Switch box assembly having guide for bus bar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11646557-B2
Application number	US-202117485756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2021
Priority date	Sep 27, 2021
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A switch box assembly is configured to house a switch box having a bus bar. The switch box assembly includes a holder, a nut housing and a guide. The holder includes a back wall. The back wall includes a slot for receiving the bus bar. The nut housing is configured to house a nut. The guide is disposed on the nut housing and adjacent the back wall, the guide dimensioned to guide the bus bar over a top surface of the nut. Accordingly, the guide prevents the bus bar from hitting the nut during installation.

First claim

We claim:

1. A switch box assembly configured to house a switch box having a bus bar, the switch box assembly comprising:
a holder having a back wall, the back wall having a slot for receiving the bus bar;
a nut housing for housing a nut; and
a guide disposed on the nut housing and adjacent the back wall, the guide includes a slanted wall, the slanted wall facing the back wall and slot, the guide dimensioned to guide the bus bar over a top surface of the nut.

2. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a pair of first side walls, a first top wall and a first bottom wall, the pair of first side walls, the first top wall and the first bottom wall connected to the back wall so as to define a switch opening for receiving the switch box.

3. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 2 , further including a ramp disposed on the bottom wall and an inner surface of the back wall, a top portion of the ramp being contiguous with the slot.

4. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the slot is defined by an angled edge, the angled edge coplanar with a top surface of the ramp so as to be contiguous with the top portion of the ramp.

5. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 3 , further including a bead disposed on the bottom wall, the bead coaxial with a longitudinal length of the ramp and extending from a distal end of the ramp to the switch opening.

6. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the nut housing including a second top wall spaced apart from a second bottom wall, the second top wall including a U-shaped opening, wherein the guide is disposed between a distal end of the U-shaped opening of the second top wall and the slot.

7. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the guide is a truncated pyramid.

8. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the slanted wall is coplanar with the top surface of the ramp and the angled edge so as to be contiguous with the top portion of the ramp and the angled edge.

9. A switch box assembly comprising:
a switch box having at least one bus bar;
a holder having a back wall, the back wall having at least one slot for receiving a corresponding on of the at least one bus bar;
at least one nut housing, each of the at least one nut housing having a nut, each of the least one nut housing including a second top wall spaced apart from a second bottom wall, the second top wall including a U-shaped opening; and
at least one guide disposed on the nut housing and adjacent the back wall of the holder, each of the at least one guide includes a slanted wall, the slanted wall facing the back wall and slot and each of the at least one guide dimensioned to guide a corresponding one of the at least one bus bar over a top surface of the nut, the guide is disposed between a distal end of the U-shaped opening of the second top wall and the slot.

10. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the at least one bus bar is a pair of bus bars, the at least one slot is a pair of slots, the at least one nut housing is a pair of nut housings and the at least one guide is a pair of guides.

11. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the holder includes a pair of first side walls, a first top wall and a first bottom wall, the pair of first side walls, the first top wall and the first bottom wall connected to the back wall so as to define a switch opening for receiving the switch box.

12. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 11 , further including a pair of ramps disposed on the first bottom wall and an inner surface of the back wall, a top portion of each of the pair of ramps being contiguous with a corresponding one of the pair of slots.

13. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein each of the pair of slots is defined by an angled edge, the angled edge coplanar with a top surface of a corresponding one of the pair of ramps so as to be contiguous with the top portion of the corresponding one of the pair of ramps.

14. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 13 , further including a pair of beads disposed on the first bottom wall, each of the pair of beads coaxial with a longitudinal length of the corresponding one of the pair of ramps and extending from a distal end of the corresponding one of the pair of ramps to the switch opening.

15. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein each one of the at least one guide is a truncated pyramid.

16. The switch box assembly as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the slanted wall is coplanar with the top surface of the ramp and the angled edge so as to be contiguous with the top portion of the ramp and the angled edge.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Carnick Brian
• Alexander Christopher

Classifications

• B60R16/0238 Primary

  Electrical distribution centers · CPC title

• H02G5/04

  Partially-enclosed installations, e.g. in ducts and adapted for sliding or rolling current collection · CPC title

• H02G3/08 Primary

  Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes · CPC title