Electrical bus bar assembly and method of manufacture

Abstract

A bus bar assembly is constructed by arranging a plurality of flat, elongated conductors in stacked alignment, with insulating washers, or the like, acting as spacers therebetween. An insulative, hardenable encapsulant is then poured over the conductors and, not only encapsulates them, but also fills the spacers between them. In a preferred embodiment, each conductor includes a plurality of upwardly extending posts of the type conventionally used for wire wrapping. Each conductor also includes an over-sized opening for each post of every other conductor. The bus bar assembly is manufactured with the aid of a two-part mold having a vertical interface or separation along its length. The mold includes an open topped compartment in which the bus bar assembly is formed. The compartment has a bottom wall with a plurality of aligned, threaded bores extending downwardly, which bores are divided by the vertical separation of the mold. The conductors are assembled inside the mold compartment by consecutively stacking them with insulating washers therebetween. An insulating screw is then passed through aligned bores in the conductors and is threaded into a corresponding bore in the mold bottom wall, thereby securing the conductors in stacked arrangement within the mold. The liquid encapsulant is then poured into the mold compartment and encapsulates the conductors, as well as filling the spaces therebetween and all holes therein. After the encapsulant material has hardened, the mold is separated along its separation, so that the finished bus bar assembly can be removed.