CONFIGURABLE RACK AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20120170175A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Silberbauer, Kristian, Tingskov, Carsten Nommensen, Schmidt, Jacob Damgaard, Müller, Torben, Winther, Casper Juel
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/637
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/205 for connecting electrical apparatus mounted side by side on a rail
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/21 Bus-bar arrangements for rack-mounted devices with withdrawable units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14325 for cabinets or racks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1457 Power distribution arrangements

Abstract

A configurable rack for supporting components of an uninterruptible power supply includes a frame assembly having a front and a rear. At least one of the front and the rear is configured to receive electronic modules in stacked relation along a height of the frame assembly. The configurable rack further includes a busbar backplane disposed between the front and the rear. The busbar backplane extends vertically within the frame assembly and is configured to be electrically coupled to the at least one electronic module received within the front and/or the rear of the frame assembly.

Claims

1. A configurable rack for supporting components of an uninterruptible power supply, the configurable rack comprising:

a frame assembly having a front and a rear, wherein at least one of the front and the rear is configured to receive electronic modules in stacked relation along a height of the frame assembly; and

a busbar backplane disposed between the front and the rear, the busbar backplane extending vertically within the frame assembly and configured to be electrically coupled to an electronic module received within the at least one of the front and the rear of the frame assembly.

2. The configurable rack of claim 1, wherein the front is configured to receive electronic modules in stacked relation along a height of the front.

3. The configurable rack of claim 2, wherein the rear is configured to receive electronic modules in stacked relation along a height of the rear.

4. The configurable rack of claim 1, wherein the busbar backplane extends along a plane parallel to a plane defined by at least one of the front and the rear.

5. The configurable rack of claim 4, wherein the busbar backplane includes a plurality of busbars, each busbar extending in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the at least one of the front and the rear.

6. The configurable rack of claim 5, wherein each busbar includes contact areas configured to connect to the electronic module.

7. The configurable rack of claim 5, further comprising a connector coupled to the electronic module.

8. The configurable rack of claim 7, wherein the connector includes a pair of spring-loaded arms configured to resiliently engage the busbar.

9. The configurable rack of claim 1, further comprising at least one redundant connector.

10. The configurable rack of claim 9, wherein the at least one redundant connector is positioned along a side of the frame assembly.

11. The configurable rack of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the front and the rear is configured so that electronic modules are positioned vertically within the frame assembly at predetermined intervals.

12. The configurable rack of claim 1, wherein the electronic module includes a power module.

13. The configurable rack of claim 1, wherein the at least one module includes a battery.

14. A method of providing uninterruptible power to sensitive and/or critical loads, the method comprising:

providing selected components of an uninterruptible power supply comprising a frame assembly configured to receive electronic modules in stacked relation;

inserting at least one electronic module into the frame assembly; and

electrically coupling the at least one electronic module to a busbar backplane disposed within the frame assembly, the busbar backplane extending vertically within the frame assembly and configured to provide power to the at least one electronic module received within the frame assembly.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the busbar backplane extends along a plane parallel to a plane defined by at least one of a front and a rear of the frame assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the busbar backplane includes a plurality of busbars each extending in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the at least one of the front and the rear.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each busbar includes contact areas configured to connect to the at least one electronic module.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising a connector coupled to the at least one electronic module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the connector includes a pair of spring-loaded arms configured to resiliently engage the busbar.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising electrically coupling the at least one electronic module to at least one redundant connector.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one redundant connector is positioned along a side of the frame assembly.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising inserting a plurality of electronic modules into the frame assembly so that the electronic modules are positioned vertically within the frame assembly at predetermined intervals.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one electronic module includes a power module.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one module includes a battery.