Flight diverter assemblies for aerial conductors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12446571-B2
Application number	US-202218047433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 18, 2021
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A flight diverter assembly is provided that includes a first section, a second section, a biasing member, and a toggle action lever mechanism. The first and second sections are movable with respect to one another about a hinge axis between an open position and a closed position. The biasing member normally biasing the first and second sections to the closed position. The toggle action lever mechanism is connected to the first and second sections and has an over-center position that corresponds with the open position. The toggle action lever mechanism releasably holds the first and second sections in the open position when in the over-center position, but interacts, during installation on a conductor, with the conductor to move the toggle action lever mechanism from the over-center position to move the first and second sections to the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flight diverter assembly, comprising:
a first section having a first outer surface;
a second section having a second outer surface, the first section being movably secured to the second section for movement about a hinge axis between an open position and a closed position;
a pair of biasing members normally biasing the first and second sections to the closed position; and
a toggle action lever mechanism connected to the first and second sections, the toggle action lever mechanism having an over-center position that corresponds with the open position, wherein the toggle action lever mechanism releasably holds the first and second sections in the open position when in the over-center position,
wherein the toggle action lever mechanism is positioned between the first and second sections such that, during installation on a conductor, the conductor interacts with the toggle action lever mechanism to move the toggle action lever mechanism from the over-center position to allow the pair of biasing members and the toggle action lever mechanism to move the first and second sections to the closed position,
wherein the pair of biasing members are positioned on opposite sides of the toggle action lever, and
wherein the first section has a first hinge pin and a first hinge knuckle and the second section has a second hinge pin and a second hinge knuckle, the first hinge pin being movably secured to the second hinge knuckle and the second hinge pin being movably secured to the first hinge knuckle, the hinge axis being defined through the first and second hinge pins.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section and the second section have an identical shape or a different shape.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section and/or the second section have a feature selected from a group consisting of a planar outer surface, a non-planar outer surface, a convex outer surface, and combinations thereof.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section and the second section have a feature selected from a group consisting of a reflective material, an emittance material, and combinations thereof.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each biasing member is a torsion spring positioned about the hinge axis in the open and closed positions.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section and/or the second section further comprises a hotstick engaging region that is positioned above the hinge axis.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section and/or the second section further comprises a hotstick engaging region positioned at a lower edge.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first section comprises a first conductor capturing region and the second section comprises a second conductor capturing region, the first and second conductor capturing region defining, when in the closed position, a conductor receiving area therebetween.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a first gripping pad disposed in the first conductor capturing region and a second gripping pad disposed in the second conductor capturing region.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first and second gripping pads each further comprise connecting prongs and wherein the first and second sections each further comprise openings positioned and configured to receive the connecting prongs to secure the first and second gripping pads in the first and second conductor capturing regions, respectively.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first and second conductor capturing regions further comprise a surface configured to lead or guide the conductor towards the conductor receiving area.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of biasing members are selected from a group consisting of a torsion spring, a compression spring, and an extension spring.

13. A flight diverter assembly, comprising:
a first section having a first outer surface;
a second section having a second outer surface, the first section being movably secured to the second section for movement about a hinge axis between an open position and a closed position;
a pair of biasing members normally biasing the first and second sections to the closed position;
a toggle action lever mechanism connected to the first and second sections, the toggle action lever mechanism having an over-center position that corresponds with the open position, wherein the toggle action lever mechanism releasably holds the first and second sections in the open position when in the over-center position;
a conductor receiving area defined by the first and second sections when in the closed position;
a first gripping pad having a first connecting prong received in a first connecting opening of the first section; and
a second gripping pad having a second connecting prong received in a second connecting opening of the second section, wherein the first and second gripping pads are in the conductor receiving area,
wherein the toggle action lever mechanism is positioned between the first and second sections such that, during installation on a conductor, the conductor interacts with the toggle action lever mechanism to move the toggle action lever mechanism from the over-center position to allow the pair of biasing members and the toggle action lever mechanism to move the first and second sections to the closed position, and
wherein the pair of biasing members are positioned on opposite sides of the toggle action lever.

14. A flight diverter assembly, comprising:
a first section having a first outer surface, a first hinge pin, and a first hinge knuckle, wherein the first outer surface has a first lower edge remote from the first hinge pin and knuckle;
a second section having a second outer surface, a second hinge pin, and a second hinge knuckle, wherein the second outer surface has a second lower edge remote from the first hinge pin and knuckle, the first hinge pin being movably secured to the second hinge knuckle and the second hinge pin being movably secured to the first hinge knuckle so that the first and second sections are movable about a hinge axis between an open position and a closed position, the hinge axis being defined through the first and second hinge pins,
a biasing member normally biasing the first and second sections to the closed position; and
a toggle action lever mechanism connected to the first and second sections, the toggle action lever mechanism having an over-center position that corresponds with the open position, wherein the toggle action lever mechanism releasably holds the first and second sections in the open position when in the over-center position,
wherein the toggle action lever mechanism is positioned between the first and second sections such that, during installation on a conductor, the conductor interacts with the toggle action lever mechanism to move the toggle action lever mechanism from the over-center position to allow the biasing member and the toggle action lever mechanism to move the first and second sections to the closed position,
wherein the first and second lower edges are, when in the open and closed positions, spaced from one another, and
wherein the biasing member comprises a first spring on the first hinge pin and a second spring on the second hinge pin, and wherein the toggle action lever mechanism is positioned between the first and second springs.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a conductor receiving area defined by the first and second sections when in the closed position;
a first gripping pad having a first connecting prong received in a first connecting opening of the first

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Herman Kyle Randy

Classifications

• H02G7/00

  Overhead installations of electric lines or cables (installations of bus-bars H02G5/00) · CPC title

• H02G1/02

  for overhead lines or cables · CPC title

• A01M29/08

  using reflection, colours or films with specific transparency or reflectivity · CPC title

• A01M29/32 Primary

  specially adapted for birds, e.g. spikes · CPC title