Electrical busway splice connector
First Claim
1. A busway splice connector for connecting busbars together comprising:
- a U-shaped connector having a first dovetail groove, a second dovetail groove and two inner surfaces that define a volume therebetween for receiving portions of two busbars to be connected together, each dovetail groove having a groove height, the first dovetail groove being formed in a first inner surface of the two inner surfaces and the second dovetail groove being formed in a second inner surface of the two inner surfaces;
a shim fitted over the U-shaped connector; and
a conductive contact having a contact height that is greater than the groove height of the first dovetail groove which causes the conductive contact to bow towards a center of the volume between the two inner surfaces when the conductive contact is received by the first groove.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A splice connector for a busway system utilizes individual connectors made of a conductive material and having a u-shaped cross-section that fit over ends of a pair of busbars to be connected to each other, and within which are mounted multi-contact louvers that extend the length of the connectors to establish a low impedance electrical connection between the connector and the respective busbars. The louvers are secured in place by a dovetail groove that retains the louvers within the connectors and causes the individual contact sections of the louvers to bow outwardly so as to press against the busbars when the connector is fitted over the busbars. The connectors are snapped into insulative housing halves or sections that align the connectors with the busbars, and that provide isolation between horizontally aligned pairs of connectors.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A busway splice connector for connecting busbars together comprising:
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a U-shaped connector having a first dovetail groove, a second dovetail groove and two inner surfaces that define a volume therebetween for receiving portions of two busbars to be connected together, each dovetail groove having a groove height, the first dovetail groove being formed in a first inner surface of the two inner surfaces and the second dovetail groove being formed in a second inner surface of the two inner surfaces; a shim fitted over the U-shaped connector; and a conductive contact having a contact height that is greater than the groove height of the first dovetail groove which causes the conductive contact to bow towards a center of the volume between the two inner surfaces when the conductive contact is received by the first groove. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A busway splice connector for connecting busbars together comprising:
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a conductive connector having a first dovetail groove, a second dovetail groove and two inner surfaces that define a volume therebetween for receiving an end of each of two busbars to be connected together in series, each dovetail groove having a groove height, the first dovetail groove being formed in a first inner surface of the two inner surfaces and the second dovetail groove being formed in a second inner surface of the two inner surfaces; a plurality of shims fitted over the U-shaped connector; and a conductive contact being flexible and having a contact height that is greater than the groove height of the first dovetail groove and configured to be received by the first dovetail groove such that the conductive contact bows towards a center of the volume between the two inner surfaces when the conductive contact is received by the first dovetail groove. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A busway splice connector for connecting busbars comprising:
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a first conductive connector, a second conductive connector, a third conductive connector and a fourth conductive connector each having two inner surfaces that define an area therebetween for receiving a portion of two busbars; a first housing defining a first slot having a similar shape and size as the first conductive connector and configured to receive the first conductive connector and a second slot having a similar shape and size as the second conductive connector and configured to receive the second conductive connector, the first conductive connector and the second conductive connector being insulated from each other when received by the first slot and the second slot; a second housing configured to mate with the first housing and defining a third slot having a similar shape and size as the third conductive connector and configured to receive the third conductive connector and a fourth slot having a similar shape and size as the fourth conductive connector and configured to receive the fourth conductive connector, the third conductive connector and the fourth conductive connector being insulated from each other when received by the third slot and the fourth slot; and an insulator configured to insulate the first conductive connector and the second conductive connector from the third conductive connector and the fourth conductive connector such that each of the first conductive connector, the second conductive connector, the third conductive connector and the fourth conductive connector are insulated from each other when the second housing is mated with the first housing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification