Ported hardware for overhead electrical cables

Abstract

This invention provides electrical line hardware, such as termination configurations and splices, used with overhead electrical cables, enabling hardware-based interlogging of overhead electrical cables. [Solution] The hardware includes one or more ports for accessing the structural member of an electrical cable so that the interlogging device can be operably coupled to the structural member and to interlogging elements such as optical fibers associated with the structural member. Interlogging may be performed after the overhead electrical cable has been fully strung and secured by the hardware (e.g., secured to a support tower).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of overhead electrical cables, and more particularly to hardware components used to install and support overhead electrical cables for electrical transmission and distribution.

Summary of the Invention

[0002] In one embodiment, a termination configuration for an overhead electrical cable is disclosed. The termination configuration includes a gripping element configured to grip a strength member of the overhead electrical cable, and a connector operably attached to the gripping element. The connector includes a connector body and a connector body bore extending longitudinally from a first opening at a distal end of the connector body toward a proximal end of the connector body.

[0003] In another embodiment, a method for terminating an overhead electrical cable including a central strength member and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the strength member is disclosed. The method includes separating an end portion of the strength member from the conductor strands, and inserting the end portion of the strength member into a termination configuration, the termination configuration including a connector having a connector body and a connector body bore, the inserting step including disposing the end portion of the strength member at least partially within the connector body bore.

[0004] In another embodiment, a method is disclosed for interlocating an overhead electrical cable through a termination configuration, wherein the overhead electrical cable has a reinforcing member comprising an interlocating element and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the reinforcing member. The method comprises the steps of separating an end section of the reinforcing member from the conductor strands, and fixing the termination configuration to the overhead electrical cable in an operable manner, wherein the termination configuration comprises a gripping element configured to grip the reinforcing member, and a connector operably attached to the gripping element, comprising a connector body and a connector body bore extending longitudinally from a first opening at the base end of the connector body toward the tip of the connector body. The fixing step includes fixing a first portion of the end section of the reinforcing member with the gripping element, and positioning a second portion of the end section of the reinforcing member toward the connector body bore. Interlogging of the reinforcing member may be performed by operably linking (e.g., directly or indirectly contacting) an interlogging device to the end of the reinforcing member. During the interlogging, the reinforcing member may be entirely within the terminal configuration or may extend beyond the terminal configuration.

[0005] These and other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram showing a portion of an overhead electrical transmission line. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of an assembled terminal configuration relating to prior art. [Figure 3] A perspective view of an assembled and crimped terminal configuration relating to prior art. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an overhead electrical cable equipped with a sensing element placed within a structural member. [Figure 5A] A diagram showing the terminal configuration according to the embodiment of this disclosure in various states of the assembly. [Figure 5B] A diagram showing the terminal configuration according to the embodiment of this disclosure in various states of the assembly. [Figure 5C] A diagram showing the terminal configuration according to the embodiment of this disclosure in various states of the assembly. [Figure 5D] A diagram showing the terminal configuration according to the embodiment of this disclosure in various states of the assembly. [Figure 5E] A diagram showing the terminal configuration according to the embodiment of this disclosure in various states of the assembly. [Figure 6A] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7C] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8C] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] A diagram showing a joint configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] A diagram showing a joint configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11A] A diagram showing a joint configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B] A diagram showing a joint configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] A diagram showing a terminal configuration according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Figure 1 shows a portion of an overhead electrical transmission line 100 for transmitting electricity. Overhead electrical transmission and distribution lines are constructed by using support towers (e.g., steel towers) such as support towers 102a / 102b / 102c to raise exposed electrical cables (e.g., electrical cable 104a) above the terrain. Transmission and distribution lines can be spaced over miles and require extremely long lengths of electrical cables and many support towers. Some of the support towers are called dead end towers or anchor towers. Such towers are located at the termination points, e.g., substations or where the electrical lines are routed underground. Dead end towers, such as tower 102a, may also be required where the electrical lines change direction (e.g., bend) or at regular intervals along long, straight line paths. In such cases, the overhead electrical cables need to be terminated and secured to the dead end towers under high tension. As shown in Figure 1, the electrical cable 104a is fixed to the tower 102a using a dead end 106a termination structure.

[0008] Another termination structure is called a splice. While a single section of overhead cable may be several thousand feet long, power grids require hundreds or even thousands of miles of electrical cable. To maintain these distances, linemen often need to splice (e.g., join) two smaller cable sections together. Thus, one or more splices may be made between two dead ends of an overhead cable installation. A splice functions both as a mechanical joint that holds the two ends of the cable together and as an electrical joint that allows current to flow through the splice. As shown in Figure 1, splice 108b operably connects electrical cable 104b to electrical cable 104c so as to form a mechanical joint and a continuous electrical path.

[0009] Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a termination configuration (e.g., a dead end) for use with exposed overhead electrical cables, such as the dead end 106a in Figure 1. The termination configuration 200 shown in Figure 2 is similar to that shown and described in PCT International Publication No. 2005 / 041358 by Bryant, or in U.S. Patent No. 8022301 by Bryant et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in whole.

[0010] In general terms, the termination configuration 200 shown in Figure 2 comprises a gripping element 210 and a connector 220 for anchoring the termination configuration 200 to a dead-end structure (e.g., a tower), and, although not shown, a fastener 226 (e.g., an eyebolt) is located at the base end of the termination configuration 200. At the end of the termination configuration opposite the fastener 226, the termination configuration 200 is operably connected to an exposed overhead electrical cable 260 comprising an electrical conductor 262 (e.g., a conductor strand) that surrounds and is supported by a strength member 264 (e.g., a fiber-reinforced composite strength member).

