DEVICE AND PROCESS Of ASSISTANCE TO CONNECTION BETWEEN a RADIO OPERATOR TRANSMITTER FOR REMOTE READING AND AT LEAST a SUPPLY METER OF FLUID

The invention concerns a device for assisting in the production of connections between a radio transmitter for remote reading meter consumption of fluids and output conductors of at least one counter, or at least a sensor is provided at such a counter, providing signals representative of the consumption, the transmitter can be provided to connect to a plurality of sensors.

More particularly, but not exclusively, the remote reading of water meters, but it can be applied to counters other fluids, for example gas meters, electricity meters.

The systems for remote reading of water meters, gas, electricity, or other fluids, develop large for several years. The very large deployments are made to the scale of cities or regions complete, or a entire nation. Furthermore, sensors (other that the counters) installed on the distribution networks of these various fluids are also made to communicate with each other by connecting them to transmitters or GSM radio modems.

Therefore, a wide variety of equipment (meters, sensors, ...) of different suppliers are which are to be connected to transmission modules generally provided by one or more third party companies.

Upon practical implementation of these large arrays of transmission, the operator is confronted with a large disparity equipment (sensors, transmitters, interfaces) to be connected together for communicating with the telecommunication solution selected. The risk of wrong connection or poor equipment settings are high and may threaten to the validity of the solution to term.

For example, manufacturers of water meters provide pulse transmitters for communicating mechanical water meters with any type of radio transmitter. The pulse transmitters have up to five connecting wires, also called output conductors in the text, each having its own manufacturer color code. The join operation is therefore to high possibility of numerous errors, in particular for transmitters that accept more counters of different origins.

To, especially, to provide a device for assisting in the production of the connections between a radio transmitter, for remote reading meter consumption of fluids, and the leads of output signals representative of the consumption, provided on the counter or on a sensor provided on the counter. Such assist device is intended to facilitate electrical connection between heterogeneous equipment, and their configuration if necessary. It is desirable that this assistance device is simple to implement and inexpensive to produce.

According to the invention, the device for assisting in the production of connections between a radio transmitter for remote reading meter consumption of fluids, especially water meters, and the output lines of signals representative of the consumption, provided on a counter or a sensor provided on the counter, is characterized in that it comprises at least one card provided on at least one part of its periphery means for holding the conductors of the transmitter and the sensors or counters or to be connected, and on at least one side of a scheme of the connection to be made, the card having an marking indicating the combination that it represents.

Preferably, the assistance device comprises a set of a plurality of different cards, each card corresponding to a type of connection, with transmitters, of counters and/or different sensors.

The means for holding the conductors can comprise notches, in particular rectangular, to temporarily hold by pinching the wires and/or cables during the splicing operation.

Preferably, an area of notches is reserved for wires or cables from the transmitter, and another zone distinct from the first is reserved for wires or cables from the counter or sensor.

The free portion of a card between the two areas of notches advantageously comprises a representation of the connections to perform, in particular according to the colors of wires of different equipment.

The card may include a mark, in particular a bar code for identifying the connection and read information by a reading means, in particular for identifying the combination represented by the map, using a portable terminal.

The card can be rectangular in shape and the area of slots reserved for wires or cables from the transmitter is located on a large side of the board, and the other area of slots reserved for wires or cables from the counter or sensor is located on the other long side of the card.

Alternatively, the card may be square-shaped, and include on each of its four sides a notch for sensor cable, while a slot, for holding the cable the transmitter, extends from one side to an opening and radial notches spaced angularly for holding the conductors of the cable the transmitter during the connecting operation.

Advantageously, the or each card is made of rigid plastic material.

The invention also relates to a method of assisting the connection between a radio transmitter for remote reading meter consumption of fluids, especially water meters, each counter, or sensor which team a counter, being provided with output conductors providing the signals representative of the consumption, characterized in that the method is implemented a device as hereinbefore defined with carrying out the following operations:

-choice of the map corresponding to the situation encountered,

-insertion of the wires from the transmitter into the appropriate notches of the card;

-insertion of the cable of the or each counter or sensor in the suitable slot;

-construction of interconnections in accordance with the paths of the locker and the colors;

-reading of the bar code of the card to then set the transmitter and/or keep track of the connection is made.

