Grounding Device Having a Polygonal Housing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a grounding device. A grounding device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing portion having a polygonal cross-section and a column shape extending in the longitudinal direction; a central terminal portion disposed to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the housing portion, with one end electrically connected to an external electrical terminal; and a resistance reduction portion charged inside the housing portion and discharging current flowing in through the central terminal portion to external soil via the housing portion.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a grounding device. One embodiment relates to a grounding device having a polygonal housing that can effectively reduce grounding resistance and stably diffuse current to external soil through a housing structure equipped with an internal resistance reduction unit. Background Technology

[0002] In general, grounding devices are used in electrical, telecommunications, and lightning protection facilities to safely discharge leakage or lightning currents generated by the equipment into the ground. It is important for these grounding devices to lower grounding resistance by ensuring that the current diffuses smoothly into the ground, and to this end, various structures of grounding rods or grounding containers have been proposed.

[0003] A typical grounding device may be constructed with a structure in which a resistance-reducing material is filled inside a metal grounding rod or container to promote the diffusion of current and lower contact resistance with the soil. This resistance-reducing material is composed of a composition including salts, metal powders, hygroscopic substances, etc., and serves to improve soil conductivity and reduce grounding resistance.

[0004] However, conventional grounding devices generally adopt cylindrical or simple container structures, and often utilize a method of simply filling the interior with resistance-reducing material. In such structures, the distribution of the resistance-reducing material may be uneven, or air gaps may form inside during long-term use; as a result, problems such as current concentrating in specific paths or increased grounding resistance may occur. Prior art literature

[0005] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2703810 The problem to be solved

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a grounding device capable of improving the stability of grounding performance by allowing the incoming current to spread more uniformly through the entire housing to the external soil.

[0007] In addition, air gaps that may occur at the corners of the housing can be effectively reduced, thereby preventing the current from concentrating in specific areas and stably securing the current diffusion path.

[0008] In addition, it has the effect of preventing an increase in grounding resistance by mitigating local current concentration in the current path. means of solving the problem

[0009] A grounding device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing portion having a polygonal cross-section and a column shape extending in the longitudinal direction; a central terminal portion disposed to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the housing portion, with one end electrically connected to an external electrical terminal; and a resistance reduction portion charged inside the housing portion and discharging current flowing in through the central terminal portion to external soil via the housing portion.

[0010] Each inner corner of the above polygon may have a radius of curvature. The radius of curvature may be 0.02 to 0.2 times the radius of the circumscribed circle of the cross-section.

[0011] The resistance reducing member may include: a first resistance reducing member positioned to surround the center terminal member and positioned to contact the inner circumference of the housing member; and a second resistance reducing member positioned in the space formed between the first resistance reducing member and the inner corner portion of the housing member. Effects of the invention

[0012] The grounding device according to the present invention can improve the stability of grounding performance by allowing the incoming current to spread more uniformly to the external soil through the entire housing.

[0013] In addition, air gaps that may occur at the corners of the housing can be effectively reduced, thereby preventing the current from concentrating in specific areas and stably securing the current diffusion path.

[0014] In addition, it has the effect of preventing an increase in grounding resistance by mitigating local current concentration in the current path. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a grounding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top view of the resistance reduction unit placed inside the housing with the top cover of the housing removed. Figure 4 is a top view of the housing portion with the top cover removed. Figure 5 illustrates a resistance reduction section. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and elements indicated by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements. Additionally, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for parts having similar functions and operations. Furthermore, throughout the specification, the term "comprising" a component means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0018] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a grounding device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the grounding device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing part (110) having a polygonal cross-section and a column shape extending in the longitudinal direction; a center terminal part (120) arranged to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the housing part (110) and having one end electrically connected to an external electrical terminal; and a resistance reduction part (130, 140) charged inside the housing part (110) and discharging current flowing in through the center terminal part (120) to the external soil via the housing part (110).

[0020] The housing portion (110) is a component forming the outer structure of the grounding device (100) and can be formed in a column shape extending in the longitudinal direction to form an internal space. A resistance reduction portion (130, 140) is disposed in the internal space of the housing portion (110) so that current flowing in through the center terminal portion (120) can spread to the external soil through the housing portion (110).

[0021] The cross-section of the housing part (110) may be formed in a polygonal shape, and various polygonal shapes such as triangles, squares, pentagons, or hexagons may be applied. This polygonal structure allows current to spread more uniformly to the external soil along the outer surface of the housing part (110) and can provide the effect of improving structural rigidity.

[0022] Additionally, each corner portion of the housing portion (110) may be formed in a rounded shape having a radius of curvature. In the drawing, R represents a circle having the radius of curvature of the corner portion, and this rounded structure can mitigate localized concentration of current that may occur at the corner portion. Furthermore, if the resistance reducing portion disposed inside the housing portion (110) has a shape close to a cylinder or a roll, the gap that may occur at the corner portion can be reduced, thereby maintaining a more stable contact state between the resistance reducing portion and the housing portion.

[0023] In the drawing, C represents the circumscribed circle of the cross-section of the housing part (110). The circumscribed circle (C) can be used as a reference circle to define the size of the cross-section of the polygonal housing and serves as a reference to relatively define the degree of rounding of the corner part. In one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the corner part can be formed in a range of about 0.02 to 0.2 times the radius of the circumscribed circle (C). If the radius of curvature is less than 0.02 times the radius of the circumscribed circle, the corner part becomes excessively sharp, which may cause current to concentrate at a specific location, and it is difficult to sufficiently obtain the effect of reducing the air gap between the resistance reduction part and the housing part. Conversely, if the radius of curvature exceeds 0.2 times the radius of the circumscribed circle, the corner rounding becomes excessively large, which may weaken the structural characteristics of the polygonal shape and reduce the utilization of internal space.

[0024] Additionally, a plurality of through holes may be formed on the side portion of the housing portion (110). These through holes allow the resistance reduction unit disposed inside the housing portion (110) to come into contact with the external soil, thereby allowing the current to diffuse more smoothly into the soil. Furthermore, moisture from the soil may flow into the housing portion (110) through the through holes, and accordingly, the moisture-absorbing material contained in the resistance reduction unit absorbs the moisture, thereby stably maintaining the electrical conductivity around the grounding device (100). The through holes may be formed as circular holes with a diameter of, for example, several millimeters (mm), and may be arranged at regular intervals along the side portion of the housing portion (110). However, the shape, size, and arrangement method of the through holes are not limited thereto and may be varied depending on the installation environment of the grounding device or the required mechanical strength.

[0025] The housing part (110) may be formed of a conductive metal or alloy material so that current can be transmitted to the external soil, and, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel may be used. However, the material of the housing part (110) is not limited thereto, and various conductive materials may be applied depending on the usage environment of the grounding device.

[0026] Additionally, the housing portion (110) may further include an upper cover and a lower cover that respectively cover the upper and lower sides of the side portions to form an internal space. The upper cover and the lower cover may be provided with holes formed so that the center terminal portion (120) can pass through them, and accordingly, the center terminal portion (120) may be positioned to pass through the upper and lower surfaces of the housing portion (110). Due to this structure, current flowing in through the center terminal portion (120) can be stably transmitted to the housing portion (110) and the external soil through the resistance reduction portions (130, 140) disposed inside the housing portion (110).

[0028] The center terminal portion (120) is a component for electrically connecting the internal and external electrical equipment of the grounding device (100), and can be formed in a rod shape extending longitudinally along the center of the housing portion (110). The center terminal portion (120) can be positioned to penetrate the upper cover and the lower cover of the housing portion (110), and accordingly, one end of the center terminal portion (120) can be exposed to the outside of the housing portion (110).

[0029] The portion of the central terminal (120) exposed to the outside can be electrically connected to a grounding wire or electrical terminal of an external electrical facility, such as a transformer, electrical equipment, communication equipment, or lightning protection equipment. Accordingly, leakage current or lightning current generated from the external electrical facility can be transmitted into the grounding device (100) through the central terminal (120).

[0030] The current flowing in through the center terminal (120) can be dispersed through the resistance reduction unit placed inside the housing (110) and then spread to the external soil through the housing (110), thereby allowing the grounding device (100) to maintain the potential of the external electrical equipment in a stable grounded state.

[0031] The above-mentioned center terminal portion (120) may be formed of a conductive metal material to smoothly transmit current, for example, copper, stainless steel, or other conductive metals and alloys. However, the material of the center terminal portion (120) is not limited thereto, and various conductive materials may be applied depending on the usage environment of the grounding device and the required electrical characteristics.

[0032] In addition, a threaded structure, a terminal coupling part, or other electrical connection structure may be formed on the external connection part of the central terminal part (120) so that a ground wire or an electrical cable can be stably connected. However, such connection structures are not limited thereto and can be implemented in various forms.

[0034] The resistance reduction unit (130, 140) is a component for improving the electrical contact environment and stably maintaining soil moisture so that the current flowing in through the center terminal unit (120) can smoothly spread through the housing unit (110) to the external soil. The resistance reduction unit (130, 140) can be placed in the internal space of the housing unit (110) and allows the current transmitted from the center terminal unit (120) to be effectively distributed to the housing unit (110) and the external soil.

[0035] The resistance reduction part (130, 140) may be formed in a rolled-up roll structure and may be made of a matrix structure such as, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a fabric. Preferably, a nonwoven fabric structure that is flexible, has excellent hygroscopicity, and is chemically stable may be used. This nonwoven fabric may be formed in a sheet form with a thickness of about a few millimeters (mm) and may be rolled up to form a roll-shaped structure.

