Granted Patent B2

US 8,697,990 · App. 13/547,593 · Granted Apr 15, 2014

Abstract

Claims (52)

1. A power conditioner assembly, comprising:

first and second brackets, wherein each one of the brackets has a rear portion adapted to attach to a rear portion of an equipment rack, wherein each one of the brackets has a front portion that extends frontwardly, and wherein each one of the brackets includes a top row of a plurality of apertures, a bottom row of a plurality of apertures, and a middle row of a plurality of apertures positioned between the top and bottom rows;

a power conditioner including a housing having a rear panel, a first side panel mounted to the first bracket and a second, opposed side panel mounted to the second bracket, wherein the rear panel includes a plurality of outlets for connecting equipment, and wherein each of the first and second side panels includes at least four apertures;

wherein the power conditioner is mountable to the brackets in a plurality of orientations including:

a rearward orientation with the rear panel oriented substantially vertically, wherein one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets and another one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of the other one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets; and

at least one angled orientation with the rear panel at an oblique angle relative to vertical, wherein two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of the middle row of one of the brackets.

2. The power conditioner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power conditioner housing includes a top panel and a bottom panel, and wherein the at least one angled orientation comprises both of:

an upward angled orientation, wherein at least a majority of the power conditioner top panel is positioned further from the rear portions of the brackets than at least a majority of the power conditioner bottom panel; and

a downward angled orientation, wherein at least a majority of the power conditioner bottom panel is positioned further from the rear portions of the brackets than at least a majority of the power conditioner top panel.

3. The power conditioner assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

in the upward angled orientation, two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of the middle row of one of the brackets; and

in the downward angled orientation, a different two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of the middle row of one of the brackets.

4. The power conditioner assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

the power conditioner is mountable in an upward orientation, wherein the rear panel is substantially perpendicular to vertical and the top panel is positioned further away from the rear portions of the brackets than the bottom panel;

the power conditioner is mountable in a downward orientation, wherein the rear panel is substantially perpendicular to vertical and the bottom panel is positioned further away from the rear portions of the brackets than the top panel; and

wherein in each of the upward and downward orientations, one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets and another one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of the other one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets.

5. The power conditioner assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

the power conditioner is mountable in an upward orientation, wherein the rear panel is substantially perpendicular to vertical and the top panel is positioned further away from the rear portions of the brackets than the bottom panel;

the power conditioner is mountable in a downward orientation, wherein the rear panel is substantially perpendicular to vertical and the bottom panel is positioned further away from the rear portions of the brackets than the top panel; and

wherein in each of the upward and downward orientations, two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets.

6. The power conditioner assembly of claim 1 , wherein adjacent apertures of each of the top and bottom rows of each bracket are spaced apart a first distance, and wherein adjacent apertures of the middle row of each bracket are spaced apart a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

7. The power conditioner assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the power conditioner is mountable in a non-recessed orientation, wherein a pair of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with a first aperture and a second aperture of one of the brackets; and the power conditioner is mountable in a recessed orientation, wherein the pair of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with a third aperture of one of the brackets that is located a greater distance from the rear portion of the bracket than the first aperture and a fourth aperture of one of the brackets that is located a greater distance from the rear portion of the bracket than the second aperture.

8. The power conditioner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side panel apertures and aligned ones of and the bracket apertures are configured to receive a fastener therethrough to fixedly mount the power conditioner to the brackets.

9. The power conditioner assembly of claim 8 , wherein the power conditioner further comprises a threaded passageway extending inwardly from each of the side panel apertures.

10. A power conditioner assembly, comprising:

an equipment rack having first and second spaced-apart rear rails and first and second spaced-apart front rails, the first and second rear rails defining a rear vertical plane therebetween;

a first bracket attached to the first rear rail and a second bracket attached to the second rear rail, wherein each of said brackets includes a rear portion attached to one of said rear rails and a front portion that extends frontwardly, and wherein each front portion includes a top row of a plurality of apertures, a bottom row of a plurality of apertures, and a middle row of a plurality of apertures positioned between the top and bottom rows;

a power conditioner including a housing having a rear panel, a first side panel mounted to the first bracket and a second, opposed side panel mounted to the second bracket, wherein the rear panel includes a plurality of outlets for connecting equipment, and wherein each of the first and second side panels includes at least four apertures;

wherein the power conditioner is mountable to the brackets in a plurality of orientations including:

a rearward orientation with the rear panel substantially parallel to the rear vertical plane, wherein one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets and another one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of the other one of the top and bottom rows of one of the brackets; and

at least one angled orientation with the rear panel at an oblique angle to the rear vertical plane, wherein two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of the middle row of one of the brackets.

11. The power conditioner assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power conditioner is sized such that, when mounted, the power conditioner extends only a minor distance from a rear portion to a front portion of the rack.

12. The power conditioner assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power conditioner has a height of about 2 rack units.

13. The power conditioner assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power conditioner has a depth of between about 2 inches to about 3.5 inches.

14. The power conditioner assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power conditioner has a width of about 17 inches.

15. The power conditioner assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power conditioner includes a front panel having at least one interface, the assembly further comprising a faceplate mountable to the front rails of the rack in a spaced-apart relationship to the power conditioner, the faceplate having a housing including a rear panel having at least one interface for interconnection with the at least one interface of the power conditioner and a front panel having at least one indicator for monitoring the power conditioner.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the front panel of the faceplate includes at least one display for real-time display of voltage and/or current associated with the power conditioner.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the front panel of the faceplate includes diagnostic indicators to provide visual feedback of safe voltage and/or proper system grounding.

18. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the front panel of the faceplate includes at least one of a charging port and a utility outlet.

19. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the faceplate has a height of about 1 rack unit.

20. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the faceplate has a depth of about 2.5 inches.

21. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the faceplate has a width of about 17 inches.

22. A power conditioner kit, comprising:

a power conditioner including a housing having a rear panel including a plurality of outlets for connecting equipment, the power conditioner including first and second opposed side panels, each side panel including at least four apertures;

a pair of first brackets, wherein each of the first brackets is adapted to attach to a rear portion of an equipment rack, and wherein each first bracket has a front portion that extends frontwardly, wherein each one of the first brackets includes a to row of a plurality of apertures, a bottom row of a plurality of apertures, and a middle row of a plurality of apertures positioned between the top and bottom rows, and wherein the power conditioner is mountable to the front portions of the first brackets in a plurality of orientations including:

a rearward orientation with the rear panel oriented substantially vertically, wherein one of the at least four apertures of each side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of one of the top and bottom rows of one of the first brackets and another one of the at least four apertures of said side panel is aligned with one of the apertures of the other one of the top and bottom rows of one of the first brackets; and

at least one angled orientation with the rear panel at an oblique angle relative to vertical, wherein two of the at least four apertures of each side panel are aligned with two of the apertures of the middle row of one of the first brackets; and

a pair of second brackets, wherein each of the second brackets includes first and second substantially perpendicular portions, wherein each second portion includes a plurality of apertures, and wherein:

the first portion of each of the second brackets is adapted to attach to the rear portion of the equipment rack, and the power conditioner is mountable to the second portion of the second brackets with at least two apertures of each side panel aligned with at least two apertures of one of the second portions; and

the first portion of each of the second brackets is adapted to attach to a flat mounting surface, and the power conditioner is mountable to the second portion of the second brackets with at least two apertures of each side panel aligned with at least two apertures of one of the second portions.

23. The kit of claim 22 , wherein the power conditioner housing includes a bottom panel, the kit further comprising a plurality of feet attachable to the bottom panel such that the power conditioner may rest on a flat surface.

Assignments (12)