Uninterruptible power supplies with replaceable receptacle panels and related methods

A power supply system comprising:

• a housing comprising power circuitry therein;
• a power receptacle panel detachably coupled to the housing, wherein the power receptacle panel is electrically coupled to the power circuitry defining a power output path therebetween when the power receptacle panel is coupled to the housing;
• and
• a circuit interrupter provided at least partially in the housing and electrically coupled along the power output path between the power circuitry and the power receptacle panel, wherein the circuit interrupter comprises a switch handle that is externally accessible and configured to allow a user to move the switch handle between an ON position of the circuit interrupter, where power is permitted to flow along the power output path from the power circuitry to the power receptacle panel, and an OFF position of the circuit interrupter, where power is prevented from flowing to the power receptacle panel,
• wherein, only when the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position, is the power receptacle panel detachable from the housing,
• wherein the power receptacle panel is a first power receptacle panel that comprises a first power receptacle panel housing that houses at least one circuit breaker and at least one power receptacle held by the first power receptacle panel, wherein the at least one circuit breaker of the first power receptacle panel is positionable in ON and OFF positions, and wherein the first power receptacle panel housing is detachable from the power supply system housing while the power supply system is in an ON state and with the at least one circuit breaker housed in the first power receptacle panel housing in either the ON or OFF position.

A power supply system comprising:

• a housing comprising power circuitry therein;
• a power receptacle panel detachably coupled to the housing, wherein the power receptacle panel is electrically coupled to the power circuitry defining a power output path therebetween when the power receptacle panel is coupled to the housing;
• a circuit interrupter provided at least partially in the housing and electrically coupled along the power output path between the power circuitry and the power receptacle panel, wherein the circuit interrupter comprises a switch handle that is externally accessible and configured to allow a user to move the switch handle between an ON position of the circuit interrupter, where power is permitted to flow along the power output path from the power circuitry to the power receptacle panel, and an OFF position of the circuit interrupter, where power is prevented from flowing to the power receptacle panel;
• and
• a mechanical interlock coupled to the switch handle of the circuit interrupter and configured to move between (i) a first position associated with the ON position of the circuit interrupter whereby the mechanical interlock physically extends over a portion of the power receptacle panel to prevent the power receptacle panel from being detached from the housing and (ii) a second position associated with the OFF position of the circuit interrupter whereby the mechanical interlock is spaced apart from the power receptacle panel to permit the power receptacle panel to be detached from the housing,
• wherein, only when the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position, is the power receptacle panel detachable from the housing, and
• wherein the mechanical interlock includes a blocking portion comprising a first planar segment in a first plane that merges into a second planar segment that is parallel and in a second plane, and wherein the second planar segment is shorter than the first planar segment.

A power supply system comprising:

• a housing comprising power circuitry therein;
• a power receptacle panel detachably coupled to the housing, wherein the power receptacle panel is electrically coupled to the power circuitry defining a power output path therebetween when the power receptacle panel is coupled to the housing;
• a circuit interrupter provided at least partially in the housing and electrically coupled along the power output path between the power circuitry and the power receptacle panel, wherein the circuit interrupter comprises a switch handle that is externally accessible and configured to allow a user to move the switch handle between an ON position of the circuit interrupter, where power is permitted to flow along the power output path from the power circuitry to the power receptacle panel, and an OFF position of the circuit interrupter, where power is prevented from flowing to the power receptacle panel;
• and
• a mechanical interlock coupled to the switch handle of the circuit interrupter and configured to move between (i) a first position associated with the ON position of the circuit interrupter whereby the mechanical interlock physically extends over a portion of the power receptacle panel to prevent the power receptacle panel from being detached from the housing and (ii) a second position associated with the OFF position of the circuit interrupter whereby the mechanical interlock is spaced apart from the power receptacle panel to permit the power receptacle panel to be detached from the housing,
• wherein, only when the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position, is the power receptacle panel detachable from the housing, and
• wherein, in the first position, a portion of the mechanical interlock abuts an outer perimeter portion of the power receptacle panel.

