BUSWAY OUTPUT BOX GUIDE/INHIBITOR SYSTEM FOR INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF A BUSWAY OUTPUT BOX

• US 20150288160A1
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Busway Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Busway Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: BALDWIN, Mark H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,385,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/08 Connection boxes therefor

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating safe removal of rotational-style output boxes in busway bar power distribution systems particularly configured components to form output box guides. The disclosed schemes render rotational style output boxes for busway bar systems less susceptible to damage introduced by inadvertent or improper removal of the rotational style output boxes in the busway bars. Mechanical structures are provided that substantially inhibit an ability to incorrectly rotate a rotational-style output box during a removal process. A busway output box guide system provides structures associated with and/or attached to at least one of an output box and a busway bar, labeling and warning indication components that inform and substantially inhibit an ability of a user to incorrectly rotate a rotational-style output box in a “wrong” direction particularly when removing the rotational style output box from a busway bar in a power distribution system.

Claims

1. A guide system for enhancing safety in busway bar power distribution systems, comprising:

one or more guide structures that are configured to project from at least one of an output box and a busway bar in a direction of at least an other of the output box and the busway bar,

the one or more guide structures extending across a plane of an interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed and inhibiting a direction of rotation of the output box with respect to the busway bar.

2. The guide system of claim 1, the output box being a rotational-style output box,

the rotational-style output box being configured to be selectably installed in the busway bar in a plurality of distinct installation configurations, and

the one or more guide structures being configured to be selectably attached to the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar to (1) support each of the plurality of distinct installation configurations and (2) inhibit rotation of the rotational-style output box in an improper direction for removal of the rotational style output box from the busway bar in a removal operation for any of the plurality of distinct installation configurations.

3. The guide system of claim 2, the one or more guide structures being configured to be inserted into cooperating openings in the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar to support each of the plurality of distinct installation configurations.

4. The guide system of claim 2, the one or more guide structures being adhesively affixed to an outer surface of the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar.

5. The guide system of claim 2, the one or more guide structures being mechanically attached to the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar.

6. The guide system of claim 5, the mechanical attachment using at least one of a screw, a bolt and nut, a clamp and a clip.

7. The guide system of claim 2, the rotational-style output box having a structural tab protruding from a side face of the rotational-style output box,

the one or more guide structures being attached to the structural tab.

8. The guide system of claim 1, further comprising a labeling configured to be attached to at least one of an outer surface of the output box, an outer surface of the busway and a surface of the one or more guide structures to provide an indication of a correct direction of rotation for removal of the output box from the busway bar in a removal operation.

9. The guide system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator component configured to be attached to an outer surface of the output box.

10. The guide system of claim 9, the indicator component being electrically connected to the one or more guide structures to provide a warning to a user that the output box is being rotated in an improper direction of rotation with respect to the busway bar.

11. The guide system of claim 9, the indicator component being electrically connected to a circuit that is activated to provide an indication that the output box is not under a load rendering the output box safe to remove from the busway bar.

12. The guide system of claim 1, the one or more guide structures being components of a guide appliance, the guide appliance comprising:

a first portion that is configured to be substantially parallel to the plane of the interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed, and

a second portion that extends substantially orthogonally to the first portion and that extends across the plane of the interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed.

13. The guide system of claim 12, the guide appliance comprising at least two separate pieces, the at least two separate pieces each having the first portion and the second portion and being configured to be structurally complementary to provide a substantially U-shaped configuration when put together and installed.

14. The guide system of claim 12, further comprising a labeling provided on an outer surface of the second portion that is viewable by a user when the guide appliance is installed to provide the user with an indication of a correct direction of rotation for removal of the output box from the busway bar in a removal operation.

15. The guide system of claim 1, the one or more guide structures being configured for retrofit into output box and busway bar installations without disturbing the output box and busway bar installations.

16. The guide system of claim 15, the one or more guide structures being provided in a kit form to support retrofit operations.

17. The guide system of claim 16, the kit form including at least one of:

a labeling configured to be attached to at least one of an outer surface of the output box, an outer surface of the busway and a surface of the one or more guide structures to provide an indication of a correct direction of rotation for removal of the output box from the busway bar in a removal operation, and

an indicator component configured to be attached to an outer surface of the output box to provide at least one of a warning to a user that

the output box is being rotated in an improper direction of rotation with respect to the busway bar, and

electrical energy flowing from the busway bar to the output box is interrupted rendering the output box safe to remove from the busway bar.