[0011] The gripping element 210 tightly grips the reinforcing member 264 to secure the overhead electrical cable 260 to the termination configuration 200. As shown in Figure 2, the gripping element 210 comprises a collet 212 having a cavity 216 (e.g., a bore) that is a compression type fit (e.g., a wedge type fit), and more specifically, surrounds and grips the reinforcing member 264. The collet 212 is located in a collet housing 214. Because tension is applied to the electrical cable 260 (e.g., pulled against the support tower), friction occurs between the reinforcing member 264 and the collet 212, causing the collet 212 to be further pulled towards the collet housing 214. The conical (outer) shape of the collet 212 and the engaging internal funnel shape of the collet housing 214 create increased compression on the reinforcing member 264, ensuring that the reinforcing member 264 does not slip out of the collet 212, and thus the overhead electrical cable 260 is secured to the termination configuration 200.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the outer sleeve 240 is disposed to cover the gripping element 210 and includes a conductor body 244 for performing electrical conduction between the electrical conductor 262 and the jumper plate 246. The inner sleeve 248 (e.g., an inner conductor sleeve) may be disposed between the conductor 262 and the conductor body 244 to make an electrical connection between the conductor 262 and the conductor body 244. The conductor body 244 may be made of aluminum, and the jumper plate 246 may be welded to the conductor body 244, for example. The jumper plate 246 is configured to be attached to the connection plate 272 to perform electrical conduction between the electrical conductor 262 and another conductor, for example, another electrical cable (not shown) in electrical communication with the connector plate 272.

[0013] The connector 220 includes a fastener 226 and a gripping element engaging screw 228 disposed at the gripping element end of the connector 220, and the connector body 222 is disposed between the fastener 226 and the gripping element engaging screw 228. The gripping element engaging screw 228 is configured to be operably engaged with the connector engaging screw 218 of the collet housing 214 to facilitate pushing the collet 212 into the collet housing 214 and moving the connector 220 towards the collet 212 when the screws 218 and 228 engage and the connector 220 rotates relative to the collet housing 214. This strengthens the grip on the strength member 264 of the collet 212 and further secures the aerial electrical cable 260 to the termination configuration 200. The fastener 226 is configured to be attached to the dead-end structure, i.e., to the dead-end tower, so as to fix the termination configuration 200 and the electrical cable 260 to the dead-end structure.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a termination configuration crimped to an aerial electrical cable, similar to the termination configuration of FIG. 2. The termination configuration 300 includes a connector having a fastener 326 extending outwardly from the proximal end of an outer sleeve 340. The jumper plate 326 is integrally formed with a conductor body 342 for electrical connection to a connection plate (see, e.g., FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 3, the outer sleeve 340 is crimped (e.g., against) over two regions of the underlying structure, namely, a crimp sleeve region 340b and a crimp sleeve region 340a. The crimp sleeve region 340b generally covers an intermediate portion of the underlying connector (see, e.g., FIG. 2). The crimp sleeve region 340a generally covers a portion of the aerial electrical cable 380. The compressive force acting on the outer sleeve 340 during the crimping operation is transmitted to the underlying components, i.e., the connector under the crimp region 340b and the aerial electrical cable 380 under the crimp region 340a, to permanently secure the termination configuration 300 to the electrical cable �80.

[0015] The termination configuration described generally with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 can be used with various exposed aerial electrical cable configurations. The termination configurations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are particularly useful when the aerial electrical cable has a fiber-reinforced composite strength member. For example, the compression wedge gripping element having a collet disposed in a collet housing (see, e.g., FIG. 2) allows the fiber-reinforced composite strength member to be gripped under high compressive forces without a significant risk of damaging the composite material.

[0016] Figure 4 shows an overhead electrical cable 480 (e.g., an exposed overhead electrical cable) equipped with a reinforcing member 484 made of a fiber-reinforced composite material. The electrical cable 480 comprises a conductor 482 having a first plurality of conductor strands 482a that are spirally wound (e.g., twisted around the reinforcing member 484). A second plurality of conductor strands 482b are wound around the first conductor strands. The conductor strands 482a / 482b may be made of a conductive metal such as copper or aluminum, and in use in exposed overhead electrical cables, they are typically made of aluminum. Conductor materials (e.g., aluminum) do not have sufficient mechanical properties (e.g., sufficient tensile strength) to self-support when stretched between support towers to form an overhead electrical line for the transmission and / or distribution of electricity. Therefore, the reinforcing member 484 supports the electrical conductor 482 when the overhead electrical cable 480 is stretched between support towers under high mechanical tension.

[0017] The strength member 484 shown in Figure 4 is a fiber-reinforced composite strength member (e.g., comprising multiple reinforcing fibers arranged in a polymer-bonded matrix). As shown in Figure 4, the strength member comprises an inner section 484a substantially comprising continuous reinforcing carbon fibers arranged in a polymer-bonded matrix. An insulating layer 484b surrounds the inner section 484a and may substantially comprise, for example, continuous reinforcing glass fibers in a polymer-bonded matrix. An overhead electrical cable with this configuration is available under the trademark ACCC® (CTC Global Corporation, Irvine, California) and is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,368,162 by Hiel et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such a fiber-reinforced composite strength member may comprise a single fiber-reinforced composite strength element (e.g., a single rod), as shown in Figure 4. Alternatively, the composite strength member may consist of multiple separate fiber-reinforced composite strength elements (e.g., separate rods) that are operablely combined (braided or twisted together) to form a strength member. Examples of such multi-element composite strength members include, but are not limited to, the multi-element aluminum matrix composite strength member described in U.S. Patent No. 6,245,425 by McCullough et al., the multi-element carbon fiber strength member described in U.S. Patent No. 6,015,953 by Tosaka et al., and the multi-element strength member described in U.S. Patent No. 9,685,257 by Daniel et al. Each of these U.S. patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other components and materials (e.g., other fibers and / or matrix materials) may be used in fiber-reinforced composite strength members.

