Power distribution system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power distribution system, which includes an intelligent breakout box (TOB) connected to an overhead bus duct and receiving a three-phase input power therefrom. The intelligent TOB decomposes the three-phase input power into 3N single-phase output power circuits (where N is a positive integer), each of which is connected to an overcurrent protection device (OCP) device associated with an amperage level. A set of 3N conductors connected to the intelligent TOB carry the single-phase output power circuit to a rack power distribution unit (PDU, rPDU) in a server cabinet (e.g., via a rack connection device that connects the conductors to the rPDU), the rPDU including a linear array of output power sockets corresponding to the single-phase output power circuits.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on Claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 542,422, filed on October 4, 2023, entitled "HIGH DENSITY POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED BUSWAY, SMART TAP-OFF BOX AND COMPACT RACK POWERDISTRIBUTION UNITS," and names Brad Wilson as inventor. Said U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 542,422 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of power distribution, and more particularly to devices and components for power distribution. Background Art

[0004] Due to the recent growth of high-density computer-intensive applications and chipsets, many data centers and component cabinets are handling increasingly energy-intensive loads that they were never designed to support. Direct-to-chip (D2C) liquid-cooled workloads driven by artificial intelligence and / or machine learning (AI / ML) may still require significant air cooling, for example, averaging 20% ​​of the total heat load. The need to maintain air cooling makes rear-rack / rear-cabinet hygiene critical to maintaining airflow through limited spaces. In addition, as power supply size increases, the number of outlets per circuit will decrease, while the number of circuit breakers per rack power distribution unit (rPDU) will increase. However, physical circuit breaker size hinders rear-rack airflow and access to rear-rack components. In addition, traditional C13 / C19 outlets can give way to newer, higher amperage outlets. Summary of the invention

[0005] In a first aspect, a high-density power distribution system is disclosed. In an embodiment, the power distribution system includes a smart breakout box (TOB) device that can be attached to an overhead bus duct and receive a three-phase input power supply therefrom. The smart TOB device decomposes the three-phase input power supply into single-phase output power circuits (e.g., 3N circuits, where N is a positive integer, and / or multiple A-phase circuits, B-phase circuits, and C-phase circuits). The smart TOB device also includes an overcurrent protector (OCP) device, each OCP device is connected to at least one single-phase output power circuit, and each OCP device is rated for a specific amperage level. In an embodiment, the power distribution system includes a rack power distribution unit (PDU, rPDU) that can be installed in a server cabinet and includes a linear array of socket power sockets (e.g., 3N sockets, one for each socket power circuit). Similarly, a set of 3N conductors (e.g., cables; one conductor for each outlet power circuit) connects the smart TOB device (e.g., via a TOB connection device) to the rPDU (e.g., via a rack connection device), providing outlet power to each of the outlet power receptacles.

[0006] In some embodiments, the array of receptacle power sockets are stacked vertically.

[0007] In some embodiments, the OCP device includes a circuit breaker and / or a fuse.

[0008] In some embodiments, the OCP devices include a group of first OCP devices, which are rated for a first amperage level and correspond to a first subset of 3N-socket power circuits and their corresponding sockets (e.g., 20A sockets, 30A sockets); and at least one group of second OCP devices, which are associated with a second amperage level and correspond to a second subset of the 3N-socket power circuits (e.g., and their corresponding sockets).

[0009] In some embodiments, the set of OCP devices includes hybrid OCP devices corresponding to a third subset of the 3N-outlet power circuits and their corresponding mixed amperage receptacles, the set of hybrid OCP devices including OCP devices associated with a first amperage level and at least one second amperage level.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rack connection device includes a set of conductors (e.g., corresponding to 3N single-phase output circuits or a subset thereof), each conductor terminating in a conductor terminal that is plugged into a rack-side connector of the rack connection device (e.g., and supplies output power to the rPDU via the rack connection device). For example, the conductor terminals and / or rack-side connectors indicate the conductors by phase and / or amperage level (e.g., low amperage, high amperage, mixed amperage).

[0011] In some embodiments, conductor terminals that indicate or correspond to a particular amperage level are incompatible with rack-side connectors that indicate or correspond to other amperage levels.

[0012] In some embodiments, the conductor terminals and / or rack-side connectors indicate an association with a particular subgroup and / or amperage level of the output power circuits based on their shape and / or orientation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the smart TOB includes a monitoring system for collecting power data associated with the three-phase input power supply. In addition, the smart TOB includes a communication portal for providing the collected power data to a remote user or for receiving control input from a remote user.

[0014] In some embodiments, the power data includes amperage and / or voltage of a three-phase input power source.

[0015] In some embodiments, the power data includes instantaneous power levels and / or cumulative power levels of the three-phase input power source.

[0016] In some embodiments, the power data includes a power factor of a three-phase input power source.

[0017] In some implementations, the power data includes circuit power data for one or more monitored single-phase output power circuits based on an input power source.

[0018] In some embodiments, the circuit power data includes amperage and / or voltage of one or more single-phase output power circuits.

[0019] In some implementations, the circuit power data includes instantaneous power levels and / or cumulative power levels of one or more single-phase output power circuits.

