Press fit connection for mounting electrical plug-in outlet insulator to a busway aluminum housing

• US 7,517,235 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Coley, Trey, Richard, Steven E., Bagewadi, Sandeep P., Cox, Jeffery Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Phuong K
• Application Number:
  US11/647,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20080160812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 439/211, 439/207, 439/113, 439/114, 439/142
• US Class Current: 439/114
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/193 Means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling part , e.g. zero insertion force or no friction
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/168 the connecting locations being situated away from the rail or bus-bar
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/005 Laminated bus-bars

Abstract

A molded plastic outlet box for electric busway systems comprising: a molded plastic base comprising a plurality of press-fit tabs for attachment of the base to a housing of the electric busway system disposed about a bottom surface of the base.

Claims

1. A molded plastic outlet box for electric busway systems comprising:

a molded plastic base comprising a plurality of press-fit tabs for attachment of said base to a housing of said electric busway system disposed about a bottom surface of said base; and

a plurality of press-fit wings disposed on opposite sides of said base so that they are positioned adjacent to oppositely disposed sidewalls of said housing, said plurality of press-fit wings being configured to apply downward pressure to said molded plastic base when engaged with said electric busway system, wherein said press-fit tabs are disposed perpendicular to said base towards said housing, and wherein said housing includes thru-holes for securably receiving said press-fit tabs.

2. The molded plastic outlet box of claim 1, wherein said press-fit tabs are integrally molded together with said outlet box.

3. The molded plastic outlet box of claim 1, wherein said press-fit tabs are disposed about the four corners of said base.

4. The molded plastic outlet box of claim 1, wherein said press-fit tab comprises a post and an end tab for securably affixing said outlet box to said housing.

5. The molded plastic outlet box of claim 1, further comprising a gasket disposed between said base of said outlet box and an adjacent surface of said housing.

6. A molded plastic outlet box for electric busway systems comprising:

a molded plastic base comprising a plurality of press-fit tabs for attachment of said base to a housing of said electric busway system disposed about a bottom surface of said base; and

a plurality of press-fit wings disposed on opposite sides of said base so that they are positioned adjacent to oppositely disposed sidewalls of said housing, said plurality of press-fit wings being configured to apply downward pressure to said molded plastic base when engaged with said electric busway system, wherein said base comprises a planar surface at a top surface thereof, said planar surface having a plurality of slots extending therethrough coextensive with associated bus bar contact blades extending from said busway system, said base further including a pair of side members extending downwardly from said planar surface.

7. A molded plastic outlet box for electric busway systems comprising:

a molded plastic base comprising a plurality of press-fit tabs for attachment of said base to a housing of said electric busway system disposed about a bottom surface of said base; and

a plurality of press-fit wings disposed on opposite sides of said base so that they are positioned adjacent to oppositely disposed sidewalls of said housing, said plurality of press-fit wings being configured to apply downward pressure to said molded plastic base when engaged with said electric busway system, wherein said base further comprises a molded plastic cover hingably and removably attached to one end of said top surface thereof by a hinge pin; and

a pair of first arcuate projections integrally formed on said top surface at said one end, said hinge pin being trapped under said first arcuate projections in press-fit relation therewith for holding said cover in an open position on said one end of said top surface.