Pit mount interface device

Abstract

A pit mount interface device includes a body having a head and an elongate stem extending from a bottom surface of the head. The elongate stem is sized and configured to be received in and extend through a hole formed in a cover of a pit. A nut defines a central aperture that is sized and configured to receive the elongate stem of the body. A passive radiator is disposed within the body and configured receive a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by an automatic meter reading (AMR) device located below the cover through inductive coupling and to radiate the RF signal from a position located above the cover of the pit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A passive radiator, comprising:
 a radiating section, a coupling section, and a conductor section disposed between the radiating section and the coupling section,   wherein a plane defined by the coupling section is spaced apart from a plane defined by the radiating section, and   wherein the coupling section includes a plurality of segments, each of the segments extending from an adjacent segment in a substantially orthogonal direction from a direction in which the adjacent segment extends.   
     
     
         2 . The passive radiator of  claim 1 , wherein the radiating section includes a straight portion and a curved portion. 
     
     
         3 . The passive radiator of  claim 2 , wherein the straight portion has a length of less than one inch. 
     
     
         4 . The passive radiator of  claim 2 , wherein the straight portion has a length of 19.4 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The passive radiator of  claim 2 , wherein the curved portion has a curved portion of approximately one inch. 
     
     
         6 . The passive radiator of  claim 2 , wherein the radiating section is configured to radiate at an interface between the straight portion and the curved portion. 
     
     
         7 . The passive radiator of  claim 1 , wherein the radiating section is configured to radiate at 915 MHz. 
     
     
         8 . The passive radiator of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor section has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         9 . The passive radiator of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive section has a width of 13 mm, a length of 25 mm and a thickness of 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The passive radiator of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling section is configured to receive an RF signal transmitted by an antenna of an automated meter reading device. 
     
     
         11 . The passive radiator of  claim 10 , wherein the conductor section is configured to provide a pathway for resonance coupling between the coupling section and the radiating section. 
     
     
         12 . A passive radiator, comprising:
 a radiating section including a straight portion and a curved portion;   a coupling section including a plurality of segments, each segment extending from an adjacent segment in an orthogonal direction from a direction in which the adjacent segment extends; and   a conductor section disposed between the radiating section and the coupling section,   wherein a plane defined by the coupling section is spaced apart from a plane defined by the radiating section.   
     
     
         13 . The passive radiator of  claim 12 , wherein the radiating section is configured to radiate at an interface between the straight portion and the curved portion. 
     
     
         14 . The passive radiator of  claim 12 , wherein the radiating section is configured to radiate at 915 MHz. 
     
     
         15 . The passive radiator of  claim 12 , wherein the conductor section has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         16 . The passive radiator of  claim 15 , wherein the conductive section has a width of 13 mm, a length of 25 mm and a thickness of 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The passive radiator of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling section is configured to receive an RF signal transmitted by an antenna of an automated meter reading device. 
     
     
         18 . The passive radiator of  claim 17 , wherein the conductor section is configured to provide a pathway for resonance coupling between the coupling section and the radiating section.