Smart Load Center Panel
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A smart load center panel (10) accepts two hot legs from each of two power sources, and selectively connects each of a plurality of breakers to one of the two power sources under processor control. A dielectric chassis (12) provides structural support and electrical isolation for a plurality of individual circuit boards (28), each including a pair of breaker stabs (26) and a relay (24) operative to selectively connect each breaker stab (26) to a different power source. A bus bar assembly (20) comprises two bus bars for the hot legs of each of two power sources, and insulates the bus bars from each other and from inadvertent contact. A master printed circuit board (40) comprises slits (43, 45) defining the individual circuit board (28) except at the edges. After mounting and soldering, the edges are cut away, yielding a plurality of individual circuit boards (28). Neutral and ground bus bars (46, 52) are mounted to the side of the panel housing (12), behind a flange of a front opening.
0 Citations
52 Claims
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1-26. -26. (canceled)
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27. A smart load center panel operative to dynamically distribute power from two sources selectively and individually to a plurality of circuits, comprising:
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a housing operative to fit in a wood frame construction wall and having a back wall and four side walls; a dielectric chassis defining a plurality of cross channels operative to hold and electrically isolate individual circuit boards from the housing and also defining a central longitudinal channel operative to hold a bus bar assembly, the chassis being secured to the back wall of the housing; a bus bar assembly disposed in the longitudinal channel and comprising a plurality of bus bars, each connected to one power leg of each power source, and a dielectric sheath insulating the bus bars from each other and from inadvertent contact; and a plurality of individual circuit boards, each electrically connected to a bus bar carrying a corresponding power leg of each power source, and having two breaker stabs and two relays installed thereon, each relay operative to selectively electrically connect a breaker stab to one of the two power sources under the control of a processor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of fabricating and mounting a plurality of individual circuit boards in a smart load center panel operative to dynamically distribute power from two sources selectively and individually to a plurality of circuits and comprising a housing operative to fit in a wood frame construction wall and having a back wall and four side walls;
- a dielectric chassis defining a plurality of cross channels and a central longitudinal channel, the chassis secured to the back wall of the housing;
a bus bar assembly disposed in the longitudinal channel and comprising a plurality of bus bars, each connected to one power leg of each power source, and a dielectric sheath insulating the bus bars from each other and from inadvertent contact, the method steps comprising;fabricating a master printed circuit board, PCB, having a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of slits formed in the PCB transverse to the longitudinal axis, the slits extending through the center of the PCB but not to the edges thereof, wherein all conductive paths, vias, and mounting holes for each of the plurality of individual circuit boards are located between slits; mounting the master PCB to the chassis; and after mounting the master PCB to the chassis, cutting the master PCB in a longitudinal direction near each edge thereof but inwardly of the furthest extent of the plurality of slits, thereby resulting in the plurality of individual circuit boards being mounted to the chassis in a spaced apart relationship; and installing at least one breaker stab and relay on each individual circuit board, whereby the relay is operative to selectively electrically connect the breaker stab to one of the two power sources under the control of a processor. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
- a dielectric chassis defining a plurality of cross channels and a central longitudinal channel, the chassis secured to the back wall of the housing;
Specification