CN106058519B

CN106058519B - High density socket power distribution unit

Info

Publication number: CN106058519B
Application number: CN201610228540.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 查文思·艾瑞斯; P·马斯卡勒詹姆斯; 彼得·贾莫纳; 马克·拉姆塞
Original assignee: Server Technology Inc
Current assignee: Server Technology Inc
Priority date: 2015-04-15
Filing date: 2016-04-13
Publication date: 2021-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-13
Also published as: EP3284147A4; WO2016168260A1; EP3284147B1; EP3284147A1; CN106058519A

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system and apparatus in which outlets are coupled to Power Distribution Units (PDUs) or PDU modules in various configurations. The receptacle may be coupled to a concave surface within the PDU housing. The receptacle may be coupled to a printed circuit board that is at least partially disposed within the PDU housing. The receptacle may extend away from the concave surface or the printed circuit board, toward or beyond the front surface of the PDU housing.

Description

High density socket power distribution unit

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application No. 14/073,769 entitled "high density outlet power distribution" filed on 6.11.2013, which claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional application serial No. 61/723,065 entitled "high density outlet power distribution unit" filed on 6.11.2012, the entire disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to power distribution units, and more particularly, to power distribution units having high density power outlets.

Background

One conventional Power Distribution Unit (PDU) is an assembly of power outlets (also known as jacks) that receives power from a source and distributes the power to one or more individual appliances. Each such PDU is equipped with a power input that receives power from a power source and has a power outlet that is used to provide power to an appliance. PDUs are used in a variety of applications and settings, for example, in or on electronic equipment racks. One or more PDUs are typically located within an equipment rack (or other cabinet) and may be mounted with other devices connected to the PDU, such as environmental monitors, temperature and humidity sensors, fuse modules, or communication modules, which may be external to or contained within the PDU housing. A PDU mounted within an equipment rack or cabinet may sometimes be referred to as a cabinet PDU or simply a "CDU.

A common use of PDUs is to provide operational power to electronic devices in a computing facility (e.g., a data center or server farm). The computing facility typically includes an electronics rack comprising a rectangular or box-shaped housing, sometimes referred to as a cabinet or rack, and associated components for mounting equipment, associated communications cables, and associated power distribution cables. Electronic equipment is typically mounted in racks such that various electronic equipment (e.g., network switches, routers, servers, etc.) are vertically aligned in the rack, one on top of the other. One or more PDUs can be used to provide power to an electronic device. Multiple racks may be oriented side-by-side and each contain a large number of electronic components and a large number of associated component connections, both within and outside the area occupied by the rack. The rack typically supports devices used in an enterprise's computing network, also referred to as an enterprise network.

As described above, many equipment racks may be located in a data center or server farm, each with one or more associated PDUs. Various different equipment racks may have different configurations, including different locations and different densities of equipment within the rack. One or more such data centers may serve as a data communications hub for an enterprise. As will be readily appreciated, space within the equipment racks is valuable since maximization of the computational resources for any given volume is desirable.

Disclosure of Invention

The evolution of computing devices is towards higher electrical efficiency and smaller volume, resulting in higher density of computing devices in racks, which require an equal amount of power outlets. For this reason, it is commercially advantageous to maximize the density of receptacles within a PDU. The C13 and C19 plugs commercially available today are not designed to maximize the density of receptacles within the PDU.

The apparatus and devices provided in the present disclosure allow for a relatively high density configuration of receptacles in a PDU, which also provides a plug retention mechanism. In some aspects, the power distribution unit may be provided with one or more receptacle groups having a concave surface relative to a front surface of the PDU. The plurality of receptacles in some embodiments extend away from the concave surface, but do not extend beyond the plane of the front surface of the PDU. The receptacle may be built into a tray, which in some embodiments may be airtight with respect to the interior area of the PDU containing the measurement and distribution equipment, allowing solutions for active heat dissipation to be more conveniently employed than traditional use of traditional receptacles, which are not typically airtight. The front surface of the PDU may include an edge that extends inwardly over a portion of the concave surface and is adapted to engage a plug retention tab extending from an arm of a plug coupled to the receptacle. This assembly allows the power distribution unit to be placed within an equipment rack and coupled to an input power source, and the equipment to be located within the rack in a flexible and convenient manner. The gaps and dimensions of the equipment racks may be modified to provide enhanced space usage, efficiency, and/or density in the facility.

