WO2013166562A1

WO2013166562A1 - Lamellar electrical switch board

Info

Publication number: WO2013166562A1
Application number: PCT/AU2013/000493
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony Craig DOWD
Original assignee: Lightworker Reflections Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-05-10
Filing date: 2013-05-07
Publication date: 2013-11-14

Abstract

A lamellar electrical switchboard including: one or more a composite panel each comprising one or more lamellar conducting panels each having a front face opposing a rear face; an insulating panel in face-to-face abutting relationship against each opposing face of the or each conducting panel such that, when a plurality of conducting panels are provided, one or more insulating panels are interposed therebetween in face-to-face abutting relationship; each panel having edge formations arranged to provide connecting formations and complementary connecting formations such that two or more composite panels may be joined in edge- to-edge abutting relationship such that the or each conducting panel of each composite panel make electrical contact with the or each conducting panel of another composite panel so joined thereto and the corresponding insulating panels overlap the edge formations of the conducting panels to insulate the join therebetween.

Description

LAMELLAR ELECTRICAL SWITCHBOARD

This invention relates to a lamellar electrical switchboard. The invention has particular application to high current, low voltage polyphase electrical switchboards and reference to such application is made in the present application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has application more generally to switchboards in domestic, commercial and industrial applications.

Traditional busbar arrangements consume a considerable proportion of the volume made available for switchboards. Additionally, components for traditional switchboard busbar arrangements are numerous, sometimes quite variable, and often require some components to be custom built for the particular installation. As a result, the installation of the busbar consumes a high proportion of the material and cost of the switchboard. Traditional busbar systems can be difficult to insulate and some arrangements have no insulation at all, relying on the spacing between busbars to provide the necessary insulation between conductors carrying different phases as well as the conductor for the neutral.

The present invention aims to provide a lamellar electrical switchboard which alleviates one or more of the problems of the prior art, or at least to provide an alternative to existing arrangements. Other aims and advantages of the invention may become apparent from the following description.

With the foregoing in view, in one aspect the present invention resides broadly in a lamellar electrical switchboard including : one or more a composite panel each comprising: one or more lamellar conducting panels each having a front face opposing a rear face; an insulating panel in face-to-face abutting relationship against each opposing face of the or each conducting panel such that, when a plurality of conducting panels are provided, one or more insulating panels are interposed therebetween in face-to-face abutting relationship; each panel having edge formations so formed and arranged that two or more composite panels may be joined in edge-to- edge abutting relationship such that the or each conducting panel of each composite panel make electrical contact with the or each conducting panel of another composite panel so joined thereto and the corresponding insulating panels overlap the edge formations of the conducting panels to insulate the join therebetween .

In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a lamellar electrical switchboard including: a main composite panel comprising: an insulating base panel having a peripheral edge and a substantially planar face; a base conductive panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the insulating base panel and having a substantially planar face opposed to the face abutting the insulating base panel, a peripheral edge extending to at least one of the peripheral edges of the insulating base panel to provide one or more coextensive edges and a base connecting formation on or near the or each coextensive edge; an intermediate insulating panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the base conductive panel and having a substantially planar face opposed to the face abutting the base conductive panel, a peripheral edge spaced from the or each coextensive edge to provide a first portion of one or more corresponding edges; an intermediate conductive panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the intermediate insulating panel and having a substantially planar face opposed to the face abutting the intermediate insulating panel, a peripheral edge extending to the or each first portion of the corresponding edge to provide the final portion of the or each corresponding edge and an intermediate connecting formation on or near the or each corresponding edge; an insulating capping panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the intermediate conductive panel and having a peripheral edge spaced from the or each corresponding edge to provide one or more capping edges; the intermediate insulating and conductive panels being formed for abutting to one another in one or more successive abutting pairs interposed between the base conductive panel and the insulating capping panel; a composite connecting panel having a plurality of insulating and conducting panels corresponding to the insulating and conductive panels of the main composite panel, each insulating and conductive panel having a peripheral edge and complementary connecting formations on the or each peripheral edge formed such that placement of the composite connecting panel against the main composite panel engages the connecting formations with the complementary connecting formations to substantially prevent separation of the composite panels from one another in a direction normal to the substantially planar faces.

