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Meter center and multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly thereforMeter center and multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly therefor description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070171602, Meter center and multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly therefor. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to meter centers for electrical power distribution systems and, more particularly, to a meter center including a multiple meter socket assembly structured to provide a plurality of phase combinations among a plurality of meters. The invention also relates to multi-phase multiple meter socket assemblies for meter centers. [0003] 1. Background Information [0004] Meter centers including a plurality of watt-hour meters are commonly used to measure electric power consumed by the various tenants of a multi-unit residential site (e.g., without limitation, an apartment building) or commercial site (e.g., without limitation, an office complex). [0005] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional meter center assembly 1, which generally consists of a cabinet 3 having an internal longitudinal wall 5 that divides the cabinet 3 into side-by-side meter and disconnect switch compartments 7, 9. A plurality of plug-in, socket type watt-hour meters 11 are mounted within the meter compartment 7, one meter 11 for each tenant circuit which is to be metered. Thus, in the example of FIG. 1, the meter center 1 accommodates four tenant circuits each served by its own meter 11. Each tenant circuit is also provided with a disconnect switch 13 such as, for example, a circuit breaker, which is mounted within the disconnect switch compartment 9. [0006] Electric power is provided to the meter center 1 by feeder buses 17 which are electrically connected to the utility lines (not shown) that supply power. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, three phase buses 17A, 17B, 17C and a neutral bus 17N extend horizontally through the cabinet 3 for connection to the utility lines (not shown). A set of supply buses 27 extend vertically within the meter compartment 7 and electrically connect to the feeder buses. More specifically, the supply buses 27 generally comprise a pair of spaced apart bus bars 29R, 29L which are each electrically connected to one of the feeder buses 17A, 17B, 17C by one of the phase balancers 47A, 47B. For example, the left supply bus 29L in the example of FIG. 2 is electrically connected to the phase A feeder bus 17A by phase balancer 47A, and the right supply bus 29R is electrically connected to the phase B feeder bus 17B by phase balancer 47B. Phase balancer 47A generally consists of a cylindrical sleeve 49 and bolt 51. Phase balancer 47B generally consists of a Z-shaped member 53 and bolts 55. Thus, the entire meter center 1 is configured in the same manner, in this case phase AB, although it will be appreciated that it could also be entirely phased AC (for feeder buses 17A and 17C) or BC (for feeder buses 17B and 17C). [0007] Accordingly, it will be appreciated that known conventional meter centers provide only one phase configuration within the entire cabinet. In other words, the entire cabinet must be phased AB, AC, or BC. Among other disadvantages, this makes phase balancing (i.e., distributing the electrical load) difficult where, for example, multiple meter centers are ganged together in order to individually meter power consumption by multiple different tenants in the same building or facility. [0008] There is, therefore, room for improvement in meter centers and in multiple meter socket assemblies therefor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] These needs and others are met by the present invention, which is directed to a meter center having a multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly wherein different meters within the same cabinet are phased differently. [0010] As one aspect of the invention, a multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly is provided for a meter center including a plurality of meters. The multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly comprises: a plurality of meter sockets, each of the meter sockets being structured to receive one of the meters; a plurality of feeder buses; a plurality of supply buses, each of the supply buses being in electrical communication with the meter sockets and including at least one section which is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of the feeder buses; and a plurality of phase connectors, each of the phase connectors electrically interconnecting a corresponding one of the at least one section of each of the supply buses with a corresponding one of the feeder buses in order to provide electrical communication therebetween. At least one of the supply buses is divided in order to include as the at least one section, a first section and a second section, the first section being in electrical communication with a first one of the feeder buses and the second section being in electrical communication with a second one of the feeder buses in order to provide a first number of the meter sockets with a first phase configuration and a second number of the meter sockets with a second phase configuration. The second phase configuration is different from the first phase configuration. [0011] The feeder buses may comprise a first feeder bus, a second feeder bus, a third feeder bus, and a neutral bus, and the supply buses may comprise a first supply bus and a second supply bus. The first feeder bus, the second feeder bus, the third feeder bus, and the neutral bus may extend substantially horizontally with respect to the meter sockets, and the first and second supply buses may extend generally vertically with respect to the