In some aspects, one or more receptacle sets in the PDU may include a plurality of receptacles coupled with the flex cable and extending from a front surface of the PDU. The flex-cord coupled to each receptacle may pass through the concave surface relative to the front surface of the PDU. The cord may be coupled to a power source in an interior portion of the PDU housing. The interior portion of the PDU housing may include a space that receives a portion of the flex cord, thereby providing the ability to extend and retract the associated receptacle from and toward the front surface of the PDU housing. This arrangement allows the power distribution unit to be placed in an equipment rack and coupled to an input power source, and the equipment to be placed in the rack in a flexible and convenient manner. Extending the flex from the PDU provides the ability to evenly space the receptacles along the length of the PDU, which is desirable in that all of the interconnect wires from the computing device may be of equal length. The gaps and dimensions of the equipment racks may be modified to provide enhanced space usage, efficiency, and/or density in the facility.

In a further aspect, one or more socket sets in the PDU include a plurality of sockets rotationally coupled with respect to the PDU housing. The receptacle set may include a receptacle shaft housing that receives wires coupled to each receptacle and provides for rotation of the receptacle relative to the PDU housing. The receptacle package housing is coupled with the receptacle spindle housing and couples the respective receptacle set with the PDU housing. The wires associated with each receptacle may be coupled to a power source in an interior portion of the PDU housing. In addition to providing the ability to rotate the receptacle relative to the receptacle package housing, the interior portion of the PDU housing may include a space to receive a portion of the electrical cord, thereby providing the ability to extend an associated receptacle away from the receptacle package housing and retract the receptacle toward the receptacle package housing. This arrangement allows the power distribution unit to be placed in an equipment rack and coupled to an input power source, and the equipment to be placed in the rack in a flexible and convenient manner. This assembly is suitable for compact designs, i.e. modular constructions, allowing fast and highly variable constructions. The gaps and dimensions of the equipment racks may be modified to provide increased space usage, efficiency, and/or density in the facility.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Other features and advantages may be described hereinafter. The conception and specific examples disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The features which are believed to be characteristic of the concepts disclosed herein, both as to their organization and method of operation, together with the advantages associated therewith, will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended to define the limits of the claims.

Drawings

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the accompanying drawings, similar components or features may have the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a power distribution unit according to various embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates a receptacle set of some embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a locking plug according to various embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates a receptacle set and an associated locking plug coupled with the receptacle set, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a receptacle set;

FIG. 6 illustrates a jack assembly with a retractable jack mount according to various embodiments;

FIG. 7 illustrates a power distribution unit having a rotatable outlet in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 8 shows a portion of the PDU depicted in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates a receptacle assembly having a rotatable receptacle, in accordance with various embodiments;

fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a receptacle connector according to a representative embodiment;

FIG. 11 shows an exploded perspective view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 10;

fig. 12 is a side view of the receptacle connector shown in fig. 10 and 11;

fig. 13 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the receptacle connector taken at line 13-13 in fig. 12;

fig. 14 is a front view of the receptacle connector shown in fig. 10-13;

fig. 15 is a top plan view of the cross-section of the receptacle connector taken at line 15-15 in fig. 14;

fig. 16 is a perspective view of the end cap of the receptacle connector shown in fig. 10-14;

FIG. 17 is a front elevational view of the endcap shown in FIG. 16;

fig. 18 is a top plan view of the endcap shown in fig. 16 and 17;

fig. 19 is a bottom view of the endcap shown in fig. 16-18;

fig. 20 is a side view of the end cap shown in fig. 16-19;

fig. 21 is a side view of the endcap shown in fig. 16-20;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a receptacle connector set according to a representative embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a top view of a receptacle connector set according to another representative embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the receptacle connector set shown in FIG. 23;

fig. 25 is a bottom view of the receptacle connector set shown in fig. 23 and 24;

FIG. 26 is a top view of a receptacle connector set according to a further exemplary embodiment;

fig. 27 is a test chart of a view of the receptacle connector set shown in fig. 26;

fig. 28 is a bottom view of the receptacle connector set shown in fig. 26 and 27;

fig. 29 is a perspective view of a receptacle connector and a mating plug shown in accordance with another representative embodiment.

Detailed Description

This description provides examples, but is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the following description will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an embodiment of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements.

Thus, various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various programs or components as appropriate. For example, aspects and elements described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. It should also be understood that the following systems, devices, and components may individually or collectively be components of a larger system, where other programs may take precedence over or otherwise modify their application.

