Electricity meter

Abstract

To provide a watt-hour meter capable of improving opening / closing detection performance of a cover without impairing appearance and security performance.SOLUTION: In a watt-hour meter comprising a metering device 1, a communication device 2, a meter base 6 including a terminal block, and a cover 4, the cover 4 includes a protrusion 40, the metering device includes a switch 12 for detecting opening / closing of the cover, and a push component 5, the push component includes a cover contact portion 52 which comes into contact with the protrusion of the cover when the cover covers the metering device, and a switch push portion 51 which moves by pressing of the protrusion and pushing the switch to cause the switch to perform a closing operation when the protrusion comes into contact with the cover contact portion. The watt-hour meter comprises a spring 53 which is compressed by pressing of the protrusion when the cover covers the metering device and is extended to move the switch push portion and causes the switch to perform an opening operation when the cover is removed from the metering device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric energy meter provided with a switch for detecting opening and closing of a cover.

Background Art

[0002] Conventional electric energy meters have a cover opening / closing detection function for the purpose of preventing a third party from inadvertently opening and closing the cover of the electric energy meter. In conventional electric energy meters, for opening / closing detection, the cover has a switch push part, the metering device has a detection switch, and the instrument base includes a terminal block for holding the metering device.

[0003] When the switch push part provided on the cover abuts on the detection switch provided on the metering device, the opening / closing detection function determines "closed", and when the switch push part provided on the cover is separated from the detection switch provided on the metering device, the opening / closing detection function determines "open", and each outputs accordingly.

[0004] The instrument described in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1 includes a switch push part and a spring on the cover, and is configured such that the switch push part provided on the cover presses the switch provided on the metering device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the electricity meter described in Patent Document 1, when manufacturing the electricity meter, covers, measuring devices, and instrument bases from different manufacturers may be combined. However, this can lead to large variations in the mounting positions of the measuring device and the cover, causing a misalignment between the detection switch on the measuring device and the switch push part on the cover, which may result in false detection of the cover being open or closed.

[0007] Furthermore, even if the cover, weighing device, and instrument base from the same manufacturer are used, the instrument base may be made of a material that is prone to warping and other distortions due to thermal stress, which could cause a misalignment between the detection switch on the weighing device and the switch push part on the cover, potentially leading to false detection of the cover being open or closed.

[0008] Furthermore, in the electricity meter described in Patent Document 1, if a transparent cover is used, the mechanism for detecting the opening and closing of the cover becomes visible from the outside, resulting in an unsightly appearance. In addition, the visibility of the aforementioned mechanism poses a security risk.

[0009] The object of the present invention is a detection switch provided in a weighing device and a cover provided in a cover Convex part This invention provides an energy meter that can detect the opening and closing of the cover even if its position is not in its normal position, making it difficult to determine its structure and improving security. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 according to the present invention provides a weighing device and The aforementioned A communication device attached to a metering device and transmitting the amount of electricity measured by the metering device to an external source; an instrument base attached to the metering device and equipped with a terminal block for connecting to an electric wire; and the metering device and the communication device. The aforementioned In an energy meter comprising a cover that covers an instrument base, the cover is provided with a protrusion, and the measuring device is It has a weighing device case and a weighing device base, and is placed on the weighing device base via a substrate. A switch for detecting the opening and closing of the cover, Housed in the notch provided in the aforementioned weighing device caseThe device comprises a pressing component, the pressing component having a cover contact portion that contacts the protrusion of the cover when the cover covers the weighing device, Connected to one end of the cover contact portion, A switch push portion moves when the protrusion contacts the cover contact portion, pushing the switch and closing the switch. , connected to the other end of the cover contact portion and provided parallel to the switch push portion, The elastic body compresses when the cover covers the weighing device due to the pressure of the protrusion, and extends when the cover is removed from the weighing device, thereby moving the switch push portion and opening the switch. An elastic body passage through which the elastic body is inserted, It is characterized by having the following features.

[0013] Claim 2 The invention is Claim 1 The electricity meter described herein is characterized in that a snap-fit ​​or protrusion having a claw portion is formed at the tip of the elastic body passage portion, and the snap-fit ​​or protrusion is provided to prevent the pressing component from coming off. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the invention of claim 1, when the cover covers the weighing device and the protrusion of the cover contacts the cover contact portion of the pressing component, the switch push portion moves due to the pressure of the protrusion, pushing the switch and closing the switch.

[0015] The elastic body compresses under pressure from the protrusion when the cover covers the weighing device, and expands when the cover is removed from the weighing device, moving the switch push part and opening the switch. Therefore, the detection switch provided on the weighing device and the cover provided Convex part Even if the position is not in its normal position and is shifted, the opening and closing of the cover can still be detected, making it difficult to determine the structure and improving security.

