Electrical connector with fault closure lockout

• US 7,811,113 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Hughes, David Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta; Tho D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US12/047,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 439/278, 439/921, 439/205.6, 439/923, 439/693, 439/205
• US Class Current: 439/278
• 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: Y10S 439/921 Transformer bushing type or high voltage underground connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

An electrical connector, such as a bushing insert, with a fault-closure lockout feature includes a housing with an inner bore having opposite ends. One end has an opening providing access to the inner bore. A piston-contact element is movable between first and second axially spaced positions within the inner bore. During fault conditions, the piston-contact element moves from the first position to the second position to accelerate connection with a male contact of another electrical connector, such as a cable connector, thereby inhibiting the formation of flashover or electrical arc. After fault closure, a lockout member on the piston-contact element prevents moving the piston-contact element from the second position to the first position.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing comprising an inner bore and an open end providing access to the inner bore, the inner bore having an inner surface and a bore retaining groove disposed in the inner surface;

a snuffer tube comprising opposing first and second ends and an ablative material extending substantially between the first and second ends;

a piston-contact element comprising a conductive member adapted to engage an electrical contact of another electrical connector to complete a circuit that includes each electrical connector, the piston-contact element coupled to the first end of the snuffer tube and slidable in conjunction with the snuffer tube,

the piston-contact element being substantially within the inner bore of the housing, through the open end,

the piston-contact element being axially movable within the connector from a retracted position to an advanced position in response to arc extinguishing gas provided by the ablative material of the snuffer tube upon a fault condition,

the second end of the snuffer tube being disposed (a) substantially within the inner bore of the housing in the retracted position and (b) substantially outside of the inner bore of the housing in the advanced position, and

the piston-contact element comprising an outer surface having an element retaining groove and a lockout member; and

a resilient member received in each of the retaining grooves to releasably retain the piston-contact element in the retracted position,

wherein, after the piston-contact element moves from the retracted position to the advanced position, the lockout member engages the resilient member to retain the piston-contact element in the advanced position and prevents the piston-contact element from being moved from the advanced position to the retracted position.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the retaining grooves are each substantially annular and continuous.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the bore retaining groove comprises first and second side walls and an end wall extending therebetween, and wherein an angled wall extends from the second side wall to facilitate engagement of the resilient member in the bore retaining groove.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the element retaining groove comprises first and second side walls and an end wall extending therebetween, the second side wall being angled with respect to the first side wall to facilitate disengagement of the resilient member from the element retaining groove.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein an electrical contact of another electrical connector is received in the inner bore of the housing through the open end and engages the piston-contact element.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an inner conductive sleeve, and wherein the bore retaining groove is disposed in the conductive sleeve.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a high-voltage bushing insert.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the lockout member comprises a shoulder configured to abut the resilient member when the piston-contact element is moved in a direction from the advanced position toward the retracted position, thereby retaining the piston contact element in the advanced position.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein the shoulder of the lockout member is substantially annular and continuous.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein the piston-contact element further comprises a stop substantially preventing removal of the piston-contact member from the inner bore of the housing, and

wherein the lockout member further comprises a wall angled away from the outer surface in a direction from the retracted position toward the advanced position, the wall of the lockout member facilitating positioning of the resilient member between the stop and the annular shoulder of the lockout member when the piston-contact element moves from the retracted position to the advanced position.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein the annular shoulder of the lockout member is disposed substantially perpendicular to the outer surface.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the piston-contact element comprises opposing first and second ends, the first end being adapted to engage another electrical connector, and the second end comprising a stop substantially preventing removal of the piston-contact member from the inner bore of the housing.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein the stop comprises an annular shoulder abutting the resilient member in the advanced position.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein the first end of the piston-contact element comprises probe fingers, and wherein the second end of the piston-contact element comprises a piston.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the probe fingers and the piston-contact element together form a unitary, one-piece member.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the resilient member comprises a substantially ring shaped spring.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 16, wherein the resilient member comprises a slot that allows expansion and compression of the resilient member.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the piston-contact element is in the retracted position when the resilient member is received in both of the retaining grooves, and

wherein the piston-contact element is in the advanced position when the resilient member is received in the bore retaining groove and is spaced from the element retaining groove.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein the resilient member is received in both the element and bore retaining grooves when the piston-contact element is in the retracted position.

