Compact auxiliary connector

Abstract

The compact auxiliary connector comprises two sleeves, each sleeve having an electrical connector, and a conduit connecting the two sleeves to insulate a cable between the electrical connectors of the two sleeves. Depending on the desired connection configuration, the electrical connector of each of the two sleeves can be connected to an electrical installation, line, or load bus, or a combination thereof. Each sleeve may also include a flexible connector cover, such as a sheath, to cover the connection from the sleeve connector to the bus (e.g., a primary bus). The compact auxiliary connector can manage live connections between auxiliary devices or other devices and line / load buses in a switchgear cabinet of a switchgear assembly. Depending on the voltage application, the sleeves, conduit, and flexible connector cover may be formed of an insulating material with the required dielectric strength.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the interest and priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 131,338, filed December 29, 2020, in 35U.SC119(e), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to cable and bus assemblies for switchgear assemblies, and more specifically, to compact connector assemblies for switchgear assemblies. Background Technology

[0004] In medium-voltage (MV) switchgear applications, voltage and control power (CP) transformers can be installed vertically side-by-side in compartments (e.g., cubicles) within the cabinet of the switchgear (also known as switchgear assemblies). The primary connections of these transformers are typically cables or buses that connect to the wiring or load-side bus within the switchgear. When two transformers require a common power supply, a bus or cable connection is also required between each component. These bus or cable connections in 15,000-volt applications may require certain air gaps or insulation measures to properly manage the necessary electrical clearances. Due to the complexity of these bus and cable connections, the primary compartments or areas designated for these connections may have a depth of at least 14 to 15 inches. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address these and other drawbacks, according to one embodiment, a connector assembly is provided for connecting a bus to one or more auxiliary devices in a switching equipment assembly. The connector assembly may include first and second sleeve assemblies. Each of the first and second sleeve assemblies may include: a sleeve having opposing first and second open ends, a cavity extending therethrough, the cavity being divided by a wall into first and second cavities, the first and second cavities respectively opening to the first and second open ends, the wall having an opening extending between the first and second cavities, the sleeve being formed of an insulating material; a connector formed of a conductive material and disposed within the cavity, the connector having a portion having an opening extending through an inner wall, the connector having a first end having a first terminal in the first cavity of the sleeve and an opposing second end located in the second cavity; and a flexible connector cap connectable to a portion of the sleeve to close the second cavity and the second end of the connector, the connector insulator having a first slot through which a conductor from a line or load bus for connection to the second end is received. The connector assembly may also include a tube connecting between the flexible connector caps of the first and second sleeve assemblies for receiving a conductive cable connected between the second ends of the connectors of the first and second sleeve assemblies.

[0006] In some embodiments, the second end of the connector may include at least two second terminals that are separated from each other. A conductive cable may be connected between one of the two second terminals of the first sleeve assembly and one of the two second terminals of the second sleeve assembly.

[0007] In various embodiments, the first terminal of the connector for each of the first and second bushing assemblies can be configured to connect to a terminal of a device in a compartment of the switchgear cabinet of the switchgear assembly. The first device can be a control power transformer or a voltage transformer. The first and second bushing assemblies, together with the tubing, can utilize a depth of 5.5 inches or less in the primary compartment of the switchgear cabinet to electrically connect a line or load bus to the first device. The first and second bushing assemblies, together with the tubing, can be configured to operate at a voltage level of 15 kV and a basic insulation class (BIL) of 95 kV.

[0008] In some embodiments, the flexible connector cap may be a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shield, which is detachably attached to a portion of the sleeve to close the second cavity and the second end. The tube may be a phenolic tube. Each connector of the first and second sleeve assemblies may have a Z-shape.

[0009] According to a further embodiment, the switchgear assembly may include: a switchgear cabinet including auxiliary compartments, cable compartments, and busbar compartments; a multiphase power bus system including line and load buses for distributing multiphase power; a first device in the auxiliary compartment of the switchgear cabinet; and a plurality of connector assemblies, each connector assembly for a corresponding power phase, each connector assembly having a first terminal of a connector connected to one of a first or second bushing assembly for the first device of the corresponding power phase and a second end of a connector connected to the first or second bushing assembly of the line or load bus of the multiphase power bus system for the corresponding power phase.

