POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Abstract

There is herein presented an electrical support system for distributing three-phase power, the system comprising a plurality of support sets interconnected by one or more hubs, each support set within the plurality of support sets comprises three conducting elements, each hub of the one or more hubs comprises a plurality of connecting point sets, each connecting point set comprising three connecting points configured to be attached to the three conducting elements of a support set, at least one conducting element within a support set is connected to a hub on at least the first end or second end by a connector, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of support sets within the system is configurable.

Claims

1. An electrical support system for distributing three-phase power, the system comprising a plurality of support sets interconnected by one or more hubs, each support set within the plurality of support sets comprises three conducting elements, each conducting element within a support set having a first end and an opposed second end, each conducting element within a support set being configured to transmit one phase of a three-phase power supply and the conducting elements within a support set being electrically isolated from one another, each hub of the one or more hubs comprises a plurality of connecting point sets, each connecting point set comprising three connecting points configured to be attached to the three conducting elements of a support set, and each connecting point within a connecting point set is electrically isolated from the other connecting points within that connecting point set, and each connecting point within a connecting point set being in electrical communication with the corresponding connecting point in at least one of the other connecting point sets within the plurality of connecting point sets, at least one conducting element within a support set is connected to a hub on at least the first end or second end by a connector, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of support sets within the system is configurable.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the three-phase power distributed by the system is low voltage three-phase AC power.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein all of the conducting elements are elongate conducting elements.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein all of the conducting elements are tubular conducting elements.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the conducting elements comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminium, iron, copper, steel or alloys thereof.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the conducting elements are arranged in a common plane.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each hub may be cylindrical and the plurality of connecting point sets may be arranged along the length of the cylindrical hub.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein each hub comprises at least four connecting point sets.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each hub comprises insulation elements arranged between each connecting point within a connecting point set.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more of the hubs comprises an attachment point.

11. The system according to claim 1 further comprising one or more adapters that are configured to simultaneously connect to each of the conducting elements within a support set to thereby draw three-phase power to thereby power an electrical device connected to the one or more adapter.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more adapter comprises an AC/DC rectifier element to convert AC power to DC power to thereby power electrical devices that require DC power.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more adapter comprises three fasteners, wherein each fastener is configured to fasten the adapter to a conducting element within a support set.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the three fasteners may conduct electrical power to thereby draw electrical power from the support set to the adapter.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein one or more of the fasteners is a resilient clip configured to reversibly connect the adapter to the conducting element.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the adapter comprises an electrical device.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or more conducting element within a support set comprises an insulating coating or layer.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein one or more fastener of the adapter comprises at least one cutting element configured to pierce the insulating coating or layer to thereby contact the conducting element to thereby allow the adapter to draw electrical power from the conducting element through the insulating coating or layer.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first portion, a contacting element and a second portion.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the contacting element comprises a recess configured to receive an end of a conducting element, and a plurality of gripping members arranged around the recess.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the first portion is configured to receive the contacting element and to be attached to the second portion.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the connector is configured to create an electrical contact to a conducting element inserted therein by urging the plurality of gripping members of the contacting element into contact with the conductive element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0064] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] FIG. 1: An electrical support system according to an embodiment;

[0066] FIG. 2: An electrical support system according to an embodiment;

[0067] FIG. 3: An electrical support system according to an embodiment;

[0068] FIG. 4: A schematic cross section of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0069] FIG. 5: A perspective view of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0070] FIG. 6: A schematic cross section of a contact element of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0071] FIG. 7: A perspective view of a contact element of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0072] FIG. 8: A schematic cross section of a first portion of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0073] FIG. 9: A perspective view of a first portion of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0074] FIG. 10: A side view of a second portion of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0075] FIG. 11: A perspective view of a second portion of a connector used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0076] FIG. 12: A side view of a hub used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0077] FIG. 13: A perspective view of a hub connected to support sets by connectors according to an embodiment;

[0078] FIG. 14: A) A perspective view of an adapter used in the system according to an embodiment, B) an exploded view of an adapter used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0079] FIG. 15: A) A perspective view of an electrical contact used in an adapter used in the system according to an embodiment, B) a side view of an electrical contact used in an adapter used in the system according to an embodiment;

[0080] FIG. 16: a schematic cross section of a connector according to an embodiment;

[0081] FIG. 17: a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment;

[0082] FIG. 18: a schematic cross section of a first portion according to an embodiment;

[0083] FIG. 19: a perspective view of a first portion according to an embodiment;

[0084] FIG. 20: a schematic cross section of a second portion according to an embodiment; and

[0085] FIG. 21: a perspective view of a second portion according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

[0087] To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a”, “an” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

