The present invention relates to power input housings and assemblies for power distribution panels. The power input assemblies provide separate cavities with a centerwall for the power input cables to be led into and a cover closing the cavities. The cavities allow power cables to enter through either a top open end or a bottom open end and the cover is adapted to close the other open end when installed. Alternatively, the housing can be oriented with the open ends of the cavities to the sides, permitting cables to enter through either side and the cover closing the other side.
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8. A power distribution panel comprising:
a panel housing including a front and a rear;
the front including circuit control devices;
the rear including a power input assembly and a power output assembly;
the power input assembly including first and second parallel cavities each defining first and second open ends, and a cover including a major surface and a lower extension, the cover mountable in one of two selectable positions wherein in the first position the first open ends are closed and in the second position the second open ends are closed.
0. 29. A power distribution panel comprising:
a panel housing having a front and a rear;
circuit control devices located at the front of the panel housing; and
a power input assembly and a power output assembly located at the rear of the panel housing, the power input assembly including a cover having a major surface and a lower extension, the power input assembly defining first and second parallel cavities, the cover of the power input assembly being mountable in one of two selectable positions;
wherein in a first position of the two selectable positions, first ends of the first and second parallel cavities are closed, and in a second position of the two selectable positions, second ends of the first and second parallel cavities are closed.
0. 24. A power input housing for a power distribution panel comprising:
a body including a base and a center wall extending from the base; and
a removable cover mounted to the body, the cover including a major surface and a lower extension, the cover and the body defining a cavity divided longitudinally by the center wall;
the base including access openings on both sides of the center wall to permit electrical conductors to pass through the base;
wherein the cover is mountable in either a first position or a second position relative to the body such that when the cover is mounted in the first position, the lower extension encloses a first end of the cavity while a second end of the cavity remains open, and such that when the cover is mounted in the second position, the lower extension of the cover encloses the second end of the cavity while the first end remains open;
wherein the body and the cover are made of an electrically insulative material.
0. 33. A power input assembly comprising:
a housing and a removable cover, the housing and cover defining a cavity, the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;
a power conductor at least partially located within the power chamber, the power conductor being adapted to interconnect to a power terminal of an electrical power source;
a return conductor at least partially located within the return chamber, the return conductor being adapted to interconnect to a return terminal of the electrical power source;
wherein the removable cover includes a lower extension, the cover being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position, the lower extension closes off a first end of the cavity while a second end of the cavity remains open, and such that when the cover is mounted in the second position, the lower extension closes off the second end of the cavity while the first end remains open.
21. A method of attaching power cables to a power distribution device, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a power input assembly mounted to the power distribution panel, the power input assembly including:
a housing including a cavity having a first open end and a second open end on opposite sides of the housing;
the cavity defining a power chamber having a conductor which passes into the power distribution panel for connecting with a wire from a power terminal of an electrical power source, and a return chamber having a conductor which passes into the power distribution panel for connecting with a wire from a return terminal of an electrical power source;
positioning power and return cables in the respective first and second open ends of the housing;
attaching the power cable to the conductor in the power chamber;
attaching the return cable to the conductor in the return chamber; and
placing a cover on the housing wherein the cover has a lower extension to close off the other of the first and second open ends of the cavity.
16. A power input assembly comprising:
a housing including a cavity, the cavity defined by opposing sidewalls, a base and a removable cover, the cavity having a first open end and an opposite second open end;
the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;
the power chamber having a conductor which passes through the base of the cavity and adapted for receiving a conductor from a power terminal of an electrical power source, and the return chamber having a conductor which passes through the base of the cavity and adapted for receiving a conductor from a return terminal of the electrical power source;
the cover having a lower extension and being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension closes off the second open of the cavity and the first open end remains open.
0. 37. A power input assembly comprising:
a housing including a cavity, the cavity defined by opposing sidewalls, a base and a removable cover, the cavity having a first open end and an opposite second open end;
the cavity including a longitudinally extending power chamber and a longitudinally extending return chamber;
first and second power conductor posts located within the power chamber of the cavity, the power conductor posts being adapted for connection to a power terminal of an electrical power source, and first and second return conductor posts located within the return chamber of the cavity, the return conductor posts being adapted for connection to a return terminal of the electrical power source;
the cover having a lower extension and being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension closes off the second open of the cavity and the first open end remains open.
