Temporary Conductor Suspender With J-Hook Latches for Hot Line Work
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for maintaining and repairing high voltage transmission and distribution lines require de-energizing conductors, which is hazardous and disruptive, and there is a need for safe and efficient temporary suspension of energized or de-energized conductors to allow for hot line work without interruption.
Innovation Solution
A set of components including a yoke plate, J-hook assemblies, and linkage members, which can be assembled into various configurations to temporarily suspend or support multiple conductors or sub-conductors, ensuring a pre-set clearance for safety, using removable couplers and latches for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductors are de-energized for maintenance and repair work, then worker safety is improved, but service interruption occurs and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling a suspender system with conductors in a controlled environment before hot line work begins. The suspender is prepared with all necessary components (yoke plate, insulators, linkages, J-hooks) already positioned and configured, allowing immediate deployment when maintenance is needed. This preliminary preparation enables workers to safely suspend and work on energized conductors without service interruption, as the entire suspension system is ready for instant installation.
2Reliability
If minimum approach distance is increased for high voltage conductors, then worker safety is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the suspension system into distinct modular components: a yoke plate assembly, multiple insulator units, linkage members, and J-hook assemblies. Each component serves a specific function and can be independently configured. The insulators provide electrical isolation while linkages provide mechanical connection, allowing the system to achieve necessary clearance distances through modular arrangement rather than requiring a single complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses insulators as intermediary elements between the metallic suspension components (yoke plate, linkages, J-hooks) and the energized conductors. These insulators act as mediators that provide both mechanical support and electrical isolation, enabling workers to safely approach energized conductors at required distances while maintaining structural integrity of the suspension system.
3Force
If multiple sub-conductors are suspended in bundled configurations, then load capacity is improved, but manipulation and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a suspender system that can accommodate multiple conductor configurations through a single standardized platform. The yoke plate with adjustable linkages and J-hooks can suspend conductors in various arrangements (horizontal bundles, vertical stacks, alternating patterns) while maintaining the same basic structural approach. This multi-functional design simplifies manipulation compared to requiring different specialized equipment for each bundle configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dimensional change by allowing the suspension system to arrange conductors in different spatial dimensions - horizontal spacing via yoke plate width, vertical spacing via linkage length adjustment, and three-dimensional positioning through combinations of J-hook orientations. This multi-dimensional arrangement capability enables complex bundled configurations to be managed through systematic spatial distribution rather than complex mechanical manipulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A set of components for assembling a temporary wire suspender includes in the set a yoke plate, a plurality of J-hook assemblies, a plurality of linkage members, and a plurality of removable couplers configurable to handle an expandable number of energized or de-energized conductors or sub-conductors. Positive control of the suspended and/or supported energized or de-energized conductors or sub-conductors is achieved by using releasable latches on the J-hook assemblies.