Modular Power Distribution Boards for Flexible PSU Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The variation in PSU configuration within information processing systems, including different types and positional arrangements, necessitates the design and manufacture of multiple system boards, increasing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular power distribution subsystem comprising power distribution boards and bus bars that can be arranged in various configurations to accommodate multiple PSU types and positional arrangements, allowing a single system board to be used across different system configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple system boards are designed and manufactured to accommodate different PSU configurations, then adaptability to various PSU types and positional arrangements is improved, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The power distribution system is segmented into modular components: removable PSU modules with edge connectors that interface with standardized sockets on the system board. This segmentation allows different PSU types to be interchangeably connected to the same system board without requiring multiple board designs, thereby maintaining adaptability while reducing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system board is designed with universal edge-connector sockets that can accommodate multiple types of PSU modules. The standardized interface enables a single system board design to support various PSU configurations, positions, and power capacities, eliminating the need for multiple specialized board variants and thus reducing manufacturing complexity while preserving versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple system boards are designed and manufactured to accommodate different PSU configurations, then adaptability to various PSU types and positional arrangements is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system board incorporates universal edge-connector sockets designed to accommodate multiple PSU types and configurations through a standardized interface. This universality enables a single system board design to replace multiple configuration-specific boards, directly reducing manufacturing costs through economies of scale while maintaining adaptability to various PSU arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The power distribution system employs dynamic configurability through removable and reconfigurable PSU modules that can be interchangeably connected to the system board. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different PSU configurations without requiring physical changes to the system board itself, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while preserving versatility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple system boards are designed for different PSU configurations, then support for multiple PSU types is improved, but engineering time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system board is designed with universal edge-connector sockets that provide standardized support for multiple PSU types and configurations. This universality eliminates the need to design and engineer multiple separate board variants, significantly reducing engineering time and effort while maintaining comprehensive support for diverse PSU requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The power distribution architecture is segmented into standardized, interchangeable modules with well-defined interfaces. This segmentation creates clear, reusable design patterns that reduce engineering complexity and time, as the same system board design can be applied across multiple configurations without requiring extensive redesign or customization efforts.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular power distribution subsystem for an information processing device, comprises one or more power distribution boards and a plurality of bus bars. Each power distribution board may comprise a first edge-connector socket configured to receive a first power supply unit (PSU) edge connector and a second edge-connector socket configured to receive a second PSU edge connector, with the second edge-connector socket having a different form factor than the first edge-connector socket. The power distribution board may further comprise a plurality of power-pin sockets, each configured to receive a power pin of one of the bus bars. The power distribution boards are connectable, by the bus bars and the power-pin sockets, to a system board of the information processing device in a plurality of different configurations that accommodate a plurality of different types of PSUs and/or a plurality of different positional arrangements of PSUs.