Circuit protection system, and wiretap connection assembly and method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9413081-B2
Application number	US-201414276517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	May 13, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A wiretap connection assembly is for a circuit protection system. The circuit protection system includes at least one wire conductor and at least one circuit interrupter. The circuit interrupter includes a line conductor and a load conductor. The wire conductor has an electrically conductive inner core and an electrically insulating outer covering. The wiretap connection assembly includes a wire severing assembly structured to sever the wire conductor, and a number of wiretap assemblies. Each wiretap assembly includes a tapping portion and a connecting portion. The tapping portion is structured to pierce through the electrically insulating outer covering of a corresponding portion of the wire conductor and into the electrically conductive inner core. The connecting portion is structured to electrically connect the electrically conductive inner core of the corresponding portion of the wire conductor to a corresponding one of the line conductor and the load conductor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wiretap connection assembly for a circuit protection system, said circuit protection system comprising at least one wire conductor and at least one circuit interrupter, said circuit interrupter comprising a line conductor, a load conductor, and a housing, said wire conductor having an electrically conductive inner core and an electrically insulating outer covering, said wiretap connection assembly comprising:
a wire severing assembly structured to sever said wire conductor, said wire severing assembly being separate and distinct from the housing, and being disposed externally on a side of the housing; and
a number of wiretap assemblies each comprising a tapping portion and a connecting portion,
wherein said tapping portion is structured to pierce through the electrically insulating outer covering of a corresponding portion of said wire conductor and into the electrically conductive inner core,
wherein said connecting portion is structured to electrically connect the electrically conductive inner core of said corresponding portion of said wire conductor to a corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor;
wherein each of said wiretap assemblies further comprises a first clamping member and a second clamping member disposed opposite said first clamping member; wherein each of said first clamping member and said second clamping member is separate and distinct from the housing; and wherein said second clamping member is structured to be coupled to said first clamping member in order to clamp said corresponding portion of said wire conductor therebetween.

2. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said wiretap assemblies further comprises a plurality of fasteners; and wherein said fasteners are structured to fasten said first clamping member and said second clamping member together and to the housing of said circuit interrupter.

3. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said tapping portion comprises a number of piercing elements extending outwardly from at least one of said first clamping member and said second clamping member; and wherein said number of piercing elements are disposed external the housing.

4. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 3 wherein said number of piercing elements is a first barb and a second barb disposed opposite said first barb.

5. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 3 wherein said connecting portion comprises a number of conductors each being structured to electrically connect one of said piercing elements to a corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor, thereby electrically connecting the electrically conductive core to said corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor.

6. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 5 wherein said number of wiretap assemblies is a first wiretap assembly and a second wiretap assembly; wherein said wire severing assembly is disposed between said first wiretap assembly and said second wiretap assembly; wherein said wire severing assembly is structured to sever said wire conductor into a first wire segment and a second wire segment; wherein said tapping portion of said first wiretap assembly is structured to pierce the electrically insulating outer covering of said first wire segment and to electrically contact the electrically conductive inner core of said first wire segment; wherein said connecting portion of said first wiretap assembly is structured to electrically connect said first wire segment to said line conductor; wherein said tapping portion of said second wiretap assembly is structured to pierce the electrically insulating outer covering of said second wire segment and to electrically contact the electrically conductive inner core of said second wire segment; and wherein said connecting portion of said second wiretap assembly is structured to electrically connect said second wire segment to said load conductor.

7. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said wire severing assembly comprises a cut edge structured to sever said wire conductor into a first wire segment and a second wire segment.

8. The wiretap connection assembly of claim 7 wherein said wire severing assembly further comprises a first member, a second member, and a plurality of fasteners for fastening said first member to said second member; wherein said cut edge comprises a projection extending outwardly from said first member; wherein said second member includes a recess structured to receive said projection; wherein, when said first member is fastened to said second member with said wire conductor disposed therebetween, said cut edge is structured to cut said wire conductor into said first wire segment and said second wire segment; and wherein said projection is structured to separate said first wire segment from said second wire segment.

9. A circuit protection system comprising:
at least one wire conductor including an electrically conductive inner core and an electrically insulating outer covering;
at least one circuit interrupter comprising a line conductor, a load conductor, and a housing; and
at least one wiretap connection assembly comprising:
a wire severing assembly structured to sever said wire conductor, said wire severing assembly being separate and distinct from the housing, and being disposed externally on a side of the housing, and
a number of wiretap assemblies each comprising a tapping portion and a connecting portion,
wherein said tapping portion is structured to pierce through the electrically insulating outer covering of a corresponding portion of said at least one wire conductor and into the electrically conductive inner core,
wherein said connecting portion is structured to electrically connect the electrically conductive inner core to a corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor;
wherein each of said wiretap assemblies further comprises a first clamping member, a second clamping member disposed opposite said first clamping member, and a plurality of fasteners; wherein each of said first clamping member and said second clamping member is separate and distinct from the housing; wherein said fasteners fasten said first clamping member and said second clamping member together thereby clamping said corresponding portion of said wire conductor therebetween; and wherein said fasteners fasten said first clamping member, said second clamping member and said corresponding portion of said wire conductor to the housing of said circuit interrupter.

10. The circuit protection assembly of claim 9 wherein said tapping portion comprises a number of piercing elements extending outwardly from at least one of said first clamping member and said second clamping member; wherein said number of piercing elements are disposed external the housing; and wherein said connecting portion comprises a number of conductors each electrically connecting one of said piercing elements to a corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor, thereby electrically connecting the electrically conductive core to said corresponding one of said line conductor and said load conductor.

11. The circuit protection assembly of claim 10 wherein said number of wiretap assemblies is a first wiretap assembly and a second wiretap assembly; wherein said wire severing assembly is disposed between said first wiretap assembly and said second wiretap assembly; wherein said wire severing assembly severs said wire conductor into a first wire segment and a second wire segment; wherein said tapping portion of said first wiretap assembly pierces the electrically insulating outer covering of said first wire segment and electrically conta

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Ricciuti Anthony Thomas
• Fogle Thomas Kenneth
• Fello Joseph Philip

Classifications

• H01R4/2416 Primary

  the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type · CPC title

• H01R4/2445 Primary

  the contact members having additional means acting on the insulation or the wire, e.g. additional insulation penetrating means, strain relief means or wire cutting knives · CPC title

• H01H71/08

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• Y10T29/49195

  with end-to-end orienting · CPC title

• H02H3/08

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title