Ground Level Primary Electric Distribution System

Abstract

A ground level primary electrical distribution system deploys terrain mounted or essentially terrain flush pipes that protect suppress ignition from fires that may occur if components fail within the pipes. The pipes can be deployed in remote and rugged terrain where overhead power lines poses fire risks from wind damage and it is impractical and disruptive to bury the electricity conducting cable or deployed along roadways or field at ground level or essentially flush with the ground to avoid excavation yet avoid the use of overhead power lines that can be subject to damage from high wind. The pipes can follow the terrain between junctions over rigid segments formed by a plurality of end-to-end coupled enclosures, while the conductors are protected within jacketing or flow through flexible insulating and isolating conduits within the more rigid pipes.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system, the container system comprising an enclosure having:
 a. a tray having a base at a bottom and a pair of opposing sidewalls, in which the sidewalls slope upward from opposing edges of the bottom at a junction with the sidewalls to a rim, the rim being at a generally horizontal opening in the tray in which the horizontal opening has a narrower width than a width of the base between the opposing edges,   b. one or more cable spacer members laterally spaced apart between the first pair of opposing sidewalls,   c. a lid configured to engage the rim to close the horizontal opening in the tray.   
     
     
         2 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  that further comprises a pair of openings that are generally orthogonal to the first pair of opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1 , in which the cable spacer members are one of formed integrally within the bottom of the tray and spaced apart to extend at least partially over a portion of the bottom of the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the cable spacer members have a plurality of holes to allow a liquid used to fill a cavity between the tray and the lid to flow under a portion of one at least one of the tray and the cable spacer members. 
     
     
         5 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1 , in which the tray has one or more lateral flanges that extend outward away from at least one of the opposing sidewalls at the edge of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one lower portion of the lid penetrates below the rim. 
     
     
         7 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the tray has a central portion with an interior cavity surrounded by a convoluted flexible wall. 
     
     
         8 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which one of the lid and opposing sidewalls have a portion that forms an acute angle less than 60 degrees from the base. 
     
     
         9 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 5  in which the lateral flanges have through holes for receiving anchors to couple the tray in proximal contact with terrain. 
     
     
         10 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the lid has downward extending portion that covers at least an exterior portion of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         11 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 5  in which the lid has at least one downward extending portion that covers at least an exterior portion of the sidewalls that extend as side flanges for extending over the lateral flanges of the tray. 
     
     
         12 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 11  in which the lid has side flanges for extending over the lateral flanges of the tray and the side flanges of the lid has holes that vertically align with holes in the lateral flanges of the tray for receiving anchors to couple the tray in proximal contact with terrain. 
     
     
         13 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 2  further comprising one or more coupling bars configured to extend over sidewall of the enclosure at edge of the openings that are generally orthogonal to the first pair of opposing sides and engage a 2 nd  enclosure connected to the opposing openings of the enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 13  in which the coupling bars that engage the connection between the enclosure and a second enclosure at the opposing opening of the enclosure by flexing to snap in place. 
     
     
         15 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 11  further comprising one or more coupling bars configured to extend over lateral flanges of the tray and the side flanges of the lid at edge of the openings that are generally orthogonal to the first pair of opposing sides and engage a 2 nd  enclosure connected to the opposing openings of the enclosure. 
     
     
         16 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the tray has a portion that is one of curved and bent to change a local principal axis of at least a portion of the enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 2  in which the tray has a portion that is one of curved and bent to change a local principal axis of a portion of the enclosure to dispose one of the openings of said pair above the other opening of the pair such that the base of the tray is not entirely disposed in a single plane. 
     
     
         18 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 2  in which each of the openings of said pair is configured to have an inverted lag offset flange from the other opening to provide sealed engagement when a 2 nd  enclosure is coupled to the enclosure at opposing openings. 
     
     
         19 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the enclosure is fabricated from a dielectric material or composite that is fire resilient and will not propagate flames that originate either internally or externally. 
     
     
         20 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which at least a portion of the bottom of the tray is open. 
     
     
         21 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the lid has one or more holes. 
     
     
         22 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the cable spacers are configured as cable support members that present upward facing channels for receiving at least one of insulated conductor cable, cable in conduit and fiber optic cable. 
     
     
         23 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 22  in which the upward spacing channels vary in diameter to accommodate narrow fiber optic cables and wider cable that are one insulated conductor cables and conductor in conduit. 
     
     
         24 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 1  in which the cable spacers are configured as an indexing member with a plurality of downward appendages that descend from a generally horizontal support. 
     
     
         25 . A container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system, the container system comprising an enclosure having:
 a. a base at having a bottom and a first pair of opposing sidewalls, in which the sidewalls of the first pair extend upward from the base to an upper rim at a horizontal opening in the base,   b. one or more cable spacer members laterally spaced apart between the opposing sidewalls of the first pair,   c. a lid for installing over the base to cover the rim of the base, the lid having a generally horizontal center portion and opposing walls that slopes from a lower rim upward to the generally horizontal center portion in which a height of the lid from the lower rim to the generally horizontal center portion is greater than a height of the base from the bottom to the upper rim.   
     
     
         26 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 25  in which the cable spacers are configured as an indexing member with a plurality of downward appendages that descend from a generally horizontal support. 
     
     
         27 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 25  further comprising a second lid to sealingly cover the upper rim of the base. 
     
     
         28 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 25  in which the cable spacers are configured as cable support members that present upward facing channels for receiving at least one of insulated conductor cable, cable in conduit and fiber optic cable. 
     
     
         29 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 25  in which the lid has one or more holes. 
     
     
         30 . A container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system, the container system comprising an enclosure having:
 a. a base having a bottom,   b. one or more cable spacer members laterally spaced apart for isolating cables disposed on the bottom,   c. a lid for installing over the base to cover the one or more cable spacer members, the lid having a generally horizontal center portion and opposing walls that slope from a lower rim upward to the generally horizontal center portion,   d. in which a height of the lid from the lower rim to the generally horizontal center portion is greater than a height of the cable spacer member from the bottom to provide a cavity for receiving one or more of at least one of insulated conductor cable, cable in conduit and fiber optic cable.   
     
     
         31 . A container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 30  in which each of the base and the lid have outward extending lateral side flanges that overlap, including with aligned holes in each side flanges for receiving anchors to couple the base and lid together in proximal contact with terrain. 
     
     
         32 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 30  in which the cable spacers are configured as cable support members that present upward facing channels for receiving at least one of insulated conductor cable, cable in conduit and fiber optic cable. 
     
     
         33 . The container system for forming channels that receive conductor cable for one of an essentially flush and ground level electrical distribution system according to  claim 30  in which the lid has one or more holes to provide for filling a space in the cavity over and around cables with a cementitious filler.