Insulating Holder Ribs for Uniform Bus Bar Air Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing modular bus bar assemblies in power distribution systems suffer from unintentional air gaps between bus bars and insulating plastic, leading to varying air gap widths and partial discharge, which can cause insulation breakdown over time.
Innovation Solution
The use of an insulating holder with ribs to maintain a uniform air gap between the bus bar and the holder, reducing partial discharge by uniformly distributing electric potential along the bus bar length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bus bars are overmolded with insulating plastic to maintain spacing, then insulation between adjacent bus bars is provided, but unintentional air gaps with varying widths are created leading to partial discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming recesses in the insulating holder before the bus bar is installed. These recesses are specifically designed to accommodate the bus bar and maintain a uniform air gap. The insulating holder is prepared in advance with the correct geometry to ensure consistent spacing, eliminating the variability that occurs with post-assembly adjustments or improper positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized recesses in specific areas of the insulating holder where the bus bar will be positioned. Rather than attempting to maintain a uniform air gap across the entire surface, the design focuses on creating precise local geometries at the critical interfaces between the insulating holder and bus bar. This ensures uniform air gap width exactly where needed for electrical insulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air gaps are minimized to improve insulation, then partial discharge is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases to achieve precise gap control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by removing material from the insulating holder to create recesses. Instead of adding complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple components to control the air gap, the design extracts material to form negative spaces that naturally accommodate the bus bar. This simplification reduces device complexity while effectively controlling the air gap to minimize partial discharge.
3Area of stationary object
If bus bars are arranged in compact manner to increase space utilization, then space efficiency improves, but minimum safety distances between adjacent bus bars become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from maintaining safety distances through horizontal spacing alone to using vertical dimension through the thickness of the insulating holder. The recesses are formed at specific depths within the holder, creating a three-dimensional arrangement that maintains the required minimum distances between adjacent bus bars while maximizing compactness in the plan view.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces partial discharge and prevents insulation breakdown by maintaining a consistent air gap, ensuring the longevity and safety of the bus bar assembly.
Implementation Method 1
maintain a uniform air gap between the bus bar and the holder
Implementation Method 2
reducing partial discharge by uniformly distributing electric potential along the bus bar length
Data Source
AI summary
A bus bar assembly includes multiple bus bars, multiple insulating holders, and a housing. Each of the insulating holders is configured to be mounted to one of the bus bars. Each of the insulating holders includes multiple ribs positioned within an interior cavity of the corresponding insulating holder, and the ribs maintain a desired air gap between each insulating holder and the corresponding bus bar mounted in the insulating holder. The housing is configured to receive each of the bus bars and the corresponding insulating holder.