1. A power input housing for a power distribution panel comprising:
a body defining a cavity having a first open end and a second open end, the body including a base, opposing sidewalls extending from the base and a center wall extending from the base;
a removable cover mounted to the body;
the cavity being defined by the sidewalls, the base and the removable cover, and being divided longitudinally by the center wall, the center wall substantially parallel to the sidewalls, the sidewalls and base each having a first end adjacent and partially defining the first open end and each having a second end adjacent and partially defining the second open end;
the base having access openings at the first and second ends of the cavity on both sides of the center wall to permit electrical conductors to pass through the base;
the cover having a major surface and a lower extension, the cover being mountable in either a first position or a second position on the housing, such that when the cover is mounted in the first position the lower extension closes off the first open end of the cavity and the second open end of the cavity remains open, and when the cover is mounted in the second position the lower extension of the cover closes off the second open end of the cavity and the first open end remains open;
a mounting tab projecting outward from the base including a fastener opening; and
the body and the cover being made of an electrically insulative material.
2. The power input housing of
the inner cavity defined by an extension of the sidewalls, with the base of the body positioned between the outer and inner cavities, wherein ends of the inner cavity closed by a pair of opposing end walls, the end walls extending from the base proximate the first and second open ends of the outer cavity;
the access openings in the base of the body providing access to the inner cavity.
3. The power input housing of
4. The power input housing of
5. The power input housing of
6. The power input housing of
7. The power input housing of
9. The power distribution panel of
10. The power distribution panel of
11. The power distribution panel of
12. The power distribution panel of
13. The power distribution panel of
14. The power distribution panel of
15. The power distribution panel of
17. The power input assembly of
18. The power input assembly of
19. The power input assembly of
20. The power input assembly of
0. 25. The power input housing of
0. 26. The power input housing of
0. 27. The power input housing of
0. 28. The power input housing of
0. 30. The power distribution panel of
0. 31. The power distribution panel of
0. 32. The power distribution panel of
0. 34. The power input assembly of
0. 35. The power input assembly of
0. 36. The power input assembly of
0. 38. The power input assembly of
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The present invention generally relates to power input structures for power distribution panels.
Power distribution panels are generally mounted in an electronic equipment rack with other devices requiring a source of electric power. The basic function of such a distribution panel is to receive electric power, typically DC power, from an external power source and distribute this power through a bus bar to a series of individual circuits for delivery to the equipment mounted in the rack or in nearby equipment racks. Typically, these individual circuits are protected by fuses or circuit breakers. Common voltages for these panels are 24 and 48 Volts DC. The bus bars commonly handle up to 300 amps or more and the individual circuits are protected by circuit breakers capable of handling of up to 100 amps or more or by fuses capable of handling up to 125 amps or more. In addition, a power distribution panel may have two separate bus bars, meaning the total current being supplied to a panel could be up to 600 Amps.
The amount of electrical current being supplied to a power distribution panel is sufficient to cause injury to persons working around these panels or to adjacent devices. Protective devices or shields are desirable to guard against accidental contact with the exposed power and return current feeds linking the external power sources to the bus bars within the distribution panels. However, depending on the environment where a particular rack might be installed, these external power feeds may come from above, below or the side of the distribution panel. A distribution panel having a power input structure capable of being easily adapted for receiving and protecting power feeds from multiple directions is desirable.
The present invention relates to a power input housing with an open ended cavity divided by a centerwall, and a cover for the housing having an extension to close one of the open ends of the cavity when the cover is mounted to the housing. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a power input assembly including a housing with an open ended cavity divided by a centerwall into return and power chambers with conductors mounted within each chamber. A cover for the assembly is provided having an extension to close one of the open ends of the cavity when the cover is mounted to the housing. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method of attaching power input cables to a power distribution panel using a power input assembly including a housing with an open ended cavity divided by a centerwall into power and return chambers with conductors mounted within each chamber and a cover for the housing having an extension to close one of the open ends of the cavity when the cover is mounted to the housing. The cables are led into either one of the open ends and the cover is used to close off the other open end.
