Energized parts guard
AssigneeJones Lang Lasalle IP, Inc.
InventorDavid V. Crowell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energized parts guard is disclosed which includes a panel of substantially rigid, electrically insulative material wherein the substantially rigid panel further includes a first one or more apertures and a second one or more apertures. The first one or more apertures are so dimensioned to accept one or more circuit breakers inserted into the first one or more apertures such that there is less than a 12.5 mm gap between the panel and the circuit breaker on at least two sides of the one or more circuit breakers. The second one or more apertures are positioned to facilitate access to at least one terminal of each of the one or more circuit breakers when the one or more circuit breakers are inserted into the first one or more apertures.
Claims20
An energized part guard assembly for an existing enclosure which has one or more power circuit breakers, comprising:
- a barrier;
- and
- an insulating guard, said insulating guard comprising a sheet of substantially rigid, electrically insulative material wherein the substantially rigid sheet further comprises a first one or more apertures, a second one or more apertures, and a back side;
- wherein:
- the first one or more apertures are so dimensioned to receive one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure;
- the second one or more apertures are positioned to facilitate access to at least one terminal of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure are received by the first one or more apertures when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure, and to prevent accidental contact with any exposed electrical part within the existing enclosure;
- the one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure are received from the back side of substantially rigid sheet;
- and
- the barrier is positioned on the back side of the substantially rigid sheet.
An energized part guard assembly for an existing enclosure which has one or more power circuit breakers, said energized part guard assembly comprising:
- a blank;
- and
- an insulating guard, said insulating guard comprising a sheet of substantially rigid, electrically insulative material wherein the substantially rigid sheet further comprises a first one or more apertures and a second one or more apertures;
- wherein:
- the first one or more apertures of the insulating guard are so dimensioned to receive one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure;
- the second one or more apertures of the insulating guard are positioned to facilitate access to at least one terminal of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure are received by the first one or more apertures of the insulating guard when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure, and to prevent accidental contact with any exposed electrical part within the existing enclosure;
- and
- the blank is dimensioned to cover a portion of the first one or more apertures of the insulating guard which are so dimensioned to receive the one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure and to prevent accidental contact with any exposed electrical part within the existing enclosure.
A method of using an energized parts guard assembly with an existing enclosure which has one or more power circuit breakers, the method steps comprising:
- removing a front panel of the existing enclosure;
- installing the energized parts guard assembly in place of the front panel of the existing enclosure, so that the one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure are received in a first one or more apertures of the energized parts guard which are so dimensioned to receive one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when the insulating guard is installed on the existing enclosure and to prevent accidental contact with any exposed electrical part within the existing enclosure;
- ensuring that one of the one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure is in an electrically open state;
- inserting a tool into one of a second one or more apertures of the energized parts guard positioned to facilitate access to at least one terminal of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure when of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure are received by the first one or more apertures of the energized parts guard;
- using the tool to unclamp a wire from the at least one terminal of one of the existing one or more circuit breakers of the existing enclosure;
- removing the energized parts guard assembly from the existing enclosure;
- and
- replacing the front panel of the existing enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.