United States Patent Publication No. 20040145837 (Davis), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly recites that “[t] here is provided a method and a basepan assembly for a panel board. The basepan assembly comprises a basepan having a bottom portion and at least one sidewall. A first bus bar is mounted in the bottom portion of the basepan. A second bus bar is mounted to its side proximate the side wall of the basepan. The side wall can include fasteners to couple the second bus bar to the side wall.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,232 (Rose '232), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly recites an “electric load center having a basepan having a surface with a modular extension mounting foot extending from a lower end wall of a circuit breaker support rail for receiving a modular extension basepan, the modular extension mounting foot having a slot for receiving a flexible snap hook of the modular extension basepan to secure the modular extension basepan to the basepan.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,937 (Rose '937), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly recites an “electric load center having a basepan having a surface with a modular extension mounting foot extending from a lower end wall of a circuit breaker support rail for receiving a modular extension basepan, the mounting foot having a trapezoidal shaped slot for engagement by a correspondingly shaped ramp of the modular extension basepan, the modular extension mounting foot further having a slot for receiving a flexible snap hook of the modular extension basepan to secure the modular extension basepan to the basepan.” See Abstract.
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a basepan assembly for an electrical panel. The basepan assembly can comprise an interconnectable plurality of pieces. In certain exemplary embodiments, a first piece from the plurality of pieces can comprise an inserter. In certain exemplary embodiments, a first piece from the plurality of pieces can comprise a receiver adapted to slidably receive an inserter of a second piece from the plurality of pieces.
A wide variety of potential practical and useful embodiments will be more readily understood through the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings in which:
When the following terms are used substantively herein, the accompanying definitions apply. These terms and definitions are presented without prejudice, and, consistent with the application, the right to redefine these terms during the prosecution of this application or any application claiming priority hereto is reserved. For the purpose of interpreting a claim of any patent that claims priority hereto, each definition (or redefined term if an original definition was amended during the prosecution of that patent), functions as a clear and unambiguous disavowal of the subject matter outside of that definition.
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a basepan assembly for an electrical panel. The basepan assembly can comprise an interconnectable plurality of pieces. In certain exemplary embodiments, a first piece from the plurality of pieces can comprise an inserter. In certain exemplary embodiments, a first piece from the plurality of pieces can comprise a receiver adapted to slidably receive an inserter of a second piece from the plurality of pieces.
System 1000 can be adapted to receive basepan assembly 1400, which can be fixedly and/or releasably attached to electrical panel 1100. Basepan assembly 1400 can be any design and/or architecture of basepan assembly. Basepan assembly 1400 can be electrically coupled to electrical source 1200, via one or more electrical conductors. Basepan assembly 1100 can be adapted to fixedly and/or releasably attach one or more circuit breakers 1500, which can be adapted to electrically couple electrical load 1300 to electrical source 1200.
In certain exemplary embodiments, first bus bar 2700 and/or second bus bar 2800 can be snapably attachable to basepan assembly 2050. In certain exemplary embodiments, first bus bar 2700 and second bus bar 2800 can be electrically isolated by a serpentine shaped separation 2750 defined by thermoplastic substrate 2120. In certain exemplary embodiments, first bus bar 2700 and/or second bus bar 2800 can be fixedly and/or releasably attachable to basepan assembly 2050 via one or more fasteners. First bus bar 2700 and/or second bus bar 2800 can be interleaved and/or stacked. In certain exemplary operative embodiments, basepan assembly 2050 can be adapted to:
In certain exemplary basepan assembly 2050 can provide sufficient gutter space for customer wiring, and also allow for a relatively compact load center. A raised configuration can provide sufficient space for running main circuit breaker conductors from a meter side of the electrical panel to a load side beneath basepan assembly 2050. Thus, basepan assembly 2050 can be adapted to provide space for main circuit breaker conductors from a meter side of an electrical panel to a load side of the electrical panel beneath basepan assembly 2050.
In certain exemplary embodiments, basepan assembly 2050 can be adapted to support a plurality of circuit breakers (not illustrated) and can be used for main lug and/or main circuit breaker applications. One or more busbars, such as first bus bar 2700 and/or second bus bar 2800, can be formed, stacked and/or snapped into basepan assembly 2050. First bus bar 2700 and/or second bus bar 2800 can be retained using one or more spring clips on posts 2850 comprised by basepan assembly 2050. Basepan assembly 2050 can comprise a side wall 2140, which can be adapted to receive first bus bar 2700. Basepan assembly 2050 can comprise a bottom portion 2180, which can be adapted to receive second bus bar 2800.
First lug 2900 and second lug 2950, can be used for main lug applications and can be inserted in basepan assembly 2050. Features in basepan assembly 2050 can retain first lug 2900 and second lug 2950. In certain exemplary embodiments, first lug 2900 and second lug 2950 can be adapted to be electrically coupled to corresponding busbars, such as first bus bar 2700 and second bus bar 2800, via one or more fasteners. First lug 2900 and second lug 2950 can be adapted to receive an electrical conductor (not illustrated).
