Elongated electrical conductor that is adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact

Abstract

An elongate electrical conductor ( 2 ) is disclosed that is adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact, the conductor ( 2 ) includes a longitudinally extending elongate body ( 61 ) for defining a first contact surface ( 62 ); and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs ( 66 ) that extend from the body ( 61 ) to respective free ends ( 67 ) that are spaced apart from the first contact surface ( 62 ) for allowing the contact to be progressed between the body ( 61 ) and one or more of the ribs ( 66 ), each rib ( 66 ) including a respective second contact surface ( 68 ) that is opposed with the first surface ( 62 ) wherein, upon progression of the contact between the body ( 61 ) and the one or more ribs ( 66 ), the first surface ( 62 ) and the respective one or more second surfaces ( 68 ) are resiliently biased into engagement with the contact.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An elongate electrical conductor that is adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact assembly, the conductor including:
 a plurality of parallel elongate electrical conductor members that are each adapted for electrically connecting with a respective electrical contact provided by a common electrical contact assembly, each conductor member including:
 a longitudinally extending elongate first body for defining a substantially planar contact surface and an opposite face wherein the first body includes first and second opposite longitudinally extending edges; and 
 a longitudinally extending elongate second body in electrical communication with the first body and extending transversely away from the first edge back along substantially all of the planar contact surface for defining a second contact surface that is opposed with the planar surface intermediate the first and the second edges, wherein the second body does not extend along or transversely beyond the opposite face, wherein, upon rotational progression of the contact between the first and second bodies, the planar and the second surfaces are resiliently biased into engagement with the contact; 
 
 a longitudinally extending conduit, the conduit including:
 a housing; 
 a plurality of longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart channels disposed within the housing, each for captively retaining a respective one of the conductor members, each channel including a respective like facing open end for receiving a respective one of the contacts; and 
 an elongate longitudinally extending opening for receiving the common electrical contact assembly and allowing the contact assembly to be rotated thereby to progress respective ones of the contacts between the first and second bodies of respective conductor members; 
 
 wherein, for at least one conductor member, the second body includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs that extend from the first body to respective free ends which collectively define the second surface. 
 
     
     
       2. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the planar contact surface is continuous and the second contact surface is segmented. 
     
     
       3. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the second contact surface is arcuate. 
     
     
       4. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which the, for at least one conductor member, adjacent free ends are mechanically connected along the length of the conductor to collectively increase the resilient bias. 
     
     
       5. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the second body is arcuate and includes opposite convex and a concave faces, the former defining the arcuate contact surface. 
     
     
       6. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which each conductor member is flexible to accommodate bending or folding about a vertical axis. 
     
     
       7. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the body includes a further conductive strip that extends from the second edge for use in high current applications. 
     
     
       8. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the adjacent free ends are mechanically connected by respective intermediate integrally formed segments, such that the segments collectively define with the free ends a continuous engagement face along the length of the conductor members for guiding the progression of the contacts respectively into biased engagement with the first and second surfaces. 
     
     
       9. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 8  in which, for at least one conductor member, the engagement face is opposed with and inclined away from the first surface. 
     
     
       10. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 8  in which, for at least one conductor member, the engagement face extends between an inner edge and an outer edge that terminates opposite the other edge such that when the first and second surfaces are biased into engagement with the contact upon full rotational progression of the contact, the inner edge abuts the contact. 
     
     
       11. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the second body includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs that extend from the first body to respective free ends which collectively define the second surface. 
     
     
       12. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim  11  1 in which, for at least one conductor member, upon full rotational progression of the contact, one or more ribs are electrically connected to the contact and the adjacent ribs to each side of the contact the ribs restrain longitudinal movement of the contact. 
     
     
       13. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which, for at least one conductor member, the first body provides a primary current carrying component of the conductor having a low resistance current path and the second body provides a relatively higher resistance current path. 
     
     
       14. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 13  in which, for at least one conductor member, the second contact surface is arcuate for optimising the electrical engagement of the contact with the planar contact surface upon progression of the contact between the first and second bodies. 
     
     
       15. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 13  in which, for at least one conductor member, the second body includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs that extend from the first body to respective free ends which collectively define the second surface, the free ends being mechanically interconnected by respective intermediate integrally formed segments to provide the relatively higher resistance current path. 
     
     
       16. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 1  in which each conductor member is configured to be longitudinally fed into a complementary elongate conduit. 
     
     
       17. An elongate electrical conductor according to  claim 16  in which each conductor member is configured to be longitudinally fed into two complementary elongate conduits that extend normally away from each other. 
     
     
       18. A power distribution component according to  claim 1  including the common contact assembly. 
     
     
       19. A power distribution component according to  claim 18  wherein, upon rotation of the contact assembly, the electrical contacts move into engagement with the respective conductors in a predetermined sequence. 
     
     
       20. An elongate electrical conductor member for use in a track-based power distribution arrangement wherein the conductor is contained in an elongate insulating conduit, the conductor being adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact when disposed in the conduit, the conductor member including:
 a longitudinally extending elongate body for defining a first contact surface and a face opposite the first contact surface; and   a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart resilient ribs that are electrically connected to and extend transversely away from the body back along substantially all of the first contact surface and to respective free ends that are spaced apart from the first contact surface for allowing the contact to be rotationally progressed between the body and a plurality of the ribs wherein the resilient ribs do not extend along or transversely beyond the opposite face, each rib including a respective second contact surface that is opposed with the first surface wherein, upon rotational progression of the contact between the body and the plurality of ribs, the first surface and the respective one or more second surfaces are resiliently biased into engagement with the contact.   
     
