US-12621948-B2 - Rack power distribution unit with configurable phase control

US12621948B2US 12621948 B2US12621948 B2US 12621948B2US-12621948-B2

Abstract

According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure a power distribution unit (PDU) is provided, the PDU comprising: a phase selection interface having: a first source contact configured to couple to a configuration system, a first return contact configured to couple to the configuration system, a second source contact configured to couple to the configuration system, and a second return contact configured to couple to the configuration system; a first outlet having: a first supply opening coupled to the first source contact, and a first return opening coupled to the first return contact; and a second outlet having: a second supply opening coupled to the second source contact, and a second return opening coupled to the second return contact.

Inventors

Joshua Thomas Haffner

Assignees

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230801

Claims (14)

1 . A power distribution unit (PDU) comprising: a phase selection interface having: a first source contact configured to couple to a configuration system, a first return contact configured to couple to the configuration system, a second source contact configured to couple to the configuration system, and a second return contact configured to couple to the configuration system, wherein the configuration system includes a controller to set a plurality of power output configurations of the PDU for the phase selection interface; a first outlet having: a first opening coupled to the first source contact, and a second opening coupled to the first return contact; and a second outlet having: a third opening coupled to the second source contact, and a fourth opening coupled to the second return contact.
2 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one source contact to at least one input configured to provide a phase of input power.
3 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one return contact to at least one input configured to provide a phase of input power.
4 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one source contact or at least one return contact to a neutral or ground line.
5 . The PDU of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional outlets, each additional outlet having a fifth opening coupled to a source contact of the phase selection interface and a sixth opening coupled to a return contact of the phase selection interface.
6 . The PDU of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional outlets, wherein a total number of outlets of the PDU equals an integer multiple of a total number of phases of input power received by the PDU.
7 . The PDU of claim 6 , wherein the total number of phases of input power is three and the total number of outlets of the PDU is a multiple of three.
8 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein each outlet includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle, each respective first receptacle including a respective fifth opening coupled to a source contact of the phase selection interface, and each respective second receptacle including a respective sixth opening coupled to a return contact of the phase selection interface.
9 . The PDU of claim 8 , wherein each receptacle includes three openings.
10 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein to set the plurality of power output configurations of the PDU, the controller is configured to change one or more conductive paths within the configuration system based at least in part on respective power output configurations of the plurality of power output configurations.
11 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to: determine the configuration system has a topology to configure the PDU in a power output configuration of the plurality of power output configurations; and change, based at least in part on the power output configuration, one or more conductive paths within the configuration system to the topology.
12 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of power output configurations include at least one of a delta configuration or a wye configuration.
13 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the configuration system includes a switching circuit selectively connectable by the controller to different inputs to receive different phases of input power.
14 . The PDU of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of power output configurations is set based at least in part on a single configuration of the phase selection interface.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Disclosure At least one example in accordance with the present disclosure relates generally to power-distribution systems. 2. Discussion of Related Art Power-distribution units, such as power strips, may provide power to one or more loads at a time. Power distribution units may have additional functionality, such as monitoring hardware and software, ethernet connectivity to facilitate remote monitoring of power conditions, and so forth. SUMMARY According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure a power distribution unit (PDU) is provided, the PDU comprising: a phase selection interface having: a first source contact configured to couple to a configuration system, a first return contact configured to couple to the configuration system, a second source contact configured to couple to the configuration system, and a second return contact configured to couple to the configuration system; a first outlet having: a first supply opening coupled to the first source contact, and a first return opening coupled to the first return contact; and a second outlet having: a second supply opening coupled to the second source contact, and a second return opening coupled to the second return contact. In some examples, the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one source contact to at least one input configured to provide a phase of input power. In some examples, the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one return contact to at least one input configured to provide a phase of input power. In some examples, the configuration system is configured to conductively link at least one source contact or at least one return contact to a neutral or ground node. In some examples, the PDU further comprises one or more additional outlets, each additional outlet having a supply opening coupled to a source contact of the phase selection interface and a return opening coupled to a return contact of the phase selection interface. In some examples, the PDU further comprises one or more additional outlets in addition to the first outlet and the second outlet, wherein a total number of outlets of the PDU equals an integer multiple of a total number of phases of input power received by the PDU. In some examples, the total number of phases of input power is three and the total number of outlets of the PDU is a multiple of three. In some examples, each outlet comprises a first receptacle and a second receptacle, each respective first receptacle including a respective supply opening, and each respective second receptacle including a respective return opening. In some examples, each receptacle includes three openings. According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure a method of routing power through a power distribution unit (PDU) is provided, the method comprising: providing a first source contact coupled to a first supply opening of a first outlet of the PDU; providing a first return contact coupled to a first return opening of the first outlet; providing a second source contact coupled to a second supply opening of a second outlet of the PDU; providing a second return contact coupled to a second return opening of the second outlet; and providing an interface containing the first source contact, the first return contact, the second source contact, and the second return contact, the interface being configured to be coupled to a configuration system configured to link at least one of the first source contact, the first return contact, the second source contact, and the second return contact to an input configured to provide a first phase of input power. In some examples, the configuration system is further configured to link at least one of the first source contact, the first return contact, the second source contact, and the second return contact to a second input configured to provide a second phase of input power. In some examples, coupling the configuration system to the interface includes providing one or more modular printed circuit boards (PCBs) compatible with the interface, the one or more modular PCBs containing a plurality of conductive traces configured to link one or more of the first source contact, the first return contact, the second source contact, and the second return contact to the first phase of input power. In some examples, the method further comprises providing at least one source contact for each phase of input power, at least one return contact for each phase of input power, and at least one outlet for each phase of input power. In some examples, a number of outlets of the PDU is an integer multiple of a number of phases of input power received by the PDU. According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for distributing multiphase power in a balanced manner is provided, the system comprising: a plurality of contacts configured to be coupled to a multiphase power source, the plurality of contacts including a