[0020] In some embodiments, the smart TOB monitoring system includes a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor.

[0021] In some embodiments, each outlet power socket of the rPDU includes a relay connected to the intelligent TOB monitoring system. For example, each outlet power socket can be independently enabled or disabled (e.g., based on a control input provided by a remote user) via its associated relay.

[0022] In some embodiments, the smart TOB monitoring system includes a monitoring display located on an outer surface or exterior face of the smart TOB, which is capable of presenting the collected power data to a user.

[0023] In some embodiments, the plurality of conductors includes one or more mesh conductors, such as a subset of conductors disposed within a mesh sleeve.

[0024] In some embodiments, the three-phase input power system includes three-phase delta and / or three-phase wye power input.

[0025] This summary is provided only as an introduction to the subject matter that is fully described in the detailed description and drawings. The summary should not be considered to describe essential features, nor should it be used to determine the scope of the claims. In addition, it should be understood that both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and explanatory and do not necessarily limit the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The specification is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals in different instances in the specification and the drawings may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments or examples ("examples") of the present disclosure are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In general, unless otherwise provided in the claims, the operations of the disclosed processes may be performed in any order. In the drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional power distribution system;

[0028] Figure 2A is an isometric view of a high-density power distribution system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2B is a block diagram illustrating a high-density power distribution system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3A It's a picture. Figure 2B A block diagram of additional functions of a high-density power distribution system;

[0031] Figure 3B is used for Figure 2B An isometric view of a controllable relay for an rPDU outlet in a high-density power distribution system;

[0032] Figure 4A yes Figure 2B A schematic diagram of an exemplary smart tap box (TOB) of a high-density power distribution system;

[0033] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A A cross-sectional view of the intelligent junction box, and Figure 4C yes Figure 4A Internal view of the smart junction box;

[0034] Figure 5Aand Figure 5B yes Figure 2A and Figure 2B An isometric view of a rack-side connector assembly and a conductor-side connector for a high-density power distribution system;

[0035] and Figure 5C yes Figure 2B Schematic diagram of connector keying and outlet assignments within a rPDU, a variation of a high-density power distribution system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Before explaining one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts or steps or methods set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings in their application. In the detailed description of the following embodiments, many specific details may be set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art who benefit from the present disclosure that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other cases, well-known features may not be described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the present disclosure.

[0037] As used herein, a letter following a reference numeral is intended to refer to an embodiment of a feature or element that may be similar but not necessarily identical to a previously described element or feature having the same reference numeral (e.g., 1, 1a, 1b). Such shorthand notation is used only for convenience and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure in any way unless expressly stated to the contrary.

[0038] In addition, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". For example, condition A or B is satisfied by any of the following: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist).

[0039] In addition, "a" or "an" may be used to describe elements and components of the embodiments disclosed herein. This is done only for convenience, and "a" and "an" are intended to include "one" or "at least one", and the singular also includes the plural, unless otherwise apparent.

[0040] Finally, as used herein, any reference to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment disclosed herein. The phrase "in some embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and an embodiment may include one or more of the features expressly described or inherently present herein, or any combination or sub-combination of two or more such features, as well as any other features that may not necessarily be expressly described or inherently present in this disclosure.

[0041] Broadly speaking, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein relate to high-density power distribution systems incorporating integrated bus duct and rack power distribution unit (rPDU) components. For example, embodiments of the power distribution systems disclosed herein can more efficiently serve the needs of energy-intensive artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI / ML) applications (e.g., large language models (LLM), generative AI) while accommodating next-generation direct-to-chip (D2C) cooling solutions by maintaining rear rack / rear cabinet hygiene and air space. The "smart" tap box (TOB) moves overcurrent protection devices out of the rear rack space and into the elevated bus duct space, and the compact rPDU implementation allows the next generation of higher amperage power outlets while maintaining a compact form factor. In addition, the power distribution system is configured for the safe implementation and management of higher amperage and mixed amperage power supplies and circuits. For example, a three-phase input power supply is decomposed into a single-phase output current by a tap box above the rack space, and the single-phase output current can contain higher amperage and / or mixed amperage relative to a conventional three-phase power supply. Single-phase output circuits can be routed to the rPDU individually rather than collectively. The physical power connector between the TOB and the rPDU can be configured to clearly identify lower amperage conductors, higher amperage conductors, and mixed amperage conductors, thereby preventing lower amperage outlets from being inadvertently connected to higher amperage OCP devices. A "smart" TOB can provide detailed monitoring of power (e.g., individual single-phase output circuits as well as three-phase input power); power monitoring can be networked to provide comprehensive monitoring data to both facility managers and server managers, thereby eliminating redundant or duplicate monitoring on either end (e.g., TOB-based monitoring versus rPDU-based monitoring). In addition, overcurrent protection devices can be remotely monitored and / or adjusted via a "smart" TOB in conjunction with a monitoring system, and individual outlets can be enabled or disabled.

[0042] Now refer to Figure 1 , a conventional power distribution system 100 is shown.

