Enclosure and optimizations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12034241-B2
Application number	US-202117559974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A connector assembly is provided for facilitating live connection of equipment in a switchgear. The assembly includes two circular plates, and conductive fingers which are arranged and spaced apart around the two plates to form a finger cluster with first open-end on a first cluster end and second open-end on an opposite second cluster end. Each open-end can receive a conductor therein. Each finger can include a first finger end and an opposite second finger end which form respective first and second cluster ends; two first interior grooves which are spaced-apart on an interior surface to receive a portion of respective plates; and first and second exterior grooves on an exterior surface around the first and second finger ends respectively. The assembly also includes first and second garter springs which are arranged around the fingers in respective first and second exterior grooves to apply a force against the fingers.

First claim

We claim:

1. A connector assembly for facilitating a live connection of a switching or protective equipment in a switchgear assembly, the connector assembly comprising:
at least two circular plates, which are formed of a conductive material and spaced apart from one another;
a plurality of fingers which are formed of a conductive material and are arranged and spaced apart around the at least two circular plates to form a finger cluster with a first open-end on a first cluster end and a second open-end on an opposite second cluster end, the first and second open-ends each being configured to receive a conductor therein, each of the plurality of fingers including:
a first finger end and an opposite second finger end which form respective first and second cluster ends,
at least two interior grooves which are spaced-apart on an interior surface, each of the at least two first interior grooves being configured to receive a portion of a respective one of the at least two circular plates, and
first and second exterior grooves on an exterior surface, the first and second exterior grooves being positioned at the first and second finger ends respectively; and

first and second garter springs which are arranged around the plurality of fingers in a respective one of the first and second exterior grooves of each of the plurality of fingers to apply a force against the plurality of fingers,
wherein each of the plurality of fingers includes two protruding portions which extend toward an internal cavity of the finger cluster and include a contact surface, one of the two protruding portions being arranged between a first one of the at least two interior grooves and the first finger end, another one of the two protruding portions being arranged between a second one of the at least two interior grooves and the second finger end,
wherein each of the plurality of fingers further includes an interior region with the at least two interior grooves, the interior region extending further than the two protruding portions toward the internal cavity of the finger cluster, and
each of the fingers is symmetrical about a center of each of the fingers between the first and second finger ends, the center running from the interior surface to the exterior surface.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the finger cluster is configured to make at least a three-point contact with the conductor engaged therein through the first or second open-end, via the contact surfaces of the plurality of fingers.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conductor is a runback having a first runback end and an opposite second runback end, one of the first and second runback ends being configured to engage the finger cluster through one of the first and second open-ends of the finger cluster, another one of the first and second runback ends being connected to another conductor leading to switching or protective circuitry of the switching or protective equipment.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the runback includes a plurality of open ventilation areas at the another one of the first and second runback ends.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the runback is formed by metal casting and two of the open ventilation areas which extend through the runback, the two of the open ventilation areas being symmetrical about a central longitudinal axis running from the first runback end to the second runback end.

6. The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the runback tapers from the another one of the first and second runback ends with the open ventilation areas to the one of the first and second runback ends connected to the finger cluster.

7. The connector assembly of claim 6 , wherein the finger cluster and the runback are rated for a 2,000 Amp application or for use in a MV switchgear application.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fingers comprises 20 fingers which are spaced apart at 22 mm around the at least two circular plates.

9. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the runback is covered with an epoxy resin made of an insulating material, except at locations on the first and second runback ends where the runback makes a connection to the finger cluster and the another conductor.

10. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior region comprises a middle region of a body of the finger between the first and second finger ends.

11. The connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein the middle region of each of the fingers extends further toward the internal cavity of the finger cluster than the rest of the body of the finger.

12. The connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the interior and exterior surfaces runs along a length of each of the fingers between the first and second ends of each of the fingers, the interior surface of the middle region of each of the fingers includes the at least two interior grooves, the exterior surface of the middle region of each of the fingers includes at least an exterior portion which extends further outwards than regions of the exterior surface which run between the middle region and the first finger end of each of the fingers and between the middle region and the second finger end of each of the fingers, and the at least two interior grooves on the interior surface are opposite the at least an exterior portion on the exterior surface.

13. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first end region and an opposite second end region of each of the fingers have a same shape or dimensions, the first end region including the first finger end and the first one of the two protruding portions which is closest to the first finger end, and the second end region including the second finger end and the second one of the two protruding portions which is closest to the second finger end.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Usa Inc

Inventors

• Williford Matthew Alan
• Avalos Ortiz Edgar
• Bagaitkar Amol Shrirang
• Byron Eldridge R
• Flores Sergio
• Kumbalwar Bhushan
• Motley Gregory O

Classifications

• H01H1/62

  Heating or cooling of contacts · CPC title

• H02B13/00

  Arrangement of switchgear in which switches are enclosed in, or structurally associated with, a casing, e.g. cubicle (switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation H02B11/00) · CPC title

• H01R13/18 Primary

  with the spring member surrounding the socket · CPC title

• H02B1/56

  Cooling; Ventilation · CPC title

• H02B1/20

  Bus-bar or other wiring layouts, e.g. in cubicles, in switchyards (installations of bus-bars H02G5/00) · CPC title