Bus bar system with several bus bars and an installation device with flat connectors

• US 6,381,122 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rittal Rudolf LOH GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rittal Rudolf LOH GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Wagener, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): TOLIN, GERALD P
• Application Number:
  US09/761,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 439/212-214, 439/527, 174/68.2, 174/70.B, 174/71.B, 174/72.B, 174/99.B, 174/129.B, 174/133.B, 200/48.R, 200/50.A, 200/50.AA, 200/50.01, 200/50.02, 200/168.K, 361/605, 361/611, 361/614, 361/624, 361/634, 361/637, 361/640, 361/648, 361/650
• US Class Current: 361/611
• 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 5/025 Supporting structures

Abstract

A bus bar system having several bus bars spaced apart from each other in a first connecting plane and of an essentially square cross section and having T-shaped connecting grooves cut into all outsides for a connection with electrical installation devices having flat connectors in a second connecting plane, which is arranged perpendicular to the first connecting plane. With specially embodied connecting and insulating elements, it is possible to displace the connecting planes of the bus bars and of the flat connectors of the installations device parallel and perpendicular with respect to each other without it being necessary to perform elaborate matching assembly work at the site.

Claims

1. In a bus bar system having bus bars spaced apart from each other in a first connecting plane, of an essentially square cross section and having T-shaped connecting grooves within outsides for a connection with an electrical installation device having flat connectors in a second connecting plane, the improvement comprising:

an insulating chassis (20) fastenable to a plurality of sides of the bus bars (10) facing the installation device (50) at a spacing of the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50) which are perpendicular to a linear direction of the bus bars (10) and can have a cutout (21) in an area of each of the bus bars (10);

a contact piece (30) connectible with a corresponding one of the bus bars (10) insertable into the insulating chassis (20) only near an associated one of the bus bars (10);

the insulating chassis (20) receiving a connecting leg (41) of a connecting elbow (40) which is connectible with the contact piece (30) with the associated bus bar (10); and

a connecting leg (42) projecting from the insulating chassis (20) and the connecting contacts (40) forming connecting points for the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50) in the second fastening plane which is perpendicular to the first fastening plane.

2. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting grooves (11) of the bus bars (10) receive a plurality of sliding nuts (25) with threaded receivers (26) into which connecting screws are inserted through fastening bores (43,32) of the connecting elbows (40) and the contact pieces (30).

3. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the lateral legs of the insulating chassis (20) facing the installation device (50) form a receptacle (23) for the connecting leg (41) of one of the connecting elbows (40).

4. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the connecting leg (41) of the connecting elbows (40) has a row of fastening bores (43) and at least one of the fastening bores (43) which is arranged near the cutouts (21) is assigned to the bus bars (10).

5. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 4, wherein end areas of the connecting leg (42) of the connecting elbows (40) has connecting bores (44) matched to the fastening bores (52) in the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50).

6. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the cutouts (21) in the insulating chassis (20) have partial areas (22) which can be broken out.

7. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the junction legs (42) of the connecting elbows (40) are extendible by flat rails (60) for increasing a distance between contact places for the installation device (50) perpendicular with respect to the first connecting plane of the bus bars (10).

8. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the flat rails (60) are connectible with the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50) using Z-shaped transition pieces (70).

9. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the connecting contacts (40) are assembled from individual connecting elbows with connecting legs (41) that rest on top of each other and that have junction legs (42) spaced apart from each other, wherein a space (45) between the junction legs (42) is matched to a thickness of the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50), and unoccupied spaces (45) are filled with spacing contact pieces.

10. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flat rails (60) and the transition pieces (70) are assembled from several spaced apart individual flat rails and individual transition pieces, wherein a spacing is matched to a thickness of the junction legs (42) of the connecting bows (40) and of the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50).

11. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the individual rails and the individual transition pieces are maintained at a distance from each other by a plurality of spacing elements (90).

12. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the contact pieces (30) are designed in a bow-shape and form a receiver for the bus bars (10) with lateral legs (33).

13. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein lateral legs of the insulating chassis (20) facing the installation device (50) form a receptacle (23) for the connecting leg (41) of one of the connecting elbows (40).

14. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting leg (41) of the connecting elbows (40) has a row of fastening bores (43) and at least one of the fastening bores (43) which is arranged near the cutouts (21) is assigned to the bus bars (10).

15. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein end areas of the connecting leg (42) of the connecting elbows (40) has connecting bores (44) matched to the fastening bores (52) in the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50).

16. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cutouts (21) in the insulating chassis (20) have partial areas (22) which can be broken out.

17. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the junction legs (42) of the connecting elbows (40) are extendible by flat rails (60) for increasing a distance between contact places for the installation device (50) perpendicular with respect to the first connecting plane of the bus bars (10).

18. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting contacts (40) are assembled from individual connecting elbows with connecting legs (41) that rest on top of each other and that have junction legs (42) spaced apart from each other, wherein a space (45) between the junction legs (42) is matched to a thickness of the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50), and unoccupied spaces (45) are filled with spacing contact pieces.

19. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the flat rails (60) and transition pieces (70) are assembled from several spaced apart individual flat rails and individual transition pieces, wherein a spacing is matched to a thickness of the junction legs (42) of the connecting bows (40) and of the flat connectors (51) of the installation device (50).

20. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the individual rails and individual transition pieces are maintained at a distance from each other by a plurality of spacing elements (90).

21. In the bus bar system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact pieces (30) are designed in a bow-shape and form a receiver for the bus bars (10) with lateral legs (33).