meter sockets. The at least one of the supply buses may be the first supply bus wherein the first section of the first supply bus is electrically connected to the first number of the meter sockets, wherein the second section of the first supply bus is electrically connected to the second number of the meter sockets, and wherein the second supply bus is electrically connected to both the first number of the meter sockets and the second number of the meter sockets. [0012] The first feeder bus may be an A phase bus, the second feeder bus may be a B phase bus, the third feeder bus may be a C phase bus, and the plurality of phase connectors may include an A phase connector, a B phase connector, and a C phase connector. The A phase connector electrically connects the second section of the first supply bus to the A phase bus, the B phase connector electrically connects the first section of the first supply bus to the B phase bus, and the C phase connector electrically connects the second supply bus to the C phase bus, in order that the first phase configuration of the first number of the meter sockets is BC and the second phase configuration of the second number of the meter sockets is AC. The meter center may include as the first number of the meter sockets, two meter sockets having as the first phase configuration, BC, and may further include as the second number of the meter sockets, at least two meters having as the second phase configuration, AC. The second number of the meter sockets may comprise three meter sockets. [0013] The B phase connector may comprise a generally Z-shaped member coupled at one end to the first section of the first supply bus and at the other end to the B phase bus. The A phase connector and the C phase connector may each comprise a conductive member and a fastener wherein the conductive member of the A phase connector is interposed between the A phase bus and the second section of the first supply bus, and the C phase connector is interposed between the C phase bus and the second supply bus. The fastener is structured to secure the conductive member, when tightened. [0014] As another aspect of the invention, a meter center comprises: a cabinet including a meter compartment; a plurality of meters; and a meter socket assembly comprising: a plurality of meter sockets housed by the meter compartment and receiving the meters; a plurality of feeder buses extending from the cabinet, a plurality of supply buses, each of the supply buses being in electrical communication with the meter sockets and including at least one section which is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of the feeder buses, and a plurality of phase connectors, each of the phase connectors electrically interconnecting a corresponding one of the at least one section of each of the supply buses with a corresponding one of the feeder buses in order to provide electrical communication therebetween. At least one of the supply buses is divided in order to include as the at least one section, a first section and a second section, thereby being in electrical communication with more than one of the feeder buses in order to provide the meter sockets with a plurality of phase configurations within the cabinet. [0015] The cabinet may be a single cabinet, and the meters may comprise watt-hour meters which are all housed by the single cabinet. The phase configurations within the single cabinet may comprise a first phase configuration and a second phase configuration. Wherein a first number of the watt-hour meters have the first phase configuration and a second number of the watt-hour meters have the second phase configuration, which is different from the first phase configuration. [0016] As another aspect of the invention, a meter center comprises: a plurality of cabinets, each of the cabinets including a meter compartment, a plurality of meters, and a meter socket assembly comprising: a plurality of meter sockets housed by the meter compartment and receiving the meters, a plurality of feeder buses, a plurality of supply buses, each of the supply buses being in electrical communication with the meter sockets and including at least one section which is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of the feeder buses, and a plurality of phase connectors, each of the phase connectors electrically interconnecting a corresponding one of the at least one section of each of the supply buses with the corresponding one of the feeder buses in order to provide electrical communication therebetween. At least one of the supply buses is divided in order to include as the at least one section, a first section and a second section, the at least one of the supply buses being in electrical communication with a plurality of the feeder buses in order to provide the meter sockets with a plurality of phase configurations within each of the cabinets. A plurality of the cabinets are ganged together in order to provide electrical communication therebetween. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: [0018] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a meter center having a cabinet with four meters, with one of the meters removed to show details of a meter socket assembly; [0019] FIG. 2 is a vertical elevational view of a top portion of the meter center of FIG. 1, with the cover of the cabinet removed to show internal details; [0020] FIG. 3 is a vertical elevational view of a multi-phase meter center in accordance with the present invention, with one meter shown in phantom line drawing and with one meter socket removed to show internal busing; and [0021] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the multi-phase meter center of FIG. 3. Continue reading about Meter center and multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly therefor... 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