Power busway interposer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9929554-B2
Application number	US-201414315243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Jun 25, 2014
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A power busway interposer enables a power busway assembly of energized busway segments to be extended, via coupling additional busway segments to the assembly, while maintaining energization of the assembly. As a result, a power busway assembly providing power support to electrical loads can be extended while maintaining power support to the electrical loads. The interposer includes separate sets of connectors that couple with separate busway segments and a switching device which selectively electrically couples the connectors, so that a power busway connector can be de-energized while another separate power busway connector is coupled to an energized busway segment and then subsequently energized. Extending the power busway assembly can include coupling separate sets of connectors to separate busway segments, where the separate sets of connectors are electrically isolated, and adjusting the switching device to electrically couple the separate sets of connectors, so that power is distributed between coupled busway segments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data center, comprising:
an aisle space comprising a row of rack computer systems which extend through at least one portion of the aisle space;
an energized power busway assembly, extending through the at least one portion of the aisle space and comprising a plurality of energized power busway segments coupled in series, wherein:
the energized power busway assembly is configured to distribute electrical power, received from a power source at a proximate end of the power busway assembly, to the row of rack computer systems, and
the plurality of energized power busway segments includes a distal energized power busway segment at a distal end of the power busway assembly; and

a power busway interposer configured to:
couple an additional power busway segment to the energized distal power busway segment at the distal end of the power busway assembly, such that the additional power busway segment is electrically isolated from the energized distal power busway segment, and
subsequent to the coupling, selectively electrically couple the additional power busway segment to the energized distal power busway segment to energize the additional power busway segment.

2. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the power busway interposer comprises:
a plurality of separate power busway connectors, each configured to couple with separate power busway segments to couple the additional power busway segment to the energized distal power busway segment;
wherein each power busway connector of the plurality of separate power busway connectors is configured to be slidably inserted into an end of a separate power busway segment to slidably engage with at least one bus bar of the separate power busway segment.

3. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the power busway interposer comprises:
at least two separate tap box assemblies; and
at least one power transmission line electrically coupling the at least two separate tap box assemblies;
wherein, to couple the additional power busway segment to the energized distal power busway segment, the power busway interposer is configured to couple each of the separate tap box assemblies with a separate power busway segment.

4. The data center of claim 1 , wherein:
the power busway interposer is configured to couple the additional power busway segment to the energized distal power busway segment to enable incremental extension of the power busway assembly through at least one additional portion of the aisle space.

5. An apparatus, comprising:
a power busway interposer configured to couple at least two separate power busway segments together and selectively energize at least one of the coupled power busway segments via a separate energized power busway segment of the coupled power busway segments, wherein the power busway interposer comprises:
at least two separate power busway connectors, wherein each separate power busway connector is configured to couple with a separate power busway segment of the at least two separate power busway segments; and
a switching device, coupled to each of the at least two separate power busway connectors and configured to selectively electrically couple the at least two separate power busway connectors to selectively energize the at least one of the coupled power busway segments via the separate energized power busway segment of the coupled power busway segments.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
each of the at least two separate power busway connectors is configured to be slidably inserted into an end of a separate power busway segment of the at least two separate power busway segments to slidably engage with at least one bus bar of the separate power busway segment, such that the power busway interposer extends at least partially between adjacent ends of the at least two separate power busway segments to which the power busway interposer is coupled.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the power busway interposer comprises:
at least two separate tap box assemblies, wherein each of the separate tap box assemblies comprises a separate one of the at least two separate power busway connectors and is configured to couple with a power busway segment to couple the separate power busway connector with at least one bus bar of the power busway segment; and
at least one power transmission line extending at least partially between the at least two separate tap box assemblies;
wherein, to selectively enable distribution of electrical power between the at least two separate busway segments, via the at least two separate power busway connectors, the power busway interposer is configured to:
couple each of the at least two separate tap box assemblies to separate one of the at least two separate power busway segments, via respective power busway connectors, and
selectively electrically couple the at least two separate power busway segments, via the separate tap box assemblies and the at least one power transmission line.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the power transmission line comprises a power cable coupling the at least two separate tap box assemblies together and configured to distribute power from one tap box assembly to another tap box assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the power transmission line is configured to substantially carry an entirety of the power feed carried by at least one of the at least two separate power busway segments.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , comprising:
an insulation element configured to be mounted to adjacent ends of the at least two separate power busway segments to preclude electrical arcing between the adjacent ends of the at least two separate power busway segments.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the power busway interposer is coupled to an end of at least one power busway segment of the at least two power busway segments, via at least one of the power busway connectors, prior to energization of the at least one power busway segment;
at least another one of the power busway connectors is coupled with the at least one of the power busway connectors via the switching device; and
to selectively electrically couple the at least two separate power busway segments, via the at least two separate power busway connectors, the power busway interposer is configured to:
couple the at least another one of the power busway connectors with another end of another at least one power busway segment, concurrently with the at least one power busway segment being energized and the switching device being positioned in an open position, and
adjustably position the switching device to a closed position, subsequent to coupling the at least another one of the power busway connectors with another end of the other at least one power busway segment, to electrically couple the energized at least one power busway segment with the other at least one power busway segment.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the power busway interposer is configured to electrically couple at least two separate power busway segments together to extend a power busway assembly to enable electrical power distribution to at least one set of electrical loads, concurrently with installation of the at least one set of electrical loads in an aisle space.

13. A method, comprising:
configuring a power busway interposer to incrementally extend an energized power busway assembly, wherein the energized power busway assembly comprises at least one power busway segment, and the power busway interposer comprises a proximate busway connector, a distal power busway connector, and a switching device configured to selectively electrically couple the proximate

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Ross Peter George
• Wilding Robert David
• Towner Stephanie
• Pompei Giorgio Arturo

Classifications

• H01R13/70 Primary

  with built-in switch · CPC title

• H05K7/1492

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• H02G5/08 Primary

  Connection boxes therefor · CPC title

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R25/145

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