Multi-drive common control bus connector system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9558864-B2
Application number	US-201313965766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2013
Priority date	Aug 14, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

An electrical bus assembly includes a frame and a plurality of bus bar carriers connected to the frame. The bus bars are supported by the bus bar carriers in parallel spaced-apart relation. A first retainer cap is secured to a first one of the plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a first end of the frame. A second retainer cap is secured to a second one of the plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a second end of the frame. The first and second retainer caps limit axial movement of the bus bars relative to the plurality of carriers sufficiently to prevent escape of the bus bars from the carriers. A bus bar connector is also disclosed for supplying power to or from the bus bars. An electrical bus system includes a first and second bus bar assemblies and a jumper connector assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical bus assembly comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of bus bar carriers connected to said frame;
a plurality of electrically conductive bus bars supported relative to said frame by said bus bar carriers, said bus bars arranged in parallel spaced-apart relation relative to each other;
a first retainer cap secured to a first one of said plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a first end of said frame;
a second retainer cap secured to a second one of said plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a second end of said frame;
said first and second retainer caps limiting axial movement of said bus bars relative to said plurality of carriers sufficiently to prevent escape of said bus bars from said carriers;
wherein each of said carriers comprises a plurality of spaced-apart bus bar slots that each define a closed periphery, and wherein said plurality of bus bars are respectively located in said plurality of bus bar slots of each of said carriers.

2. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
said frame comprises a metallic structure;
said plurality of carriers each comprise a one-piece polymeric construction; and,
each of said carriers is releasably engaged with said frame.

3. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein:
said frame comprises a plurality of mounting apertures;
each of said carriers comprises at least two feet that are received and retained in respective ones of said frame mounting apertures for securing said carriers to said frame.

4. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein each of said carriers comprises a projecting leg located between first and second ones of said feet, said leg received in one of said frame mounting apertures, each of said carriers further comprising first and second resilient wings that are connected to and that project outwardly from said leg, said first and second resilient wings engaged with said frame and biasing said carrier outwardly relative to said frame to minimize movement of said carrier relative to said frame.

5. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said carriers further comprises:
first and second outer side walls;
a first retainer cap mounting location defined by a first pair of ramped engagement teeth, with first and second members of said first pair of ramped engagement teeth located respectively on said first and second outer side walls and oriented in a first direction to engage and retain said first retainer cap mated therewith on a first side of the carrier;
a second retainer cap mounting location defined by a second pair of ramped engagement teeth, with said first and second members of said second pair of ramped engagement teeth located respectively on said first and second outer side walls and oriented in a second direction that is opposite the first direction and adapted to engage and retain said second retainer cap mated therewith on a second side of the carrier;
wherein said first retainer cap is secured to said first retainer cap mounting location of said first one of said bus bar carriers and said second retainer cap is secured to said second retainer cap mounting location of said second one of said bus bar carriers.

6. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein each of said first and second bus bar retainer caps comprises a main wall and first and second resilient legs that project outwardly from the main wall, wherein said first and second resilient legs are adapted to engaged and be retained by either said first pair of ramped engagement teeth of said first retaining cap mounting location or said second pair of ramped engagement teeth of said second retaining cap mounting location.

7. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising:
an open U-shaped recess defined between said first and second side walls of each of said bus bar carriers, wherein said first and second side walls of each of said bus bar carriers further comprise a third retainer cap mounting location defined by a third pair of ramped engagement teeth located respectively on said first and second outer side walls and oriented in a third direction that is transverse to both said first and second directions;
a jumper connector assembly engaged with said bus bars and partially located in said U-shaped recess of said first bus bar carrier located adjacent said first end of said frame; and,
a third retainer cap connected to said third retainer cap mounting location of said first bus bar carrier and extending between said first and second side walls of said carrier to capture said jumper connector assembly in said U-shaped recess of said first bus bar carrier.

8. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said jumper connector assembly comprises:
a plurality of jumper connectors each engaged with and electrically connected to a respective one of said bus bars;
a plurality of jumper bars each engaged with and electrically connected to a respective one of said jumper connectors, said jumper bars each extending axially beyond said first end of said frame toward an adjacent associated electrical bus assembly;
wherein said plurality of jumper bars are located in said U-shaped recess of said first bus bar carrier and said third bus bar retainer cap captures said plurality of jumper bars into engagement with said plurality of jumper connectors and captures said plurality of jumper connectors into engagement with said plurality of bus bars.

9. The electrical bus assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
a bus bar connector adapted to engage and electrically communicate with the plurality of parallel spaced-apart bus bars, said bus bar connector comprising:
a base;
a plurality of bus bar connectors engaged with and located on opposite sides of said base, each of said bus bar connectors adapted to engage and electrically connect with one of said bus bars, and each of said bus bar connectors comprising a terminal contact for electrically connecting to an associated wire; and
a first keeper secured to said base and capturing a first group of said plurality of bus bar connectors adjacent said first side of said base;
a second keeper secured to said base and capturing a second group of said plurality of bus bar connectors adjacent said second side of said base.

10. The bus bar connector as set forth in claim 9 , further comprising:
first and second retainer hooks connected to said base, said first and second retainer hooks comprising respective bus bar engagement feet that are adapted to be engaged with first and second ones of said plurality of bus bars, respectively, said first and second bus bar engagement feet selectively resiliently deflectable away from each other.

11. An electrical bus assembly comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of bus bar carriers connected to said frame;
a plurality of electrically conductive bus bars supported relative to said frame by said bus bar carriers, said bus bars arranged in parallel spaced-apart relation relative to each other;
a first retainer cap secured to a first one of said plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a first end of said frame;
a second retainer cap secured to a second one of said plurality of bus bar carriers located adjacent a second end of said frame;
said first and second retainer caps limiting axial movement of said bus bars relative to said plurality of carriers sufficiently to prevent escape of said bus bars from said carriers;

said electrical bus assembly further comprising:
a bus bar connector assembly engaged with and electrically connected to at least some of sai

Assignees

• Kaishian Steven
• Keegan Jeremy
• Patel Yogesh Popatlal
• Weiss Bruce W
• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kaishian Steven
• Keegan Jeremy
• Patel Yogesh Popatlal
• Weiss Bruce W

Classifications

• H02G5/025 Primary

  Supporting structures · CPC title

• H01B5/02 Primary

  Single bars, rods, wires, or strips · CPC title

• H01R25/142 Primary

  Their counterparts · CPC title

• H01R2107/00

  Four or more poles · CPC title

• H01R13/50

  formed as an integral body (H01R13/514 takes precedence) · CPC title