Bus Duct Patents (Class 439/114)
  • Patent number: 11950390
    Abstract: An electrical conductor assembly for use in a power distribution assembly includes an electrical conductor and a casing covering at least a portion of the electrical conductor. A spring member is mounted to the casing and configured to apply a compressive force to the electrical conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Joel Anthony Furco, Andrew Francis Scarlata, Joseph M. Manahan, Patrick S. Ward
  • Patent number: 11508495
    Abstract: An automated process for producing exposed electrical contact areas on the conductor part of an epoxy coated bus bar. When the epoxy coating is in the glassy state, one can safely and economically, preferably via automated apparatus, put the epoxy into the rubbery state by positioning the bar and applying localized heat at a select area of the coating; monitoring the heating to above the glass transition temperature of the epoxy, bringing cutting tools into contact with the epoxy for cutting and removing the rubbery coating away from the bus bar, and cooling the bus bar to bring adjacent coating back to the glassy state, thereby leaving an exposed electrical contact area of conductor on the bus bar with little or no surface damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventor: John A Wittwer
  • Patent number: 11139623
    Abstract: A splice connector assembly includes a housing and a flat bus plate. The housing has openings on opposed end walls defining an axis being generally perpendicular to the opposed end walls. The flat bus plate is disposed within the housing, including a connecting strip extending generally perpendicular to the axis, a first set of male terminals extending outwardly from the connecting strip generally parallel to the axis, and a second set of male terminals extending outward from the connecting strip generally parallel to the axis and in an opposite direction from the first set of male terminals, wherein a free end of each of the male terminals are configured to receive and electrically connect with female flat terminals, and wherein the female flat terminals extend into the housing to connect to the male terminals through the openings on the opposed end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventor: Michal Brhel
  • Patent number: 10818451
    Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus includes a first pole unit, a second pole unit, and a busbar assembly interconnecting the first pole unit with the second pole unit in series or in parallel. A first mechanism is configured to switch the first pole unit between its open and closed conditions. A second mechanism is configured to switch the second pole unit between its open and closed conditions. An actuating assembly is configured to actuate the first and second mechanisms to switch the first and second pole units from their open conditions to their closed conditions simultaneously, and to switch the first and second pole units from their closed conditions to their open conditions simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Romil Vaishnavi, Warren Clift Sipe, Arthur James Jur
  • Patent number: 9692195
    Abstract: Apparatus for substantially eliminating exposure to live parts on a busway plug-in unit enclosure includes a power take-off with male-terminal stabs which are capped with nonconductive material. A nonconductive structure covers the bus assembly and allows only the stabs to pass into the interior of a plug-in unit enclosure. A shutter assembly in each plug-in unit enclosure has a nonconductive shutter plate that moves only longitudinally along the stabs when a plug-in unit device is inserted into the enclosure. Inserting the plug in unit device into the enclosure causes a shutter plate latch to open and depress the shutter. When the plug in unit device is removed from the plug in unit enclosure, the shutter plate is biased upward and latched in a position over the stabs. No live touch points are available in the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.
