Electrical connector having grounding mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9350103-B2
Application number	US-201514602874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 19, 2012
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

An elbow-type medium or high voltage electrical device includes a longitudinal body, a first connector end formed substantially perpendicularly to an axial direction of the longitudinal body, and an integral grounding element end substantially perpendicularly to the axial direction of the longitudinal body and opposing the first connector end. The first connector end includes a first axial bore configured to receive a bushing element therein. The grounding element end includes a second axial bore formed therein for receiving a conductive grounding element therein. The grounding element, when inserted into the second axial bore includes an exposed portion projecting above a surface of the grounding element end. The exposed portion of the grounding element is configured for attachment by a grounded hot line clamp to ground the electrical connector assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medium or high voltage electrical device, comprising:
a longitudinal body;
a first connector end formed substantially perpendicularly to an axial direction of the longitudinal body; and
an integral grounding element end substantially perpendicularly to the axial direction of the longitudinal body and opposing the first connector end,
wherein the first connector end includes a first axial bore configured to receive a bushing element therein,
wherein the grounding element end includes a second axial bore formed therein for receiving a conductive grounding element therein,
wherein the grounding element, when inserted into the second axial bore includes an exposed portion projecting above a surface of the grounding element end, and
wherein the exposed portion of the grounding element is configured for attachment by a grounded hot line clamp to ground the electrical connector assembly.

2. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the grounding element end comprises a tapered outer configuration for engaging an insulated cap when the electrical device is not to be grounded.

3. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 1 , wherein a second end of the grounding element opposite the exposed portion comprises a stud engaging portion for conductively engaging a stud portion of a bushing received in the first axial bore in the first connector end.

4. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the exposed portion of the grounding element comprises a generally cylindrical configuration for engaging clamping members of the hot line clamp.

5. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 3 , wherein the exposed portion comprises a multi-function bore formed axially therein,
wherein the multi-function bore includes a grounding element attachment portion, and
wherein, following insertion of the grounding element into the second bore of the grounding element end, the grounding element is secured within the second bore by application of a tool within the grounding element attachment portion of the multi-function bore.

6. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 5 , further comprising:
an insulated cap configured to cover the exposed portion of the grounding element when the electrical connector is in a non-grounded configuration.

7. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 6 , wherein the insulated cap comprises an insulated body and a securing element,
wherein the insulated body of the insulated cap comprises a tapered cavity therein for receiving the grounding element end,
wherein the securing element of the insulated cap projects within the tapered cavity,
wherein the multi-function bore includes a second cap-securing portion, and
wherein, upon placement of the tapered cavity of the insulated cap on the grounding element end, the securing element is configured to engage the cap-securing portion of the multi-function bore.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the securing element comprises a threaded stud and wherein the cap-securing portion of the multi-function bore comprises a correspondingly threaded portion of the multi-function bore.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the exposed portion of the grounding element comprises a ball configuration for engaging a ball socket in the hot line clamp.

10. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical device comprises an electrical connector and wherein the longitudinal body comprises a axial bore configured to receive a prepared power cable therein for electrical coupling to the bushing and the grounding element.

11. The medium or high voltage electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical device comprises a voltage arrester and wherein the longitudinal body comprises a axial bore configured to receive a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) stack for electrical coupling to the bushing and the grounding element.

12. A power cable elbow connector assembly, comprising:
a connector body having a conductor receiving end, a bushing interface end projecting substantially perpendicularly from the connector body, and a grounding element end projecting substantially perpendicularly from the connector body and oriented substantially opposite to the bushing receiving end,
wherein the connector body includes a first axial bore that communicates with each of a second axial bore and a third axial bore in the bushing interface and grounding element ends, respectively,
wherein the second axial bore of the bushing interface end is configured to receive a switchgear bushing therein, and
wherein the third axial bore of the grounding element end is configured to receive a conductive grounding device therein,
wherein the grounding device is configured to conductively connect to each of the switchgear bushing and a power cable received in the conductive receiving end,
wherein the grounding device includes an exposed conductive portion configured to engage a grounded hot line clamp, during grounding of the electrical connector assembly; and
an insulated cap configured to cover the exposed conductive portion of the grounding device during normal operation of the electrical connector.

13. The power cable elbow connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein the exposed conductive portion of the grounding device comprises one of a cylindrical or ball configuration.

14. The power cable elbow connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein the exposed portion comprises a multi-function bore formed axially therein,
wherein the multi-function bore includes a grounding device attachment portion and a cap securing portion,
wherein, following insertion of the grounding device into the third axial bore of the grounding element end, the grounding device is secured within the third axial bore by application of a tool within the grounding device attachment portion of the multi-function bore, and
wherein the insulated cap is secured to the grounding element end via the cap securing portion of the multi-function bore.

15. The power cable elbow connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein the insulated cap comprises an insulated body and a securing element,
wherein the insulated body of the insulated cap comprises a tapered cavity therein for receiving a tapered configuration of the grounding element end,
wherein the securing element of the insulated cap projects within the tapered cavity, and
wherein, upon placement of the tapered cavity of the insulated cap on the grounding element end, the securing element is configured to engage the cap securing portion of the multi-function bore.

16. A method, comprising:
connecting a bushing interface of an electrical device to a switchgear bushing,
wherein the electrical device further comprises a longitudinal body and an integral grounding element end projecting from the longitudinal body oppositely from the bushing interface,
wherein the grounding element end includes an axial bore therein configured to align with the switchgear bushing when the electrical device is installed on the switchgear bushing;
inserting a conductive grounding element into the axial bore in the grounding element end,
wherein the grounding element is configured to couple with the bushing in the bushing interface and further includes an exposed conductive portion projecting from the grounding element end;
installing an insulated cap over the exposed conductive portion of the grounding element;
energizing the power cable elbow connector;
de-energizing the power cable elbow conne

Assignees

• Thomas & Betts Int Llc

Inventors

• Siebens Larry N

Classifications

• H02B13/075

  Earthing arrangements · CPC title

• H01R11/15

  Hook in the form of a screw clamp · CPC title

• H01R24/20

  Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title

• H01R13/53

  Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases {for high voltage} with means for preventing corona or arcing · CPC title

• H01R4/56

  one conductor screwing into another · CPC title