US 12,438,354 B2
Meter collar adapter with electric load management and overcurrent protection
John Schroeder, Falls Church, VA (US); Benjamin Lewis, Falls Church, VA (US); Jon Knauer, Falls Church, VA (US); Khanti Munro, Falls Church, VA (US); Akash Dani, Falls Church, VA (US); and Whitman Fulton, Falls Church, VA (US)
Assigned to Infinite Invention Inc., Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed by INFINITE INVENTION INC., Falls Church, VA (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/063,327.
Application 18/063,327 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/663,362, filed on May 13, 2022, granted, now 12,282,043.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/223,732, filed on Jul. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0148230 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. H02H 3/08 (2006.01); H02J 3/38 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 3/08 (2013.01) [H02J 3/381 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A meter collar adapter, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of contacts to electrically connect the meter collar adapter to a meter socket and to a utility meter;
a load management device within the housing to manage electrical load to an external, co-located electric equipment, comprising:
an interface circuit to electrically connect to at least one of a line side or a load side of a service line through the utility meter to electrically connect to the external, co-located electric equipment,
an interface contact to electrically connect the co-located electric equipment to the interface circuit,
an adjustable electrical switch electrically connected in series with the interface circuit and configured to control an amount of electrical load through the interface circuit, and
an energy management unit configured to:
measure electrical load through the interface contact; and control a position of the adjustable electrical switch to manage the electrical load through the interface circuit to the co-located electric equipment;
a overcurrent protection device electrically connected in series with the interface circuit provided within the housing or a junction box connected to the load management device; and
a whole-house overcurrent protection device within the housing and electrically connected in series with service entrance conductors on the line side or the load side of the utility meter and the line side of the interface circuit.