US6854996B2 — Electrical connectors and methods for using the s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 163 words

A busbar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of conductors, the busbar assembly comprising: a) a housing defining: an interior cavity; and first and second ports each including a conductor passage and communicating with the interior cavity, the conductor passages each being adapted to receive a conductor therethrough; b) an electrically conductive busbar conductor member disposed in the interior cavity; c) at least one holding mechanism to selectively secure each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith; and d) sealant disposed in the conductor passages of each of the first and second ports, the sealant being adapted for insertion of the conductors therethrough such that the sealant provides a seal about the inserted conductors; e) wherein the interior cavity includes a volume filled with a compressible gas to receive the sealant when the sealant is displaced by the conductors; f) wherein the volume is located between the sealant and at least a portion of the busbar conductor member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 163 words

A busbar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of conductors, the busbar assembly comprising: a) a housing defining: an interior cavity; and first and second ports each including a conductor passage and communicating with the interior cavity, the conductor passages each being adapted to receive a conductor therethrough; b) an electrically conductive busbar conductor member disposed in the interior cavity; c) at least one holding mechanism to selectively secure each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith; and d) sealant disposed in the conductor passages of each of the first and second ports, the sealant being adapted for insertion of the conductors therethrough such that the sealant provides a seal about the inserted conductors; e) wherein the interior cavity includes a volume filled with a compressible gas to receive the sealant when the sealant is displaced by the conductors; f) wherein the volume is located between the sealant and at least a portion of the busbar conductor member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a projection extending into at least one of the conductor passages to increase surface contact between the housing and the sealant in the conductor passage.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 12 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealant is a gel.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

The busbar assembly of claim 3 wherein the gel is adapted to be elongated and elastically deformed by insertion of the conductors into the conductor passages.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 46 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 wherein: each of the first and second ports includes a frangible closure wall extending across the respective conductor passage; and at least portions of the sealant are disposed in the conductor passages between the closure walls and the interior cavity.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The busbar assembly of claim 5 wherein the closure walls have a thickness of no more than ¼ inch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The busbar assembly of claim 5 wherein, prior to insertion of the conductors, each of the portions of the sealant disposed in the conductor passages between the closure walls and the interior cavity extend to the respective closure wall.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 wherein: the housing includes first and second housing parts mated to one another; and the busbar assembly further includes a joinder sealant along an interface between the first and second housing parts.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 13 words

The busbar assembly of claim 8 wherein the joinder sealant is a gel.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The busbar assembly of claim 8 wherein the joinder sealant is disposed in a peripheral channel defined in at least one of the first and second housing parts.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one holding mechanism includes first and second set screws.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The busbar assembly of claim 11 wherein the housing includes first and second access openings adapted to receive a tool therethrough for rotating the first and second set screws.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 77 words

The busbar assembly of claim 12 including: first and second access passages communicating with the first and second access openings and adapted to receive a tool therethrough for rotating the first and second set screws; and access sealant disposed in each of the first and second access passages, the access sealant being adapted to seal the first and second access passages and to allow insertion of the tool therethrough to rotate the first and second set screws.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 including a sleeve member disposed in at least one of the conductor passages, wherein the sealant is disposed in the sleeve member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The busbar assembly of claim 14 wherein the sleeve member includes a projection extending into the sleeve passage to increase surface contact between the sleeve member and the sealant in the sleeve passage.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 16 words

The busbar assembly of claim 15 wherein the sleeve member is formed of a polymeric material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 38 words

The busbar assembly of claim 15 including a frangible closure wall extending across the conductor passage, wherein at least a portion of the sealant is disposed in the sleeve passage between the closure wall and the interior cavity.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

The busbar assembly of claim 17 wherein the closure wall is formed of a polymeric material.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

The busbar assembly of claim 15 wherein the sleeve member has a wall thickness of no greater than, ⅛ inch.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

The busbar assembly of claim 19 wherein the sleeve member has a wall thickness of between about 0.015 and 0.100 inch.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 44 words

The busbar assembly of claim 1 including: an access opening and an access passage communicating with the access opening and adapted to receive a tool therethrough for operating the bolding mechanism; and access sealant disposed in the access passage to seal the access passage.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

The busbar assembly of claim 21 wherein the access opening, the access passage and the access Bealant are adapted to allow insertion of a tool therethrough to operate the holding mechanism.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

The busbar assembly of claim 21 wherein the holding mechanism includes a set screw.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The busbar assembly of claim 21 wherein the access opening and the access passage are defined in the housing.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 42 words

The busbar assembly of claim 21 including a frangible closure wall extending across the access passage, wherein at least a portion of the access sealant is disposed in the access passage on a side of the closure wall opposite the access opening.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 16 words

The busbar assembly of claim 25 wherein the closure wall is formed of a polymeric material.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 13 words

The busbar assembly of claim 21 wherein the access sealant is a gel.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 26 words

The busbar assembly of claim 27 wherein the gel is adapted to be elongated and elastically deformed by insertion of a tool into the access passage.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 242 words

A method for forming an electrical connection with first and second conductors, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a busbar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of conductors, the busbar assembly comprising: a housing defining; an interior cavity: and first and second ports each including a conductor passage and communicating with the interior cavity, the conductor passages each being adapted to receive a conductor therethrough; an electrically conductive busbar conductor member disposed in the interior or cavity; at least one holding mechanism to selectively secure each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith; and sealant disposed in the conductor passage of each of the first and second ports, the sealant being adapted for insertion of the conductors therethrough such that the sealant provides a seal about the inserted conductors; wherein the interior cavity includes a volume filled with a compressible gas to receive the sealant when the sealant is displaced by the conductors; wherein the volume is located between the sealant and at least a portion of the busbar conductor member; b) inserting each of the first and second conductors through a respective one of the conductor passages and the sealant disposed therein and into the interior cavity such that the sealant provides a seal about the first and second conductors; and c) selectively securing each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith using the at least one holding mechanism.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 242 words

A method for forming an electrical connection with first and second conductors, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a busbar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of conductors, the busbar assembly comprising: a housing defining; an interior cavity: and first and second ports each including a conductor passage and communicating with the interior cavity, the conductor passages each being adapted to receive a conductor therethrough; an electrically conductive busbar conductor member disposed in the interior or cavity; at least one holding mechanism to selectively secure each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith; and sealant disposed in the conductor passage of each of the first and second ports, the sealant being adapted for insertion of the conductors therethrough such that the sealant provides a seal about the inserted conductors; wherein the interior cavity includes a volume filled with a compressible gas to receive the sealant when the sealant is displaced by the conductors; wherein the volume is located between the sealant and at least a portion of the busbar conductor member; b) inserting each of the first and second conductors through a respective one of the conductor passages and the sealant disposed therein and into the interior cavity such that the sealant provides a seal about the first and second conductors; and c) selectively securing each of the conductors to the busbar conductor member for electrical contact therewith using the at least one holding mechanism.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 29 further including withdrawing the first conductor from the respective conductor passage such that the sealant therein re-forms to seal the conductor passage.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method, of claim 29 wherein the step of inserting each of the first and second conductors through a respective one of the conductor passages includes puncturing a closure wall extending across at least one of the conductor passages.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-02-15	2008-08-16	2009-02-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-02-15	2012-08-16	2013-02-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-02-15	2016-08-16	2017-02-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrical connectors and methods for using the same

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