The following patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. patent No. 7,043,543 entitled "vertical mount power distribution patch panel" issued on 9.5.2006; united states patent number 7,990,689 entitled "power distribution unit and method of making and using same, including modular construction and assembly" issued on 8/2/2011; united states patent number 8,494,661 entitled "power distribution, management and monitoring system" granted on 23.7.2013; U.S. patent No. 8,321,163 entitled "monitoring power-related parameters in a power distribution unit" granted on day 11, month 27, 2012; and U.S. patent No. 8,587,950 entitled "method and apparatus for multiple input power distribution to adjacent outputs" granted on 19/11/2013.

Devices and apparatus are provided to allow efficient and flexible distribution of power to devices located, for example, within an electrical equipment rack. Traditionally, a PDU has a receptacle that includes an outer jacket around a receptacle core. Aspects of the present disclosure provide a receptacle in a power distribution unit with such an outer sheath removed. By removing the outer jacket, e.g., typically comprising C13 or C19 plugs, e.g., the core element of a power plug is retained and allows for reduced plug spacing, thereby allowing for maximization of plug density. According to various embodiments, such core plugs may be mounted on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), on a metal plate, molded as a multi-plug (ganged) module, or mounted at the end of a flexible wire, providing flexibility in the configuration and manufacture of such PDUs.

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a PDU100 that includes an implementation of various features of the present invention. The PDU100 includes a PDU housing 105 and a power input 110 that passes through the housing 105 and can be connected to an external power source. Although not by way of limitation, the power input of the present embodiment is a rotary input cord assembly as described in co-pending patent application serial No. 61/675,921 filed on 7/26/2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The PDU100 according to this embodiment includes a housing 105 that may be vertically mounted in an equipment rack, although it should be understood that other form factors may be used, such as a horizontally mountable housing. A plurality of jack sets 115 are positioned within the housing 105 and are accessible through apertures in the front face of the housing 105. The jack sets 115 will be described in more detail below. The PDU100 of fig. 1 includes a plurality of circuit breakers 120 that provide overcurrent protection for one or more associated outlet groups 115. PDU100 also includes a communication module 125, which may be coupled to one or more local computers, local computer networks, and/or remote computer networks. Display portion 130 may be used to provide a local display of information related to the current operating parameters of PDU100, such as the amount of current provided through the input and/or one or more outlets.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of a receptacle set 115 is discussed. The receptacle set 115 is accessible through an aperture in the front face 200 of the PDU housing 105. The receptacle set 115 includes a concave surface 205 positioned at an interior portion of the housing 105 and having a plurality of power receptacles coupled thereto. In the present embodiment, two C19-type connectors 210 and eight C13-type connectors 215 are provided in the receptacle group 115. The plurality of

receptacles

210 and 215 include only a receptacle core without an associated outer sheath. According to some embodiments, the outlet set 115 may be part of a smart power module that provides power to assets that may be installed into an equipment rack. Such equipment racks are well known and typically include several individual assets that are used to operate within the data center. As is well known, many equipment racks may be included within a data center, and in various embodiments, each asset in an equipment rack may be monitored for power usage by one or more associated intelligent power modules. In some embodiments, the concave surface 205 comprises a surface of a printed circuit board on which a power outlet is mounted. The concave surface 205 may, in some embodiments, form a tray for mounting a socket that seals an interior portion of the housing 105 to provide a substantially air tight interior portion. For example, the power receptacle may be mounted to a printed circuit board, which is used to form a seal between components outside of the housing 105 and inside the housing 105. Such sealing may be provided, for example, by a friction fit between the printed circuit board and the inner surface of side 145 of housing 105, by a sealant, and/or by a gasket that provides a seal between the housing and the printed circuit board. The interior portion of housing 105 may include, for example, power measurement and distribution components, and may be actively heat dissipated.

It should be understood that the present embodiment and other embodiments described herein with other known IEC-type outlets are merely examples and that any other type of outlet may alternatively be used. For example, a "receptacle" may be a NEMA type receptacle (e.g., NEMA 5-15R, NEMA 6-20R, NEMA 6-30R, or NEMA 6-50R) or any of a variety of IEC types (e.g., IEC C13 or IEC C19). It should also be understood that all "receptacles" in a particular power receptacle group 115, or other module-receptacles described herein, need not be identical or uniformly oriented along a PDU. It should also be understood that "receptacle" is not limited to a three-prong plug; alternatively, one or more "receptacles" may be configured in a mating male connector as two-pin or more than three-pin plugs. It should also be understood that the "receptacle" is not limited to a plug having female pins. In any "receptacle", one or more "pin plugs" may be male rather than female connection elements as conditions or requirements dictate. In general, as used herein, female and male "header receptacles" are referred to as "power connection elements". Although the outlet set 115 of this embodiment includes 10 outlets, it should be understood that this is merely an example and that a outlet set may include a different number of outlets.

