Rack busbar

Abstract

The utility model discloses a rack busbar, relates to the connector technical field, the rack busbar is used for being electrically connected with a power supply and supplying power to a server, the rack busbar comprises a housing, a first busbar, a second busbar and an insulation strip, the housing has a length direction, a width direction and a height direction, the housing comprises a bottom plate and two side plates, the two side plates are connected to the two opposite sides, extending in the length direction, of the bottom plate, and a mounting groove is defined by the two side plates and the bottom plate. The first busbar is arranged in the mounting groove and extends in the length direction; the second busbar is arranged in the mounting groove and extends in the length direction; the insulating strip is clamped between the first busbar and the second busbar and extends in the length direction, and a groove is formed in the end, away from the bottom plate, of the insulating strip and extends in the length direction. The rack busbar provided by the utility model aims to prolong a creepage path between the two busbars and reduce potential safety hazards.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to a rack bus. Background Technology

[0002] Rack buses are power distribution systems designed for data center server racks, conforming to the OCP (Open Compute Project) specification. The primary function of rack buses is to efficiently and securely transmit power from the power supply rack or PSU (Power Supply Unit) to the individual server nodes within the server rack via copper busbars.

[0003] When the rack busbar is powered on, a leakage current path, or creepage path, will be formed on the surface of the insulating material. If the creepage distance of the creepage path is insufficient, surface flashover or breakdown will occur, which may damage the rack busbar or even cause personal injury or death. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to propose a rack bus that extends the creepage path between two busbars and reduces safety hazards.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a rack bus for electrical connection to a power supply and for supplying power to a server. The rack bus includes a housing, a first bus, a second bus, and an insulating strip. The housing has a length direction, a width direction, and a height direction. The housing includes a bottom plate and two side plates. The two side plates are connected to the bottom plate on opposite sides extending along the length direction, and the two side plates and the bottom plate enclose a mounting groove. The first bus is disposed in the mounting groove and extends along the length direction. The second bus is disposed in the mounting groove and extends along the length direction. The insulating strip is sandwiched between the first bus and the second bus and extends along the length direction. A groove is formed at the end of the insulating strip away from the bottom plate, and the groove extends along the length direction.

[0006] In one embodiment, the groove has a tapered cross-sectional shape along the vertical direction.

[0007] In one embodiment, the groove includes a first groove, a second groove, and a third groove, which extend along the length direction. The first groove, the second groove, and the third groove are sequentially connected and communicate with each other in the height direction. The vertical cross-sectional shape of the first groove is rectangular, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second groove is trapezoidal, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the third groove is arc-shaped.

[0008] In one embodiment, the depth of the groove in the height direction is greater than or equal to 27.16 mm and less than or equal to 40.74 mm.

[0009] In one embodiment, the ratio between the depth of the groove in the height direction and the height of the insulating strip in the height direction is greater than or equal to 0.16 and less than or equal to 0.24.

[0010] In one embodiment, both the first busbar and the second busbar include an integrally formed head and shoulder, and the bottom of the groove is positioned higher than the shoulder of the first busbar and the shoulder of the second busbar in the height direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, the ratio between the width of the shoulder of the first busbar in the width direction and the vertical distance between the two side plates is greater than or equal to 0.216 and less than or equal to 0.324.

[0012] In one embodiment, the rack busbar further includes two grounding strips, one of which is disposed on one of the side plates and located near the opening of the mounting slot. The rack busbar also includes several gaskets, a portion of which are spaced between the first busbar and one of the side plates, and the remaining portion of which are spaced between the second busbar and another of the side plates.

[0013] In one embodiment, the thickness of the gasket in the width direction is greater than or equal to 3.2 mm and less than or equal to 4.8 mm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the ratio between the thickness of the gasket in the width direction and the vertical distance between the two side plates is greater than or equal to 0.08 and less than or equal to 0.12.

[0015] The rack bus provided by this utility model includes a housing, a first bus, a second bus, and an insulating strip. The first and second bus are disposed inside the housing, and the insulating strip is sandwiched between the first and second bus. A groove is formed at the end of the insulating strip away from the base plate. The end of the first bus away from the base plate forms a creepage path with the end of the second bus away from the base plate through the groove. The groove extends the creepage path between the end of the first bus away from the base plate and the end of the second bus away from the base plate, reducing safety hazards and minimizing the occurrence of accidents. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the rack bus provided by this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the rack bus provided by this utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0021] L, length direction; W, width direction; H, height direction; 100, frame busbar; 1, outer casing; 11, base plate; 12, side plate; 13, mounting slot; 2, first busbar; 21, head; 22, shoulder; 3, second busbar; 4, insulating strip; 41, groove; 411, first groove; 412, second groove; 413, third groove; 5, grounding strip; 6, gasket.