[0018] In the overhead electrical cable shown in Figure 4, the reinforcing member 484 also includes a plurality of interlogging elements, namely, optical fibers 484c embedded within the reinforcing member (e.g., embedded within the inner compartment 484a). It has been proposed that such embedded optical fibers 486c may be used for communication (e.g., data transfer) or to interlog the reinforcing member 484 to determine the conditions of the reinforcing member 484 and / or the electrical cable 480 (e.g., to inspect). For example, it has been proposed that OTDR (time-domain optical reflectivity measurement) may be used to evaluate the temperature or stress state of the reinforcing member 484 along its length. Another example of an interlogging element used in an overhead electrical cable is shown in International Patent Publication No. 2019 / 168998 by Dong et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0019] Regardless of the function of the interlogging element (e.g., optical fiber), it is necessary to access the interlogging element, for example, to ensure that light is reliably guided to the end of the optical fiber, and to detect and / or analyze the light emitted from the optical fiber. However, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, when the overhead electrical cable is terminated at a dead end (i.e., using the termination configuration described above), the end of the structural member, and therefore the end of the optical fiber, can no longer be accessed to allow a signal to pass through to the optical fiber and / or to detect the optical signal emitted from the optical fiber.

[0020] The object of this disclosure is to provide hardware, such as termination structures (e.g., dead ends or splices), for use with overhead electrical cables that allow access to the ends of structural members and similar interlogging elements located in optical fibers or structural members, even after the overhead electrical cable has been installed, for example, after the span of the overhead electrical cable has been stretched and terminated.

[0021] Figures 5A to 5E show such a terminal configuration according to one embodiment. The terminal configuration 500 is shown in various forms of assembly, from the exploded view in Figure 5A to the assembled view in Figure 5D, for better illustration of the embodiment. Figure 5A shows a partial assembly of a gripping element 510 having a collet 512 positioned in a collet housing 514. A section 564' of the strength member 564 is separated from the conductor strand 582 (e.g., by stripping it from the conductor strand 582) and positioned through the collet 512 (e.g., through the collet bore). As a result, the end section 564' extends a certain length from the base end of the collet 512 through the base end of the collet housing 514.

[0022] The connector 520, having a connector body 522, is operably attached to the gripping element 510 by positioning the connector body bore 524 to cover the end section 564' and by moving the connector 520 toward the gripping element 510. When the connector 520 and the gripping element 510 are together, the gripping element engagement screw 528 and the connector engagement screw 518 in the collet housing 514 come together and engage due to the relative rotation of the connector 520 and the gripping element 510. As the connector / element rotates, the screws engage the connector 520 with the collet 512, and the collet 512 with the collet housing 514, increasing the pressure (e.g., gripping) of the collet 512 against the strength member 564. See Figure 5B.

[0023] As a result, the end section 564' of the reinforcing member 564 extends through the gripping element 510 to the connector body bore 524. As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the end section 564' of the reinforcing member extends to the bore 524 but does not extend through the base end (i.e., the fastener end) of the bore 524. As seen in Figure 5B, the end of the reinforcing member 564 is accessible using the base end opening 532, i.e., the opening 532 at the base end of the connector body 522. This feature is made possible by the connector body bore 524 and the connector body opening 532, thereby exposing the end of the reinforcing member 564.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5C, a fastener 526 (e.g., an eyebolt) is provided to complete the termination configuration 500. The fastener 526 is removable from the connector body 522 to allow access to the end of the strength member 564. In other words, the fastener 526 is not permanently attached to the connector body 522 and is not formed integrally with the connector body 522 (e.g., not cast). As shown in Figure 5C, the fastener 526 is screwed to the connector body 522 using a fastener engagement screw 536 and a connector body engagement screw 537. In this way, the fastener 526 can be fixedly attached to the connector body 522 and easily detached from the connector body 522 to access the end of the strength member 564. The assembled termination configuration 500 is shown in Figure 5D.

[0025] If it is desired to access the end of the strength member 564 after the installation of the termination configuration (e.g., on a support structure), it may be necessary to maintain tension in the overhead electrical cable 560 to prevent the cable from sagging to an undesirable height toward the ground. In this regard, the termination configurations shown in Figures 5A to 5D include a sling coupling 538. The sling coupling 538 allows the termination configuration to be temporarily fixed to the support structure by attaching a sling (e.g., a high-strength rope) to the support structure and the termination configuration 500 (e.g., by arranging the rope through the sling coupling 538). As shown in Figures 5A to 5D, the sling coupling 538 is formed integrally with the connector body 522. It is understood that the sling connector 538 may be formed on other parts of the termination configuration 500, however, the sling connector 538 remains fixedly attached to the termination configuration when the fastener 526 is separated from the connector body 522 as shown in Figure 5C. For example, the sling coupling can be attached to the outer sleeve 540 (for example, formed integrally with the outer sleeve 540).

[0026] Figure 5E schematically illustrates one example of how the termination configurations shown in Figures 5A to 5D may be used to interlocate a strength member using an interlogging system. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5E, two interlogging devices are shown, namely, a detector 580D and an emitter 580E. Depending on the interlogging system used, it may be necessary to use only a single device, for example, a device connected to only one end of the strength member 564. In other systems, it may be necessary to place interlogging devices at both ends of the strength member 564. For example, in one embodiment, it may be necessary or desirable to place the emitter 580E at one end of the strength member and the detector 580D at the other end of the strength member.

