TAP APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY INTERCONNECTING AN ELECTRICAL BUSWAY AND SWITCHGEAR, AND SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20100177464A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: STRONG, RYAN J., Teaken, Mark T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/624
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/20 Bus-bar or other wiring layouts, e.g. in cubicles, in switchyards installations of bus-bars H02G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/005 Laminated bus-bars

Abstract

A system includes an electrical busway, an electrical enclosure enclosing an electrical apparatus, the electrical enclosure including an interior and a mounting portion with an opening therethrough; and a tap apparatus electrically interconnecting the electrical busway and the electrical apparatus. The tap apparatus includes a first portion electrically interconnected with the electrical busway through the opening of the mounting portion, a second portion removeably coupled to the mounting portion of the electrical enclosure from the interior of the electrical enclosure, and a third portion including a flexible electrical connection electrically interconnected with the electrical apparatus.

Claims

1. A tap apparatus for electrically interconnecting an electrical busway and switchgear, said switchgear including an enclosure having an interior and a mounting portion with an opening therethrough, said tap apparatus comprising:

a first portion structured to electrically interconnect with said electrical busway through the opening of said mounting portion;

a second portion structured to be removeably coupled to the mounting portion of said enclosure from the interior of said enclosure; and

a third portion including a flexible electrical connection structured to electrically interconnect with said switchgear.

2. The tap apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a housing and a number of mounting plates.

3. The tap apparatus of claim 1 wherein said third portion comprises a plurality of rigid, insulated bus bar assemblies and a plurality of flexible electrical conductors.

4. The tap apparatus of claim 3 wherein said third portion further comprises a clamp assembly clamping together said plurality of rigid, insulated bus bar assemblies to form a single structure.

5. The tap apparatus of claim 1 wherein a number of gaskets are structured to electrically isolate said first portion from said second portion.

6. The tap apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a number of covers and a number of cover assemblies.

7. The tap apparatus of claim 6 wherein said second portion further comprises a number of mounting plates.

8. The tap apparatus of claim 7 wherein said number of mounting plates are structured to be removeably coupled to the mounting portion of said enclosure from the interior of said enclosure.

9. The tap apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical busway is a busway riser.

10. A system comprising:

an electrical busway;

an electrical enclosure enclosing an electrical apparatus, said electrical enclosure including an interior and a mounting portion with an opening therethrough; and

a tap apparatus electrically interconnecting said electrical busway and said electrical apparatus, said tap apparatus comprising;

a first portion electrically interconnected with said electrical busway through the opening of said mounting portion,

a second portion removeably coupled to the mounting portion of said electrical enclosure from the interior of said electrical enclosure, and

a third portion including a flexible electrical connection electrically interconnected with said electrical apparatus.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said second portion comprises a housing and a number of mounting plates.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said third portion comprises a plurality of rigid, insulated bus bar assemblies and a plurality of flexible electrical conductors.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said third portion further comprises a clamp assembly clamping together said plurality of rigid, insulated bus bar assemblies to form a single structure.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein a number of gaskets electrically isolate said first portion from said second portion.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said second portion comprises a number of covers and a number of cover assemblies.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said second portion further comprises a number of mounting plates.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said number of mounting plates are removably coupled to the mounting portion of said electrical enclosure from the interior of said electrical enclosure.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the mounting portion of the electrical enclosure is a portion of a side of said electrical enclosure.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein said third portion further comprises, for each of said plurality of bus bar assemblies, a mechanical lug electrically interconnected with said electrical apparatus by one of said flexible electrical conductors.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein said second portion is structured to be uncoupled from the mounting portion of said electrical enclosure from the interior of said electrical enclosure, in order to remove said tap apparatus, position said electrical enclosure with respect to said electrical busway, and recouple said second portion to the mounting portion of said electrical enclosure from the interior of said electrical enclosure.