Patent Publication Number: US-2013254568-A1

Title: Power supply device for server

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure generally relates to power supply devices, and particularly to a power supply device for servers. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Power distribution units (PDU) have long been utilized to distribute alternating current (AC) power to a plurality of servers. A power adaptor of the server converts the alternating current into direct current (DC) to power the server. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can also be provided to supply alternating current to the PDU during a power outage. However, the UPS takes up server rack space. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of an exemplary power supply device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the exemplary power supply device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a power supply device for a plurality of servers, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a storage unit, a power distribution unit, a power supply unit and a server shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic, assembled view of the storage units and the servers shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a power supply device  100 . The power supply device  100  supplies power to a plurality of servers  200  located in a server rack (not shown). The power supply device  100  includes a power distribution units (PDU)  10 , a plurality of power supply units (PSU)  30  corresponding to the plurality of servers  200 , and a stand-by power source  50  connected to the plurality of PSUs  30 . The PDU  10  is electronically connected to an external AC power source  300 , and distributes AC power to the plurality of PSUs  30 . Each PSU  30  converts alternating current from the PDU  10  into direct current and provides the direct current to a corresponding server  200 . In the embodiment, the PDU  10  is a socket, and the PSU  30  is an AC/DC adaptor. 
     The stand-by power source  50  includes a plurality of storage units  51  corresponding to the plurality of servers  200 . Each storage unit  51  is located adjacent to a corresponding server  200  and is electronically connected between the corresponding server  200  and the corresponding PSU  30 . 
       FIG. 2  shows that each storage unit  51  includes a charging circuit  511 , a battery  513 , a transformer  515 , and a switch  517 . The charging circuit  511  is electronically connected between the PSU  30  and the battery  513 . The battery  513  is electronically connected to the switch  517  through the transformer  515 . The switch  517  is electronically connected to the PDU  10  and the server  200 . 
     The charging circuit  511  converts an output voltage from the PSU  30  into a rated voltage of the battery  513 , and charges the battery  513 . The battery  513  can be one of lithium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, and lead-acid batteries. 
     The transformer  515  is a DC to DC transformer. The transformer  515  converts an output voltage from the battery  513  into a rated voltage of the server  200 . The rated voltage of the server  200  is provided to the server  200  through the switch  517 . In this embodiment, the switch  517  is a transistor and is switched on or off under the control of the PDU  10 . 
       FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, shows that each storage unit  51  may be located on or under a corresponding server  200  and be located between two adjacent servers  200 . A working process of the power supply device  100  may include the following steps: the external AC power source  300  provides AC power to the PDU  10 . The PDU  10  distributes the AC power to the plurality of PSU  30 . Each PSU  30  converts alternating current from the PDU  10  into direct current and provides the direct current to a corresponding server  200 , and charges the battery  513  through the charging circuit  511 . If the external AC power source  300  stops providing AC power to the PDU  10 , the PDU  10  stops working and sends a control signal to the switch  517 . The switch  517  receives the control signal and is closed according to the control signal. The battery  513  outputs an output voltage to the transformer  515 , and the transformer  515  converts the output voltage into a rated voltage of the server  200 . The transformer  515  provides the rated voltage to the server  200  through the switch  517 . 
     In this embodiment, the stand-by power source  50  provides DC power to the server  200  with almost no power conversion loss. The stand-by power source  50  includes a plurality of storage units  51 , and each storage unit  51  may be located on or under a corresponding server  200 . The storage unit  51  takes up space between two adjacent servers, thus, the server rack does not need a dedicated space to receive the stand-by power source  50 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the exemplary disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of exemplary disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.