Power connector assembly for a communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10673189-B2
Application number	US-201916410007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2019
Priority date	Jun 6, 2018
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A power connector assembly includes a power rail and a slide power connector. The power rail is mounted to a first wall of a first component via mechanical standoffs to define a clearance space between the power rail and the first wall. An electrode is disposed along a first side of the power rail facing the first wall. The slide power connector is mounted to a second wall of a discrete, second component. The slide power connector defines a track that receives the power rail therein. At least one power contact of the slide power connector is disposed within the clearance space and is electrically connected to the electrode of the power rail to establish an electrical connection. At least one of the first and second components is movable relative to the other along an extension cycle. The electrical connection is maintained throughout the extension cycle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power connector assembly comprising:
a power rail mounted to a first wall of a first component via mechanical standoffs that suspend the power rail a distance away from the first wall to define a clearance space between the power rail and the first wall, the mechanical standoffs span the clearance space, wherein the power rail has a positive electrode disposed along a first side of the power rail facing the first wall; and
a slide power connector including a housing and power contacts held in the housing, the slide power connector mounted to a second wall of a second component that is discrete from the first component, the housing defining a track that receives the power rail therein, wherein at least one of the power contacts is disposed within the clearance space and is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the power rail to establish an electrical connection between the slide power connector and the power rail,
wherein at least one of the first and second components is configured to be moved relative to the other of the first and second components along an extension cycle, and the electrical connection between the slide power connector and the power rail is maintained throughout the extension cycle.

2. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distance from the power rail to the first wall is less than 1 cm.

3. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distance from the power rail to the first wall is narrower than an adolescent human finger to prohibit human touch contact with the positive electrode of the power rail.

4. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode of the power rail provides current to the slide power connector and the power rail also includes a negative electrode that provides a ground or return path, the positive and negative electrodes extending parallel to each other along a length of the power rail.

5. The power connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the positive and negative electrodes are both disposed along the first side of the power rail that faces the first wall.

6. The power connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein the negative electrode is disposed on a second side of the power rail opposite the first side such that the positive and negative electrodes are disposed along opposite sides of the power rail.

7. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is elongated from a first end of the power rail to a second end of the power rail parallel to an axis of the extension cycle.

8. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is mounted to a chassis that represents the first component and the slide power connector is mounted to a drawer that represents the second component, the drawer held by the chassis and is moved relative to the chassis along the extension cycle, wherein the slide power connector mounted to the drawer is outside of a cavity of the drawer and is electrically connected to one or more electrical devices within the cavity of the drawer via power wires that extend from the slide power connector into the cavity.

9. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is mounted to a drawer that represents the first component and the slide power connector is mounted to a chassis that represents the second component, the drawer held by the chassis and moves relative to the chassis along the extension cycle, wherein the power rail mounted to the drawer is outside of a cavity of the drawer and is electrically connected to one or more electrical devices within the cavity of the drawer via power wires that extend from the power rail into the cavity.

10. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the slide power connector defines a gap along a length of the slide power connector to accommodate the mechanical standoffs as the slide power connector moves past the mechanical standoffs along the extension cycle.

11. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power contacts of the slide power connector include deflectable spring beams that mechanically engage the power rail, wherein the spring beams are spring-loaded against the power rail to maintain contact with the power rail throughout the extension cycle.

12. The power connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the power contacts includes a first set of the deflectable spring beams and a second set of the deflectable spring beams that extends in an opposite direction as the first set.

13. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power rail includes one or more heat sinks mounted on the power rail, the one or more heat sinks located on the power rail outside of a travel path of the slide power connector to avoid obstructing with the relative movement of the slide power connector and the power rail.

14. The power connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the slide power connector is defined by a first housing member and a second housing member, the first and second housing members being separate and discrete, each of the first and second housing members holding at least one respective power contact of the power contacts.

15. A power connector assembly comprising:
a power rail mounted to a panel of a chassis via mechanical standoffs that suspend the power rail a distance away from the panel to define a clearance space between the power rail and the panel, the mechanical standoffs span the clearance space, the power rail having a power supply circuit electrically connected to a power supply, wherein the power supply circuit includes a positive electrode disposed along an outer side of the power rail facing the panel; and
a slide power connector mounted to a drawer that is held by the chassis, the drawer slidable relative to the chassis along an extension cycle, the slide power connector electrically connected to one or more electrical devices disposed within a cavity of the drawer via power wires that extend into the cavity, the slide power connector having power contacts electrically connected to the power supply circuit of the power rail, wherein at least one of the power contacts is disposed within the clearance space and is electrically connected to the positive electrode to establish an electrical connection between the slide power connector and the power rail,
wherein the slide power connector is configured to slide along the power rail as the drawer is moved relative to the chassis, and the power contacts maintain electrical connection with the power supply circuit throughout the extension cycle.

16. The power connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the power contacts of the slide power connector are mounted to corresponding frame members of a contact feed frame, each of the frame members having a proximal end mechanically and electrically connected to a respective one of the power wires and at least one distal end mechanically and electrically connected to a respective one of the power contacts.

17. The power connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein the slide power connector includes a housing, the housing including a first rail and a second rail that define a track therebetween for receiving the power rail such that the first rail is configured to engage a first edge of the power rail and the second rail is configured to engage a second edge of the power rail, the housing further including a first tab that extends from the first rail and a second tab that extends from the second rail, the first and second tabs are disposed within the clearance space and define a gap therebetween to accommodate t

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Corp

Inventors

• Mulfinger Robert Neil
• Reisinger Jason M'Cheyne
• Grimm Matthew
• Herring Michael David
• Kelly Sean Patrick
• Blackburn Christopher William
• Di Paola Patrick

Classifications

• H01R25/145 Primary

  Details, e.g. end pieces or joints (H01R25/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R41/00

  Non-rotary current collectors for maintaining contact between moving and stationary parts of an electric circuit (end pieces terminating in a hook or the like H01R11/12; current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00) · CPC title

• H01R25/142

  Their counterparts · CPC title

• H01R13/02

  Contact members · CPC title

• H01R13/502

  composed of different pieces (H01R13/514 takes precedence) · CPC title