Patent Application
20080302553
The invention generally relates to a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway.
Typical electrical busways are an electrical distribution track that is comprised of an elongated housing containing a plurality of electrically isolated conductive busbars encased in an insulator. Sections of busway can be joined together to form runs for power distribution. When two sections of busway are joined, an electrical connection between the two separate sections is made by a connector body unit. The connector body unit acts as a bridge between the two separate sections of busway.
Standard surface track systems typically have two channels. One channel is a data channel for running data transport devices. The other channel is a power channel for supplying power distribution by running electrical conductors to receptacles attached at fixed points along a length of the system. Since the receptacles are hard wired to the electrical conductors back to a certain location, adding or removing receptacles means that the electrical conductors that supply power to the receptacles must also be added or removed. The number of receptacles in a track system is dependent on the number of electrical conductors used and how many electrical conductors can fit into the power channel.
Standard surface track systems consist of one of more channels generally in the shape of a single U or a double U. Track systems that are only to have a power channel or a data channel use a single generally U-shaped track system. On the other hand, track systems that are used to supply power distribution and data transport use a double generally U-shaped track system.
The standard track systems are typically mounted in such a way that the opening of the U-shaped channel faces sideways from a horizontal direction along which the track systems travel. Covers, which may be blank, contain receptacles, breakers, data jacks, data ports or combinations thereof are snapped to the open side of the of the U-shaped channel to enclose the track system. Connections to the receptacles, breakers, data jacks or data ports are effected by running electrical conductors to the receptacles and breakers and by running data transport devices to the data jacks and data ports.
Since individual electrical conductors are needed for every receptacle and breaker and individual data transport devices are needed for every data jack and data port for a standard track system, the number of electrical conductors and data transport devices that the standard track system may hold is limited to the physical size of the power channel and the data channel. Adding, moving or removing receptacles, breakers, data jacks or data ports means that individual electrical conductors and individual data transport devices must be added, modified or removed adding labor and downtime costs for changes to the standard track system.
Standard wire tray systems, generally in the shape of a three-sided trough, are used to route data transport devices overhead in commercial offices or manufacturing facilities. The wire tray supports data transport devices and is typically run in a straight line in a horizontal direction. The wire tray is usually suspended from roof ceilings. Data transport devices that need to be coupled to data jacks or data ports run along the overhead trough and are then dropped downwardly through apertures in the trough walls and connected to the desired data jacks or data ports.
It is known to run data transport devices in a wire tray located proximate to an electrical busway. Such a wire tray is a separate component that is mechanically attached to the electrical busway with fasteners or the like. A problem with such an approach is that installation becomes complicated by requiring the installer to mechanically connect the wire tray to the electrical busway. Complicated installations create increased labor costs. An additional problem with such an approach is that material costs are increased by requiring the purchase or two systems and mechanical attachment devices. Another problem with such an approach is that the wire tray mechanically connected to the electrical busway does not have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and cannot be mounted directly to a mounting surface such as a wall, floor or a ceiling. Since the wire tray mechanically attached to the electrical busway cannot be mounted directly to such a mounting surface, the prior art combination increased the overall footprint of the combination that occupies space in commercial offices or manufacturing facilities.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that reduces the occurrence of complicated installations and associated labor installation costs.
It is, therefore, also desirable to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance that could be mounted directly to a mounting surface such as a wall, floor or a ceiling.
It is, therefore, additionally desirable to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that reduces the overall footprint of the system.
Accordingly, there is room for improvement in data and power distribution systems that are described above.
An object of the invention is to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that reduces the occurrence of complicated installations and associated labor installation costs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance that could be mounted directly to a mounting surface such as a wall, floor or a ceiling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a data and power distribution system for an electrical busway that reduces the overall footprint of the electrical busway having a data channel coupled thereto.