[0016] Claim 1 According to this invention, the elastic body passage portion inserts the elastic body, and the elastic body passage portion moves due to the pressure of the convex portion, thereby compressing or extending the elastic body.

[0018] Claim 2According to the invention, a snap fit or a convex part having a claw part can prevent the push part from coming off.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a front view of an electricity meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side view of an electricity meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of an electricity meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a front view of a metering device of an electricity meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A when the cover of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in FIG. 4 is open. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B when the cover of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in FIG. 4 is open. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A when the cover of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in FIG. 4 is closed. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view when the switch between B-B of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in FIG. 4 is pushed in the closed state of the cover. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing the metering device and the push part of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a state where the push part is inserted into a hole formed in a notch of the metering device shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view before covering the cover on the metering device, communication device, and instrument base of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view after covering the cover on the metering device, communication device, and instrument base of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment. <00001​​​​​ [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the metering device of an electricity meter according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with the cover open. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The following will describe in detail an energy meter according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0021] (First embodiment) Figure 1 is a front view of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the electricity meter according to the first embodiment.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electricity meter comprises a metering device 1, a communication device 2 attached to the metering device 1 and transmitting the amount of electricity measured by the metering device 1 to the outside, an instrument base 6 equipped with a terminal block 3, and a cover 4 that covers the metering device 1, the communication device 2, and the instrument base 6.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the cover 4 is provided with a cover protrusion 40. The weighing device 1 is provided with a pressing component 5. As shown in Figure 2, the pressing component 5 is provided with a cover contact portion 52 and a switch push portion 51.

[0024] Figure 4 is a front view of the metering device of an energy meter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view between A and B when the cover of the metering device of the energy meter shown in Figure 4 is open. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view between B and C when the cover of the metering device of the energy meter shown in Figure 4 is open. In Figure 5, the metering device 1 consists of a metering device case 1a and a metering device base 1b.

[0025] A circuit board 11 is placed on the weighing device base 1b, and a switch 12 for detecting the opening and closing of the cover 4 is placed on the circuit board 11. As shown in Figure 9, the push component 5 includes a cover contact portion 52, a switch push portion 51, and a spring passage portion 54 for passing the spring 53.

[0026] As shown in Figure 9, the weighing device case 1a is provided with a notch 1c for housing the push component 5, as well as a hole 1d for inserting the switch push component 51 and a hole 1e for inserting the spring pass-through component 54. Figure 10 shows the state in which the push component 5 is housed in the notch 1c, the switch push component 51 is inserted into the hole 1d, and the spring pass-through component 54 is inserted into the hole 1e.

[0027] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in Figure 4 with the cover open. In Figure 5, the cover contact portion 52 contacts the cover protrusion 40 of the cover 4 when the cover 4 covers the metering device 1.

[0028] The switch push portion 51 is connected to the cover contact portion 52, and when the cover protrusion 40 contacts the cover contact portion 52, the push of the cover protrusion 40 causes it to move and push the switch 12, closing the switch 12.

[0029] The spring passage portion 54 is connected to the cover contact portion 52 and is provided substantially parallel to the switch push portion 51, through which the spring 53 is inserted. The spring 53 is made of an elastic material, and when inserted into the hole portion 1d, the tip of the spring is fixed to the bottom of the hole portion 1d.

[0030] The spring 53 is compressed by the pressure of the cover protrusion 40 when the cover 4 covers the weighing device 1, and when the cover 4 is removed from the weighing device 1, it extends to move the switch push part 51 and open the switch 12.

[0031] Although a spring 53 was used as an example of an elastic body, a rubber material may be used instead of the spring 53, or any other material that expands or contracts when pressed.

[0032] An elastic snap-fit ​​55 with a claw is formed at the tip of the spring passage portion 54. The snap-fit ​​55 is provided to prevent the push component 5 from coming off. By providing the snap-fit ​​55, it is possible to prevent the push component 5 from coming off.

[0033] Although a snap-fit ​​55 was provided to prevent the push part 5 from coming loose, any structure that effectively prevents the push part 5 from coming loose would suffice, for example, a structure with a convex tip.

[0034] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view between A and B when the cover of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in Figure 4 is closed. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view when the switch between B and C is pushed when the cover of the metering device of the electricity meter shown in Figure 4 is closed.

[0035] When the cover of the weighing device is closed, the cover contact portion 52 is pressed against the cover protrusion 40 of the cover 4, causing the cover contact portion 52, the switch push portion 51, and the spring passage portion 54 to move to the left, and the switch 12 closes.