A method of replacing a power receptacle panel of an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) system, the method comprising:

• providing a UPS system with a housing comprising internal power circuitry, a replaceable power receptacle panel held in an externally accessible compartment of the UPS system, and a mechanical interlock affixed to the housing and configured to block or unblock a portion of the power receptacle panel;
• moving a circuit interrupter in the housing adjacent the compartment to an OFF position to de-energize the replaceable power receptacle panel;
• moving the mechanical interlock to unblock the portion of the replaceable power receptacle panel;
• then
• removing the replaceable power receptacle panel from the compartment of the UPS system;
• then
• installing another replaceable power receptacle panel in the compartment of the UPS system;
• moving the circuit interrupter to an ON position to energize power receptacles of the other replaceable power receptacle panel;
• and
• moving the mechanical interlock to block a portion of the other replaceable power receptacle panel to prevent removal thereof when the circuit interrupter is in the ON position.

A method of replacing a power receptacle panel of an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) system, the method comprising:

• providing a UPS system with a housing comprising internal power circuitry, a replaceable power receptacle panel held in an externally accessible compartment of the UPS system, and a mechanical interlock configured to block or unblock a portion of the power receptacle panel;
• moving a circuit interrupter in the housing adjacent the compartment to an OFF position to de-energize the replaceable power receptacle panel;
• moving the mechanical interlock to unblock the portion of the replaceable power receptacle panel;
• then
• removing the replaceable power receptacle panel from the compartment of the UPS system;
• then
• installing another replaceable power receptacle panel in the compartment of the UPS system;
• moving the circuit interrupter to an ON position to energize power receptacles of the other replaceable power receptacle panel;
• and
• moving the mechanical interlock to block a portion of the other replaceable power receptacle panel to prevent removal thereof when the circuit interrupter is in the ON position,
• wherein the replaceable power receptacle panel has a back side with a connector, the method further comprising mating the connector with an aligned receiving connector in the compartment to couple the power receptacle panel to a power output path defined between the aligned receiving connector and the internal power circuitry when the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position.

A power supply system comprising:

• a housing defining at least one compartment that contains a connector;
• power circuitry provided in the housing, wherein the power circuitry is coupled to the connector defining a power output path therebetween;
• a replaceable receptacle panel comprising a panel connector that is detachably coupled to the connector in the compartment;
• a circuit interrupter provided at least partially in the housing adjacent to the replaceable receptacle panel and electrically coupled along the power output path between the connector in the compartment and the power circuitry, wherein the circuit interrupter comprises a switch handle that is externally accessible and configured to allow a user to move the switch handle between an ON position, where power provided along the power output path is uninterrupted, and an OFF position, where power along the load output path is interrupted to electrically isolate the replaceable receptacle panel from the power circuitry;
• and
• a mechanical interlock coupled to the switch handle,
• wherein, when the switch handle of the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position, the replaceable receptacle panel is removable from the compartment of the housing, and wherein, when the switch handle of the circuit interrupter is in the ON position, the mechanical interlock blocks at least a portion of the replaceable receptacle panel to prevent removal of the replaceable receptacle panel from the compartment of the housing.

A power supply system comprising:

• a housing,
• power circuitry provided in the housing;
• a replaceable receptacle panel removably coupled to the housing;
• a circuit interrupter provided at least partially in the housing, wherein the circuit interrupter is electrically coupled between the power circuitry and the replaceable receptacle panel, wherein the circuit interrupter includes a switch handle that is externally accessible and configured to allow a user to move the switch handle between an ON position, where power is permitted to flow from the power circuitry to the replaceable receptacle panel, and an OFF position, where power is prevented from flowing from the power circuitry to the replaceable receptacle panel;
• and
• an interlock coupled to the switch handle and affixed to the housing,
• wherein, when the switch handle of the circuit interrupter is in the OFF position, the replaceable receptacle panel is removable from the housing, and wherein, when the switch handle of the circuit interrupter is in the ON position, the interlock prevents removal of the replaceable receptacle panel from the housing.