Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-10-09
Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electrical power distribution systems and devices
C174S059000, C361S648000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301095
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of power distribution systems. In particular, this invention relates to a system and method of distributing power to a plurality of electronic modules housed within an electronics cabinet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronic modules for high-speed telecommunication and networking applications are typically housed in an electronics cabinet. The electronic modules may each contain, for example, various high-speed application cards, switching cards, network access servers, and ingress and egress cards. A vertically oriented rack is positioned within the cabinet, and the electronic modules are fastened to the rack. The electronic modules are positioned one on top of the other in a vertically oriented configuration.
Power is typically routed to the cabinet via input power cables that enter the cabinet from above. The input power cables may, however, introduce unwanted noise and other transients into the cabinet, which may have an adverse effect on the various electronic components housed within the cabinet. To overcome this problem, power line filters (i.e., RFI Filters) are mounted along the top wall of the cabinet to provide filtered power to the electronic modules within the cabinet.
When power is introduced into the cabinet from above, the input power cables are attached directly to the input terminals of the filters. The filters are in turn connected to a power distribution panel or breaker panel, which is mounted within the cabinet. Filtered power is then delivered from the power distribution panel to the various electronic modules within the cabinet.
A large number of cables are typically required to deliver power from the distribution panel to the plurality of electronic modules within the cabinet. Each of these cables is typically hardwired at the distribution panel and at the electronic modules. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the removal of one or more of the electronic modules from the cabinet may disturb the surrounding electronic modules due to the removal or rerouting of cables to and from the distribution panel. In addition, the removal or rerouting of cables is a labor-intensive process. Similarly, the removal and replacement of the distribution panel is also a labor-intensive process due to the large number of hardwired connections at the panel and at the various electronic modules within the cabinet. Moreover, the large number of cables occupies a considerable amount of space in the cabinet, which typically has strict dimensional requirements. They also block airflow through the cabinet, which may result in the overheating of the electronic components in the various electronic chassis. The large number of cables may also results in the generation of significant amounts of electromagnetic interference.
Oftentimes electronics cabinets are positioned on a raised computer floor, and the input power cables must be routed into the cabinet through the bottom wall of the cabinet. However, in order to filter the input power, the input power cables typically have to be routed up through the cabinet so that they exit through the top wall of the cabinet for connection to the filters. These additional cables also require a large amount of space within the cabinet, and further complicate the cable routing process within the cabinet. Also, these additional cables may also result in increased levels of electromagnetic interference within the cabinet.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method of distributing power to a plurality of electronic modules housed within an electronics cabinet that overcomes the problems described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention provides a system for distributing power to a plurality of electronic modules housed within an electronics cabinet including an electronics cabinet and at least one power filter mounted to the electronics cabinet The at least one power filter may preferably include four power filters. At least one electronic module is housed within the electronics cabinet. A first bus bar is positioned within the electronics cabinet for receiving at least one power input cable. A second bus bar is positioned within the electronics cabinet and is electrically connected to the first bus bar and to the power filter. The second bus bar routs input power from the first bus bar to the power filter and routs filtered power to the at least one electronic module. The electronics cabinet may preferably include a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a top wall and a bottom wall. The bottom wall may preferably include at least one opening adjacent to the first bus bar to allow a plurality of power input cables to be routed into the electronics cabinet. The at least one power filter may preferably be mounted to the top wall of the electronics cabinet. The first bus bar may preferably be mounted to the bottom wall of the electronics cabinet and the second bus bar may be positioned within the electronics cabinet adjacent to the first sidewall and may extend along a length of the first sidewall. The second bus bar may preferably include at least one power input connector to receive filtered power. The at least one power input connector may preferably be a six position connector. The at least one power input connector may preferably be comprised of four power input connectors. The second bus bar may also preferably include at least one power output connector to provide power to the at least one electronic module. The at least one output connector may preferably be a three position connector. The at least one power output connector may preferably be comprised of ten power output connectors. The second bus bar may preferably be comprised of a plurality of conductive layers. The plurality of conductive layers may preferably include a first conductive layer for transmitting power from the first bus bar to the power filter and a second conductive layer for transmitting filtered power from the power filter to the at least one electronic module. The second bus bar may preferably be a generally planar member having a rectangular shape. The first bus bar may preferably include a plurality of input terminals to receive a plurality of power input cables. A first protective cover may preferably cover the plurality of input terminals. The first bus bar may preferably include a plurality of output terminals. A second protective cover may preferably cover the plurality of output terminals. A first conductor may preferably electrically connect the first bus bar to the second bus bar to rout the input power from the first bus bar to the second bus bar. A second conductor may preferably be electrically connected to the second bus bar and may extend to a top wall of the electronics cabinet to rout power from the second bus bar to the top wall of the electronics cabinet. A third conductor may preferably be electrically connected to the second conductor and to the power filter to rout power from the second bus bar to the power filter. A power distribution panel may preferably be mounted within the electronics cabinet and may be electrically connected to the power filter and to second bus bar. A fourth conductor may preferably be electrically connected to the power distribution panel and to the second bus bar to rout filtered power from the power distribution panel to the second bus bar.
Another aspect of the invention provides a system for distributing power to a plurality of electronic modules housed within an electronics cabinet including an electronics cabinet and at least one power filter mounted to the electronics cabinet. A power distribution panel is positioned within the electronics cabinet and is electrically connected to the at least one power filter. At least one electronic module is housed within the electronics cabinet. A bus bar is positioned within the electronics cabinet adjacent to a sidewall of the electronics cabinet and extends along a length of the sidewall. The bus bar includes at least one power input connector and at least one p
Bendikas Laura M.
Laughlin Kenneth S.
Lecinski Daniel J.
3Com Corporation
Baniak Pine & Gannon
Tolin Gerald
LandOfFree
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