HEAT DISSIPATION MEANS FOR ELECTRIC DEVICES MOUNTED IN SWITCHBOARDS (ESPECIALLY CIRCUIT BREAKERS)

• US 3,764,765 A
• Filed: 06/12/1972
• Issued: 10/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William Francis Olashaw
• Original Assignee: William Francis Olashaw
• Inventors: Olashaw, William Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/261,595
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 317/100,120 200/166K 165/105 174/15R,15BH
• US Class Current: 200/289
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/523 by using heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/56 Cooling; Ventilation

Abstract

An electric switchboard assembly including a main enclosure formed of sheet metal, and barriers extending parallel to the front wall and dividing the switchboard assembly into at least two vertical sections. The vertical section nearest the front wall of the switchboard assembly contains electrical control devices such as electric switches, fuses, circuit breakers, etc. The remainder of the assembly contains vertically extending power supply bus bars which are connected to the electrical control devices, and load connections, including load bus bars, for connecting the control devices to outgoing conductors leading to power consuming devices. The switchboard assembly also includes heat bleeding and dissipating means of the evaporating and recondensing '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'heat pipe'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' type with heat dissipating fins. Connecting means is provided so that when the electrical control devices are in mounted position in the switchboard, a heat conducting connection is formed between the device and the heat pipe cooling means, whereby heat generated in the electrical control device is conducted to the heat dissipating fins and carried away by the natural circulation of air.

Claims

1. An electric power switchboard assembly comprising:

a. a supporting frame;

b. at least one multi-pole electric power control device removably supported on said supporting frame;

c. a plurality of line and load connecting terminals carried by said control device, there being at least one said line terminal and one said load terminal for each pole of said multi-pole control device;

d. a plurality of incoming and outgoing electrical conductors supported in insulated relation on said supporting frame, there being at least one said incoming conductor and one said outgoing conductor for each pole of said multi-pole control device;

e. connecting means connecting each of said line terminals of said control device to a corresponding one of said incoming conductors and connecting means connecting each of said load terminals of said control device to a corresponding one of said outgoing conductors;

f. at least one elongated heat pipe heat transporting means fixedly supported on said supporting frame;

g. said incoming conductors, said line and load terminals of said control device, said control device, and said outgoing conductors forming a complete electrical circuit without involving said heat pipe heat transporting means;

h. said electric power control device including metallic heat conducting means other than said line and load terminals of said control device disposed and arranged in good heat conducting relation with said heat pipe heat transporting means.

2. An electric power switchboard assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat conducting means of said control device is maintained in heat conducting relation with said heat pipe by means mounting and connecting said control device in operative position in said switchboard assembly.

3. An electric power switchboard assembly as set forth in claim 1, said power control device including metallic heat conducting means other than said line and load terminals of said control device, said switchboard assembly including plug-in type connecting means retaining said heat conducting means of said control device in good heat conducting relation with said one end of said heat pipe heat transporting means.

4. An electric power switchboard assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said metallic heat conducting means of said control device comprises an elongated member projecting from said control device and wherein said plug-in type connecting means for said heat pipe comprises a socket fixedly mounted in said supporting frame and receiving said elongated member in good heat conducting relation.

5. An electric power switchboard assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said switchboard assembly includes at least one pair of closely spaced electric bus bar conductors, a switchboard member fixedly mounted between said bar of bus bar conductors, and means supporting said heat pipe heat transporting means on said support member.

6. An electric power switchboard assembly comprising:

a. a supporting frame;

b. at least one multi-pole electric power control device removably supported on said supportng frame;

c. a plurality of line and load connecting terminals carried by said control device, there being at least one said line terminal and one said load terminal for each pole of said multi-pole control device;

d. a plurality of Incoming and outgoing electrical conductors supported in insulated relation on said supporting frame, there being at least one said incoming conductor and one said outgoing conductor for each pole of said multi-pole control device;

e. connecting means connecting each of said line terminals of said control device to a corresponding one of said incoming conductors and connecting means connecting each of said load terminals of said control device to a corresponding one of said outgoing conductors;

f. at least one elongated heat pipe heat transporting means fixedly supported on said supporting frame;

g. said incoming conductors, said line and load terminals of said control device, said control device, and said outgoing conductors forming a complete electrical circuit without involving said heat pipe heat transporting means;

h. said electric power control device including metallic heat conducting means other than said line and load terminals of said control device disposed and arranged in good heat conducting relation with said one end of said heat pipe heat transporting means, i. said supporting frame comprises a generally box-shaped enclosure having front, back, top, bottom, and opposed side walls;

j. a first generally planar barrier extending between said side walls parallel to said front and back walls;

k. said control device being mounted in said enclosure in the space between said front wall and said first barrier;

l. said incoming conductors comprising vertically extending bus bars positioned adjacent said first barrier at the side opposite said control device;

m. said heat pipe heat transporting means comprising an elongated member having said one end positioned adjacent said vertically extending bus bars and in a direction generally toward said back wall of said enclosure.