The

power receptacles

210 and 215 may extend from the concave surface 205 at various relative and absolute distances. For example, the outward or distal faces 225 of the

receptacles

210 and 215 may be fabricated to extend or terminate 0.5 inches, 1 inch, 1.5 inches, or another predetermined absolute distance from the concave surface 205. As another example, the outward or distal faces 225 of the

receptacles

210 and 215 may be manufactured to extend or terminate a predetermined relative distance from the concave surface 205 relative to the plane of the front surface 200 of the PDU housing 105. The relative distances of extension and termination of the distal face 225 of the receptacle may include, according to various embodiments: a plane near and below the front surface 200, a plane near and above the front surface 200, a plane coincident with the front surface 200, a plane substantially below the front surface 200, and a plane substantially above the front surface 200.

With particular reference to fig. 1, the PDU housing 105 of the receptacle module may be any suitable housing for such a device, as known to those skilled in the art, and may be assembled with other modules within the PDU. Such a housing generally includes a front portion 135 and a rear portion 140. The front portion 135 is substantially planar and the rear portion 140 is substantially planar and parallel to the front portion 135. The housing 105 also includes longitudinally extending sides 145 and transverse ends 150. The front 135, rear 140, sides 145 and ends 150 are generally orthogonal to one another in a generally rectangular or box-shaped configuration. Housing 105 may be made of any suitable, typically rigid, material, including, for example, a hard polymer ("plastic") material. In at least some embodiments, the front and rear portions are made of an electrically insulating material, while in other embodiments, an electrically conductive material is used for the safety ground strap. The side portions and end portions may be integrally formed, optionally together with the front or rear portion. Each

receptacle

210 and 215 is interconnected to a power source by any of a number of well-known connection schemes such as spade-type, lug, plug-type, threaded, or other suitable types of connectors. Furthermore, if desired, one or more of these electrical connectors may be located within or outside of a housing, in which embodiment the power outlet module includes a housing.

In some embodiments, the apertures in housing 105 include a rim 220 around at least a portion of each aperture. The edge 220 extends over a portion of the concave surface 205 and may engage a plug retention tab extending from an arm of a plug coupled to the receptacle. In this manner, a plug may be retentively engaged (or locked) with the PDU100 and inadvertent disconnection of associated equipment may be avoided. Figure 3 shows a plug 300 that may be used to lock a power cord into the receptacle set 115. The plug 300 includes a plug body 305 and a flexible cord 310 extending from the plug body 305. The arms 315 extend from the sides of the plug body 305 and each include a plug retention tab 320, which plug retention tabs 320 will engage the edge 220 when the plug body 305 is inserted into the receptacle set 115. When it is desired to unplug the plug 300, the user may squeeze the arm 315 toward the plug body 305 and remove the plug 300. Fig. 4 shows the receptacle set 115 with a plug 300 coupled to the receptacle 215. In this embodiment, the plug 325 provides similar arms and retention tabs and is coupled to the receptacle 210. In this particular example, wires for the C13 receptacle are not included in the illustration, and portions of the wires are shown for the C9 receptacle for the purpose of providing a clearer illustration.

