Arc management system for an electrical enclosure assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9419413-B2
Application number	US-201414277821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An arc management system for an electrical enclosure assembly is provided. The electrical enclosure assembly includes a housing assembly and a conductive bus assembly. The arc management system includes a number of conductive bus extension assemblies, a number of first and second arc horn assemblies, and a number of ground conductor assemblies. Each conductive bus extension assembly includes a conductive member coupled to the conductive bus assembly. Each first arc horn assembly includes a conductive arc horn member. Each first arc horn member is in electrical communication with an associated bus extension conductive member. Each second arc horn assembly includes a conductive arc horn member. Each ground conductor assembly includes a ground conductive member. Each second arc horn member in electrical communication with an associated ground conductor assembly ground conductive member. Each first arc horn member is associated with a second arc horn member and disposed an effective distance therefrom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An arc management system for an electrical enclosure assembly structured to enclose an electrical apparatus, said electrical enclosure assembly including a housing assembly and a conductive bus assembly, said housing assembly including a number of generally planar sidewalls defining an enclosed space, said conductive bus assembly including a number of conductive bus members, said conductive bus members generally disposed within said enclosed space and spaced from said sidewalls, said arc management system comprising:
a number of conductive bus extension assemblies each including a conductive member;
a number of first arc horn assemblies each including a conductive arc horn member;
each first arc horn member in electrical communication with an associated bus extension conductive member;
a number of second arc horn assemblies each including a conductive arc horn member;
a number of ground conductor assemblies each including a ground conductive member;
each second arc horn member in electrical communication with an associated ground conductor assembly ground conductive member;
each first arc horn member associated with a second arc horn member and disposed an effective distance therefrom.

2. The arc management system of claim 1 wherein:
said first arc horn member including an arcuate surface;
said second arc horn member including an arcuate surface; and
said first arc horn member arcuate surface and said second arc horn member arcuate surface disposed in opposition to each other.

3. The arc management system of claim 2 wherein:
said first arc horn arcuate surface is generally spheroidal; and
said second arc horn arcuate surface is generally spheroidal.

4. The arc management system of claim 1 wherein said conductive bus members include a first pair of elongated, generally planar members and a second pair of elongated, generally planar members, said conductive bus members coupled to each other and forming a conductive bus joint, and wherein each said bus extension conductive member is structured to extend partially about said conductive bus joint.

5. The arc management system of claim 4 wherein said conductive bus joint has a thickness, and wherein:
wherein said bus extension conductive member includes a generally planar extended leg, a generally planar bight and a generally planar truncated leg;
said bight having a length slightly greater than the conductive bus joint thickness;
said extended leg extending generally perpendicular to said bight;
said truncated leg extending generally perpendicular to said bight; and
said extended leg and said truncated leg extending from the same side of said bight.

6. The arc management system of claim 4 wherein said electrical enclosure assembly includes an electrical apparatus, said electrical apparatus including a limiting component and wherein:
at least one first arc horn assembly includes a fuse link assembly;
said fuse link assembly including an auxiliary conductor, dielectric mounting block and a fusable wire;
said mounting block coupled to said bus extension conductive member;
said auxiliary conductor coupled to said mounting block;
said fusible wire coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said auxiliary conductor; and
said fusible wire coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said bus extension conductive member.

7. The arc management system of claim 6 wherein
said auxiliary conductor coupled to, and in electrical communication with, one of a line or a load;
said fuse link assembly dielectric mounting block including a body with a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface;
said mounting block body first mounting surface coupled to said bus extension conductive member; and
said auxiliary conductor coupled to said mounting block body second mounting surface.

8. The arc management system of claim 1 wherein said conductive bus members include a landing pad and wherein said bus extension conductive member includes an L-shaped member disposed at the landing pad distal end.

9. The arc management system of claim 8 wherein said bus extension conductive member is unitary with said landing pad.

10. The arc management system of claim 1 wherein:
said ground conductive member includes a generally planar body; and
said ground conductive member body is coupled to, and aligned with, a housing assembly sidewall.

11. An electrical enclosure assembly structured to enclose an electrical apparatus, said electrical enclosure assembly comprising:
a housing assembly including a number of generally planar sidewalls defining an enclosed space;
a conductive bus assembly including a number of conductive bus members, said conductive bus members generally disposed within said enclosed space and spaced from said sidewalls;
an arc management system including a number of conductive bus extension assemblies, a number of first arc horn assemblies, a number of second arc horn assemblies, and a number of ground conductor assemblies;
each of said number of conductive bus extension assemblies including a conductive member;
each of said number of first arc horn assemblies including a conductive arc horn member;
each first arc horn member in electrical communication with an associated bus extension conductive member;
each of said number of second arc horn assemblies including a conductive arc horn member;
each of said number of ground conductor assemblies including a ground conductive member;
each second arc horn member in electrical communication with an associated ground conductor assembly ground conductive member; and
each first arc horn member associated with a second arc horn member and disposed an effective distance therefrom.

12. The electrical enclosure assembly of claim 11 wherein:
said first arc horn member including an arcuate surface;
said second arc horn member including an arcuate surface; and
said first arc horn member arcuate surface and said second arc horn member arcuate surface disposed in opposition to each other.

13. The electrical enclosure assembly of claim 12 wherein:
said first arc horn arcuate surface is generally spheroidal; and
said second arc horn arcuate surface is generally spheroidal.

14. The electrical enclosure assembly of claim 11 wherein:
said conductive bus members include a first pair of elongated, generally planar members and a second pair of elongated, generally planar members, said conductive bus members coupled to each other; and
forming a conductive bus joint, and wherein each said bus extension conductive member is structured to extend partially about said conductive bus joint.

15. The electrical enclosure assembly of claim 14 wherein:
said conductive bus joint has a thickness;
said bus extension conductive member includes a generally planar extended leg, a generally planar bight and a generally planar truncated leg;
said bight having a length slightly greater than the conductive bus joint thickness;
said extended leg extending generally perpendicular to said bight;
said truncated leg extending generally perpendicular to said bight; and
said extended leg and said truncated leg extending from the same side of said bight.

16. The electrical enclosure assembly of claim 14 wherein:
said electrical enclosure assembly includes an electrical apparatus, said electrical apparatus including a limiting component;
at least one first arc horn assembly includes a fuse link assembly;
said fuse link assembly including an auxiliary conductor, dielectric mounting block and a fusable wire;
said mounting block coupled t

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Sims Daniel Garett
• Shea John Joseph
• Pearce Michael Davis
• Abrahamsen Michael Howard

Classifications

• H02G5/06

  Totally-enclosed installations, e.g. in metal casings · CPC title

• H01T4/14

  Arcing horns (associated with insulators H01B17/46) · CPC title

• H01T4/08 Primary

  structurally associated with protected apparatus (with switches H01H9/14; with fuses H01H85/44) · CPC title

• H02B11/26 Primary

  Arrangements of fuses, resistors, voltage arresters or the like · CPC title

• H02B1/18

  Disposition or arrangement of fuses (for switchgear having a withdrawable carriage H02B11/26) · CPC title