Fused elbow terminator and stage-fused transformer loop system

• US 7,445,480 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory P. Whyte
• Original Assignee: Gregory P. Whyte
• Inventors: Whyte, Gregory P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta; Tho D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US11/525,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 773 Days
• Field of Search: 439/250, 439/620.26, 439/620.28, 439/620.3, 439/620.32, 439/854, 439/855, 439/881, 439/890, 439/893
• US Class Current: 439/250
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/68 with built-in fuse

Abstract

A fused elbow terminator is disclosed which includes an elbow connector having a housing and a cable connector disposed within; and a fused pin connected to the cable connector. The fused pin includes an arc follower section, a fuse section and a cable interface section. Further disclosed is a stage-fused underground transformer loop system, which includes a series of transformers connected sequentially by a series of cables, and a series of fused elbow terminators connected to the inlets and outlets of the transformers. The fused elbow terminators are arranged in an order of decreasing the fuse capacity starting from the feed. A method of rapid diagnosis of a fault cable or a transformer failure using the stage-fused transformer loop system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A fused pin for adapting to an elbow terminator comprising:

(a) an elongated arc follower section made of an electrical insulating material and aligned with a longitudinal axis of said fused pin;

(b) an elongated fuse section, aligned with said longitudinal axis, comprising (i) a hollow fuse housing portion made of an electrical insulating material, having a front open end and a rear open end;

(ii) a conducting portion made of a conductive material, having a front end portion connected to said elongated arc follower section, and a rear end connected to and sealing said front open end of said hollow fuse housing portion;

(iii) a fuse disposed with said hollow fuse housing portion with a front end conductively connected with said conducting portion; and

(c) an elongated cable interface section made of an electrical conductive material and aligned with said longitudinal axis, including a front end connected to said rear open end of said hollow fuse housing portion and conductively connected with a rear end of said fuse, and a rear end having connection means adapted to connect to an elbow connector;

said fused pin having an external dimension adapted to insert into a bushing insert.

2. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said conducting portion of said fuse section further comprises a wrench hole perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fused pin.

3. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said front end portion of said conducting portion of said fuse section comprises connection means for connection with said arc follower section.

4. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said conducting portion of said fuse section is made of a metal.

5. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said arc follower section and said hollow fuse housing portion are made of ceramic.

6. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said cable interface section further comprises a wrench hole perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fused pin.

7. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said arc follower section further comprises a wrench hole perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said fused pin.

8. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said fuse section end said arc follower section have same external diameters.

9. The fused pin of claim 1, wherein said front end portion of said conducting portion of said fuse section has a chamfer around external periphery thereof adapted to engage with said bushing insert.

10. The fused pin of claim 9, wherein said arc follower section includes a chamfer around external periphery of a rear end thereof, said chamfer together with said chamfer of said fuse section form a notch adapted to engage with said busing insert.

11. A fused elbow terminator comprising:

(a) an elbow connector comprising an insulating elbow shaped housing having a cable section and a bushing engagement section at an angle to said cable section, and a cable connector disposed within said cable section of said housing, said cable connector having an upper end portion and a lower cable connection portion; and

(b) a fused pin disposed within said bushing engagement section, said fused pin comprising;

(i) an elongated arc follower section made of an electrical insulating material;

(ii) an elongated fuse section comprising a hollow fuse housing portion made of an electrical insulating material, having a front open end and a rear open end;

a conducting portion made of en electrical conductive material, having a front end portion connected to said elongated arc follower section, and a rear end connected to and sealing said front open end of said hollow fuse housing portion;

a fuse disposed with said hollow fuse housing portion with a front end conductively connected with said conducting portion; and

(iii) an elongated cable interface section made of an electrical conductive material, including a front end connected to said rear open end of said hollow fuse housing portion and conductively connected with a rear end of said fuse, and a rear end having connection means connected to said upper end portion of said cable connector of said cable section.

12. The fused pin elbow terminator of claim 11, wherein said conducting portion of said fuse section further comprises a wrench hole perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said fused pin.

13. The fused elbow terminator of claim 11, wherein said conducting portion of said fuse section is made of a metal.

14. The fused elbow terminator of claim 11, wherein said arc follower section and said hollow fuse housing portion are made of ceramic.

15. The fused elbow terminator of claim 11, wherein said upper end portion of said cable connector has a threaded opening perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said cable connector for connection with said cable interface section of said fused pin.