US 10,455,722 B1 · Externally-mounted power supply containment unit

Abstract

An external power supply containment unit includes a chassis configured to mount to a structure external to a rack. The external power supply containment unit further includes one or more discrete power supplies mounted in the chassis and one or more electrical connectors that are configured to couple and decouple with a power distribution system of a rack positioned adjacent to the external power supply containment unit. The electrical connectors are configured such that racks of electrical devices, such as computers, can be replaced while the external power supply containment unit remains mounted to the external structure. Additionally, discrete power supply units included in the external power supply containment unit may be re-used to provide power to electrical devices included in a replacement rack when a rack of electrical devices coupled with the external power supply containment unit is replaced.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a rack comprising computing devices and a direct current (DC) power distribution bus bar configured to transmit DC electrical power to the computing devices of the rack;
and
a mounting structure to mount a power supply containment unit external to the rack, wherein at least a portion of the mounting structure is external to the rack and at least a portion of the mounting structure is coupled to the rack;
a power supply containment unit mounted to the mounting structure that is at least partially external to the rack, wherein the power supply containment unit comprises:
a chassis;
a power inlet configured to receive electrical power from a power source;
power supplies mounted in the chassis and configured to convert the electrical power from the power source into DC electrical power for distribution to the computing devices of the rack;
and
a connection socket configured to couple with the DC power distribution bus bar such that the DC electrical power from the power supplies external to the rack is distributed to the computing devices of the rack.

6 more elements

A method, comprising:

positioning a rack comprising electrical devices in a position adjacent to a power supply containment unit mounted to an external mounting structure that is at least partially external to the rack, at least a portion of the external mounting structure coupled to the rack;
engaging an electrical connector of the power supply containment unit with a member of a direct current (DC) power distribution system of the rack;
and
distributing DC electrical power to the electrical devices mounted in the rack from a power supply of the power supply containment unit that is mounted, via the external mounting structure, external to the rack via the electrical connector engaged with the member of the DC power distribution system of the rack.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Externally-mounted power supply containment unit

Life of this patent

Externally-mounted power supply containment unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20