Adapter for arc resistant motor control center

Abstract

The arc-resistant MCC is provided with either the expansion chamber or the plenum. Arc flashes create pressure. Different arc-resistant MCC bases are used depending on whether the expansion chamber or the plenum is to be attached, as the expansion chamber and the plenum deal with the created pressure in different ways and are accordingly attached to the MCC base in different ways.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An adapter plate of a motor control center (MCC) configured such that a plenum and an expansion chamber are mountable to the adapter plate, the adapter plate comprising:
 a frame comprising:
 a top, a bottom, and at least one side, the at least one side at least partially defining an outer perimeter of the frame; 
 at least one opening extending from the top to the bottom, the at least one opening at least partially defining an inner perimeter of the frame; 
 a plurality of first connection locations disposed along the frame, the plenum being mountable to the adapter plate at the plurality of first connection locations; and 
 a plurality of second connection locations disposed along the frame, the expansion chamber being mountable to the adapter plate at the plurality of second connection locations, 
 
 wherein the plenum is mounted to the adapter plate via the plurality of first connection locations, or the expansion chamber is mounted to the adapter plate via the plurality of second connection locations. 
 
     
     
       2. The adapter plate of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of first connection locations comprises a plurality of first fastener apertures extending through the frame, and 
 wherein the plurality of second connection locations comprises a plurality of second fastener apertures extending through the frame. 
 
     
     
       3. The adapter plate of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the plurality of first fastener apertures comprises at least sixteen first fastener apertures, and 
 wherein the plurality of second fastener apertures comprises four second fastener apertures. 
 
     
     
       4. The adapter plate of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the plurality of first fastener apertures comprises twenty six first fastener apertures. 
 
     
     
       5. The adapter plate of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one side comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, 
 wherein a first portion of first fastener apertures of the plurality of first fastener apertures is adjacent to the first side, and a second portion of first fastener apertures of the plurality of first fastener apertures is adjacent to the third side, and 
 wherein a first portion of second fastener apertures of the plurality of second fastener apertures is adjacent to the second side, and a second portion of second fastener apertures of the plurality of second fastener apertures is adjacent to the fourth side. 
 
     
     
       6. The adapter plate of  claim 5 , further comprising a support plate extending from the second side to the fourth side, between the first side and the third side,
 wherein the support plate comprises a third fastener aperture, the third fastener aperture being positioned adjacent to the second side or the fourth side and extending through the support plate and the frame, and 
 wherein the adapter plate is mountable to an MCC section at the third fastener aperture. 
 
     
     
       7. The adapter plate of  claim 6 , wherein the frame and the support plate are made of 13 gauge steel. 
     
     
       8. A motor control center (MCC) usable with an expansion chamber and a plenum, the MCC comprising:
 an MCC housing comprising a top, a bottom, and at least one side; and 
 an adapter plate supported by the housing at or adjacent to the top of the housing, the adapter plate comprising:
 a frame comprising a top, a bottom, at least one side, and at least one opening, the at least one side at least partially defining an outer perimeter of the frame, the at least one opening extending from the top to the bottom of the frame and at least partially defining an inner perimeter of the frame; 
 a plurality of first apertures extending through the frame, the plenum being mountable to the adapter plate via the plurality of first apertures; and 
 a plurality of second apertures extending through the frame, the expansion chamber being mountable to the adapter plate at the plurality of second apertures. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The MCC of  claim 8 , further comprising a motor controller supported in the housing. 
     
     
       10. The MCC of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the housing is a first housing, the adapter plate is a first adapter plate, the expansion chamber is a first expansion chamber, the plenum is a first plenum, and the motor controller is a first motor controller, and 
 wherein the MCC further comprises a second housing and a second adapter plate, the second housing supporting a second motor controller, a second expansion chamber and a second plenum being mountable to the second adapter plate. 
 
     
     
       11. The MCC of  claim 10 , further comprising the first plenum and the second plenum, the first plenum being mounted to the first adapter plate, the second plenum being mounted to the second adapter plate, wherein the first plenum is mounted to the second plenum. 
     
     
       12. The MCC of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the adapter plate comprises one or more third apertures extending through the frame, 
 wherein the top of the housing comprises one or more apertures, and 
 wherein the adapter plate is mountable to the top of the housing via the one or more third apertures extending through the frame and the one or more apertures of the housing. 
 
     
     
       13. The MCC of  claim 8 , wherein the adapter plate is the top of the housing. 
     
     
       14. The MCC of  claim 8 , further comprising the expansion chamber, the expansion chamber being mounted to the top of the frame of the adapter plate with screws through the plurality of second apertures. 
     
     
       15. The MCC of  claim 8 , further comprising the plenum, the plenum being mounted to the top of the frame of the adapter plate with screws via the plurality of first apertures. 
     
     
       16. The MCC of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the at least one side of the frame comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, 
 wherein a first portion of first apertures of the plurality of first apertures is adjacent to the first side, and a second portion of first apertures of the plurality of first apertures is adjacent to the third side, and 
 wherein a first portion of second apertures of the plurality of second apertures is adjacent to the second side, and a second portion of second apertures of the plurality of second apertures is adjacent to the fourth side. 
 
     
     
       17. The MCC of  claim 16 , further comprising a support plate extending from the second side to the fourth side, between the first side and the third side,
 wherein the support plate comprises a third aperture, the third aperture being positioned adjacent to the second side or the fourth side and extending through the support plate and the frame, and 
 wherein the adapter plate is mountable to the housing at the third fastener aperture.