Spool insulator system

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrical distribution systems commonly incorporate insulator devices (insulator) for managing electrical power safely and effectively. An insulator is a material that does not respond to an electric field and completely resists the flow of electric charge. Because no perfect insulator exists, dielectric materials (insulating materials having valence electrons tightly bonded to their atoms—thereby not allowing electrical current to freely flow) are used as insulators. One such type of insulator is the spool insulator, commonly used in conjunction with a terminating end of a power line. If a spool insulator requires replacement, however, usually one or more electrical lines must be removed in order to access the faulty spool insulator. The present invention features a two-piece spool insulator system for convenient installation of a spool insulator around a rack rod without requiring removal of the rack rod from a secondary rack of an electrical distribution system.

SUMMARY

The present invention features a two-piece spool insulator system for convenient installation of a spool insulator for a power line. In some embodiments, the spool insulator system comprises a spool insulator first side component and a spool insulator second side component. In some embodiments, the spool outer surface comprises circumferential grooves located thereon. In some embodiments, the spool first side surface comprises a first side locking pin and a first side locking hole located thereon. In some embodiments, the spool second side surface comprises a second side locking pin and a second side locking hole located thereon. In some embodiments, the first side locking pin is one piece of a mated set with a second side locking hole. In some embodiments, the second side locking pin is one piece of a mated set with a first side locking hole. In some embodiments, the spool insulator comprises a channel located through a central cross section. In some embodiments, for use, the spool insulator first side component attaches to the spool insulator second side component to form a spool insulator system for convenient installation of a spool insulator for a power line.

Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the spool insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the components of the spool insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the spool insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in a transverse plane of the spool insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Following is a list of elements corresponding to a particular element referred to herein:

• • 100 Spool insulator system
  • 110 Power line
  • 120 Rack rod
  • 200 Spool insulator
  • 300 Spool insulator first side component
  • 310 Spool first side top surface
  • 315 Spool first side top surface edge
  • 320 Spool first side bottom surface
  • 325 Spool first side bottom surface edge
  • 330 Spool first side surface
  • 340 Spool first side outer surface
  • 342 Spool first side outer surface first edge
  • 344 Spool first side outer surface second edge
  • 400 Spool insulator second side component
  • 410 Spool second side top surface
  • 415 Spool second side top surface edge
  • 420 Spool second side bottom surface
  • 425 Spool second side bottom surface edge
  • 430 Spool second side surface
  • 440 Spool second side outer surface
  • 442 Spool second side outer surface first edge
  • 444 Spool second side outer surface second edge
  • 500 Groove
  • 510 Locking pin
  • 520 Locking hole
  • 530 Channel
  • 540 Central axis

Referring now to FIG. 1-5, the present invention features a two-piece spool insulator system (100) for convenient installation of a spool insulator (200) for a power line. In some embodiments, the spool insulator system (100) comprises a spool insulator (200) having a spool insulator first side component (300) and a spool insulator second side component (400). In some embodiments, the spool insulator first side component (300) is one part of a mated two-piece set with a spool insulator second side component (400). In some embodiments, the spool insulator first side component (300) attaches to the spool insulator second side component (400) to form a spool insulator (200). In some embodiments, a spool insulator first side component (300) comprises about a general size of a spool insulator second side component (400).

In some embodiments, the spool insulator first side component (300) comprises a generally planar spool first side top surface (310), a generally planar spool first side bottom surface (320), a generally planar spool first side surface (330) and a generally convex spool first side outer surface (340). In some embodiments, the spool first side outer surface (340) has a profile generally resembling a spool. In some embodiments, the spool first side outer surface (340) comprises circumferential grooves (500) disposed thereon.

In some embodiments, the spool insulator second side component (400) comprises a generally planar spool second side top surface (410), a generally planar spool second side bottom surface (420), a generally planar spool second side surface (430) and a generally convex spool second side outer surface (440). In some embodiments, the spool second side outer surface (440) has a profile generally resembling a spool. In some embodiments, the spool second side outer surface (440) comprises circumferential grooves (500) disposed thereon.

