Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural supply circuits or sources – Substitute or emergency source
Patent
1996-06-05
1998-07-07
Shoop, Jr., William M.
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural supply circuits or sources
Substitute or emergency source
307 64, 307150, 361727, 364492, 3649485, 360 9701, 360 9905, 346137, 369 751, H02J 900
Patent
active
057773980
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a device which will supply backup power to a microcomputer in the event of a power failure. This device can be firmly installed in an industrial-standard microcomputer in a space normally reserved for an industrial-standard disc or hard disc drive.
Backup power devices, or UPS (uninterruptible power supply) devices, are needed to ensure the faultless operation of a computer's electrical-components etc in the event of a temporary power failure. In the main, these backup power devices are separate, independent devices by which alternating current from the power mains is fed to the device to be protected, e.g. to the computer, when there is a power break. When the normal electricity supply is cut off, the backup power device feeds alternating current to the device to be protected, generally utilizing energy stored in batteries.
In addition to these traditional backup power devices, there are other, commercially-available, backup power devices, which are suitable for an industrial-standard microcomputer and are installed inside the computer. These internal backup power devices have some advantages over external backup power devices. External backup power devices first have to convert the few volts of direct current from the battery into perhaps 230 volts of alternating current which, in turn, is reconverted at the computer's power source into a few volts of direct current. However, an internal backup power device feeds direct current straight to the microcomputer's power supply channel when the computer's own power source is not working due to a power cut. As an internal backup power device does not need to handle dangerous voltage from the mains, it does not require such thorough protection. Therefore, it can be made more simply and economically than an external backup power device.
An internal backup power device can be built in close connection with the computer's power source. This requires that the computer's power source be changed, however, if the backup power property is added to the computer later, as is usually the case. A more practical way is to design the backup power device as a separate part which can be easily installed in the computer later.
The internal back-up power devices which are designed for computers made according to commercial industrial standards, and which are not built in close connection with the power source, are installed in the computer's expansion slots. This practice leads to certain problems, however. In order to supply enough electricity for even a few minutes, the batteries on the backup power device cards must be quite large. Therefore, these internal backup power devices take up at least one, and often two expansion slots. In large computer cases, there are usually sufficient expansion slots, but in small and low cases there are so few expansion slots that it is not usually possible to reserve two slots for the backup power device, or at least it considerably restricts the usage of the computer.
Another drawback of using expansion cards for the backup power device is that the batteries on the cards are both large and heavy. The means of attaching the expansion cards inside the computer has not been designed for such a large mass, and therefore there is a great danger that the backup power device or its attachment points in the computer will not be able to withstand the forces to which they are subjected during transportation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A backup power device designed in accordance with the invention makes decisive progress in solving these problems. The invention is characterized by the features presented in the attached claims.
Industrial-standard computers almost always have extra, unused space for a disc or hard disc drive. A backup power device can be installed firmly in this space by using the attachments meant for the disc or hard disc drive. When thus installed, the internal backup power device does not restrict the amount of equipment which can be used. As the space reserved for the disc drive
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Suoranta Seppo
Valkeakari Jyrki
Compower Oy
Paladini Albert W.
Shoop Jr. William M.
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