Claims:We claim:

1. A modular shroud adapter (150) for jaw contacts (120) comprising:
a plurality of adapter jaw units (90), each adapter jaw unit (90) comprising a pair of shroud adapter units (80), each shroud adapter unit (80) having,
• an adapter flange (10) configured thereon, the adapter flange (10) having a hole (5) configured thereon,
• an adapter engaging arm (20) configured thereon, the adapter engaging arm (20) having a hole (15) configured thereon,
• an adapter engaging cavity (30) configured thereon, the adapter engaging cavity (30) having a hole (25) configured thereon,
• an adapter cavity (40) configured for assembling a jaw contact (120) therein, and
• a conductor window (50) configured thereon, wherein a flat conductor mounted on the jaw contact (120) is inserted through conductor window (50) for keeping the a jaw contact (120) steady inside the adapter cavity (40),
wherein the adapter flanges (10) are brought together in mate condition simultaneously aligning the adapter engaging arms (20) with the adapter engaging cavities (30) and further, wherein the pair of shroud adapter units (80) along with the jaw contact (120) are aligned and assembled together using a pair of flange screws (55), a pair of flange nuts (60), a pair of assembly screws (65) and a pair of assembly nuts (70) to form the each adapter jaw unit (90);
a mounting plate (100) having a plurality of mounting holes (95) configured thereon;
a plurality of mounting screws (105) passed through the plurality of mounting holes (95); and
a plurality of mounting nuts (110) arranged to fix the plurality of mounting screws (105);
wherein, the plurality of adapter jaw units (90) is securely mounted on the mounting plate (100) using the plurality of mounting screws (105) and the plurality of mounting nuts (110), thereby forming the modular shroud adapter (150) that is plugged in to any phase configuration of busway plugin points by facilitating an individual shrouding of the jaw contacts (120).

2. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each flange screw (55) is passed through the hole (5) of the each adapter flange (10).

3. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each flange screw (55) is assembled using the each flange nut (60).

4. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each assembly screw (65) is passed through the hole (25) of the each adapter engaging cavity (30) and the hole (15) of the each adapter engaging arm (20).

5. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each assembly screw (65) is assembled using the assembly nut (70) from a side of the each adapter engaging arm (20).

6. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each shroud adapter unit (80) has rib construction on side walls for maintaining required level of creepage distances and avoiding any possibility of tracking through micro air gaps in the adapter jaw unit (90).

7. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting plate (100) is insulated.

8. The modular shroud adapter (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of adapter jaw units (90) is modular in nature and is used as a multiplier assembly for multiple jaws for multi phase system.

Dated this 31st day of March 2017

Madhavi Vajirakar
(Agent for the applicant)
(IN/PA-2337) , Description:MODULAR SHROUD ADAPTER FOR JAW CONTACTS

Field of invention:

The present invention relates to a modular shroud adapter for jaw contacts and more particularly, to the assembly for electrically insulating and protecting the plugin jaw contacts of a tap off unit in order to maintain required insulation levels among different phases at plug-in points of busways.

Background of the invention:

Plug-in units are used in busways as a means to tap power from the main conductors. Typically, a short-circuit protection device like a moulded case circuit breaker is placed inside of the plug-in box, and power is derived thereafter depending on the parity of the device viz. on, off, trip, plugin boxes can be tapped into the busways and the supply is tapped off using the plugged contacts generally termed as the jaw contacts. The contacts generally in a jaw profile are plugged on the busbar surface where the positive contact between the jaw arms and busbar is established and subsequently through flexible conductors current is transported to switchgear device.

In case of sandwich construction of busways the phase bars kept extremely nearer to each other and doesn’t leave much scope of expanding the busway enclosure dimensions to accommodate plugin points. In such scenario, the jaws when plugged-in in narrow offset region the required minimum clearances are not maintained, therefore a shrouding mechanism is required to project the jaws coming in contact and to maintain required insulation levels as well according to system insulation voltage levels.

When seen all the phases in plurality, the size of the insulator shroud becomes very large in order to accommodate all phase jaw contacts at once. Also for every phase configuration viz. 3 pole, 4 pole, 5 pole etc. there required is a different structure and construction of insulator shroud. As a current practice busways have this difficulty of accommodating bulkier moulded component in case of sandwich construction which defies the sole purpose of calling the busway as sandwich and compact construction.

The jaw contact shrouding is extremely essential in the sandwich construction of busways where the phase bars are placed very near to each other. The plug-in points in these system do not levy the scope of keeping busbar offset much apart and hence design is very compact in nature. In order to plug jaw contacts in the plug-in points, the jaw contacts are required to be insulated electrically to avoid any possibility of flash-over between successive phases of the system.

