Meter center, and socket assembly and method of assembling a socket assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9768540-B2
Application number	US-201615358303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2016
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A socket assembly is for a meter center including at least one meter having a stab. The socket assembly includes a base member; and a jaw assembly having a first jaw member and a second jaw member coupled to the first jaw member, each of the first jaw member and the second jaw member having a number of retaining edges and being structured to engage the stab. The jaw assembly is structured to rotate between a first position corresponding to disengagement between the number of retaining edges and the base member, and a second position corresponding to engagement between the number of retaining edges and the base member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A socket assembly for a meter center including at least one meter having a stab, said socket assembly comprising:
a base member; and
a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member coupled to and generally symmetric with said first jaw member, each of said first jaw member and said second jaw member having a number of retaining edges and being structured to engage said stab,
wherein said jaw assembly is structured to rotate between a first position corresponding to disengagement between said number of retaining edges and said base member, and a second position corresponding to engagement between said number of retaining edges and said base member; wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member further has a first external edge, a second external edge spaced from and being collinear with said first external edge, a third external edge disposed opposite said first external edge, and a fourth external edge spaced from and being collinear with said third external edge; wherein said number of retaining edges of said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member comprises a first retaining edge extending inwardly from said first external edge, a second retaining edge extending inwardly from said second external edge, a third retaining edge extending inwardly from said third external edge toward said first retaining edge, and a fourth retaining edge extending inwardly from said fourth external edge toward said fourth retaining edge; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said base member is not disposed between said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said base member is not disposed between said third retaining edge and said fourth retaining edge; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said base member is disposed between said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge; and wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said base member is disposed between said third retaining edge and said fourth retaining edge.

2. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said first retaining edge, said second retaining edge, said third retaining edge, and said fourth retaining edge prevent longitudinal movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member with respect to said base member.

3. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said jaw assembly further comprises a first biasing element and a second biasing element; wherein said first jaw member comprises a first end portion and a second end portion disposed opposite the first end portion; wherein said second jaw member comprises a third end portion and a fourth end portion disposed opposite the third end portion; wherein said first biasing element biases the first end portion toward engagement with the third end portion; and wherein said second biasing element biases the second end portion toward engagement with the fourth end portion.

4. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said base member comprises a blocking portion; wherein said first jaw member comprises a first side portion and a second side portion disposed opposite said first side portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said first side portion engages said blocking portion and said second side portion does not engage said blocking portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly moves from the first position to the second position, said first side portion disengages said blocking portion and said second side portion engages said blocking portion in order to prevent rotation of said first jaw member in a direction with respect to said base member.

5. The socket assembly of claim 4 wherein said base member further comprises a second blocking portion; wherein said second jaw member comprises a third side portion and a fourth side portion disposed opposite said third side portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said third side portion engages said second blocking portion and said fourth side portion does not engage said second blocking portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly moves from the first position to the second position, said third side portion disengages said second blocking portion and said fourth side portion engages said second blocking portion in order to prevent rotation of said first jaw member in the direction with respect to said base member.

6. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member further has a first tab portion and a second tab portion; wherein said first tab portion extends from said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge and is disposed therebetween; and wherein said second tab portion extends from said third retaining edge and said fourth retaining edge and is disposed therebetween.

7. The socket assembly of claim 6 wherein said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is said first jaw member and said second jaw member; wherein said first tab portion of said first jaw member extends from said respective first retaining edge and said respective second retaining edge toward said first tab portion of said second jaw member; and wherein said second tab portion of said first jaw member extends from said respective third retaining edge and said respective fourth retaining edge toward said second tab portion of said second jaw member.

8. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is each of said first jaw member and said second jaw member; wherein each of said first jaw member and said second jaw member comprises a body portion and a number of tab portions extending from said body portion; wherein said body portion of said first jaw member has said first retaining edge of said first jaw member, said second retaining edge of said first jaw member, said third retaining edge of said first jaw member, and said fourth retaining edge of said first jaw member; wherein said body portion of said second jaw member has said first retaining edge of said second jaw member, said second retaining edge of said second jaw member, said third retaining edge of said second jaw member, and said fourth retaining edge of said second jaw member; and wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said number of tab portions engage said base member in order to prevent rotational movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member with respect to said base member.

9. The socket assembly of claim 8 wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said first retaining edge of said first jaw member, said second retaining edge of said first jaw member, said third retaining edge of said first jaw member, said fourth retaining edge of said first jaw member, said first retaining edge of said second jaw member, said second retaining edge of said second jaw member, said third retaining edge of said second jaw member, said fourth retaining edge of said second jaw member, said number of tab portions of said first jaw member, and said number of tab portions of said second jaw member cooperatively secure said first jaw member and said second jaw member to said base member without a separate fastener.

10. The socket assembly of claim 8 wherein said number of tab portions of said first jaw member comprises a first tab portion and a second tab portion disposed opposite said first tab portion; wherein said number of tab portions of said second jaw member comprises a third tab portion and a fourth tab portion disposed opposite said third tab portion;

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Cable Albert Boyd

Classifications

• H01R25/162

  Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars (rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64) · CPC title

• H01R43/20 Primary

  for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve · CPC title

• H01R13/434 Primary

  by separate resilient locking means on contact member, e.g. retainer collar or ring around contact member · CPC title

• G01R22/065

  related to mechanical aspects · CPC title

• H01R13/42

  Securing in a demountable manner · CPC title