Busbar connector
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first strut that defines a first channel and has an open side, with first busbars contained in the first channel;
a second strut that defines a second channel and has an open side, with second busbars contained in the second channel, wherein the first and second struts together define a juncture at which the one of the struts crosses either above or below the other;
first electrical contacts engaging the first busbars within the first channel;
second electrical contacts engaging the second busbars within the second channel;
an array of wires interconnecting the first electrical contacts with the second electrical contacts; and
a wire management device supporting the array of wires in a configuration having a first section that reaches from the first electrical contacts horizontally along the open side of the first strut to the juncture, and having a second section that reaches from the juncture horizontally along the open side of the second strut to the second electrical contacts;
wherein the wire management device supports the first electrical contacts at a first fixed distance horizontally from the juncture, and supports the second electrical contacts at a second fixed distance horizontally from the juncture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes first and second struts, each of which defines a channel and has an open side. The struts together define a juncture at which one of the struts crosses the other. First and second electrical contacts engage busbars in the channels. Wires interconnect the first electrical contacts with the second electrical contacts. A housing contains the wires. The housing has a first elongated portion reaching along the open side of the first strut in a direction from the first electrical contacts toward the juncture, a second elongated portion reaching along the open side of the second strut in a direction from the juncture toward the second electrical contacts, and a corner at which the first and second elongated portions meet in vertical alignment with the juncture.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first strut that defines a first channel and has an open side, with first busbars contained in the first channel; a second strut that defines a second channel and has an open side, with second busbars contained in the second channel, wherein the first and second struts together define a juncture at which the one of the struts crosses either above or below the other; first electrical contacts engaging the first busbars within the first channel; second electrical contacts engaging the second busbars within the second channel; an array of wires interconnecting the first electrical contacts with the second electrical contacts; and a wire management device supporting the array of wires in a configuration having a first section that reaches from the first electrical contacts horizontally along the open side of the first strut to the juncture, and having a second section that reaches from the juncture horizontally along the open side of the second strut to the second electrical contacts; wherein the wire management device supports the first electrical contacts at a first fixed distance horizontally from the juncture, and supports the second electrical contacts at a second fixed distance horizontally from the juncture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a first strut that defines a first channel and has an open side, with first busbars contained in the first channel; a second strut that defines a second channel and has an open side, with second busbars contained in the second channel, wherein the first and second struts together define a juncture at which one of the struts crosses either above or below the other; first electrical contacts engaging the first busbars within the first channel; second electrical contacts engaging the second busbars within the second channel; wires interconnecting the first electrical contacts with the second electrical contacts; and a housing containing the wires, the housing having a first elongated portion reaching along the open side of the first strut in a direction from the first electrical contacts toward the juncture, a second elongated portion reaching along the open side of the second strut in a direction from the juncture toward the second electrical contacts, and a corner at which the first and second elongated portions meet in vertical alignment with the juncture. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a first strut that defines a first channel and has an open side, with first busbars contained in the first channel; a second strut that defines a second channel and has an open side, with second busbars contained in the second channel, wherein the first and second struts together define a juncture at which one of the struts crosses either above or below the other; a housing comprising an inflexible structure having a first linear portion that is narrower than the first strut and reaches along the open side of the first strut in a direction toward the second strut, a second linear portion that is narrower than the second strut and reaches along the open side of the second strut in a direction away from the first strut, and a corner at which the first and second linear portions meet in vertical alignment with the juncture; first electrical contacts projecting outward from the first linear portion of the housing into contact with the first busbars in the first channel; second electrical contacts projecting outward from the second linear portion of the housing into contact with the second busbars in the second channel; and wires reaching through the first linear portion of the housing from the first electrical contacts to the corner, and reaching further through the second linear portion of the housing from the corner to the second electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification