Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a wildlife guard for electrical power equipment including an electrically insulating material with a conductive material in quantity sufficient for the guard to maintain an electrostatic charge. The present disclosure also provides a wildlife deterrent for an electrically conductive equipment comprising a tape having a first non-electrically conductive layer with an adhesive thereon for attaching the tape to the equipment and a second electrically conductive layer with attached to the first layer for maintaining an electrostatic charge.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a division of application Ser. No. 11/521,425, filed Sep. 14, 2006, which is a division of application Ser. No. 11/450,081, filed Jun. 9, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,665, which is a division of application Ser. No. 11/077,917, filed Mar. 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,015 which is a division of application Ser. No. 10/664,231, filed Sep. 17, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,883, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a wildlife guard for electrical power distribution and substation facilities. More particularly, it relates to a wildlife guard that is capable of maintaining a small electrostatic charge that provides an annoying shock to deter wildlife from climbing thereon.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Distribution and substation equipment used to supply electrical power have used wildlife protection to prevent wildlife from simultaneously contacting energized and grounded surfaces or adjacent phases. When such contact occurs, short circuits and consequent power outages frequently are the result. The wildlife protection is typically applied to an equipment bushing or lightning arrester of the distribution or substation equipment. For adequate protection, a number of presently available wildlife guards have also required an insulated or covered wire between the bushing and arrester.  
         [0004]     Available wildlife guards have posed problems because they only attempt to deter the animal from simultaneously touching a grounded surface and an energized surface. The guards do nothing to cause the animal from climbing on the equipment alone entirely. As a result, because the animal is not deterred from staying away from the equipment entirely, the animal may still find a way to simultaneously touch energized and grounded surfaces or may cause the wildlife guard to be move or removed from the protected device. Additionally, the animals, particularly squirrels, have a tendency to chew on prior art wildlife guards. As a result there is a need for a wildlife guard that prevents or deters animals from climbing upon energized equipment. Devices that provide an electrostatic shock to animals are known in the art. While these devices work for their intended purposes, they generally are categorized by a complex construction, non-desirable geometry and thus have a higher cost to produce.  
         [0005]     The assignee of the present invention is the owner of U.S. Pat. No.  5 , 864 , 096  (the &#39;096 patent), the entire disclosure of which is incorporate herein by reference. It has been found that an extremely useful and novel animal guard can be constructed in accordance with the &#39;096 patent modified in accordance with the present invention. While the invention in one form is described in accordance with the &#39;096 patent, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the invention, including other forms of animal guards. The result is a lower cost, easier to install, more durable animal guard having wide applicability in the electrical utility field.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In one aspect the present invention provides a wildlife guard for electrical power equipment comprising a disc having a central opening for fitting onto the equipment. The disc comprises an electrically dielectric material with a conductive filler material in quantity sufficient for the disc to maintain an electrostatic charge. The disc has an insertion slot extending from an outer portion to the central opening for movement of the disc onto the equipment.  
         [0007]     In a second aspect, the present invention provides a wildlife guard for an electrical insulator bushing having an electrical conductor extending outwardly therefrom. The wildlife guard comprises an electrically nonconductive cover for covering at least a portion of the electrical conductor, the cover being adapted to mount upon the bushing and a conductive panel attached to, or molded into the cover. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a wildlife guard according to the present invention mounted on electrical power distribution equipment;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the wildlife guard of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the wildlife guard of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged isometric view of a portion of the wildlife guard of  FIG. 2  circled and having reference numeral  4  designating same;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a wildlife guard attached to a insulating bushing;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the wildlife guard of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an adapter for a wildlife guard according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the adapter of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the adapter of  FIG. 7  installed upon a conductor with a wildlife guard installed thereupon;  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an adapter for a wildlife guard according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the adapter of  FIG. 10  with a wildlife guard installed thereupon;  
         [0019]      FIG. 12A  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a wildlife guard according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 12B  is a plan view of a preformed wire grip according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a wildlife guard according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a wildlife guard according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     While the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered only as an example of the principles of the invention. This disclosure is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the illustrated embodiments. The scope of protection should only be limited by the claims.  