In some embodiments, the spool insulator comprises construction conforming to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. In some embodiments, the spool insulator comprises construction conforming to ANSI C29.3 Class 53 standards.

In some embodiments, the spool first side surface (330) comprises a top first side locking pin (510) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool first side top surface edge (315) and a spool first side outer surface second edge (344). In some embodiments, the spool first side surface (330) comprises a top first side locking hole (520) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool first side top surface edge (315) and a spool first side outer surface first edge (342). In some embodiments, the spool first side surface (330) comprises a bottom first side locking pin (510) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool first side bottom surface edge (325) and the spool first side outer surface first edge (342). In some embodiments, the spool first side surface (330) comprises a bottom first side locking hole (520) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool first side bottom surface edge (325) and the spool first side outer surface second edge (344).

In some embodiments, the spool second side surface (430) comprises a top second side locking pin (510) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool second side top surface edge (415) and the spool second side outer surface second edge (444). In some embodiments, the spool second side surface (430) comprises a top second side locking hole (520) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool second side top surface edge (415) and the spool second side outer surface first edge (442). In some embodiments, the spool second side surface (430) comprises a bottom second side locking pin (510) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool second side bottom surface edge (425) and the spool second side outer surface first edge (442). In some embodiments, the spool second side surface (430) comprises a bottom second side locking hole (520) located proximal to a corner defined by an intersection of the spool second side bottom surface edge (425) and the spool second side outer surface second edge (444).

In some embodiments, the locking pin (510) is one piece of a mated set with the locking hole (520). In some embodiments, the locking pin (510) snaps into position upon insertion into the locking hole (520).

In some embodiments, the spool insulator (200) comprises a channel (530) disposed through a central cross-section. In some embodiments, the channel (530) originates at a central axis (540) centrally located at an interface of the spool insulator first side top surface edge (315) and the spool insulator second side top surface edge (415). In some embodiments, the channel (530) terminates at a central axis (540) centrally located at an interface of the spool insulator first side bottom surface edge (325) and the spool insulator second side bottom surface edge (425). In some embodiments, about one half of the channel (530) is disposed in the spool first side surface (330) from the spool first side top surface (310) to the spool first side bottom surface (320). In some embodiments, about one-half of the channel (530) is disposed in the spool second side surface (430) from the spool second side top surface (410) to the spool second side bottom surface (420).

In some embodiments the system (100) comprises a power line (110) disposed on the groove (500) of the spool insulator (200).

In some embodiments, the system (100) comprises a bolt or a rack rod (120) disposed in the channel (530) of the spool insulator (200).

In some embodiments, for use, the spool insulator first side component (300) attaches to the spool insulator second side component (400) to form a spool insulator (200) for convenient installation with a power line (110). In some embodiments, a lineman will be able to install or replace the spool insulator (200) around a rack rod (120) without removing the rack rod (120) from a secondary rack.

In some embodiments, the spool insulator (200) is constructed at least partially from high-density polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In some embodiments, the spool insulator (200) is constructed at least partially from ceramic. In some embodiments, the spool insulator (200) is constructed at least partially from a plastic.

As used herein, the term “about” refers to plus or minus 10% of the referenced number. For example, an embodiment wherein the spool insulator is about 10 inches in length includes a spool insulator that is between 9 and 11 inches in length.

The disclosures of the following U.S. Patents are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein: U.S. Pat. No. D 545,271; U.S. Pat. No. D 375,079; U.S. Pat. No. 7,432,449; U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,774; U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,443; U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,545; U.S. Pat. No. 1,177,867; U.S. Pat. No. 0,787,442.

Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each reference cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the following claims.

The reference numbers recited in the below claims are solely for ease of examination of this patent application, and are exemplary, and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the claims to the particular features having the corresponding reference numbers in the drawings.