[0036] Next, the operation of detecting the opening and closing of the cover 4 will be explained, referring to the cover open state shown in Figure 11 and the cover closed state shown in Figure 12.

[0037] First, in Figure 11, the cover 4 is in the open position. In this state, the cover protrusion 40 does not come into contact with the cover contact portion 52, and therefore the switch push portion 51 does not push the switch 12, so the switch 12 is in the open position.

[0038] Next, as shown in Figure 12, the cover projection 41 of the cover 4 is fitted into the recess 6a of the instrument base 6, so that the cover 4 covers the weighing device 1, the communication device 2, and the instrument base 6.

[0039] At this time, the cover protrusion 40 comes into contact with the cover contact portion 52 and pushes the cover contact portion 52. As a result, the switch push portion 51 moves due to the pressure from the cover protrusion 40, pushing the switch 12 and closing the switch 12.

[0040] Furthermore, the spring passage portion 54 moves due to the pressure from the cover protrusion 40, and the spring 53 is compressed due to the pressure from the cover protrusion 40.

[0041] When the cover 4 is removed from the weighing device 1, the spring 53 extends, moving the switch push part 51 and opening the switch 12. Therefore, the detection switch provided on the weighing device and the cover provided Convex part Even if the position is not in its normal position and is shifted, the opening and closing of the cover can still be detected, making it difficult to determine the structure and improving security.

[0042] (Second embodiment) Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the metering device and pressing component of an energy meter according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the state in which the pressing component is inserted into the hole formed in the notch of the metering device shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the metering device of an energy meter according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the cover open.

[0043] The electricity meter according to the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 13, is characterized by having a cover contact portion 52 and a spring 53 inserted through a switch push portion 51a which integrates a spring passage portion and a switch push portion.

[0044] In the electricity meter according to the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, only one hole is needed for inserting the switch push portion 51a formed in the metering device case 1a.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, the switch 12 is provided at a position opposite the switch push portion 51a through which the spring 53 is inserted.

[0046] According to the electricity meter of the second embodiment, the cover projection 40 contacts the cover contact portion 52 and pushes the cover contact portion 52. The switch push portion 51a moves due to the pressure from the cover projection 40 and pushes the switch 12, causing the switch 12 to close. The spring 53 is compressed due to the pressure from the cover projection 40.

[0047] When the cover 4 is removed from the weighing device 1, the spring 53 extends, moving the switch push portion 51a and opening the switch 12. Therefore, the detection switch provided on the weighing device and the cover provided Convex part Even if the position is not in its normal position and is shifted, the opening and closing of the cover can still be detected, making it difficult to determine the structure and improving security.

[0048] Furthermore, by using a switch push section 51a that integrates the spring passage section and the switch push section, the configuration of the push component becomes simpler and less expensive.

[0049] Although the shapes of the push component 5 shown in Figures 9 and 13 are presented, these are merely examples. The push component 5 is not limited to these shapes; any shape that contacts the switch 12 is acceptable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Weighing device 1a Weighing device case 1b Weighing device base 1c Notch 1d,1e Hole 2. Communication device 3 terminal block 4 Covers 5. Push parts 6. Instrument Base 6a Recess 11 circuit boards 12 switches 40, 41 Cover protrusions 51 Switch push section 52 Cover contact area 53 springs 54 Spring passage section 55 Snap Fit

Claims

1. An energy meter comprising a measuring device, a communication device attached to the measuring device and transmitting the amount of energy measured by the measuring device to an external source, an instrument base attached to the measuring device and equipped with a terminal block for connecting to an electric wire, and a cover covering the measuring device, the communication device, and the instrument base, The cover has a protrusion, The weighing device comprises a weighing device case and a weighing device base, a switch for detecting the opening and closing of the cover which is placed on the weighing device base via a circuit board, and a push component housed in a notch provided in the weighing device case. The pressing component comprises: a cover contact portion that contacts the protrusion of the cover when the cover covers the weighing device; a switch push portion connected to one end of the cover contact portion, which moves due to the pressure of the protrusion when the protrusion contacts the cover contact portion, pushing the switch to close the switch; and an elastic body passing portion connected to the other end of the cover contact portion and provided parallel to the switch push portion, through which an elastic body is inserted, which is compressed by the pressure of the protrusion when the cover covers the weighing device, and extends when the cover is removed from the weighing device, moving the switch push portion to open the switch. An energy meter characterized by the following features.

2. The power meter according to Claim 1, characterized in that a snap fit or protrusion having a claw portion is formed at the tip of the elastic body passage portion, and the snap fit or protrusion is provided to prevent the pressing component from coming off.

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