Tamper resistant meter cover
AssigneeElster Electricity, LLC
InventorsGarry M. Loy, Rodney C. Hemminger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical meter is provided that includes a cover configured for securement onto a base. The meter includes features that resist meter tampering, and features that provide evidence of meter tampering.
Claims19
An electrical meter cover configured to be mounted onto an electrical meter base of the type defining a substantially cylindrical body, and a locking member carried by the cylindrical body, the electrical meter cover body comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical cover body defining a closed axially outer end, and an opposing open axially inner end;
- a flange extending radially outward from the axially inner end of the cover body;
- a lip extending axially inward from the flange;
- a retention lug defining a retention pocket that is configured to receive the locking member of the meter cover to secure the meter cover onto the meter base, wherein the pocket defines a proximal insertion end and an opposing distal end;
- and
- a retention rib disposed outside the pocket and juxtaposed with the distal end of the pocket so as to limit access to the pocket once the meter cover has been secured onto the meter base.
An electrical meter base for connection with a meter cover of the type defining a retention pocket configured for securement onto the meter base, the meter base comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical base body defining a radially outer end;
- a peripheral lip disposed at the radially outer end of the base body;
- an arc-shaped locking member projecting radially out from the lip;
- a retention flange extending axially out from the locking member so as to define a groove between the retention flange and the peripheral lip,
- wherein the retention flange is configured to be received in a the retention pocket of the meter cover.
An electrical meter assembly comprising:
- an electrical meter base including:
- a substantially cylindrical base body defining a radially outer end;
- a peripheral lip disposed at the radially outer end of the base body;
- a locking member projecting radially out from the lip;
- and
- a retention flange extending axially out from the locking member so as to define a groove between the retention flange and the peripheral lip, wherein the groove is stepped so as to define an axially deep groove portion and an axially shallow groove portion that is axially offset from the axially deep groove portion;
- and
- an electrical meter cover configured to be secured onto the electrical meter base, the electrical meter cover including:
- a substantially cylindrical cover body defining an axially outer closed end, and an opposing axially inner open end;
- a radial flange defining a radially inner end connected to the open and of the cover body, and an opposing radially outer end;
- a lip extending axially inward from the radially outer end of the flange;
- and
- a retention lug including 1) a plate having a radially outer end that is connected to the axially inner end of the lip, and an opposing radially inner end, wherein the plate and the radial flange define a retention pocket therebetween, and 2) a rim projecting axially outward from the radially inner end of the plate, wherein the rim is configured to engage the shallow groove portion to secure the meter cover onto the meter base.
The electrical meter assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the rim defines an upper shelf and a lower shelf, the upper shelf is disposed axially outward with respect to the lower shelf, and the lower shelf is configured to engage the shallow groove portion and the upper shelf is configured to engage the deep groove portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.