[0088] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, an electrical support system 1, 20 comprises bus bar groups 2, 22 (acting as support sets) comprising a first bus bar 4a, 24a (acting as a first conducting element), a second bus bar 4b, 24b (acting as a second conducting element), and a third bus bar 4c, 24c (acting as a third conducting element). The bus bar groups 2, 22 are interconnected by hubs 6, 26 to form a network. The hubs 6, 26 comprises groups of connecting points made up of a first connecting point 8a, 28a, a second connecting point 8b, 28b, and a third connecting point 8c, 28c. The first bus bar 4a, 24a is connected to the first connecting point 8a, 28a. The second bus bar 4b, 24b is connected to the second connecting point 8b, 28b. The third bus bar 4c, 24c is connected to the third connecting point 8c, 28c. The bus bars 4a, 4b, 4c, 24a, 24b, 24c of the bus bar groups 2, 22 are connected to the hubs 6, 26 via connectors 12a, 12b, 12c, 32a, 32b, 32c.

[0089] The system 1 further comprises a bracing element 5 between two hubs 6a, 6b to provide mechanical strength to the system 1. The bracing element 5 is electrically isolated from the groups of bus bars 2.

[0090] During use, the electrical support system 1, 20 transmits three-phase electrical power from a transformer (not shown) to LED lights (acting as electrical devices, not shown) that are supported on attachment boxes 14, 34 that are attached to the bus bar groups 2, 22 at any point along their length.

[0091] With reference to FIGS. 4 to 11, a connector 40 comprises a stub 42 (acting as a second portion), a nut 44 (acting as a first portion), and a collet 46 (acting as a contacting element). The stub 42 comprises a hub threaded screw 64, a nut threaded screw 66 and a collet contacting surface 68. The nut 44 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 58. The interior of the hollow cylindrical body 58 comprises an internal thread 54 configured to screw onto the nut threaded screw 66 of the stub 42 on one end 60 of the hollow cylindrical body 58, and a tapered portion 56 on the opposite end 62 of the hollow cylindrical body 58. The collet 46 comprises four deformable elements 48 (acting as gripping elements) arranged around a cavity, and a base 50 (acting as a second portion contacting surface). Each deformable element 48 comprises an elongate element 52a, and a tapered element 52b.

[0092] During use, the nut 44 is placed over the end of a bus bar that is to be attached to a hub and the collet 46 is placed over the end of a bus bar behind the nut 44. The internal thread 54 of the nut 44 is then screwed onto the nut threaded screw 66 of the stub 42. As the nut 44 is secured to the stub 42 the base 50 abuts the collet contacting surface 68 and the four deformable elements 48 grip the end of the bus bar by being urged by the tapered portion 56 inward (i.e. toward the surface of the bus bar).

[0093] As a result, the four deformable elements 48 make an effective electrical contact onto the surface of the bus bar and the base 50 of the collet 46 makes an effective electrical contact onto the collet contacting surface 68 of the stub 42. Finally, the stub 42 makes an effective electrical contact with the hub via the hub threaded screw 64. Accordingly, the connector 40 provides an effective electrical contact between a bus bar of a bus bar group to a hub via a simple action of screwing the nut 44 onto the stub 42, thereby not requiring any wiring or any qualified electricians to attach bus bars to form the system.

[0094] With reference to FIGS. 16 to 21, a connector 200 comprises a stud 202 (acting as a second portion), a nut 204 (acting as a first portion) and a collet 206 (acting as a contact element). The stud 202 comprises a hub threaded screw 208 provided on screw 209 that extends through the stud 202, a first locking pin 210a and a second locking pin 210b, and a collet contacting surface 214. The first locking pin 210a is received within a first pin aperture 212a and the second locking pin 210b is received within a second pin aperture 212b.

[0095] The nut 204 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 216. The hollow cylindrical body 216 (acting as an annular wall) comprises a first pin channel 218 and a second pin channel 220 adjacent to a first end 222, and a tapered portion 224 (acting as tapered element) on the opposite end 226 of the hollow cylindrical body 216. The first pin channel 218 comprises an opening 228 and the second pin channel 220 comprises an opening 230. The collet 206 comprises four deformable elements 232 (acting as gripping elements) arranged around a cavity, and a base 234 (acting as a second portion contacting surface).

[0096] The stud 202 comprises a gripping portion 236 (acting as a minor portion) and a connecting portion 238 (acting as a major portion). The gripping portion 236 is cylindrical with two flattened sides 240 that allow the user to firmly grip the stud 202. The connecting portion 238 is cylindrical and comprises the first locking pin 210a received within the first pin aperture 212a and the second locking pin 210b received within the second pin aperture 212b. The stud 202 further comprises a recessed portion 242 that is configured to receive the head of a screw 209 or bolt.

