GB2153605A - Electric supply controller - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric controller comprising a relay circuit, a common watt-hour meter WH5, and a switching assembly 9A-9D actuated by a driving motor M2 has a plurality of power supplying feeder lines with individual watt-hour meters WH1-WH4 through which common electric appliances T, L3, M1 are supplied sequentially by operating the driving motor M2 periodically in accordance with the common watt-hour meter WH5, so that the power consumed by the common electric appliances is evenly shared by the individual feeder lines. The common meter WH5 operates a microswitch 13a, and the motor M2 drives a rotary disc which cooperates with resilient contact strips mounted on a cylindrical housing (Figures 3,4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric controller Background of the invention The present invention relates to an electric controller, more particularly to the electric controllers for the apartment buildings.

In the recent decades, the population has rapidly increased everywhere in the world. In order to maintain a spacious environment, most part of the population live in apartment buildings. As a result, the common affairs existing among the residences has become more complex, especially the sharing of the electric power consumed by the common electric appliances, such as water pump, stair-way lighting fixtures, interphones, etc.

Although most of the present apartment buildings have been equipped with an unique watt-hour meter to count the total electric power consumed by the common electric appliances, the common electric appliances are fixedly energized by one residential main feeder. Accordingly, the consumed electric power must be paid firstly by such resident to the power company every month, and then the other residents pay him for sharing the consumed electric power. It is believed that most apartment residents have ever had the troublesome experiences to do so.

The present invention is developed to remove the above-described drawbacks inherent to the conventional system.

Brief description of the drawings The objects and features of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an one line diagram of the circuit arrangement for the electric controller according to the present invention; Figure 2, shows the switching sequences of the relays used in the circuit arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is the perspective diagram of the switching assembly used in the electric controller according to the present invention; Figure 4 is the vertical cross-sectional view of the switching assembly shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a micro-switch engaged with the rotary disc of the watt-hour meter used in the circuit arrangement shown in Figure 1.

Detailed description of preferred embodiment Referring to Figure 1, it shows four main feeders respectively supplying four units in an apartment building, each main feeder has a watt-hour meter WHi-WH4 to count the electric power consumed by the private appliances of each unit which is not shown for clarity. As shown in the circuit arrangement, interphone equipment T, stairway lighting fixtures L3, and water pump M1 are intented to be sequentially energized by the four main feeders through the electric controller which is enclosed by the dotted line.It can be seen that the contact 9A of the switching assembly 2 is closed at this time, the common electric appliances T1, L3 and M1 are thus energized by the first main feeder through the watt-hour meter WH1, no-fuse-breaker NFB1, Fuse Fl, the contact assembly ab of relay El, and the current coil L1 of watt-hour meter WH5. Electric power consumed by the common electric appliances is therefore counted into watt-hour meter WHi.

In Figure 5, it is noted a recess 15a formed on the periphery of the rotary disc 15 which will be driven by the watt-hour meter WH5 thorugh a plurality of ratchets 14. Rotary disc 15 will rotate as long as any of the common electric appliances is energized. Once the free end of a resilient arm attached on micro-switch 13 has fallen into recess 15a, contact 13a (see Figure 1) will get closed, the driving motor M2 is therefore energized through the contact assembly cd of relay E3 to actuate switching assembly 2.

The switching assembly 2 has an horn housing 3 made of bakelite (RTM) with an open top and closed bottom as shown in Figure 3 and 4. The driving motor M2 is contained in the horn housing 3 to drive a rotary disc 5 positioned above the open top of the horn housing, while rotary disc 5 is larger than the open top in diameter and has a recess 5a on the circumference thereof. An endless copper strip 8 surrounding the lower extension 3a of the horn housing 3 defines an output bank for the switching assembly 2. A plurality of L shape resilient copper strips 6A-6D circumferentially spaced on the lower extension 3a with each lower end fixed on endless copper strip 8 and each upper end extending vertically above the lower extension 3a to form inwardly right angles.Actuating resilient strips 9A-9D originate from the inner lower end of the L shape resilient copper strips 6A-6D and terminate at the periphery of rotary disc 5. Resilient copper strips 4A-4D for receiving electric power from main feeders are positioned outside and spaced from corresponding L shape copper strips 6A-6D with each lower end fixed at the base extension 3b of the horn housing 3 and each free end having an inward protuberance extending radially to the skirt of the base extension 3b, then going up till the same height as that of the free end of L shape copper strips 6A-6D is obtained.