As mentioned above, there are many different arrangements and numbers of outlets possible for a PDU. Fig. 5 shows an exemplary alternative arrangement of receptacles in a receptacle set 500. In this particular example, 8C 13 receptacles 505 are provided along with 4C 19 receptacles 510. This arrangement may provide a relatively high density of power outlets compared to conventional PDUs, thereby providing enhanced efficiency and space usage in many applications where, for example, a relatively large number of computing device components may be present in an equipment rack.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 6, a socket set 600 may include a concave surface 605 from which a plurality of power sockets 610 may extend and couple with a length of flexible insulated wire 615. In the embodiment of fig. 6, the receptacle 610 extends through an associated aperture 607 in the housing 105 and may provide a connection that is movable to some extent relative to the PDU housing 105. Thus, additional flexibility may be provided to the user in making connections to the outlet set 600. The flex 615 passes through the concave surface 605 and couples to a power source inside the housing 105. The interior portion of housing 105, in such embodiments, may include a cavity to receive a portion of cord 615 such that receptacle 610 extends away from the front surface of housing 105 and is retractable toward the front surface of housing 105. In some embodiments, the user may simply push the cord into the housing 105 to retract the cord, or pull the cord out of the housing 105 to extend the cord. Excess length of wire may be stored within the cavity of the housing 105 by simply allowing the wire to be bunched up within the cavity, or by providing a retraction/extension mechanism such as a spool or cylinder within the cavity that can receive the wire. Similar to that discussed above, a PDU may have many different arrangements and multiple receptacles, and fig. 6 shows one of many different available arrangements of receptacles in such a receptacle set 600. Such an arrangement may provide a relatively high density of power outlets relative to conventional PDUs, thereby providing enhanced efficiency and space usage in many applications where, for example, a relatively large number of computing device components may be present in an equipment rack. In some embodiments, a PDU including a socket core, as described herein, may provide a significant reduction in the area required for each socket, some embodiments provide a reduction in the area required for a C13 socket of about 40%, and a reduction in the area required for a C19 socket of about 30%.

Referring now to fig. 7-9, a PDU700 is shown according to various other embodiments. The PDU700, which includes a PDU housing 705 and a power input 710 through the housing 705, may be connected to an external power source. The power input 710 of this embodiment is a fixed position power input, although a rotary input cord arrangement such as that shown in FIG. 1 may be used according to various embodiments. The PDU700, according to this embodiment, includes a housing 705 that is vertically mounted in an equipment rack, although it is understood that other form factors may be used, such as a housing that is horizontally mounted. The plurality of jack sets 715 may be coupled with the housing 705 and include a plurality of rotatable jacks 735 that may extend outwardly from the housing 705. Additional details of the receptacle set 715 are shown in fig. 8-9. The PDU700 of fig. 7 includes a plurality of circuit breakers 720 that provide overcurrent protection for one or more associated outlet groups 715. PDU700 also includes a communication module 725 that may be connected to one or more local computers, local computer networks, and/or remote computer networks. Display portion 730 may be used to provide a local display of information related to the current operating parameters of PDU700, such as the amount of current provided through the input and/or one or more outlets.

Referring now to fig. 8-9, the receptacle set 715 of an embodiment is discussed in more detail. In this embodiment, the socket set 715 includes a plurality of rotary sockets 735 coupled with a socket enclosure housing 740 and a socket spindle housing 745 within the socket enclosure housing 740. The socket shaft housing 745 receives wires coupled to each socket 735 and provides for rotation of the sockets 735 about or relative to the longitudinal axis 750 of the PDU housing 705. Each socket 735 is secured to a socket spindle housing 745 that is rotatable relative to the socket enclosure housing 740. In some embodiments, the socket shaft housing 745 includes a cavity to receive a portion of the cord from each socket 735 to provide the ability to extend or retract the socket 735 relative to the socket shaft housing 745. The point of egress of the cord from the receptacle spindle housing 745 may be positioned such that it restricts, reduces or minimizes movement of the conductors within the receptacle spindle housing 745 and associated connections between the conductors within housing 705 and the power supply connection. In addition, the receptacle shaft housing 745 may provide strain relief for the wires. In some embodiments, each of the rotary sockets 735 is coupled to the PDU housing 705 in a manner similar to the rotatable mount described in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 61/675,921, entitled "multiple position input line mount for power distribution unit," filed on 7/26/2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In the embodiment of fig. 7-9. The outlet 735 is shown as an IEC type outlet, but it should be readily understood that any of a variety of other types of outlets may alternatively be used. For example, a "receptacle" may be a NEMA type receptacle (e.g., NEMA 5-15R, NEMA 6-20R, NEMA 6-30R, or NEMA 6-50R) or any of a variety of IEC types (e.g., IEC C13 or IEC C19). It should also be understood that all "receptacles" in a particular power receptacle group 115, or other module-receptacle described herein, need not be identical or uniformly oriented along a PDU.

The receptacle connector 800 shown in fig. 10 includes a receptacle core 802 and an end cap 804 connected to the receptacle core. With further reference to fig. 11, the receptacle connector 800 includes a plurality of

electrical terminals

806 and 808.

