CLIAMS:1. A distribution block (200) used in distribution boards, the distribution block (200) comprising of a plurality of circuit breakers (190) connected in parallel thereto, a plurality of busbars (180) placed vertically therein, a plurality of adapters (150) mounted thereon using a plurality of fasteners (not numbered), the plurality of adapters (150) having a plurality of connecting links (120) configured therein, the plurality of connecting links (120) connecting to outputs (not shown, not numbered) of the plurality of circuit breakers (190), the distribution block (200) characterized in that:
a box clamp assembly (100) for establishing a connection between at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) and at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120), the box clamp assembly (100) having,
• a clamp (40) having a profile (30) configured on either sides of legs (not numbered) thereof;
• a movable component (70) having a threaded hole (50) configured and a profile (60) configured on lateral sides thereof;
• at least two pins (80) housing into the clamp (40) for providing contact pressure between the each busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) and the each connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120); and
• a screw (90) connected to the movable component (70) through the clamp (40);
wherein, when box clamp assembly (100) is inserted on to at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180), the movable component (70) is surfaced on one surface of the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) and when the screw (90) is rotated, the movable component (70) moves upwards establishing a cam connection between the profile (60) of the movable component (70) and the profile (30) of the clamp (40), that, in turn moves the clamp (40) laterally and then moves the pins (80) connected to the clamp (40) for establishing a contact between the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) and the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180).

2. The distribution block (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamp (40) of the box clamp assembly (100) is made of metal.

3. The distribution block (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threaded hole (50) of the movable component (70) has only one degree of freedom for moving in one direction.

4. The distribution block (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotation of the screw (90) is independent of the clamp (40).

5. The distribution block (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the box clamp assembly (100) is scalable according to the size of the plurality of connecting links (120).
,TagSPECI:Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to a connector assembly used in electrical distribution boards, and more particularly, to a box clamp assembly for connecting flat bus bar conductors in the electrical distribution boards.

Background of the invention:

Electrical distribution boards are used to distribute power in a building or industrial environment. Generally, the electrical distribution boards are a wall-mounted and/or a floor mounted in a bigger installation like at airport terminal or big hospital. In the electrical distribution boards, there is a main bus is fed through an incoming breaker. The main bus is running along the top/middle/bottom of the distribution board. From the main bus, vertical droppers have to taken out for further distribution or to supply outgoing breakers.

Conventionally, for establishing connection between the vertical droppers or the distribution busbars to links connecting the outgoing breakers; bolted connection, spring loaded joints or box clamp joints are used extensively.

For bolted connection, the dropper busbars needs to be holed at defined places. Sometimes, instead of the outgoing breakers, distribution blocks are used. Basically, the distribution blocks function as a single input to multiple outputs. A construction of the distribution blocks are busbars running in horizontal fashion and outputs to the breakers are taken through some prefabricated links with adaptor. These tap outs from the distribution bus bars to the breakers needs a bolted connection as discussed in the droppers.

Figure 1A illustrates a connecting terminal (20) known from a prior art patent US5807143A. The connecting terminal (20) includes a threaded box clamp (2) and a bolt connected screw (4). A connection between a busbar (6) and a connecting link (8) is achieved at connection surface (10) by tightening the screw (4). The access to the tightening of the screw (4) is from the top side of the screw (4). Also, the bolt clamp connecting terminal (20) occupies a huge place above the busbar (6) that in turn reduces the space utilization around the box clamp (2) due to requirement of maintain electrical clearance.

Also, the box clamp is connected to the busbar carrying current with potential it becomes live conductor. Another limitation of the prior art the connecting terminal (20) is that the screw (4) tightening is possible only in the direction of connection established between the busbar (6) and the connecting link (8).

A use of this kind of clamps is possible only when the busbars are placed width wise as shown in the figure 1A. But, when the busbars are placed vertically, the access for tightening the screw is very difficult if the prior art the connecting terminal is used.

Accordingly, there is a need of a box clamp assembly that overcomes abovementioned drawbacks in the prior art for establishing a connection between the busbar and the connecting link in the distribution block.

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide holeless busbars without compromising the effect of bolted connection.

Another object of the present invention is to utilize a space above the busbars of a distribution block.
Yet, another object of the present invention is to give a side access to a box clamp assembly in the distribution block having vertically placed busbars.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides a distribution block used in distribution boards. The distribution block comprises of a plurality of circuit breakers connected in parallel thereto, a plurality of busbars vertically placed therein, a plurality of adapters mounted thereon using a plurality of fasteners (not numbered). A plurality of connecting links configured in the plurality of adapters for connecting to outputs of the plurality of circuit breakers. A box clamp assembly is provided for establishing a connection between the plurality of busbars and the plurality of connecting links. The box clamp assembly includes a clamp, a movable component, at least two pins and a screw. The clamp is made of metal and is provided with profile on its either side of legs. The movable component is provided with a threaded hole and a profile on either sides of its projection. The clamp houses at least two pins for providing contact pressure between the busbar and the connecting link. The screw is connected to the movable component through the clamp.

At an initial position, the box clamp assembly is inserted on to the busbar. The movable component is surfaced on one surface of the busbar. When the screw is rotated, the movable component moves upwards for establishing a cam connection between the profile of the movable component and the profile on the leg of the clamp. The cam connection moves the clamp laterally that, in turn, moves the pins connected to the clamp for establishing a contact between the connecting link and the busbar. The box clamp assembly is scalable according to the size of the connecting link.

