Concentric conductor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023163506-A1
Application number	US-202117535075-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2021
Publication date	May 25, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a concentric conductor for conducting electrical power from a source to a receiving system or load. The concentric conductor includes one or more conducting tubes interior to an outer tube, extending concentrically around a central axis. The conducting tubes are affixed a head-end interface and a connector assembly at either end of the concentric conductors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A conductor rod, comprising:
a first cylinder conductor extending along a longitudinal axis of the conductor rod, the first cylinder conductor having:
a first inner diameter,
a first outer diameter,
a first terminal connector assembly affixed to the first cylinder conductor proximate a first end of the conductor rod, and
a second terminal connector assembly affixed to the first cylinder conductor proximate a second end of the conductor rod;
a barrel extending along the longitudinal axis of the conductor rod, the barrel having:
a second inner diameter greater than the first outer diameter,
a third terminal connector assembly affixed to the barrel proximate the first end of the conductor rod, and
a fourth terminal connector assembly affixed to the barrel proximate the second end of the conductor rod;
a head-end interface, the first terminal connector assembly being affixed to the head-end interface affixing the first cylinder conductor to the head-end interface, and, the third terminal connector assembly being affixed to the head-end interface affixing the barrel to the head-end interface; and a connector assembly, the second terminal connector assembly being affixed to the connector assembly affixing the first cylinder conductor to the connector assembly, and, the fourth terminal connector assembly being affixed to the connector assembly affixing the barrel to the connector assembly.

2 . The conductor rod of claim 1 , wherein the first cylinder conductor or the barrel comprises graphite, copper, aluminum, gold, silver, nickel, zinc, or alloys thereof.

3 . The conductor rod of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal connector assembly is affixed to the head-end interface by a first threaded member inserted through the head-end interface and into the first terminal connector assembly.

4 . The conductor rod of claim 1 , wherein the second terminal connector assembly is affixed to the connector assembly by a second threaded member inserted through the connector assembly and into the second terminal connector assembly.

5 . The conductor rod of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the first cylinder conductor surrounds an outer surface of the first terminal connector assembly at the head-end interface and the inner surface of the first cylinder conductor surround an outer surface of the second terminal connector assembly at the connector assembly.

6 . The conductor rod of claim 1 , further comprising a second cylinder conductor extending along the longitudinal axis of the conductor rod, the second cylinder conductor having a third inner diameter greater than the first outer diameter of the first cylinder conductor and a fourth outer diameter less than the second inner diameter of the barrel, the second cylinder conductor further comprising a fifth terminal connector assembly affixed to the second cylinder conductor proximate to the first end of the conductor rod and a sixth terminal connector assembly affixed to the first cylinder conductor proximate to the second end of the conductor rod.

7 . The conductor rod of claim 6 , wherein the first cylinder conductor is configured to conduct a first voltage potential and the second cylinder conductor is configured to conductor a second voltage potential.

8 . The conductor rod of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first cavity defined by a first outer surface of the first cylinder conductor and a first inner surface of the second cylinder conductor, wherein the first cavity is at least partially filled with a first dielectric; and a second cavity defined by a second outer surface of the second cylinder conductor and a second inner surface of the barrel, wherein the second cavity is at least partially filled with a second dielectric.

9 . The conductor rod of claim 8 , wherein the first dielectric or the second dielectric comprises a fluid.

10 . The conductor rod of claim 9 , wherein the fluid comprises air, nitrogen, or sulfur hexafluoride.

11 . The conductor rod of claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric or the second dielectric comprises a partial vacuum.

12 . A work machine, comprising:
an electric engine; a conductor rod for providing electrical energy to the electric engine from a power source, the conductor rod extending along a longitudinal axis of the conductor rod, from a head-end interface proximate to the work machine to a connector assembly spaced laterally from the work machine, the conductor rod comprising:
a first cylinder conductor extending along the longitudinal axis of the conductor rod having a first inner diameter and a first outer diameter, the first cylinder conductor comprising a first terminal connector assembly affixed to the head-end interface and a second terminal connector assembly affixed to the connector assembly;
a second cylinder conductor extending along the longitudinal axis of the conductor rod having a second inner diameter greater than the first outer diameter of the first cylinder conductor and a second outer diameter, the second cylinder conductor comprising a third terminal connector assembly affixed to the head-end interface and a fourth terminal connector assembly affixed to the connector assembly;
a barrel extending along the longitudinal axis of the conductor rod having a third inner diameter greater than the second outer diameter of the second cylinder conductor and a third outer diameter, the barrel comprising a fifth terminal connector assembly affixed to the head-end interface and a sixth terminal connector assembly affixed to the connector assembly; and
wherein the first cylinder conductor or the second cylinder conductor comprise an electrically conductive material to conduct electrical power from a power source to the electric engine of the work machine.

13 . The work machine of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises copper, aluminum, gold, silver, nickel, zinc, or alloys thereof.

14 . The work machine of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises graphite.

15 . The work machine of claim 12 , wherein the first cylinder conductor is configured to conduct a first potential of electrical power and the second cylinder conductor is configured to conduct a second potential of electrical power.

16 . The work machine of claim 12 , wherein the first cylinder conductor is configured to conduct direct current and the second cylinder conductor is configured to conduct alternating current.

17 . The work machine of claim 12 , wherein the conductor rod comprises:
a first cavity defined by a first outer surface of the first cylinder conductor and a first inner surface of the second cylinder conductor, wherein the first cavity is at least partially filled with air, nitrogen, or sulfur hexafluoride or a partial vacuum is pulled within the first cavity; and a second cavity defined by a second outer surface of the second cylinder conductor and a second inner surface of the barrel, wherein the second cavity is at least partially filled with air, nitrogen, or sulfur hexafluoride or a partial vacuum is pulled within the second cavity.

18 . A method of assembling a conductor rod for use on a work machine, the method comprising:
affixing a first cylinder conductor to a head-end interface by threading a first set of threaded members through the head-end interface into a first terminal connector assembly affixed to the first cylinder conductor, the first cylinder conductor having a first outer diameter; affixing a second cylinder conductor to the head-end interface by thread

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Strashny Igor
• Hamilla Andrew

Classifications

• H01B7/16

  Rigid-tube cables · CPC title

• H01B7/0081

  Cables of rigid construction (rigid-tube cables H01B7/16) · CPC title

• H01R2101/00

  One pole · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60L50/60

  using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) · CPC title