In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a lamellar electrical switchboard comprising one or more main composite panels and one or more composite connecting panels for connecting any two or more main composite panels together in edge-to-edge relationship, each main composite panel including a plurality of an odd number of lamellar insulating panels in spaced face-to-face disposition with respect to one another, each adjacent a pair of insulating panels having a lamellar conductive panel interposed therebetween, each composite connecting panel having one less insulating panel and the same number of conductive panels as the main composite panel, such panels being in corresponding disposition with respect to one another as the panels of the main composite panel, each conductive panel having a connecting formation or a complementary connecting formation for mechanical and electrical connection of two or more main composite panels by one or more composite connecting panels in said edge-to-edge relationship.

In another aspect, the present invention resides broadly in a lamellar electrical power supply bus having the features of the lamellar electrical switchboard as herein described. Preferably, the intermediate insulating and conductive panels are duplicated to provide three conductors together with the base conductive panel for the transmission or supply of three phase alternating current electricity therethrough. If desired or required, the intermediate panels may be triplicated to provide a neutral conductor.

Preferably, the connecting and complementary connecting formations provide a dovetail connection between each conductor of the main composite panel and the composite connecting panel. Preferably, some of the main composite panels are provided with the dovetail connections along one edge and the remainder are provided with the dovetail connections along opposite edges. In such form, a plurality of main composite panels may be connected in edge-to-edge abutting or adjacent relationship by a corresponding plurality of the composite connecting panels, the assembly of such panels being terminated by the main composite panels having the connecting formations along only one edge. Alternatively, the assembly may be terminated by providing composite connecting panels with the complementary connecting formations along only one edge.

Ina n alternative preferred form, the connecting and complementary connecting formations each provide an overlapping edge portion such that the connection between each conductor of the joined composite panels makes electrical connection by face-to-face contact of edge portions of adjoining conducting panels.

Preferably, the insulating and conductive panels are fastened together to form the composite panels by one or more insulated fasteners passing therethrough. The substantially planar and abutting faces of each conductor and insulating panel pair may be contoured or textured for alignment, but it is preferred that the faces are substantially smooth and/or flat. The external faces of the insulating base and capping panels are also preferred to be substantially smooth and/or flat .

The invention also resides in a lamellar bus panel for an electrical switchboard according to any one of the preceding claims.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, two exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic oblique view of a lamellar electrical switchboard according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic exploded partial end view of adjoining lamellar busbars for the lamellar electrical switchboard of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the adjoining lamellar busbars of Fig. 2 as connected; Fig. 4 provides a legend for the partial end views of Figs . 2 and 3 ;

Fig. 5 is an orthographic projection of the lamellar electrical switchboard of Fig. 1 with the connectors removed;

Fig. 6 is an orthographic projection of the three lamellar connectors for the lamellar electrical switchboard of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an expanded portion of the orthographic projection of Fig. 5 ;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic end view of an alternative connector arrangement for the lamellar electrical switchboard according to the invention;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic end exploded view of the alternative connector arrangement for the switchboard of

Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side view of plug connectors for connecting to the lamellar electrical switchboard according to the invention; Fig. 11 is a section view of the plug connectors of Fig.

10 along B-B; and

Fig. 12 is a section view of the plug connectors of Fig. 10 along A-A.

In the drawings, the exemplary embodiments of lamellar electrical switchboard are shown in their various parts, forms and arrangements and so the reference numerals refer to the same elements thereof throughout the drawings. However, in order to avoid cluttering of the drawings, reference numerals are not included for every element in every drawing, but can be identified by similarity of form in each drawing. Terms such as left, right and such like are not to be construed as limiting the switchboard to any particular orientation.

The lamellar electrical switchboard 10 illustrated in the Figs. 1 to 7 includes an incoming bus panel 11 centrally disposed between a left outgoing bus panel 12 and a right outgoing bus panel 13. For convenience, the face of the incoming bus panel visible in Figs. 1 and 5 will be referred to as an incoming mounting face. The incoming bus panel has an incoming switchboard element assembly 14 which is mounted to the incoming mounting face 15 for mechanical support thereby and electrical connection to each of three conductive elements within the incoming bus panel as described hereinunder.

For convenience, the faces of left and right outgoing bus panels visible in Figs. 1 and 5 will be referred to respectively as a left outgoing mounting face 19 and a right outgoing mounting face 20. The left outgoing bus panel has a large outgoing switchboard element 16, four intermediate outgoing switchboard elements 17 and two small outgoing switchboard elements 18 which are mounted to the left outgoing mounting face 19 for mechanical support thereby and electrical connection to a selected one or ones of three conductive elements within the left outgoing bus panel in similar fashion to the electrical connection of the incoming switchboard elements mounted to the incoming bus panel. In similar fashion thereto, the right outgoing bus panel has three of the large switchboard elements mounted to the right outgoing mounting face 20.