         [0024]     In the drawings, the letter G designates generally a wildlife guard according to the present invention for installation on electrical power equipment for protection purposes. The guard G is shown in  FIG. 1  installed on an insulative bushing B of electrical power equipment E. As will be set forth, the guard G prevents wildlife from coming into contact simultaneously with both an electrically energized portion of the equipment, such as a bushing terminal or a wire W connecting a bushing terminal to an arrester A, and an electrically grounded area or portion of such equipment or simultaneously contacting two electrical phases. In doing so, the guard G protects against short circuits and consequent power outages in an electrical power distribution network.  
         [0025]     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the guard G is of a size to serve as an outwardly extending barrier so that an animal with one portion of its body, such as feet, paws, tails, etc., on an electrically grounded part of the power distribution network is unable to contact an electrically energized portion of electrical power distribution equipment, such as the wire W connecting bushing B and arrester A without first touching the invention  9 .  
         [0026]     The bushing B is of the conventional type used in both substation applications and in distribution applications. Examples of distribution applications with bushings where the guard G may be used are on overhead transformers, on capacitors, on line arresters, on or near reclosers, regulators, terminators and the like. Examples of substation equipment with bushings where the guard G may be used include, for example, breakers, terminators, surge arresters and the like. It should be understood that the foregoing examples are given for illustrative purposes, and that other applications of the guard G are evident to those in the art.  
         [0027]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the guard G is formed of a number of spaced, circular concentric ring members  10  of increasingly greater diameter disposed outwardly from a central section  12  which extends about a central inner opening or mounting slot area  14  about a central point  16 . The rings  10  of the guard G are disposed outwardly from the central point  16  about the opening  14 . The ring members  10  are typically about one-half inch in vertical height or thickness along a longitudinal axis  18  ( FIG. 3 ) of the central point  16  of the central inner opening  14 , but may be somewhat thicker, such as about five-eighths of an inch, except that the outermost ring is reduced in thickness to about one-fourth of an inch. The rings  10  are also each typically about one-quarter inch or so in width or circular thickness in diametric extent measured from the central point  16 . The rings  10  are spaced from each other for reduction of weight and wind loading, and also to allow rain to periodically wash the bushing B or arrester A of debris or dirt.  
         [0028]     Each of the spaced ring members  10  beyond the innermost three or so is connected to the adjacent ones of the concentric ring members  10  by a suitable number of radially extending spacer tabs  20  which are angularly separated from each other about the central point  16 . The number and angular spacing of the tabs  20  is dependent on the desired degree of strength and load bearing capability of the guard G. In the embodiment shown, the tabs  20  are spaced at 45 degree radial intervals from each other with respect to the central inner opening  14 . Transition surfaces between the tabs  20  and the rings  10  are generally curved or rounded for additional strength and ease of manufacture and molding. The tabs  20  are comparable in lateral width to the thickness of the rings  10 , or about one-half to five-eighths of an inch, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the outer rings are thinner than the inner rings.  
         [0029]     The innermost three of the ring members  10  are spaced from each other by inner tabs  22 , which are generally of reduced height as compared to the rings  10 . The reduced thickness inner tabs  22  are radially aligned with the tabs  20  and are typically about half as thick as the tabs  20 . Further a set of inwardly extending lugs  24  are formed on an inner surface  26  of the innermost ring member  10 . The lugs  24  are also radially aligned with tabs  20  and  22  and are of comparable thickness to the tabs  22 . The inward extent of the lugs  24  defines the initial maximum insulator core diameter as indicated by a circle  26  of the bushing or object that can be fitted into the central opening  14 . If desired, the guard G may be adapted for sizing purposes to fit onto larger diameter objects. This is done by cutting away the lugs  24  allowing removal of one or more of the inner ring members  10 . The reduced thickness of inner tabs  22  facilitates this removal for sizing purposes.  