[0027] In any case, the emitter 580E and the detector 580D each comprise the electronic components of the apparatus, such as the apparatus body 582D / 582E housing, the light emitter (e.g., LED light, coherent light, etc.) in the emitter body 582E, and the detector (e.g., a CCD sensor, etc.) in the detector body 582D. Each of the apparatus also comprises a connector 584D / 584E configured to be fixed to the connector body 522. As a result, the apparatus may communicate (e.g., optical communication) with the strength member 564, for example, by an optical fiber associated with the strength member (see Figure 4). As shown in Figure 5E, the connector 584D / 584E comprises a connector body engagement screw 586D / 586D configured (e.g., dimensionally determined) in the same way as the connector body engagement screw 537 to engage with the fastener engagement screw 536. Therefore, during operation, the fastener 526 may be removed so as to expose the end of the strength member 564 through the opening 532 (for example, after securing the termination configuration with a sling coupling 538). One or more devices 580D / 580E may then be used to interlog the strength member 564 by emitting and / or detecting signals through the opening 532, and then secured to the connector body. After the interlogging of the strength member is complete, the fastener 526 may be reattached to the connector body and re-secured to the support tower or other structure.

[0028] In an alternative configuration, the emitter and / or detector devices may be positioned within a fastener (e.g., within an eyebolt) to eliminate the need to remove the fastener to interlocate the structural members. Power may be supplied to the devices using electrical connections extending through the fastener. See, for example, Figure 10 below.

[0029] Figures 6A and 6B show another embodiment of the termination configuration according to the present disclosure. The termination configuration 600 is structurally similar to the termination configuration 500 and generally comprises a gripping element 610 that is operably attached to a connector body 620 having a connector body bore. The strength member 664 is substantially positioned through the connector body bore, as shown in Figures 5A to 5E. Compared to the embodiments shown in Figures 5A to 5E, the fastener 626 is a clevis-type fastener having a clevis base 627 and two spaced-apart clevis projections 629a / 629b extending from the base 627. The clevis opening 631 extends through both projections, allowing bolts to be attached to the projections for connection to a dead-end structure.

[0030] In the embodiments shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the accessibility of the opening 632 between projections 629a / 629b eliminates the need to remove the fastener 626 to access the end of the reinforcing member 664. The cover 634 may be removablely attached to cover the opening 632 to seal the opening 632 and protect the end of the reinforcing member 664. For example, the cover 634 may be threaded, friction fitted, and / or held in place by one or more fasteners. In the embodiments shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the clevis opening 631 is offset from the longitudinal axis of the reinforcing member 664 (for example, offset from the longitudinal direction of the connector body bore). More specifically, the clevis opening 631 is centered at projections 629a / 629b. The projections are positioned at an angle to the connector 620. Thus, the end of the strength member 664 may be accessed without requiring separation from the support structure of the terminal configuration 600, as described in conjunction with the embodiments shown in Figures 5A to 5D (for example, after removal of the cover 634).

[0031] Figures 6A and 6B also show two interlogging devices, namely detector 680D and emitter 680E, which may function similarly to devices 580D / 580E in Figure 5E. Devices 680D / 680E each include connectors 684D / 684E configured to be fixed to connector 620. As a result, the devices may communicate with the strength member 664 (e.g., optical communication) by, for example, optical fiber associated with the strength member (see Figure 4). As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the connectors 684D / 684E allow the devices to be operably connected to connector 620 (e.g., similar to cover 634) such that the clevis projections 629a / 629b do not interfere with the device body 682a / 682b.

[0032] Figures 7A and 7B illustrate further embodiments of the termination configurations according to the present disclosure. The termination configuration 700a shown in Figure 7A is structurally similar to the termination configurations shown above and comprises a gripping element 710a, a connector 720a, and an outer sleeve 740a. The end section 764' of the strength member 764 extends through the connector body 722a. As shown in Figure 7A, the opening 732a is offset (e.g., at an angle) with respect to the strength member 764, and for example, offset with respect to the bore 722b extending through the connector body 722a. As shown in Figure 7A, the opening 732a is substantially perpendicular to the bore 722a (e.g., at about 90° with respect to the bore). The opening 732a is also located near the boundary between the connector body 722a and the fastener 726a. The fastener is integrally formed with the connector body 722a (i.e., not removable from the connector body 722a). A reflective surface 739a (e.g., a mirror) is positioned at the boundary between the opening 732a and the bore 724a to transmit a signal (e.g., an optical signal) to the end face of the strength member section 764' through the opening 732a. The reflective surface 739a may be positioned at a 45° angle to the bore 722a to reflect the signal through the opening which is substantially perpendicular to the bore. The reflective surface 739a may include, for example, a glass mirror or a highly reflective metal surface. In one implementation, the bore 724a is provided with a step (e.g., a shoulder) near its base to prevent the end of the strength member 764 from contacting the reflective surface 739a when the strength member is inserted into the bore 724a. For example, the distance between the shoulder and the reflective surface 739a may be selected to match a desired focal length for the interlogging device.

[0033] Similar to the termination configurations shown in Figures 6A and 6B, it is understood that the strength member 764a may be interrogated without removing the fastener 726a from the connector body 722a, i.e., without removing the termination configuration 700 from the support structure. In this regard, the cover 734a may be removed, and the fixtures 780E / 780D may be operablely mounted to cover the opening 732a in order to interrogate the strength member as described above.

[0034] The embodiment shown in Figure 7B is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 7A, except that the opening 732b (e.g., an interloggation port) is located in the connector body 722b and below the outer sleeve 740b. In this regard, the opening 733b is also formed in the outer sleeve 740b to allow access to the opening 732b and the reflective surface 739b. The cover 734b is inserted into both the outer sleeve opening 733b and the connector body opening 732b and is configured to seal both to prevent contaminants and / or moisture from entering the termination configuration 700b.

[0035] The embodiment shown in Figure 7C is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 7B, except that a sleeve 741c (e.g., a tubular member) rather than a reflective surface connects the collet housing 714c to the fastener 726c. In other words, the sleeve 741c replaces all or part of the connector body. The sleeve 741c includes a sleeve opening 735c that can be aligned with the sleeve opening 733c to allow access to the sleeve interior 747c and thus to the end section 764' of the strength member 764. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, a reflective surface may be provided in the sleeve interior 747c, but the sleeve interior 747c may have sufficient volume to allow direct insertion of an emitter or detector device into the sleeve interior 747c to allow interrogation of the strength member 764.