The incoming bus panel is connected mechanically and electrically to the left and right outgoing bus panels by way of a left composite connector panel 21 and a right composite connector panel 22 respectively. Each bus panel has an A phase conductor 25, a B phase conductor 26 and a C phase conductor 27 each in lamellar panel form and spaced from one another by two insulating panels 28. The bus panels are encapsulated by a base insulating panel 29 and a capping insulating panel 24. The conductors and insulating panels are shown as being of substantially the same thickness, but it will be appreciated that the thickness of the various layers may be varied according to the mechanical and electrical reguirements of the installation .

As can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the bus panels are arranged in edge-to-edge abutment at the C phase conductor and base insulating panel at a coextensive edge 30, but the other conductors and their corresponding insulating panels of adjacent bus panels are spaced from one another at respective corresponding edges 31 for the B phase conductor and the insulating panels abutting it and corresponding edges 32 for the A phase conductor and the insulating panel abutting it. The adjacent capping insulating panels are further spaced from one another at a capping edge 33.

It will be appreciated that the left and right outgoing bus panels may extend in indefinite dimension away from the coextensive edge. However, it is suggested that the outgoing bus panels be made to a convenient width and length for ease of handling and for mounting a practical number of electrical fittings thereto. It is further suggested that a convenient form for the incoming and outgoing bus panels is somewhat elongate, the incoming bus panel being somewhat narrower in width than the outgoing function al units.

The conductors each have a dovetail connecting formation 34 formed as a projection of the respective panel about the same thickness of the panel of the conductor and having an acute reverse angle subtended by the dovetail edge and the adjacent face of the remainder of the panel.

The composite connector panels comprise three conductor panels 35, one each for phases A, B and C, and three corresponding insulator panels 36 in face-to-face abutting relationship, one to each of the conductors. Each conductor panel has a complementary dovetail connecting formation 37 arranged to engage with the corresponding dovetail connecting formations of the bus panels. The edges of the insulating panels abut the corresponding edges and the respective edges of the composite connector panel as shown in particular in Fig. 3 and having reference to the legend of Fig. 4 with respect to the insulating panels and the phases of the conductors .

The lamellar busbar assemblies in the orthographic projection of Fig. 5 include a section A-A top view with the composite connector panels connected at 40, a section A-A top view with the composite connector panels removed and in spaced disposition from the bus panels, a front view at 42 with the composite connector panels removed and a section B-B bottom view at 43 with the composite connector panels removed and in spaced disposition from the bus panels.

The composite connector panels comprise three panels each comprising a conductive panel and an insulating panel combined or bonded to each other, a narrow bonded panel 45 for connecting the C phase conductors of adjoining bus panels, an intermediate bonded panel 46 for connecting adjacent B phase conductors of the adjoining bus panels and a wider bonded panel 47 for connecting adjacent A phase conductors of the adjoining bus panels. Although provided as separate bonded panels in the exemplified embodiment, which is preferred for ease of installation, it will be appreciated that the bonded panels may be fused or bonded to each other to provide a single composite connector panel.

The insulating and conductive panels forming the bus panels or main composite panels are fastened to one another in their face-to-face abutting relationship by insulated fasteners shown typically at 50 in Fig. 7. Electrical connection to each of the phases is facilitated by connection pads provided in two sizes, there being six kinds comprising a larger A phase connection pad 51, a smaller A phase connection pad 52, a larger B phase connection pad 53, a smaller B phase connection pad 54 and a larger C phase connection pad 55, a smaller C phase connection pad 56. The alternative connector arrangement 60 illustrated in

Figs. 8 and 9 two bus panels, a left bus panel 61 and a right bus panel 62. Each of the bus panels includes the three conductors for the three phases, indicated by the same three reference numerals 25, 26 and 27 for phases A, B and C respectively as the lamellar electrical switchboard illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7. The two insulating panels 28 in Figs 1 to 7 are referred to as a lower insulating panel 28a and an upper insulating panel 28b in Figs. 8 and 9. Instead of providing a separate connector panel as in Figs. 1 to 7, one of the edges of each bus panel has a lap joint flange 63 along one edge, the lap joint flange being displaced from the main plane of the remainder, or main part 64, of the bus panel, but extending substantially parallel thereto. The displacement of the lap joint flange is about the same as the thickness of the individual layers making up the bus panels.

