Busbar Connector Assembly with Adaptive Spring Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors used in data centers for uninterruptible power supplies are limited in carrying high currents, leading to high temperatures and corrosion, and struggle with heat dissipation and secure pressure application.
Innovation Solution
A busbar connector assembly with a dynamic head and static head, secured by an adaptive connector that allows relative movement, featuring a cone-shaped annular portion, ventilation cutouts, and a spring bracket with a spring for improved thermal transfer and secure connection, capable of handling higher currents and dissipating heat efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If existing connectors with thin bodies are used to connect power equipment to busbar, then the connector structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the connector is incapable of carrying high current levels such as 100 kA short circuit due to very short contact line with the busbar
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body is divided into multiple segments including a first body portion, a second body portion, and a contact portion. Each segment serves a specific function: the first body portion provides structural support, the second body portion extends the contact line, and the contact portion establishes the electrical connection with the busbar. This segmentation allows the connector to achieve high current carrying capacity while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transitions from a two-dimensional thin body structure to a three-dimensional extended structure with a second body portion that protrudes from the first body portion. This dimensional change creates a longer contact line with the busbar, enabling the connector to handle high current levels and short circuit conditions while maintaining a manageable structural complexity.
2Reliability
If existing connectors with short contact line are used, then the connector structure is simple, but very high temperatures are generated at contact areas which corrode the connector quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The contact area is segmented into multiple contact points distributed along the extended second body portion. This segmentation distributes the thermal load across multiple contact areas rather than concentrating it at a single point, reducing the temperature at each contact area and preventing rapid corrosion while improving overall connector reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact line is extended by adding the second body portion that protrudes from the first body portion. This dimensional extension increases the surface area of contact with the busbar, distributing the heat generation over a larger area and reducing the temperature at any single contact point, thereby preventing rapid corrosion and improving durability.
3Ease of operation
If spring steel clips are used to provide pressure at contact point, then the connector can be easily secured to busbar, but it is difficult to determine whether the pressure is sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a visual indication mechanism through the colored contact portion that provides feedback on the connection status. When the connector is properly secured to the busbar, the contact portion displays a specific color or visual state that confirms sufficient pressure is applied. This feedback mechanism allows operators to easily verify proper installation without requiring specialized measurement tools, maintaining ease of operation while solving the detection difficulty.
4Loss of energy
If existing connectors with thin body are used, then the manufacturing is simple, but the connector suffers from difficulty in dissipating heat from contact areas
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body is segmented into multiple portions with different thermal characteristics. The contact portion is designed with high thermal conductivity material to efficiently conduct heat away from the contact areas, while the first and second body portions provide structural support. This segmentation enables effective heat dissipation while keeping the overall structure manageable and manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transitions from a two-dimensional thin body to a three-dimensional structure with extended second body portion. This dimensional change increases the surface area available for heat dissipation and creates additional thermal pathways from the contact areas to the surrounding environment, improving heat dissipation efficiency without excessive structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces temperature hot spots, enhances secure connection, and improves heat dissipation, enabling the connector to handle higher currents without corrosion, thus ensuring reliable operation during power fluctuations and short circuits.
Implementation Method 1
a spring bracket secured to the dynamic head and the adaptive connector, and a spring disposed within the spring bracket
Implementation Method 2
The annular portion may have a cutout formed therein for ventilation
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5C
AI summary
A busbar connector assembly includes a dynamic head configured to be secured to one of a busbar and an electronic device, a static head configured to be secured to the other of the busbar and the electronic device, and a connector configured to flexibly secure the dynamic head and the static head so that the dynamic head is capable of moving relative to the static head. Other aspects of the busbar connector assembly and methods of connecting an electronic device to a busbar are further disclosed.