Patent ID: 6265663
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: H02G

Abstract:
A self-bearing terminal of high resistance to bending for receiving an end of an electric cable having an operating voltage of at least 10 Kv, said cable having a conductor encircled by insulation which is encircled by a screen, a portion of the insulation and of the screen at an end of the cable being removed to provide an exposed portion of the conductor and an exposed portion of the insulation, said terminal having an upper end and an opposite inlet end and having an axis and an axial length between the upper and inlet ends and said terminal comprising:a conductive shank at said upper end of the terminal for receiving a further conductor;a tubular base body of insulating material having a bore encircled by a wall for receiving within the bore said exposed portion of the conductor, said exposed portion of the insulation and a portion of the screen, said base body having an axial length less than the axial length of said terminal, having a diameter, having an outer surface, a base body first end and a base body second end, said base body being disposed with its base body first end at said inlet end of said terminal with its bore extending from said inlet end of said terminal toward said upper end of said terminal and with its base body second end spaced from said upper end of said terminal and intermediate said upper end and said inlet end of said terminal;securing means at said base body first end for mechanically securing said base body to a supporting structure at earth potential;tubular electric field control means having an outer surface in engagement with the wall of said bore and an inner surface for engagement with the screen and with said portion of the insulation, said control means and said axial length and diameter of the base body being selected to provide an electric field at the outer surface of said base body which is lower than the dielectric strength of air with the cable in the base body bore and at the operating voltage of the cable, but the length of the base body being less than the length of an axially extending path on the exterior surface of the base body sufficient, with the terminal exposed to air, to limit current flow from said second base body end to the securing means when secured to a supporting structure at earth potential to the order of a few milliamperes;an electrically conductive and rigid interconnecting element connected to said conductive shank and for connection to the exposed portion of said conductor of said electric cable and for electrically interconnecting said conductor of said electric cable with said conductive shank, said interconnecting element having an axial length extending from adjacent said base body second end to said conductive shank and being mechanically secured to the base body; andan insulating covering made of elastomeric material having an axial length extending from said upper end of said terminal toward said inlet end of said terminal and having an outer surface, said insulating covering encircling said interconnecting element and at least a portion of the length of said base body, the length of said interconnecting element and length of the portion of said base body encircled by the covering and hence, the length of the outer surface of said covering, being selected to resist surface discharges between said upper end of said terminal and said inlet end of said terminal in ambient air conditions and when the operating voltage of the cable is applied between said conductive shank and said inlet end of said terminal.