A variety of advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the description, illustrate several aspects of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. A brief description of the drawings is as follows:
Reference will now be ma de in detail to exemplary aspects of the present invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
To prevent accidental contact with the power and return power leads supplying electrical power to a power distribution panel 1, a power input assembly 10 is provided about each power input location. Assembly 10 is designed to provide separation and isolation of the power or battery and return leads from each other and prevent people and/or other devices from contacting the leads and receiving an electrical shock, causing harm to personnel or property.
Internally, due to the amount of current in the power distribution buses 60 and 160, some shielding of the individual power leads 166 prevents unwanted arcing or current induction between adjacent leads. This shielding can be accomplished by coating the leads with an electrically insulative material or by providing sufficient separation of the leads. Providing separation of leads 166 also provides improved access to components within panel 1 for users.
Referring now to
Mounted to rear face 28 are two sets of power output terminals 12. Output terminals 12 are then connected to the power input terminals of telecommunications devices to supply power to those devices. In
On the front face of panel 1 are circuit breakers 38 and fuses 42 to provide protection for the equipment to which panel 1 is supplying power. Additional breaker locations 36 are available to allow more breakers to be mounted to panel 1. Circuit breakers 38 could alternatively replaced by fuses. Signal lamps 40 are connected with the alarm in panel 1 to provide the visible signal if a power flow problem is detected. Holder 46 is provided on front face 34 to maintain indicia regarding the devices which are being supplied power by panel 1.
Power input assembly 10 includes a power conductor 52 with posts 48 and a return conductor 54 with posts 50. Conductors 52 and 54 are attached to buses 60 inside panel 1. Posts 48 are connected with the power terminal of the power source supplying panel 1 and posts 50 are connected with the return terminal of the power source supplying the panel. Posts 48 are electrically connected to conductor 52, which are in turn electrically connected with a power bus end 56 of bus 60. Posts 50 are electrically connected to conductor 54, which are in turn electrically connected with a return bus end 58 of bus 60.
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Mounting opening 128 in top 120 includes a narrow end 130 and a wide end 132. Opening 128 is sized and located to receive a fastener extending from opening 94 in housing 70 to hold cover 14 to housing 70. The shape of opening 128 is sized to allow cover 14 to be removed from housing 70 without completely removing the screw from opening 94. Narrow end 130 and wide end 132 are oriented to be generally parallel to ledges 126.
Cover 14 and housing 70 are designed so that cover 14 may be mounted to housing 70 with extension 122 at either first end 73 (as shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
As shown, output power assembly 12 is configured to supply power to six such devices, having six pairs of battery terminals 202 and six pairs of return terminals 200. Alternative configurations having more or fewer pairs of terminals can be used depending on size constraints and the number of devices requiring power. Output housing 206 is a uni-body housing, so that the same housing includes provisions for both battery and return terminals.
Terminals 200 and 202 are grouped in pairs to improve the quality and physical surface area of contact between the cables to and from the devices and the terminals, and to prevent rotation of the cables attached to the terminals. Return terminals 200 are all linked to a common return strap 204 which extends through output housing 206 from outer face 210 beyond inner face 208. When output power assembly 12 is mounted to panel 1, return strap 204 is electrically connected to return bus end 58.
Each pair of battery terminals 202 are connected to a conductor strap 220 which extends through output housing 206 from outer face 210 beyond inner face 208 and includes an offset connector 168 or 170 169. As detailed above, offset connectors 168 and 170 169 are electrically connected with segments 189 of leads 166 when output power assembly 12 is mounted to panel 1.
Flanges 216 and fastener openings 218 are provided on output housing 206 to allow power output assembly 12 to be securely and removably fastened to rear face 28 of panel 1, as shown in FIG. 1.
Having described preferred aspects and embodiments of the present invention, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts may readily occur to one skilled in the art. However, it is intended that such modifications and equivalents be included within the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.
Cabrera, Carlos, Schomaker, David E., Ngo, Tuan
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