Patent Application
20240055796
Embodiments of the design provided herein generally relate to a connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform. In an embodiment, a shear bolt connector and a sealing boot are applied to improve the connector system.
Existing methods for connecting a solar electrical inverter to a DC feed include directly connecting hard wires into an electrical inverter using lugs, for example, on 350 to 750 MCM Cables. The MCM cables carry DC energy from the rows to the distribution boxes and then to the electrical inverter. However, these connecting methods have several disadvantages. First, the connection process is very time consuming. Second, the connection process requires multiple personnel to be performed. Third, the personnel usually must be especially trained and very skilled to do the job. And fourth, in order to connect/disconnect the DC feed to the electrical inverter, the electrical inverter needs to be open, which would void the warranty and cause warranty issues down the road. Therefore, there is a need for a quick connection method without a need for specially trained personnel and without causing warranty issues.
In an embodiment, a connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform can have i) a first over-mold section for a panel mount and ii) a second over-mold section for a sealing boot. The first over-mold section for the panel mount encases a portion of a first cable and a first section of a shear bolt connector to form a panel mount receptacle. Note, the first cable can be electrically connected to an electrical inverter. The second over-mold section of the sealing boot encases a portion of a second cable and a second section of the shear bolt connector. The second cable can be electrically connected to a DC voltage feed to be supplied to the electrical inverter. The second over-mold section can have a shape and size to slidably fit over the first over-mold section to form a mechanically locked, watertight assembly that covers the shear bolt connector in its entirety and the portions of the first cable and the second cable that are electrically coupled inside the shear bolt connector.
The drawings refer to some embodiments of the design provided herein.
While the design is subject to various modifications, equivalents, and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will now be described in detail. It should be understood that the design is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but—on the contrary—the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative forms using the specific embodiments.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific data signals, named components, connections, amount of emergency power supplies, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known components or methods have not been described in detail but rather in a block diagram in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Further specific numeric references such as first enclosure, may be made. However, the specific numeric reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted that the first enclosure is different than a second enclosure. Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
A connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform and a method for installing such a connector are disclosed. The disclosed method allows the DC feed to be plugged into the electrical inverter using a panel mount receptacle on the electrical inverter, a mating male connector on a cable, and then a shear bolt connector on the other end. This method of installing/connecting the electrical inverter can enhance safety, allow the electrical inverter to be serviceable, eliminate the need to build out costly infrastructure, save time in the labour of installation, etc. The method for connecting the connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform further can introduce a “plug and play” to the installation of an electrical inverter. Unlike current methods which heavily rely on hard wiring with using lugs, the disclosed method uses a shear bolt connector covered by a sealing boot to connect the DC feed to the electrical inverter. To that end, the method for connecting the connector for a DC voltage connection to the platform discloses using heavy duty, permanently molded connectors, and a panel mount receptacle for positive lock on installation/connection. The connector for the DC voltage connection to a platform can have i) a first over-mold section for a panel mount and ii) a second over-mold section for a sealing boot.
It should be noted that, the disclosed method and apparatus are not restricted to an electrical inverter on a solar array and can be extended to any outdoor electrical power feed connection.
The connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform can include a first cable connected to the electrical inverter, a second over-mold section 150 with the first over-mold section 100 to cover a shear bolt connector and the portions of the first cable and a second cable, where the shear bolt connector connects both ends of the first and the second cable from the DC voltage feed. The second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot covers the first cable and the second cable over where they electrically couple in the shear bolt connector. The first and/or second cable, each may be a single strand of wire or multiple strands of wire. The second over-mold section 150 with the first over-mold section 100 may form the connector for a DC voltage connection.
To install the connector for a DC voltage connection to a platform, the first cable can be connected to the shear bolt connector. (See
Next, as seen in
The second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot has a hollow interior in order to slide over the second cable coming from the DC voltage feed when being installed and then slide back over the second cable and the second section of the shear bolt connection after they have been mechanically and electrically secure together.
The second cable is a DC voltage feed such as from a solar array. The goal is to electrically connect the second cable with the first cable with some sort of connectors such as a shear bolt connector, that is mechanically reinforced and protected by the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150. (See
Referring to
The shear bolt connector can include a plurality of holes. The holes can extend from an exterior of the shear bolt connector to an interior of the shear bolt connector and can be used to position the bolts. In some embodiments, three bolts are located on the first section of the shear bolt connector. Similarly, in some embodiments, three bolts are located on the second section of the shear bolt connector. Initially, no bolt is placed in the holes. Once the first cable is inserted into the first section of the shear bolt connector and the shear bolt connector is connected to the panel mount receptacle, the first cable is bolted to the shear bolt connector by utilizing the bolts to secure the first cable to the shear bolt connector. In other words, the first cable can be inserted into the shear bolt connector and then the user can tighten the bolts to further secure the first cable inside the shear bolt connector. (See
Similarly, no bolts are initially placed in the holes of the second section of the shear bolt connector. However, in an embodiment, once the second cable is inserted into the second section of the shear bolt connector, the second cable is then bolted to the shear bolt connector by utilizing the bolts to secure the second cable to the shear bolt connector. In other words, the second cable can be inserted into the shear bolt connector and then the user can install and tighten the bolts to further secure the second cable inside the shear bolt connector. The frame of the shear bolt connector can be made of an electrically conductive material with suitable mechanical and physical properties.
