ELECTRICAL DISCONNECT

• US 20100227510A1
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Line Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Power Line Products, LLC
• Inventors: Boyd, Don M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/650
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/113 co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2101/00 One pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/20 Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

An electrical disconnect for detachably connecting segments of a drip loop of an electrical service line of a structure, the drip loop having a structure side segment and a service line segment, the electrical disconnect having a first portion connected to the structure side segment of the drip loop, the first portion comprising at least one male electrical conductor extending therefrom and a second portion connected to the service line segment of the drip loop.

Claims

1. An electrical disconnect for detachably connecting segments of a drip loop of an electrical service line of a structure, the drip loop having a structure side segment and a service line segment, the electrical disconnect comprising:

a first portion connected to the structure side segment of the drip loop, the first portion comprising at least one male electrical conductor extending therefrom;

a second portion connected to the service line segment of the drip loop, the second portion having at least one female conductor carrying an electrical current, the at least one female conductor disposed within an electrically insulated housing, the at least one female electrical conductor being releaseably connected to at least a portion of the at least one male electrical conductor in such a way that when a predetermined amount of force is applied to the electrical service line, the at least one male electrical conductor separates from the at least one female electrical conductor.

2. The electrical disconnect of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises an insulated housing covering at least a portion of the structure side segment of the drip loop and at least a portion of the at least one male electrical conductor.

3. The electrical disconnect of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are constructed in such a way that when joined together, the first portion and the second portion substantially cover and electrically insulate the at least one male conductor and the at least one female conductor.

4. The electrical disconnect of claim 1, wherein the insulated housing of the first portion comprises a cylindrical protrusion and the insulated housing of the second portion comprises a cylindrical collar, the cylindrical protrusion of the first portion is adapted to be received within the cylindrical collar of the second portion to substantially cover the at least one male conductor and the at least one female conductor when the first and second portions are joined together.

5. The electrical disconnect of claim 1, wherein the at least one male conductor includes a blade portion and the at least one female conductor includes two electrical conductor plates spaced apart from one another and positioned in such a way that when the first portion and the second portion are connected together the blade portion of the at least one male conductor is releaseably secured between the two electrical conductor plates of the at least one female conductor.

6. An electrical disconnect in combination with a drip loop of an electrical service line of a structure, the drip loop having a structure side segment and a service line segment, the electrical disconnect comprising:

a first portion connected to the structure side segment of the drip loop, the first portion comprising at least one male electrical conductor extending therefrom;

a second portion connected to the service line segment of the drip loop, the second portion having at least one female conductor carrying an electrical current disposed within an electrically insulated housing, the at least one female electrical conductor being releaseably connected to at least a portion of the at least one male electrical conductor in such a way that when a predetermined amount of force is applied to the electrical service line, the at least one male electrical conductor separates from the at least one female electrical conductor.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the first portion comprises an insulated housing covering at least a portion of the structure side segment of the drip loop and at least a portion of the at least one male electrical conductor.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein the first portion and the second portion are constructed in such a way that when joined together, the first portion and the second portion substantially cover the at least one male conductor and the at least one female conductor.

9. The combination of claim 6, wherein the insulated housing of the first portion comprises a cylindrical protrusion and the insulated housing of the second portion comprises a cylindrical collar, the cylindrical protrusion of the first portion is adapted to be received within the cylindrical collar of the second portion to substantially cover the at least one male conductor and the at least one female conductor when the first and second portions are joined together.

10. The combination of claim 6, wherein the at least one male conductor includes a blade portion and the at least one female conductor includes two electrical conductor plates spaced apart from one another and positioned in such a way that when the first portion and the second portion are connected together the blade portion of the at least one male conductor is releaseably secured between the two electrical conductor plates of the at least one female conductor.

11. A method for installing an electrical disconnect along a drip loop of an electrical conductor line, the steps of the method comprising:

obtaining an electrical disconnect having;

a first portion comprising at least one male electrical conductor extending therefrom; and

a second portion having at least one female conductor for carrying an electrical current, the at least one female conductor disposed within an electrically insulated housing, the at least one female electrical conductor being releaseably connectable to at least a portion of the at least one male electrical conductor in such a way that when a predetermined amount of force is applied to the electrical service line, the at least one male electrical conductor separates from the at least one female electrical conductor;

dividing the drip loop of the electrical conductor line into a structure side segment and a service line segment; and

connecting the structure side segment of the drip loop to the first portion of the electrical disconnect and the service line segment of the drip loop to the second portion of the electrical disconnect.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of connecting the first portion and the second portion of the electrical disconnect so as to permit the transmission of an electrical current from the service line segment of the drip loop, through the electrical disconnect and into the structure side segment of the drip loop.