Electrical terminals

806 and 808 are disposed between the socket core 802 and the end cap 804. The connector 800 includes two external electrical terminals 806 and an intermediate electrical terminal 808. In some embodiments, the

electrical terminals

806 and 808 have the same structure, although the intermediate terminal 808 is positioned to face in the opposite direction of the electrical terminal 806. Thus, although the electrical terminals are aligned relative to each other, the intermediate connection tab is offset from the connection tabs of the external electrical terminals. In other embodiments, the terminals may have different sizes. For example, in this embodiment, the intermediate terminals 808 are larger than the external terminals 806.

In some embodiments,

electrical terminals

806 and 808 are made of a suitable electrically conductive material, such as tin, copper, gold, silver, and the like. A plurality of materials may be used in combination. For example, the terminal may be composed of tin with a suitable coating material. In one embodiment, the terminal may include copper with a tin plating. In some embodiments, terminals, such as external terminal 806, are formed from a single piece of conductive material, by bending

contacts

812 and 814 away from tab 810. Although the electrical terminals are aligned with respect to each other, the intermediate connection tab is offset from the connection tabs of the external electrical terminals. The

contacts

812 and 814 are bent inward toward each other such that when a mating contact (not shown) is inserted into the electrical terminal, the

contacts

812 and 814 are pressed toward the mating terminal. Accordingly, in some embodiments, it is desirable to form the

electrical terminals

806 and 808 from an electrically conductive resilient spring-like material. The web 810 extends through and beyond the input side 816 of the core 802. Thus, the

contacts

812 and 814 are positioned toward the output side 818 of the socket core 802. As can be appreciated from the figures, the

electrical terminals

806 and 808 are configured as female plugs. In other embodiments, the

electrical terminals

806 and 808 may be configured as male terminals or a combination of male and female terminals.

As shown in fig. 11, the end cap 804 may be inserted into a cavity 843 formed in the receptacle core 802. Internal indexing features 846 and 844 help ensure that the endcap 804 is inserted into the cavity 843 in the correct orientation.

Features

844 and 846 appear to mate with index release features 842 formed in the sides of cavity 843. In some embodiments, the receptacle connector 800 may be mounted to a printed circuit board or other surface having mounting screws 820.

As shown in fig. 12, each of the mounting screws 820 is threaded into a boss 824 that protrudes from the mounting flange 822. The mounting flange 822 is adjacent to the input side 816 of the receptacle core 802 and provides stability of the connector 800 relative to a mounting surface. Mounting bosses 824 extend from the flange 822 to aid in positioning and positioning the receptacle connector 800 on a mounting surface thereof, such as a printed circuit board. As shown in fig. 13, the end cap 804 includes a pair of pins 826 that engage projections 828 formed in the receptacle core 802. Thus, the pins 826 help prevent the end cap 804 from being removed from the socket core 802.

As shown in fig. 14 and 15, the mounting flange 822 includes

notches

838 and 840 that are positioned adjacent to corresponding terminals.

Indentations

838 and 840 allow for visual inspection of the terminal solder connections and also allow flux residue to be removed. Referring to fig. 15, the socket core 802 includes a plurality of aligned

apertures

830 and 832. In some embodiments,

lumens

834 and 836 are interposed between outer bore 830 and intermediate bore 832. As shown in the drawings, electrical terminals are placed within the holes. The socket core 802 also includes an external indexing feature 850. In this embodiment, the external indexing feature 850 is in the form of a chamfer.

As shown in fig. 16-21, the end cap 804 includes a body portion 860 (see fig. 11) and a flange 862 that are insertable into the cavity 843 of the receptacle core 802. The end cap 804 includes a plurality of

holes

854 and 856 extending through the cap. The exterior aperture 854 corresponds to the exterior aperture 830 of the receptacle core 802 (fig. 15). Likewise, the middle hole 856 corresponds to the middle hole 832 of the socket core 802 (see fig. 15). The end cap 804 also includes a pair of indexing features 852 that correspond to the indexing features 850 of the receptacle core 802 (see fig. 15). Pin 826, as shown in fig. 17, includes angled surface 864 and pin surface 866. As shown in fig. 19, end cap 804 includes a lumen 858 interposed between outer bore 854 and intermediate bore 856. As described above, end cap 804 includes internal indexing features 844 and 846. As shown in this figure, index feature 844 extends more beyond body portion 860 than does index feature 846. The indexing features 844 correspond to the indexing cutouts of the core 802 (see fig. 15).

In some implementations, the end caps 804 may be color coded to indicate the output performance (e.g., amperage) or phase configuration of the associated jack core. In some embodiments, the end cap 804 has a contrasting color relative to the receptacle core. In some embodiments, the end caps 804 are a different color than the receptacle cores. The disclosed techniques may be used with any suitable phase configuration, such as single, dual, and/or three-phase configurations, including multi-phase connections, as described in U.S. patent No. 8, 541, 906, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The receptacle connector set 900, as shown in fig. 22, includes a unitary body 902 having a surrounding sidewall 903, the surrounding sidewall 903 having a flange 904 extending therefrom. The unitary body 902 includes a plurality of socket cores 906 and unobstructed spaces 910 between adjacent pairs of the plurality of socket cores 906. As with the receptacle connector described above, each receptacle core includes at least three aligned apertures. Each of the plurality of electrical terminals is positioned in a corresponding one of the plurality of aligned apertures. Each socket core includes end caps 908 that connect with and encircle the electrical terminals of the socket core 906. The surrounding sidewall 903 includes a plurality of latches 912 to facilitate retaining the jack sets within the respective chassis. The side walls also include slots 905 to receive retainers of mating plugs, such as the retaining arms and tabs (315, 320) described above with respect to fig. 3. A retainer of a mating plug positioned adjacent to plug 912 may engage opening 913.

As shown in fig. 23, the receptacle connector set 900 includes a concave surface 914 that is part of a unitary body 902 from which a plurality of receptacle cores 906 extend to a surrounding flange 904. Each socket core 906 includes a plurality of aligned

bores

916 and 918. The bores include an outer bore 916 and an intermediate bore 918. Electrical terminal 920 is positioned in outer bore 916 and intermediate terminal 922 is positioned in intermediate bore 918. As shown in fig. 24 and 25, the intermediate terminals 922 are grouped together by circuit tracks 924. The outer terminals 920 are not grouped together and are available for a single connection. Fig. 26 to 28 show another embodiment of a receptacle connector set 1000, similar to that described with respect to fig. 23 to 25. However, in this embodiment, the outboard terminals 1020 may be brought together by respective circuit rails 1026. The intermediate terminals 1022 are brought together by circuit rails 1024. The outer terminals 1020 extend through the apertures 1016 and the intermediate terminals 1022 extend through the apertures 1018. While the grouping of at least some of the terminals together is described with respect to the receptacle connector set described in fig. 25-28, in other embodiments, all of the terminals may not be grouped together.

The receptacle connector 1100 shown in fig. 29 includes a receptacle core 1102 and end caps 1104 coupled to the receptacle core. In this embodiment, the receptacle core 1102 and the end cap 1104 include a pair of grooves or channels 1106 to help ensure that the plug 1110 can be properly connected to the receptacle connector 1100. The plug 1100 includes mating terminals 1116 and an indexing track 1112 configured to mate with the channel 1106. Plug 1110 also includes a retainer 1114 configured to engage slot 905 or opening 913 (see fig. 22).

The embodiments described herein provide several advantages over conventional PDUs having a receptacle that includes an outer jacket around a receptacle core. By removing the outer sheath, e.g. typically comprising a plug with C13 or C19 e.g. the core element of a power plug is retained and allows for a potentially reduced space for the plug, thereby allowing for an increase and maximization of plug density. Such a core plug may be mounted on a PCB, on a metal plate, molded as a multi-plug (ganged) module, according to various embodiments, providing flexibility for the configuration and manufacture of such PDUs. In addition, the core plugs may be mounted in single or dual rows, in any orientation, to further increase density. In addition, this enhanced density in the PDU receptacle may provide reduced PDU volume while also being suitably configured with a cord plug, including custom plug configurations and industry standard power cords, and providing optional locking of the power cord. In embodiments where the receptacles extend outwardly away from the PDU housing, through a concave surface or swivel connection, additional flexibility and versatility is provided to the user of the PDU because, for example, the receptacles may be evenly spaced along the length of the PDU, it is desirable that the power cords be interconnected to the equipment in the equipment rack and then may be of the same length. PDUs, such as those described herein, provide several advantages over conventional PDUs according to various embodiments. For example, a high density receptacle PDU may contain the largest possible number of receptacles per unit volume, which is equivalent to a maximum or increased value for the consumer or user of the PDU. High density outlet PDUs can work with industry standard power cords and therefore need to be serviced without incurring additional costs. The high-density receptacle PDU may have a smaller volume than conventional receptacle PDUs, and may therefore be housed in a variety of commercially available equipment racks. The PDU of the high density receptacle allows for a tightly packed configuration, which can then be actively cooled, by using forced pressure or other fluid. The high density receptacle PDU allows for a modular, highly variable assembly method, difficult to obtain from conventional receptacles. It is noted that this list of various advantages is not exhaustive or exclusive and that many different advantages and efficiencies can be achieved as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

