Universal Watthour Meter Socket Adapter with Resilient Wire Bails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current portable watthour meter test equipment sockets are not well adapted for frequent use, with short connector cycle life, high weight, and inadequate design for field replacement, leading to issues with contact wear and debris accumulation, and increased complexity and weight in existing solutions.
Innovation Solution
A portable device with a socket design featuring resilient wire bails for low current connectors, torsion clips for high current terminals, and a housing constructed from temperature-resistant resins, allowing for low insertion force, durable, and lightweight connections with reduced wire path lengths and resistive losses, along with replaceable components for extended service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If typical meter socket connectors are designed with aggressive wiping action to ensure sound electrical connection, then contact reliability is improved, but connector wear increases and cycle life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical action parameter from aggressive wiping/biting to gentle spring-loaded contact. The spring-loaded connectors apply controlled force without the aggressive wiping action that causes wear, thereby extending connector cycle life while maintaining reliable electrical contact through the spring's consistent contact pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs replaceable spring-loaded connector assemblies that can be easily replaced when worn. This approach accepts that connectors will wear over time but provides a simple, cost-effective replacement mechanism rather than designing for infinite wear life, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and durability.
2Ease of operation
If lever bypass socket connectors are designed with zero-force insertion, then insertion ease is improved, but contact quality deteriorates due to lack of wiping action
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded connectors are designed to automatically apply contact pressure and perform a gentle wiping action upon insertion. The spring mechanism self-adjusts to provide consistent contact force and cleaning action without requiring external actuation, thereby achieving both ease of insertion and reliable contact quality simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If stationary test equipment sockets are designed for limited insertions, then simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to frequent field use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the socket into modular components including replaceable spring-loaded connector assemblies and a durable housing. This segmentation allows the connectors to be replaced when worn while keeping the main socket structure simple and lightweight, thereby adapting to frequent field use without significantly increasing overall complexity.
4Weight of moving object
If portable meter socket adapters are designed to reduce weight, then portability is improved, but connector durability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spring-loaded connectors that provide durable, long-lasting contact through elastic deformation rather than aggressive mechanical wiping. This parameter change in the contact mechanism allows for reduced material thickness and lighter construction while maintaining connector durability, thus resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and durability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a durable, lightweight, and long-lasting connection system with reduced wire weight and resistive losses, enabling efficient field testing of watthour meters with improved service life and ease of maintenance, while minimizing the weight and complexity of the test equipment.
Implementation Method 1
resiliently deflecting a portion of the bail
Implementation Method 2
torsion clips for high current terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A portable device for field testing watthour meters including a socket with one or more connectors configured to engage a watthour meter blade is disclosed. The connectors may include a pair of wire forms so oriented that the connector can connect to a watthour meter blade oriented in either of two orientations 90° apart from each other by resiliently deflecting portions of the wire forms. The connectors may include a jaw socket cup, a torsion clip in the jaw socket cup for contacting a watthour meter blade when the watthour meter blade is inserted into the jaw socket cup. The torsion clip includes a first surface and a pair of facing surfaces connected to, and extending away from, the first surface that define a channel sized to receive the watthour meter blade.