[0010] In some embodiments, the switchgear assembly may further include a second device in an auxiliary compartment of the switchgear cabinet, and the first and second devices may be mounted vertically side-by-side in the auxiliary compartment. Each connector assembly may have a first terminal connected to another of the first or second bushing assemblies for the second device for the corresponding power phase. Furthermore, the first device may be a control power transformer, and the second device may be a voltage transformer. The first and second bushing assemblies, together with the conduit, may utilize a switchgear cabinet depth of 5.5 inches or less to electrically connect a line or load bus to the first device. Each connector assembly may be configured to operate at a voltage level of 15 kV and a basic insulation class (BIL) of 95 kV. Attached Figure Description

[0011] A more detailed description of the present disclosure, which has been briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although the drawings illustrate selected embodiments of the present disclosure, they should not be construed as limiting its scope, as the present disclosure allows for other equally effective embodiments.

[0012] Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of a switchgear assembly according to an embodiment described herein is shown, the switchgear assembly including a compact auxiliary connector in the primary compartment of a switchgear cabinet.

[0013] Figure 2 An embodiment according to the description herein is shown. Figure 1 An enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a compact auxiliary connector that provides an electrical connection between the auxiliary device and the bus.

[0014] Figure 3 An embodiment according to the description herein is shown. Figure 1 A perspective view of several compact auxiliary connectors, with a portion of the sleeve assembly of one of the compact auxiliary connectors cut away to provide an internal view of the connector and the components therein.

[0015] Figure 4 An example of an embodiment described herein is shown for use with Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the sleeve assembly of a compact auxiliary connector.

[0016] Where possible, the same reference numerals are used to denote common elements in the figures. However, elements disclosed in one embodiment may be advantageously used in other embodiments without specific description. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Compact auxiliary connectors may include two sleeves, each with an electrical connector, and a conduit (or "duct") connecting the two sleeves to insulate a cable between the electrical connectors of the two sleeves. Depending on the desired connection configuration, the electrical connector of each of the two sleeves may be connected to an electrical device, a bus (e.g., for a line or load), or a combination thereof. Each sleeve may also include a flexible connector cover, such as a sheath, to cover the connection between the sleeve connector and the bus (e.g., a primary bus). Compact auxiliary connectors can manage live connections between auxiliary devices or other devices and line / load buses in the switchgear cabinet (or enclosure) of a switchgear assembly. Depending on the voltage application, the sleeves, conduits, and flexible connector covers may be formed of an insulating material with the required dielectric strength.

[0018] The compact auxiliary connector disclosed herein allows for a significant reduction in component and compartment dimensions to support, for example, medium-voltage primary connections to auxiliary transformers. This reduction is valuable for allowing for reduced equipment depth while maintaining safe and reliable live component connections within a small enclosure. For example, using this compact auxiliary connector can be more economical compared to using an enlarged enclosure with busbars and insulation. Furthermore, the connector assembly is designed to adequately manage impulse and tracking distances and dielectric strength at the required rated voltage, such as for medium-voltage or other voltage applications (e.g., 15kV applications, 95kV Basic Insulation Class (BIL)). The compact auxiliary connector also allows for the safe mounting of live components within a 5.5-inch (or 139.7 mm) compartment of grounded metal. The compact auxiliary connector provides sufficient air clearance between the live component and the grounded metal to avoid potentially hazardous partial discharge problems.

[0019] An example compact auxiliary connector according to this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 A partial view of an example switchgear assembly 10 is shown, which includes a switchgear cabinet 100 for housing switches and auxiliary devices, electrical connectors / cables, and busbars. In this example, the switchgear assembly 10 is used in a multiphase power distribution system, such as a three-phase power distribution system. The switchgear cabinet 100 may include multiple compartments for housing switches and / or auxiliary devices, cables and conductors, busbars for lines and loads, and other components. For example, the compartments may include: a switch and / or auxiliary compartment 110 for housing switches and / or auxiliary electrical devices, such as circuit breakers, transformers, and other protective devices; a busbar compartment 112 (not shown) for housing lines and load busbars connected to power sources and various loads, respectively; and a cable compartment 114 for housing conductors or electrical cables (generally referred to as cables) connecting the various devices, busbars, and other components in the switchgear cabinet 10. In this example, the auxiliary compartment can house auxiliary devices such as control power supply (CP) transformer 120 and voltage transformer 122, which are vertically stacked in the auxiliary compartment 110 of the switchgear cabinet 100, for example, one on top of another. The compartment 116, referred to as the primary compartment, is where the connection is made between electrical equipment (e.g., medium voltage equipment) and the primary bus 130.

