Input power connector for distribution panel

Abstract

The present invention relates to power input housings and assemblies for power distribution panels. The power input assemblies provide separate cavities with a centerwall for the power input cables to be led into and a cover closing the cavities. The cavities allow power cables to enter through either a top open end or a bottom open end and the cover is adapted to close the other open end when installed. Alternatively, the housing can be oriented with the open ends of the cavities to the sides, permitting cables to enter through either side and the cover closing the other side.

1. A power input housing for a power distribution panel comprising:
 a body defining a cavity having a first open end and a second open end, the body including a base, opposing sidewalls extending from the base and a center wall extending from the base;  
 a removable cover mounted to the body;  
 the cavity being defined by the sidewalls, the base and the removable cover, and being divided longitudinally by the center wall, the center wall substantially parallel to the sidewalls, the sidewalls and base each having a first end adjacent and partially defining the first open end and each having a second end adjacent and partially defining the second open end;  
 the base having access openings at the first and second ends of the cavity on both sides of the center wall to permit electrical conductors to pass through the base;  
 the cover having a major surface and a lower extension, the cover being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of the cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension of the cover closes off the second open end of the cavity and the first open end remains open;  
 a mounting tab projecting outward from the base including a fastener opening; and  
 the body and the cover being made of an electrically insulative material.  
 
     
     
       2. The power input housing of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is an outer cavity, and further comprising an inner cavity;
 the inner cavity defined by an extension of the sidewalls, with the base of the body positioned between the outer and inner cavities, wherein ends of the inner cavity closed by a pair of opposing end walls, the end walls extending from the base proximate the first and second open ends of the outer cavity;  
 the access openings in the base of the body providing access to the inner cavity.  
 
     
     
       3. The power input housing of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting tab is a first mounting tab, and further comprising a second mounting tab, wherein the first and second mounting tabs project outward from the sidewalls. 
     
     
       4. The power input housing of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting tab is a first mounting tab, and further comprising a second mounting tab, wherein the first and second mounting tabs project outward from the end walls. 
     
     
       5. The power input housing of  claim 2 , wherein the cover has four sides, the lower extension positioned along one side, and further comprising a lip extending from the major surface along each of the other three sides. 
     
     
       6. The power input housing of  claim 5 , wherein the lower extension includes first and second side lips. 
     
     
       7. The power input housing of  claim 2 , wherein the major surface of the removable cover includes a fastener hole. 
     
     
       8. A power distribution panel comprising:
 a panel housing including a front and a rear;  
 the front including circuit control devices;  
 the rear including a power input assembly and a power output assembly;  
 the power input assembly including first and second parallel cavities each defining first and second open ends, and a cover including a major surface and a lower extension, the cover mountable in one of two selectable positions wherein in the first position the first open ends are closed and in the second position the second open ends are closed.  
 
     
     
       9. The power distribution panel of  claim 8 , wherein the power input assembly includes first and second outer walls, and an inner center wall between the first and second outer walls, the first and second outer walls and the inner wall defining the first and second parallel cavities. 
     
     
       10. The power distribution panel of  claim 9 , wherein the inner wall defines a first fastener opening, and the cover defines a second fastener opening alignable with the first fastener opening in either of two selectable positions of the cover. 
     
     
       11. The power distribution panel of  claim 9 , wherein the cover has four sides, the lower extension positioned along one side, and further comprising a lip extending from the major surface along each of the other three sides. 
     
     
       12. The power distribution panel of  claim 11 , wherein the lower extension includes first and second side lips. 
     
     
       13. The power distribution panel of  claim 8 , wherein the cover has four sides, the lower extension positioned along one side, and further comprising a lip extending from the major surface along each of the other three sides. 
     
     
       14. The power distribution panel of  claim 13 , wherein the lower extension includes first and second side lips. 
     
     
       15. The power distribution panel of  claim 8 , wherein the power input assembly includes mounting tabs defining fastener holes for mounting the power input assembly to the rear of the panel housing. 
     
     
       16. A power input assembly comprising:
 a housing including a cavity, the cavity defined by opposing sidewalls, a base and a removable cover, the cavity having a first open end and an opposite second open end;  
 the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;  
 the power chamber having a conductor which passes through the base of the cavity and adapted for receiving a conductor from a power terminal of an electrical power source, and the return chamber having a conductor which passes through the base of the cavity and adapted for receiving a conductor from a return terminal of the electrical power source;  
 the cover having a lower extension and being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension closes off the second open of the cavity and the first open end remains open.  
 
     
     
       17. The power input assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising wires from the electrical power source, wherein the wires extend through one of the first and second open ends of the cavity and are attached to the conductors, and the cover is mounted in the second or the first position, respectively. 
     
     
       18. The power input assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a mounting tab projecting outward from the base. 
     
