Electrical busway splice connector

• US 9,520,703 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Distribution Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Power Distribution Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Jaena, Mario L., Gulkarov, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad
• Application Number:
  US15/018,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 439/213, 439/110, 439/719, 439/507, 439/509, 439/210, 439/113, 439/207, 439/209, 174/72.B, 174/88.B, 174/88.R, 174/149.B
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/145 Details, e.g. end pieces or joints H01R25/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/007 Butt joining of bus-bars by means of a common bolt, e.g. splice joint electrically conductive connections characterised by contacting members H01R4/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/08 Connection boxes therefor

Abstract

A busway splice connector can include a first connector and a second connector. Each of the first connector and the second connector can define a busbar volume for receiving a portion of two busbars. The busway splice connector can also include a first housing that defines a first compartment for receiving the first connector. The busway splice connector can also include a second housing that defines a second compartment for receiving the second connector. The busway splice connector can also include an insulator configured to be positioned between the first housing and the second housing and to insulate the first connector from the second connector when the busway splice connector is assembled.

Claims

1. A busway splice connector comprising:

a first connector and a second connector each defining a busbar volume for receiving a portion of two busbars;

a first housing defining a first compartment for receiving the first connector;

a second housing defining a second compartment for receiving the second connector;

an insulator configured to be positioned between the first housing and the second housing and to insulate the first connector from the second connector when the busway splice connector is assembled;

and wherein the first housing, the second housing and the insulator each define an aperture configured to be aligned when the busway splice connector is assembled and to receive a fastener for coupling the first housing, the second housing and the insulator to each other.

2. The busway splice connector of claim 1 further comprising a ground plate defining an aperture designed to be aligned with the aperture of the first housing, the second housing and the insulator such that the fastener can also extend through the ground plate and fasten the ground plate to the first housing, the second housing and the insulator, wherein the ground plate is configured to be positioned across the first housing and a surface of adjacent busway sections and to be fastened to the surface of the adjacent busway sections to resist separation of the first housing from the adjacent busway sections.

3. The busway splice connector of claim 1 further comprising a ground strap configured to be positioned across the second housing and a standoff insulator configured to be coupled to the ground strap and to receive the fastener such that the fastener resists separation of the ground strap from the second housing.

4. The busway splice connector of claim 1 further comprising a ground strap configured to be positioned across the second housing and defining an aperture configured to be aligned with the aperture of the first housing, the second housing and the insulator such that the fastener can extend through the aperture of the ground strap and resist separation of the ground strap from the aperture of the first housing, the second housing and the insulator.

5. The busway splice connector of claim 1 wherein:

the insulator includes tongues extending outward therefrom towards the first housing and the second housing, and

the first housing and the second housing each define grooves configured to receive the tongues of the insulator to resist separation of the insulator from the first housing and the second housing.

6. The busway splice connector of claim 1 wherein ends of the first housing are configured to contact an outer casing of adjacent busway sections to allow heat to dissipate from the first housing to the outer casing of each of the adjacent busway sections.

7. A busway coupler section usable as part of a busway splice connector or as part of a busway end feed coupler comprising:

a connector defining a busbar volume for receiving a portion of at least one busbar of a busway section;

a housing defining a window and a compartment for receiving the connector; and

a cover configured to be coupled to the housing to restrict access to the window when the cover is coupled to the housing such that the busway coupler section is usable as part of the busway splice connector when the cover is coupled to the housing and usable as part of the busway end feed coupler when the cover is not coupled to the housing.

8. The busway coupler section of claim 7 further comprising a spacer configured to be positioned within the compartment along with the connector such that the spacer and the connector fit snugly within the compartment.

9. The busway coupler section of claim 7 wherein the connector includes a tab extending away from the connector and configured to extend through the window of the housing when the busway coupler section is assembled.

10. The busway coupler section of claim 9 further comprising an end feed coupler support coupled to the tab and configured to be positioned about the housing and to receive power from a power source such that the tab can receive the power from the power source via the end feed coupler support.

11. The busway coupler section of claim 10 wherein the end feed coupler support includes a casing configured to be positioned about the housing and a landing pad configured to be mechanically coupled to the casing and electrically coupled to the tab.

12. The busway coupler section of claim 10 further comprising an end feed plate defining an end feed window and configured to be coupled to the busway section and to the end feed coupler support such that the at least one busbar extends through the window and is received by the busbar volume of the connector when the busway coupler section is assembled.

13. The busway coupler section of claim 10 further comprising a box defining a volume for receiving the end feed coupler support such that the box can isolate the connector, the housing and the end feed coupler support when the busway coupler section is assembled.

14. The busway coupler section of claim 7 further comprising a second connector defining a second busbar volume for receiving a portion of at least a second busbar of the busway section and wherein the housing defines a second window and a second compartment for receiving the second connector and the cover is configured to restrict access to the second window when the cover is coupled to the housing.

15. The busway coupler section of claim 14 wherein the busway coupler section and a second busway coupler section can be combined to form at least one of the busway splice connector or the busway end feed coupler.

16. A busway splice connector comprising:

a first connector and a second connector each defining a busbar volume for receiving a portion of two busbars;

a first housing defining a first window and a first compartment for receiving the first connector;

a second housing defining a second window and a second compartment for receiving the second connector;

a first cover configured to be coupled to the first housing to restrict access to the first window; and

a second cover configured to be coupled to the second housing to restrict access to the second window such that the busway splice connector can be used as the busway splice connector when the first cover and the second cover are coupled to the first housing and the second housing and can be used as an end feed coupler without inclusion of the first cover and the second cover.

17. The busway splice connector of claim 16 further comprising an insulator configured to be positioned between the first housing and the second housing and to insulate the first connector from the second connector when the busway splice connector is assembled.

18. The busway splice connector of claim 17 wherein the first housing, the second housing and the insulator each define an aperture configured to be aligned when the busway splice connector is assembled and to receive a fastener for coupling the first housing, the second housing and the insulator to each other.

19. The busway splice connector of claim 17 wherein:

the insulator includes tongues extending outward therefrom towards the first housing and the second housing, and

the first housing and the second housing each define grooves configured to receive the tongues of the insulator to resist separation of the insulator from the first housing and the second housing.