Darrell D Robinson

US Patent:

6409537, Jun 25, 2002

Filed:

Dec 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/738480

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 33945

US Classification:

439517

Abstract:

A support supports a circuit board in a non-interferingly manner with electrical contacts in a watthour meter socket adapter housing. In one aspect, slots are formed in posts and receive opposed ends of the circuit board. An end support post having an outwardly projecting, downwardly inclined top surface provides a snap connection of the circuit board to the housing. Alternately, the support includes legs carrying conductive elements formed on the circuit board and extending through apertures in the base of the housing for electrical connection external of the socket adapter. In another aspect, a circuit board is provided with contacts along one edge which form spring jaws for receiving a terminal. A conductive tab on the circuit board resiliently completes an electrical circuit between a contact in the housing and a circuit or electrical component on the circuit board. The supports also releasably receive flanges on electrical components for direct mounting of the components.

US Patent:

6428350, Aug 6, 2002

Filed:

Nov 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/998748

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 33945

US Classification:

439517, 361662

Abstract:

A support supports an auxiliary component, like a circuit board, in a non-interferingly manner with electrical contacts in a watthour meter socket adapter housing. In another aspect, a circuit board is provided with contacts along one edge which form spring jaws for receiving a terminal. A conductive tab on the circuit board resiliently completes an electrical circuit between a contact in the housing and a circuit or electrical component on the circuit board.

US Patent:

6443761, Sep 3, 2002

Filed:

Nov 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/998677

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 33945

US Classification:

439517

Abstract:

A support receives an auxiliary component, like a circuit board, in a non-interferingly manner with electrical contacts in a watthour meter socket adapter housing. In one aspect, the support includes legs carrying conductive elements formed on the circuit board and extending through apertures in the base of the housing for electrical connection external of the socket adapter. In another aspect, a circuit board is provided with contacts along one edge which form spring jaws for receiving a terminal. A conductive tab on the circuit board resiliently completes an electrical circuit between a contact in the housing and a circuit or electrical component on the circuit board.

US Patent:

6475028, Nov 5, 2002

Filed:

Apr 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/544995

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 33945

US Classification:

439517, 439135, 439463, 439709, 439718

Abstract:

A meter socket mountable in an enclosure and receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter in electrical contact with jaws mounted in the meter socket has an open end allowing electrical conductors connected at one end to each of the jaws in the meter socket to exit the housing of the meter socket for connection to a remotely located meter test switch. The conductors are arranged in a plurality of separate tied bundles. Each of the conductors may be uniquely color coded for easy connection to the appropriate meter test switch terminal.

US Patent:

6478589, Nov 12, 2002

Filed:

Jan 31, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/773064

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 1344

US Classification:

439146, 361659, 361 1, 429135

Abstract:

A safety shield for an electrical service apparatus is in the form of an enclosure surrounding in the apparatus jaw contacts. Latch members formed on the shield releasibly engage apertures in the apparatus housing to mount the shield in the housing. The latch members are configured to fill the apertures in the housing to prevent disengagement of the shield from the housing during removal of a watthour meter from the housing. In one aspect, the shield is provided with wire wrap members for winding up lengths of excess cables and conductors extending from a watthour meter. The wire wrap members include a pair of arms arranged about the periphery of the shield or spaced flanges on opposite sides of the shield. The wire wrap members also include a flange having an end extending over an aperture in the shield which acts as a strain relief for a conductor extending through the shield. In another aspect, a light transmissive guide carried on the shield transmits light generated by a light generating source within the housing to a visible location externally of the housing.

US Patent:

6488535, Dec 3, 2002

Filed:

Jan 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/047695

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland MI
Allen V. Pruehs - Howell MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01R 33945

US Classification:

439517, 439508, 439638, 439719

Abstract:

A meter socket mountable in an enclosure and receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter in electrical contact with jaws mounted in the meter socket has an open end with wire guides to allow electrical conductors connected at one end to each of the jaws in the meter socket to exit the housing of the meter socket for connection to a remotely located meter test switch. Each of the conductors may be uniquely color coded for easy connection to the appropriate meter test switch terminal. In one aspect, the meter socket includes front and rear plates which define an internal cavity for receiving the jaw contacts and the conductors. In this aspect, the wire guides are formed on one end of one of the plates for receiving an intermediate portion of at least one conductor therethrough.

US Patent:

6520798, Feb 18, 2003

Filed:

Aug 9, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/925434

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI
Robert Goozen - China MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H01K 33945

US Classification:

439517, 439508, 361663

Abstract:

A housing carries an electrical disconnect switch having movable contacts. A cover is mounted on the housing and has an opening allowing access to a control lever of the disconnect switch. Electrical conductors are connected to the disconnect switch within the housing and have a blade terminal portion extending exteriorly of the housing for connection to jaws carried on an electrical component mountable in an electrical watthour meter socket. Degassing ports are formed between the cover and the sidewall of the housing to allow any arcing gasses generated within the interior of the housing to escape from the housing. A handle is mounted centrally on the cover. An ejector handle is movably mounted on the cover and carries an ejector arm to separate the housing from an attached electrical component. A method of removing and remounting a watthour meter in a meter socket is provided, including sequence steps printed on the face of the housing.

US Patent:

6549388, Apr 15, 2003

Filed:

Dec 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/738148

Inventors:

Darrell Robinson - Highland Township MI

Assignee:

Ekstrom Industries, Inc. - Farmington Hills MI

International Classification:

H02H 322

US Classification:

361111, 361127

Abstract:

An electrical service apparatus housing carries a plurality of line and load blade terminals and jaw contacts. Surge suppression elements are carried on a circuit board mountable within the housing and are connected to certain blade terminals and jaw contacts for conducting electrical surges to ground. Insulating barriers surround the jaw contacts and, also, fixedly position the circuit board in the housing. A switch element is energized when one of the surge suppression elements changes state and provides an externally transmittable signal indicative of the change in state of one of the surge suppression elements. An insulating safety shield surrounds the jaw contacts. A light transmissive guide carried on the shield has a first end disposed adjacent to a light source on the circuit board and an opposed second end visible exteriorly through the housing to provide an exteriorly visible indication of the state of the light source.