Certain objects of the invention are achieved by a data and power distribution system. The system has a base plate and a data channel located adjacent to or proximate to the base plate. The data channel is structured to receive a number of data transport devices therein. An electrical busway is coupled to the base plate and a power channel is located adjacent to or proximate to the base plate. The power channel is structured to receive the electrical busway therein. The data channel is located proximate to the power channel and the base plate is a unitary component. The base plate may have a number of locations on the base plate that are structured to receive fasteners in order to directly attach the base plate to a mounting surface.
Other objects of the invention are achieved by a data and power distribution system. The system has a base plate and a data channel located adjacent to or proximate to the base plate. The data channel is structured to receive a number of data transport devices therein. An electrical busway is coupled to the base plate and a power channel is located adjacent to or proximate to the base plate. The power channel is structured to receive the electrical busway therein. A holder is provided with an aperture provided therein and a number of posts provided thereon. A connection mechanism is coupled to at least one of the number of posts. A plug-in adapter is received within the aperture of the holder. The data channel is located proximate to the power channel. The plug-in adapter has a number of electrical contacts that are structured to engage the electrical busway. The holder and the connection mechanism are coupled to a cover plate. The base plate and the cover plate define the power channel and the plug-in adapter and the connection mechanism are located within the power channel. The base plate may have a number of locations on the base plate that are structured to receive fasteners in order to directly attach the base plate to a mounting surface.
Other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and claims.
For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “axial”, “top”, “bottom”, “aft”, “behind”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing FIGS. or as it is oriented when it is coupled to a flat and level horizontal surface. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative configurations when the invention is moved about or the invention, for example, is attached to a vertical wall. It is also to be understood that the specific elements illustrated in the FIGS. and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the invention. Therefore, specific dimensions, orientations and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered limiting.
As used herein, the term “fastener” means any suitable fastening, connecting or tightening mechanism such as dowel pins, fasteners, rivets, screws and the like. As used herein, the term “number” shall mean one or an integer greater than one (i.e., a plurality). As used herein, the statement that two or more parts are “attached”, “connected”, “coupled”, or “engaged” together shall mean that the parts are joined together either directly or joined through one or more intermediate parts. As used herein, the term “data transport device” means data and/or communication cables, optical fiber, strands, wires and the like.
With reference to
An individual power channel 25 is provided for supplying power distribution by electrically isolated electrical conductors. An individual data channel 16 is provided for routing data transport devices. The power channel 25 is defined between the base plate 14 of the electrical busway 10 and a cover plate. The power channel 25 is located adjacent to or proximate to the base plate 14 and proximate to the data channel 16. The power channel 25 is structured to receive the electrical busway 10 therein. The data channel 16 and the power channel 25 extend in generally parallel directions with respect to each other. The first wall portion 18 separates data channel 16 from power channel 25. The base plate 14 for the data channel 16 has the electrical busway 10 coupled to the base plate 14. The base plate 14 is an integral or unitary component when the data channel 16 and the power channel 25 are provided. The data channel 16 and the power channel 25 forms a portion of a data and power distribution system of the invention.
An upper end 26 of the first wall portion 18 has an arcuate tip or barb 28 formed therein. Likewise, an upper end 30 of the second wall portion 22 has a barb or arcuate tip 32 formed therein. The arcuate tip 28 and the barb 32 are structured to receive barbs 34, 36 of a cover 38 in order to close data channel 16 once a preselected number of data transport devices have been received within the data channel 16. The cover 38 has a general L-shaped configuration in cross-section. Data jacks, data ports, data distribution receptacles, etc. (not shown) may be provided within recesses (not shown) in the cover 38. The data jacks, etc. would be in data communication with a number of the data transport devices located within the data channel 16.
Barb 34 is located proximate to an upper end 40 of the cover 38 and barb 36 is located proximate to a bottom end 42 of the cover 38. Barb 34 is located at a lower end 44 of a generally downwardly extending third wall portion 46. Third wall portion 46 is coupled to an upper generally horizontal surface 48 which is coupled to a generally downwardly extending fourth wall portion 50. A lower generally horizontal segment 52 is coupled to the fourth wall portion 50 at a location proximate to the bottom end 42 of the cover 38. A generally downwardly extending fifth wall portion 54 is coupled to the lower horizontal segment 52. Barb 36 is located at a lower end 56 of the fifth wall portion 54.
