# US 2015/0177288 A1 · Metering apparatus for load centers

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- Number: US 2015/0177288 A1
- Document ID: US20150177288A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/139,267
- Filed: 2013-12-23
- Published: 2015-06-25
- Earliest claimed: 2013-12-23
- Assignees: Eaton Corporation
- Applicants: Eaton Corporation
- Inventors: Andrew Jay Foerster
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150177288A1

## CPC

- G01D 11/245: {Housings for sensors}
- H02B 1/03: for energy meters
- H05K 5/0247: {Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring}
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H02B: BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing configured to be mounted at a breaker position of a load center and supporting at least one electrical connector configured to be electrically coupled to a bus bar of the load center. A graphical display is disposed at a face of the housing. A control circuit is disposed in the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector and configured to control the graphical display. The control circuit may be further configured to be coupled to an external sensor, such as a current sensor. The control circuit may be configured to perform an electrical measurement and to display a result of the measurement on the graphical display.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted at a breaker position of a load center;
at least one electrical connector supported by the housing and configured to engage a bus bar of the load center;
a graphical display disposed at a face of the housing; and
a control circuit in the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector and configured to control the graphical display.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to be coupled to an external sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the external current sensor comprises a current sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to perform an electrical measurement and to display a result of the measurement on the graphical display.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is determine a status of the load center and/or a load coupled thereto and to display the determined status on the graphical display.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user input device supported by the housing and configured to receive a user input from a user positioned at the load center.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the user input device comprises a touch screen sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communications circuit in the housing, operatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to communicate with a device external to the housing.

### Claim 9

An apparatus comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted at a breaker position of a load center;
at least one connector supported by the housing and configured to be electrically coupled to a bus bar of the load center;
a control circuit in the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one connector and configured to perform at least one electrical measurement; and
an interface device supported by the housing, operatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to communicate the at least one electrical measurement to a user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interface device comprises a graphical display disposed at a face of the housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interface device comprises a communications circuit in the housing and configured to communicate with a device external to the housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interface device is configured to accept a user input from a user positioned at the load center.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine a status of the load center and to cause the interface device to communicate the determined status.

### Claim 14

An apparatus comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted at a breaker position of a load center;
at least one electrical connector supported by the housing and configured to be electrically coupled to bus bar of the load center;
an alphanumeric display disposed at a face of the housing; and
a control circuit in the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector and configured to perform at least one electrical metering operation and to display a result of the at least one electrical metering operation on the alphanumeric display.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a user input device supported by the housing, operatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to accept a user input from a user at the load center.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a communications circuit in the housing, operatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to communicate the result of the at least one electrical metering operation to a device external to the housing.