Basepan assembly

• US 7,136,277 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seimens Energy & Automation, Inc., Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hudgins, Jeffrey K. Jr., Davis, Reggie, Rusch, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Chervinsky, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFBERG, ROBERT JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US10/706,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 361/1, 361/644, 361648-650, 361/652, 361/673, 174/97, 174/99.R
• US Class Current: 361/644
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/056 Mounting on plugboards
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/00 Installations of bus-bars

Abstract

There is provided a method and a basepan assembly for a panel board. The basepan assembly comprises a basepan having a bottom portion and at least one sidewall. A first bus bar is mounted in the bottom portion of the basepan. A second bus bar is mounted to its side proximate the side wall of the basepan. The side wall can include fasteners to couple the second bus bar to the side wall.

Claims

1. A basepan assembly for a panel board, the basepan assembly comprising:

a basepan having a bottom portion and a least one side wall;

a first bus bar mounted in the bottom portion of the basepan; and

a second bus bar mounted on a side portion of the second bus bar proximate the side wall and aligned 90°

from the first bus bar, wherein, with the basepan coupled to the panel board, the panel board prevents deflection of the sidewall of the basepan.

2. The basepan assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second bus bar include a plurality of bus stabs.

3. The basepan assembly of claim 1, wherein the sidewall includes fasteners coupling the second bus bar to the sidewall.

4. The basepan assembly of claim 1, wherein the basepan includes a plurality of phase barriers.

5. The basepan assembly of claim 4, wherein the phase barriers are integrally formed with the basepan.

6. The basepan assembly of claim 3, wherein the fasteners are integrally formed with the sidewall.

7. The basepan assembly of claim 1, wherein the basepan includes a groove configured to receive the second bus bar.

8. The basepan assembly of claim 7, wherein the groove is the same length as the second bus bar.

9. The basepan assembly of claim 2, wherein the basepan includes a plurality of stab stops to locate and position the bus stabs of the second bus bar.

10. The basepan assembly of claim 9, wherein the stab stops are integrally formed with the basepan.

11. The basepan assembly of claim 2, wherein the bus stabs of the first and second bus bars are aligned ninety degrees from each respective bus bar.

12. The basepan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second bus bar includes a side portion configured to support the second bus bar along side the sidewall.

13. A load center comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior space; and

a basepan assembly mounted in the enclosure, the basepan assembly comprising;

a basepan having a bottom portion and at least one side wall;

a first bus bar mounted in the bottom portion of the basepan; and

a second bus bar mounted on a side portion of the second bus bar proximate the side wall and aligned 90°

from the first bus bar, wherein the enclosure prevents deflection of the sidewall of the basepan mounted in the enclosure.

14. The load center of claim 13, wherein the first and second bus bar include a plurality of bus stabs.

15. The load center of claim 13, wherein the sidewall includes fasteners coupling the second bus bar to the sidewall.

16. The load center of claim 13, wherein the basepan includes a plurality of phase barriers.

17. The load center of claim 16, wherein the phase barriers are integrally formed with the basepan.

18. The load center of claim 15, wherein the fasteners are integrally formed with the sidewall.

19. The load center of claim 13, wherein the basepan includes a groove configured to receive the second bus bar.

20. The load center of claim 19, wherein the groove is the same length as the second bus bar.

21. The load center of claim 14, wherein the basepan includes a plurality of stab stops to locate and position the bus stabs of the second bus bar.

22. The load center of claim 21, wherein the stab stops are integrally formed with the basepan.

23. The load center of claim 14, wherein the bus stabs of the first and second bus bars are aligned ninety degrees from each respective bus bar.

24. The load center of claim 13, wherein the second bus bar includes a side portion configured to support the second bus bar along side the sidewall.

25. The load center of claim 13, including at least one additional basepan assembly.

26. A method for mounting a bus bar in a basepan having a bottom portion and a sidewall, the method including the steps of:

providing a bus bar having a bottom edge and a top edge;

providing a groove in the bottom portion proximate the sidewall;

providing a fastener mounted on the sidewall;

installing the bus bar bottom edge in the groove;

deflecting the sidewall during installation of the bus bar;

coupling the top edge of the bus bar to the sidewall with the fastener; and

installing the basepan in an enclosure, wherein the enclosure prevents deflection of the sidewall of the installed basepan.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the groove is at least as long as the side portion of the bus bar.

28. The method of claim 26, including the step of deflecting the sidewall during installation of the bus bar.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the fastener is a snap-type member and includes the step of engaging the snap-type member over the top edge of the bus bar.

30. The method of claim 26, providing a bus stab stop formed in the bottom portion of the basepan to locate and position a bus stab on the bus bar.