System for isolating power conductors using cover assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9673602-B2
Application number	US-201514970915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

An improved electrical system may be provided by electrically isolating exposed live fasteners and bus clamps in power distribution systems by attaching electrically insulating snap-based cover assemblies to the live fasteners and bus clamps. A cover assembly may include a plate element and an electrically insulating cap element. The plate element may have a plate opening and a beveled edge, and the electrically insulating cap element may have a cap edge followed by an interior recess. The cap element and the plate element may be held together by snapping the cap element over the plate element such that the beveled edge fits into the interior recess and the cap edge fits below the beveled edge. The cover assembly may be attached to a fastener or bus clamp via the plate opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cover assembly comprising:
a plate element having at least one plate opening and a beveled edge; and
an electrically insulating cap element having a cap edge followed by an interior recess, wherein the cap element and the plate element are configured to be held together by the beveled edge fitting into the interior recess and the cap edge fitting below the beveled edge,
wherein the beveled edge of the plate element retains the cap element upon the cap edge of the cap element snapping over the beveled edge of the plate element, and
wherein the cover assembly is configured to be retained by the at least one plate opening.

2. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plate element is metal and the cap element is plastic.

3. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plate element has only one plate opening, and the plate element and the cap element each have round cross sections.

4. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plate element has at least two plate openings, and the plate element and the cap element each have rectangular cross sections.

5. The cover assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a tab configured to engage the plate element over the at least one plate opening.

6. The cover assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener passing in part through the at least one plate opening, wherein an end of the fastener is larger than the at least one plate opening, and wherein the end of the fastener is enclosed by an interior volume of the cap element.

7. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the beveled edge is circumferentially surrounded by the cap element.

8. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the beveled edge is a first beveled edge on a first side of the plate element, and further comprising a second beveled edge on a second side of the plate element, wherein the first and second beveled edges are on opposing sides.

9. A system for isolating power conductors comprising:
first and second power conductors;
a fastener joining the first and second power conductors; and
a cover assembly including:
(a) a plate element having at least one plate opening and a beveled edge; and
(b) an electrically insulating cap element having a cap edge followed by an interior recess, wherein the cap element and the plate element are configured to be held together by the beveled edge fitting into the interior recess and the cap edge fitting below the beveled edge,
wherein the fastener passes in part through the at least one plate opening, wherein an end of the fastener is larger than the at least one plate opening, wherein the beveled edge of the plate element retains the cap element upon the cap edge of the cap element snapping over the beveled edge of the plate element, and wherein the end is enclosed by an interior volume of the cap element.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plate element is metal and the cap element is plastic.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plate element has only one plate opening, and the plate element and the cap element each have round cross sections.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plate element has at least two plate openings, and the plate element and the cap element each have rectangular cross sections.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a tab configured to engage the plate element over the at least one plate opening.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a fastener passing in part through the at least one plate opening, wherein an end of the fastener is larger than the at least one plate opening, and wherein the end of the fastener is enclosed by an interior volume of the cap element.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the beveled edge is circumferentially surrounded by the cap element.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the beveled edge is a first beveled edge on a first side of the plate element, and further comprising a second beveled edge on a second side of the plate element, wherein the first and second beveled edges are on opposing sides.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first power conductor is a power bus riser, the second power conductor is a horizontal bus conductor, and the fastener is a screw.

18. An electrical system comprising:
a plurality of compartments, each compartment being configured to receive a unit having an electrical component;
a plurality of first power conductors;
a plurality of second power conductors;
a plurality of electrically conductive fasteners, each fastener joining a first power conductor with a corresponding second power conductor; and
a plurality of cover assemblies, each cover assembly including:
(a) a plate element having at least one plate opening and a beveled edge; and
(b) an electrically insulating cap element having a cap edge followed by an interior recess, wherein the cap element and the plate element are configured to be held together by the beveled edge fitting into the interior recess and the cap edge fitting below the beveled edge,
wherein each fastener passes in part through a plate opening of a cover assembly, wherein an end of each fastener is larger than the plate opening, wherein the beveled edge of the plate element retains the cap element upon the cap edge of the cap element snapping over the beveled edge of the plate element, and wherein the end of each fastener is enclosed by an interior volume of a cap element of the cover assembly.

19. The electrical system of claim 18 , wherein the first and second power conductors distribute three-phase power and each first power conductor is electrically connected to a corresponding second power conductor.

20. The electrical system of claim 19 , wherein the electrical system is a Motor Control Center (MCC).

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc
• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Serdynski David P
• Pumala Cody J

Classifications

• H02G3/081

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• H02B1/14 Primary

  Shutters or guards for preventing access to contacts (shielding of isolating-contacts in withdrawable switchgear H02B11/24) · CPC title

• F16B37/14

  Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps · CPC title

• F16B33/004

  Sealing; Insulation (by means of washers F16B43/001) · CPC title

• H02G15/18

  protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable (two-part covers H02G15/10 {; preforms having internal stresses B29C61/00}) · CPC title