FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
"Modular Insulating Shroud Assembly for Electrical Circuit Breaker"
2. APPLICANT:
(a) NAME: Larsen & Toubro Limited
(b) NATIONALITY: Indian Company registered under the
provisions of the Companies Act-1956.
(c) ADDRESS: LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED,
L&T House, Ballard Estate, P. 0. Box: 278, Mumbai 400 001, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Modular Insulating Shroud Assembly for Electrical Circuit Breaker
Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to insulating shrouds, and more particularly, to a modular click-fit type insulating shroud assembly electrical circuit breaker, for example, a current carrying member such as a busbar.
Background of the invention
Generally, insulating shrouds/phase barriers are used to increase electrical clearance and creepage distance between two live conductors. Use of shrouds/phase barriers reduces chances of electrical faults in devices such as circuit breakers and the like. Specifically, insulating materials such as polycarbonate and PVC are used as insulating shroud/phase barriers.
Depending on the size of the conductors, for example busbars, the insulating shroud/phase barriers are provided. This leads to increase in variety of the insulating shroud/phase barriers as different size conductor requires different size insulating shroud/phase barriers, increasing cost and causing procurement bottleneck. Furthermore, fabricating polycarbonate sheets to achieve desired form of the insulating shroud/phase barriers is difficult.
US Patent 7329813 discloses a method and modular insulation system for an electrical equipment enclosure having multi-phase bus bars and a mounting base for mounting electrical equipment. The insulation system includes a plurality of components including a plurality of side isolation barriers with each barrier defining at least one slot proximate one edge of the barrier and having at least one tab along another edge of the barrier. A side barrier adapter is configured to engage the isolation barrier and to engage the mounting base. An inner isolation barrier is configured to isolate at least two of the vertical bus bars and couple to the mounting base. A vertical bus rear wall defining a plurality of slots proximate at least two edges of the cover is fastened to the

inner isolation barrier. A plurality of corner connectors is configured to engage one of the cover slots and the side isolation barrier slots.
However, the abovementioned modular insulation system of 4893 patent requires separate tool for assembly of the plurality of components thereof. Further, the plurality of components mentioned in '893 patent have to be manufactured by moulding processes (due to specific construction of the components) which is not effective process. Furthermore, the plurality of components mentioned in '893 cannot be assembled in different ways to get different shapes of barriers suitable for different sizes of the busbar.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide insulating shrouds/phase barriers for conductors which overcomes abovementioned drawbacks.
Objects of the invention
An object of the present invention is to reduce requirement of variety of insulating shroud/phase barriers for different sizes of conductors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide cost effective insulating shroud/phase barriers for conductors, which can be assembled quickly and easily and without requiring any separate tools.
Summary of the invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a modular insulating shroud assembly for electrical circuit breaker, for example, a current carrying member such as a busbar. The insulating shroud assembly comprises a plurality of connector members. Each connector member of the plurality of connector members is being capable of engaging with a female profile of other connector member of the plurality of connector members by click fit mechanism thereby forming a modular insulating shroud assembly.

Specifically, each connector member includes a female profile configured at one end and a male profile configured at other end thereof.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view of a connector member, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2a and 2b show a cross sectional view of a female profile and male profile of the connector member of figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of a modular insulating shroud assembly, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the modular insulating shroud assembly of figure 3;
Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of engagement of one connector member with other connector member of a plurality of connector members, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 shows two current carrying members separated with assembly of the present invention providing better creepage distance at joint; and
Figure 7 shows another application of assembly of the present invention, separating front and rear side of switchboard.
Detailed description of the invention
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 modular insulating shroud assembly for electrical circuit breaker, for example, a current carrying member such as a busbar. The modular insulating shroud assembly of the present invention includes a plurality of connector members which can be assembled together to get desired size of shrouds/phase barriers. Further, present invention provides a click-fit arrangement which makes easy assembly of the plurality of connector members.
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 figure 1, there is shown a connector member (20) for connecting to another connector member and forming a modular insulating shroud assembly, in one aspect of the present invention. The connector member (20) includes a female profile (12) configured at one end (20a) thereof. Further, the connector member (20) includes a male profile (14) configured at other end (20b) thereof. The female profile (12) is hollow with elastic opening (12a) and a male profile (14) has a protrusion (14a) as shown in figure 2a and 2 b respectively. Specifically, the male profile (14) of the connector member (20) is being capable of fitting in the female profile (12) of another connector member.
The connector member (20) includes at least one rib (16) configured along the width thereof. The rib (16) doesn't allow the connector member (20) to rotate when connected to other connector member.
Referring now to figure 3-5, there are shown various views of a modular insulating shroud assembly (100) for an electrical circuit breaker, for example, a current carrying member such as a busbar (200), in another aspect of the present invention. Specifically, figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the modular insulating shroud assembly (100) and figure 4 shows a perspective view of the modular insulating shroud assembly (100). The modular insulating shroud assembly (100) (hereinafter "the assembly (100)")

