High current capacity electrical connector
Abstract
An electrical connector is provided for coupling high current capacity electrical conductors such as copper busses or the like. The connector is arranged in a "sandwiched" configuration in which a conductor plate contacts the busses along major surfaces thereof clamped between two stainless steel backing plates. The conductor plate is provided with a plurality of contact buttons affixed therein in a spaced array such that the caps of the buttons extend above the conductor plate surface to contact the busses. When clamping bolts provided through openings in the sandwiched arrangement are tightened, Belleville springs provided under the rim of each button cap are compressed and resiliently force the caps into contact with the busses' contacting surfaces to maintain a predetermined electrical contact area provided by the button cap tops. The contact area does not change with changing thermal or mechanical stresses applied to the coupled conductors.
- Inventors:
-
- Oak Ridge, TN
- Lake City, TN
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 862443
- Patent Number(s):
- 3932014
- Application Number:
- 05/560,428
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01R - ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- current; capacity; electrical; connector; provided; coupling; conductors; copper; busses; arranged; sandwiched; configuration; conductor; plate; contacts; major; surfaces; clamped; stainless; steel; plates; plurality; contact; buttons; affixed; therein; spaced; array; caps; extend; surface; clamping; bolts; openings; arrangement; tightened; belleville; springs; rim; button; cap; compressed; resiliently; force; contacting; maintain; predetermined; tops; change; changing; thermal; mechanical; stresses; applied; coupled; major surfaces; electrical connector; electrical conductors; electrical contact; stainless steel; electrical conductor; contacting surfaces; belleville springs; major surface; spaced array; predetermined electric; mechanical stresses; mechanical stress; plate surface; predetermined electrical; stresses applied; contacting surface; current capacity; capacity electrical; coupled conductor; /439/
Citation Formats
Bettis, Edward S, and Watts, Harry L. High current capacity electrical connector. United States: N. p., 1976.
Web.
Bettis, Edward S, & Watts, Harry L. High current capacity electrical connector. United States.
Bettis, Edward S, and Watts, Harry L. Tue .
"High current capacity electrical connector". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/862443.
@article{osti_862443,
title = {High current capacity electrical connector},
author = {Bettis, Edward S and Watts, Harry L},
abstractNote = {An electrical connector is provided for coupling high current capacity electrical conductors such as copper busses or the like. The connector is arranged in a "sandwiched" configuration in which a conductor plate contacts the busses along major surfaces thereof clamped between two stainless steel backing plates. The conductor plate is provided with a plurality of contact buttons affixed therein in a spaced array such that the caps of the buttons extend above the conductor plate surface to contact the busses. When clamping bolts provided through openings in the sandwiched arrangement are tightened, Belleville springs provided under the rim of each button cap are compressed and resiliently force the caps into contact with the busses' contacting surfaces to maintain a predetermined electrical contact area provided by the button cap tops. The contact area does not change with changing thermal or mechanical stresses applied to the coupled conductors.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1976},
month = {1}
}