     
       21. An elongate electrical conductor including:
 a plurality of parallel elongate electrical conductor members that are each adapted for electrically connecting with a respective electrical contact, each conductor member including:
 a longitudinally extending elongate first body for defining a substantially planar contact surface and an opposite face; wherein the first body includes first and second opposite longitudinally extending edges and 
 a longitudinally extending elongate second body in electrical communication with the first body and extending transversely away from the first edge back along substantially all of the planar contact surface for defining a second contact surface that is opposed with the planar surface intermediate the first and the second edges, wherein the second body does not extend along or transversely beyond the opposite face, wherein, upon rotational progression of the electrical contact between the first and second bodies, the planar and the second surfaces are resiliently biased into engagement with the electrical contact; 
 
 a longitudinally extending conduit, the conduit including:
 a housing; 
 a plurality of longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart channels disposed within the housing, each for captively retaining a respective one of the conductor members, each channel including a respective like facing open end for receiving a respective one of the electrical contacts; and 
 an elongate longitudinally extending opening; and 
 
 a contact assembly that is insertable into the longitudinally extending opening, the contact assembly including a plurality of said electrical contacts, wherein upon movement of the contact assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration the electrical contacts each rotationally progress to a position between the first and second bodies of respective ones of the conductor members; 
 wherein, for at least one parallel elongate electrical conductor member, the second body includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs that extend from the first body to respective free ends which collectively define the second surface. 
 
     
     
       22. An elongate electrical conductor member for use in a track-based power distribution arrangement wherein the conductor is contained in an elongate insulating conduit, the conductor being adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact when disposed in the conduit, the conductor member including: a longitudinally extending elongate first body for defining a substantially planar contact surface and an opposite face, wherein the first body includes first and second opposite longitudinally extending edges; and a longitudinally extending elongate second body in electrical communication with the first body and extending transversely away from the first edge back along substantially all of the planar contact surface for defining a second contact surface that is opposed with the planar surface intermediate the first and the second edges, wherein the second body does not extend along or transversely beyond the opposite face, wherein, upon rotational progression of the electrical contact between the first and the second bodies, the planar and the second surfaces are resiliently biased into engagement with the electrical contact. 
     
     
       23. An elongate electrical conductor member for use in a track-based power distribution arrangement wherein the conductor member is housed in an insulating conduit, the conductor member being adapted for electrically connecting with an electrical contact when disposed in the conduit, the conductor member comprising:
 a longitudinally extending first body having a first contact surface and an opposite face;   a second body extending from an edge of the first body having a second contact surface opposite the first contact surface, wherein the second body does not extend along or transversely beyond the opposite face;   wherein the first and second bodies are adapted such that, upon rotational progression of the electrical contact between the first and second contact surfaces in a first direction, the first and second contact surfaces are brought into engagement with the electrical contact such that the electrical contact is retained, and upon rotational progression of the electrical contact between the first and second contact surfaces in a second direction, the electrical contact is disengaged from the first and second contact surfaces;   wherein the first contact surface is planar and the second contact surface is segmented;   wherein the second body comprises a plurality of longitudinally space apart resilient ribs.   
     
     
       24. An elongate electrical conductor member according to claim 23 wherein the second contact surface is arcuate. 
     
     
       25. An elongate electrical conductor member according to claim 23 wherein adjacent free ends of the ribs are connected along the length of the conductor to increase the resilient bias. 
     
     
       26. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the second body is arcuate and includes opposite convex and a concave faces, the former defining the second contact surface. 
     
     
       27. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the conductor member is flexible to accommodate bending or folding about a vertical axis. 
     
     
       28. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the first body includes a conductive strip that extends from an edge of the first body opposite the edge from which the second body extends for use in high current applications. 
     
     
       29. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein adjacent free ends of the ribs are connected by respective intermediate integrally formed segments, such that the segments collectively define with the free ends a continuous engagement face along the length of the conductor members for guiding the progression of the contact into biased engagement with the first and second contact surfaces. 
     
     
       30. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 29 wherein the engagement face is opposed with and inclined away from the first contact surface. 
     
     
       31. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 29 wherein the engagement face extends between an inner edge and an outer edge that terminates opposite an edge of the first body opposite the edge from which the second body extends, such that when the first and second contact surfaces are biased into engagement with the contact upon full rotational progression of the contact, the inner edge abuts the contact. 
     
     
       32. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein, upon full rotational progression of the contact, one or more ribs are electrically connected to the contact and the adjacent ribs to each side of the contact the ribs restrain longitudinal movement of the contact. 
     
     
       33. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the first body provides a primary current carrying component of the conductor having a low resistance current path and the second body provides a relatively higher resistance current path. 
     
     
       34. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 33 wherein the second contact surface is arcuate for optimizing the electrical engagement of the contact with the first contact surface upon progression of the contact between the first and second bodies. 
     
     
       35. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 33 wherein the second body includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ribs that extend from the first body to respective free ends which collectively define the second surface, the free ends being mechanically interconnected by respective intermediate integrally formed segments to provide the relatively higher resistance current path. 
     
     
       36. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the conductor member is configured to be longitudinally fed into a complementary elongate conduit. 
     
     
       37. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 36 wherein the conductor member is configured to be longitudinally fed into two complementary elongate conduits that extend normally away from each other. 
     
     
       38. An elongate electrical conductor according to claim 23 wherein the conductor is housed in a channel formed in the elongate insulating conduit, and wherein a closure is disposed adjacent to an open end of the channel, the closure adapted to move between a closed configuration and an open configuration.