includes a plurality of connector members (50) and attaching means (60). The assembly (100) is described in conjunction with figure 1 and 2.
Each connector member of the plurality of connector member (50) includes a female profile configured at one end and male profile configured at other end thereof. The connector member (20) as described in figure 1, 2a and 2b is similar to the connector member of the plurality of connector members (50) described in figures 3-5, and same numerals and references have been used herein for describing figures 3-5 for sake of brevity of the description and to provide better clarity in the description.
Each connector member of the plurality of connector members (50) engages other connector member of the plurality of connector members (50). For example, connector member (20) engages the connector member (40) of the plurality of connector members (50). Specifically, the male profile (14) of one connector member, for example, the connector member (20) engages to a female profile (32) of other connector member (40) as shown in figure 5. In an embodiment, assembly of the male portion (14) to the female portion (32) is by click fit mechanism. Similarly, other connector members (not numbered) of the plurality of connectors member (50) are connected to each other by click fit mechanism, thereby forming the assembly (100) of desired size.
The plurality of connector members (50) includes elongated connector members, for example the connector member (20) as shown in figure 1 and curved connector members, for example, the connector member (40) as shown in figure in figure 5. The curved connector member (40) is any one of semicircular, L-shaped connector member. In an embodiment, the female profile (32) and the male profile (34) of the connector member (40) are positioned at 90° angle. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art to have connector member of desired shape to have assembly of desired size and shape. The combination of the elongated connector members and the curved connector members may be used to form assembly (100) of desired size.
The plurality of connector members (50) is made up of any one of polycarbonate and PVC grade material. Further, the plurality of connector members (50) is manufactured

by extrusion process. The plurality of connector members (50) maintains uniform cross-section across its width which enables the manufacturing using the extrusion process. The extrusion process is cost-effective solution compared to other moulding processes, and any width can be achieved.
Further, the assembly (100) includes at least one connector member, for example the connector member (60) comprising a fixing means (62) to secure to a current carrying member, for example busbar (200) of the circuit breaker. The fixing means (60) is connected to the connector member (60) by providing at one or more holes. The holes on the connector member may be punched based on the requirement. In an embodiment, the fixing member (60) is a clip. The clip is made of nylon material and is used as one of the means of fixing the assembly. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art to any other fixing means to secure the assembly to a member of circuit breaker to be shrouded.
The assembly (100) due to the unique profile provides better creepage distance as shown with dotted lines (A) in figure 6. Specifically, two current carrying members, for example the bus bars (200), are separated by means of assembly (100). With the use of assembly (100), creepage distance along with joint of the plurality of connector member (50) is improved.
Referring to figure 7, there is shown another application of the assembly (100), which is a Z-shaped assembly separating a front and a rear part of a switchboard. The assembly (100) is secured to a frame using fasteners, for example, nut and bolt (80).
Advantages of the invention
1. The assembly (100) provides better creepage distance at joints.
2. The assembly (100) reduces requirement of variety of insulating shroud/phase barriers for different sizes of conductors.
3. The assembly (100) provides cost effective insulating shroud/phase barriers for conductors.

4. The assembly can be used as barriers also to achieve forms of separations. The connector members can be assembled in different ways to get different shapes of barriers. In other words, the invented assembly can be extended for any type of barrier, due to its modularity.
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, 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 omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

We claim
1. A connector member of insulating material, for connecting to another connector member and forming a modular insulating shroud assembly, the connector member comprising a hollow female profile with elastic opening configured at one end and a protruding male profile configured at the other end thereof, the male profile of the connector member being capable of fitting in the female profile of another connector member.
2. The connector member of claim 1 further having at least one rib configured along the width thereof.
3. The connector member as claimed in claim I, wherein the connector member is manufactured by extrusion process.
4. A modular insulating shroud assembly for shrouding an electrical conducting member of an electrical circuit breaker, the modular insulating shroud assembly comprising a plurality of connector members of claim 1, wherein the male profile one connector member is capable of engaging with the female profile of another connector member by click fit arrangement thereby forming the modular insulating shroud assembly.
5. The assembly as claimed in claim 4. wherein each connector member of the plurality of connector members comprises at least one rib configured along the width thereof.
6. The modular insulating shroud assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of connector members includes elongated connector members and curved connector members.

7. The modular insulating shroud assembly as claimed claim 6., wherein the curved connector member is any one of semicircular, L-shaped and combination thereof.
8. The modular insulating shroud assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one connector member of the plurality of connector members further comprises an attaching means for attaching the modular insulating shroud to the electrical conducting member of the electrical circuit breaker.
9. The modular insulating shroud assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the attaching means comprises a clip made of nylon material.