[0036] The matrix of the resistance reduction part (130, 140) may be formed from various fiber materials having hygroscopicity and chemical resistance, for example, it may be formed as a nonwoven fabric structure including polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide (nylon), rayon, cellulose fiber, glass fiber, or a mixture thereof. However, these materials are merely examples, and various fiber materials having hygroscopicity and chemical resistance may be used.

[0037] Additionally, the resistance reduction member (130, 140) may include a hygroscopic material (132) disposed on at least one surface of the resistance reduction material (131) forming the matrix. The hygroscopic material (132) is disposed inside or on the surface of the matrix and performs the role of absorbing and retaining moisture from the soil. The hygroscopic material (132) may be a polymeric hygroscopic material, such as a super absorbent polymer (SAP), and specifically may include polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, starch-based absorbent polymer, cellulose-based absorbent polymer, etc. Additionally, inorganic hygroscopic materials such as silica gel, zeolite, and bentonite may be used as needed.

[0038] The above-mentioned moisture absorbent material (132) may be formed in a film shape so as to be rolled together with the resistance-reducing material (131), and may be formed in a structure that is attached to or laminated on the surface of the resistance-reducing material (131). Through this structure, a multilayer structure in which the resistance-reducing material (131) and the moisture absorbent material (132) are repeatedly laminated may be formed, thereby improving the moisture absorption capacity and moisture retention ability of the moisture absorbent material. However, the shape of the moisture absorbent material (132) is not limited thereto, and it may be formed by applying or coating a moisture absorbent material in liquid or powder form onto the surface of the resistance-reducing material (131).

[0039] Meanwhile, the resistance reduction unit (130, 140) may include a first resistance reduction unit (130) disposed around the center terminal unit (120) and a second resistance reduction unit (140) disposed in a space formed in the inner corner portion of the housing unit (110).

[0040] The first resistance reduction member (130) is a component arranged to surround the center terminal member (120), and can be formed to be arranged along the periphery of the center terminal member (120) and to contact the inner surface of the housing member (110). As previously described, the first resistance reduction member (130) may be a roll structure formed by rolling up a sheet in which a resistance reduction material (131) and a moisture-absorbing material (132) are laminated, and accordingly, can form a shape close to a cylinder surrounding the center terminal member (120).

[0041] The second resistance reduction member (140) is a component disposed in the space formed between the first resistance reduction member (130) and the inner corner portion of the housing member (110). The second resistance reduction member (140) has a smaller cross-sectional diameter than the first resistance reduction member (130). When the cross-section of the housing member (110) has a polygonal shape and the first resistance reduction member (130) is formed as a roll structure, a certain space may be formed between the first resistance reduction member (130) and the corner portion of the housing member (110). The second resistance reduction member (140) is disposed in this space and can provide a path through which current can be transmitted from the first resistance reduction member (130) to the corner portion of the housing member (110).

[0042] The second resistance reduction section (140) can also be formed with a structure including a resistance reduction material and a moisture absorbent material, and, for example, can be formed as a rolled roll structure having a relatively smaller diameter compared to the first resistance reduction section (130) and placed in the corner space. Through this, the resistance reduction material can be filled up to the corner area of ​​the housing section (110), thereby reducing internal voids and allowing the current to spread more uniformly through the housing section to the external soil.

[0044] The present invention is not limited by the embodiments described above and the attached drawings, but is intended to be limited by the appended claims. Accordingly, various substitutions, modifications, and changes may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention as described in the claims, without departing from the technical spirit of the invention, and such are also to be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0045] 100: Grounding device, 110: Housing part, 120: Center terminal part, 130: First resistance reducing part, 131: Resistance reducing material, 132: Moisture absorbent material, 140: Second resistance reducing part, R: Circle having a radius of curvature at the corner part, C: Circumscribed circle

Claims

Claim 1 A grounding device comprising: a housing portion having a polygonal cross-section and a column shape extending in the longitudinal direction; a center terminal portion arranged to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the housing portion, with one end electrically connected to an external electrical terminal; and a resistance reduction portion charged inside the housing portion and discharging current flowing in through the center terminal portion to the external soil via the housing portion; wherein the resistance reduction portion comprises: a first resistance reduction portion arranged in a roll structure to surround the center terminal portion and arranged to contact the inner circumference of the housing portion; and a second resistance reduction portion arranged in a space formed between the first resistance reduction portion and the inner corner portion of the housing portion, having a rolled roll structure with a smaller diameter than that of the first resistance reduction portion. Claim 2 A grounding device according to claim 1, wherein each inner corner portion of the polygon has a radius of curvature, and the radius of curvature is 0.02 to 0.2 times the radius of the circumscribed circle of the cross-section. Claim 3 delete

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