    Inventors: Chad Mittelstadt, Tim Faber
  • Patent number: 8845343
    Abstract: An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line and a data line on the substrate and crossing each other to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a first passivation layer on the thin film transistor and having a first unevenness structure at its top surface, an auxiliary unevenness layer on the first passivation layer and having a first roughness structure at its top surface, and a reflector on the auxiliary unevenness layer, the reflector having a second unevenness structure due to the first unevenness structure of the first passivation layer and a second roughness structure due to the first roughness structure of the auxiliary unevenness layer, the second roughness structure having smaller patterns than the second unevenness structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Kyun Lee, Jae-Young Oh
  • Patent number: 8549950
    Abstract: A power supply unit for robots and a robot having the same. The power supply unit for robots supplies power to actuators installed within an arm, and includes a housing provided with at least two lines of bus bars in an inner reception space; and at least one power unit to branch off power transmitted to the bus bars through power supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 8456807
    Abstract: A magnetic device mounting system is disclosed, such as for use in electrical cabinets for distribution of power via power bus bars. The system includes a common mode magnetic device that has an opening configured to receive extensions of a set of parallel bus bars. A non-conductive support is provided, along with a conductive extension, the non-conductive support and extension being configured to coordinate to engage the opening and to support the common mode magnetic device via attachment to the bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Jeremy J. Keegan, Patrick J. Riley, Scott D. Day
  • Patent number: 8443652
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (1) for sensing a fluid, such as in a ventilation duct, comprising a sensing element (6), a first housing portion (27) adapted to be arranged outside said object and accommodating the sensing element (6), a supply opening (13) and an outlet opening (37), which openings provide communication between the said first housing portion (27) and the object containing the fluid that is to be sensed. The device (1) further comprises a second housing portion (28), adapted to be arranged outside said object and accommodating electrical connection components, wherein said first and second housing portions (27, 28) are arranged and configured such that they may be connected to each other in geometrically different configurations by use of mechanical fastening means (22) and electrical interconnection means (19, 26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Calectro Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Jörgen Sahibzada
  • Patent number: 8425241
    Abstract: A bus bar system is provided with a base part made of an insulating material, in which the base part exhibits at least two chambers for receiving one pole rail each in which one chamber partition is disposed between two chambers respectively, in which structures are provided which arrange corresponding pole rail for the pole rails disposed on the one side of the chamber partition and for the pole rails disposed on the other side of the chamber partition, wherein these structures are a distance from the chamber partition as formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Friedbert Goehringer Elektrotechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Friedbert Bruetsch
  • Patent number: 8419206
    Abstract: The structural wall of a luminaire has one or more light source retention cavities for holding area light sources such as OLED panels, and a wire chase or chases that extend from one light source cavity to another light source cavity in the structural wall, and/or from a light source cavity to a wire feed point for the structural wall. The wire chase or chases have a wire retaining bottom channel and a constricted wire entry opening at the top of the wire chase that is narrow in relation to the wire retaining bottom channel for capturing the wires therein. In another aspect of the invention, the wire chase or chases can be manufactured as separate parts, which can be inserted into the structural wall of the luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Trung Tran
  • Patent number: 8378219
    Abstract: A bus assembly and bus assembly connector include one or more insulated members that have axial sleeves that fit within one another during assembly to form a nesting arrangement. The nesting arrangement of the axial sleeves allow reduction of the overall size of the bus assembly connector while satisfying power rating standards and dielectric clearances as well as allowing bolting of the bus assembly to thereby clamp and secure the bus assembly. The axial sleeves can be distinctively designed such that the phase members must be assembled in a predetermined order, with no components being omitted, to form the bus assembly connector or clamp the bus assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas N. Lesieur, Timothy P. O'Leary, Wesley Travis, David O. Plummer, Carlton R. Rodrigues, Gregory B. Lee
  • Publication number: 20120142202
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a plug-in system having a lower part, on which busbars can be arranged, and an upper part which is made of electrically insulating material and is releasable from the lower part in a non-destructive manner on a top side arranged opposite the underside. Protective devices having electrical contacts can be arranged on the plug-in system. The upper part has openings through which the electrical contacts of the protective devices can make direct contact with the busbars. The openings are configured in such a manner that the plug-in system is shockproof to IP XXB. The upper part and lower part are latchable into one another or are screwable to one another in such a manner that the upper part is releasable from the lower part only from the underside of the plug-in system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Adelbert Schalk, Fritz Ehrensperger
