Overload prevention in a power distribution unit with electrical power outlet sockets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10601187-B2
Application number	US-201715627574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

An electrical power distribution unit for overload prevention is provided. The power distribution unit has a plurality of electrical power outlet sockets each for receiving a power plug and a power distribution system for supplying electrical power to each of the sockets. The power distribution unit includes an excess power detector for detecting an aggregate power drawn from the plurality of sockets and for actuating a disabling mechanism for disabling power supply for a subset of the sockets in response to the detected aggregate power exceeding a predetermined first threshold, wherein the subset of the sockets are sockets that are detected as currently not drawing power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical power distribution unit for overload prevention comprising:
a plurality of electrical power outlet sockets, each electrical power outlet socket of the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets configured to receive a power plug;
a power distribution system for supplying electrical power to the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets; and
an excess power detector for detecting an aggregate power drawn from the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets and for actuating a disabling mechanism for disabling power supply for a subset of the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets in response to the detected aggregate power exceeding a predetermined first threshold, wherein the subset of the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets are sockets that are detected as currently not drawing power;

wherein the excess power detector includes:
a predetermined second threshold above the first threshold and, in response to the detected aggregate power exceeding the predetermined second threshold, the excess power detector actuating the disabling mechanism for an additional subset of sockets, wherein the additional subset of sockets are currently drawing power, and
a predetermined third threshold that is set at a percentage of a rated loading of the electrical power distribution unit, based on at least one of: a ratio of a number of sockets in the electrical power distribution unit and an average current drawing of a socket, and, in response to the detected aggregate power being below the predetermined third threshold, de-actuating the disabling mechanism for a third subset of sockets, and wherein the predetermined third threshold is below the predetermined first threshold.

2. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the excess power detector includes a disabling mechanism actuator for a disabling mechanism in the form of a circuit at each socket that switches off power to the socket if the socket is not drawing power.

3. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the circuit includes a current sensor which actuates a switch to switch off power to the socket if no power is sensed.

4. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the circuit includes a current sensor which sends a signal to the disabling mechanism actuator which actuates the disabling mechanism for all sockets for which no power is sensed.

5. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the additional subset of sockets is selected randomly or in a predefined order.

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

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

9. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in 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 the control and a triggering component for triggering the disabling mechanism when the control component determines that the predetermined first threshold has been exceeded.

10. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a user override receiving component for receiving a user input to override the control component and overriding the control component.

11. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the user override receiving component prevents a triggering of the electrical disabling mechanism or, if the non-drawing sockets are already disabled, de-actuates the disabling mechanism.

12. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical power distribution unit is one 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.

13. The electrical power distribution unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the excess power detector for detecting an aggregate power drawn from the sockets includes an ammeter suitable for alternating or direct current measurement.

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

15. A method for preventing overload of an electrical power distribution unit, the electrical power distribution unit having:
a plurality of electrical power outlet sockets each configured to receive a power plug, and a power distribution system for supplying electrical power to each electrical power outlet socket of the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets, and at least one of the sockets being selectively disabled by a disabling mechanism controlled by an excess power detector,
the method comprising:
controlling, by a processor of a computing system, the selective disabling of the one or more sockets by:
monitoring, by the processor, an aggregate power drawn from the sockets;
determining, by the processor, if the aggregate power exceeds a predetermined first threshold;
actuating, by the processor, a disabling mechanism for a subset of the power outlet sockets that are detected as currently not drawing power;
determining, by the processor, if the aggregate power exceeds a predetermined second threshold above the first threshold and, in response to the detected aggregate power exceeding the predetermined second threshold, actuating the disabling mechanism for an additional subset of sockets, wherein the additional subset of sockets are currently drawing power, and
determining, by the processor, if the aggregate power is below a predetermined third threshold that is set at a percentage of a rated loading of the electrical power distribution unit, based on at least one of: a ratio of a number of sockets in the electrical power distribution unit and an average current drawing of a socket, and, in response to the detected aggregate power being below the predetermined third threshold, de-actuating the disabling mechanism for a third subset of sockets, and wherein the predetermined third threshold is below the predetermined first threshold.

16. A computer program product for preventing overload of an electrical power distribution unit having a plurality of electrical power outlet sockets each having a plurality of electrical power outlet sockets configured to receive a power plug and a power distribution system for supplying electrical power to each of the plurality of electrical power outlet sockets, and at least one of the sockets being selectively disabled by a disabling mechanism controlled by an excess power detector, the computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storin

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01R27/02

  for simultaneous co-operation with two or more {dissimilar} counterparts · CPC title

• H01R13/713 Primary

  the switch being a safety switch · CPC title

• H01R13/6666

  with built-in overvoltage protection · CPC title

• H01R13/6683

  with built-in sensor · CPC title

• H01R25/006 Primary

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title