Taken from the bottom upwards, each of the bus panels illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 include the base insulating panel 29, the C phase conductor 27, the lower insulating panel 28a, the B phase conductor 26, the upper insulating panel 28b, the A phase conductor 25 and the capping insulating panel 24. Each layer or panel is in face-to-face abutment bonded at least in part to each other.

The lap joint flange has a stepped edge such that the edge of the base insulating panel 29 extends beyond the edge of the C phase conductor, and edges of the successive panels or layers are set back. However, the set back of each layer is uneven, such that the insulating layers are set back more than the layer below, or taken from the top down, the upper and lower insulating panels provide a short width step, whereby a wider land or mating face is provided for mating with a complementary edge of the other bus panel.

Accordingly, the complementary edge of the bus panels is substantially parallel to the edge of the lap joint flange and stepped the same way from the underside as the edge of the lap joint flange such that the capping insulating panel extends beyond the edge of the A phase conductor, and in complementary fashion to that of the edge of the lap joint flange, the edges of the upper insulating panel, the B phase conductor, the lower insulating panel, the C phase conductor and the base insulating panel are each set back.

In such form, the alternative connector arrangement provides that the bus panels may be joined such that the main part of each have their respective panels or layers substantially aligned in the same plane, and may be held together in such disposition by a clamp assembly 65. The clamp assembly has two clamping plates, an upper plate 66 and a lower plate 67. The clamping plates each have apertures penetrating therethrough, referred to for convenience as plate apertures 68. The plate apertures are in substantial coaxial alignment with corresponding apertures 69 penetrating through the bus panels. A plurality of bolts 70 may be used in conjunction with a corresponding plurality of nuts 71 for holding the clamping plates against opposing sides of the two bus panels as follows.

In the orientation illustrated, the left plate apertures and left corresponding aperture pass through the upper and lower clamping plates as well as all of the layers of the main body of the left bus panel and the base insulating panel of the lap joint flange. The right plate apertures and right corresponding aperture pass through the upper and lower clamping plates as well as the capping insulating panel of the right bus panel and all of the layers of the main body of the lap joint flange. The bolts are passed through the apertures so aligned and the nuts and tightened down to the position illustrated in Fig. 8.

Lamellar electrical switchboards according to the invention may be used in high current, low voltage switchboards for power distribution or motor control centres which would otherwise typically incorporate bus bar systems to distribute current and voltage throughout the switchboard.

The plug connectors shown typically at 80 in Figs. 10 to 12 are formed and arranged to fit the smaller connection pads 51, 53 and 55 illustrated in Fig. 7 to provide an optional bus plug connection from the outgoing functional units to the lamellar panel to provide outgoing functional units to be demounted or withdrawn. To facilitate these options the lamellar panel connection pads can be fitted with the plug connectors. The plug connectors or adaptors are made from a conductive material suitably rated to carry the current required for the outgoing bus panel bus plug. The plug connectors are fitted to the face of the connector pads by a body portion 81 have a pin portion 82 protruding from the body portion and designed to accept an industry standard proprietary bus plug such as that illustrated at 83 in Fig. 11. The plug connectors are secured to the connection pads by a screw 84 inserted through an aperture penetrating the body portion of the plug connector. Busbar Systems generally consist of three phases or three phases and neutral conducting bar systems. The bus bar system is generally manufactured from rectangular cross sectional conductive bars supported at regular intervals. Most bus bar systems are arranged with a main horizontal bus which is fed by an incoming bus panel. The horizontal bus is then connected to vertical bus bars to distribute current and voltage to outgoing bus panels. This arrangement is highly variable in design. Components of the system are numerous and often custom built to suit specific manufactures of switchgear and ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee ccrriitteerriiaa ssuucchh aass ccuurrrreenntt rraattiinnggss aanndd sshhoorrtt cciirrccuuiitt wwiitthhssttaanndd rraattiinnggss..

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supply .

Connection to the plates is made by connection pads

20 formed on the plate surfaces of each phase. The location of the connection pads can be selected to suit various types of apparatus such as circuit breakers. Insulated clearance holes are formed in the corresponding conductive panels or phase plates covering the connection pads to allow access to connect

25 to each phase plate. The phase plates and insulating plates are clamped together at regular intervals with insulated fasteners that penetrate through the plates and insulate.

The plates can be sized to align with the height and width of the switchboard to suit high currents. Bus plates of 30 the same phase can be connected to each other by a unique dovetail connection arrangement which does not use a nut and bolt connection allowing the panels to be extended or arranged to suit the required application. It is suggested that bus arrangements according to the invention are simplified and can be pre-manufactured and assembled.

