Schneider Electric Usa, Inc.

Schneider Electric Sa

Tim Faber

German Romero Legorreta

Chad Raymond Mittelstadt

Cameron L Woodson

Walter J Richards

Walter J J Richards

Laurent De Pourquoy

Cameron Woodson

A passive arc control system for a motor control centerincludes an arc attenuating box having sides separating adjacent vertical bus bar phases, providing a physical barrier to arc flash energy. The box is open at its top and bottom forming a chimney. A shutter assembly for each box includes an insulator capon a free end of the bus bar and an independently moveable, box-shaped shutterthat slides along the bus bar away from the insulator cap, when a device is connected to the bus bar. The shutter has an openingthrough which the bus bar passes when the device is connected to the bus bar and an openingaligned with the box's chimney. The arc control system provides a high degree of arc protection for personnel working around open motor control centers and is highly modular and easy to construct.

Passive arc control with sequestered phases in a vertical bus system of a motor control center

Apparatus for substantially eliminating exposure to live parts on a busway plug-in unit enclosure includes a power take-off with male-terminal stabs which are capped with nonconductive material. A nonconductive structure covers the bus assembly and allows only the stabs to pass into the interior of a plug-in unit enclosure. A shutter assembly in each plug-in unit enclosure has a nonconductive shutter plate that moves only longitudinally along the stabs when a plug-in unit device is inserted into the enclosure. Inserting the plug in unit device into the enclosure causes a shutter plate latch to open and depress the shutter. When the plug in unit device is removed from the plug in unit enclosure, the shutter plate is biased upward and latched in a position over the stabs. No live touch points are available in the enclosure.

No-touch busway plug in units

A connection system for connecting electrical devices to busses within a switchgear cabinet includes an independently movable shutter that slides along a bus bar, the shutter covering access to the bus bar in a disconnected position and allowing access in a connected position. The bus bar has an insulator cap covering its free end. The shutter is mounted to a spring-biased support. The shutter has an opening through which the bus bar passes. The shutter slides along the bus bar backwardly away from the insulator cap, in the connected position. The shutter slides forwardly along the bus bar toward the insulator cap, in the disconnected position. The insulator cap fits closely within the opening in the shutter to prevent access to the bus bar when in the disconnected position. The shutter can fit within arc attenuating phase barriers surrounding each bus bar and be constructed to be arc resistant.

Arc resistant shutters

Housing for an electrical apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Marion, IA, United States of America

Tim Faber