Electrical connector with arc shield, piston-contact positioner and electric stress graded interface
AssigneeHubbell Incorporated
InventorsSenthil A. KUMAR, Todd C. BOGGS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high-voltage electrical connector includes a strategically placed barrier that acts as an arc shield to reduce the ionization of materials during load break switching, reducing or preventing flashover. An electric stress graded interface design also reduces switching flashover and reduces the fault close energy. Mating features on the piston-contact element and inside the surrounding container accurately guide the piston-contact element as it travels along the container.
Claims38
A high-voltage bushing insert for mating with a cable connector, comprising:
- a housing including an inner bore and an open front end;
- and
- a snuffer load break assembly slidably received in said inner bore of said housing and comprising:
- a snuffer tube having an inner cavity, a front open end providing cable connector access to said inner cavity, and a rear end opposite said front end,
- a contact in said inner cavity having a rear portion in contact with and affixed to said snuffer tube, and a front portion radially spaced from said snuffer tube,
- an annular arc shield in said inner cavity affixed to said snuffer tube and surrounding at least part of said front portion of said contact, and
- a piston attached to said contact at said rear end of said snuffer tube.
A high-voltage bushing insert for mating with a cable connector, comprising:
- a housing including an inner bore, an open front end and longitudinal guide elements on an inner surface of said inner bore, the housing having an electrical conductivity that increases along its length starting at said open front end, and
- a snuffer load break assembly slidably received in said inner bore of said housing and comprising:
- a snuffer tube having an inner cavity, a front open end providing cable connector access to said inner cavity, and a rear end opposite said front end;
- a contact in said inner cavity having a rear portion in contact with and affixed to said snuffer tube, a front portion radially spaced from said snuffer tube, and an annular shoulder outside said inner cavity that abuts said rear end of said snuffer tube;
- an annular arc shield in said inner cavity affixed to said snuffer tube and surrounding at least part of said front portion of said contact;
- and
- a piston attached to said contact at said rear end of said snuffer tube and having longitudinal guide elements on a radially outer surface thereof that mate with said longitudinal guide elements on said inner surface of said inner bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.