  • Patent number: 8167632
    Abstract: A collecting rail system provides a bus bar with a floor part and a cover part made from an isolating material. The floor part features at least two chambers for the accommodation of respectively one terminal track, whereby between respectively two chambers a chamber separating wall is disposed, and whereby connector tabs are disposed on the terminal tracks such that the cover part can be placed on the floor part in such a manner that the terminal tracks are covered up and the connector tabs protrude through openings in the cover part. As a result of this arrangement, the floor part as well as the cover part are manufactured by means of an operative extrusion process and the openings are subsequently placed, in particular stamped, into the cover part, whereby an isolating element, which is insertable into an opening and which penetrates, in the inserted state, through the opening and which features a case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventors: Friedbert Bruetsch, Ronald Dold
  • Publication number: 20110287645
    Abstract: A collecting rail system provides a bus bar with a floor part and a cover part made from an isolating material. The floor part features at least two chambers for the accommodation of respectively one terminal track, whereby between respectively two chambers a chamber separating wall is disposed, and whereby connector tabs are disposed on the terminal tracks such that the cover part can be placed on the floor part in such a manner that the terminal tracks are covered up and the connector tabs protrude through openings in the cover part. As a result of this arrangement, the floor part as well as the cover part are manufactured by means of an operative extrusion process and the openings are subsequently placed, in particular stamped, into the cover part, whereby an isolating element, which is insertable into an opening and which penetrates, in the inserted state, through the opening and which features a case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: FRIEDBERT BRUETSCH, Ronald Dold
  • Patent number: 7955097
    Abstract: A plug-in outlet for a busway system has a base mounted to a busway housing, wherein the base has an opening into which an electrical stab extends from a busbar of the busway system. A fingerguard is mounted to the base into the opening and has self-aligning features achieved by built-in tolerances. The fingerguard includes a central barrier for shielding a leading end of the electrical stab, the central barrier extending from side walls of the fingerguard and being separated by respective gaps from a top wall and a bottom wall of the fingerguard. The fingerguard further includes a top back latch and a bottom back latch for attaching the fingerguard to the stab, the top back latch and the bottom back latch extending from respective ones of the top wall and the bottom wall toward the stab and retaining the stab toward the fingerguard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy O'Leary, Wesley Travis, David Plummer, David Vick
  • Patent number: 7842885
    Abstract: A simplified assembly truss system rivets each power track inside one chord of each truss span so that the electrical components cannot be misaligned inside the chord during final assembly. The chord is slotted to receive lighting heads in its mid-sections, and short end slots allow interconnecting plugs to be inserted into matching power track ends. A stop captured by the rivets near each chord-end indexes the interconnecting plugs to ensure the final electrical assembly is correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Michael J. Calleja
  • Patent number: 7656648
    Abstract: A bus-bar having a prismatic housing, an elongate conductor extending along a length of the housing, and a resilient retainer which extends along a length of the housing and retains the conductor in the housing is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics UK Ltd., Tyco Electronics Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Malcolm Cant, Jan Van Tilburg, Peter Dirk Jaeger
  • Patent number: 7517235
    Abstract: A molded plastic outlet box for electric busway systems comprising: a molded plastic base comprising a plurality of press-fit tabs for attachment of the base to a housing of the electric busway system disposed about a bottom surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sandeep P. Bagewadi, Steven E. Richard, Trey Coley, Jeffery Lynn Cox
  • Publication number: 20080220635
    Abstract: A connection or device adapter, which can be placed on a mounting unit at right angles with respect to a longitudinal direction of busbars and mechanically connected, one contact element being electrically conductively connected to the facing busbar in a connection or device adapter per busbar and the contact elements in the connection or device adapter being led up to connection receptacles in the region of a narrow side of the connection or device adapter. If the contact elements are formed as contact bars and are electrically conductively connected to one another by the associated connection receptacles and form connection units and for the connection or device adapter to have receptacles for the connection units in the region of a narrow side and to accommodate the contact elements with contact points positioned in relation to the busbars, the complexity in terms of parts and assembly, in particular for the connection or device adapter, is substantially reduced and simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: RITTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hans Wagener, Dirk Hecker, Ulrich Haubach
  • Publication number: 20080124960