Basepan assembly 2050 can be attachable to a riser bridge 2500, which can be retained along a wall of basepan assembly 2050 to provide conductor routing to a meter side of basepan assembly 2050. Riser bridge 2500 can be used for mounting basepan pieces and/or securing second bus bar 2800. Riser bridge 2500 can be adapted to mount basepan assembly 2050 to the electrical panel. Riser bridge 2500 can be adapted to be retained along a wall of the electrical panel. Riser bridge 2500 can be raised from a wall of the electrical panel associated with basepan assembly 2050 to provide conductor routing to the meter side of the electrical panel. Riser bridge 2500 can be retained along the wall of the electrical panel using one or more fasteners. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise one or more riser bridge vents 2600 on riser bridge 2500, which can be adapted to channel heat energy away from first bus bar 2700 and second bus bar 2800. Riser bridge vents 2600 can provide for airflow and cooling beneath one or more circuit breakers comprised by basepan assembly 2050.
System 5000 can be characterized by a width 5700, which can be approximately, in inches, 1, 2.7, 4.091, 6.375, 8.275, 12, 16.33, 21.5, 24, 32.65, 36. 62.6, 96, and/or any value or subrange therebetween. System 5000 can be characterized by a depth 5800, which can be approximately, in inches, 1, 2.25, 4.765, 5.157, 6.5, 9.25, 12, 18.66, 20.75, 24, 30.42, 36. 60, and/or any value or subrange therebetween. A flange depth 5900, which can define a separation distance between system 5000 and an electrical panel associated with basepan assembly 5100, can characterize system 5000. Flange depth 5900 can be approximately, in inches, 0.125, 0.375, 0.66, 1, 1.069, 2.875, 4.5, 5.12, 6.75, 8.99, 12, and/or any value or subrange therebetween.
First piece 6100 can comprise an inserter 6200. First piece 6100 can comprise a receiver 6400 adapted to slidably receive an inserter 6600 of second piece 6500. When receiver 6400 and inserter 6600 are mechanically coupled, for each of three mutually perpendicular axes x, y, and z; second piece 6500 can be releasably restrained from moving relative to first piece 6100 in at least one direction parallel to the axis.
Receiver 6400 can comprise a flange 6300, which can be adapted to releasably engage with an edge 6900 of inserter 6600. When engaged with inserter 6600, flange 6300 can be adapted to restrain second piece 6500 from moving relative to first piece 6100 in, for example, a negative x direction and a positive z direction with first piece 6100 and second piece 6500 oriented as illustrated in
Second piece 6500 can comprise a receiver 6800, which can comprise a flange 6700. Receiver 6800 and flange 6700 can be adapted to receive an inserter from a third piece (not illustrated).
At activity 7200, one or more bus bars can be provided and/or obtained. The basepan assembly can be configured to releasably, clipably, and/or snapably couple the one or more bus bars to the basepan assembly.
At activity 7300, one or more circuit breakers can be provided and/or obtained. The circuit breakers can be designed to be releasably and/or pluggably attached to the basepan assembly.
At activity 7400, installation instructions related to the basepan assembly can be provided and/or obtained. The installation instructions can provide information to an assembler and/or user of the basepan assembly regarding one or more of coupling the pieces, installing the bus bars, installing lugs, installing conductors, installing the basepan assembly in an electrical panel, electrically coupling circuit breakers to the basepan assembly, wiring the circuit breakers, and/or connecting an electrical energy source to the electrical panel, etc.
At activity 7500, two or more of the plurality of pieces can be coupled to form the basepan assembly. In certain exemplary embodiments, the plurality of pieces can be fixedly, slidably, snapably, and/or releasably coupled.
At activity 7600, the one or more bus bars can be mechanically coupled to the basepan assembly. In certain exemplary embodiments, the bus bars can be snapably attached to the basepan assembly. In certain exemplary embodiments, the bus bars can be adapted to slide over one or more posts. Each of the posts can be adapted to fixedly and/or releasably attach the bus bar to the basepan assembly via one or more clips. In an operative embodiment, the basepan assembly can be adapted to retain a plurality of bus bars to the electrical panel; mutually align the plurality of bus bars; restrain motion of the plurality of bus bars in the one or more directions parallel to any of the three mutually perpendicular axes; and/or mutually electrically isolate the plurality of bus bars.
At activity 7700, the basepan assembly can be installed in an electrical panel, such as via one or more fasteners.
At activity 7800, one or more circuit breakers can be mechanically and/or electrically coupled to the basepan assembly.
At activity 7900, a source of electrical energy can be electrically coupled to the basepan assembly.
Still other practical and useful embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from reading the above-recited detailed description and drawings of certain exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of this application.
Thus, regardless of the content of any portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, such as via an explicit definition, assertion, or argument, with respect to any claim, whether of this application and/or any claim of any application claiming priority hereto, and whether originally presented or otherwise:
Moreover, when any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. When any range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that range includes all values therein and all subranges therein. For example, if a range of 1 to 10 is described, that range includes all values therebetween, such as for example, 1.1, 2.5, 3.335, 5, 6.179, 8.9999, etc., and includes all subranges therebetween, such as for example, 1 to 3.65, 2.8 to 8.14, 1.93 to 9, etc.
Any information in any material (e.g., a United States patent, United States patent application, book, article, etc.) that has been incorporated by reference herein, is only incorporated by reference to the extent that no conflict exists between such information and the other statements and drawings set forth herein. In the event of such conflict, including a conflict that would render invalid any claim herein or seeking priority hereto, then any such conflicting information in such incorporated by reference material is specifically not incorporated by reference herein.
Accordingly, the descriptions and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.