Spring-Loaded Electrical Connector for Overhead Power Line Tapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for tapping an overhead power distribution line, such as wire binding, result in undesirable contact resistance, I squared R losses, heat on joints, increased installation costs, time, and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector with two pads of the same shape, each having a connector body with grooves and a hole, connected by a fastener and biased together by a spring, allowing pivotable contact with conductors and featuring a spring-loaded parallel clamp design to reduce slippage and enhance installation safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wire binding is used to connect tap line to overhead power distribution line, then installation is simple, but contact resistance increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into two separate pads (first pad and second pad) that clamp the conductors between them. Each pad has independent grooves for different conductor sizes, allowing the connection to be segmented into distinct clamping surfaces that provide stable, reliable contact while maintaining installation simplicity through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body acts as an intermediary device between the tap line and overhead power distribution line. Instead of direct wire binding, the connector provides a controlled intermediate clamping mechanism with grooves that guide and secure the conductors, reducing contact resistance while maintaining ease of installation through the standardized clamping structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If wire binding is used, then installation cost is reduced, but I squared R losses and heat on joints increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the connection into two separate pads with multiple grooves, the connector distributes the electrical contact across multiple surfaces. This segmentation reduces contact resistance at each interface, thereby reducing I squared R losses and heat generation while maintaining cost-effective installation through the standardized design.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector changes the physical parameters of the connection interface by providing grooves with specific dimensions (first groove for smaller conductors, second groove for larger conductors). This parameter optimization ensures optimal contact pressure and surface area, reducing contact resistance and energy losses while keeping installation costs low.
3Productivity
If conventional tapping methods are used, then installation time is reduced, but safety and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a dynamic clamping mechanism where the first pad and second pad can be positioned and secured using the fastener through the hole. This dynamic adjustment capability allows installers to quickly secure the connection while ensuring proper contact pressure, thereby maintaining fast installation time while improving safety and reliability through controlled clamping force.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body serves as a safety intermediary that provides a controlled environment for making electrical connections. The grooves guide the conductors into proper positions, and the fastener mechanism ensures secure attachment, thereby maintaining quick installation while significantly improving safety compared to direct wire binding methods.
4Device complexity
If wire binding is used, then device complexity is reduced, but contact resistance and heat increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector segments the clamping function into two separate pads with multiple grooves, distributing the electrical contact across multiple surfaces. This segmentation reduces contact resistance at each interface, thereby reducing heat generation while maintaining relatively simple device structure through the modular pad design with standardized features.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector optimizes the physical parameters of the contact surfaces through specifically designed grooves (first groove and second groove with different dimensions). This parameter optimization ensures adequate contact area and pressure distribution, reducing contact resistance and heat generation while keeping the overall device structure simple and manufacturable.
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 electrical connector significantly reduces contact resistance, I squared R losses, and heat on joints, while improving installation efficiency, safety, and reliability by providing a cost-effective and efficient method for connecting tap lines to overhead power distribution lines.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is between a first end of the fastener and one of the two pads having the same shape so that the spring biases the two pads having the same shape towards each other
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes two pads having the same shape. Each pad has a connector body with a first groove, a second groove, and a hole. The hole extends through the connector body between the first groove and the second groove. A fastener extends through the hole of both of the two pads so that the two pads having the same shape are connected to one another and are pivotable around the fastener relative to one another with the two first grooves contacting a first conductor when the first conductor is in an installed position and the two second grooves contacting a second conductor when the second conductor is in an installed position. A spring is between a first end of the fastener and one of the two pads having the same shape so that the spring biases the two pads having the same shape towards each other.