154 and the lower housing 144 can be fixed by a rod-shaped member, so that the cover 154 can rotate the rod-shaped member as a rotation axis. In the case where the cover 154 extends from the lower housing 144 to the upper housing 146, it is convenient for the user to open the cover 154 from above. In addition, the meter auxiliary module 100A may further include an elastic member 170 coupled to the case 142 from the cover 154 so as to attach the cover 154 to the inclined surface 147 using a restoring force of the elastic member 170, wherein the elastic member 170 may be, for example, a torsion spring. The housing 142 and the cover 154 may be made of opaque material to provide light shielding. With cover 154 attached to bevel 147, the space within housing 142 may be isolated from ambient light. Although the cover 154 of the present embodiment is connected to the lower housing 144 by a rod-shaped element, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the cover 154 may be connected to the upper housing 146 of the housing 142 by a rod-shaped element and extends from the upper housing 146 to the lower housing 144 to cover the inclined surface 147 of the upper housing 146, so that the cover 154 can be opened by a user from below. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the cover 154 may be configured in a slide rail, so that the user can operate the cover 154 in a sliding manner.

The connecting base 160, the circuit board 162, the light emitting element 164 and the image capturing element 166 are disposed in the housing 142, wherein the connecting base 160 can be fixed on the inner wall of the upper housing 146 by a fixing element. The circuit board 162, the light emitting element 164 and the image capturing element 166 are fixed on the connecting seat 160, the circuit board 162 is electrically connected to the light emitting element 164 and the image capturing element 166, and the circuit board 162 has electrical components, such as an integrated circuit, a microcontroller (microcontroller), a microprocessor (microprocessor) and an Application Specific Processor (ASP), for driving the light emitting element 164 and the image capturing element 166. The light emitting element 164 may be a light emitting diode, including an organic light emitting diode or an inorganic light emitting diode, for providing illumination. Image capturing element 166 may be a lens module and may include a charge-coupled device (CCD), and the focus position of image capturing element 166 is located on metering value display area 202 of fluid meter 200. The image capturing member 166 may perform image capturing of the measurement value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200, and the light emitting member 164 may provide light during image capturing by the image capturing member 166. In addition, the upper housing 146 of the housing 142 may have a groove for accommodating the battery 172, wherein the battery 172 may serve as a power source for the circuit board 162, the illuminating element 164 and the image capturing element 166.

With the above arrangement, the space inside the housing 142 can be suitable for the image capturing member 166 to perform image capturing, thereby preventing the captured image from being under-bright or over-exposed. Further, since the housing 142 can isolate the external ambient light, the brightness condition in the housing 142 has a higher correlation with the illumination provided by the light emitting element 164 and a lower correlation with the external ambient light. In the case where the illumination provided by the light emitting member 164 is controllable, the brightness condition within the housing 142 may also be controllable. Therefore, the image capturing unit 166 can perform image capturing under a stable illumination condition to prevent insufficient brightness or overexposure, thereby improving the image quality. In addition, the circuit board 162 may include a receiver and a transmitter, and the receiver and the transmitter have a function of wireless communication, such as bluetooth transmission, wireless network transmission, radio wave transmission, or other wireless transmission. When the receiver receives an image acquisition request, the circuit board 162 may drive the illuminating element 164 and the image acquiring element 166 to provide illumination and image acquisition, respectively, and transmit the acquired image through the transmitter. With the above configuration, the measurement value of the fluid meter 200 can be recorded in a digital format, thereby completing the digitization of the measurement value.

The above configuration may also allow the user to directly view the measurement values displayed in the measurement value display area 202. Referring to fig. 10 and 11 again, fig. 10 and 11 respectively illustrate a cross-sectional view and a front view of the meter auxiliary module 100A of fig. 1 after the cover 154 is opened. Similarly, hatching lines are shown in fig. 10 for the corresponding components or structures in order to facilitate understanding of what is depicted in fig. 10. When the cover 154 is opened, the user can directly view the metering value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200 through the second light-transmitting sheet 152 in the second opening 149B and the first light-transmitting sheet 150 in the first opening 149A to confirm the metering value displayed in the metering value display area 202. In addition, since the elastic member 170 is disposed between the cover 154 and the housing 142, after the user confirms the measurement value, the cover 154 can be returned to the position covering the inclined surface 147 and the second opening 149B by the elastic member 170, so as to maintain the brightness condition in the housing 142.

That is, after the meter auxiliary module 100A is assembled on the fluid meter 200, in addition to digitizing the measurement value of the fluid meter 200 through the image acquisition unit 166, the user can also confirm the measurement value by directly observing the measurement value display area 202. Furthermore, during image acquisition, since the brightness condition inside the housing 142 is controllable, the image acquisition unit 166 performs image acquisition under a steady illumination condition to prevent an insufficient brightness condition or an overexposure condition.