[0043] In an embodiment, the conventional power distribution system 100 may be similar to those disclosed by U.S. Patent No. 10,154,610, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, the conventional power distribution system 100 may include one or more server cabinets 105 (e.g., server racks, not shown), above which a bus duct 110 may be suspended (e.g., from a data center ceiling). In addition, one or more power configuration devices 115 may be attached to the bus duct 110 and connected to a power outlet device 125 within the server cabinet 105 via one or more cables 120, which are connected to the power outlet device via a connector device 130. The servers and computer devices 135 housed within the server cabinet 105 may then be plugged into the power outlet device 125 and may draw operating power therefrom. The bus duct 110 may enclose a three-phase alternating current (AC) input power source 140 (e.g., three-phase delta, three-phase wye). For example, operating power may be provided to a server or computer device 135 housed within the server cabinet 105 via the power configuration device 115 , the cable 120 , the connector device 130 , and the power outlet device 125 .

[0044] In an embodiment, a power distribution system as disclosed below can improve a conventional power distribution system 100 by incorporating an overcurrent protection device into a drop-off box (TOB) that replaces a conventional power configuration device 115, the TOB also being attached to the bus duct 110 and incorporating components connected to a three-phase input power source 140. For example, the TOB can incorporate an overcurrent protector (OCP) device (e.g., a circuit breaker, a fuse), thereby eliminating the need for these devices within a conventional power outlet device 125 or within a rack power distribution unit (rPDU) that is also disposed within the server cabinet 105. Thus, the volume and / or profile of the rPDU can be reduced relative to the conventional power outlet device 125. In addition, the conventional power configuration device 115 can include a three-phase OCP device so that the cable 120 provides a three-phase power input, and the power outlet device 125 decomposes the three-phase power input into a single-phase AC circuit. However, the TOB can alternatively decompose the three-phase input power source 140 into multiple single-phase power output circuits. Thus, the cable 120 will be replaced by a device that enables each of the 3N single-phase socket circuits to be transmitted individually from the TOB to the rPDU. For example, when the TOB 205 decomposes the three-phase AC input power (140) into single-phase output power circuits, the number of single-phase output power circuits will be a multiple of 3, such as 9, 12, or 3N for any positive integer N. In addition, the conventional connector device 130 can also be reconfigured to accommodate 3N appropriately sized conductors / protective ground conductors at each end, for example, 3N TOB connections at the TOB and 3N rack connections at the rPDU.

[0045] In an embodiment, incorporating an OCP device within a TOB may eliminate the use of a multi-socket OCP device as implemented by a conventional power socket device 125. Additionally, a single-socket OCP device incorporated within a TOB may allow for the use of next-generation socket / outlet implementations at higher amperage ratings. For example, a next-generation AI / ML server may require a 2800W power supply (e.g., assuming unity power factor, drawing c.11.66A at 240V). A conventional OCP device based on a power socket device 125 may be overloaded if more than one conventional socket 145 or outlet is used, but a higher rated OCP device (e.g., <20A) would violate the National Electrical Code (similarly, the European Low Voltage Directive limits conventional C19 sockets to 16A).

[0046] In an embodiment, the TOB may be configured to accommodate OCP devices rated above 20A. For example, next generation outlet styles manufactured by AndersonPower, BizLink, etc. may be rated for 30A or higher via relatively small form factor outlets (e.g., comparable to C13 / C19 legacy outlets 145). An embodiment of the TOB may combine conventional 20A OCP devices with 30A or higher OCP devices, thereby allowing the rPDU to incorporate higher amperage or mixed amperage outlets as well as conventional C13 / C19 outlets 145.

[0047] Now refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B , a high-density power distribution system 200 is shown. The high-density power distribution system 200 may include a TOB 205, a rack connector device 210 (eg, a connector harness), and an rPDU 215.

[0048] In an embodiment, the TOB 205 can be attached to an overhead bus duct (110, Figure 1 ) and can be powered from a three-phase input power source (140, Figure 1; for example, three-phase delta, three-phase wye). For example, the TOB 205 can decompose the three-phase input power 140 into a group of 3N single-phase output power circuits (e.g., 6, 9, 12, or a number of 3N, where N is a positive integer). Therefore, the TOB 205 can include 3N overcurrent protection (OCP) devices 220a-220n, 225a-225n, 230a-230n. For example, N OCP devices 220a-220n may be dedicated to N single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n based on the first phase or phase A of the three-phase input power source 140; similarly, N OCP devices 225a-225n may be dedicated to N single-phase output power circuits 240a-240n based on the second phase or phase B, and N OCP devices 230a-230n may be dedicated to N single-phase output power circuits 245a-245n based on the third phase or phase C. In an embodiment, the 3N OCP devices 220a-220n, 225a-225n, 230a-230n may include higher amperage OCP devices in addition to conventional 20A rated OCP devices. For example, the N A-phase OCP devices 220a-220n may be rated at 20A, while the 2N B-phase and C-phase OCP devices 225a-225n, 230a-230n may be rated at 30A.

