Power distribution rack assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10305264-B2
Application number	US-201515557644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for distributing power from a power source to a set of power outputs using a power distribution rack includes a manifold having a set of bus bar channels in a wall, a set of electronic cards, and a set of bus bars received in the set of bus bar channels and coupling a power source to the electronic cards, wherein the electronic cards route the power from the power source to the power outputs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power distribution rack assembly comprising:
a manifold defining an interior having a set of slots within the manifold, a wall having an outer surface with a set of bus bar channels extending along at least a portion of the outer surface normal to the slots, the set of bus bar channels having a set of apertures in the wall;
at least one electronic card having at least one power input connector, at least one power output connector, and power electronics configured to route power received at the at least one power input connector to the at least one power output connector, and wherein the at least one electronic card is configured to be received in the set of slots in the interior of the manifold; and
a set of bus bar conductors received in the set of bus bar channels, and adapted to receive power from a power source, the set of bus bar conductors having at least one electrical contact connected thereto and that extend from the outer surface through the set of apertures to the interior of the manifold;
wherein the at least one electronic card is received in the set of slots, and the set of bus bar conductors is received in the set of bus bar channels, with the at least one electrical contact selectively coupled with the at least one power input connector to selectively configure continuity between the power source and the at least one power output connector.

2. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold has a second wall with a set of openings corresponding to the at least one power output connector.

3. The rack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a non-conductive cover overlying set of bus bar channels.

4. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the set of bus bar conductors has connectors that extend past the wall and connect to the power source.

5. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein a subset of the bus bar conductors is configured to receive one of AC power or DC power from the power source.

6. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical contact is a spring clip.

7. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the set of bus bar channels extend along the outer surface of a common wall of the manifold.

8. The rack assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the at least one power input connector is on a common edge of the at least one electronic card, and wherein the common edge is the at least one electronic card edge closest to the common wall of the manifold.

9. A power distribution rack comprising:
a set of slots included in a manifold having an outer surface and an interior, the manifold configured to receive a set of electronic cards having at least one power input connector, at least one power output connector, and power electronics configured to route power received at the at least one power input connector to the at least one power output connector;
a set of bus bar channels disposed at the outer surface of the manifold normal to the set of slots;
at least one aperture positioned in the set of bus bar channels providing access to a set of electronic cards received in the set of slots; and
a set of bus bar conductors received in the set of bus bar channels, and configured to connect to a power source, the set of bus bar conductors having at least one electrical contact connected thereto and extending from the outer surface through the at least one aperture to the interior of the manifold;
wherein the at least one electrical contact can be coupled with the at least one power input connector of a set of electronic cards received in the set of slots to establish continuity between the power source and the at least one power output connector.

10. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , wherein the manifold has a wall with a set of openings corresponding to the at least one power output connector.

11. The power distribution rack of claim 10 , wherein the set of openings is keyed to the at least one power output connector.

12. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , further comprising a non-conductive cover overlying set of bus bar channels.

13. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , wherein the set of bus bar conductors has connectors extending past the set of bus bar channels and connect to the power source.

14. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , wherein the set of slots is further configured to receive a set of parallel electronics cards.

15. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , wherein a subset of the bus bar conductors is configured to receive one of AC power or DC power from the power source.

16. The power distribution rack of claim 9 , wherein the at least one electrical contact is a spring clip.

17. A modular bus bar connection system comprising:
a manifold having an outer surface and defining an interior having a set of slots that receive a set of electronic cards;
a set of bus bar channels disposed in the outer surface of a wall of the manifold normal to the set of slots and having a set of apertures through the wall;
a set of bus bar segments received in the set of bus bar channels and having at least one end that couples with a power source; and
a set of electrical contacts coupled with the set of bus bar segments and that extend from the outer surface through the set of apertures to the interior of the manifold and couple with a set of electronic cards received in the set of slots;
wherein the set of bus bar segments is selected and arranged in the set of bus bar channels to couple with at least a subset of electronic cards received in the set of slots.

18. The modular bus bar connection system of claim 17 , wherein the set of bus bar segments has varying lengths.

19. The modular bus bar connection system of claim 17 , further comprising a set of non-conductive covers for the set of bus bar channels.

20. The modular bus bar connection system of claim 17 , wherein the set of electrical contacts includes a spring clip.

Assignees

• Ge Aviat Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Brett John Michael
• Leivers Christopher Andrew
• Collins John Oliver

Classifications

• H05K7/1457 Primary

  Power distribution arrangements · CPC title

• H02B1/34 Primary

  Racks · CPC title

• H02B1/20

  Bus-bar or other wiring layouts, e.g. in cubicles, in switchyards (installations of bus-bars H02G5/00) · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• B64D47/00

  Equipment not otherwise provided for · CPC title