     
       19. The power input assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes two mounting tabs, with one mounting tab extending from the base proximate the first open end and one mounting tab extending from the base proximate the second open end. 
     
     
       20. The power input assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes two mounting tabs, with one mounting tab extending from the base proximate each of the sidewalls. 
     
     
       21. A method of attaching power cables to a power distribution device, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a power input assembly mounted to the power distribution panel, the power input assembly including: 
 a housing including a cavity having a first open end and a second open end on opposite sides of the housing;  
 the cavity defining a power chamber having a conductor which passes into the power distribution panel for connecting with a wire from a power terminal of an electrical power source, and a return chamber having a conductor which passes into the power distribution panel for connecting with a wire from a return terminal of an electrical power source;  
 
 positioning power and return cables in the respective first and second open ends of the housing;  
 attaching the power cable to the conductor in the power chamber;  
 attaching the return cable to the conductor in the return chamber; and  
 placing a cover on the housing wherein the cover has a lower extension to close off the other of the first and second open ends of the cavity.  
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second open ends are oriented vertically. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second open ends are oriented horizontally. 
     
     
       24. A power input housing for a power distribution panel comprising:
   a body including a base and a center wall extending from the base; and        a removable cover mounted to the body, the cover including a major surface and a lower extension, the cover and the body defining a cavity divided longitudinally by the center wall;        the base including access openings on both sides of the center wall to permit electrical conductors to pass through the base;        wherein the cover is mountable in either a first position or a second position relative to the body such that when the cover is mounted in the first position, the lower extension encloses a first end of the cavity while a second end of the cavity remains open, and such that when the cover is mounted in the second position, the lower extension of the cover encloses the second end of the cavity while the first end remains open;        wherein the body and the cover are made of an electrically insulative material.     
     
     
       25. The power input housing of  claim 24 , wherein the body includes opposing sidewalls extending from the base. 
     
     
       26. The power input housing of  claim 25 , wherein the center wall is substantially parallel to the opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
       27. The power input housing of  claim 24 , further including a mounting tab projecting outward from the base, the mounting tab including a fastener opening. 
     
     
       28. The power input housing of  claim 27 , wherein the major surface of the removable cover includes a fastener hole. 
     
     
       29. A power distribution panel comprising:
   a panel housing having a front and a rear;        circuit control devices located at the front of the panel housing; and        a power input assembly and a power output assembly located at the rear of the panel housing, the power input assembly including a cover having a major surface and a lower extension, the power input assembly defining first and second parallel cavities, the cover of the power input assembly being mountable in one of two selectable positions;        wherein in a first position of the two selectable positions, first ends of the first and second parallel cavities are closed, and in a second position of the two selectable positions, second ends of the first and second parallel cavities are closed.     
     
     
       30. The power distribution panel of  claim 29 , wherein the power input assembly includes first and second outer walls, and an inner center wall between the first and second outer walls, the first and second outer walls and the inner center wall defining the first and second parallel cavities. 
     
     
       31. The power distribution panel of  claim 30 , wherein the inner wall defines a first fastener opening, and the cover defines a second fastener opening alignable with the first fastener opening in either one of the two selectable positions of the cover. 
     
     
       32. The power distribution panel of  claim 29 , wherein the power input assembly includes mounting tabs defining fastener holes for mounting the power input assembly to the rear of the panel housing. 
     
     
       33. A power input assembly comprising:
   a housing and a removable cover, the housing and cover defining a cavity, the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;        a power conductor at least partially located within the power chamber, the power conductor being adapted to interconnect to a power terminal of an electrical power source;        a return conductor at least partially located within the return chamber, the return conductor being adapted to interconnect to a return terminal of the electrical power source;        wherein the removable cover includes a lower extension, the cover being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position, the lower extension closes off a first end of the cavity while a second end of the cavity remains open, and such that when the cover is mounted in the second position, the lower extension closes off the second end of the cavity while the first end remains open.     
     
     
       34. The power input assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the power conductor and the return conductor each pass through a base of the housing. 
     
     
       35. The power input assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the housing includes a base and opposing sidewalls extending from the base, the cavity being defined by the base, the opposing sidewalls, and the cover. 
     
     
       36. The power input assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the housing includes a mounting tab projecting outward from the base. 
     
     
       37. A power input assembly comprising:
   a housing including a cavity, the cavity defined by opposing sidewalls, a base and a removable cover, the cavity having a first open end and an opposite second open end;        the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;        first and second power conductor posts located within the power chamber of the cavity, the power conductor posts being adapted for connection to a power terminal of an electrical power source, and first and second return conductor posts located within the return chamber of the cavity, the return conductor posts being adapted for connection to a return terminal of the electrical power source;        the cover having a lower extension and being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension closes off the second open of the cavity and the first open end remains open.     
     
     
       38. The power input assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the opposing sidewalls extend outward from the base.