System and method for providing uninterrupted power to on board electrical equipment

A system for supplying uninterrupted electrical power to electronic equipment on an aircraft during changeover between one electrical power source on board the aircraft and another electrical power source external of the aircraft, said system comprising:

• a) an on board electrical power source located on the aircraft;
• b) an external electrical power source located externally of the aircraft;
• c) a split primary electrical power transfer bus which includes at least first and second serially connectable adjacent bus segments;
• d) an external power connector component which can be coupled with said external electrical power source;
• e) a first selectively actuable power source contactor interposed between said on board electrical power source and said electronic equipment;
• f) a second selectively actuable power source contactor interposed between said first and second segments of said split bus;
• and
• g) controller means for controlling the state of said first and second contactors, said controller means being operable during start up of the aircraft to sequentially:
• i) close said second contactor so as to enable said external electrical power source to supply electrical power to said electronic equipment on the aircraft through said split bus;
• ii) close said first contactor so as to momentarily enable both of said on board and external electrical power sources to concurrently supply electrical power in parallel to said electronic equipment on the aircraft;
• and
• iii) open said second contactor so as to disable said external electrical power source from supplying electrical power to said electronic equipment while maintaining said first contactor in a closed condition so that said electronic equipment continues to be powered by said on board electrical power source.

A system for supplying uninterrupted electrical power to electronic equipment on board an aircraft, during changeover from a first on board electrical power source to a second on board electrical power source, said system comprising:

• a) a first on board electrical power source located on the aircraft;
• b) a second on board electrical power source located on the aircraft;
• c) a split primary electrical power transfer bus which includes at least first and second serially connectable adjacent bus segments;
• d) a first selectively actuable power source contactor interposed between said first electrical power source and said first segment of said split bus;
• e) a second selectively actuable power source contactor interposed between said second electrical power source and said electronic equipment;
• g) a selectively actuable split bus segment contactor interposed between said first and second segments of said split bus;
• and
• h) controller means for controlling the state of said first and second contactors and said split bus segment contactor, said controller means being operable during operation of the aircraft to:
• i) close said first contactor and said split bus contactor so as to enable said first electrical power source to supply electrical power to said electronic equipment on the aircraft through said first and second segments of said split bus;
• ii) close said second contactor so as to enable said second electrical power source to supply electrical power in parallel to said electronic equipment concurrently with said first power source;
• and
• iii) momentarily after closing said second contactor, open said first contactor and said split bus contactor so as to disable said first electrical power source from supplying electrical power to said electronic equipment while maintaining said second contactor in a closed condition so that said electronic equipment continues to be powered by said second electrical power source.