Bus joint assembly

• US 7,449,635 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wiant, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/682,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 361/605, 361/611, 361637-640, 361/648, 439/213, 174/68.2, 174/88.B, 174/70.B, 174/99.B, 211/26, 3122651-2654, 312/223
• US Class Current: 174/68.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/304 having means for improving contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/307 characterised by the thread of the screw or nut
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/38 utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut H01R4/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5083 using a wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/21 Bus-bar arrangements for rack-mounted devices with withdrawable units

Abstract

A bus joint assembly for use in switchgear equipment having bus bars joined together at a bus joint and for joining vertical and horizontal buses. The bus joint connector comprises a connector, nut plate, connecting and supporting pins as well as a splice bus connector. The bus joint connector with integrated fixture pins locates and supports horizontal buses to vertical buses during assembly.

Claims

1. A bus joint assembly for use with switchgear equipment and for joining bus bars, comprising:

a bus joint connector having a plurality of holes on the face of the bus joint connector;

a first nut plate having a first nut plate hole through the face of the first nut plate;

a first fixture pin insertable through the first nut plate hole in a friction fit, the first fixture pin insertable through and extending beyond one of said plurality of holes of said bus joint connector, and the first fixture pin insertable through a first notch at the end of a first bus bar so that the first fixture pin holds the first bus bar in place; and

means for joining the bus joint connector to a second bus bar transverse to the first bus bar.

2. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein said bus joint connector is U-shaped.

3. The bus joint assembly of claim 2, wherein said bus joint connector comprises two or more nested bus joint connector layers.

4. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fixture pin comprises a fin for connecting the first fixture pin to the first nut plate in a friction fit.

5. The bus joint assembly of claim 4 wherein the first fixture pin is tapered from the end of the first fixture pin having the fin, to the end extending beyond the bus joint connector.

6. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, further comprising a means for joining the first nut plate to the bus joint connector.

7. The bus joint assembly of claim 6, wherein said means for joining the first nut plate to the bus joint connector comprises a roll pin.

8. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein the bus joint connector is joined to the first nut plate by the first fixture pin, and comprising a second nut plate have a second nut plate hole through the face of the second nut plate, a second fixture pin insertable through the second nut plate hole in a friction fit, the second fixture pin insertable through and extending beyond one of the plurality of holes of the bus joint connector, and the bus joint connector is joined to the second nut plate by the second fixture pin.

9. The bus joint assembly of claim 1 further comprising having a second nut plate having a second hole through the face of the second nut plate, a second fixture pin insertable through the second nut plate hole in a friction fit, the second fixture pin insertable and extending beyond one of the plurality of holes of the bus joint connector, the second fixture pin insertable through a second notch at the end of a third bus bar so that the first and second fixture pins hold both the first bus bar and the third bus bar in place.

10. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, further comprising a splice assembly for connecting the end of the first bus bar and an end of a third bus bar.

11. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, further comprising a splice plate for connecting the end of the first bar and the end of a third bus bar between the nut plate and the splice plate.

12. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein said bus joint connector is electrically conductive.

13. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein said bus joint connector is L-shaped.

14. The bus joint assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixture pin comprises a grooved pin for connecting the grooved pin to the nut plate.

15. A bus joint assembly for use with switchgear equipment and for joining bus bars, comprising:

a bus joint connector having a plurality of holes on the face of said bus joint connector;

a first nut plate having a first nut plate threaded hole through the face of the first nut plate;

a removal threaded first fixture pin insertable through the first nut plate hole, the first fixture pin insertable through and extending beyond one of said plurality of holes of said bus joint connector, and the first fixture pin insertable through a first notch at the end of a first bus bar so that the first fixture pin holds the first bus bar in place; and

means for joining the bus joint connector to a second bus bar transverse to the first bus bar.

16. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, wherein said bus joint connector is U-shaped.

17. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, wherein said bus joint connector comprises two or more nested bus joint connector layers.

18. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, further comprising a means for joining the first nut plate to the bus joint connector.

19. The bus joint assembly of claim 18, wherein said means for joining the first nut plate to the bus joint connector comprises a roll pin.

20. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, wherein the bus joint connector is joined to the first nut plate by the first fixture pin, and comprising a second nut plate have a threaded second nut plate hole through the face of the second nut plate, a removal threaded second fixture pin insertable through the second nut plate hole, the second fixture pin insertable through and extending beyond one of the plurality of holes of the bus joint connector, and the bus joint connector is joined to the second nut plate by the second fixture pin.

21. The bus joint assembly of claim 15 further comprising a second nut plate having a threaded second hole through the face of the second nut plate, a removal threaded second fixture pin insertable through the second nut plate hole, the second fixture pin insertable and extending beyond one of the plurality of holes of the bus joint connector, he second fixture pin insertable through a second notch at the end of a third bus bar so that the fist and second fixture pins hold both the first bus bar and the third bus bar in place.

22. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, further comprising a splice assembly for connecting the end of the first bus bar and the end of a third bus bar.

23. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, further comprising a splice plate for connecting the end of the first bus bar and the end of a third bus bar between the nut plate and the splice plate.

24. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, wherein said bus joint connector is electrically conductive.

25. The bus joint assembly of claim 15, wherein said bus joint connector is L-shaped.

26. A method of joining bus bars used in switchgear equipment with a bus joint assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

fixedly connecting a pin through a hole in a nut plate;

inserting the pin from the nut plate through a hole on a face of a bus joint connector;

connecting the nut plate to the bus joint connector with a means for fastening;

connecting the bus joint connector to a vertical bus bar;

hanging a horizontal bus bar on the fixture pin by inserting said fixture pin through a notch at one end of a horizontal bus bar; and

fixedly connecting the end of the horizontal bus bar hanging on the fixture pin between the nut plate and a splice means.