A, excluding the exposed above provisions, in a number of other provisions which will be more explicitly question below about exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but which is, in no way limiting. On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a card is a device for assisting in the production of connections according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of another card for producing a connection of another type.

Figure 3 is a plan view of another card in accordance with the invention, for a connection of another type.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the preparation of a connection between a transmitter and the cable from a sensor with use of an appropriate card according to the invention and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the connection is made between transmitter and cable of Fig. 4, with the assistance of the card, prior to removal.

In referring to the drawings, is shone D device (Fig. 1 to 3) for assisting in the production of connections between a radio transmitter T (Figs. 4 and 5) for remote reading of water meters, and a counter or sensor (not shown).

D The device comprises at least a cartel (Figure 1) in a relatively rigid material, in particular plastic or carton rigid, whose shape can be rectangular as shown in Figure 1 (Figure 3) or square or polygonal profile or curvilinear.

The card 1 is provided on at least a portion of its periphery of holding means M1 of the conductors of the transmitter and means of holding the cable or M2 output conductors of the counter (s) or sensor (s) to be connected. The card 1 is provided with a further, on at least one side, scheme S of the connection to be made.

The card 1 has a marking indicating the combination that it represents. In the example of Fig. 1, marking is constituted by a first indication in the upper left corner of the card and corresponds to the mention "A Transceiver", and by another indication located in the lower right corner which carries the features superimposed "1 sensor C1" and below "sensor C2 1".

The holding means M1, M2 are advantageously made in the form of notches, generally rectangular, sized for temporarily retaining the wires and/or cables during the splicing operation. These slots extend, preferably, perpendicular to the edge of the card extend therefrom. Therefore, the holding means M1 for the wires of the transmitter are formed by five notches b1, b2, b3, b4, b5 of the same length, issues from the longitudinal upper side of the board in Figure 1. A mark rb1-rb5, for example in the form of a rectangular outline, is written on the card 1 at the closed end of each of the notches b1-b5. Each mark is assigned a color corresponding to that of a driver of the transmitter A comprising five conductors to be connected, in whole or in part, as appropriate. The marker rb1 is red in colour, the mark rb2 white color, the mark rb3 yellow color, rb4 violet color of the mark and the mark rb5 green color.

The large opposite side of the card 1 are provided two notches ℮ 1, 2 constituting the ℮ holding means M2. The notches ℮ 1, ℮ 2 are provided for receiving the cables sensors C1, C2, or counters, and are wider than the notches b1-b5 for individual conductors.

The scheme S connections to perform figure on the card 1 in the form of stroke colors corresponding to those of the conductors to be bonded. The stems of the scheme result in junction regions materialized, for example, by circles j1, j2, j4, j5.

S The scheme is written in the free portion of the board between the two zones of notches, located respectively on the opposing longitudinal edges. The scheme S represents the connections to be produced subject thread colors of the various devices, corresponding to the set values.

The junction j1 is to be made between a conductor red wb1 the transmitter and a red w1 conductor of the cable is received in a slot e1 and a black conductive w6 from the sensor cable C2 is received in a slot ℮ 2.

J2 The connection is to be made between a conductor wb2 the transmitter A, is received in a slot b2, and a conductor sheath w2 to yellow from the sensor cable C1 is received in a slot e1.

The notch b3 corresponds to a driver of the transmitter which does not have to be connected in the example.

J4 The connection is to be made between the driver of the transmitter housed in the notch b4, of violet color, with the conductor w4, white color, the sensor cable C2 is received in a slot ℮ 2.

Finally, j5 the connection is to be made between the green conductor the transmitter is received in a slot b5 and the conductor w5 green color of the sensor cable C2 is received in a slot ℮ 2.

The card 1 further comprises a mark K, provided along a small side of the board with the example of Fig. 1, advantageously constituted by a bar code k1 for identifying the connection i.e. in the example "Compressor transmitter A and sensors C1 and C2". The information contained by the barcode k1 may be collected by a reading means that identifies the combination represented by the map. The reading means is advantageously constituted by a portable terminal equipped with a suitable reader, in particular infrared. This information can be used to set the transmitter A according to the sensors connected to the relay.

