Disabling sockets in a power distribution unit in response to detection of excess power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10587117-B2
Application number	US-201715438830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

An electrical power distribution unit for overload prevention and a method for preventing overload of the electrical power distribution unit. The power distribution unit includes: (i) a plurality of sockets, each socket being an electrical power outlet socket, each socket having a plurality of receptacles for receiving corresponding pins of a power plug; (ii) a mechanical disabling mechanism configured to disable each socket that is unoccupied by a respective power plug; and (iii) an excess power detector configured to detect an aggregate power drawn from the sockets. The method includes: monitoring, by the excess power detector, a first aggregate power drawn from the sockets; and determining that the first aggregate power exceeds a predetermined first threshold and in response, actuating the mechanical disabling mechanism to disable each socket that is unoccupied by a respective power plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical power distribution unit for overload prevention, comprising:
a plurality of sockets, each socket being an electrical power outlet socket, each socket having a plurality of slots for receiving corresponding pins of a power plug comprising two main pins and an earth pin, said plurality of slots of each socket comprising two main pin slots for receiving the two main pins of the respective power plug and an earth pin slot for receiving the earth pin of the respective power plug;
a mechanical disabling mechanism configured to disable each socket that is unoccupied by a respective power plug; and
an excess power detector configured to detect an aggregate power drawn from the sockets and configured to actuate the mechanical disabling mechanism for disabling each socket that is unoccupied by a power plug in response to a determination that the detected aggregate power exceeds a predetermined first threshold, wherein the mechanical disabling mechanism is configured to disable each socket that is unoccupied by the respective power plug by rotating an electrically actuable shutter to selectively occlude the earth pin slot and not occlude the two main pin slots of each socket that is unoccupied by the respective power plug.

2. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the electrically actuable shutter is actuated by a solenoid having a solenoid coil to which current is selectively applied and a solenoid actuator rod attached to the shutter, wherein the shutter is rotatable to occlude the earth pin slot in response to a lateral movement of the actuator rod caused by the solenoid coil changing from an energized state to an un-energized state.

3. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 2 , wherein the electrically actable shutter is a rotatable shutter shaped to rotate in response to a lateral force applied by the solenoid actuator rod.

4. The unit of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical disabling mechanism includes a compression spring configured to bias the solenoid actuator rod to the lateral movement caused by the solenoid coil changing from the energized state to the un-energized state.

5. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 2 , wherein the excess power detector is configured to de-actuate the mechanical disabling mechanism by re-energizing the solenoid coil causing the actuator rod to retract and rotate the shutter to open the at least one of the receptacles.

6. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , including a user input device for overriding the excess power detector to prevent actuation of the mechanical disabling mechanism or to de-actuate the mechanical disabling mechanism.

7. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the excess power detector includes a current monitoring component for monitoring the detected aggregate power drawn from the sockets and a threshold component for determining if the detected aggregate power exceeds the predetermined first threshold.

8. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 7 , wherein the threshold component includes a predetermined second threshold, wherein, in response to the detected aggregate power being below the predetermined second threshold, the electrical power distribution unit de-actuates the mechanical disabling mechanism, and wherein the second threshold is below the first threshold.

9. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 7 , wherein the threshold component is configurable by a user depending on circumstances of use of the power distribution unit.

10. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the excess power detector includes a control component having a processor and a memory configured to provide computer program instructions to the processor to execute a triggering component for triggering the mechanical disabling mechanism in response to a determination by the control component that the first threshold has been exceeded.

11. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 10 , including a user override receiving component for receiving a user input to override the control component.

12. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 11 , wherein the user override receiving component prevents the triggering of the mechanical disabling mechanism or, if the unoccupied sockets are already disabled, de-actuates the mechanical disabling mechanism.

13. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the power distribution unit is selected from the group consisting of a domestic adapter for connection to a mains supply, an industrial adapter for connection to an industrial power supply, and a distribution unit for a data center with a commercial power supply.

14. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the excess power detector for detecting the aggregate power drawn from the sockets is an ammeter suitable for alternating or direct current measurement.

15. The electrical power distribution unit of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is configured as a percentage of the rated loading of the power distribution unit or the first threshold is configured as a maximum loading for specified appliances being powered by the power distribution unit.

16. A method for preventing overload of an electrical power distribution unit, said electrical power distribution unit comprising: (i) a plurality of sockets, each socket being an electrical power outlet socket, each socket having a plurality of slots for receiving corresponding pins of a power plug; (ii) a mechanical disabling mechanism configured to disable each socket that is unoccupied by a respective power plug comprising two main pins and an earth pin, said plurality of slots of each socket comprising two main pin slots for receiving the two main pins of the respective power plug and an earth pin slot for receiving the earth pin of the respective power plug; and (iii) an excess power detector configured to detect an aggregate power drawn from the sockets, said method comprising:
monitoring, by the excess power detector, a first aggregate power drawn from the sockets; and
determining that the first aggregate power exceeds a predetermined first threshold and in response, actuating the mechanical disabling mechanism to disable each socket that is unoccupied by the respective power plug by rotating an electrically actuable shutter to selectively occlude the earth pin slot and not occlude the two main pin slots of each socket that is unoccupied by the respective power plug.

17. The method of claim 16 , said method further comprising:
monitoring, by the excess power detector, a second aggregate power drawn from the sockets while the mechanical disabling mechanism is actuated;
determining that the second aggregate power is less than a predetermined second threshold and in response, de-actuating the mechanical disabling mechanism to re-enable the disabled sockets, wherein the predetermined second threshold is less than the predetermined first threshold.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , said method further comprising:
receiving a user input to override the actuating of the disabling mechanism or to de-actuate the mechanical disabling mechanism.

19. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program instructions stored therein, said hardware storage device not being a signal, said program instructions being executable by a processor to implement a method for preventing overload of an electrical power distribution unit, said electrica

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Hewitt James
• Holyoake Colin I
• Postlethwaite Richard
• Thomas Caroline J

Classifications

• H02J1/14 Primary

  Balancing load and power generation in DC networks · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R24/78

  with additional earth or shield contacts · CPC title

• H01R25/003

  the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title