In electrical power distribution, bus bars are strips of material (e.g., copper) used to conduct electricity within an apparatus, such as a distribution board, switchboard, and substation. These bus bars are designed to distribute electricity to separate components connected to the apparatus. Typically, the apparatus may be pre-configured at certain locations to facilitate connections between the bus bar and the separate components. However, some components of different shapes and sizes are unable or rather difficult to connect to a bus bar at these pre-configured locations.
Aspects of the disclosure may be advantageous for providing various bus bar connectors configured to draw power from a bus bar at non-discrete locations. One aspect of the present technology provides a bus bar connector. The bus bar connector includes a connector housing having a slot. The slot can be configured to allow the connector housing to grip a bus bar at different locations. First and second electrical contacts are disposed on opposite sides of the slot. The bus bar connector includes mounting members for securing the connector housing against an enclosure for the bus bar. The bus bar connector also includes a spring clip configured to attach to upper and lower outer surfaces of the connector housing to provide an amount of contact force onto the outer surface of the connector housing. The amount of contact force may enable the first and second electrical contacts to securely grip the bus bar.
In one example, the mounting members may include rear contacts attached to the connector housing. The rear contacts may be adapted to accept mounting lugs for securing the housing to the enclosure.
In one example, the first and second electrical contacts include contact fingers. The contact fingers are configured on a surface of each electrical contact facing the bus bar to increase gripping power of the connector housing onto the bus bar.
In one example, the first and second electrical contacts include a ring terminal configured on a tab portion of each contact. The ring terminal may be configured to receive an electrical component.
In one example, the first and second electrical contacts include a terminal positioned on a tab portion of each contact, the terminal being configured to receive a wiring component to attach one or more wires to the first and second electrical contacts.
Another aspect of the present technology provides a system. The system includes a bus bar for supplying current from a power supply to a device and a bus bar connector. The bus bar connector includes a housing having a slot. The slot can be configured to allow the housing to grip the bus bar at different locations. First and second electrical contacts disposed on opposite sides of the slot. In this regard, the bus bar can be configured between the first and second electrical contacts. The bus bar connector includes mounting members for securing the connector housing against an enclosure for the bus bar. The bus bar connector also includes a spring clip configured to attach to upper and lower outer surfaces of the connector housing to provide an amount of contact force onto the outer surface of the connector housing. The amount of contact force may enable the first and second electrical contacts to securely grip the bus bar.
Aspects, features and advantages of the disclosure will be appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of embodiments and accompanying figures. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Furthermore, the following description is not limiting; the scope of the present technology is defined by the appended claims and equivalents. While certain processes in accordance with example embodiments are shown in the figures as occurring in a linear fashion, this is not a requirement unless expressly stated herein. Different processes may be performed in a different order or concurrently. Steps may also be added or omitted unless otherwise stated.
The subject matter of the present disclosure generally relates to creating a flexible bus bar connector that can draw power from a bus bar at non-discrete locations. This can allow electronic components and other types of payloads connected to an apparatus, such as a distribution board, to have the flexibility to vary in widths and sizes by being able to freely attach to the bus bar along any position.
In order to receive a bus bar, the bus bar connector 100 may include a slot 104. As shown in
The bus bar connector 100 may be configured to make electrical contact with the bus bar. For example, as shown in
In order to make electrical contact with the bus bar, the bus bar connector 100 also includes a second electrical contact plate 112 similar to the first electrical contact plate 106. For example, the second electrical contact plate 112 also includes a ring terminal configured on a rear tab portion RN of the plate 112. The second electrical contact plate 112 differs in that it is oriented opposite to corresponding portions of the first electrical contact plate 106.
In some aspects, the electrical contact plates can be adapted to receive a wiring component (such as O-ring wire connector that includes electrical insulation surrounding one or more wires or other types of wire connectors), which may be capable of accepting one or more wires. In this way, the bus bar connector 100 can be configured from being a board-mounted connector, such as a connector for matting a PCB onto a bus bar, to a cable-mounted connector. For example, a terminal (not shown) can be configured on the rear tab RN portion of the first and second electrical contact plates 106 and 112. In this example, the terminal may receive a wiring component that can attach one or more wires to each plate.
According to aspects, each electrical contact plate can also include contact fingers or ridges. As shown in the example of
To facilitate matting of the bus bar connector 100 with a bus bar, the electrical contact plates of the connector may be inserted into the slot 104 and configured opposite to each other. For example, the first electrical contact plate 106 may be inserted into slot 104 below the second electrical contact plate 112. In some aspects, the first and second electrical contact plates 106 and 112 may include a stopper device to ensure the contact plates as inserted correctly. In this regard, the stopper device can include a stopper 113 that may indicate when a particular contact plate has been fully inserted into the housing 102. For example, upon insertion of the electrical contact plates 106 and 112 into housing 102, the stopper device may engage a part of the housing 102 indicating that the contact plates are fully inserted. Having the contact plates fully inserted into the housing 102 can ensure a maximum level of electrical contact with the bus bar when the bus bar connector 100 is matted with the bus bar.
