Dielectric Retaining Pin with Radial Ribs for Flashover Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dielectric retaining pins for high voltage components are prone to flashovers due to conductive liquids, such as bird droppings or rain, which create a low resistance path between high voltage components and grounded structures, leading to potential electrocution of wildlife and costly fuse replacements.
Innovation Solution
Dielectric retaining pins with radially extending circular ribs or skirts along their body, increasing the surface leakage distance and preventing liquid flow, are used to secure dielectric covers over high voltage components, ensuring effective insulation and preventing flashovers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional smooth-bodied dielectric retaining pins are used, then the pins are easy to manufacture and install, but conductive liquids such as bird droppings or rain create low resistance paths causing flashovers
Solution Approach 1:
The pin body is segmented into multiple cylindrical segments or ribs arranged radially around the central axis. These segments divide the original smooth surface into multiple smaller surfaces, forcing conductive liquids to travel a longer, more complex path rather than flowing directly down the pin. This segmentation increases the effective leakage distance and reduces the risk of flashovers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional smooth cylindrical surface to a multi-dimensional structured surface with radially extending segments. This adds spatial complexity in the radial dimension, creating multiple pathways that liquids must navigate, thereby increasing the surface leakage distance without significantly increasing the pin's overall length.
2Reliability
If pins with radially extending ribs or skirts are used, then the surface leakage distance is increased and liquid flow is prevented, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the pin body by introducing radially extending ribs or skirts with specific dimensions. The ribs extend a controlled distance radially outward from the pin body, creating an optimized balance between flashover prevention and manufacturability. This parameter modification allows the pin to be produced using standard molding techniques while achieving the desired electrical insulation performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If the pin body surface is made smooth, then manufacturing is simple, but liquid runs along the pin creating conductive paths
Solution Approach 1:
The smooth pin body surface is replaced with a segmented surface featuring radially extending ribs or skirts. These segments interrupt the continuous surface that would allow liquid to flow directly down the pin, forcing the liquid to navigate around each rib. This segmentation effectively blocks the harmful liquid flow path while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard molding processes.
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 pins significantly enhance the insulating properties and prevent flashovers by increasing the flashover voltage, even in high moisture conditions, thereby protecting wildlife and reducing maintenance costs associated with fuse replacements.
Implementation Method 1
The pins have a plurality of circular ribs or skirts radially extending outward along the body of the pin that increase the surface leakage distance between the outside ring of the pin and the portion of the pin closest to the high voltage components
Implementation Method 2
The ribs/skirts also prevent any liquid from being drawn along the body of the pin such as by gravity or capillary action
Implementation Method 3
A dielectric cover over high voltage components, such as for protecting wildlife from electrocution, is held in place over the components by dielectric pins
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic retaining pin for being inserted through a retaining hole in a high voltage insulating cover has a compressible nose, with the wide part of the nose being larger than the retaining hole. The pin may be on the order of 3-12 inches long. The other end of the pin has a grasping ring for receiving the hook of a hot stick. Along the length of the body of the pin is a plurality of radial portions (e.g., six or more) extending outward from a centerline of the body. These radial portions may be skirts or ribs having a diameter less than the retaining hole in the cover. The skirts or ribs greatly increase the surface leakage distance along the body of the pin and also prevent conductive liquids flowing along the body, which may lead to a flashover.