[0022] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0024] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0025] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0026] Rack buses are power distribution systems designed for data center server racks, conforming to the OCP (Open Compute Project) specification. The primary function of rack buses is to efficiently and securely transmit power from the power supply rack or PSU (Power Supply Unit) to the individual server nodes within the server rack via copper busbars.

[0027] When the rack busbar is powered on, a leakage current path, or creepage path, will be formed on the surface of the insulating material. If the creepage distance of the creepage path is insufficient, surface flashover or breakdown will occur, which may damage the rack busbar or even cause personal injury or death.

[0028] This utility model proposes a rack busbar, which aims to extend the creepage path between two busbars and reduce safety hazards.

[0029] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment of this utility model, the rack bus 100 is used to connect to a power supply and supply power to a server. The rack bus 100 includes a housing 1, a first bus 2, a second bus 3, and an insulating strip 4. The housing 1 has a length direction L, a width direction W, and a height direction H. The housing 1 includes a bottom plate 11 and two side plates 12. The two side plates 12 are connected to the bottom plate 11 and extend along the length direction L on opposite sides. The two side plates 12 and the bottom plate 11 enclose each other to form a mounting groove 13. The first bus 2 is disposed in the mounting groove 13 and extends along the length direction L. The second bus 3 is disposed in the mounting groove 13 and extends along the length direction L. The insulating strip 4 is sandwiched between the first bus 2 and the second bus 3 and extends along the length direction L. A groove 41 is provided at the end of the insulating strip 4 away from the bottom plate 11, and the groove 41 extends along the length direction L.

[0030] In this embodiment, the outer casing 1 includes a base plate 11 and two side plates 12. One side plate 12 is connected to one side of the base plate 11 along its length L. The mounting groove 13 formed by the base plate 11 and the two side plates 12 provides stable mechanical support for the first busbar 2, the second busbar 3, and the insulating strip 4. The outer casing 1 is made of an insulating material to prevent leakage of electricity through the outer casing 1, such as hard plastic. The materials and shapes of the first busbar 2 and the second busbar 3 are common materials and shapes available on the market and are not further limited here. The outer casing 1, the first busbar 2, the second busbar 3, and the insulating strip 4 are all provided with several connecting holes, and several connectors are respectively inserted through several connecting holes to connect the above four parts into one unit. The groove 41 is a groove structure extending longitudinally along the top of the insulating strip 4. Specifically, it can adopt a rectangular, trapezoidal, arc-shaped cross section or a combination of the above shapes. By changing the surface contour of the groove 41, the creepage path between the ends of the two busbars is extended, thereby reducing safety hazards. The insulating strip 4 is sandwiched between the two busbars to provide insulation. It can be made of insulating material, such as rubber.

[0031] The rack bus 100 provided by this utility model includes a housing 1, a first bus 2, a second bus 3, and an insulating strip 4. The first bus 2 and the second bus 3 are disposed inside the housing 1. The insulating strip 4 is sandwiched between the first bus 2 and the second bus 3. A groove 41 is provided at the end of the insulating strip 4 away from the base plate 11. A creepage path is formed between the end of the first bus 2 away from the base plate 11 and the end of the second bus 3 away from the base plate 11 through the groove 41. The groove 41 extends the creepage path between the end of the first bus 2 away from the base plate 11 and the end of the second bus 3 away from the base plate 11, thereby reducing safety hazards and minimizing the occurrence of accidents.

[0032] In an embodiment of this utility model, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 41 along the vertical direction is tapered.

[0033] In this embodiment, the groove 41 has a tapered cross-sectional shape in the vertical direction, such as a trapezoid or an inverted triangle, which further extends the creepage path between the end of the first busbar 2 away from the base plate 11 and the end of the second busbar 3 away from the base plate 11, reducing safety hazards.

