Collapsible bundle spacer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024243565-A1
Application number	US-202218562044-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2022
Priority date	May 17, 2021
Publication date	Jul 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bundle spacer that includes a first line connector to be connected to a first electrical line, a second line connector to be connected to a second electrical line, and a body interposed between the first line connector and the second line connector. The body is actuatable to provide a variable distance between the first line connector and the second line connector and the first electrical line and the second electrical line connected thereto. It is to be appreciated that the bundle spacer may be constructed/configured with more than two line connectors for association with more than two electrical lines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bundle spacer comprising:
a first line connector to be connected to a first electrical line; a second line connector to be connected to a second electrical line; and a body interposed between the first line connector and the second line connector, the body being actuatable to provide a variable distance between the first line connector and the second line connector and the first electrical line and the second electrical line connected thereto.

2 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 1 , comprising a bias device to bias the body toward providing a relatively greater distance between the first line connector and the second line connector and the first electrical line and the second electrical line connected thereto.

3 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 1 , wherein the body permits a relatively lesser distance between the first line connector and the second line connector and the first electrical line and the second electrical line connected thereto when the first electrical line and the second electrical line attract each other.

4 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 1 , comprising a bias device coupled to the body, wherein:
the bias device exerts a first force in a first direction on a first portion of the body coupled to the first line connector; the bias device exerts a second force in a second direction on a second portion of the body coupled to the second line connector; the first direction is different than the second direction; the body is in an unactuated state when a third force less than the first force is exerted on the first portion of the body in a third direction opposite the first direction and a fourth force less than the second force is exerted on the second portion of the body in a fourth direction opposite the second direction; the body is in an actuated state when at least one of third force is greater than the first force or the fourth force is greater than the second force; the first electrical line is separated from the second electrical line by a first distance when the body is in the unactuated state; the first electrical line is separated from the second electrical line by a second distance when the body is in the actuated state; and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

5 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 4 , wherein at least one of the third force or the fourth force is a function of an electrical current in at least one of the first electrical line or the second electrical line.

6 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 1 , wherein the body comprises:
a first arm coupled to the first line connector; and a second arm coupled to the second line connector, wherein the first arm and the second arm are pivotally connected to each other to provide the variable distance.

7 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 6 , wherein a weight biases the first arm and the second arm toward a rest position whereby the body is in an unactuated state.

8 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 7 , wherein:
the first arm comprises a first surface; the second arm comprises a second surface; and the first surface and the second surface engage each other at the rest position.

9 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 6 , comprising a resilient member that biases the first arm and the second arm toward a rest position whereby the body is in an unactuated state.

10 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 9 , wherein the resilient member is compressed during relative movement between the first arm and the second arm to provide the variable distance.

11 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 10 , wherein the resilient member has at least a partial annular shape, at least one arm bears against the resilient member at a location of a sector face of the resilient member.

12 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 9 , comprising a second resilient member that biases the first arm and the second arm toward the rest position.

13 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 6 , comprising a third line connector to be connected to a third electrical line, wherein the body comprises a third arm coupled to the third line connector.

14 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 13 , wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm are pivotally connected to each other.

15 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 14 , wherein:
the first arm has a first length; the second arm has a second length; the third arm has a third length; and the third length is different than at least one of the first length or the second length.

16 . A bundle spacer comprising:
a first arm to be connected to a first electrical line; and a second arm to be connected to a second electrical line, wherein the first arm and the second arm are movable relative to each other to provide a variable distance between the first electrical line and the second electrical line.

17 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 16 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are pivotally connected to each other to provide the variable distance.

18 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 16 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are slidably connected to each other to provide the variable distance.

19 . The bundle spacer claimed within claim 18 , wherein the first arm telescopes into the second arm.

20 . A bundle spacer comprising:
a first arm to be connected to a first electrical line; a second arm to be connected to a second electrical line, wherein the first arm and the second arm are movable relative to each other, and a bias device that exerts a bias force on at least one of the first arm or the second arm, wherein:
relative movement between the first arm and the second arm does not occur such that the first electrical line is separated from the second electrical line by a first distance when the bias force is greater than a second force;
relative movement between the first arm and the second arm does occur such that the first electrical line is separated from the second electrical line by a second distance when the bias force is less than the second force; and
the first distance is greater than the second distance.

Assignees

• Preformed Line Products Co

Inventors

• Waterschoot Dirk
• Ciesielczyk Benjamin Franklin
• Clines Cameron
• Bell Douglas
• Lenardos Derek

Classifications

• H02G7/12 Primary

  Devices for maintaining distance between parallel conductors, e.g. spacer · CPC title