Universal Bus Plug Modular Mounting Hardware
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial facilities face challenges with obsolete and expensive OEM bus plugs, leading to safety concerns and long lead times, as well as the need for a universal solution that can interface with various busway systems.
Innovation Solution
A universal bus plug with a modular design, featuring an enclosure with a switch or breaker, an interface for electrical connection, and interchangeable mounting hardware and adapters to fit different OEM busways, ensuring compatibility and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a universal bus plug design is implemented, then compatibility with various busway systems is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple mounting hardware sets and interface adapters
Solution Approach 1:
The bus plug housing is designed with multiple mounting openings that can accommodate different mounting hardware sets, allowing a single device to interface with various busway systems. The interface adapter enables the bus plug to electrically connect to different busway types, making the overall system universal and compatible across multiple OEM platforms without requiring separate dedicated plugs for each busway type.
Solution Approach 2:
An interface adapter is introduced as an intermediary component between the universal bus plug and the specific busway system. This adapter handles the variability in connection interfaces, allowing the main bus plug body to remain standardized while the adapter adapts to different busway types, thereby managing complexity through modular separation.
2Reliability
If OEM bus plugs are used, then reliability is improved, but cost and lead time worsen due to high expense and long availability delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a standardized, commercially available circuit breaker or switch as the core protective device within the bus plug. By using off-the-shelf components rather than custom OEM-specific devices, the system achieves cost reduction and shorter lead times while maintaining reliability through proven, readily available safety components that can be easily replaced if needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If obsolete bus plug models are used, then cost is reduced by avoiding new OEM purchases, but safety and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The design uses modern, readily available circuit breakers or switches as the core protective component, replacing obsolete bus plug models. These standard safety components are easily obtainable from multiple suppliers, ensuring both cost-effectiveness and continued safety/reliability through ongoing manufacturing support and component availability.
4Ease of manufacture
If a universal bus plug is designed, then ease of manufacture is improved by reducing the need for multiple dedicated plug designs, but device complexity increases due to the need for multiple mounting hardware sets
Solution Approach 1:
The bus plug system is segmented into modular components: a universal housing containing the safety device, multiple interchangeable mounting hardware sets, and interface adapters. This segmentation allows the core manufacturing process to remain simple and standardized, while the interchangeable mounting sets and adapters handle the variability, making inventory and production management easier despite the need to support multiple busway types.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods provide an electrical bus plug on a busway, where the electrical bus plug is universal and configured to fit a plurality of busways. An adapter may fit on the electrical bus plug to allow the bus to properly electrically connect with the specific type of busway. Optional mounting brackets can also be removably attached to the universal electrical bus plug to permit attachment to a specific type of busway. Therefore, a single/universal electrical bus plug can be used to electrically connect to a plurality of busway types through the use of an adapter and mounting hardware that attached to the universal bus plug.