[0034] In one example, the groove 41 includes a first groove 411 and a second groove 412. The first groove 411 and the second groove 412 are connected and communicate with each other in the height direction H. The first groove 411 and the second groove 412 are both extended along the length direction L. The vertical cross-sectional shape of the first groove 411 is rectangular, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second groove 412 is triangular. The apex of the second groove 412 is away from the end of the insulating strip 4 that is away from the bottom plate 11.

[0035] In this embodiment, the groove 41 includes two connected and interconnected first grooves 411 and second grooves 412, to increase the depth of the groove 41 and further extend the creepage path between the end of the first busbar 2 away from the base plate 11 and the end of the second busbar 3 away from the base plate 11, thereby reducing safety hazards. The first groove 411 refers to a rectangular cross-section groove continuously formed along the length direction L at the top of the insulating strip 4, which can be achieved through injection molding to form the initial creepage isolation space. The second groove 412 refers to a trapezoidal cross-section groove extending downward from the bottom of the first groove 411, which can be formed through mold processing to further extend the creepage path. It is understood that in other embodiments, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the first groove 411 can also be trapezoidal, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second groove 412 can also be rectangular, triangular, or arc-shaped.

[0036] In an embodiment of this utility model, the groove 41 includes a first groove 411, a second groove 412, and a third groove 413. The first groove 411, the second groove 412, and the third groove 413 extend along the length direction L. The first groove 411, the second groove 412, and the third groove 413 are connected and communicate with each other in the height direction H. The vertical cross-sectional shape of the first groove 411 is rectangular, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second groove 412 is trapezoidal, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the third groove 413 is arc-shaped.

[0037] In this embodiment, the groove 41 includes two connected and interconnected first groove 411, second groove 412, and third groove 413, to increase the depth of the groove 41 and further extend the creepage path between the end of the first busbar 2 away from the base plate 11 and the end of the second busbar 3 away from the base plate 11, reducing safety hazards. A three-level composite structure is formed by sequentially setting a rectangular cross-section first groove 411, a trapezoidal cross-section second groove 412, and an arc-shaped cross-section third groove 413 at the top of the insulating strip 4. When current passes through the busbar, the stepped groove 41 structure forms a meandering current path on the surface of the insulating strip 4, preventing surface flashover by increasing the effective creepage distance. Simultaneously, the arc-shaped edge design of the third groove 413 optimizes the electric field distribution, uniformly distributing electrical stress along the smooth curved surface and avoiding strong concentration at the corners.

[0038] In an embodiment of this utility model, the depth of the groove 41 in the height direction H is greater than or equal to 27.16 mm and less than or equal to 40.74 mm.

[0039] In this embodiment, the depth of the groove 41 in the height direction H refers to the vertical distance between the top surface of the insulating strip 4 and the bottom of the groove 41. This vertical distance needs to be sufficient to ensure that the insulating strip 4 forms a sufficient creepage distance when subjected to voltage. The depth range of the groove 41 is greater than or equal to 27.16 mm and less than or equal to 40.74 mm, such as 27.16 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40.74 mm, or any value within the above range. If the depth of the groove 41 is too small, the creepage path length will be insufficient to withstand sufficient voltage, and breakdown or flashover may easily occur. If the depth of the groove 41 is too large, it will cause the insulation strip 4 to become too deep, resulting in a decrease in structural strength. When the plug is inserted, it is easy to deform, causing the insulation function of the insulation strip 4 to fail.

[0040] In an embodiment of this utility model, the ratio between the depth of the groove 41 in the height direction H and the height of the insulating strip 4 in the height direction H is greater than or equal to 0.16 and less than or equal to 0.24.

[0041] In this embodiment, the groove depth 41 refers to the maximum dimension of the recessed structure extending along the length direction L at the end of the insulating strip 4 away from the base plate 11 in the direction perpendicular to the base plate 11, which is used to extend the creepage path of surface leakage current; the height of the insulating strip 4 refers to the total dimension of the insulating strip 4 in the direction perpendicular to the base plate 11, which is used to insulate and isolate the first busbar 2 and the second busbar 3. The ratio of the groove depth 41 to the height of the insulating strip 4 is in the range of 0.16 to 0.24, for example 0.16, 0.2, 0.24 or any value within the above range, so that the groove 41 in the insulating strip 4 forms a sufficient creepage gap to withstand sufficient voltage and prevent breakdown or flashover, while ensuring that the insulating strip 4 retains sufficient support thickness to ensure the mechanical stability of the insulating strip 4 to withstand the busbar installation pressure and prevent insulation failure.

