POWER CONNECTION CLIP FOR A SHELF IN A SERVER RACK

• US 20170164505A1
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarti, Pierluigi
• Granted Patent: US 9,986,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/142 Their counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1492 having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications

Abstract

Various embodiments include a power connection clip to electrically couple a power distribution board of an information technology (IT) equipment shelf to a plurality of power rails/buses in a server rack. The power connection clip can include a clip body having an inner portion and an outer portion, a shelf coupler, and an electrical conductor pair. The outer portion can include at least two clip fins separated from a central stump to form at least two cavities. The shelf coupler can couple the clip body to the IT equipment shelf. The electrical conductor pair can sandwich at least the inner portion of the clip body. The electrical conductor pair is adapted to carry high-voltage direct current (HVDC) voltage. The cavities can be covered with electrical conductors. The electrical conductors in the cavities can be adapted to carry IT-usable direct current (DC) voltage.

Claims

1. A power connection clip for connecting an information technology (IT) equipment shelf to a server rack, comprising:

a clip body having an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein the outer portion is adapted to protrude outside of the IT equipment shelf and the inner portion is adapted to extend inside the IT equipment shelf, wherein the outer portion includes a central stump and at least two clip fins separated from the central stump to form at least two cavities;

wherein the inner portion of the clip body includes at least two rear outlets;

electrically conductors respectively and at least partially covering the cavities, the electrically conductors adapted to carry a first voltage to the rear outlets;

a shelf coupler, attached to the clip body and between the inner portion and the outer portion, adapted to mechanically couple the clip body to a wall of the IT equipment shelf; and

a pair of electrically conductive prongs sandwiching at least part of the inner portion of the clip body and extending into the outer portion, wherein the pair of electrically conductive prongs are adapted to carry a second voltage higher than the first voltage.

2. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are metallic plating or coating.

3. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is IT-usable direct current (DC) voltage and the second voltage is high-voltage direct current (HVDC) voltage.

4. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the clip fins are adapted to flex and, when flexed, to assert an elastic return force to secure the power connection clip to an object fitted in the cavities.

5. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the clip fins have ridged surfaces.

6. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the shelf coupler is integrated with the clip body.

7. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the shelf coupler includes a flat surface with one or more holes adapted for use with at least a bolt or a screw to mechanically couple with the wall of the IT equipment shelf.

8. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrically conductive prongs penetrate the shelf coupler or the clip body and are spaced apart from the clip fins and the central stump.

9. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the shelf coupler is a modular attachment mechanism adapted to mechanically couple the power connection clip to the wall of the IT equipment shelf, wherein the shelf coupler is capable of attaching and detaching from the wall of the IT equipment shelf without damaging structural material of the power connection clip or of the wall of the IT equipment shelf.

10. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the central stump is between and spaced apart from the clip fins.

11. The power connection clip of claim 1, wherein the central stump has a narrowing tip to guide alignment of the clip fins and the central stump into corresponding slots in the server rack.

12. A shelf adapted to fit in a server rack, comprising:

a power connection clip comprising a pair of high voltage direct current (HVDC) connection prongs and a pair of information technology (IT)-usable voltage receptors;

a chassis having an end panel with an opening to receive the power connection clip;

wherein the power connection clip is adapted to fit partially through the opening of the end panel with the pair of HVDC connection prongs and the pair of IT-usable voltage receptors exposed outside of the chassis; and

a plurality of interconnects for electrically coupling HVDC power and IT-usable direct current (DC) power from the power connection clip to a power distribution board in the chassis.

13. The shelf of claim 12, wherein the power connection clip comprises a coupler plate parallel to the end panel and adapted to attach the power connection clip to the end panel.

14. The shelf of claim 12, wherein the pair of HVDC connection prongs comprise electrically conductive tips extending in a direction away from the chassis.

15. The shelf of claim 12, wherein a subset of the plurality of interconnects are electrically coupled to the pair of HVDC connection prongs.

16. The shelf of claim 15, wherein the subset includes a wire in contact with an electrically conductive portion of at least one of the HVDC connection prongs.

17. The shelf of claim 12, wherein the power connection clip includes at least three connection prongs, wherein cavities between the connection prongs form the pair of IT-usable voltage receptors, the cavities exposing electrical conductors.

18. The shelf of claim 17, wherein the three connection prongs are electrical insulators.

19. The shelf of claim 17, wherein the power connection clip includes rear outlets electrically coupled to the exposed electrical conductors in the cavities;

and wherein the plurality of interconnects include a wire in electrical contact with at least one of the rear outlets.

20. A server rack, comprising:

a frame having slots adapted to support a plurality of components;

a spine structure extending along the frame on one side of the plurality of components;

a pair of receptacle columns along and attached to the spine structure, wherein each of the receptacle columns includes a vertical receptacle for coupling with a connection prong from a component of the plurality of components; and

a pair of rigid connection blades along and attached to the spine structure, wherein each of the rigid connection blades includes an electrically conductive edge extending along the frame on at least one side of the plurality of components.