CLIAMS:We Claim:

1. A shrouding arrangement (100) for a horizontal busbar (150) in a switchboard, the shrouding arrangement (100) comprising:
a covering member (40) being capable of rolling over the horizontal busbar (150), the covering member (40) having a plurality of slots (20) configured thereon; and
a plurality of captive clips (80) adapted to get fixed into the plurality of slots (20), the plurality of captive clips (80) having
a head (50),
a plurality of collapsible wings (60) being capable of coupling with the head (50) with a gap (55) therebetween, and
a pair of legs (70) being capable of coupling to the plurality of collapsible wings (60), the pair of legs (70) having a plurality of tooth (65) configured thereon for holding the covering member (40),
wherein, when the covering member (40) is rolled over the horizontal busbar (150) to cover tap-off joints thereof, the plurality of captive clips (80) gets inserted into the plurality of slots (20) causing the covering member (40) to move along the length of the plurality of captive clips (80) and bending of the plurality of collapsible wings (60) thereby allowing proper placement of the covering member (40) within the gap (55) and thereafter causing the plurality of collapsible wings (60) to return to an original position thus preventing fall out of the plurality of captive clips (80).

2. The shrouding arrangement (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering member (40) is a thin sheet that possesses electrical and thermal properties.

,TagSPECI:Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a switching device and more particularly, to a shrouding arrangement for a horizontal busbar in a switchboard.

Background of the invention

There are two types of enclosures used to distribute the generated power namely a Power Control Centre (PCC) and a Motor Control Centre (MCC). The PCC is a unit that distributes the power to different MCC and a Main Distribution Board (MDB) is a device used to distribute that power intelligently to different motor loads and lamp loads using feeders.

Horizontal or main busbars are the heart of switchboards that runs throughout the switchboard in the top most compartments to transmit necessary current throughout panels. Tap-offs joints are taken at various places throughout the switchboard which exposes the busbars at these points and hence, require shrouding to prevent fault occurring between phase to phase.

Switchboards generally operate in a range of 415V to 690V, so protection and insulation of the busbars are essential. The busbars are sleeved to prevent fault from propagating throughout the length of the busbars but at joints, the sleeves have to be removed thus exposing a surface of the busbar. To prevent any contact at this, the joints are shrouded.

Space available for shrouding these joints is usually less and for maintenance purpose these shrouds must be easy to remove and must have ease of reassembling again. In today’s scenario, a combination of molded and fabricated pieces is used to shroud these joints. A sub assembly is made containing fabricated and molded components and is assembled together with the help of plugs. This sub assembly is then placed on top of the busbar such that the molded component is in direct contact with the busbar griping it firmly which allows the fabricated components to cover the busbar joints effectively.

However, the pre-assembly of these fabricated components involves lot of time besides the manufacturing time involved. Quantity of components used is more which leads to problem in storage, handling and maintaining records. Also, there could be many varieties of such fabricated or molded support. The main purpose of these shrouds is to provide protection at joints. Maintenance of these joints is essential, so shrouds should be assembled in such a way that these are easy to remove.

It is preferred that a shrouding arrangement does not contain many components. This helps to reduce assembling and pre-assembling time. Also, the shrouding arrangement should be easy to store so that it does not occupy a lot of space.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a shrouding arrangement for a horizontal busbar in a switchboard that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

Objects of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide protection of a horizontal busbar in a switchboard.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate shrouding of tap-off joints of the horizontal busbar using a simple covering member and a pair of captive clips/screws.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a shrouding arrangement for a horizontal busbar in a switchboard. The shrouding arrangement comprises a covering member and a plurality of captive clips. The covering member is a thin sheet that possesses electrical and thermal properties.

The covering member comprises a plurality of slots configured thereon. The plurality of captive clips is adapted to get fixed into the plurality of slots. The plurality of clips comprises a head, a plurality of collapsible wings and a pair of legs. The plurality of collapsible wings is coupled with the head with a gap therebetween. The pair of legs is coupled to the plurality of collapsible wings. The pair of legs comprises a plurality of tooth configured thereon for holding the sheet of material.