Brief description of the drawings:

Figure 1A shows a connecting terminal, in accordance with the prior art;

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of distribution block, where the bus bars are placed vertically, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a front view of the bus bars of figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a top view of the bus bars of figure 1;

Figure 4 illustrates an internal construction of single phase adaptor, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows a complete construction of the single phase adaptor, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a complete construction of a multi-phase adaptor, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the multi-phase adaptor mounted on the distribution block, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 shows an isometric view of a plurality of adaptors mounted on the distribution block, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 9 shows an isometric view of a plurality of circuit breakers connected in parallel to the distribution block, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 10 illustrates an isometric view of box clamp assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 11 shows an exploded view of box clamp assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 12 illustrates an isometric view of movable component shows its profile on its lateral projection, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 13 illustrates a lateral view and profile on the leg of the metal clamp, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 14 shows an initial condition of the box clamp on the busbar, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 15 shows an intermediate position of the box clamp on the busbar, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 16 shows a final position of the box clamp on the busbar, in accordance with the present invention and

Figure 17 shows usage of the box clamp on a distribution block adaptor, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.

The present invention provides a box clamp assembly used in a distribution block of a distribution board for establishing connection between a busbar to a connecting link that connects the circuit breakers. The present invention provides a simple solution to use holeless busbars without compromising the effect of bolted connection. The present invention also provides an easy and lateral access to a box clamp assembly for maintaining an electrical clearance.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figures 1 to 8, a distribution block (200) used in distribution boards in accordance with the present invention is shown. The distribution block comprises of a plurality of circuit breakers (190) connected in parallel thereto, a plurality of busbars (180) placed vertically therein and a plurality of adapters (150) mounted thereon using a plurality of fasteners (not numbered). The plurality of adapters (150) comprises of a plurality of connecting links (120) configured therein and a box clamp assembly (100) establishing connection between at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) to at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120). The outputs (not shown, not numbered) of the plurality of circuit breakers (190) are connected with the plurality of connecting links (120). In an embodiment, the plurality of adapters (150) is any one of a single phase adapter (refer figures 4 and 5) and a multi-phase adapter (refer figure 7)

Referring to figures 10-17, a box clamp assembly (100) for establishing connection between at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) to at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) in accordance with the present invention is shown.

The box clamp assembly (100) comprises of a clamp (40), a movable component (70), at least two pins (80) and a screw (90). A profile (30) is configured on either side of legs (not numbered) of the clamp (40) (refer figure 13). In an embodiment, the clamp (40) is made of a metal.
A threaded hole (50) (refer figure 11) is configured on the movable component (70). In an embodiment, the threaded hole (50) has only one degree of freedom in a way to allow the movement of the threaded hole (50) only in one direction. A profile (60) (refer figure 12) is configured on either sides the movable component (70).

The clamp (40) houses at least two pins (80) for providing contact pressure between the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) and the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120).

The screw (90) is connected to the movable component (70) through the clamp (40). The screw (90) is connected in a way that the rotation of the screw (90) is independent of the clamp (40).

Referring to figures 14-17, in an operation, usage of the box clamp assembly (100) on the busbar (180) in accordance with the present invention is shown.

At an initial position shown in figure 14, the box clamp assembly (100) is inserted on to the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180). The movable component (70) is surfaced on one surface of the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) for ensuring up and down movement of the movable component (70) while turning the screw (90). At the initial position, the screw (90) is at its initial position that is in the bottom of the profile (30) of the clamp (40). The at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) is placed in the box clamp assembly (100) between the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) and at least two pins (80) in the clamp (40). There is no contact pressure is established at the initial position.

At an intermediate position as shown in figure 15, when the screw (90) is rotated, the movable component (70) moves upwards. This establishes a cam connection between the profile (60) of the movable component (70) and the profile (30) on the leg of the clamp (40). The profile (60) on the movable component (70) engages with the profile (30) of the clamp (40). Due to this engagement, the clamp (40) is moved laterally. Then, the pins (80) connected to the clamp (40) are also moved for establishing a contact between the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) and the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180).

Referring to figure 16, a final position of the box clamp assembly (100) on the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180) in accordance with the present invention is shown. An operator has to apply a torque on the screw (90) until the required contact pressure is established between the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) and the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180). When the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) is of lesser size as shown in figure 10, the operator needs to apply the torque completely for getting the required contact pressure between the at least one connecting link of the plurality of connecting links (120) and the at least one busbar of the plurality of busbars (180).

Referring to figure 17, usage of the box clamp assembly (100) on the distribution block adaptor (150), in accordance with the present invention is shown.

Advantages of the invention:
1. Holeless busbars (180) can be used in the distribution block (200).
2. The connecting links (120) can be placed at any of the location of the busbars (180).
3. The box clamp assembly (100) in the distribution block eliminates a use of screw connection.
4. As the box clamp assembly (100) provides a lateral access, it can be used in the distribution block (200) where the busbars (180) are placed vertically.
5. The connection achieved by the box clamp assembly (100) can be scalable according to the size of the connecting link (120).
6. The box clamp assembly (100) can be used in any field to establish a connection between two rectangular strips.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.