[0036] During installation, fasteners (e.g., eyebolts) typically need to be vertically aligned, as shown in Figures 7A-7C. Therefore, it is also preferable that the openings (e.g., openings 732a, 732b, and 735c) generally face upward when the eyebolts are aligned in this manner (i.e., as shown in the drawings). The jumper plates typically need to be positioned downward, as shown. Therefore, it is preferable that the openings in the outer sleeve (e.g., openings 733a and 733c) are positioned on the opposite side of the sleeve, and as a result generally face upward when the jumper plates are positioned as shown in the drawings.

[0037] Figures 8A to 8C show another embodiment of the termination configuration according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 8A, the termination configuration 800 comprises a gripping element 810, a connector 820, and an outer sleeve 840. A fastener 826 is formed integrally with the connector body 822. The connector body bore 824 extends through the connector body 822 from the tip of the connector body 822 (i.e., adjacent to the gripping element 810) to an opening 832 at the base of the fastener 826. As seen in Figure 8B, the end section 864' of the strength member 864 may extend through the opening 832 so that the end face of section 864' can be easily accessed for interrogation using an interrogation device. The end face of section 864' may be covered to protect the end face and the optical fiber (Figure 4) from exposure when the strength member 864 is not interrogated (e.g., with a removable cap or by coating). In the embodiment shown in Figure 8C, the end section 864' of the strength member 864 terminates within the connector body 822. The interlogging device 880D / 880E includes an extension 884c (e.g., an optical guide tube) inserted below the bore 824 and positioned very close to the end face of the end section 864' to perform the interlogging. A cover (not shown) may be positioned to cover the opening 832 when no interlogging is occurring.

[0038] Since the main body often houses the battery and associated circuitry, it is often very large so as to be positioned within the fastener opening 831. Note in Figures 8A-8C that the interlogging devices 880D / 880C are configured to allow interlogging of the strength member without removing the fastener 826. In this regard, the interlogging signal is emitted / detected at an angle to the device body so that the entire device body does not need to be inserted into the fastener opening 831. While shown positioned at approximately a 90° angle, other angles and configurations may be used to allow interlogging without removing the fastener. Furthermore, the termination configuration 800 may be assembled such that the end section 864' of the strength member (e.g., strength member 864 in Figure 8B) extends through the fastener 826 (e.g., through the opening 831) so that the angled emitter or detector does not need operable access to the end of the strength member 864b. Therefore, the end section 864' may extend well beyond the end of the fastener 826 to access the strength member 864b. For example, the end section 864' of the strength member 864 may extend several millimeters or, if desired, several meters beyond the opening 832. After the interlogging of the strength member 864 is complete, the end section of the strength member may be cut to reduce or remove the portion of the end section that extends through the fastener 826 (for example, through the opening 832).

[0039] Although the implementation is shown to be carried out by eyebolt-type fasteners, it is understood that the embodiments described in Figures 8A to 8C may also be carried out by clevis-type fasteners (for example, the type of fasteners shown in Figures 6A to 6B). In such implementations, the clevis opening may be offset along the connector body bore (for example, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B). For example, here the projection is not at an angle to the connector body bore.

[0040] One advantage of the embodiments shown in Figures 8A to 8C is that the interlogging devices can be simplified. For example, the interlogging devices do not need to be designed to fit into a specific opening configuration. For example, the interlogging devices may be the same devices used to interlog structural members before the installation of the termination configuration (for example, before or during the installation of overhead electrical cables on a support tower).

[0041] In the above embodiments of the termination configuration, particularly the embodiment shown in Figure 7C, the interlogging device (e.g., emitter and / or detector components) may be located within the termination configuration (e.g., within the sleeve interior 747c) and within a cover positioned to cover the openings for sealing the components within the termination configuration. Power for the device may be supplied by a battery or by inductive coupling using current passing through the outer sleeve. An antenna with associated circuitry may also be supplied to enable a wireless transmitter to control the interlogging device and / or to receive data from the interlogging device using a portable device (e.g., a tablet with a touchscreen display). If the device requires replacement (e.g., due to aging), the interior may be accessed by removing the cover and replacing the components.

[0042] This disclosure also relates to splice configurations for use with overhead electrical cables, such as splice 108b shown in Figure 1. Splice structures for use with fiber-reinforced composite strength members are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 7019217 by Bryant, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A splice between two cable sections maintains electrical conductivity, but the strength members of the two sections are separated within the splice. That is, there is a break in the strength member within the splice between two dead ends. Because of this break, the entire length of the cable between the two dead ends cannot be interlogged by using an interlogging device that can only be attached to a termination configuration (e.g., using optical fiber). Therefore, this disclosure includes embodiments of splice configurations that enable the interlogging of the strength member (e.g., from the splice to each of the dead ends) so that the entire length of the cable can be interlogged.

[0043] Figure 9 shows one embodiment of such a splice configuration. The splice configuration often comprises hardware components that are structurally similar to the components of the termination configuration (e.g., as described above), and has two sets of components at each end of the splice configuration to grip the two cables. Referring to Figure 9, the splice configuration 900 comprises two splices 902a and 902b at both ends of the splice configuration 900. Splice 902a secures the overhead electrical cable 960a, and splice 902b secures the overhead electrical cable 960b. Splices 902a and 902b are substantially identical, and only splice 902a is described in more detail.