[0042] In the embodiments of this utility model, both the first busbar 2 and the second busbar 3 include an integrally formed head 21 and shoulder 22, and the bottom of the groove 41 is higher than the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 and the shoulder 22 of the second busbar 3 in the height direction H.

[0043] In this embodiment, the integrally formed head 21 and shoulder 22 refer to the seamless integral structure of the busbar's main body formed through continuous processing. This can be achieved using casting or stamping processes. This design avoids the contact resistance generated at the connection points of traditional split structures, thus improving current carrying capacity. Furthermore, the position of the bottom of the groove 41 being higher than the shoulder 22 means that the lowest point of the groove 41 of the insulating strip 4 has a height difference in the vertical direction relative to the upper surface of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 and the second busbar 3. This ensures that the insulating strip 4 retains sufficient support thickness, guaranteeing its mechanical stability to withstand the busbar installation pressure and preventing insulation failure. The head 21 of the first busbar 2 and the head 21 of the second busbar 3 are used to plug into and electrically connect with electrical connectors to power each server node.

[0044] In an embodiment of this utility model, the ratio between the width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 in the width direction W and the vertical distance between the two side plates 12 is greater than or equal to 0.216 and less than or equal to 0.324.

[0045] In this embodiment, the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 refers to the lateral extension of the first busbar 2 that contacts the side plate 12. Its function is to carry a larger current and increase the contact area between the busbar and the side plate 12 to improve structural stability. It is understood that the dimensions of the first busbar 2 are the same as those of the second busbar 3. When the dimensions of the outer casing 1 are fixed, the ratio between the width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 and the width of the outer casing 1 is determined, that is, the ratio between the width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 and the vertical distance between the two side plates 12 is determined. The thickness of the insulating strip 4 can be calculated from this ratio. Specifically, during assembly, the ratio of the width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 to the width of the mounting groove 13 ranges from 0.216 to 0.324, for example, 0.216, 0.24, 0.28, 0.324, or any value within the above range. The width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 should not be too low. If the shoulder 22 is too low, it will not be able to carry a large current. The width of the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 should not be too high either. If the shoulder 22 is too high, it will compress the insulation gap between the busbar and the side plate 12, thereby shortening the creepage path between the ends of the two busbars, which may easily cause breakdown or flashover, resulting in safety hazards.

[0046] In an embodiment of this utility model, the rack bus 100 further includes two grounding strips 5. One grounding strip 5 is disposed on a side plate 12 and located near the groove opening of the mounting groove 13. The rack bus 100 also includes several gaskets 6. A portion of the gaskets 6 are spaced between the first bus 2 and the side plate 12, and the remaining gaskets 6 are spaced between the second bus 3 and the other side plate 12.

[0047] In this embodiment, the grounding strip 5 refers to a conductive component used to establish a reliable grounding path. Specifically, it can be implemented using copper strips or tin-plated copper strips. It is mechanically fixed to the side plate 12, forming an electrical connection with the external grounding system, effectively eliminating the risk of leakage current accumulation. Two grounding strips 5 are symmetrically arranged on the outer edges of the two side plates 12, forming double grounding protection, which can quickly conduct abnormal charges to the ground. A creepage path can also be formed between the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 or the shoulder 22 of the second busbar 3 and the corresponding grounding strip 5.

[0048] The gasket 6 serves as an insulating support to fill the gap between the busbar and the side plate 12 and to prevent deformation of the housing 1 or the busbar caused by the connector. It can be injection molded from silicone, rubber, or polycarbonate materials. Multiple gaskets 6 spaced apart prevent creepage paths from forming on continuous contact surfaces and provide structural stability. The grounding strip 5 is positioned on the side plate 12 near the edge of the mounting groove 13 opening, ensuring the shortest connection path with the external grounding terminal. The gaskets 6 are distributed discontinuously in the contact area between the busbar and the side plate 12, for example, one at regular intervals. This ensures the stability of the busbar installation. Furthermore, the gaskets 6 allow adjustment of the creepage path length between the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 or the shoulder 22 of the second busbar 3 and the corresponding grounding strip 5, preventing surface flashover or breakdown and reducing safety hazards.

[0049] In the embodiments of this utility model, the thickness of the gasket 6 in the width direction W is greater than or equal to 3.2 mm and less than or equal to 4.8 mm.