With reference to
With reference to
The electrical conductors 66 are located within or coupled to an insulator 68. The insulator is made from electrically resistive material, such as plastic, for example. The insulator 68 includes a number of general U-shaped portions 70 at least some of which are structured to receive one of the number of electrical conductors 66. Each U-shaped portion 70 is coupled to an adjacent U-shaped portion 70 by an insulator generally horizontal segment 72. Each U-shaped portion 70 has a pair of opposed wall sections 74 that define a recess 76 for receiving an electrical contact 78 (
The base plate 14 has a pair of generally upwardly extending wall portions 82 in opposed relation to each other that have a number of generally inwardly extending tab portions 84 in opposed relation to each other. One of the number of opposed tab portions 84 is structured to receive the insulator 68 and electrical conductors 66. Peripheral edges 86 of the insulator 68 have flanges 88 formed therein which are structured to be enclosed by one of the number of opposed tab portions 84.
The electrical busway 10 may also have a joint insulator 90 which is typically used at an end of an electrical busway 10 section. The joint insulator 90 insulator includes a number of general U-shaped portions 92. At least some of the U-shaped portions 92 are structured to receive one of the number of electrical conductors 66. Each of the number of electrical conductors 66 are located within or coupled to general U-shaped portions 70 of the insulator 68.
The combination of the electrical conductors 66 and the insulators 68 or the combination of the electrical conductors 66, the insulators 68 and the joint insulator 90 may be slidably disposed within a channel 94 defined by one of the number of opposed tab portions 84.
With reference to
An upper end 104 of the holder 96 has generally horizontal extending flanges 106. The flanges 106 are coupled to at least one of the number of walls 102. The flanges 106 are located in opposed relation to each other. Each of the flanges 106 has an aperture 108 formed therein for receiving a fastener to couple a cam mechanism 110 (
Some of the number of walls 102 may have a number of apertures 112 formed therein. The apertures 112 are structured to receive fasteners 114 (
With reference to
With reference to
The cam mechanism 110 is constructed of a number of pivotable members 130. In the depicted embodiment, two pivotable members 130 are shown. The combination of the two pivotable members 130 has an inverted generally U-shaped configuration in cross-section. Each of the pivotable members 130 has a generally horizontal extending shoulder portion 132 coupled to a generally downwardly extending arm portion 134. A lower portion 136 of the arm portion 134 has a generally outwardly extending barb portion 138. The barb portions 138 are structured to engage barbs 64 of the base plate 14.
One of the pivotable members 130 has a sloped nib 140 that is structured to be rotatably moved by actuation of rotatable fastener 128. A sloped member 142 is located proximate to a lower end 144 of the rotatable fastener 128 and is disposed around a portion of a shank of the rotatable fastener 128. The sloped nib 140 engages the sloped member 142. The rotatable fastener 128 passes through an aperture provided in the cover plate 116, the aperture 108 provided in the holder 96, a biasing member 146, an aperture provided in one of the pivotable members 130 and an aperture provided in the sloped member 142. The rotatable fastener 128 may be press fit through the aperture provided in the sloped member 142. The lower end 144 of the rotatable fastener 128 may have an enlarged head 148. After press fitting the rotatable fastener 128 through the aperture of the sloped member 142, the sloped member 142 may be partially rotated about the rotatable fastener 128 so the enlarged head 148 prevents removal of the rotatable fastener 128 from the aperture of the sloped member 142.
