High Output Integrated Utility Meter Reporting System
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorYoram Kenig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water meter transmission system reads data from a water meter and wirelessly transmits data to a central billing or receiving system. Disclosed transmission systems are fully integrated and contained within pit housings such that electronic components are well protected. A spiral antenna is integrated into a specially configured integrated antenna cover which fits into the top cover of a pit housing. The antenna cover and/or upper lip area of the upper lip of the main housing may comprise a distal barrier and a medial barrier used to exclude water and contaminates. Disclosed transmission systems offer high output and low power consumption and vitiate the need for meter readers to physically access a water meter or other meters.
Claims6
A meter transmission system comprising:
- a) a main housing comprising:
- an installation nut, the installation nut comprising female threads, an outer threaded area comporting to the female threads of the installation nut, an upper lip area comprising a support shelf, the support shelf defining a center void;
- b) an electronics board comprising a battery pack and horizontal index tab, a cable and a connector;
- c) an upper antenna assembly comprising a support disk defining a center void, an antenna insulator, the antenna insulator comprising spiral protrusions, the spiral protrusions defining spiral voids, a spiral antenna configured to comport to the spiral voids of the antenna insulator and an integrated antenna cover, the integrated antenna cover comprising a distal barrier and a medial barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.