In some embodiments, the second assembly 140 may further include a light sensor (not shown), wherein the light sensor may be disposed on the inclined surface 147. According to the sensing result of the optical sensor, it can be determined whether the cover 154 is in the non-opened state or the opened state, and the circuit board 162 can control the light emitting element 164 according to the state of the cover 154. For example, the light emitting member 164 can be set to be in the off state when the cover 154 is opened, thereby saving the power of the battery 172.

Referring to fig. 12, fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a meter auxiliary module 100B assembled on a fluid meter 200 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cross-sectional view is the same as that of fig. 9. Similarly, hatching lines are shown in fig. 12 for the corresponding components or structures in order to facilitate understanding of what is depicted in fig. 12. At least one difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that the meter auxiliary module 100B of the present embodiment further includes a beam splitter 180, and the beam splitter 180 is disposed in the housing 142.

The beam splitter 180 may be composed of two triangular prisms, or may be formed by plating a metal on the prisms. When the light emitting element 164 provides light, a portion of the light reflected from the metering value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200 passes through the beam splitter 180 as shown by the light L1, and another portion of the light is reflected from the beam splitter 180 as shown by the light L2. By this mechanism, light reflected from the metric value display area 202 can be directed through the beam splitter 180 to the image acquisition element 166 and to the viewing location of the user.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the second opening 149B is located on the top surface of the upper housing 146, and the cover 154 covers the top surface and the second opening 149B. The beam splitter 180 is located in the metering value display area 202 and the cover 154 of the fluid meter 200 and is optically coupled between the metering value display area 202 and the cover 154 of the fluid meter 200. When the user opens the cover 154, the user can view the measured value display area 202 through the second light-transmitting sheet 152 in the second opening 149B, the beam splitter 180 and the first light-transmitting sheet 150 in the first opening 149A. The connecting seat 160 is fixed on the sidewall of the upper housing 146, and the image capturing element 166 is aligned with the beam splitter 180, so that the beam splitter 180 is optically coupled between the image capturing element 166 and the measurement value display area 202 of the fluid meter 200. When the image capturing unit 166 is driven, the image capturing unit 166 may capture an image of the measurement value display area 202 through the beam splitter 180. By disposing the beam splitter 180 in the housing 142, the disposition of the components in the housing 142 can be more flexible, and the viewing position of the meter auxiliary module 100B by the user can be adjusted to match the setting environment of the fluid meter 200.

In summary, the meter auxiliary module of the present disclosure can be assembled on a fluid meter to obtain an image of a numerical display area of the fluid meter, thereby achieving a function of digitizing a measurement numerical value of the fluid meter. During the image acquisition, because the brightness condition in the shell of the meter auxiliary module is controllable, the image acquisition can be carried out under the condition of stable illumination, so as to prevent the image from having insufficient brightness or overexposure. In addition, the housing of the meter auxiliary module is provided with an opening, so that a user can confirm the metering value by directly observing the value display area. Because the gauge auxiliary module can be directly assembled on the fluid gauge without replacing the fluid gauge, the effect of digitalizing the numerical value of the mechanical fluid gauge can be achieved under the condition of saving replacement components.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and therefore, the scope of the disclosure should be determined by that of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A meter support module for assembly on a fluid meter, said meter support module comprising:

a first assembly comprising a clamping structure for securing the first assembly to the fluid meter; and

a second assembly configured to connect the first assembly, comprising:

a housing having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is located at a bottom of the housing;

a light emitting member disposed within the housing;

an image acquisition member disposed within the housing; and

a cover coupled to the housing and covering the second opening, wherein the cover is movable relative to the housing,

the housing of the second assembly comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, the upper housing is detachably assembled to the lower housing, and the cover is connected to the lower housing and extends from the lower housing to the upper housing.

2. The meter support module of claim 1, wherein the second assembly further comprises a waterproof gasket disposed on a bottom of the housing, the waterproof gasket surrounding the first opening.

3. The meter support module of claim 1, further comprising a resilient member connecting said cover to said housing.

4. The meter support module of claim 1, wherein the first assembly comprises:

the first clamping piece comprises a first base and a first bracket connected with the first base; and

the second clamping piece comprises a second base and a second support connected with the second base, wherein the clamping structure is formed by mutually connecting the first base and the second base.

5. The meter support module of claim 4, wherein the first base has a protrusion, the second base has a recess, and the protrusion is configured to fit into the recess.

6. The meter support module of claim 4, wherein said first base and said second base are arcuate in shape extending along the same curved path.

7. The meter support module of claim 1, wherein said first assembly further comprises at least one locking hole, and said second assembly further comprises at least one locking portion coupled to said housing and having at least one alignment key configured to fit into said locking hole.

8. The meter support module of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one locking piece configured to pass through the at least one alignment key of the at least one locking piece and lock into the at least one locking hole.

9. The meter support module of claim 1, wherein said upper housing has a ramp, said second opening is located on said ramp, and said cover extending from said lower housing to said upper housing covers said ramp and said second opening.

10. The meter support module of claim 1, further comprising:

a spectroscope disposed in the housing and optically coupled between the cover and the fluid meter and between the image acquirer and the fluid meter.