[0097] During use, the nut 204 is placed over the end of a bus bar that is to be attached to a hub and the collet 206 is placed over the end of a bus bar behind the nut 204. The first locking pin 210a is received into the opening 228 of the first pin channel 218 and the second locking pin 210b is received into the opening 230 of the second pin channel 220. The nut 204 is then rotated such that the first locking pin 210a travels along the first pin channel 228 and the second locking pin 210b travels along the second pin channel 220. The first pin channel 218 and the second pin channel 220 are angled such that as the first locking pin 210a moves along the first pin channel 218 and as the second locking pin 210b moves along the second pin channel 220 the stud 202 is urged into the nut 204, thereby fastening the stud 202 to the nut 204.

[0098] As the nut 204 is secured to the stud 202 the base 234 abuts the collet contacting surface 214 and the four deformable elements 232 grip the end of the bus bar by the tapered portion 224 contacting the tapered member of the deformable elements 232 and urging them inward (i.e. toward the surface of the bus bar) to bend the elongate elements of the collet 206 towards the bus bar.

[0099] As a result, the four deformable elements 232 make an effective electrical contact onto the surface of the bus bar and the base of the collet 206 makes an effective electrical contact onto the collet contacting surface 214 of the stud 202. Finally, the stud 202 makes an effective electrical contact with the hub via the hub threaded screw 208. Accordingly, the connector 200 provides an effective electrical contact between a bus bar of a bus bar group to a hub via a simple action of screwing the nut 204 onto the stud 202, thereby not requiring any wiring or any qualified electricians to attach bus bars to form the system.

[0100] With reference to FIG. 12, a hub 70 comprises a substantially cylindrical body 72 and eight groups of connecting points 74 arranged regularly around the cylindrical body 72, each group of connecting points 74 comprises a first connecting point 76a, a second connecting point 76b, and a third connecting point 76c. The hub 70 further comprises an insulating layer 80a between the first connecting point 76a and the second connecting point 76b, and an insulating layer 80b located between the second connecting point 76b and the third connecting point 76c. Accordingly, the connecting points 76a, 76b, 76c within a group of connecting points 74 are electrically isolated from one another. The hub 70 further comprises an attachment ring 78 from which the system can be suspended. The provision of eight groups of connecting points 74 around the cylindrical body of the hub 70 allows the relative angle between two groups of bus bars attached to the hub 70 to be set by the users' preference or requirements from 45°, 90°, 135° and 180°. Accordingly, the hubs allow the system to be configured and reconfigured to provide electrical power as required by a given space's requirements and as those requirements change over time.

[0101] An example hub connected to multiple groups of bus bars is shown in FIG. 13.

[0102] The combination of the hubs and connectors used in this system allows the arrangement of bus bar groups in the system to be reconfigured as required and allows the bus bars to be added or removed as required without the need for qualified electricians, especially in embodiments where the system transmits extra low voltage power.

[0103] In alternative examples, the electrical devices combined with the attachment boxes include cameras, sensors, wireless communication hubs or routers, alarms or similar, or combinations or of the same. Electrical devices can be readily attached to the groups of bus bars as required by combining them with attachment boxes and directly attaching those attachment boxes to the groups of bus bars.

[0104] An example attachment box 90 is shown in FIG. 14 and comprises a main body 92 and a coupling member 94. The main body comprises three bus bar receiving elements 96a, 96b, 96c, and the coupling member 94 is configured to fasten onto the three bus bar receiving elements 96a, 96b, 96c. During use the main body 92 is placed against the three bus bars of a bus bar group such that one bus bar is received by one receiving element 96a, 96b, 96c. The coupling member is the fastened to the main body to thereby attach the attachment box to a bus bar group of the system.

[0105] An electrical connection is provided between each of the bus bars of the bus bar group and the attachment box via an electrical contact in each of the three bus bar receiving elements 96a, 96b, 96c.

[0106] The three bus bar receiving elements 96a, 96b, 96c of the attachment box comprise a clip 98 and the attachment box is clipped to each of the bus bars of a bus bar group to thereby provide an electrical connection between each of the bus bars in a bus bar group and each clip. See FIG. 15. The coupling member 94 is then placed over the clips 98 of each bus bar receiving element 96a, 96b, 96c and fastened to the main body 92.

[0107] While there has been hereinbefore described embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily apparent that many and various changes and modifications in form, design, structure and arrangement of parts may be made for other embodiments without departing from the invention and it will be understood that all such changes and modifications are contemplated as embodiments as a part of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.