Adjustable cover for conductors and insulators

• US 8,907,222 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preformed Line Products Company
• Original Assignee: Preformed Line Products Company
• Inventors: Stransky, Mark, Miller, Keith, Burns, Mark, Peterson, Robert, Casenhiser, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US13/843,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 174/137.R, 174/138.B, 174/138.R, 174/138.E, 174/138.G, 174/40.R, 174/178, 174/163.R, 174/148, 174/138.F, 361/626, 248/49, 248/74.4, 521/01
• US Class Current: 174/138.F
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/04 Mechanical protection of line; Protection against contact by living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 17/00 Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by their form
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0418 Covers or lids; Their fastenings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 7/00 Overhead installations of electric lines or cables installations of bus-bars H02G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49227 Insulator making

Abstract

A cover apparatus can cover an electrical insulator and an electrical conductor. The cover apparatus includes one or more leg sections for covering a portion of the electrical conductor. The cover apparatus includes a cover section coupled to the one or more leg sections and covering a portion of the electrical insulator. The cover section includes a body portion and an adjustable portion coupled to the body portion at a coupling location. The adjustable portion can be adjusted such that a dimension of the adjustable portion is adjusted according to a dimension of the electrical insulator. An example method of forming a cover apparatus for covering an electrical insulator and an electrical conductor is also provided.

Claims

1. A cover apparatus for covering an electrical insulator and an electrical conductor, the cover apparatus comprising:

one or more leg sections configured to cover a portion of the electrical conductor; and

a cover section coupled to the one or more leg sections and configured to cover a portion of the electrical insulator, the cover section comprising;

a body portion; and

an adjustable portion coupled to the body portion at a coupling location, the adjustable portion comprising a plurality of separable sections configured to be removed to adjust a dimension of the adjustable portion according to a dimension of the electrical insulator.

2. The cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dimension of the adjustable portion corresponds to a length of the adjustable portion as measured from the coupling location to a distal end of the adjustable portion.

3. The cover apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of separable sections are spaced apart along the length of the adjustable portion.

4. The cover apparatus of claim 3, wherein the length of the adjustable portion is reduced upon removal of a separable section of the plurality of separable sections.

5. The cover apparatus of claim 2, wherein the length of the adjustable portion is substantially perpendicular to an axis along which the electrical conductor extends.

6. The cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover section extends substantially 360 degrees around the portion of the electrical insulator.

7. The cover apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cover section extends along a substantially vertical axis.

8. The cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover section extends substantially 180 degrees around the portion of the electrical insulator.

9. The cover apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cover section extends along a substantially horizontal axis.

10. A cover apparatus for covering an electrical insulator and an electrical conductor, the cover apparatus comprising:

a first leg section configured to cover a first portion of the electrical conductor;

a second leg section configured to cover a second portion of the electrical conductor; and

a cover section coupled to the first leg section and the second leg section and configured to cover a portion of the electrical insulator, the cover section comprising;

a body portion; and

an adjustable portion coupled to the body portion at a coupling location, the adjustable portion comprising a plurality of separable sections configured to be removed to adjust a dimension of the adjustable portion according to a dimension of the electrical insulator.

11. The cover apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dimension of the adjustable portion corresponds to a length of the adjustable portion as measured from the coupling location to a distal end of the adjustable portion.

12. The cover apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of separable sections are spaced apart along the length of the adjustable portion such that the length of the adjustable portion is reduced upon removal of a separable section of the plurality of separable sections.

13. The cover apparatus of claim 10, comprising a first gripping structure in a first wall of the first leg section and a second gripping structure in a second wall of the first leg section, the first gripping structure and the second gripping structure configured to facilitate installation of the cover apparatus onto the electrical conductor.

14. The cover apparatus of claim 10, comprising a first securing portion in a first wall of the first leg section and a second securing portion in a second wall of the first leg section, the first securing portion and the second securing portion configured to secure the cover apparatus to the electrical conductor.

15. The cover apparatus of claim 14, wherein a first attachment opening is formed in the first securing portion and a second attachment opening is formed in the second securing portion such that a securing item placed into the first attachment opening and the second attachment opening couples the first securing portion to the second securing portion to secure the cover apparatus to the electrical conductor.

16. The cover apparatus of claim 15, wherein the securing item comprises an insertion portion that facilitates placement of the securing item into the first attachment opening and the second attachment opening.

17. The cover apparatus of claim 14, wherein a relief portion is formed in the first wall of the first leg section adjacent to the first securing portion.

18. A method of forming a cover apparatus for covering an electrical insulator and an electrical conductor, comprising

providing a cover section of the cover apparatus and one or more leg sections of the cover apparatus, wherein the cover section is coupled to the one or more leg sections of the cover apparatus, the cover section configured to cover a portion of the electrical insulator and the one or more leg sections configured to cover a portion of the electrical conductor, the cover section comprising a body portion and an adjustable portion coupled to the body portion at a coupling location, the adjustable portion comprising a plurality of separable sections configured to be removed to adjust a length of the adjustable portion, as measured from the coupling location to a distal end of the adjustable portion, according to a dimension of the electrical insulator;

and

removing a separable section of the plurality of separable sections to reduce the length of the adjustable portion according to the dimension of the electrical insulator.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the removing comprises reducing the length of the adjustable portion in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to an axis along which the electrical conductor extends.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising providing a securing item configured to secure a leg section of the one or more leg sections to the electrical conductor.