[0021] like Figure 1 As further shown, a compact auxiliary connector 150 is provided for each power phase to electrically connect transformers 120 and 122 to each other via a bus such as the primary bus 130. Figure 1 and 2As shown, the primary bus 130 of each phase (e.g., the line bus) can be connected to a corresponding compact auxiliary connector 150. When connected to the compact auxiliary connector 150 in the primary compartment 116, epoxy resin can be applied to a portion of the conductor 132 of the primary bus 130, which would otherwise be exposed. The conductor 132 can be a flat conductor, one end of which is connected to or can be connected to a cable of the primary bus 130, and the other end of which can be connected to the compact auxiliary connector 150 (or a conductor therein). The epoxy resin can be formed of a dielectric material or other insulating material. The primary compartment 116 can have a depth D, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0022] Figure 3 An example is shown. Figure 1 A perspective view of multiple compact auxiliary connectors 150, with a portion of the sleeve assembly of one connector cut away to provide an internal view of the connector and its components. Figure 3 As shown, each compact auxiliary connector 150 may include two sleeve assemblies 300A and 300B (each assembly is also collectively referred to as "300"). Each sleeve assembly 300A and 300B includes a sleeve 310 having an electrical connector 320 therein and a flexible connector cap 330 for covering a portion of the sleeve 310 and the connection therein. The compact auxiliary connector 150 also includes a conduit (or conduit) 340 connecting the two sleeve assemblies 300A and 300B and housing a cable 350 connecting the electrical connectors 320 of the two sleeve assemblies 310A and 310B. Although the conduit 340 is shown as cylindrical, depending on the application, the conduit 340 may have any suitable shape, size, and / or length. The conduit 340 may be formed of an insulating material. In this example, the conduit 340 may be a phenolic tube.

[0023] like Figure 4As further shown, the sleeve 310 includes a cavity 410. The sleeve 310 also includes a wall 412 (e.g., a wall, partition, etc.) that divides the cavity 140 into a first cavity 410A and a second cavity 410B, each cavity opening to a first and a second open end, respectively. The wall 412 includes an opening 414 that extends between the first and second cavities 410A and 410B and receives a portion of the connector 320 passing through it. The sleeve 310 also includes an opening 416 for receiving the open end of the tube 340. The sleeve 410 may be formed of an insulating material. The sleeve 310 may have a generally cylindrical shape. In this example, the first cavity 410A has a smaller cross-sectional area than the second cavity 410B (e.g., the diameter of the first cavity 410A is smaller than the diameter of the second cavity 410B). The sleeve 310 and a portion thereof may be rigid components, which may have any desired size, shape, or dimension depending on the application. For example, the size and shape of the open end of the sleeve 310 having the first cavity 410A can be configured to engage a connector assembly to which a device can be connected, such as the auxiliary devices and other devices described herein. When connected, the device connection to the connector 320 is covered. The sleeve 310 can be formed as a single piece (or integral piece) or multiple pieces connected together.

[0024] Connector 320 is formed of a conductive material and has a first end 420 and a second end 430. A portion of connector 320 extends through an opening 414 in wall 412 and is supported by wall 412. The first end 420 of connector 320 is disposed in a first cavity 410A, and the second end 430 of connector 320 is disposed in a second cavity 410B. The first end 420 includes a first terminal 422 for connection to a conductor. In this example, the first terminal 422 may be configured to connect to an electrical device, such as an auxiliary device of a switching device assembly or other device (e.g., a transformer). The second end 420 may include multiple terminals, such as two separate second terminals 432A, 432B. In this example, the second terminal 432A may be configured to connect to a bus conductor, such as conductor 132 of the primary bus 130. The other second terminal 432B may be configured to connect to a conductor, such as connecting to two sleeve assemblies 310A, 310B (e.g., Figure 3 The cable 350 is connected between the second terminal 432B of connector 320 (in the middle). The first and second terminals can be connected to conductors of devices, buses, or other electrical components using various electrical fasteners or fastening configurations. In this example, connector 320 is a Z-shaped flat conductor; however, depending on the application, connector 320 can have any suitable size and shape.

