IP Library Granted Patent US 10,302,230
Granted Patent B2
US 10,302,230 · App. 14/299,969 · Granted May 28, 2019

Field serviceable conduit receivers

Inventors: Joseph Michael Manahan (Manlius, NY); Bradford James Morse (Syracuse, NY)
Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
F16L25/025F16L21/00H02G3/06H02G3/38F16L19/0206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,302,230
App. No.
14/299,969
Granted
May 28, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A field serviceable conduit receiver can include an adapter and a coupling device. The adapter can have an adapter cavity traversing therethrough. The adapter can include an adapter base configured to couple to an end of a conduit, and an adapter body located adjacent to the adapter base. The coupling device can be located adjacent to the adapter and have a coupling device cavity traversing therethrough. The coupling device can include a coupling base configured to be disposed around an outer surface of the conduit, and a coupling body located adjacent to the coupling base, where the coupling body has at least one coupling feature that is configured to removably couple to a complementary coupling feature disposed on a wall of the enclosure.

Claims (50)

1. A field serviceable conduit receiver, comprising:

an adapter having an adapter cavity traversing therethrough, wherein the adapter comprises:

an adapter base configured to couple to an end of a conduit, wherein the conduit is located in a hazardous environment; and

an adapter body located adjacent to the adapter base; and

a coupling device located adjacent to the adapter and having a coupling device cavity traversing therethrough, wherein the coupling device comprises:

a coupling base configured to be disposed around an outer surface of the conduit; and

a coupling body located adjacent to the coupling base, wherein the coupling body comprises at least one coupling feature that is configured to removably couple to a complementary coupling feature disposed on a wall of an enclosure, wherein the enclosure is disposed in the hazardous environment adjacent to the end of the conduit,

wherein the adapter body is configured to form a flame path with the coupling body and the enclosure when the enclosure is coupled to the coupling device, wherein the flame path meets construction requirements for explosion-proof enclosures, wherein the flame path is configured to quench an explosion that originates inside the enclosure, and wherein the flame path also is configured to allow gases from inside the enclosure to escape and cool as the gases exit the enclosure.

2. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter body is configured to substantially abut against an inner surface of the wall of the enclosure.

3. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter overlaps at least a portion of the coupling device in a plane parallel to a length of the adapter.

4. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter base is configured to be positioned within a recess of the conduit.

5. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter body further comprises a bushing disposed along its inner surface within the adapter cavity.

6. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter body comprises at least one enclosure contour, wherein the at least one enclosure contour is configured to be substantially similar to a contour of a cavity of a receiving feature of an enclosure.

7. The field serviceable conduit receiver of claim 1 , wherein the adapter body comprises at least one enclosure contour, wherein the at least one enclosure contour is configured to be substantially similar to a contour of an end of a receiving feature of an enclosure.

8. A system comprising:

a conduit comprising a conduit end, wherein the conduit is located in a hazardous environment;

an enclosure located in the hazardous environment, wherein the enclosure comprises:

at least one wall forming a cavity; and

a receiving feature disposed in the at least one wall, wherein the receiving feature comprises:

an aperture that traverses the at least one wall; and

an enclosure coupling feature disposed on the at least one wall adjacent to the aperture; and

a field serviceable conduit receiver coupled to the conduit and removably coupled to the enclosure in the hazardous environment, wherein the field serviceable conduit receiver comprises:

an adapter having an adapter cavity traversing therethrough, wherein the adapter comprises:

an adapter base coupled to the conduit end; and

an adapter body located adjacent to the adapter base, wherein the adapter body is positioned between the conduit and the at least one wall of the enclosure; and

a coupling device located adjacent to the adapter and having a coupling device cavity traversing therethrough, wherein the coupling device comprises:

a coupling base disposed at least around an outer surface of the conduit; and

a coupling body located adjacent to the coupling base, wherein the coupling body comprises at least one coupling feature removably coupled to the enclosure coupling feature,

wherein the adapter body and the receiving feature of the enclosure form a flame path, wherein the flame path meets construction requirements for explosion-proof enclosures, wherein the flame path is configured to quench an explosion that originates within the cavity of the enclosure, and wherein the flame path also is configured to allow gases from within the cavity of the enclosure to escape and cool as the gases exit the enclosure.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the adapter base is coupled to the outer surface of the conduit.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the adapter body comprises a bushing disposed along an inner adapter surface within the adapter cavity.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the receiving feature of the enclosure further comprises an inner surface of the at least one wall, wherein the inner surface forms an enclosure contour, and wherein the adapter body substantially forms the enclosure contour.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the adapter body is disposed within the cavity of the enclosure.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a sealing component disposed between the conduit and the adapter base.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the adapter base is disposed between the conduit and the coupling base.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the adapter body abuts against an end of the at least one wall of the enclosure.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the adapter body and the end of the at least one wall of the enclosure each comprises a serrated surface that complement each other when the adapter body abuts against an end of the at least one wall of the enclosure.

17. The system of claim 8 , wherein the conduit comprises a recess in an outer wall, wherein the adapter base is disposed within the recess.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the adapter body forms a first contour that is substantially similar to a second contour formed by an inner surface of the coupling base.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the conduit end abuts against a bushing disposed along an inner surface of the at least one wall of the enclosure.

20. A system comprising:

a conduit having a smooth outer surface;

at least one electrical cable disposed within the conduit;

an adapter having an adapter cavity traversing therethrough and lacking a liner used for transmitting liquids, wherein the adapter comprises:

an adapter base coupled to an end of the conduit; and

an adapter body located adjacent to the adapter base; and

a coupling device located adjacent to the adapter and having a coupling device cavity traversing therethrough, wherein the coupling device comprises:

a coupling base disposed around the smooth outer surface of the conduit; and

a coupling body located adjacent to the coupling base, wherein the coupling body comprises at least one coupling feature that is removably coupled to a complementary coupling feature disposed on a wall of an enclosure, inside of which the at least one electrical cable is further disposed.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET TO REMOVE APPLICATION NO. 15567271 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 048207 FRAME 0819. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 11, 2019
From: COOPER TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
To: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048655/0114 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2019
From: COOPER TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
To: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048207/0819 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2014
From: MANAHAN, JOSEPH MICHAEL; MORSE, BRADFORD JAMES
To: COOPER TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
Reel/Frame 033606/0212 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150354739A1 · Dec 10, 2015