Bus to bus power interconnect

• US 8,379,374 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Keegan, Jeremy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/837,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20120017021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 361/605, 361/611, 361/615, 361/624, 361637-639, 361648-651
• US Class Current: 361/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/142 Their counterparts

Abstract

A bus interconnect in accordance with present embodiments includes a via block having first and second interfaces separated by a conductive body, wherein the via block is configured to communicatively couple with a first bus through the first interface and wherein the conductive body is configured to extend through an opening in a bus support panel. A first coupling section of the jumper includes a first attachment feature, wherein the first attachment feature is configured to facilitate attachment with the second interface of the via block. A neck section of the jumper extends perpendicularly from the first coupling section, and a second coupling section of the jumper extends perpendicularly from the neck section in parallel with the first coupling section. The second coupling section includes a second attachment feature configured to facilitate attachment with a second bus. The first coupling section and the second coupling section each extend away from the neck section in different directions.

Claims

1. A bus to bus interconnect system, comprising:

a via block having first and second interfaces separated by a conductive body, wherein the via block is configured to communicatively couple with a first bus through the first interface and wherein the conductive body is configured to extend through an opening in a bus support panel;

a first coupling section of a jumper including a first attachment feature, wherein the first attachment feature is configured to facilitate attachment with the second interface of the via block;

a neck section of the jumper extending perpendicularly from the first coupling section; and

a second coupling section of the jumper extending from the neck section, wherein the second coupling section includes a second attachment feature configured to facilitate attachment with a second bus, and wherein the first coupling section and the second coupling section each extend away from the neck section in different directions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attachment feature is positioned to one side of the first coupling section.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the neck section of the jumper is offset from the first attachment feature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coupling section and the second coupling section extend away from the neck section such that the jumper comprises a generally Z-shaped cross-section.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attachment feature comprises a pair of bolt holes disposed near an edge of the first coupling section away from an interface between the first coupling section and the neck section.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attachment feature comprises a pair of bolts integral with an area near an edge of the first coupling section away from an interface between the first coupling section and the neck section.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coupling section and the second coupling section extend away from the neck section such that the first attachment feature is not obstructed by the second coupling section and the first attachment feature is accessible from a direction perpendicular to a face of the first coupling section.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the jumper is formed from a single piece of flat metal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the jumper comprises stamped sheet metal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second attachment feature comprises a plurality of openings that are arranged to align with a plurality of grooves disposed in the second bus.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the via block comprises an obround cross-section.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second interfaces comprise substantially planar faces and attachment features that extend into and/or away from the via block.

13. The bus to bus interconnect of claim 1, wherein a length of the neck section corresponds to a thickness of the bus bar such that the neck section and the second coupling section are configured to cooperatively receive the second bus bar and align the second attachment feature with a corresponding attachment feature of the second bus bar.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the second attachment feature extends towards the first coupling feature and comprises an opening in the second coupling section or a projection from the first coupling feature.

14. A bus to bus interconnect system, comprising:

a first bus positioned adjacent a panel on a first side of the panel, wherein the first bus comprises a first connection feature;

a second bus aligned parallel to the first bus and positioned adjacent the panel on a second side of the panel that is opposite the first side, wherein the second bus comprises a second connection feature that is offset from the first connection feature by a distance in a direction traverse to the length of the first and second bus;

a via block having first and second interfaces separated by a conductive body, wherein the first interface is communicatively coupled with the first connection feature and wherein the body extends through an opening in the panel;

a jumper coupled to the second interface via a first bracket arm and a first fastener feature positioned through the first bracket arm;

a trunk portion of the jumper extending perpendicularly from an edge of the first bracket arm and along a width of the second bus;

a second bracket arm of the jumper extending from an edge of the trunk portion and along a face of the second bus, wherein the second bracket arm is coupled with the second bus via the second connection feature and a second fastener feature positioned through the second bracket arm.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first fastener feature is positioned along one side of the first bracket arm.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the trunk portion of the jumper is offset from the first fastener feature.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first fastener feature comprises a bolt hole and/or a bolt.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the second connection feature comprises a plurality of grooves disposed in the second bus that run along a length of the second bus.

19. A bus to bus interconnect method comprising:

transmitting current from a first bus through a via block that is coupled to the first bus and extends from the first bus through a panel to a jumper;

receiving the current into the jumper from the via block via a first bracket arm of the jumper and first attachment features that couple the first bracket arm to the via block;

transmitting the current from the first bracket arm to a second bracket arm of the jumper via a jumper neck of the jumper, wherein the jumper neck extends away from the first bracket arm adjacent a width of a second bus bar; and

transmitting the current into the second bus bar via the second bracket arm and second attachment features that couple with the second bracket arm and interlock with grooves disposed in a face of the second bus bar.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising transmitting current out of the second bus bar and into a device via an attachment including extensions with a narrow neck and a broadened distal end that interlock with a narrow channel and broadened cavity of the grooves.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising transmitting the current to a device via an elongate L-shaped bracket comprising angled coupling pads disposed on distal ends of the elongate L-shaped bracket.

22. The method of claim 19, comprising providing AC current to a rectifier or DC current to a pre-charge device via the first bus or the second bus.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising receiving, at the first bus, three-phase AC current from a source into the first bus.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein transmitting the current into the second bus bar comprises transmitting the current into the face of the second bus bar, wherein the face of the second bus bar is facing away from the via block.