[0049] In an embodiment, the TOB 205 may be a "smart" TOB in combination with a monitoring system 250. For example, the monitoring system 250 may determine and report power data; for example, instantaneous or cumulative power consumption of the input power source 140 and instantaneous or cumulative power consumption data of each single-phase power output circuit 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. In addition, the monitoring system 250 may track amperage and / or voltage with respect to the input power source 140 or the single-phase power output circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. In addition, the monitoring system 250 may determine and monitor a power factor (e.g., a unit percentage) with respect to the input power source 140 and / or one or more of the single-phase power output circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 250 may include additional monitoring functions and control functions (e.g., as follows: Figure 3A and Figure 3B shown).

[0050] In some embodiments, the smart TOB 205 may include a display 255 for reporting power consumption data to an on-site user. For example, the display 255 may be a touch screen or interactive display configured to receive control inputs from an on-site user. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 250 may include one or more communication ports, links, or devices 260, and the monitoring system may report power consumption data to an off-site remote user 265 (e.g., a facility manager, server manager, and / or other personnel away from the server cabinet 105 and / or a data center in which the high-density power distribution system 200 is implemented) via the one or more communication ports, links, or devices 260 and receive control inputs from it. For example, the communication port 260 may include an Ethernet or other similar wired network connection and / or a wireless network connection for reporting power consumption data / receiving control inputs to a remote user 265.

[0051] In an embodiment, the single-phase power output circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n can be inserted into the smart TOB 205 via a set of TOB connector devices 270, and the rack connector devices 210 can be hardwired to the rPDU 215. For example, each rack connector device 210 can be implemented as a multi-core connector including a housing and a strain relief. In a traditional cable (120, Figure 1 ) can be achieved via sheathed cable and three-phase wiring, in an embodiment, a set of individually insulated conductors 280 can be configured to route each single-phase power output circuit 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n from the smart TOB 205 (e.g., via the TOB connector device 270) to the rPDU 215 (e.g., via the rack connector device 210). For example, given a set of 3N single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n, each single-phase output power circuit may require a conductor (280a) for transmitting output power to the rPDU 215 and a neutral wire (280b) for returning the circuit to the TOB 205; therefore, a set of 3N single-phase output power circuits may include a total of 6N conductors 280. In an embodiment, the set of conductors 280 may be implemented as one or more mesh conductors, for example, where a set of individually insulated conductors are combined within a mesh sleeve, thereby eliminating the need for significant derating associated with racking of unresolved three-phase input power 140 .

[0052] In an embodiment, the rPDU 215 can maintain a highly compact profile, e.g., approximately 2 inches square with respect to length and width, and can incorporate a set of 3N output power receptacles 285a-285n, 290a-290n, 295a-295n (e.g., outlets) arranged in a linear array (e.g., vertically stacked), servers and computer equipment (135, Figure 1 ) can receive output power via the output power socket. For example, the sockets 285a-285n can be connected to the single-phase power output circuit 235a-235n (e.g., associated with the first phase or A phase of the input power source 140), and the sockets 290a-290n, 295a-295n can be connected to the single-phase power output circuits 240a-240n, 245a-245n associated with the B phase and the C phase, respectively. Therefore, the sockets 285a-285n can be 20A rated sockets, such as C13, C19 or hybrid C13 / C19 connectors. In some embodiments, the sockets 285a-285n can include a pair of 20A rated sockets coupled to each single-phase power output circuit 235a-235n and its corresponding 20A rated OCP device 220A-220n.

[0053] In an embodiment, the outlets 295a-295n can each be implemented as a 30A outlet (e.g., Anderson Saf-D-Grid, BizLink, and any suitable similar 30A rated outlet), each 30A outlet coupled to the single-phase power output circuit 240a-240n, 245a-245n and its corresponding OCP device 225a-225n, 230a-230n. Similarly, in an embodiment, the outlets 290a-290n can each be implemented as a 20A outlet or a 30A outlet, so that the corresponding B-phase single-phase power output circuit 240a-240n can include a combination of a 20A circuit and a 30A circuit, and the corresponding OCP device 225a-225n includes a combination of a 20A rated device and a 30A rated device.

[0054] Now refer to Figure 3A and Figure 3B , a high-density power distribution system 200 and an rPDU 215 are shown, respectively.

[0055] In an embodiment, the monitoring system 250 within the smart PDU 205 can additionally provide remote control of each of the outlets 285a-285n (290a-290n, 295a-295n) within the rPDU 215. For example, a set of relays 300 can be fitted to each outlet ( Figure 3A :285a-285n, 290a-290n, 295a-295n; Figure 3B:285), each relay 300 can be controlled by the monitoring system 250 to enable or disable power flow through the associated outlet. In addition, any given outlet 285, 285a-285n, 290a-290n, 295a-295n can be remotely disabled via the monitoring system 250, for example, in the event that the power data of the associated single-phase power output circuit 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n indicates a potential or actual fault or hazard.

[0056] In some embodiments, the monitoring system 250 may include additional sensors that are not directly coupled to the three-phase power input power source 140 but are configured to provide additional environmental data about the high-density power distribution system 200 in general or, for example, the rPDU 215 in particular. For example, the monitoring system 250 may include a temperature sensor 305, a humidity sensor 310, or other similar environmental or facility sensors.

[0057] Now refer to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C , a smart drop box (TOB) 205 , a TOB connector device 270 and / or an rPDU 215 are shown.

