Electric power distribution module for an electric power generation and distribution system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electric power distribution module comprising:
- a generally planar, electrically insulative support structure having first and second generally parallel faces,the first face of the support structure including a plurality of non-intersecting channels for receipt therein of a plurality of bus bars,the second face of the support structure including a plurality of non-intersecting grooves oriented transversely to the channels for receipt therein of a plurality of bus connector straps,the support structure thus providing electrical isolation between the bus bars and the bus connector straps,the support structure further including a hole extending through the support structure at a crossing of a bus bar and a bus connector strap for receipt therein of connection means adapted to pass through the hole and to electrically connect the bus connector strap to the bus bar,the bus bars, connector straps, and connection means in combination providing electrically conductive bus means having an input and an output and defining a circuit for directing a flow of electrical current from the input to the output; and
current sensing means within insulative support structure for sensing a flow of electrical current in the circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to an electric power generation and distribution system, and more particularly to an electric power distribution module for use in such systems, having an insulative support structure which includes integral therewith electrically conductive means which define a circuit for distributing electric power received from one or more power sources to one or more electrical loads, the insulative support structure also including integral therewith current sensing means for sensing a flow of electrical current in the electrically conductive means.
85 Citations
47 Claims
-
1. An electric power distribution module comprising:
a generally planar, electrically insulative support structure having first and second generally parallel faces, the first face of the support structure including a plurality of non-intersecting channels for receipt therein of a plurality of bus bars, the second face of the support structure including a plurality of non-intersecting grooves oriented transversely to the channels for receipt therein of a plurality of bus connector straps, the support structure thus providing electrical isolation between the bus bars and the bus connector straps, the support structure further including a hole extending through the support structure at a crossing of a bus bar and a bus connector strap for receipt therein of connection means adapted to pass through the hole and to electrically connect the bus connector strap to the bus bar, the bus bars, connector straps, and connection means in combination providing electrically conductive bus means having an input and an output and defining a circuit for directing a flow of electrical current from the input to the output; and current sensing means within insulative support structure for sensing a flow of electrical current in the circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
16. A wall panel of a compartment, the wall panel comprising at least one modular unit having top, middle and bottom sections,
the middle section including means for retaining at least two electrical bus elements in spaced-apart, overlapping relation; -
the top and bottom sections each including means for insulating at least a portion of said bus elements from the environment apart from the distribution system; the middle section also including at least one passageway therein for permitting electrically conductive interconnection between said bus elements; the passageway including means for detecting and measuring the electrical current passing through the interconnection; and the middle section further including means for transferring signals representative of amount of current detected and measured to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. An electric power distribution module comprising:
-
first and second electric power distribution modules mounted on a common support plate, with each of the first and second electric power distribution modules including, a baseplate in the form of a generally planar, electrically insulative support structure having integral therewith, electrically conductive bus means having an input and an output and defining a circuit for directing a flow of electrical current from the input to the output, and current sensing means for sensing a flow of electrical current in the circuit. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. An electric power generation and distribution system comprising:
-
a first source of electrical power; and a first electric power distribution module having top, middle and bottom sections, the middle section including means for retaining at least two electrical bus elements in spaced-apart, overlapping relation; the top and bottom sections each including means or insulating at least a portion of said bus elements from the environment apart from the distribution system; the middle section also including at least one passageway therein for permitting electrically conductive interconnection between said bus elements; the passageway including means for detecting and measuring the electrical current passing through the interconnection; the middle section further including means for transferring signals representative of amount of current detected and measured to a remote location; said electrical bus elements having an input and an output and defining an electrical circuit for directing a flow of current from the input to the output; the input of the bus element being electrically connected to the source of electrical power and the output adapted for connection thereto of an electrical load, the bus elements thereby defining a circuit for distributing a flow of electrical current from the source of electrical power to an electrical load; and circuit interrupt means mounted on the baseplate and electrically connected within the circuit to alternatively conduct or interrupt the flow of current between the input and the output. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. An electric power distribution system comprising at least one modular unit having top, middle and bottom sections,
the middle section including means for retaining at least two electrical bus elements in spaced-apart, overlapping relation; -
the top and bottom sections each including means for insulating at least a portion of said bus elements from the environment apart from the distribution system; the middle section also including at least one passageway therein for permitting electrically conductive interconnection between said bus elements; the passageway including means for detecting and measuring the electrical current passing through the interconnection; and the middle section further including means for transferring signals representative of amount of current detected and measured to a remote location. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
-
-
47. An aircraft having a source of electric power and means connected to that source for distributing that electric power at centralized or decentralized locations within the aircraft, that means comprising a modular electric power distribution system including:
-
a plurality of detachably connectable modular units, each of which includes top, bottom and middle sections; a plurality of planar input bus elements, planar output bus elements and planar interconnecting bus elements mounted within at least a first of those modular units; the first of those modular units having a middle section including means for retaining each of said bus elements in spaced-apart, electrically isolated positions from each of the other bus elements in that middle section; each of those interconnecting bus elements being disposed within that middle section so as to be overlapping at least two other bus elements; that middle section including a plurality of passageways between overlapping bus elements which permit electrically conductive interconnection between those passageways; at least one of those passageways including a sensor means for detecting the amount of electrical current passing through that passageway; the middle section including means for transferring signals representative of the amount of current detected by that sensor means to a location remote from the modular unit containing that sensor means; at least one interconnecting device configured for removable insertion into at least one of those passageways for providing an electrical connection between the overlapping bus elements connected by that passageway; the middle section including means for insulating the electrical connection between the overlapping bus elements and the sensor means; the top section being detachably secured to the middle section so as to restrict removal of the interconnecting device from the passageway; the bottom section being secured to the middle section so as to insulate the interconnecting buses from the environment apart from the system; a base member; and means for detachably connecting each of said modular units to the base member.
-
Specification