Patent Application
20130089994
The present invention relates in general to a bushing attached to the end of an electrical conduit, and more particularly to a split ring electrical grounding bushing having continuous insulation providing improved safety.
Bushings are typically installed at the end of electrical conduits to prevent the wires or conductors placed therein from becoming damaged or contacting the electrical conduit or a junction box. Often grounding bushings are used so that an electrical conduit may also be grounded or provided with a path to ground. Sometimes electrical connections are made and the attachment of electrical conductors or wires have been completed when it is discovered that the ring-shaped bushing was not installed on the terminal end of an electrical conduit for protection of the electrical conductors or wires contained therein. In order to prevent the laborious task of disconnecting the electrical conductors or wires and feeding a closed ring-shaped bushing along the wires to be placed on the terminal end of the electrical conduit, split or sectioned bushings have been used.
One such split or sectioned grounding bushing that is hinged is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,8840,782 entitled “Dual Sectioned Grounding Bushing Assembly” issuing on Jan. 11, 2005 to Borden et al, which is herein incorporated by reference. Therein disclosed is a grounding bushing assembly that has two bushing sections that are hinged or pivoted. A latch structure secures the ends opposing the hinged end, thereby forming a ring. The dual sectioned grounding bushing permits an electrician to install the bushing either before or after electrical connections are finalized. While this dual sectioned grounding bushing has proven to be convenient for attaching a bushing to an electrical conduit once the electrical conductors or wires have been attached, problems have arisen in that the sectioned insulation forms a gap adjacent the hinged end and the opposing latched end. Therefore, with this gap in insulation there is the possibility that the electrical conductors or wires might be damaged, forming a hazardous condition. Therefore, there is a need for an improved sectioned or split grounding bushing that can be installed on electrical conduits after the electrical conductors or wires have been attached, and yet provide a continuous electrical insulation so as to prevent the risk of damage to the electrical conductors or wires and thereby eliminate electrical shocks or shorts.
The present invention comprises a split bushing that has bushing portions that may be separated for placement around an electrical conduit and provide a continuous ring of electrical insulation. A first bushing portion and a second bushing portion are attached together forming a ring. A first and second insulating bushing portion corresponds with and attaches to the respective first and second bushing portions. At the adjoining first and second bushing portions and first and second insulating bushing portions a gap is formed. A first and second guard tab attached to a respective one of the first and second insulating bushing portions extends over the gap. The first and second guard tabs effectively form a continuous ring of electrical insulation. Therefore, a ring of electrical insulation is continuous over the entire interior circumference of the split bushing. A contact screw may be attached to a bushing portion and extend there through contacting the electrical conduit. A lug may also be attached to one of the bushing portions for attachment of a ground conductor.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a split grounding bushing that is safer.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent damage to conductors or wires placed within an electrical conduit.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it is easily manufactured and assembled.
It is another advantage of the present invention that it prevents the possibility of an electrical conductor or wire becoming damaged or creating a hazard by contact with a gap formed between the adjoining bushing portions.
It is a feature of the present invention that an effective continuous ring of electrical installation is formed.
It is another feature of the present invention that a guard tab covers a gap formed by the adjacent bushing portions.
These and other objects, advantages, and features will become more readily apparent in view of the following more detailed description.
Attached to the first bushing portion 18 is a first insulating bushing portion 44. The first insulating bushing portion 44 is attached to the first bushing portion 18 by first central locking tab 48 placed within a first locking tab opening 50 and first end locking tabs 56 on either end of the first insulating bushing portion 44. The first end locking tabs 56 may be snapped into openings formed at the ends of the first bushing portion 18. The locking tabs 48 and 56 securely hold the first insulating bushing portion 44 onto the first bushing portion 18. Similarly, on the second bushing portion 20 is placed a second insulating bushing portion 46 that is attached thereto by a second central locking tab 52 placed within a second locking tab opening 54 and second end locking tabs 58.
Formed on the first insulating bushing portion 44 at one end thereof, is a first guard tab 60 that extends over a gap and a portion of the second insulating bushing portion 46. Similarly, a second guard tab 62 is attached to the second insulating bushing portion 46 and extends over a gap and a portion of the first insulating bushing portion 44. Accordingly, gaps formed between the first and second adjacent bushing portions 18 and 20 and the first and second insulating bushing portions 44 and 46 are covered thereby forming a continuous electrical insulating ring around the inner circumference of the split electrical grounding bushing 10 and the electrical conductors or wires 14.
The first and the second insulating bushing portions 44 and 46 are attached to a flange 68 formed on the first and second bushing portions 18 and 20. The first and second insulating bushing portions 44 and 46 may extend axially into the split electrical grounding bushing 10 to an edge 72. The edge 72 is intermediate the axial length of the split electrical grounding bushing 10. Accordingly, the first and second insulating bushing portions 44 and 46 have a radial flange portion and an axial length extending to edge 72.
First guard tab 60 covers the gap 64 over the axial length of the first and second insulating bushing portions 44 and 46 and also extends circumferentially over a portion of the second insulating bushing portion 46. This prevents the electrical conductors or wires 14, illustrated in
The present invention improves the safety of a dual section or split bushing used in protecting electrical conductors or wires at the ends of electrical conduits. The present invention has the substantial advantage of forming a continuous insulation ring and yet permitting the bushing portions to be separated so as to encircle electrical conductors or wires while permitting placement on the end of an electrical conduit even after the attached or installation of the conductors or wires has been finished. The present invention also provides improved safety in eliminating potential problems that may arise due to the gap formed between the bushing portions, such as damage to the conductors or wires or creating an electrical hazard.
While the present invention has been described with respect to one embodiment, it will be obvious that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