         [0030]     The tabs  22  and lugs  24  are preferably of the same shape and of similar function. It is also typical for notches or reduced thickness connector portions to be formed in the tabs  22  at their inner ends where they connect with an inner ring  10 . As described below, it is sometimes desirable to remove one or more of the inner rings  10  for sizing purposes. The notches or tabs  22  allow ease of removal of the inner rings  10  at their juncture with an inward end of the tabs  22 . This permits the portion of the tab  22  remaining after removal of the ring  10  to function in a like manner to lugs  24 .  
         [0031]     The guard G has an insertion slot  28  formed extending radially inwardly from an outermost portion  30  adjacent the outermost ring  10  inwardly to the central opening or mounting slot  14 . The insertion slot  28  serves as a passage or channel through which a portion of the electrical power equipment passes as the guard G is being mounted or installed.  
         [0032]     The insertion slot  28  is formed between two generally parallel inwardly extending ribs or structural members  32  which extend from the outermost ring member  10  to the central opening  14 . The guard G includes a plurality of angularly inwardly extending flexible teeth or fingers  34  formed on the rib members  32  on each side of the insertion slot  28 . The insertion teeth  34  serve as insertion guides as the guard G is being installed or mounted onto electrical equipment. During such insertion, a portion of the bushing or equipment B, as indicated schematically at  36 , is allowed to move inwardly, as indicated by an arrow  38 , through the insertion slot  28  from the outermost ring member  10  to the central opening  14 . The teeth  34  flex inwardly to allow passage of bushing B or arrester A during insertion of guard G. The flex of teeth  34  also serves to hold the guard G snugly to the bushing B or A.  
         [0033]     The lugs  24  are provided to engage an outer surface  30  of the bushing B. As has been set forth, all or portions of the lugs  24 , the inner rings  10  and the inner tabs  22  adjacent the central opening  14  out to a region indicated by line  42  may be removed. Removal is usually by cutting in order to allow snug fitting and engagement with the outside diameter  40  of the bushing or other electrical equipment on which the guard G is mounted.  
         [0034]     The teeth  34  of the guard G adjacent the insertion slot  28  also serve as restraining members in the event of force being applied to attempt to move the guard G off the equipment, such as wind. Due to the angular inward extension of the teeth  34 , outer end portions  44  of the teeth contact the outer surface  40  of the bushing or equipment and resist outward movement. If required, portions of teeth  34  within region  42  may also be removed to accommodate larger bushings B.  
         [0035]     It is to be noted that the inwardly extending teeth or fingers  34  at their innermost portions  44  are spaced from each other a distance less than the outside diameter of the portion  40  of the bushing B or other equipment on which the guard G is to be mounted. This serves to provide an additional restraining force or function against outward movement of the guard member G off of the electrical equipment once it has been installed.  
         [0036]     The guard G may comprise one or more installation grip areas  46  formed at suitable locations adjacent outer portions of the guard G.  
         [0037]     It should also be understood that guards G of any suitable outside diameter may be used in accordance with installation requirements for electrical power distribution equipment.  
         [0038]     The guard G can be seen to be a relatively thin, yet strong, easily stackable disc that is easily stored and does not occupy considerable storage space. Further, it is formed of a high-strength, durable synthetic resin that is resistant against deterioration from the sun&#39;s ultraviolet rays during service use. Most preferably, the material is UL94 compliant for low flammability and is formed by injection or compression molding. Moreover, the molded design does not invite the piercing of lineman&#39;s rubber gloves. The material of the guard G may be pigmented a suitable color for possible additional deterrent effects on certain animals or pigmented to visually blend with existing equipment to be less visually intrusive on the general public. It has been opined that the color red has deterrent effects on certain animals and the color gray is used on many other aerial devices such as transformers, insulators, bushings, etc. In the most preferred embodiment, the guard G is made from a plastic formulation mixed with a conductive filler material. It has been determined that the conductive filler distributed in the material forms an array of capacitors. The conductive filler material is preferably stainless steel conductive fibers, although it is anticipated that carbon black conductive material will also be a suitable material. Other conductive material is compatible with the broader aspects of the invention, such as copper, aluminum or any other material known to conduct electricity.  