[0025] A flexible connector cap 330 is configured to attach to a portion of the sleeve 310 to close the second cavity 410B to the second end 430 of the connector 320 and cover any connection to the second end 420. The flexible connector cap 330 includes a first extension 440 having a slot 442 through which a conductor, for connection to the second end 430 in the cavity 410B of the sleeve 310, such as from a line or load bus, is received. In this example, the conductor is conductor 132 of the primary bus 130. The first extension 440 may have a rectangular shape. The flexible connector cap 330 also includes a second extension 444 having a channel 446 for receiving an end of the tube 340, a portion of which engages through an opening 416 in the sleeve 310. The walls of the extension 444 may extend entirely or partially around a portion of the tube 340. In this example, the extension 444 extends partially around a portion of the tube 340 to allow for the removal of the flexible connector cap 330, even when the tube 340 is engaged in the opening 416 of the sleeve 310. The flexible connector cap 330 may take the form of a sleeve that can be detachably attached to the opening portion of the sleeve 310 to cover the connection to the second end 430 of the connector 320, and may be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other flexible insulating materials.

[0026] The following is for reference. Figure 1-4 The following is a component description and operational installation example of the switchgear assembly 10. In this example, a control power transformer 120 is vertically stacked on top of a voltage transformer 122 within a cabinet 100. For each phase, the first end 420 of the connector 320 of a bushing assembly 300 (e.g., 300A and 300B) of a compact auxiliary connector 150 is connected to the connection assembly (or conductor) of transformers 120 and 122, respectively. The conductor 132 of the primary bus 130 extends through a slot 442 of a flexible connector cover 330 and connects to the second terminal 432A of the connector 320 of one of the bushing assemblies (e.g., 300A) in cavity 410B. The flexible connector cover 330 can then be pulled onto a portion of the bushing 310 to close cavity 410B and cover the connection to the second end 430 of connector 320. This process can be repeated with other compact auxiliary connectors 150 to connect to other phases. The reverse process can be performed to disconnect transformers 120 and 122 from the primary bus 130. The above is just one example of different connection configurations that can be used between devices and buses in switchgear assemblies or other electrical enclosures. The compact auxiliary connector 150 can be used to connect different types and numbers of devices to different types and numbers of buses in a power distribution system.

[0027] In various embodiments, the compact auxiliary connector described herein can manage: live portion connections to auxiliary devices (e.g., transformer fuses of a transformer); live portion connections to the primary bus; and cable connections encased in phenolic tubing for primary connections to two auxiliary devices (e.g., two transformers, such as a control power transformer and a voltage transformer). Epoxy resin can be used on the primary bus coupled to a flexible connector cover (e.g., a shield) made appropriately sized and dimensioned to cover the bushing opening and made of a high-dielectric-strength flexible PVC material. The compact auxiliary connector can maintain the required clearance and tracking distance for performance in 15kV (or voltage rating), 95kV BIL applications. Furthermore, compared to the compartment depths required on some other MV switchgear assemblies (which may require 14.5 inches (368.3)) using cables or buses, the compact auxiliary connector allows for relatively small medium-voltage (MV) primary compartments with a depth D equal to or approximately 5.5 inches (139.7 mm) or less. This means that the compartment size has been reduced by 60%, resulting in a smaller footprint for the switchgear cabinet or its compartments.

[0028] Various embodiments have been referenced above. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments specifically described. Rather, any combination of the described features and elements, whether or not associated with different embodiments, is contemplated for implementation and practice of the intended embodiments. Furthermore, while embodiments may achieve advantages over other possible solutions or prior art, whether a particular advantage is achieved by a given embodiment does not limit the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing aspects, features, embodiments, and advantages are illustrative only and should not be considered as elements or limitations of the appended claims unless expressly stated in the claims.

[0029] Note that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and any singular use of any word, including the plural referent, are used to refer to an object unless explicitly and unequivocally limited to one reference. As used herein, the term “comprising” and its grammatical variations are intended to be non-limiting, such that the listing of items does not exclude other similar items that may replace or be added to the listed items.

[0030] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many other implementation examples will become apparent upon reading and understanding the above description. Although specific examples are described herein, it should be recognized that the systems and methods of this disclosure are not limited to the examples described herein but can be practiced with modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the specification and drawings are to be considered illustrative and not restrictive. Consequently, the scope of this disclosure should be determined by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for connecting a bus to one or more auxiliary devices in a switching equipment assembly, the connector assembly comprising: First and second bushing assemblies, each of the first and second bushing assemblies comprising: A sleeve having opposing first and second open ends, through which a cavity extends, the cavity being divided by a wall into first and second cavities respectively opening to the first and second open ends, the wall having an opening extending between the first and second cavities, the sleeve being formed of an insulating material. A connector, formed of a conductive material and arranged in a cavity, having a portion with an opening extending through an inner wall, having a first end with a first terminal in a first cavity of a sleeve and an opposing second end in a second cavity, and A flexible connector cap, connectable to a portion of a sleeve to seal a second cavity and a second end of the connector; the connector insulator has a first slot through which a conductor from a line or load bus for connection to the second end is received; and A tube, connected between the flexible connector caps of the first and second sleeve assemblies, is used to accommodate a conductive cable connected between the second ends of the connectors of the first and second sleeve assemblies.

2. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The second end of the connector includes at least two second terminals that are separated from each other, and a conductive cable is connected between one of the two second terminals of the first sleeve assembly and one of the two second terminals of the second sleeve assembly.

3. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first terminal of the connector for each of the first and second bushing assemblies is configured to connect to a terminal of a device in a compartment of the switchgear cabinet of the switchgear assembly.

4. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The device is a control power transformer or voltage transformer.

5. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The first and second conduit assemblies, together with the conduit, utilize a depth of 5.5 inches or less in the primary compartment of the switchgear cabinet to electrically connect the line or load bus to the device.

6. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein, The first and second bushing assemblies, together with the bushing, are configured to operate at a voltage level of 15 kV and a basic insulation class (BIL) of 95 kV.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, The flexible connector cover includes a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shield that is detachably attached to the portion of the sleeve to close the second cavity and the second end.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, The tube includes a phenolic tube.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein, Each connector of the first and second sleeve assemblies has a Z-shape.

10. A switchgear assembly, comprising: Switchgear cabinets, including auxiliary compartments, cable compartments, and busbar compartments; A multiphase power bus system, including lines and load buses for distributing multiphase power; The first device in the auxiliary compartment of the switchgear cabinet; and Multiple connector assemblies as claimed in claim 1, each connector assembly for a corresponding power phase, each connector assembly having a first terminal of a connector connected to one of a first or second bushing assemblies for a first device of the corresponding power phase and a second end of a connector connected to a first or second bushing assembly of the corresponding power phase of a line or load bus of a multiphase power bus system.

11. The switching device assembly of claim 10, further comprising: The second device is located in the auxiliary compartment of the switchgear cabinet. The first and second devices are installed vertically side by side in the auxiliary compartment. Each connector assembly has a first terminal that connects to another of the first or second bushing assemblies for the corresponding power phase.

12. The switchgear assembly of claim 11, wherein, The first device is a control power transformer and the second device is a voltage transformer.

13. The switchgear assembly of claim 10, wherein, The first and second bushing assemblies, together with the bushings, utilize the 5.5-inch or less depth of the switchgear cabinet to electrically connect the line or load bus to the first device.

14. The switchgear assembly of claim 10, wherein, Each connector assembly is configured to operate at a voltage level of 15kV and a basic insulation class (BIL) of 95kV.

15. A connector assembly for connecting a bus to one or more auxiliary devices in a switching equipment assembly, the connector assembly comprising: First and second bushing assemblies, comprising: A sleeve having opposing first and second open ends, through which a cavity extends, the cavity being divided by a wall into first and second cavities respectively opening to the first and second open ends, the wall having an opening extending between the first and second cavities. A connector, formed of conductive material and arranged in a cavity, having a portion extending through an opening in the inner wall, and A flexible connector cap, connectable to a portion of the sleeve to seal the second cavity and the second end of the connector; the connector insulator has a first slot through which a conductor for connection to the second end is received; and A tube, connected between the flexible connector caps of the first and second sleeve assemblies, is used to accommodate a conductive cable connected between the second ends of the connectors of the first and second sleeve assemblies.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein, The connector further includes a second end comprising at least two second terminals separated from each other, and the conductive cable is connected between one of the two second terminals of the first sleeve assembly and one of the two second terminals of the second sleeve assembly.

17. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein, The connector also includes a first terminal for each of the first and second sleeve assemblies, wherein the first terminal is configured to connect to a device in a compartment of the switchgear cabinet of the switchgear assembly.

18. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein, The device is a control power transformer or voltage transformer, wherein the first and second bushing assemblies, together with the tube, utilize a primary compartment of the switchgear cabinet with a depth of 5.5 inches or less to electrically connect the line or load bus to the device, and wherein the first and second bushing assemblies, together with the tube, are configured to operate at a voltage level of 15 kV and a basic insulation class (BIL) of 95 kV.

19. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein, The flexible connector cover includes a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) shield that is detachably attached to the portion of the sleeve to seal the second cavity and the second end.

20. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein, The tube comprises a phenolic tube, and each connector of the first and second sleeve assemblies has a Z-shape.

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