It should be noted that the systems and devices discussed above are intended to be exemplary only. It should be emphasized that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For example, it is to be understood that features described in relation to particular embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments in alternative embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Moreover, it should be emphasized that the technology is evolving, and thus, many of the elements are exemplary in nature and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above elements may simply be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or modify the application of the invention. Also, various steps may be taken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A receptacle connector set comprising:

the monolithic body includes:

a peripheral flange;

a concave surface;

a plurality of receptacle cores extending from the concave surface toward the peripheral flange, including an unobstructed space between adjacent pairs of the plurality of receptacle cores; wherein each socket core includes at least three aligned apertures; wherein each of the plurality of receptacle cores includes a mounting flange facing the concave surface to enhance stability of the core relative to the concave surface, an

A sidewall having a plurality of slots to receive a retainer of a mating plug;

a plurality of electrical terminals, each of which is disposed in a respective one of the plurality of aligned apertures; and

an end cap connected to and surrounding the electrical terminals of at least one of the plurality of jack cores.

2. The set of receptacle connectors according to claim 1, wherein said end caps are color coded to indicate the output capability of said receptacle cores.

3. The receptacle connector set of claim 1, wherein the end caps are color coded to indicate a phase configuration of the receptacle cores relative to a power source.

4. The socket connector set of claim 1, wherein a selected plurality of the electrical terminals of the socket core are grouped together with one or more circuit tracks.

5. The receptacle connector set of claim 1, wherein the unitary body comprises molded plastic.

6. The receptacle connector set of claim 1, wherein each receptacle core includes at least one indexing feature.

7. A jack module, comprising:

a printed circuit board comprising one or more input power connections and a plurality of output power connections coupled to at least one of the one or more input power connections;

a plurality of socket cores mounted to the printed circuit board having unobstructed spaces between adjacent pairs of the plurality of socket cores; wherein each of the plurality of jack cores includes a mounting flange facing the printed circuit board to enhance stability of the jack core relative to the printed circuit board, an

Wherein each socket core includes at least three aligned electrical terminals, each of which is coupled with a respective one of the plurality of output power connections; and

an end cap engaged with and surrounding the electrical terminals of at least one of the plurality of socket cores.

8. The jack module of claim 7, wherein each end cap is color coded to indicate the output capacity of the corresponding jack core.

9. The jack module of claim 7, wherein each end cap is color-coded to indicate a phase configuration of the respective jack core relative to a power source.

10. The jack module of claim 7, comprising a multi-phase connection.

11. The jack module of claim 7, wherein each jack core includes at least one indexing feature.

12. A power distribution unit comprising:

a housing having a front surface and at least one housing aperture formed therethrough;

a power input coupled to the housing and connectable to an external power source; and

at least one receptacle connector set located at least partially within the housing and comprising:

the monolithic body includes:

a peripheral flange;

a concave surface;

a plurality of receptacle cores extending from the concave surface toward the peripheral flange, including an unobstructed space between adjacent pairs of the plurality of receptacle cores; wherein each of the plurality of receptacle cores includes a mounting flange facing the concave surface to enhance stability of the core relative to the concave surface, an

Wherein each socket core includes at least three aligned apertures; and

a sidewall having a plurality of slots to receive a retainer of a mating plug;

an end cap connected to and surrounding the electrical terminals of at least one of the plurality of jack cores; and

wherein the peripheral flange abuts the front surface and the concave surface is positioned inwardly from the front surface in the interior region of the housing and is accessible through the at least one housing aperture.

13. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the electrical terminals of the socket core are grouped together with one or more circuit tracks.

14. The power distribution unit of claim 13, wherein the one or more circuit rails are coupled to the power input.

15. The power distribution unit of claim 14, wherein the interior region of the housing contains power measurement and distribution components.

16. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the end caps are color coded to indicate the output capacity of the respective outlet core.

17. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the end caps are color coded to indicate the phase configuration of the respective outlet core relative to the power source.

18. The power distribution unit of claim 12, comprising a multi-phase connection.