Energy storage module including a connector having unique pin configuration

1. A connector for a backup power unit, comprising:

a non-metallic housing configured to be mounted to a circuit board of the backup power unit, wherein the housing is configured to be slidably mated to a corresponding connector portion;

wherein the housing includes a plurality of sections, each section having a corresponding contact portion, wherein each of the plurality of sections is electrically isolated from each other section by a non-metallic partition;

wherein a first contact portion of a first section includes a first non-metallic protrusion and a first plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey output backup power;

wherein a second contact portion of a second section includes a second non-metallic protrusion and a second plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey a circuit ground return path for the output backup power; and

wherein a third contact portion of a third section includes a third non-metallic protrusion and a plurality of metallic pin contacts positioned thereon, wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is configured to convey input/output (I/O) signals, input power, and a circuit ground return path for the input power, and is arranged in sequence in a row along a top surface of the third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins, followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by five power unit status output signals, and in sequence in a row along a bottom surface third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by four power unit status output signals, followed by a power unit discharge input signal.

2. The connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sections are adjacent to one another such that the first section is adjacent to the second section, which is adjacent to the third section, and wherein the second section is between the first and third sections.

3. The connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a first blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the first contact portion and a second blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the first contact portion.

4. The connector as recited in claim 3 , wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a third blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the second contact portion and a fourth blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the second contact portion.

5. The connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of each of the first and second contact portions is recessed from a plane formed by a front edge of the connector.

6. The connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is positioned alternatingly with non-metallic portions in the row along the top surface and the bottom surface of the protrusion of the third contact portion.

7. The connector as recited in claim 6 , wherein the input voltage pins comprise 12V pins, the control voltage pins comprise 3.3V pins, the output status pins comprise fault status, enable status, and status LED enable signal pins.

8. An energy storage module comprising:

a motherboard;

one or more capacitor storage banks mounted to the motherboard, wherein each of the one or more capacitor storage banks includes one or more capacitors for storing energy for use during a power loss; and

a connector mounted to the motherboard and configured to convey power, ground, and I/O signals to and from the motherboard, wherein the connector includes:

a non-metallic housing configured to be slidably mated to a corresponding connector portion;

wherein the housing includes a plurality of sections, each section having a corresponding contact portion, wherein each of the plurality of sections is electrically isolated from each other section by a non-metallic partition;

wherein a first contact portion of a first section includes a first non-metallic protrusion and a first plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey output backup power;

wherein a second contact portion of a second section includes a second non-metallic protrusion and a second plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey a circuit ground return path for the output backup power; and

wherein a third contact portion of a third section includes a third non-metallic protrusion and a plurality of metallic pin contacts positioned thereon, wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is configured to convey input/output (I/O) signals, input power, and a circuit ground return path for the input power, and is arranged in sequence in a row along a top surface of the third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins, followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by five power unit status output signals, and in sequence in a row along a bottom surface third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by four power unit status output signals, followed by a power unit discharge input signal.

9. The energy storage module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sections are adjacent to one another such that the first section is adjacent to the second section, which is adjacent to the third section, and wherein the second section is between the first and third sections.

10. The energy storage module as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a first blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the first contact portion and a second blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the first contact portion.

11. The energy storage module as recited in claim 10 , wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a third blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the second contact portion and a fourth blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the second contact portion.

12. The energy storage module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the protrusion of each of the first and second contact portions is recessed from a plane formed by a front edge of the connector.

13. The energy storage module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is positioned alternatingly with non-metallic portions in the row along the top surface and the bottom surface of the protrusion of the third contact portion.

14. The energy storage module as recited in claim 13 , wherein the input voltage pins comprise 12V pins, the control voltage pins comprise 3.3V pins, the output status pins comprise fault status, enable status, and status LED enable signal pins.

15. An energy storage module comprising:

a housing;

one or more capacitor storage banks each including one or more capacitors for storing energy for use during a power loss; and

a connector mounted to the housing and configured to convey power, ground, and I/O signals to and from the energy storage module, wherein the connector includes:

a non-metallic housing including a plurality of sections, each section having a corresponding contact portion, wherein each of the plurality of sections is electrically isolated from each other section by a non-metallic partition;

wherein a first contact portion of a first section includes a first non-metallic protrusion and a first plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey output backup power;

wherein a second contact portion of a second section includes a second non-metallic protrusion and a second plurality of metallic blade contacts positioned thereon, wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts is configured to convey a circuit ground return path for the output backup power; and

wherein a third contact portion of a third section includes a third non-metallic protrusion and a plurality of metallic pin contacts positioned thereon, wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is configured to convey input/output (I/O) signals, input power, and a circuit ground return path for the input power, and is arranged in sequence in a row along a top surface of the third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins, followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by five power unit status output signals, and in sequence in a row along a bottom surface third non-metallic protrusion as follows: three input voltage pins followed by three input circuit ground return pins, followed by an input control voltage, followed by four power unit status output signals, followed by a power unit discharge input signal.

16. The energy storage module as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sections are adjacent to one another such that the first section is adjacent to the second section, which is adjacent to the third section, and wherein the second section is between the first and third sections.

17. The energy storage module as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a first blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the first contact portion and a second blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the first contact portion.

18. The energy storage module as recited in claim 17 , wherein the second plurality of metallic blade contacts includes a third blade contact positioned on a top surface of the protrusion of the second contact portion and a fourth blade contact positioned on a bottom surface of the second contact portion, and wherein the protrusion of each of the first and second contact portions is recessed from a plane formed by a front edge of the connector.

19. The energy storage module as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of metallic pin contacts is positioned alternatingly with non-metallic portions in the row along the top surface and the bottom surface of the protrusion of the third contact portion.

20. The energy storage module as recited in claim 19 , wherein the input voltage pins comprise 12V pins, the control voltage pins comprise 3.3V pins, the output status pins comprise fault status, enable status, and status LED enable signal pins.