[0058] In an embodiment, the smart TOB 205 may include an OCP device 400. For example, the OCP device 400 may be implemented and may be similar to Figure 2A The OCP devices 220a-220n, 225a-225n, 230a-230n shown are functional. The set of OCP devices 400 included in the smart TOB 205 can be rated for a single amperage (e.g., 20A, 30A), or can be rated for multiple amperages or mixed amperages (e.g., a mix of 20A and 30A, or other amperages as desired or required). For example, the TOB 205 can include a set of 12 OCP devices 400, and the TOB is configured to convert a three-phase input power source (140, Figure 2B ) is decomposed into two groups of three single-phase output power circuits (235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n, Figure 2B ; wherein N=2), wherein each single-phase output power circuit includes a conductor 280 ( Figure 2B ; For example, conductor 280a and neutral line 280b).

[0059] In an embodiment, the smart TOB 205 may include two TOB connector devices 270. For example, where N=2 as above, each TOB connector device 270 may be dedicated to two groups of three single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n, including a total of twelve conductors 280, for example, for each of the two groups, including three conductors 280a and three neutral wires 208b. In addition, the rPDU 215 may include twelve sockets 285a-285l (although C13 sockets are shown, based on the precise configuration of the corresponding single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n, the rPDU may include C19 sockets, hybrid sockets and / or other 20A / 30A socket types 290, 295).

[0060] Specific reference Figure 4B , the smart TOB 205 can incorporate various communication ports 405 (e.g., Ethernet, optical, USB, USB-C, HDMI) for use with various network protocols (e.g., SNMP, TCP / IP, RS232, RS485). In addition, the smart TOB 205 can include an external display 255 as described above. However, it is noted that the external display 255 can neither be configured (e.g., due to its small size) nor positioned (e.g., within the rear upper rack space, such as Figure 2A best shown) for networked transmission or communication of power data, such as to a remote user (265, Figure 2B ) compared to ideal reporting of monitoring data.

[0061] Specific reference Figure 4C , as a non-limiting example, an internal view of the smart TOB 205 is shown. For example, the communication port 405 of the smart TOB 205 may include a network port for connecting the smart TOB to a local network and / or an external network. In addition, the smart TOB 205 may include a monitoring card 410 that incorporates voltage contacts and / or current sensing components (e.g., current sensors) for input power (140, as discussed above). Figure 1 ) and / or voltage / amperage monitoring of single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. In addition, the smart TOB 205 can be combined with the OCP device 400 and the current transformer 415.

[0062] Reference Figure 5A and Figure 5B , rPDU 215 and rack connector assembly 210 are shown respectively.

[0063] In an embodiment, the rPDU 215 may incorporate a set 500 of rack-side connectors 505a-505l that are hardwired into the rPDU. For example, the rack-side connectors 505a-505l may be compatible with a set of conductor terminals 510a-510l that are set into the rack device and used as a single-phase output power circuit for two sets of three (235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n; Figure 2B ) conductor (280a, Figure 2A ) and neutral line (280b, Figure 2B ) terminal end. In an embodiment, the conductor terminals 510a-510l can be inserted into or otherwise engaged with the rack-side connectors 505a-505l to provide power to the rPDU 215 (e.g., and to each outlet (285a-285n, 290a-290n, 295a-295n; FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B In addition, the rack connector device 210 may include a tab 515 and a pin 520 compatible with the rPDU 215, which can be fixed to provide additional security and stability for the inserted / engaged conductor terminals 510a-510l.

[0064] In an embodiment, the rack-side connectors 505a-505l and the conductor terminals 510a-510l may be physically keyed to clearly indicate the amperage level (e.g., or other relevant circuit information) for the single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. As described above, the three-phase input power (140, Figure 2A ) can be used in smart TOB (205, Figure 2B ) is decomposed into single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n; in addition to conventional low amperage (e.g., 20A) circuits, these single-phase output power circuits can be high amperage circuits (e.g., 30A) or mixed amperage circuit groups (e.g., a group of three single-phase output power circuits including one or more 20A circuits and one or more 30A circuits). In other embodiments, if desired or required, the three-phase input power supply 140 can be decomposed into single-phase output circuits of other amperage levels.

[0065] In an embodiment, physical keying of the rack-side connectors 505a-505l and the conductor terminals 510a-505l can prevent inadvertent connection to the single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n and / or OCP devices (400, Figure 4A ) of the outlets (285a-285n, 290a-290n, 295a-295n) that may not be configured to handle their higher amperage levels. For example, eliminating unintentional connections can thus significantly reduce the power distribution system 200 and / or any server or computer equipment (135, Figure 1 ) Risk of fire or electrical damage.

[0066] In an embodiment, the rack-side connectors 505a-505l and the conductor terminals 510a-505l may be keyed to indicate an associated amperage level, for example, collectively with respect to a group of single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n and their corresponding OCP devices 400, or individually with respect to a specific output power circuit, a specific conductor or set thereof, and a specific OCP device or set thereof. For example, the group of rack-side connectors 505a-505l may be divided into two groups (upper group 525, lower group 530) of six rack-side connectors, wherein each group 525, 530 includes three rack-side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i for carrying single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n and a pair of neutral cables (280b, Figure 2B ) of three frame side connectors 505d-505f, 505j-505l. In an embodiment, the conductor terminals 510a-510c, 510g-510i and 510d-510f, 510j-510l may correspond to the frame side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i and 505d-505f, 505j-505l.