As long as the driving motor M2 is energized, rotary disc 5 will keep rotating to force recess 5a to move away from copper strip 9A toward 9B. However, the copper strip 9A will restore its original vertical position to separate L shape copper strips 6A-6D from corresponding power receiving copper strips 4A-4D when it does not remain in the recess 5a. During such switching operation, the relay E2 (see Figure 1) will be disenergized to release its contact assemblies ab and cd, and the driving motor M2 and relay El will maintain energized by the fourth main feeder through contact assembly cd of relay E2. In the other words, the power supply to the common electric appliances will not be interrupted during the switching operation.After relay E2 has been disenergized, relay E3 will be en ergized through contact 13a and the contact assembly ab of relay E2. Once the actuating copper strip 9B meets recess 5a and falls inside, its lower portion will outwardly force the free end of L shape copper strip 6B to contact the protuberance on the free end of the power receiving strip 4B as shown at P in Figure 4. Switching operation is thus completed, and relay E2 will be repenergized to open its contact assemblies ab and cd again. Accordingly, the common electric appliances will be energized by the second main feeder through strip 4B, L shape strip 6B, endless strip 8, the contact assembly ab of relay El and the watt-hour meter WH5, electric power consumed by the common electric appliances at this time will be counted by the watt-hour meter WH2.As to the relay E3, it will be energized and held by its holding contact assembly ab when switching operation starts, the other one contact assembly cd, of course, is maintained to open. Shortly, the relay El and driving motor M2 will be fully disenergized when switching operation is completed.

With reference to the above description, the rotary disc 15 will keep rotating as long as any of the common electric appliances is energized. As soon as the recess 15a meets one of the actuating cooper strips 9A-9D, the common electric appliances will be switched to the next main feeder in the same manner as mentioned above. Shortly, each rotation of the disc 15 makes one switching operation. As far as present embodiment is concerned, the rotary disc 15 is designed to rotate one complete rotation when the common electric appliances have consumed one kilowatt-hour electric power. Because the switching operation can be completed rapidly, fair sharing is obtainable.

Figure 2 shows the relay switching sequence in detail. The top pointer 5b shown in Figure 3 and 4 indicates the feeder line from which the common electric appliances are energized. In addition, the present electric controller also includes a digital meter for counting the totaly consumed electric power. In case of any doubt about the sharing, it can be rechecked.

The above described embodiment is just an example of the present invention, and therefore, it will be apparent for those skilled in the art that many modification and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. An electric controller comprizing a control circuit, a watt-hour meter and a switching assembly actuated by a driving motor is characterized in that a plurality of power supplying feeder lines sequentially energize electric appliances by operating the driving motor in accordance with the watt-hour meter, so that the consumed electric power of the electric appliances are evenly shared by the power supplying feeder lines.

2. An electric controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said watt-hour meter has a rotary disc with a recess or protuberance on the circumference thereof, the said rotary disc actuates a microswitch according to the electric power consumed by said electric appliances, and the said driving motor is thus energized to start switching operation for said power supplying feeder lines.

3. An electric controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said switching assembly is consisted of a horn housing to contain the driving motor to drive a rotary disc which is positioned above the open top of said horn housing and is larger than said open top in diameter and also has a recess on the circumference thereof; an endless copper strip surrounding the lower extension of the said horn housing defines an output bank for said switching assembly; a plurality of L shape resilient copper strips circumferentially spaced on the said lower extension with each lower end fixed on said endless resilient copper strip and each upper end extending vertically above said lower extension to form inwardly right angles; the actuating resilient strips originate from the inner lower portion of the free arm of the L shape resilient copper strip and terminate at the periphery of said rotary disc driven by said driving motor; and the resilient copper strips for receiving electric power from said power supplying feeder lines are positioned outside and spaced from said corresponding L shape resilient copper strips with each lower end fixed at the base extension of said horn housing and each free end having an inward protuberance extending upwardly till the same height as that of the free arm of the L shape resilient copper strip is obtained.

4. An electric controller as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that one of the said actuating resilient copper strips will fall into said recess on said rotary disc driven by said driving motor to force said corresponding L shape resilient copper strip to contact the said corresponding power receiving copper strip each time when the electric power consumed by said electric appliances reaches a predetermined amount.

5. An electric controller substantially as hereinbefore decribed with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.