         [0039]     When stainless steel fibers are used, the stainless steel fibers preferably comprise less than about 20% by weight of the formulation, more preferably less than about 15% by weight of the composition, more preferably less than about 12% by weight of the composition, more preferably less than about 10% by weight of the composition, more preferably less than about 8% by weight of the composition, and most preferably between 3 and 5% of the composition. An important aspect of the present invention is that the guard G is a molded product. The conductive material is infused in or mixed with the primary material used to form the guard G.  
         [0040]     The conductive material within the plastic formulation comprising the guard G is capable of attaining a small electrostatic charge from the electrostatic field surrounding, or adjacent to the electrically energized components of the device being protected. When touched by an animal, the charge dissipates to ground or across the device (e.g. a bird perched on the device) through the animal but is a small enough charge that the shock received by the animal serves only as a deterrent to climbing on the electrical device and does not injure the animal at all. It is believed that over time the shock will condition the animal to avoid the shock, and therefore the wildlife guard, completely. As a result, the conductive fibers within the guard G provide a deterrent to wildlife, preventing them from climbing on electrical equipment protected by the guard.  
         [0041]     To install the guard G, an initial sizing measurement may be made, so that portions of the lugs  24 , inner rings  10  and tabs  20  may be cut away as needed to ensure a proper, firm fitting engagement with the bushing B. The guard G, once properly sized, is moved so that the insertion slot  28  is aligned with bushing B. Production models are factory sized to the most popular equipment bushing sizes. The guard G may be installed on an energized (hot) electrical system, but electric power should be interrupted if a suitable insulated tool applied to installation grip or insulated gloves are not used. The teeth  34  serve as insertion guide, as noted above, and the guard G slides easily into firm engagement onto the portion  36  of the bushing B. When installed, the guard G serves as a deterring barrier so that wildlife do not come into simultaneous contact with both a live or electrified wire and an electrically grounded surface or area.  
         [0042]     Additionally the embodiment of  FIG. 2  can be used to prevent wildlife from walking along conductors by placing it over a nonconductive adapter placed over the conductor. Such conductors can include insulated wires, bare wires, solid bus or tubular bus. The adapter may have dielectric properties needed to create a difference in potential so that when installed on an energized conductor, the invention maintains an electric charge that may be discharged through the unwanted animal.  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an adapter  200  comprises a hollow cylinder  202  comprising a first half  204  and a second half  206  attached by a hinge  208 . The interior of the hollow cylinder  202  has flexible fingers  210  located thereon, and the exterior of the cylinder  202  defines an annular groove  212 . The exterior also comprises flanges  214 ,  216  on the first half  204  and the second half  206 , respectively. The flange  214  is attached to a rod  218  having a threaded bore  220  therein. Threaded through the threaded rod  218 , is an eye-bolt  222 . The second flange  206  is adapted to engage the head of the eye-bolt  222  to clamp the adapter  200  onto a conductor running through the interior of the hollow cylinder  202 .  
         [0044]     The embodiment of  FIGS. 7 and 8  may also include a hot stick attachment point  224  on the left half  206 . Optionally the right half  204  may also include a hot stick attachment point. Referring to  FIG. 9 , the adapter  200  is attached to a conductor C by engaging the eye-bolt  222  with the flange  216  to clamp the adapter  200  onto the conductor C, as described above. Next, guard G installed within the annular groove  212  in the same manner as the guard is installed, for example, onto an insulator.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , an alternate embodiment of the adapter is adapter  240 . The adapter  240  comprises a donut-shaped, flexible, nonconductive plastic portion defining a cutout section  242 . The adapter  240  may be resiliently deformed to fit around a conductor. The adapter  240  further defines an annular groove  244  in an exterior portion thereof. Referring to  FIG. 11 , the guard G is installed onto the adapter  240  after the adapter  240  has been installed onto a conductor in the same manner as the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-9 .  