[0067] In an embodiment, the rack-side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i may be physically keyed to indicate the amperage level of the corresponding group of three single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n. For example, as described above, a group of three single-phase output power circuits associated with each group of rack-side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i may be low amperage (e.g., all 20A circuits), high amperage (e.g., all 30A circuits), mixed amperage (e.g., a mixture of 20A circuits and 30A circuits). In addition, other "low" amperage levels or "high" amperage levels may be introduced as desired or required.

[0068] In an embodiment, the rack side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i can be keyed to indicate the amperage of its associated single-phase output power circuit based on the shape of one or more connectors. For example, one or more rack side connectors 505a, 505c, 505g, 505i can include tabs 535 protruding from other circular connectors, while other rack side connectors 505b, 505d-505f, 505h, 505j-505k are substantially circular. In some embodiments, the use of one or more rack side connectors 505a, 505c, 505g, 505i with tabs can indicate an associated set of three single-phase output power circuits 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n as mixed amperage or high amperage. For example, a group of three circular rack-side connectors 505b, 505h may indicate a corresponding group of all low amperage (eg, 20A) single-phase output power circuits.

[0069] In an embodiment, the rack-side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i may additionally or alternatively be keyed to indicate the amperage of its associated single-phase output power circuit 235a-235n, 240a-240n, 245a-245n based on the alignment of one or more connectors, particularly connectors incorporating tabs 535. For example, three single-phase output power circuits associated with the rack-side connectors 505a-505c, 505g-505i may be keyed to indicate a mixed amperage circuit or a high amperage circuit based on the number of connectors with tabs (e.g., one connector with tabs indicates a mixed amperage set and two connectors with tabs indicate a high amperage set) or via the alignment of each tab 535 relative to its rack-side connector. It can be observed that the tabs 535 of the rack-side connectors 505a, 505g are aligned at approximately 45 degrees to the vertical, or between the 10:00 and 11:00 positions, while the tabs of the rack-side connectors 505c, 505i are aligned closer to the vertical, such as closer to the 11:00 position. In an embodiment, a corresponding set of rack-side connectors (e.g., connectors 505a / 505g with tabs between 10:00 and 11:00, connectors 505b / 505h without tabs, connectors 505c / 505i with tabs at 11:00) can be assigned to indicate a specific mixed amperage or high amperage set.

[0070] In an embodiment, assume that a set of three non-spliced ​​frame-side connectors (e.g., 505d-505f, 505j-505k, although these connectors are assigned to the neutral cable 280b) are keyed to indicate a low amperage, such as an all 20A set. It can be observed that any conductor connectors 510a, 510c, 510g, 510i with tabs that are used in whole or in part to indicate a mixed amperage or high amperage set of circuits are incompatible with a set of non-spliced ​​frame-side connectors 505d-505f, 505j-505l and cannot be plugged into them. For example, using tab 535 to indicate a higher amperage can prevent tabbed conductor connectors 510a, 510c, 510g, 510i from being inadvertently plugged into non-tabbed rack-side connectors 505d-505f, 505j-505l (and thus a higher amperage single-phase output circuit from being inadvertently connected to a lower amperage receptacle, as discussed above).

[0071] In some embodiments, connector keying can be used to individually indicate amperage levels, rather than being applied to a group of single-phase output power circuits. For example, the presence and / or alignment of tabs 535 relative to rack-side connectors 505a-505l and / or conductor connectors 510a-510l can be used to individually key or indicate the amperage level of a single-phase output power circuit corresponding to a particular combination of rack-side connectors and conductor connectors. As a non-limiting example, the alignment of a single tab 535 can be used to indicate the amperage level of a corresponding single-phase output power circuit, such as 1:00=5A, 2:00=10A, etc.

[0072] In an embodiment, if Figure 5A and Figure 5B The connector keying of the rack connector assembly 210 shown may also be accomplished by a TOB connector assembly (270, Figure 2B )application.

[0073] Also refer to Figure 5C , shows examples of low amperage rPDUs 215a-215c, high amperage rPDU 215d, and mixed amperage rPDU 215e (and their corresponding outlets 540, 545, 550).

[0074] In an embodiment, the low amperage rPDU 215a may include six C19 outlets 540, each of which is rated at 20 A. Similarly, the low amperage rPDU 215b may include six hybrid C13 / C19 outlets 545 (e.g., compatible with C13 or C19 connectors) and three C19 outlets 540, each of which is rated at 20 A. Similarly, the low amperage rPDU 215c may include twelve hybrid C13 / C19 outlets 545.

[0075] Additionally, the high amperage rPDU 215d may include six 30A outlets 550. Additionally, the mixed amperage rPDU 215e may include six hybrid C13 / C19 outlets 545 (rated at 20A) and three 30A outlets 550.