18. A safety labeling for use in power distribution systems that include rotational-style output boxes mounted in busway bars, the labeling being configured to be attached to at least one of an outer surface of the rotational-style output box, an outer surface of the busway and a surface of one or more guide structures that inhibit rotation of the rotational-style output box with respect to the busway bar,

the labeling being viewable by a user in a removal operation of the rotational-style output box from the busway bar to provide the user with an indication of a correct direction of rotation for removal of the rotational-style output box from the busway bar in the removal operation.

19. An electrical safety indicator device for use in power distribution systems, comprising:

a control/power circuit that is configured to determine a condition of an output box mounted in a busway bar in the power distribution system; and

an indicator component configured to be attached to an outer surface of the output box,

the indicator component being controlled by the control/power circuit to provide one of a visual, audible or haptic indication to a user of the determined condition of the output box.

20. The electrical safety indicator device of claim 19, the control/power circuit:

being electrically connected to one or more guide structures that inhibit rotation of the output box with respect to the busway bar, and

being configured to

determine that the output box is being rotated in an improper direction with respect to the busway bar, and

activate the indicator component to provide the indication to the user regarding the determination.

21. The electrical safety indicator device of claim 19, the control/power circuit being configured to

determine that the output box is not under a load rendering the output box safe to remove from the busway bar,

activate the indicator component to provide the indication to the user regarding the determination.

22. An method for safely configuring and re-configuring a busway bar power distribution systems, comprising:

adding one or more guide structures to at least one of an output box and a busway bar, the one or more guide structures being configured to project in a direction of at least an other of the output box and the busway bar; and

executing one of an installation or removal operation of the output box, the one or more guide structures extending across a plane of an interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed and inhibiting a direction of rotation of the output box with respect to the busway bar during the installation or removal operation.

23. The method of claim 22, the output box being a rotational-style output box,

the rotational-style output box being configured to be selectably installed in the busway bar in a plurality of distinct installation configurations, and

the one or more guide structures being configured to be selectably attached to the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar to (1) support each of the plurality of distinct installation configurations and (2) inhibit rotation of the rotational-style output box in an improper direction for removal of the rotational style output box from the busway bar in a removal operation for any of the plurality of distinct installation configurations.

24. The method of claim 23, the adding the one or more guide structures to the at least one of an output box and a busway bar, comprising at least one of:

(1) inserting the one or more guide structures into cooperating openings in the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar to support each of the plurality of distinct installation configurations;

(2) adhesively affixing the one or more guide structures to an outer surface of the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar; and

(3) mechanically attaching the one or more guide structures to the at least one of the rotational-style output box and the busway bar using one of a screw, a bolt and nut, a clamp and a clip.

25. The method of claim 22, the output box having a structural tab protruding from a side face of the output box, the one or more guide structures being attached to the structural tab.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising attaching a label to at least one of an outer surface of the output box, an outer surface of the busway and a surface of the one or more guide structures to provide an indication of a correct direction of rotation for removal of the output box from the busway bar in the removal operation.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

attaching an indicator component to an outer surface of the output box,

the indicator component being electrically connected to the one or more guide structures to provide a warning to a user that the output box is being rotated in an improper direction of rotation with respect to the busway bar.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

attaching an indicator component to an outer surface of the output box, the indicator component being electrically connected to a circuit that is activated to provide an indication that the output box is not under a load rendering the output box safe to remove from the busway bar; and

executing the removal operation only after observing that the indicator component indicates that the output box is safe to remove from the busway bar.

29. The method of claim 22, the one or more guide structures being components of a guide appliance, the guide appliance comprising:

a first portion that is configured to be substantially parallel to the plane of the interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed, and

a second portion that extends substantially orthogonally to the first portion and that extends across the plane of the interface between the output box and the busway bar when installed.

30. The method of claim 29, the guide appliance comprising at least two separate pieces, the at least two separate pieces each having the first portion and the second portion and being configured to be structurally complementary to provide a substantially U-shaped configuration when put together and installed.