US 11,721,964 B2
Self-seating damper clamp
Trisha Danielle Crawford, Pell City, AL (US); Adrian Beau Candelaria, Alabaster, AL (US); and Nicole Slawinski, Shelton, CT (US)
Assigned to HUBBELL INCORPORATED, Shelton, CT (US)
Filed by Hubbell Incorporated, Shelton, CT (US)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/212,423.
Application 17/212,423 is a continuation of application No. 16/252,370, filed on Jan. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,965,112.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/619,988, filed on Jan. 22, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0210942 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. H02G 7/14 (2006.01); H02G 3/04 (2006.01); F16F 7/10 (2006.01)
CPC H02G 7/14 (2013.01) [F16F 7/10 (2013.01); H02G 3/0456 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A damper clamp comprising:
a clamp assembly comprising:
a body defining a conductor holding portion and a damper holding portion, wherein the conductor holding portion includes a base having a stem receiving aperture, a seat, and a wall between the base and the seat, wherein the wall has an inner surface at least partially surrounding the stem receiving aperture and forming a channel extending along the wall from the base in a direction toward the seat, wherein the base, seat and wall form a conductor receiving opening, and wherein the damper holding portion includes a lead-in portion, the lead-in portion extending from the base at an angle relative to the base such that a surface of the lead-in portion is positioned to guide the conductor into the conductor receiving opening;
a stem extending through the stem receiving aperture in the base and at least partially receivable in the channel, the stem having a keeper coupling member at or near a first end of the stem and a tool mounting member at a second end of the stem;
a keeper having a pressure plate and a stem bracket extending from the pressure plate, the stem bracket is received in the channel of the inner surface of the wall and operatively coupled to the stem, wherein the keeper is movable between an open position permitting a conductor to be received within the conductor receiving opening and a clamping position where the conductor is clamped between the seat and the keeper;
a spring around the stem between the keeper and the base to bias the keeper toward the clamping position to at least temporarily hold the conductor between the seat and the keeper;
wherein when the keeper is in the clamping position, rotational movement of the stem is translated to linear movement of the keeper to securely tighten the conductor between the seat and the keeper; and
a damper assembly secured to the damper holding portion of the body.