Fig. 2 shows another card 1a, of the same rectangular format that the cartel, including a pattern of connections S1 different and more complex than that of Figure 1. The transmitter to be joined has six conductors to which correspond six notches b11, b12, b13, b14, b15, b16 provided on the large upper side of the card 1a. The transmitter can be connected to four sensors, the cables are received by four notches wider ℮ 11, ℮ 12, ℮ 13, 14 provided in large ℮ the opposite side of the card 1a. The connection diagram S1 displayed on the map is more complex than that of Figure 1. The bar code k11 may grip the connection.

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment 1b card square shaped with notches ℮ 21, ℮ 22, 23 ℮ , ℮ 24, four in number, for the cables sensors. A notch is provided in the middle of each of the four sides of the square in a direction perpendicular to these sides.

A slot g is provided in half-diagonal for holding the cable from the transmitter. The slot g extends to a circular central opening 2 from which extend six radial notches b21-b26 angularly distributed for holding the conductors of the cable the transmitter during the connecting operation. The schema S2 of connection with the connecting structures such as j21 figure also on the card with the barcode k2.

The number of different cards, preferably of the same size, is defined by all combinations of possible connections in practice between the equipment used. A set of the cards is supplied to the technicians that should carry out the connections.

For example, in the case of radio transmitters of a determined pattern that can accept from one to four meters pulse transmitter, of three different manufacturers, the number of combinations will be, assuming that the order of connection does not importance:

-if an input is used on the transmitter: three cards

-if two inputs are used on the transmitter: six cards

-if three inputs are used on the transmitter: nine cards

-if four inputs are used on the transmitter: fifteen cards

or a total of thirty-three cards and combinations.

Such thirty-three cards will be provided to each installation technician, each card representing a combination of possible wirings and authorized. Can prevent certain combinations by not providing the associated card. As already indicated, each card is denoted by a marking indicating clearly the combination that it is:in the case of the card 1 of Fig. 1, it is the combination transmitter A with two sensors, C1 and C2 respectively.

For a connection between a radio transmitter for remote reading and at least a water meter, the operator proceeds as disclosed herein.

The operator selects of its card game that which corresponds to the situation encountered in the field: for example, connecting a transmitter A the sensor to a counter. It is a relatively simple case to which corresponds a card 1c (Fig. 4 and 5).

The initial situation is shown in Figure 4 where we can see a portion of the transmitter T whose conductors to be bonded have not yet been released. The card 1c is in the vicinity of the transmitter t. The cable h of the sensor to be connected has an end in the vicinity of the card 1c, the conductors of the cable is not yet released.

The operator releases the wires of the transmitter T and places them into the notches located at the top of the card 1c in accordance with the colors indicated.

Similarly, the operator releases the conductors of the cable h of the sensor, and place the cable h into the notch of the large bottom side of the circuit board. The operator performs then the connections between the various conductors, in color-safe and the pathways of the target appearing on the card. These connections are advantageously carried out by means of connectors 3 (Fig 5) the type of those sold under the name of ETON equivalents or by means of connectors. After introducing the ends of the non-bared conductors in the connector is carried out, by pinching and mechanical deformation of the connector, both the stripping the ends of conductors, the establishment of the electrical connection and sealing by the presence, in the connector, of a paste, in particular a silicone grease. Figure 5 illustrates the connection is made.

The operator may then be read, by a portable terminal, the bar code on the left side of the card 1c, which will allow to set the transmitter T, or simply to keep track of the connection is made.

The example is a simple case wherein the transmitter comprises four wires to which correspond the card four notches 1c, while the sensor cable or of the counter has four conductors. Note that one of the leads of the transmitter engaged in the notch right-most of the upper part of the card is not connected in this example.

The operator then removed the card 1c out all the wires and cables of their notches. The procedure is complete.

Advantages of the assistant device and of the connection method of the invention are numerous. The should the following:

-Decrease the risk of mis-wiring by direct visualization and close connection instructions. The real wiring overlaps with the color scheme shown on the card, thereby avoiding a reference to a guide on paper, requiring intense visual exercise, difficult to be done within job-site conditions, for example in the ground or in a cellar.

-Maintainer wires and cables during the operation of connection, allowing the operator to work with both hands, which is a function of type "hands-free". It lowering the risk imperfect insertion of the wires in the connectors, which may occur when the cables are not properly maintained.

-Reading the combination of wiring is performed by bar code prior to removal of a card, which substantially suppresses transcription errors.

The version "square" of the card of Fig. 3 may be preferred in some cases, the wires of the transmitter being placed at the center, the wires of the sensors being inserted at the periphery.