[0076] in conclusion

[0077] It is contemplated that embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may have many advantages. For example, embodiments of the power distribution system disclosed herein may more effectively serve the needs of next generation energy-intensive artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI / ML) applications (e.g., large language models (LLM), generative AI) while similarly accommodating next generation direct-to-chip (D2C) cooling solutions by maintaining rear rack / rear cabinet hygiene and air space. For example, the use of a "smart" junction box removes overcurrent protection devices from the rear rack space and moves them into an elevated bus duct space. This in turn provides a more compact rPDU implementation that is capable of incorporating next generation higher amperage power outlets while maintaining a compact form factor. In addition, the power distribution system is configured for safe implementation and management of higher amperage and mixed amperage power supplies and circuits, decomposing three-phase input power above the rack space rather than in the rack space, and providing clear identification of conductors by amperage level. In this way, lower amperage outlets can be prevented from being accidentally connected to higher amperage OCP devices. Additionally, the "intelligent" TOB of the smart junction box can provide detailed monitoring of the power supply, sharing of comprehensive monitoring data across the network to prevent duplicate monitoring, and remote adjustment (eg, enable / disable) of overcurrent protection devices and / or individual outlets.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the prior art has advanced to the point where there is little distinction between hardware and software implementations of various aspects of the system; the use of hardware or software is often (but not always, as the choice between hardware and software may become important in certain contexts) a design choice that represents a cost-efficiency tradeoff. Those skilled in the art will understand that there are a variety of carriers (e.g., hardware, software, and / or firmware) by which the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques described herein may be implemented, and that the preferred carrier will vary with the context in which the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques are deployed. For example, if the implementer determines that speed and accuracy are most important, the implementer may select primarily hardware and / or firmware carriers; alternatively, if flexibility is most important, the implementer may select primarily software implementations; or, again alternatively, the implementer may select some combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. Thus, there are several possible carriers by which the processes and / or apparatus and / or other techniques described herein may be implemented, wherein no one carrier is inherently superior to another, as any carrier to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the carrier will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which concerns may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the optical aspects of the implementation will typically employ optically oriented hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0079] The foregoing detailed description has been described various embodiments of the device and / or process by using block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples. To the extent that such block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples include one or more functions and / or operations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that each function and / or operation in such block diagrams, flow charts or examples can be implemented individually and / or collectively by various hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several parts of the subject matter described herein can be implemented via application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or other integrated formats. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in whole or in part equivalently in an integrated circuit as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or in fact as any combination thereof, and according to the present disclosure, designing circuits and / or writing codes for software and / or firmware will be completely within the skill of those skilled in the art. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein can be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the illustrative implementations of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the particular type of signal-bearing medium used to actually perform the distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable media, such as floppy disks, hard drives, compact disks (CDs), digital video disks (DVDs), digital tapes, computer memory, etc.; and transmission media, such as digital and / or analog communication media (e.g., fiber optic cables, waveguides, wired communication links, wireless communication links, etc.).

[0080] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various aspects described herein that may be implemented individually and / or collectively by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof may be viewed as being comprised of various types of “circuits.” Thus, as used herein, “circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, circuits having at least one discrete circuit, circuits having at least one integrated circuit, circuits having at least one application specific integrated circuit, circuits forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program that at least partially performs the processes and / or apparatus described herein or a microprocessor configured by a computer program that at least partially performs the processes and / or apparatus described herein), circuits forming a memory device (e.g., in the form of a random access memory), and / or circuits forming a communication device (e.g., a modem, a communication switch, or an optoelectronic device). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital manner, or some combination thereof.

[0081] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is common in the art to describe devices and / or processes in the manner set forth herein, and thereafter to integrate such described devices and / or processes into data processing systems using engineering practices. That is, at least a portion of the devices and / or processes described herein can be integrated into data processing systems via a reasonable amount of experimentation. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a typical data processing system typically includes one or more of the following: a system unit housing, a video display device, a memory such as volatile and non-volatile memory, a processor such as a microprocessor and a digital signal processor, a computing entity such as an operating system, a driver, a graphical user interface, and an application, one or more interactive devices such as a touch pad or a screen, and / or a control system including a feedback loop and a control motor (e.g., feedback for sensing position and / or velocity; a control motor for moving and / or adjusting components and / or quantities). A typical data processing system can be implemented using any suitable commercially available components, such as those commonly found in data computing / communication and / or network computing / communication systems.

[0082] The subject matter described herein sometimes illustrates different components contained in or connected to different other components.It should be understood that the architecture depicted in this way is merely exemplary, and many other architectures that implement the same function can actually be implemented.In a conceptual sense, the arrangement of any components that implement the same function is effectively "associated" to achieve the desired function.Therefore, any two components that are combined to achieve a specific function herein can be regarded as "associated" with each other so that the desired function is achieved, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components.Similarly, any two components so associated can also be regarded as "operably connected" or "operably connected" to each other to achieve the desired function, and any two components that can be so associated can also be regarded as "operably connected" to each other to achieve the desired function.Specific examples that can be operably connected include, but are not limited to, components that can be physically matched and / or physically interacted and / or components that can be wirelessly interacted and / or wirelessly interacted and / or components that can be logically interacted and / or components that can be logically interacted.

