Patent ID: 6046913
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
A power module for use in combination with a panel mounting a plurality of pieces of electrical equipment in a parallel adjacent array, the panel including a power strip extending along the array and having a plurality of identical parallel connected first connectors located at positions corresponding to positions of said equipment in said array, each of the pieces of equipment having a complementary second connector for mating with a respective first connector in a plug-in manner when said each piece of equipment is mounted to the panel, wherein there are two different types of panels each for a respective one of two different types of panels and equipment, each of the two types of equipment having a respective type of first and second connector, and wherein the relative placements of the two types of connectors are different each from the other both in the panel power strip and in the equipment, the power module being adapted to provide power to both types of equipment and being further adapted to be mounted to the panel in a position of the array, the power module comprising:a printed circuit board containing power conversion circuitry;a second connector of a first type mounted on the board and connected to the power conversion circuitry, wherein the second connector of a first type corresponds to the second connector of equipment of a first type;a second connector of a second type mounted on the board and connected to the power conversion circuitry, wherein the second connector of a second type corresponds to the second connector of equipment of a second type;a housing containing said printed circuit board, said housing having a planar rectangular base wall adapted to have said board secured thereto in parallel configuration, a front wall along an edge of said base wall and orthogonal thereto, and a pair of side walls along opposed edges of said base wall and orthogonal to said base wall and to said front wall, wherein said second connectors are exposed at the rear of said housing; anda mounting bracket secured to said housing, said bracket leaving said second connectors exposed when said bracket is secured to said housing, said bracket being adapted for mounting the power module to the panel;wherein when said power module is for use with equipment of the first type, the bracket is of a first size compatible with the size of the equipment of the first type, and when said power module is for use with equipment of the second type, the bracket is of a second size compatible with the size of the equipment of the second type, and wherein the placement of the second connectors on the board and the securing of the bracket to the housing are so related that the appropriate second connector of the power module matingly engages a first connector of the power strip when the power module is installed in the panel in a position of the array.