US 12,034,241 B2
Enclosure and optimizations
Matthew Alan Williford, Nashville, TN (US); Edgar Avalos Ortiz, Murfreesboro, TN (US); Amol Shrirang Bagaitkar, Mount Juliet, TN (US); Eldridge R. Byron, Murfreesboro, TN (US); Sergio Flores, Smyrna, TN (US); Bhushan Kumbalwar, Smyrna, TN (US); and Gregory O. Motley, Murfreesboro, TN (US)
Assigned to Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Andover, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/559,974.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/131,341, filed on Dec. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0209516 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. H01R 13/18 (2006.01); H01H 1/62 (2006.01); H01R 13/53 (2006.01); H02B 1/20 (2006.01); H02B 1/56 (2006.01); H02B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 13/18 (2013.01) [H01H 1/62 (2013.01); H01R 13/53 (2013.01); H02B 1/20 (2013.01); H02B 1/56 (2013.01); H02B 13/00 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connector assembly for facilitating a live connection of a switching or protective equipment in a switchgear assembly, the connector assembly comprising:
at least two circular plates, which are formed of a conductive material and spaced apart from one another;
a plurality of fingers which are formed of a conductive material and are arranged and spaced apart around the at least two circular plates to form a finger cluster with a first open-end on a first cluster end and a second open-end on an opposite second cluster end, the first and second open-ends each being configured to receive a conductor therein, each of the plurality of fingers including:
a first finger end and an opposite second finger end which form respective first and second cluster ends,
at least two interior grooves which are spaced-apart on an interior surface, each of the at least two first interior grooves being configured to receive a portion of a respective one of the at least two circular plates, and
first and second exterior grooves on an exterior surface, the first and second exterior grooves being positioned at the first and second finger ends respectively; and
first and second garter springs which are arranged around the plurality of fingers in a respective one of the first and second exterior grooves of each of the plurality of fingers to apply a force against the plurality of fingers,
wherein each of the plurality of fingers includes two protruding portions which extend toward an internal cavity of the finger cluster and include a contact surface, one of the two protruding portions being arranged between a first one of the at least two interior grooves and the first finger end, another one of the two protruding portions being arranged between a second one of the at least two interior grooves and the second finger end,
wherein each of the plurality of fingers further includes an interior region with the at least two interior grooves, the interior region extending further than the two protruding portions toward the internal cavity of the finger cluster, and
each of the fingers is symmetrical about a center of each of the fingers between the first and second finger ends, the center running from the interior surface to the exterior surface.