    Abstract: The present invention provides busway plug fitting having a housing assembly and a toggle mechanism disposed therein having at least two operatively linked operating handles. A first assembly is disposed on a first side member of the housing assembly and structured to move between a first position and a second position. The second handle assembly is disposed on a second, perpendicular side of the housing assembly and also structured to move between a first position and a second position. The toggle mechanism is coupled to the external coupling construct of the operating device and structured to move between a first position and a second position. The first and second handle assemblies are operatively linked by the toggle mechanism. In this configuration, a user may operate either handle assembly to actuate the operating device disposed with in the busway plug fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Arthur J. Jur, Stephen W. Oneufer, Phillip D. Miller
  • Patent number: 7367830
    Abstract: A busway fitting wherein the switch and/or fuse are disposed in a horizontal orientation. As the switch assembly and/or fuse are disposed in a horizontal orientation, the buses coupled to the switch assembly and/or fuse also extend horizontally. As such, the buses coupled to the switch assembly and/or fuse occupy a reduced amount of space. In this configuration, the transition buses may extend in a generally horizontal direction and, as such, the size of the busway fitting may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur J. Jur, Phillip D. Miller, Douglas M. Brandt, Douglas V. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7358441
    Abstract: A meter center assembly includes a first meter center with a plurality of sides including a first side having a plurality of first openings, and a second meter center beside the first meter center with a plurality of sides including a second side having a plurality of second openings and an internal surface. Each of a plurality of threaded fasteners passes through a corresponding pair of one of the first openings and one of the second openings. A plurality of rigid members are coupled to the internal surface of the second side of the second meter center. Each rigid member includes an opening that threadably receives a corresponding one of the threaded fasteners. Each threaded fastener, when threadably received by the opening of a corresponding one of the rigid members, secures the first side of the first meter center to the second side of the second meter center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Seff, Michael J. Ranta, Serle K. Cupp
  • Publication number: 20080003850
    Abstract: A modular bus assembly for a loadcenter is provided. The loadcenter includes a non-conductive bus support assembly having a planar member with an upper side, a plurality of upper sidewalls, and at least one opening through the planar member. The plurality of upper sidewalls defining at least one upper channel. At least one lateral bus member having an elongated body with a first end terminal, a first lateral portion, an offset, central portion, an offset second lateral portion, and a second end terminal is disposed with the channel. The first end terminal, the first lateral portion, and the second end terminal are in, generally, a first plane. The offset, central portion is offset in a first direction from the first plane and the offset, second lateral portion is offset in a second direction from the first plane. In this configuration the lateral bus member is reversible so that either the offset central portion or the offset, second lateral portion is disposed within the planar member opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Paul David Seff, Syed Manzural Karim
  • Patent number: 7252524
    Abstract: Power interconnect assemblies include a longitudinally extending base member including a plurality of longitudinally extending bus bar receiving channels configured to receive longitudinally extending bus bars. An interconnect module is configured to be coupled to the base member. The interconnect module is configured to receive a connector member that is configured to receive a pluggable connectorized cable from a power component. The base member is configured so that ones of a plurality of electrical connectors of the connector member may be coupled to corresponding ones of the bus bars with the bus bars inserted in the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Eaton Power Quality Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Johnson, Jr., Lennart Rune Jonsson
  • Patent number: 7239502
    Abstract: A multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly is for a meter center including a plurality of meters. The meter socket assembly includes meter sockets each receiving one of said meters, feeder buses, supply buses, and a plurality of phase connectors. Each of the supply buses has at least one section, and each phase connector electrically interconnects a corresponding one of the at least one section of each of the supply buses with a corresponding one of the feeder buses. At least one of the supply buses is divided in order to include as the at least one section, first and second sections, the first section being in electrical communication with a first one of the feeder buses and the second section being in electrical communication with a second one of the feeder buses. In this manner, the meters are provided with a plurality of phase configurations within the same cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Seff, Serle K. Cupp, Marc E. Schoonover, James M. Campbell
  • Patent number: 6749446
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes an optical fiber ribbon stack having a plurality of optical fibers, and at least one cushion member disposed on outer side surfaces of the optical fiber ribbon stack. The cushion member functions as a spacer and strain energy absorbing member for protecting corner fibers of the optical fiber ribbon stack from bending and contact stresses due to contact with a buffer tube or other surrounding elements. The cushion member may have material characteristics, such as contact hardness and Young's modulus, which are similar to those of the ribbon stack, or which gradually change from a soft inner layer at the side of the cushion member which contacts the ribbon stack to a stiff outer layer at the side of the cushion member which may contact a buffer tube or other surrounding elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Nicholas Nechitailo