[0044] As described above, the gripping hardware in the splice configuration may be substantially the same as the gripping hardware used in the termination configuration. Therefore, the splice comprises a gripping element 910a having a collet 912a located in a collet housing 914a. The reinforcing member 964a of the overhead electrical cable 960a extends through the conductor 962a into the cavity 916a. The reinforcing member 964a is gripped by the collet 912a.

[0045] The connector assembly 920 is used to physically secure the first joint 902a to the second joint 902b, and thus secure the first cable 960a to the second cable 960b. The connector assembly 920 comprises a central connector body 922 and collet engagement screws 926a / 926b located at each end of the connector body 922. The collet engagement screws are configured to engage with connector screws located in the collet housing 914 to compress the collet 912 into the housing 914. The connector assembly 920 includes connector assembly bores 924a / 924b extending through the assembly (e.g., throughout the entire assembly) to allow the reinforcing members 964a and 964b to interlocate, thereby enabling the reinforcing members to extend closer to the center of the body 922.

[0046] The splice configuration 900 also includes a conductor body 944 to provide an electrical connection between overhead cables 960a and 960b. In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the conductor body comprises two engaging conductor body portions 944a and 944b joined by a pair of engaging flanges 946a and 946b. The flanges 946a / 946b may be fastened to each other using three or more flange bolts 948a / 948b extending through bolt openings in the flanges 946a / 946b. Alternatively, ferrules may be used to fasten the engaging flanges 946a / 946b. Typically, the conductor body 944 is crimped to the lower hardware and / or electrical conductors. For example, the crimping may be done to cover the connector body 920, the gripping element 910, and / or the electrical cables 960a / 960b to further secure the physical and electrical connection between the two cables.

[0047] After installation of an overhead electrical line having a spliced ​​configuration, the bolts 948a / 948b may be removed and the conductor body portions 944a / 944b separated in order to interlocate one or both of the strength members 960a / 960b. To temporarily hold the two parts of the spliced ​​structure, the flanges 946a / 946b may be provided with additional openings or hooks to allow a high-strength rope to be connected to the flange and to hold the two parts together under tension.

[0048] Another embodiment of the joint configuration is shown in Figure 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, many of the hardware components are somewhat or substantially the same as those shown in Figure 9, comprising a gripping element 1010a with a collet 1012a and a collet housing 1014a. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the conductor body 1044 is fabricated from a single (e.g., integral) body and extends to cover the first and second joint portions 1002a / 1002b.

[0049] In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the emitter device 1080 (e.g., an LED, a coherent light source, etc.) is provided within the connector assembly 1020 so that the emitter device 1080 can emit light to each end of the intensity members 1064a and 1064b. Therefore, detectors may be located at both ends of the intensity members 1064a / 1064b (e.g., through the termination configuration described above) to detect and / or analyze the optical signal emitted from the emitter 1080 through the optical fiber (Figure 3). In alternative configurations, many of the connector assemblies may include detectors (e.g., photodiodes, etc.), and the emitter may be located at the end of the overhead cable.

[0050] In any case, power may be supplied to the discharger 1080 using electrical contacts 1078a and 1078b. For example, a portable power source such as a battery may be attached to the electrical contacts 1078a / 1078b to supply power to the discharger, so as to interlog. The electrical contacts extend to the connector assembly 1020 through the conductor body 1044. The ports through which the contacts 1078a / 1078b pass the conductor body 1044 may be sealed to prevent contamination from entering the splice configuration 1000.

[0051] Another embodiment of the splice configuration is shown in Figure 11A. Similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 9 and 10, the splice configuration 1100A comprises two splices 1102a and 1102b for securing two electrical cables 1160a and 1160b. Each splice comprises a collet-type gripping element. For example, gripping element 1110a comprises a collet 1112a housed in a collet housing 1114a to grip a strength member 1164a.

[0052] The joint configuration 1100A comprises a conductor body 1144, which is a single piece (e.g., integral) extending to cover both gripping elements 1110b. The conductor body 1144 also comprises an interlogation port 1170 to allow access to the ends of the strength members 1164a / 1164b within the joint configuration. An interlogation sleeve 1172 is positioned within the port 1170 to allow emission and / or detection of optical signals to and from the strength members 1164a / 1164b. The interlogation sleeve 1172 is in the form of a rounded cylinder and has, for example, side walls and an opening 1174 extending through the side walls. A reflective surface 1139 (e.g., a mirror) at the bottom of the opening 1174 is provided to allow reflection upward for detection of optical signals emitted from the strength members through the opening 1174. Advantageously, the interlogging sleeve 1172 may be rotated (for example, around the screw 1176) so that its reflective surface faces the opposite strength member 1164b. In this way, both strength members 1164a / 1164b may be easily interlogged by simply rotating the sleeve 1172 to the desired position. A cap may be provided on the top of the sleeve 1172 to prevent contamination from entering when the sleeve is not in use.

[0053] Since the gripping elements 1110a / 1110b are not joined within the joint configuration (for example, as shown in Figure 9), the physical joining of the cable is achieved by crimping the conductor body 1144 to each of the gripping elements 1110a / 1110b. To enhance the crimping performance that secures the gripping elements 1110a / 1110b, the gripping elements are provided with ribs 1128a / 1128b or similar surface features such that the crimping deforms the conductor body 1144 into the gap between the ribs 1128a / 1128b.

[0054] The embodiment of the splice configuration shown in Figure 11B is similar to the termination configuration shown in Figure 7C. More specifically, the splice configuration 1100B comprises a sleeve 1141b that replaces all or part of the connector body connecting to two gripping elements 1110ab and 1110bb. The sleeve 1141b comprises a sleeve opening 1135b which can be alignable with a sleeve opening 1133b to allow access to the sleeve interior 1147b and thus to the ends of the strength members 1164ab and 1164bb. The sleeve interior 1147b may be provided with a reflective surface as shown in Figure 11A, but the sleeve interior 1147b may have sufficient volume to allow direct insertion of an emitter or detector device into the sleeve interior 1147b to enable interlogging of the strength members 1164ab and 1164bb.