A prior art patent US5894405 provides an assembly and method for mounting a plurality of circuit breakers for electrical and mechanical connection to a bus bar in a module of a distribution board. The mounting assembly includes each circuit breaker having a housing defined by a contact end for connecting to the bus bar, a mounting end for securing to the cell of the distribution board, and side panels extending there between. The connect end of each housing has a bus bar terminal for connecting to the bus bar. At least one spacer is located between at least two of the circuit breakers. The spacer has a predetermined width between the side panels of adjacent circuit breakers. The spacer width is sufficient to spread the circuit breakers apart from each other and align the bus bar terminal of each housing with the busbar. A bracket is also provided with spacing flanges having a predetermined width to extend between the side panels of the circuit breakers sufficient to spread the circuit breakers apart from each other and align the connect ends of the circuit breakers with the busbar. Preferably, the mounting assembly pivotally mounts a line terminal within the housing of the circuit breaker permitting the slot of a contact jaw to move freely in a direction perpendicular to the busbar.

However, the prior art patent has few drawbacks as given below:
1. The assembly is bulky in nature.
2. A fixed set of busbar arrangement is required to capture advantages and to achieve connections.
3. Multiplicity is not possible.
4. It is difficult to connect external connections.

Accordingly, there is a need of a modular shroud adapter for the jaw contacts, that overcomes above mentioned drawbacks in the prior art.

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to guard a jaw contact unit individually in order to create flexibility for placing the jaws according to the busway phase configuration in a compact available space.

Another object of the present invention is to create a design that is modular in nature and is utilized in multiplication fashion following the constraints of the compact nature of sandwich construction of busways.

Yet, another object of the present invention is to eliminate multiple varieties of jaw phase insulators and bulk nature of same in size by using this modular feature of same adapter unit.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides a modular shroud adapter for jaw contacts comprises of a plurality of adapter jaw units. Each adapter jaw unit comprises of a pair of shroud adapter units. Each shroud adapter unit comprises of an adapter flange having a hole configured thereon, an adapter engaging arm having a hole configured thereon, an adapter engaging cavity having a hole configured thereon, an adapter cavity configured therein and a conductor window configured thereon. The adapter cavity is configured for assembling a jaw contact therein. A flat conductor mounted on the jaw contact is inserted through the conductor window. The flat conductor keeps the jaw contact steady inside the adapter cavity.

Then, the adapter flanges are brought together in mate condition simultaneously aligning the adapter engaging arms with the adapter engaging cavities. Further, the pair of shroud adapter units along with the jaw contact is aligned and assembled together using a pair of flange screws, a pair of flange nuts, a pair of assembly screws and a pair of assembly nuts to form the each adapter jaw unit. The each flange screw is passed through the hole of the each adapter flange. The each flange screw is assembled using the each flange nut. The each assembly screw is passed through the hole of the each adapter engaging cavity and the hole of the each adapter engaging arm. The each assembly screw is assembled using the assembly nut from a side of the each adapter engaging arm. The each shroud adapter unit has rib construction not numbered on side walls not numbered for maintaining required level of creepage distances and avoiding any possibility of tracking through micro air gaps in the adapter jaw unit.

The mounting plate includes a plurality of mounting holes configured thereon. The mounting plate is insulated. The plurality of mounting screws is passed through the plurality of mounting holes. The plurality of mounting nuts is arranged to fix the plurality of mounting screws. The plurality of adapter jaw units is securely mounted on the mounting plate using the plurality of mounting screws and the plurality of mounting nuts, thereby forming the modular shroud adapter jaw multiplier assembly. The multiple jaw contacts are mounted on the mounting plate of the plug-in unit in a regular arrangement. The modular shroud adapter jaw multiplier assembly is mounted inside the plug-in unit with the orientation of projecting outside thereof. The plugin unit is then plugged on to the busway plug-in points, by facilitating an individual shrouding of the jaw contacts. The plurality of adapter jaw units is modular in nature and is used as a multiplier assembly for multiple jaws for multi phase system

Brief description of the drawings:

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a pair of shroud adapter units of an adapter jaw unit of a modular shroud adapter for jaw contacts, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the adapter jaw unit of the modular shroud adapter for the jaw contacts, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the adapter jaw units of the modular shroud adapter for the jaw contacts, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the modular shroud adapter jaw multiplier assembly for the jaw contacts, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the modular shroud adapter jaw multiplier assembly for the jaw contacts, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments 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 a modular shroud adapter for jaw contacts. The modular shroud adapter is designed for electrically insulating and protecting the plugin jaws of a tap off unit in order to maintain required insulation levels among different phases of the system at plug-in points of busways. The novelty of design is inherit in the fact of design being modular in nature where only single component is used to form an adaptable assembly and the same assembly can be multiplied thereof without having dimensional increment other than the assembly scope.