  • Patent number: 6667876
    Abstract: An elongated and hollow wiring track includes a rectangular plastic cover whose edges carry female hinge members and a U-shaped plastic channel having a flat outer surface, two inclined side walls that extend in a common direction at 45-degrees away from the flat outer surface, and two perpendicular side walls that extend in a common direction away from the inclined side walls perpendicular to the flat outer surface. Each of the perpendicular side walls carries a male hinge member that releasably mates with a female hinge member when the U-shaped channel is pivotally mounted onto the cover to form an internal wire-cavity. A DIN rail mounted on the outer surface of the U-shaped channel. A terminal strip is mounted on an exterior surface of each of the inclined side walls. The number N of metal busses are mounted on each of the terminal strips. A plurality of terminal-groups are mounted on each of the terminal strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Inventor: Harry B. Neeff
  • Patent number: 6497586
    Abstract: A structural truss system and electrical conduit for suspended mounting of electrical components such as stage lighting and remote controlled equipment featuring an elongated support beam with removable endcaps and a sidewall. The sidewall is cooperatively engageable with the support beam along substantially its engire length and allows access to the conduit formed inside when engaged with the support beam. A mounting track formed on the exterior surface of said bottom wall of the support beam and provides a slidably engageable mount for component mounts that attach to electrical components such as lights thereby providing positioning ability for the attached components. One or a plurality of electrical plugs or similiar attachments communicate through the sidewalls with wires running in the conduit and allow the electrical components to be properly situated in the mounting track and then plugged into the electrical power or control signals provided by the internal wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Inventor: Steven W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6399882
    Abstract: A busway and a door assembly for use with the busway are described. The door assembly provides access to the conductive busbars through openings in the busway housing. The door assembly includes an insulator plate having openings therethrough for access to the busbars. The insulator plate includes two hinge grooves disposed on opposite edges of the insulator plate. Additionally, the door assembly includes a dual-hinged door which includes a pair of hinge rods adapted for engagement with the hinge grooves. By pivotally rotating on the first hinge rod within the first hinge groove, the door may be opened to a first position. Conversely, by pivotally rotating on the second hinge rod within the second hinge groove, the door may be opened in a second direction. Once in either open position, the door cannot be removed from the insulator plate. Additionally, insulator stabs extend from the insulator plate and are disposed between the busbars to prevent arcing between the exposed areas of the busbars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan H. Faulkner, John J. Brockhaus
  • Patent number: 6323421
    Abstract: Raceway base and cover components define top and bottom wireway channels, and provide a third channel therebetween for housing various outlet devices that need not be placed in the wireway channels. The dividers defining these channels are molded as part of the base, and define hinge lines so that shelf defining doors can be opened for ease of wiring the raceway, and closed for isolating the cabling contained therein. Device brackets are snapped into the third channel and these device brackets are designed to receive the outlet devices as a result of a snap-in feature disclosed in a prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,205.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: The Wiremold Company
    Inventors: Steven E. Pawson, Salvatore A. Cancellieri, Yesfim Shapiro
  • Patent number: 6313549
    Abstract: Embodiments of an emergency evacuation system are disclosed which may be installed within the knockouts of a panel of a modular work space system. During normal operation a battery power source within the emergency evacuation system is charged by normal AC power supplied through the modular work space system. In the event of a power outage or fire, the battery power source serves to operate emergency lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Inventors: John Moisan, Dale Engelmann
  • Patent number: 6086389
    Abstract: A multi-function adapter with a base housing, on which suspension hooks corresponding to the number of bus bars of a bus bar system are formed, which are offset with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction of the base housing in a manner corresponding to the spacing of the bus bars, and which are accessible through contact rail receptacles for the insertion of connecting contacts, which connect the inserted contact rails with the bus bars. A multiple variation of the adapter is achieved because the narrow side walls, the long lateral walls and the top of the base housing have snap-in receptacles with snap-in shoulders, by which narrow side cover elements, top cover elements, perforated strips and equipment connection elements can be selectively connected with the base housing with appropriately designed and distributed snap-in springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Rittal-Werk Rudlof Loh GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hans Wagener
  • Patent number: 6012937