[0055] In the embodiments described above, particularly in the embodiment shown in Figure 11B, components (e.g., emitter and / or detector components) may be located within a splice configuration (e.g., inside the sleeve 1147b), and a cover may be positioned to cover the openings to seal the components within the splice configuration. Power for the device may be supplied by a battery or by inductive coupling using current passing through the outer sleeve. An antenna with associated circuitry may also be supplied to enable wireless transmission to control the interlogging device and / or to receive data from the interlogging device using a portable device (e.g., a tablet with a touchscreen display). If the device requires replacement (e.g., due to aging), the interior may be accessed by removing the cover and replacing the components. In any case, the devices fixed within the splice configuration may be emitters and detectors, but it may be preferable to position the emitters within the splice with the detectors positioned in a terminal configuration at both ends of the structural members.

[0056] Another embodiment of the termination configuration is shown in Figure 12. This type of termination configuration 1200 is sometimes called a helical dead end. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application No. 2019 / 0081470 by Ma et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In this configuration, a structural rod or strand 1211 is wound helically around the cable 1260 to grip the cable 1260 and forms a loop 1226 at the end of the configuration 1200. In this configuration, a portion 1211a of the structural strand is wound around a portion of the reinforcing member stripped from the upper conductor strand to allow for interlogging of the reinforcing member 1264. The end of the reinforcing member 1264 extends beyond the strand 1211 and is exposed to allow for interlogging. The exposed end of the reinforcing member may be capped or sealed to prevent damage to the end of the reinforcing member when interlogging is not occurring.

[0057] The embodiments described above are presented to illustrate termination and splicing configurations for interlocating overhead electrical cables during and / or after installation of electrical lines (e.g., distribution lines or transmission lines). Thus, the embodiments described above are subject to various modifications not described in detail above. For example, the gripping element is shown to comprise a collet-type grip having a collet and a collet housing. However, other types of gripping elements may be used. For example, the gripping element may comprise a direct compression device, such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 6,805,596 by Quesnel et al., assigned to Alcoa Fujikura Limited (the whole of which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0058] In the termination configuration embodiment, the jumper plate is shown positioned at the very base end of the conductor body. However, other configurations are possible, such as a "shark fin" configuration where the jumper plate is positioned near the middle of the conductor body.

[0059] The above termination and splicing configurations may be used with various electrical cables having strength members, particularly fiber-reinforced composite strength members. Interlogging techniques may include laser-based techniques such as optical time-domain reflectivity measurement (OTDR), or incoherent optical techniques such as those disclosed in International Patent Publication No. 2019 / 168998 by Don et al. (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

[0060] It is understood that the above disclosures also relate to methods for securing overhead electrical cables to a termination configuration (e.g., to a dead end) and methods for interlocating a reinforcing member with hardware. Interlocation may be performed after the overhead electrical cable has been fully tensioned and secured with hardware (e.g., secured to a support tower as shown in Figure 1). One embodiment provides a method for terminating an overhead electrical cable comprising a central reinforcing member and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the reinforcing member, comprising: separating an end portion of the reinforcing member from the conductor strands; and inserting the end portion of the reinforcing member into a termination configuration, the termination configuration comprising a connector having a connector body and a connector body bore, wherein the insertion step includes a positioning step of positioning the end portion of the reinforcing member at least partially into the connector body bore.

[0061] In another embodiment, a method is disclosed for interlocating an overhead electrical cable through a termination configuration, wherein the overhead electrical cable has a reinforcing member comprising an interlocating element and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the reinforcing member. The method may comprise a step of separating an end section of the reinforcing member from the conductor strands, and a fixing step of operably fixing the termination configuration to the overhead electrical cable, wherein the termination configuration comprises a gripping element configured to grip the reinforcing member, and a connector operably attached to the gripping element, the connector comprising a connector body and a connector body bore extending longitudinally from a first opening at the base end of the connector body toward the tip of the connector body. The fixing step includes a step of fixing a first portion of the end section of the reinforcing member with the gripping element, and a step of positioning a second portion of the end section of the reinforcing member toward the connector body bore. Interlogging of the reinforcing member may be performed by operably linking (e.g., directly or indirectly contacting) an interlogging device to the end of the reinforcing member. During interlogging, the reinforcing member may be entirely within the terminal configuration (see, for example, Figure 5E) or extend beyond the terminal configuration (see, for example, Figure 8B).

[0062] While various embodiments of termination configurations and methods for the termination and interlogging of overhead electrical cables are described in detail, it will be understood that those skilled in the art will modify and adapt these embodiments. However, it will be clearly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. Termination configuration for overhead electrical cables, A gripping element configured to grip the structural member of an overhead electrical cable, The gripping element comprises a connector that is operably attached to the gripping element, and the connector is The connector body and A terminal configuration comprising: a longitudinal connector body bore extending longitudinally from a first connector body opening at the tip of the connector body toward the base end of the connector body.

2. The termination configuration according to claim 1, further comprising a fastener operably attached to the base end of the connector body.

3. The terminal configuration according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gripping element comprises a compression wedge.

4. The termination configuration according to claim 3, wherein the compression wedge comprises a collet disposed within a collet housing.

5. The termination configuration according to claim 4, wherein the connector body is operably mounted to the collet housing.

6. The termination configuration according to claim 5, wherein the connector body is screwed into the collet housing.

7. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an outer sleeve disposed to cover at least the gripping element.

8. The termination configuration according to claim 7, wherein the outer sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the connector body.

9. The termination configuration according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a conductor body.

10. The termination configuration according to claim 9, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a jumper plate that is operably attached to the conductor body.

11. The termination configuration according to claim 10, wherein the jumper plate is operably attached to the conductor body near the base end of the outer sleeve.

12. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore extends through the connector body from the first connector body opening at the tip of the connector body to the second connector body opening near the base end of the connector body.

13. The termination configuration according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore is sized and shaped to receive the strength member of the overhead electrical cable.

14. The terminal configuration according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore has a substantially circular cross-section and a diameter of 6 mm or more.

15. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore has a diameter of 18 mm or less.

16. The termination configuration according to any one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising a removable cover that is operably positioned to cover the opening of the second connector body.

17. The termination configuration according to claim 16, wherein the removable cover is secured to cover the opening of the second connector body using one or more threaded fasteners.

18. The termination configuration according to claim 16, wherein the removable cover is screwed into the opening of the second connector body.

19. The termination configuration according to claim 16, wherein the removable cover is friction-fitted to the opening of the second connector body.

20. The terminal configuration according to claim 17, wherein the fastener includes an eye bolt.

21. The termination configuration according to claim 20, wherein the eyebolt is permanently attached to the connector body.

22. The termination configuration according to claim 21, comprising an eyebolt bore extending through the base of the eyebolt, wherein the eyebolt bore is located along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal connector body bore.

23. The termination configuration according to claim 22, wherein the eyebolt bore has substantially the same size and cross-section as the longitudinal connector body bore.

24. The terminal configuration according to claim 17, wherein the fastener comprises a clevis having a base and two spaced-apart clevis projections extending from the base.

25. The termination configuration according to claim 24, wherein the second connector body opening is located between the two spaced-apart protrusions through the base.

26. The terminal configuration according to claim 24 or 25, wherein each of the two spaced-apart projections is provided with a bolt opening located near the base end of the projection.

27. The termination configuration according to claim 26, wherein each of the bolt openings is offset from the longitudinal axis of the connector body.

28. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 17, 20 to 27, wherein the fastener is detachable from the connector body and can be reattached to the connector body.

29. The terminal configuration according to claim 28, wherein the fastener is screwed into the connector body.

30. The termination configuration according to claim 28, wherein the fastener is bolted to the connector body.

31. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein the fastener comprises a clevis having a base and two spaced-apart projections extending from the base.

32. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein the fastener comprises an eyebolt having a base and a closed loop extending from the base.

33. The termination configuration according to any one of claims 28 to 32, further comprising a sling coupling.

34. The termination configuration according to claim 33, wherein the sling coupling is attached to the connector body.

35. The termination configuration according to claim 34, wherein the sling coupling is permanently attached to the connector body.

36. The sling coupling comprises a closed loop, according to any one of claims 33 to 35.

37. The termination configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore is operably in communication with a non-longitudinal connector body bore that is arranged at an angle of less than 180° with respect to the longitudinal connector body bore.

38. The termination configuration according to claim 37, wherein the non-longitudinal connector body bore is arranged at an angle of 70° to 130° with respect to the longitudinal connector body bore.

39. The termination configuration according to claim 37 or 38, further comprising a non-longitudinal connector body bore opening located at the end of the non-longitudinal connector body bore.

40. The termination configuration according to claim 39, further comprising a reflective element positioned at the boundary between the longitudinal connector body bore and the non-longitudinal connector body bore, wherein the reflective element is configured to reflect light between the longitudinal connector body bore and the non-longitudinal connector body bore.

41. The termination configuration according to claim 39 or 40, comprising a removable cover that is operably positioned to cover the bore opening of the non-longitudinal connector body.

42. The termination configuration according to claim 41, wherein the removable cover is secured to cover the bore opening of the non-longitudinal connector body using at least a first threaded fastener.

43. The termination configuration according to claim 41, wherein the removable cover is screwed into the bore opening of the non-longitudinal connector body.

44. The termination configuration according to claim 41, wherein the removable cover is friction-fitted to the bore opening of the non-longitudinal connector body.

45. The termination configuration according to any one of claims 37 to 44, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore terminates before the base end of the connector body.

46. The terminal configuration according to any one of claims 37 to 44, wherein the longitudinal connector body bore extends to the base end of the connector body.

47. A method for terminating an overhead electrical cable comprising a reinforcing member and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the reinforcing member, A step of separating the conductor strand from the end portion of the strength member, The process includes inserting the end portion of the strength member into a terminal configuration, wherein the terminal configuration comprises a connector having a connector body and a connector body bore extending through the connector body, The insertion step includes a placement step of positioning the end portion of the strength member into the connector body bore, at least partially.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the insertion step includes inserting the end portion of the strength member into the gripping member.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the gripping member comprises a collet and a collet housing.

50. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 49, further comprising the step of arranging the outer sleeve so as to cover at least a portion of the connector body.

51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of compressing the outer sleeve relative to the connector body.

52. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 51, wherein the connector body bore extends longitudinally through the connector body from a first connector body opening at the tip of the connector body to a second connector body opening near the base end of the connector.

53. A method for interlocating an overhead electrical cable through a termination configuration, wherein the overhead electrical cable has a strength member comprising an interlocating element and a plurality of conductor strands wound around the strength member, A step of separating the conductor strand from the end section of the strength member, A fixing step for operably fixing the termination configuration to the overhead electrical cable, wherein the termination configuration is A gripping element configured to grip the aforementioned strength member, A connector that is operably attached to the gripping element, comprising a connector body and a connector body bore extending longitudinally from a first opening at the tip of the connector body toward the base end of the connector body, The aforementioned fixing step is, A step of fixing the first portion of the end section of the strength member with the gripping element, A fixing step including the step of arranging the second portion of the end section of the strength member into the connector body bore, A method comprising an interlogging step of interlogging a strength member by operably linking an interlogging device to the end of the strength member.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the strength member is completely positioned within the terminal configuration during the interlogging process.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the strength member extends beyond the terminal configuration during the interlogging process.

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