20. A high-voltage bushing insert for mating with a cable connector, comprising:

a housing comprising an inner bore and an open end providing access to the inner bore, the inner bore having an inner surface and a bore retaining groove disposed in the inner surface;

a piston-contact element slidably received in the inner bore of the housing through the open end, the piston-contact element being axially movable within the connector between retracted and advanced positions and comprising an outer surface having an element retaining groove and a lockout member; and

a resilient member received in each of the retaining grooves to releasably retain the piston-contact element in the retracted position,

wherein the piston-contact element is in the retracted position during normal operation and is moved from the retracted position to the advanced position automatically by gases generated during fault conditions, the lockout member engaging the resilient member in the advanced position, thereby retaining the piston-contact element in the advanced position and preventing the piston-contact element from being moved from the advanced position to the retracted position.

21. The bushing insert according to claim 20, wherein the lockout member comprises a shoulder configured to abut the resilient member when the piston-contact element is moved in a direction from the advanced position toward the retracted position, thereby retaining the piston contact element in the advanced position.

22. The bushing insert according to claim 21, wherein the shoulder of the lockout member is substantially annular and continuous.

23. The bushing insert according to claim 21, wherein the piston-contact element further comprises a stop substantially preventing removal of the piston-contact member from the inner bore of the housing, and

wherein the lockout member further comprises a wall angled away from the outer surface in a direction from the retracted position toward the advanced position, the wall of the lockout member facilitating positioning of the resilient member between the stop and the annular shoulder of the lockout member when the piston-contact element moves from the retracted position to the advanced position.

24. The bushing insert according to claim 20, wherein the piston-contact element is in the retracted position when the resilient member is received in both of the retaining grooves, and

wherein the piston-contact element is in the advanced position when the resilient member is received in the bore retaining groove and is spaced from the element retaining groove.

25. The bushing insert according to claim 24, wherein the resilient member is received in both the element and bore retaining grooves when the piston-contact element is in the retracted position.

26. The bushing insert according to claim 24, wherein the piston-contact element further comprises an annular shoulder extending outwardly from the outer surface of the piston-contact element, the annular shoulder engaging the resilient member in the advanced position to substantially prevent removal of the piston-contact element from the inner bore of the housing.

27. A high-voltage bushing insert for mating with a cable connector, comprising:

a housing comprising an inner bore and an open end providing access to the inner bore, the inner bore having an inner surface and a bore retaining groove disposed in the inner surface;

a piston-contact element slidably received in the inner bore of the housing through the open end, the piston-contact element being axially movable within the connector between retracted and advanced positions and comprising an outer surface having an element retaining groove and a lockout member; and

a resilient member received in each of the retaining grooves to releasably retain the piston-contact element in the retracted position,

wherein the piston-contact element is in the retracted position during normal operation and is moved from the retracted position to the advanced position during fault conditions, the lockout member engaging the resilient member in the advanced position, thereby fixedly retaining the piston-contact element in the advanced position such that the piston-contact element cannot be moved from the advanced position to the retracted position.

28. The bushing insert according to claim 27, wherein the lockout member comprises a shoulder configured to abut the resilient member when the piston-contact element is moved in a direction from the advanced position toward the retracted position, thereby retaining the piston contact element in the advanced position.

29. The bushing insert according to claim 28, wherein the shoulder of the lockout member is substantially annular and continuous.

30. The bushing insert according to claim 28, wherein the piston-contact element further comprises a stop substantially preventing removal of the piston-contact member from the inner bore of the housing, and

wherein the lockout member further comprises a wall angled away from the outer surface in a direction from the retracted position toward the advanced position, the wall of the lockout member facilitating positioning of the resilient member between the stop and the annular shoulder of the lockout member when the piston-contact element moves from the retracted position to the advanced position.

31. The bushing insert according to claim 27, wherein the piston-contact element is in the retracted position when the resilient member is received in both of the retaining grooves, and

wherein the piston-contact element is in the advanced position when the resilient member is received in the bore retaining groove and is spaced from the element retaining groove.

32. The bushing insert according to claim 31, wherein the resilient member is received in both the element and bore retaining grooves when the piston-contact element is in the retracted position.

33. The bushing insert according to claim 31, wherein the piston-contact element further comprises an annular shoulder extending outwardly from the outer surface of the piston-contact element, the annular shoulder engaging the resilient member in the advanced position to substantially prevent removal of the piston-contact element from the inner bore of the housing.