The pivotable members 130 are spring loaded by the biasing member 146. The power module 12 and cam mechanism 110 connection mechanism may be coupled to the electrical busway 10 by moving the power module 12 towards the electrical busway 10 by pressing downwardly upon the cover plate 116 toward the electrical busway 10 which causes the barbed portions 138 to snap under barbs 64 to firmly connect the power module 12 with the electrical busway 10. The power channel 25 is defined between the base plate 14 of the electrical busway 10 and the cover plate 116. The cam mechanism 110 connection mechanism quickly attaches the power module 12 with the electrical busway 10. Once contact is made by the power module 12 with the electrical busway 10, the power module 12 is ready to be used without any additional wiring involved. The power module 12 may be inserted into the electrical busway 10 at any point along the length of an electrical busway system.
The pivotable members 130 are integrated into opposite ends 150 and located on opposite ends 150 of the power module 12. When the cam mechanism 110 is coupled to the electrical busway 10, the cam mechanism 110 is concealed, located or wholly contained within the power channel 25 by the cover plate 116 with only a head 152 of the rotatable fastener 128 being visible on an exterior surface 154 of the cover plate 116. Also, when the cam mechanism 110 is coupled to the electrical busway 10, the plug-in adapter 80 and the holder 96 is concealed, located or wholly contained within the power channel 25 by the cover plate 116. As can be seen in
Also, cover 38 and cover plate 116 (
Furthermore, as an additional benefit, the base plate 14 has a number of locations 156 (
The reduced form factor of the electrical busway 10 in combination with the power module 12 of the invention allows the combination to be directly mounted to a mounting surface which eliminates the mounting problem of the prior art mentioned above. In the prior art, power module connection mechanisms projected outwardly from a cover plate as a pair of opposed actuable tabs that allowed the prior art power module connection mechanism to be connected or disconnected from an electrical busway. The problem with that approach is that the tabs extended to height above a plug-in module thereby increasing the overall footprint of the power module coupled to the electrical busway. Also, a potential problem with such an approach is that the actuable tabs could be accidentally actuated by the end-user which inadvertently disconnects the prior art power module. This accidental disconnection could potentially expose the end-user to live electrical conductors situated within the electrical busway. The cam mechanism 110 connection mechanism of this invention eliminates these problems identified above.
To remove the power module 12 and the cam mechanism 110 connection mechanism from the electrical busway 10, the end-user only needs to actuate the rotatable fastener 128. Upon actuation of the rotatable fastener 128, corresponding rotatable movement is provided to sloped member 142 which causes the sloped member 142 to rotate. The sloped member 142 has a complementary slope to the sloped nib 140 of one of the pivotable members 130. Nonetheless, the sloped nib 140 would have an interference fit with the sloped member 142 such that rotation of the sloped member 142 would provide a preselected amount or effective amount of movement in the pivotable members 130 which pulls the pivotable members 130 in and away from the barbs 64. The sloped member 142 may have indentations which are structured to provide a positive locking feature in the closed and open positions of the cam mechanism 110. Typically, the power module 12 could be removed from the electrical busway 10 by rotating the rotatable fastener 128 counterclockwise by a half turn. Such movement in the pivotable members 130 causes the barbed portions 138 to disengage from barbs 64 and permit removal of the power module 12 from the electrical busway 10. To reinstall the power module 12, the rotatable fastener 128 is rotated clockwise to reset the pivotable members 130. The power module 12 is now ready to be reinstalled. The quick removal of the power module 12 from the electrical busway 10 allows the end-user to efficiently service any of the components of the power module 12. Also, the quick removal of the power module 12 allows movement of the power module 12 to other portions of the electrical busway 10 or total removal of the power module 12 from the electrical busway 10. The power module 12 eliminates the problem of running additional wires to or removing wires from added or removed power modules that are used in standard raceway systems.
Additionally, since the power module 12 may only be removed from the electrical busway 10 by actuating the rotatable fastener 128, the power module 12 cannot be accidentally disconnected from the electrical busway 10 by the end-user. The power module 12 of the invention eliminates any potential exposure to live electrical conductors from the accidental disconnection of power modules found in the prior art.
With reference to
With reference to
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it with be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended hereto and any and all equivalents thereof.