Rather than being considered as an internal fixture of the switchboard, the bus panel according to the invention can be mounted externally to the switchboard and fixed directly to a wall or similar structure. Such an arrangement would allow the panel to be installed on site and bus panels added as modules as required. The bus panel according to the invention is totally insulated by design and decreases the risk of short circuits by inadvertent contact between phases. It is suggested that switch board depth dimensions can be reduced by up to 40%.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A lamellar electrical switchboard including: one or more a composite panel each comprising: one or more lamellar conducting panels each having a front face opposing a rear face; an insulating panel in face-to-face abutting relationship against each opposing face of the or each conducting panel such that, when a plurality of conducting panels are provided, one or more insulating panels are interposed therebetween in face-to-face abutting relationship; each panel having edge formations arranged to provide connecting formations and complementary connecting formations such that two or more composite panels may be joined in edge- to-edge abutting relationship such that the or each conducting panel of each composite panel make electrical contact with the or each conducting panel of another composite panel so joined thereto and the corresponding insulating panels overlap the edge formations of the conducting panels to insulate the join therebetween .

2. A lamellar electrical switchboard including: a main composite panel comprising: an intermediate insulating panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face and having a substantially planar face opposed to the face abutting the base conductive panel, a peripheral edge spaced from the or each coextensive edge to provide a first portion of one or more corresponding edges ; an intermediate conductive panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the intermediate insulating panel and having a substantially planar face opposed to the face abutting the intermediate insulating panel, a peripheral edge extending to the or each first portion of the corresponding edge to provide the final portion of the or each corresponding edge and an intermediate connecting formation on or near the or each corresponding edge; an insulating capping panel substantially abutting the substantially planar face of the intermediate conductive panel and having a peripheral edge spaced from the or each corresponding edge to provide one or more capping edges; the intermediate insulating and conductive panels being formed for abutting to one another in one or more successive abutting pairs interposed between the base conductive panel and the insulating capping panel; a composite connecting panel having a plurality of insulating and conducting panels corresponding to the insulating and conductive panels of the main composite panel, each insulating and conductive panel having a peripheral edge and complementary connecting formations on the or each peripheral edge formed such that placement of the composite connecting panel against the main composite panel engages the connecting formations with the complementary connecting formations to substantially prevent separation of the composite panels from one another in a direction normal to the substantially planar faces.

3. A lamellar electrical switchboard comprising one or more main composite panels and one or more composite connecting panels for connecting any two or more main composite panels together in edge-to-edge relationship, each main composite panel including a plurality of an odd number of lamellar insulating panels in spaced face-to-face disposition with respect to one another, each adjacent a pair of insulating panels having a lamellar conductive panel interposed therebetween, each composite connecting panel having one less insulating panel and the same number of conductive panels as the main composite panel, such panels being in corresponding disposition with respect to one another as the panels of the main composite panel, each conductive panel having a connecting formation or a complementary connecting formation for mechanical and electrical connection of two or more main composite panels by one or more composite connecting panels in said edge-to-edge relationship .

4 . A lamellar electrical switchboard according to any one of Claims 1 to Claim 3, wherein the intermediate insulating and conductive panels are duplicated to provide three conductors together with the base conductive panel for the transmission or supply of three phase alternating current electricity therethrough. If desired or required, the intermediate panels may be triplicated to provide a neutral conductor.

5. A lamellar electrical switchboard according to any one of the preceding claims, therein the insulating and conductive panels are fastened together to form the composite panels by one or more insulated fasteners passing therethrough.

6. A lamellar electrical switchboard according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting and complementary connecting formations provide a dovetail connection between each conductor of the main composite panel and the composite connecting panel.

7. The lamellar electrical switchboard according to Claim 6, wherein some of the main composite panels are provided with the dovetail connections along one edge and the remainder are provided with the dovetail connections along opposite edges.

8. The lamellar electrical switchboard according to Claim 7, wherein a plurality of main composite panels may be connected in edge-to-edge abutting or adjacent relationship by a corresponding plurality of the composite connecting panels, the assembly of such panels being terminated by the main composite panels having the connecting formations along only one edge.

9. A lamellar electrical switchboard according to any one of the Claims 1 to 5, wherein the connecting and complementary connecting formations each provide an overlapping edge portion such that the connection between each conductor of the joined composite panels makes electrical connection by face-to-face contact of edge portions of adjoining conducting panels.

10. A lamellar electrical power supply bus having the lamellar electrical switchboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

11. A lamellar bus panel for an electrical switchboard according to any one of the preceding claims.