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 5, a modular shroud adapter (150) for jaw contacts (120) in accordance with the present invention is shown. The modular shroud adapter (150) comprises a plurality of adapter jaw units (90), a mounting plate (100), a plurality of mounting screws (105) and a plurality of mounting nuts (110). Each adapter jaw unit (90) (refer figures 1 to 3) comprises of a pair of shroud adapter units (80). Each shroud adapter unit (80) (refer figure 1) comprises of an adapter flange (10) having a hole (5) configured thereon, an adapter engaging arm (20) having a hole (15) configured thereon, an adapter engaging cavity (30) having a hole (25) configured thereon, an adapter cavity (40) configured therein and a conductor window (115) configured thereon.

The adapter cavity (40) is configured for assembling a jaw contact (120) therein. A flat conductor (not shown) mounted on the jaw contact (120) is inserted through the conductor window (115). The flat conductor keeps the jaw contact (120) steady inside the adapter cavity (40). Then, the adapter flanges (10) are brought together in mate condition simultaneously aligning the adapter engaging arms (20) with the adapter engaging cavities (30). Further, the pair of shroud adapter units (80) along with the jaw contact (120) are aligned and assembled together using a pair of flange screws (55), a pair of flange nuts (60), a pair of assembly screws (65) and a pair of assembly nuts (70) to form the each adapter jaw unit (90) (refer figures 2 and 3). The each flange screw (55) is passed through the hole (5) of the each adapter flange (10). The each flange screw (55) is assembled using the each flange nut (60). The each assembly screw (65) is passed through the hole (25) of the each adapter engaging cavity (30) and the hole (15) of the each adapter engaging arm (20). The each assembly screw (65) is assembled using the assembly nut (70) from a side of the each adapter engaging arm (20).

The each adapter jaw unit (90) is accomplished using two shroud adapter units (80) that have a complimentary design and are assembled together by flipping one unit on other. The each adapter jaw unit (90) encloses the jaw contact (120) from all projections and guards the jaw contact (120) with clearances provided inside the adapter cavity (40) for working expansion of the jaw contact (120). In an embodiment, the each shroud adapter unit (80) is modular in nature. The each shroud adapter unit (80) has rib construction (not numbered) on side walls (not numbered) for maintaining required level of creepage distances and avoiding any possibility of tracking through micro air gaps in the adapter jaw unit (90). The each adapter jaw unit (90) is created for an individual jaw contact (120). The multiple jaw contacts (120) required for different phase configurations are assembled using the plurality of adapter jaw units (90) (refer figure 3). In a specific embodiment, the each adapter jaw unit (90) houses the jaw contact (120) in singular and/or plural quantities.

The mounting plate (100) (refer figure 4) includes a plurality of mounting holes (95) configured thereon. In the embodiment, the mounting plate (100) is insulated. The plurality of mounting screws (105) is passed through the plurality of mounting holes (95). The plurality of mounting nuts (110) is arranged to fix the plurality of mounting screws (105). The plurality of adapter jaw units (90) is securely mounted on the mounting plate (100) using the plurality of mounting screws (105) and the plurality of mounting nuts (110), thereby forming the modular shroud adapter (150) (refer figures 4 and 5). The plurality of adapter jaw units (90) is joined together side wise to avoid any extra utilization of space. The multiple jaw contacts (120) are mounted on the mounting plate (100) of the plug-in unit in a regular arrangement. The modular shroud adapter (150) is mounted inside the plug-in unit with the orientation of projecting outside thereof. The plugin unit is then plugged on to the busway plug-in points, by facilitating an individual shrouding of the jaw contacts (120).

This way the multiple jaw contacts (120) in various phase combination according to the busway phase configurations can be suitable adapted on the plug-in unit and subsequently be plugged on the plug-in point of the busways. The each adapter jaw unit (90) has appropriate volume inherited inside therein to allow arms of the jaw contacts (120) to expand and return in a working condition. The structural design of shroud adapter unit (80) is created ribs placed suitably, which along with the basic design of adapter gives enough strength to the component to bear the plug-in and plug-out loads of the plug-in unit. In this way, the modular shroud adapter (150) is designed to electrically insulate and protect the plugin jaws of a tap off unit in order to maintain required insulation levels among different phases of the system at plug-in points of busways.

Advantages of the invention:

1. The modular shroud adapter (150) facilitates the individual shrouding of the jaw contact (120).
2. Modular nature of the shroud adapter unit (80) requires only single variety of component for create the entire assembly that can be multiplied in numbers as required.
3. Elimination of multiple varieties of jaw phase insulators at plug-in points of busways.
4. Enhanced flexibility of plugging the jaw assembly at desired location on the busways.

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.