In some embodiments, in order to install the shear bolt connector and the first cable to the panel mount receptacle, a first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount which covers the first section of the shear bolt and the first cable, is secured to the metal frame. See
The first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount (encasing a portion the cable and a first section of the shear bolt connector) can act as the female connector and a second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot that covers a portion of the second cable and the second section of the shear bolt connector, can act as the male connector. The first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount mechanically secures to the second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot, which ensures that the electrical connection of the first wire to the second wire electrically coupled through the shear bolt connector will be maintained. (See
Referring back to
On a first end of the first over-mold section 100 is constructed in size and shape to fit over a location of a thin wall within a structure of the shear bolt connector, where the first over-mold section 100 can include a semi-circular curved recessed area, in such a way as to create a “nose” at the first end of the over-mold section. The “nose” can be located above the thin wall and the first hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector.
The first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount can further include a tapered section with a first end and a second end. The tapered section is extended between the end of the “nose” of the first over-mold section 100 (i.e., the first end) to about the area above the last (e.g., the third) hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector (i.e., the second end). A thickness of the first over-mold section 100 gradually increases from the first end to the second end.
Further, the portions of the first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount above the second end of the tapered section, can be extended horizontally above the second end, so that to create a protrusion area.
Referring to
The second over-mold section 150 can have a shape and size to slidably fit, for example compression fit, the first over-mold section 100. To that end, the second over-mold section 150 includes a semi-circular, curved protruded area. The second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot includes a semi-circular, curved protruded area that creates a partial “ball” shape. The curved protruded area is constructed in size and shape to fit the semi-circular curved recessed area (“nose”) of the first over-mold section 100. Once the second over-mold section 150 fully is slid far enough onto the first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount, the curved protruded area will mechanically connect and lock into the semi-circular curved recessed area (“nose”) of the first over-mold section 100 at a location substantially above the thin wall and a first bolt hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector.
The second over-mold section 150 can further include a tapered section with a first end and a second end. The tapered section is extended between the end of the “ball” of the second over-mold section 150 (i.e., the first end) to about the area above the last (e.g., the third) hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector (i.e., the second end). A thickness of the second over-mold section 150 gradually decreases from the first end to the second end. The tapered section of the second over-mold section 150 can fit the tapered portion of the first over-mold section 100.
Further, the portions of the second over-mold section 150 of the sealing boot above the second end of the tapered section can be removed horizontally above the second end, so that to create a recessed section. The recessed section of the second over-mold section 150 can fit the protruded portion of the first over-mold section 100.
The first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 are so configured that once fully connected, the resulted sealing boot includes multiple seals for watertight connection. The first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 can include multiple additional water-tight seals, a second water-tight seal is created by a length and angle of taper of an outer surface of the first over-mold section 100 is mirrored in the inverse by an inner surface of the second over-mold section 150 that slides over the first over-mold section 100 and is located between a first bolt hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector and a last bolt hole of the shear bolt connector, i.e., the tapered area seal. For example, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 can include a first seal above the first hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector, i.e., the “nose” and “ball” seal. Similarly, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 can include a second seal between the first hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector and the last hole of the shear bolt connector, i.e., the tapered area seal. Additionally, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 can include a third seal above the last hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector, i.e., the protruded area of the first over-mold section 100 and the recessed area of the second over-mold section 150. Thus, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 can include a third seal above the last hole of the first section of the shear bolt connector, i.e., where a tongue and grove protruded area of the first over-mold section 100 receives a recessed lip area of the second over-mold section 150.
Further, the “nose” of the first over-mold section 100 and the “ball” of the second over-mold section 150 can mate together to form a quick, tool-free installation of the sealing boot. That is, the “ball-nose” connection forms a mating feature that can enable quick, tool-free installation of the toe parts of the sealing boot, i.e., the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150.
In various embodiments, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 are made of the same material. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the first over-mold section 100 and the second over-mold section 150 are made of different materials.
The interior surface of the second over-mold section 150 in a tapered portion that merely covers the second cable has a set of O-rings that slide over the second cable and form a watertight seal. The set of O-rings can be integrally molded inside the second over-mold section 150. Further, the set of O-rings can be used to enhance the strain relief for the assembled sealing boot.
In some embodiments, the second over-mold section 150 may include a set of protrusions, over the outer surface of the second over-mold section 150. The surface of the second over-mold section 150 may include a set of protrusions integrated into the second over-mold section 150 over an outer surface of the second over-mold section 150, where the set of protrusions is constructed in size and shape as well as distance spacing between the set of protrusions to form a set of gripping ribs for a person's hand and fingers that function to facilitate a sliding of the sealing boot over a tapered section of the first over-mold section 100 when installing and mechanically locking the second over-mold section 150 to the first over-mold section 100.
The electrical inverter is a solar-powered electrical inverter; and thus, the first over-mold section 100 for the panel mount and the second over-mold section 150 are made of weather resistant material.
While the foregoing design and embodiments thereof have been provided in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant(s) for the design and embodiments provided herein to be limiting. Additional adaptations and/or modifications are possible, and, in broader aspects, these adaptations and/or modifications are also encompassed.
Further, the terms “or” and “and/or” as used herein are to be interpreted as inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. As an example, “A, B or C” or “A, B and/or C” mean “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C.” An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive. As this invention is susceptible to embodiments of many different forms, it is intended that the present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the principles of the invention and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described.
This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. 63/397,256, titled “CONNECTOR FOR A DC VOLTAGE CONNECTION TO A PLATFORM,” filed Aug. 11, 2022, which the disclosure of such is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63397256 | Aug 2022 | US |
