Polyphase power distribution and monitoring apparatus

• US 7,368,830 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA), Sever Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Cleveland, Andrew J., Maskaly, James P., Ewing, Carrel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESCHERE, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US10/732,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20050094336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 307/13, 307/14, 307/27, 307/148, 307/24, 307/29, 307/31, 307/32, 361/63, 361/64, 361/622, 324/107, 324/114
• US Class Current: 307/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04

Abstract

A polyphase power distribution and monitoring apparatus having sets of outputs for each phase of power and monitors for each phase of power disposed in the housing. Each monitor provides a visible display of current for an associated phase of power and an audible alarm for each phase of power if the current exceeds a predetermined value or falls below a predetermined value. In three-phase wye power systems, the apparatus preferably includes a neutral line monitor, including a neutral line current display and audio alarm, for the neutral line of the wye power circuit. The apparatus preferably is lightweight, elongated, portable, and mountable to the side of an electronic equipment rack. It may also include additional power monitoring systems such as network power monitoring tools for remotely monitoring the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of distributing polyphase alternating current power through a power distribution apparatus comprising a polyphase power input, a plurality of polyphase power outputs, and a plurality of separate power information visual display sections disposed in the power distribution apparatus, comprising:

with at least a first of the plurality of polyphase power outputs, distributing a first power phase received by the polyphase power input;

with at least a second of the plurality of polyphase power outputs, distributing a second power phase received by the polyphase power input;

with at least one of the plurality of separate power information visual display sections disposed in the power distribution apparatus, reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the first power phase distributed by the at least a first of the plurality of polyphase power outputs; and

with at least a second of the plurality of separate power information visual display sections disposed in the power distribution apparatus, reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the second power phase distributed by the at least a second of the plurality of polyphase power outputs, the reporting power information regarding the second power phase overlapping with reporting power information regarding the first power phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the first power phase comprises determining current of the first power phase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the second power phase comprises determining current of the second power phase.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, with at least a third of the plurality of polyphase power outputs, distributing a third power phase received by the polyphase power input.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, with at least a third of the plurality of power information visual display sections disposed in the power distribution apparatus, reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the third power phase distributed by the at least a third of the plurality of polyphase power outputs.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reporting at the power distribution apparatus power information regarding the third power phase comprises determining current of the third power phase.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, with at least one of the plurality of power information visual display sections disposed in the power distribution apparatus, providing a sensory alarm, whereby a human in the vicinity of the power distribution apparatus may receive sensory stimulation from the sensory alarm.

8. A method of polyphase power distribution through a three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus comprising a plurality of input lines, a power ground, a plurality of power supplies, a plurality of output plug receptacles, and a digital visual display module disposed in the three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus, the method comprising:

transmitting through each of the plurality of power supplies phase power from at least one of the plurality of input lines and to at least one of the plurality of output plug receptacles;

sensing in each of the plurality of power supplies a magnitude of the phase power flowing through the power supply;

converting in each of the plurality of power supplies the magnitude of the phase power into a corresponding analog signal representing the magnitude of the phase power flowing through the power supply;

transmitting the analog signals to the digital visual display module disposed in the three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus, wherein the digital visual display module comprises a plurality of separate visual displays; and

with the plurality of separate visual displays, reporting at the three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus the analog signals each representing the magnitude of the phase power flowing through the corresponding power supply, the reporting of one of the plurality of separate visual displays overlapping with reporting of at least one other of the plurality of separate visual displays.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating an alarm when the analog signal meets at least one specified criteria.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating an alarm comprises generating an audible alarm that can be heard by a user within the vicinity of the three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising converting in each of the plurality of power supplies alternating current to direct current.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensing comprises using a current-sensing transducer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising converting an analog output from the current-sensing transducer to a digital output.

14. A method of polyphase power distribution through a three-phase wye power distribution and monitoring apparatus comprising a plurality of input lines, a neutral line, a ground line, a plurality of power supplies, a neutral power supply, a plurality of output plug receptacles, and a plurality of separate digital visual display modules disposed in the three-phase wye power distribution and monitoring apparatus, the method comprising:

transmitting through each of the plurality of power supplies and the neutral power supply phase power from at least one of the plurality of input lines and to at least one of the plurality of output plug receptacles;

sensing in each of the plurality of power supplies a magnitude of the phase power flowing though the power supply;

converting in each of the plurality of power supplies the magnitude of a total current in the corresponding input line into an input line analog signal representing the magnitude of the total current in the corresponding input line

sensing in the neutral power supply a magnitude of the phase power flowing through the neutral power supply;

converting in the neutral power supply the magnitude of a total current in the neutral line into a neutral line analog signal representing the magnitude of the total current in the neutral line;

transmitting the neutral line analog signal to one of the plurality of separate digital visual display modules disposed in the three-phase wye power distribution and monitoring apparatus;

transmitting each of the input line analog signals to a corresponding one of the plurality of separate digital visual display modules disposed in the three-phase wye power distribution and monitoring apparatus; and

with the plurality of separate digital visual display modules, reporting at the three-phase wye power distribution and monitoring apparatus the neutral line analog signal and each of the input line analog signals, the reporting of one of the plurality of separate digital visual display modules overlapping with reporting of at least one other of the plurality of separate digital visual display modules.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating an alarm when the analog signal meets at least one specified criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating an alarm comprises generating an audible alarm that can be heard by a user within the vicinity of the three-phase delta power distribution and monitoring apparatus.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting in the neutral power supply alternating current to direct current.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensing comprises using a current-sensing transducer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising converting an analog output from the current-sensing transducer to a digital output.