         [0046]     In another embodiment and referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is provided a cover  100  for an electrical insulator bushing  102  having an electrical conductor  104  extending therefrom. The cover  100  comprises a jacket  106  and electrostatic panels  108  fastened to the cover  100 . The jacket  106  defines a cylindrical body portion  114  and a frustoconically-shaped top portion leaving a circular opening at the top for entry of the conductor  104 . The jacket  106  may also further define a bottom portion extending inwardly from the body portion  114 . The jacket  106  also defines a pair of flanges  112  that can be separated by resiliently flexing the jacket  106 . The flanges  112  may be attached to one another after the jacket  106  has been placed in service over the bushing  102  so as to maintain the cover  100  in position. While in position, an inwardly extending bottom portion of the jacket  106  is placed between radially outwardly extending skirts  122  of the bushing  102 , as is known in the art.  
         [0047]     Attached to the jacket  106 , and most preferably the body portion  114 , are electrostatic panels  108 . The electrostatic panels  108  are made from a conductive polymer available from RTP Company under the trade name RTP-199 and retrofitted to an existing bushing cover by fasteners  110 . However, the panel could equally be attached by means of adhesive, such as a glue or peel-off backing, or be in the form of a silicone tape material applied to the cover. The panels  108  could also be molded into the jacket  106 . The panels  108  gain an electrostatic charge from electrostatic field transmitted through the air from the conductor  104 . When an animal climbing on electrical equipment incorporating the cover  100  and comes into contact with one of the panels  108 , the animal receives a small shock and is deterred from further climbing on the electrical equipment. The shock is not harmful to the animal, but is of a level that is an annoyance to the animal. It is believed that the receipt of the shock by the animal creates a conditioned response in the animal that further prevents the animal from climbing on the equipment. As a result, the present invention saves the cost associated power failures and avoids the unnecessary death of wildlife.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 12A , another embodiment of the present invention comprises a wildlife guard  260  for placing upon an uninsulated conductor. The guard  260  comprises a hollow cylindrical portion  262  defining a longitudinal slit  263  and comprising end portions  263  that meet along the slit  263 . The device  260  comprises an inner nonconductive layer and an outer conductive layer. The outer conductive layer preferably comprises a carbon black material or stainless steel fiber impregnated plastic, as described above. The end portions  263  may be resiliently separated to allow a conductor to be retained within the hollow cylindrical portion  262 . The guard  260  may be attached by wrapping it with helically formed wire or helically formed synthetic resin grips  268  ( FIG. 12B ) having fasteners  269  attached thereto, as are well known in the art, or using adhesives or fasteners. In  FIG. 13 , a variation of  FIG. 12A  is shown having flanges  264 ,  266  attached thereto. The flanges  264 ,  266  define bores  267  therethrough through which fasteners  269  may be used to attach the flanges  264 ,  266  to one another.  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 14 , another embodiment of the present invention comprises a two layer tape  270  that may be applied, for example, to an uninsulated conductor C. The tape  270  comprises a first adhesive nonconductive layer and a second conductive layer and is applied to the conductor by wrapping it around the conductor. Most preferably, the two-layered tape  270  has bonding properties that allow it to adhere to itself forming a cylinder around the conductor.  
         [0050]     It should be understood that the wildlife guards of the present invention apply to a wide variety, if not all, insulator materials. Further, although the alternative embodiments show the wildlife guards of the present invention for use in protecting bushings, arresters, insulators, and terminators, the present invention contemplates that other power devices having energized and grounded surfaces may also be protected from wildlife.  
         [0051]     While the specific embodiments have been described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection should only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.