When the covering member is rolled over the horizontal busbar to cover tap-off joints thereof, the plurality of captive clips gets inserted into the plurality of slots causing the covering member to move along the length the of plurality of captive clips and bending of the plurality of collapsible wings thereby allowing proper placement of the covering member within the gap and thereafter causing the plurality of collapsible wings to return to an original position thus preventing fall out of the plurality of captive clips.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows an assembly view of a shrouding arrangement on a horizontal busbar of a switchboard, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an assembly of the shrouding arrangement covering tap-off joints of the horizontal busbar, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a covering member of the shrouding arrangement, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a plurality of slots on the covering member of figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a captive clip of the shrouding arrangement, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows an assembly view of the plurality of slots with plurality captive clips, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an upper portion of the captive clip of figure 5; and

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the captive clip of figure 5.

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 a shrouding arrangement for a horizontal busbar in a switchboard. The shrouding arrangement utilizes a covering member for covering tap-off joints of the horizontal busbar and a plurality of captive clips/screws for retaining the covering member in a defined position. The shrouding arrangement provides necessary protection to the horizontal busbar and is easy to store.

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 1-6, a shrouding arrangement (100) (hereinafter “the arrangement (100)”) for a horizontal busbar/main busbar (150) in a switchboard (not shown) in accordance with the present invention is shown. The arrangement (100) comprises a covering member (40) and a plurality of captive clips/screws (80) (hereinafter “the clips (80)”).

The covering member (40) is cut in different sizes to cover various tap-off joints (not numbered) of the horizontal busbar (150). The covering member (40) is rolled over the horizontal busbar (150) at the tap-off joints. The covering member (40) is a thin sheet that possesses electrical and thermal properties. The covering member (40) includes a plurality of slots (20) configured thereon.

The clips (80) act as a retainer and get fixed into the plurality of slots (20) of the covering member (40). As shown in figures 7 and 8, the clips (80) include a head (50), a plurality of collapsible wings (60) and a pair of legs (70).

The plurality of collapsible wings (60) is coupled to the head (50) with a gap (55) therebetween. The gap (55) facilitates proper placement of the covering member (40). The pair of legs (70) is coupled to the plurality of collapsible wings (60). The pair of legs (70) includes a plurality of tooth (65) configured thereon. The plurality of tooth (65) facilitates holding of the covering member (40) at different positions according to number of links (not shown) terminating on the horizontal busbar (150).

The pair of legs (70) is designed in such a way that the clips (80) are kept partly in tension. This helps in increased engagement of the covering member (40) along the length of clips (80) thereby offering an ease in assembling and removing. In an embodiment, number of the plurality of tooth (65) and distance therebetween is calculated considering various links that terminate on the busbar (150) and distance between the busbar (150).

Again referring to figures 1-8, for covering the tap-off joints of the busbar (150), the covering member (40) is rolled over the busbar (150) such that the clips (80) get inserted into the plurality of slots (20) of the covering member (40). As the clips (80) get inserted, the covering member (40) moves along the length of the clips (80) and causes bending of the plurality of collapsible wings (60) that in turns allows proper placement of the covering member (40) within the gap (55). Once the covering member (40) is placed, the plurality of collapsible wings (60) returns to an original position thereby preventing fall out of the clips (80).

While removing the arrangement (100) from the busbar (150), as the clips (80) are intact at one end (not numbered) of the covering member (40), in order to remove the clips (80), the plurality of collapsible wings (60) are pressed down on the head (50) and the covering member (40) is removed therefrom.

Advantages of the invention

1. The arrangement (100) facilitates shrouding of joints using the simple covering member (40) and retaining with the clips (80).
2. The arrangement (100) does not require pre-assembly time and involves lesser number of components.
3. The arrangement (100) provides the necessary protection to the horizontal busbar (150) with ease of assembly and saves lot of assembly time.
4. The covering member (40) is readily available, easy to store and procure.
5. The arrangement (100) is suitably adaptable to any non-standard requirements.
6. The arrangement (100) facilitates optimizing storage space and cost reduction.
7. The arrangement (100) is effective and possible because of the thin thickness of the covering member (40) that provides required flexibility to roll over the busbar (150).

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.