    Abstract: Angle members forming the vertically extending supply buses in a meter center have arcuate offsets so that flanges on the ends of horizontally extending tenant buses form tenant stab contacts which are vertically aligned with supply stab contacts on straight sections of the outwardly projecting flanges of the supply bus angle members. Meter socket assemblies have double ended fastenerless meter jaws one pair of which plug onto the supply bus stab contacts and another pair of which plug onto the tenant bus stab contacts, and into which the meters are plugged. The double ended fastenerless meter jaws are fabricated from a pair of elongated flat members having end sections bent back on and diverging from straight center sections, and terminal sections which extend toward each other from the end sections and converge slightly toward the center sections. Spring clips clamp the terminal sections of the pair of elongated members in compliant confronting relationship to form the double ended fastenerless meter jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jame Monroe Campbell, Scot Eugene Remmert, Larry Joe Simpkins, Edward Hugh Lechleiter, Glen Clark Naugle
  • Patent number: 5895279
    Abstract: An electrical busway plug-in brick for mounting on a busway housing includes openings which allow access to bus bars running along the length of the housing. Barrier members are preferably positioned across the openings to restrict access of fingers or other similarly sized objects through the openings, while allowing electrical contacts to be made therethrough. The plug-in brick preferably includes a lockable cover which deters unauthorized access to the openings of the plug-in brick. The openings may extend unequal distances through the plug-in brick in order to provide increased creep and strike distance which prevents electrical arcing. The plug-in brick may be mounted on the busway housing by release pockets which prevent destruction of the plug-in brick upon a short circuit by allowing the plug-in brick to be detached from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: John Dennis Petrisko, Paul Anthony Colbaugh
  • Patent number: 5595494
    Abstract: A power strip supporting a plurality of power outlets for distributing power within an electronic cabinet or to an electronic rack has two identical housing pieces each having a right angle corner between a bulbous end and a groove end all of which extending the entire length of the housing, such that, when the bulbous ends are slidably inserted into the groove ends, the two pieces form a substantially square cross section of improve strength of construction having two tightly fitted mated corners and the two right angle corners all four of which are formed with a flange also extending the length of the power strip then adapted to received one or more clips which may be clipped onto the power strip on any one side and anywhere along the length of the power strip so that the power strip can be fastened by a hole in the clips to a cabinet or rack in a variety positions to face the power outlets in a variety of desired directions for ease of routing power wires which may be further routed through wiring routers
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Damac Products Inc
    Inventor: Donald G. Wiebe
  • Patent number: 5525068
    Abstract: The electric busway busbars within a plug-in busway system are covered by an insulating cover to prevent inadvertent contact when the busbars are energized. To allow contact with the busbars for busway plug connection, the insulating cover is arranged for automatic exposure of the busway plug access openings by means of a sliding shutter. The shutter automatically returns to the closed position immediately upon removal of the busway plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric J. Graham, Laura G. Dunn, Richard K. Mann
  • Patent number: 5505630
    Abstract: A busway system having several parallel bus bars arranged in a housing with a plug-in opening in a front wall of the housing employs a cover assembly with a plug-in unit over the plug-in opening. The cover assembly has a brick mounted onto the front wall of the housing, and a shutter attached to the brick. The brick has a plurality of cavities each of which receive a stab of one of the bus bars, and has a guide opening along its bottom wall on opposed ends. The shutter extends across the front of the brick, is positionable over the several cavities of the brick, and has a configuration corresponding to the arrangement of the cavities. A cam-linkage assembly located on opposed sidewalls of the brick is spring biased and allows the shutter to be moved along tracks of the brick for opening and closing the cavities. The plug-in unit has guide probes which enter the guide openings along the bottom of the brick as the plug-in unit is being installed onto the busway system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Petrisko, Paul A. Colbaugh
  • Patent number: 5385260
    Abstract: A disposable paper cup for serving cold food products and beverages is converted into a hot cup by the addition of an insulating sleeve assembled on the cold cup by the user. One part of a cohesive compound carried by the cold cup cooperates in registry with another part of the cohesive compound carried by the insulating sleeve to instantaneously and aggressively adhere the sleeve in assembly with the cold cup when the sleeve is mounted on the cold cup by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Sherwood Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James Gatcomb
  • Patent number: 5336849
    Abstract: A raceway includes a base and removable cover defining internal channels; discrete conductive shields are mounted in each channel in overlying relation to power and communications conductors therein; and a latching member is removably mounted between the cover and base continuously along coextending lengths of the latching member and the cover, the latching member being in interfering relation to cover movements required for removal of the cover from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: The Wiremold Company
    Inventor: Charles A. Whitney
  • Patent number: 5316490