[0050] In this embodiment, the thickness of the gasket 6 in the width direction W refers to the lateral dimension of the gasket 6 along the contact surface between the side plate 12 and the busbar. The thickness range of the gasket 6 is greater than or equal to 3.2 mm and less than or equal to 4.8 mm, such as 3.2 mm, 3.6 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.4 mm, 4.8 mm, or any value within the above range. If the thickness of the gasket 6 is too large, it will occupy too much space in the mounting groove 13, reducing the thickness of the first busbar 2, the second busbar 3, or the insulating strip 4. This will prevent the electrical connector from carrying a large current or affect the width of the groove 41 opened on the insulating strip 4, thereby shortening the creepage path and making it easy for surface flashover or breakdown to occur. If the thickness of the gasket 6 is too small, it will result in a shorter creepage path between the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 or the shoulder 22 of the second busbar 3 and the grounding strip 5 on the corresponding side, making it easy for surface flashover or breakdown to occur and creating safety hazards.

[0051] In an embodiment of this utility model, the ratio between the thickness of the gasket 6 in the width direction W and the vertical distance between the two side plates 12 is greater than or equal to 0.08 and less than or equal to 0.12.

[0052] In this embodiment, the ratio between the thickness of the gasket 6 and the vertical distance between the two side plates 12 is greater than or equal to 0.08 and less than or equal to 0.12, such as 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, or any value within the above range. If the thickness of the gasket 6 is too large, it will occupy too much space in the mounting groove 13, reducing the thickness of the first busbar 2, the second busbar 3, or the insulating strip 4. This will prevent the electrical connector from carrying a large current or affect the width of the groove 41 opened on the insulating strip 4, thereby shortening the creepage path and making it easy for surface flashover or breakdown to occur. If the thickness of the gasket 6 is too small, the creepage path between the shoulder 22 of the first busbar 2 or the shoulder 22 of the second busbar 3 and the grounding strip 5 on the corresponding side will be short, making it easy for surface flashover or breakdown to occur and creating safety hazards.

[0053] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present utility model and the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A rack bus for electrically connecting to a power supply and supplying power to a server, characterized in that, The rack bus includes: The housing has a length direction, a width direction and a height direction, and includes a bottom plate and two side plates. The two side plates are connected to the bottom plate on two opposite sides that extend along the length direction. The two side plates and the bottom plate enclose each other to form a mounting groove. A first busbar is disposed in the mounting groove and extends along the length direction; A second busbar, wherein the second busbar is disposed in the mounting groove and extends along the length direction; and An insulating strip is sandwiched between the first busbar and the second busbar and extends along the length direction. A groove is formed at one end of the insulating strip away from the base plate, and the groove extends along the length direction.

2. The rack busbar as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The groove has a tapering cross-sectional shape along the height direction.

3. The rack busbar as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The groove includes a first groove, a second groove, and a third groove, which extend along the length direction. The first groove, the second groove, and the third groove are sequentially connected and communicate with each other in the height direction. The vertical cross-sectional shape of the first groove is rectangular, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second groove is trapezoidal, and the vertical cross-sectional shape of the third groove is arc-shaped.

4. The rack busbar as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The depth of the groove in the height direction is greater than or equal to 27.16 mm and less than or equal to 40.74 mm.

5. The rack busbar as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio between the depth of the groove in the height direction and the height of the insulating strip in the height direction is greater than or equal to 0.16 and less than or equal to 0.

24.

6. The rack busbar as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first busbar and the second busbar include an integrally formed head and shoulder, and the bottom of the groove is positioned higher than the shoulder of the first busbar and the shoulder of the second busbar in the height direction.

7. The rack bus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The ratio between the width of the shoulder of the first busbar in the width direction and the vertical distance between the two side plates is greater than or equal to 0.216 and less than or equal to 0.

324.

8. The rack busbar as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The rack bus also includes two grounding strips. One grounding strip is disposed on one of the side plates and located near the opening of the mounting slot. The rack bus also includes several gaskets. A portion of the gaskets are spaced between the first bus and one of the side plates, and the remaining portion of the gaskets are spaced between the second bus and another side plate.

9. The rack bus as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The thickness of the gasket in the width direction is greater than or equal to 3.2 mm and less than or equal to 4.8 mm.

10. The rack bus as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The ratio of the thickness of the gasket in the width direction to the vertical distance between the two side plates is greater than or equal to 0.08 and less than or equal to 0.12.

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