Variable Roof Fuse Cutout Cover for Wildlife Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuse cutout covers fail to provide adequate protection for wildlife from electrocution and do not prevent the formation of large sheltered openings that attract birds and squirrels, especially when used with larger cutouts like the Fault Tamer™, which has a laterally extending energized metal top portion.
Innovation Solution
A customizable dielectric cover with a raised roof and optional roof extension, along with a molded spacer wall, is designed to accommodate various cutout sizes, ensuring sufficient vertical clearance for linemen and preventing wildlife from accessing the energized components, while maintaining effective electrical insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional cutout cover is used, then the cover provides basic protection, but it fails to prevent wildlife from accessing energized components on larger cutouts like the Fault Tamer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable, adjustable roof component that can be positioned at different heights and angles to accommodate various cutout sizes. The roof is not fixed but can be dynamically adjusted to provide appropriate coverage for different cutout types, solving the contradiction between providing adequate wildlife protection and maintaining compatibility across different cutout dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is divided into separate functional components: a base structure and an adjustable roof section. This segmentation allows the roof to be independently positioned and configured for different cutout sizes, enabling the same cover to effectively protect wildlife on both standard and larger Fault Tamer cutouts.
2Ease of manufacture
If a fixed roof design is used, then manufacturing is simple, but the cover cannot accommodate various cutout sizes effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The cover design segments the structure into a standardized base and an adjustable roof component. The base can be manufactured uniformly for all cutout types, while the roof section is designed to be adjustable. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for the base while providing versatility through the adjustable component.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable roof mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions across different cutout types. A single roof component can be configured to work with various cutout sizes and shapes, making the overall cover design universal rather than requiring multiple specialized covers for different applications.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a fuse cutout cover has an integral roof portion. The roof portion covers the energized top of a fuse in a first type of cutout. An attachable roof extension covers the energized top of a fuse in a larger second type of cutout, such as a Fault Tamer™ cutout. By adding the roof extension, the same cover may be used with two types of cutouts, and there is not a large gap over the fuse, preventing wildlife from entering the gap. In another embodiment, a second roof is formed over the first roof portion to accommodate different types of cutouts. Electrical insulation between wildlife and the energized cutout is also increased.