[0083] Although particular aspects of the subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made based on the teachings herein without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects, and therefore, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it should be understood that the present invention is limited solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A power distribution system, comprising: A junction box, the junction box being attachable to a bus duct, Wherein, the bus duct is configured to provide a three-phase input power supply, The branch box is configured to decompose the three-phase input power into 3N single-phase output circuits, wherein N is a positive integer, and the branch box includes a plurality of overcurrent protection devices. and wherein each of the 3N single-phase output circuits is connected to an overcurrent protector device, each overcurrent protector device being associated with an amperage level; a rack power distribution unit, the rack power distribution unit being mountable in a server cabinet, the rack power distribution unit comprising a linear array of 3N output power sockets corresponding to the 3N single-phase output circuits; as well as A set of 3N conductors, the set of 3N conductors corresponding to the 3N single-phase output circuits, the set of 3N conductors connected to the junction box through at least one junction box connection device, and connected to the rack power distribution unit through at least one rack connection device.

2. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: The linear array of 3N output power sockets is stacked vertically.

3. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of overcurrent protector devices include at least one of a circuit breaker or a fuse.

4. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of overcurrent protector devices include: a first set of overcurrent protector devices associated with a first amperage level and corresponding to a first subset of the 3N output power receptacles; as well as At least one second set of overcurrent protector devices is associated with a second amperage level and corresponds to a second subset of the 3N output power receptacles.

5. The power distribution system according to claim 4, wherein: The plurality of overcurrent protector devices include at least one group of hybrid overcurrent protector devices corresponding to a third subset of the 3N output power sockets, each group of hybrid overcurrent protector devices including: at least one initial overcurrent protector device, the at least one initial overcurrent protector device being associated with the first amperage level; as well as At least one additional overcurrent protector device is associated with at least one second amperage level.

6. The power distribution system according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one rack connection device comprises: a plurality of conductor terminals, wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors corresponds to a subset of 3N conductor terminals of the conductor terminals; and wherein the rack power distribution unit comprises a plurality of rack-side connectors, wherein each conductor terminal of the rack connection device is engageable with a rack-side connector of the rack power distribution unit to supply operating power to the rack power distribution unit through the conductor via the rack connection device; and Wherein, at least one of the plurality of conductor terminals or the plurality of rack-side connectors is configured to indicate the plurality of conductors as one of the following: a first conductor corresponding to the set of first overcurrent protector devices and corresponding to the first amperage level; a second conductor corresponding to the set of second overcurrent protector devices and corresponding to a second amperage level of the at least one second amperage level; or A hybrid conductor corresponds to the set of hybrid overcurrent protector devices.

7. The power distribution system of claim 6, wherein: the plurality of conductor terminals associated with the first conductor are incompatible with the plurality of rack-side connectors associated with the second conductor or the hybrid conductor; the plurality of conductor terminals associated with the second conductor are incompatible with the plurality of rack-side connectors associated with the first conductor or the hybrid conductor; and The plurality of conductor terminals associated with the hybrid conductor are incompatible with the plurality of rack-side connectors associated with the first conductor or the second conductor.

8. The power distribution system according to claim 6, wherein: At least one of the plurality of conductor terminals and the plurality of rack-side connectors is configured to indicate the plurality of conductors as at least one of first conductors, second conductors, or mixed conductors according to at least one of: the shape of the conductor terminal or the frame-side connector; or Orientation of the conductor terminal or the frame-side connector.

9. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: The junction box also includes: a monitoring system configured to determine power data associated with the input power source; A communication portal is configured to at least one of: 1) provide power data associated with the input power source to a user, or 2) receive control input from the user.

10. The power distribution system according to claim 9, wherein: The power data associated with the input power source includes at least one of the following: the amperage of the input power source; or The voltage of the input power supply.

11. The power distribution system according to claim 9, wherein: The power data associated with the input power source includes at least one of the following: the instantaneous power level of the input power source; or The cumulative power level of the input power source.

12. The power distribution system according to claim 9, wherein: The power data associated with the input power source includes a power factor.

13. The power distribution system according to claim 9, wherein: The power data associated with the input power source includes circuit power data associated with at least one monitored single-phase output power circuit of the 3N single-phase output power circuits.

14. The power distribution system according to claim 13, wherein: The circuit power data includes at least one of the following: the amperage of the monitored single-phase output power circuit; or The monitored single-phase output power circuit voltage.

15. The power distribution system of claim 13, wherein: The circuit power data includes at least one of the following: the instantaneous power level of the monitored single-phase output power circuit; or The monitored cumulative power level of the single-phase output power circuit.

16. The power distribution system of claim 9, wherein: The monitoring system also includes at least one of a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.

17. The power distribution system of claim 9, wherein: each output power receptacle including at least one relay operatively coupled to the monitoring system; and Wherein the monitoring system is configured to enable or disable at least one of each output power socket via the at least one relay.

18. The power distribution system of claim 9, wherein: The monitoring system further comprises: At least one monitoring display is disposed on an outer surface of the junction box, and the monitoring display is configured to present the power data to a user.

19. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein: The set of 3N conductors includes one or more mesh conductors, each mesh conductor including a subset of the plurality of conductors disposed within a mesh sleeve.

20. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein: The three-phase input power includes one of a three-phase delta power and a three-phase wye power.

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