Separable loadbreak connector and system

• US 7,572,133 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Hughes, David Charles, Steinbrecher, Brian Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US11/688,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 439181-188, 439/921, 439/582, 439/507, 439/784, 439/805, 439/135, 439/148, 439/843
• US Class Current: 439/181
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2033/6623 Details relating to the encasing or the outside layers of the vacuum switch housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2033/6665 Details concerning the mounting or supporting of the individual vacuum bottles
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/66207 Specific housing details, e.g. sealing, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/666 Operating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 13/0358 Connections to in or out conductors connectors in general H01R
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

Separable loadbreak connectors include an overlapping insulation joint and interchangeable preconfigured connector assemblies.

Claims

1. A bus connector for a switchgear, comprising:

a solid bus bar comprising

a first end segment,

a second end segment that is substantially parallel to the first end segment,

a middle segment extending between the first end segment and the second end segment,

a first side comprising a first oblique bend that is disposed proximate the first end segment, the first oblique bend defining a first obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the first end segment and an axis of the middle segment, and

a second side disposed opposite the first side, the second side comprising a second oblique bend that is disposed proximate the second end segment, the second oblique bend defining a second obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the second end segment and an axis of the middle segment, the first and second oblique bends being formed in opposite directions, with substantially equal magnitudes;

a first electrical connector coupled to the first end segment of the bus bar, a mating end of the first electrical connector extending from the second side of the bus bar; and

a second electrical connector coupled to the second end segment of the bus bar, a mating end of the second electrical connector extending from the first side of the bus bar.

2. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector extends perpendicularly away from the bus bar.

3. The bus connector of claim 1, further comprising:

an insulation layer surrounding the bus bar and the first and second electrical connectors; and

a semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the insulation layer.

4. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector comprises a contact probe.

5. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a mating electrical connector.

6. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a contact probe and the other of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a third, mating electrical connector.

7. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is associated with a source side of the switchgear, and the second electrical connector is associated with a tap side of the switchgear.

8. The bus connector of claim 1, wherein longitudinal axes of the first and second electrical connectors are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

9. The bus connector of claim 1, further comprising a layer of solid insulation at least partially surrounding the bus bar and at least one of the first and second electrical connectors.

10. The bus connector of claim 9, wherein the layer of solid insulation comprises at least one of rubber and plastic.

11. The bus connector of claim 9, further comprising a semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the layer of solid insulation.

12. A bus connector assembly, comprising:

first and second solid bus bars, each solid bus bar comprising

a first end segment,

a second end segment that is substantially parallel to the first end segment,

a middle segment extending between the first end segment and the second end segment,

a first side comprising a first oblique bend that is disposed proximate the first end segment, the first oblique bend defining a first obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the first end segment and an axis of the middle segment, and

a second side disposed opposite the first side, the second side comprising a second oblique bend that is disposed proximate the second end segment, the second oblique bend defining a second obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the second end segment and an axis of the middle segment, the first and second oblique bends being formed in opposite directions, with substantially equal magnitudes;

a first electrical connector coupled to the first end segment of the first solid bus bar, a mating end of the first electrical connector extending from the second side of the first solid bus bar;

a second electrical connector coupled to the second end segment of the first solid bus bar, a mating end of the second electrical connector extending from the first side of the first solid bus bar;

a third electrical connector coupled to the first end segment of the second solid bus bar, a mating end of the third electrical connector extending from the second side of the second solid bus bar; and

a fourth electrical connector coupled to the second end segment of the second solid bus bar, a mating end of the fourth electrical connector extending from the first side of the second solid bus bar.

13. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the first end segment of the first solid bus bar is axially aligned with at least a portion of the second end segment of the second solid bus bar.

14. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector extends perpendicularly away from the first solid bus bar.

15. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a first insulation layer surrounding the first solid bus bar and the first and second electrical connectors;

a first semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the first insulation layer;

a second insulation layer surrounding the second solid bus bar and the third and fourth electrical connectors; and

a second semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the second insulation layer.

16. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the electrical connectors comprises a contact probe.

17. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a mating electrical connector.

18. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and third electrical connectors are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

19. The bus connector assembly of claim 18, wherein the longitudinal axes of the second and fourth electrical connectors are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

20. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, further comprising a layer of solid insulation at least partially surrounding the first solid bus bar and at least one of the first and second electrical connectors.

21. The bus connector assembly of claim 20, further comprising a second layer of solid insulation at least partially surrounding the second solid bus bar and at least one of the third and fourth electrical connectors.

22. The bus connector assembly of claim 20, wherein the layer of solid insulation comprises at least one of rubber and plastic.

23. The bus connector assembly of claim 20, further comprising a semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the layer of solid insulation.

24. The bus connector assembly of claim 12, wherein one of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a contact probe and the other of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a fifth, mating electrical connector.

25. The bus connector assembly of claim 24, wherein one of the third and fourth electrical connectors composes a contact probe and the other of the third and fourth electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a sixth, mating electrical connector.

26. A bus connector assembly, comprising:

first and second solid bus bars, each solid bus bar comprising

a first end segment,

a second end segment that is substantially parallel to the first end segment,

a middle segment extending between the first end segment and the second end segment,

a first side comprising a first oblique bend that is disposed proximate the first end segment, the first oblique bend defining a first obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the first end segment and axis of the middle segment, and

a second side disposed opposite the first side, the second side comprising a second oblique bend that is disposed proximate the second end segment, the second oblique bend defining a second obtuse angle that extends between an axis of the second end segment and an axis of the middle segment, the first and second oblique bends being formed in opposite directions, with substantially equal magnitudes, at least a portion of the first end segment of the first solid bus bar being axially aligned with at least a portion of the second end segment of the second solid bus bar;

a first electrical connector coupled to the first end segment of the first solid bus bar, a mating end of the first electrical connector extending from the second side of the first solid bus bar;

a second electrical connector coupled to the second end segment of the first solid bus bar, a mating end of the second electrical connector extending from the first side of the first solid bus bar;

a third electrical connector coupled to the first end segment of the second solid bus bar, a mating end of the third electrical connector extending from the second side of the second solid bus bar; and

a fourth electrical connector coupled to the second end segment of the second solid bus bar, a mating end of the fourth electrical connector extending from the first side of the second solid bus bar.

27. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector extends perpendicularly away from the first solid bus bar.

28. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein the longitudinal axes of the first and third electrical connectors are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

29. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein the longitudinal axes of the second and fourth electrical connectors are substantially parallel with respect to each other.

30. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, further comprising:

a first insulation layer surrounding the first solid bus bar and the first and second electrical connectors;

a first semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the first insulation layer;

a second insulation layer surrounding the second solid bus bar and the third and fourth electrical connectors; and

a second semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the second insulation layer.

31. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the electrical connectors comprises a contact probe.

32. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a mating electrical connector.

33. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, further comprising a layer of solid insulation at least partially surrounding the first solid bus bar and at least one of the first and second electrical connectors.

34. The bus connector assembly of claim 33, further comprising a second layer of solid insulation at least partially surrounding the second solid bus bar and at least one of the third and fourth electrical connectors.

35. The bus connector assembly of claim 33, wherein the layer of solid insulation comprises at least one of rubber and plastic.

36. The bus connector assembly of claim 33, further comprising a semiconductive shield layer covering at least a portion of the layer of solid insulation.

37. The bus connector assembly of claim 26, wherein one of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a contact probe and the other of the first and second electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a fifth, mating electrical connector.

38. The bus connector assembly of claim 37, wherein one of the third and fourth electrical connectors composes a contact probe and the other of the third and fourth electrical connectors comprises a plurality of contact fingers operable to receive a contact probe from a sixth, mating electrical connector.