    Abstract: A modular element for an electrical power distribution ducting has an elongated box section structure. Inside the box section structure conducting electrical power distribution bars are arranged. Lateral access can be gained to the bars through distribution openings in the box section structure. At least some of the openings are protected by a closing-off protective device in the absence of a tapping. The box section structure is composed of two beam members each having two longitudinal grooves into which the respective longitudinal edges of two pre-shaped strips having a U-shaped cross section engage elastically. The edges are fixedly retained inside the longitudinal grooves of the beam members. One of the beam members optionally carries bus bars for low current power distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Societe en Nom Collectif: Normabarre
    Inventors: Michel Clemence, Christian Barocci, Christian Dupoux
  • Patent number: 5224331
    Abstract: A textile spinning or twisting machine which has plurality of units arranged next to one another in a row on one or both sides of the machine which each contain an electric motor. These electric motors are mounted on a supporting body extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine. The supporting body is constructed as a cable duct which, for each electric motor, comprises a motor plate bar and electric lines laid in the longitudinal direction of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Novibra GmbH
    Inventors: Gerd Stahlecker, Heinz Spath, Albert Straub
  • Patent number: 5144530
    Abstract: A power distributor device is disclosed for electric installations, comprising, for housing a set of power bars, an insulating case formed preferably of several interlockable modules. A member, for example an end-piece in the form of a lyre is associated with a zone for fixing the case on a support allowing expansion between the case and the support. An upstream connection box may be assembled to the case and comprise a zone for fixing to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Telemecanique
    Inventors: Jacques Cohen, Daniel Nourry, Jean-Pierre Thierry
  • Patent number: 5024614
    Abstract: A surface accessible wiring system for the distribution of power and signal conductors such as telephone or data conductors is disclosed. A raceway comprises a channel member having a plurality of compartments, a cover which can be securely snapped to the raceway channel and a plurality of connector housings. Each raceway component is extruded from a material such as aluminum. Ribs on the cover and the connector housings are securely snapped into engagement with lips on the channels so that the covers can only be removed with the use of a tool. The channels are shallow so that the raceway assembly can be mounted substantially flush with the exterior surface of a wall or a wall panel, either at the base or top of the wall or at desk level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Frank P. Dola, Steven Feldman, John H. Lauterbach, William G. Mengelson
  • Patent number: 5011421
    Abstract: A plane change connector assembly is provided which connects electrical busbars which are in different planes. The assembly includes a connector which has at least one coupling flange cantilevered from one side of a planar joining member. A second coupling flange is cantilevered from the other side of the planar joining member in a different plane from the first coupling flange and preferably, in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the first coupling flange. The connector can be used as part of an assembly for connecting multiphase systems having multiple co-planar busbars for each phase. In this preferred form, the connector is provided with multiple coupling flanges, and a connector is associated with each phase of the system. The co-planar busbars for each phase are connected with plates which in turn engage the first coupling flanges of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Duke, Barry R. Richards
  • Patent number: 4820177
    Abstract: An electrical distribution system having specially formed and insulated bus bars in back to back, stacked relationship with each other along the length of the busway and spaced apart where tap-off or other connection may be made. The bus bars are formed to be interchangeable, to the extent possible, within a busway section. For example, in a four bar plug-in section, the two inner bus bars are identically formed and interchangeable by rotating the bars 180.degree.. Similarly, the two outer bus bars are also identically formed and interchangeable. The electrical insulation between bus bars is provided by the use of insulating tubes comprising one layer of varnished glass cloth between two layers of polyethylene terephthalate. Each bar is provided with a hump located for tap-off connection along the length of the busway. The insulating tubes are spaced apart from each other on each bus bar to provide a tap-off contact surface on each hump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventor: Allan E. Slicer
  • Patent number: 4820178
    Abstract: Molded plastic outlet boxes are attached to an electric busway power distribution system at each location along the system where the bus bar conductors are provided with plug-in stabs. Slotted openings arranged through a top of the outlet box are centered with respect to the busway stabs to assist in connection therewith. A molded plastic access cover can be mounted optionally on either side of the box to electrically isolate the busway stabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John D. Anderson, Lynn M. Harton, David A. Hibbert
  • Patent number: 4789344
    Abstract: A molded insulating housing is received in a slot in a rear panel of a removable control unit to extend on front and rear sides of the panel. Solid bus conductors mounted in the housing have their opposite ends disposed within front and rear openings in the housing. Plug-in connector clips are affixed to the solid bus conductors adjacent the rear openings for plug-in connection with control center vertical bus bars. The solid bus conductors are afforded limited transverse sliding movement within the housing relative to the vertical bus bars for self-alignment of the plug-in connector clips with the bus bars. Bolted connection of the solid bus conductors to control apparatus is effected at the front of the control unit using a solid preformed connector strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald J. Fritsch, Allan E. Grams