The first and second electrical contact plates 106 and 112 can be held against or otherwise grip opposite sides of a bus bar passing between the plates through slot 104. For example, a means of applying an amount of contact force to the housing 102 can be employed to bring the two respective contact plates into electrical contact with the bus bar, thereby making a full electrical circuit between the bus bar and an electrical component attached to the bus bar connector 100.
For applying a desired amount of clamping force (e.g., approximate 25 lbs) to the housing 102 for gripping a bus bar, the bus bar connector 100 may also include a spring clip 114. For example, the housing 102 can be configured to allow insertion and removal of the spring clip 114. In some aspects, the spring clip 114 may be received at respective connector groves positioned on the housing 102. As shown in
The spring clip 114 may be a material such as a lightweight metal or another type of resilient material that can be repetitively flexed and returns to an original position after manipulation. In addition to proving an amount of clamping force, an advantage of the spring clip is that it can be used to prevent creeping (e.g., a tendency of a solid material to move slowly or deform over time) of the housing 102 on the bus bar.
At block 120, electrical contact plates are fully inserted into a slot in a connector housing. For example, the first and second electrical contact plates 106 and 112 are inserted into slot 104 of the housing 102, whereby the contact plates are positioned on opposite sides of the slot 104.
At block 130 the connector housing may be connected to a bus bar by configuring the bus bar between the electrical contact plates. For example, the bus bar connector 102 may be matted with a bus bar by fitting the bus bar into the housing 102 through slot 104 so that the housing 102 holds the bus bar between the first and second electrical contact plates 106 and 112.
At block 140, the connector housing may be freely positioned along the bus bar by passing the bus bar through the slot. For example, the housing 102 holding the bus bar may be freely positioned along a longitudinal axis of the bus bar by passing the bus bar through the slot 104.
At block 150, the connector housing may be secured to the bus bar by applying an amount of contact force (e.g., lbs) to the housing. During assembly of the bus bar connector 100, an amount of clamping force may be applied to the housing 102 using, for example, spring clip 114, such the housing 104 is secured to the bus bar.
As shown in
In
Bus bar connector 500 also includes bus bar sub-connector 500D having an electrical contact portion 512 and a ring terminal 516 configured on a rear tab portion. The bus bar sub-connector 500D differs from sub-connector 500A in that the electrical contact portion 512 is oriented opposite to corresponding portions of the electrical contact portion 506 of the bus bar sub-connector 500A.
According to aspects, the electrical contact portions 504 and 510 (and those of sub-connectors 500B and 500C) may be adapted to receive the bus bar 505. For example, contact portions of the bus bar sub-connectors can flex so that bus bar 505 can freely pass between them. In this regard, each contact portion may be a type of resilient material that can be repetitively flexed and returns to an original position after manipulation.
The contact portions can flex from a first position (e.g., an original position) to a second position (e.g., bending backwards) thereby allowing the bus bar to be positioned in between the contact portions. As the contact portions return back to the first position, they may hold or otherwise grip the bus bar 505 at a location. Thereupon, current may begin flowing from the bus bar 505 to the connected electrical component 501. For example, a power current may flow through the bus bar sub-connector 500D to the connected electrical component 501 and return through the bus bar sub-connector 500A.
In
According to aspects, the bus bar connector 602 can be configured to receive the bus bar 605. For example, the first and second electrical contact plates can be configured to create a slot where a portion of bus bar 605 can freely pass through. To position a portion of the bus bar 605 within the slot, the contact plates can flex from a first position (e.g., an original position) to a second position (e.g., outwardly in opposite directions) thereby allowing the slot to be able to receive the bus bar 605. In this regard, the electrical contact plates are a type of resilient material that can be repetitively flexed and returns to an original position after manipulation. As the contact plates return back to the first position, they can grip the bus bar 605 at different locations. In some aspects, current may begin flowing from the bus bar 605 to the connected electrical component 601. For example, a power current may flow through bus bar connector 608 to the connected electrical component 601 and return through the bus bar connector 602.
In
In some aspects, the bus bar sub-connectors can include an extension portion 710 configured between the electrical contact and rear tab portion of the sub-connectors.
According to aspects, the bus bar sub-connectors 700A-B may be configured to receive bus bar 705. For example, the first and second electrical contact plates can be configured to create a slot where a portion of the bus bar 705 can freely pass through. To position a portion of the bus bar 705 within the slot, the contact plates can flex from a first position (e.g., an original position) to a second position (e.g., outwardly in opposite directions) thereby allowing the slot to be able to receive the bus bar 705. As the contact plates return back to the first position, they may hold or otherwise grip the bus bar 705. In some aspects, current may begin flowing from the bus bar 705 to the connected electrical component 701. For example, a power current may flow through bus bar sub-connector 700B to the connected electrical component 701 and return through the bus bar sub-connector 700A.
As these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the disclosure as defined by the claims, the foregoing description of the embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the disclosure as defined by the claims. It will also be understood that the provision of examples of the disclosure (as well as clauses phrased as “such as,” “e.g.”, “including” and the like) should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure to the specific examples; rather, the examples are intended to illustrate only some of many possible embodiments.
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