Removable sensor modules
A removable telecommunication sensor module is configured to be removably coupled between a power protection device and a bus bar and/or a backplane. The removable telecommunication sensor module monitors energy usage at a telecommunication equipment circuit level for a piece of telecommunication equipment arranged in a telecommunication network infrastructure.
1. A monitoring device comprising:
a housing having a first surface opposite a second surface;
a mini-bus bar disposed in the housing;
a receptacle disposed proximate to the first surface to couple a power plug of a power protection device to the mini-bus bar;
a current monitoring device electrically coupled to the mini-bus bar to monitor a current flowing through the monitoring device and to report a signal based on the monitored current; and
a power terminal protruding from the second surface to couple with a bus bar.
2. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle has a through hole providing access to the power terminal to removably couple the monitoring device to and/or from the bus bar.
3. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle and the power terminal are concentrically arranged in first and second tabs of the mini-bus bar.
4. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic shield fixed to the mini-bus bar for shielding the current monitoring device.
5. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising alarm contact receptacles disposed in the first surface to removably couple with cooperating alarm contacts of the power protection device to pass trip status signals generated by the power protection device to a central control board.
6. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising signal pins disposed in the second surface to removably couple with cooperating receptacles of a backplane or a cable harness to pass signals to a central control board.
7. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second surfaces comprise a width of about 0.85 times a width of the power protection device.
8. A sensor device comprising:
a mini-bus bar including a power receptacle electrically coupled to a power terminal, wherein the power receptacle is configured to couple with a power plug of a power protection device and the power terminal is configured to couple with a bus bar; and
a current monitoring assembly electrically coupled to the mini-bus bar to monitor a current flowing through the mini-bus bar and to report a signal based on the monitored current; and
a housing enclosing the mini-bus.
9. The sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the current monitoring assembly comprises a current monitor coupled to the mini-bus bar to monitor and report a current flowing through the mini-bus bar.
10. The sensor device of claim 9 , wherein the current monitor comprises a Hall Effect current monitor.
11. The sensor device of claim 10 , wherein the Hall Effect current monitor is disposed on a current monitor board coupled to the mini-bus bar.
12. The sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the power protection device is a circuit breaker.
13. The sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the current monitoring assembly comprises alarm contact receptacles to removably couple with cooperating alarm contacts of the power protection device to pass trip status signals generated by the power protection device to a central control board.
14. The sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the current monitoring assembly manipulates the monitored current to be outside a valid current range based on trip status signals generated by the power protection device.
15. The sensor device of claim 14 , wherein the valid current range is a pulse-width modulation duty cycle range of at least about 10% and at most about 90%.
16. The sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the current monitoring assembly comprises signal pins to removably couple with cooperating receptacles of a backplane or a cable harness to pass signals to a central control board.
17. A monitoring device comprising:
a printed circuit assembly (PCA) having a first end and a second end;
power input and power output receptacles disposed proximate to the second end to couple with a backplane;
a receptacle disposed proximate to the first end and communicatively coupled to the power input and power output receptacles for receiving a power protection device; and
a current monitor arranged on the PCA between the first end and the second end.
18. The monitoring device of claim 17 , further comprising signal pins fixed to the second end to removably couple with cooperating receptacles of a backplane or a cable harness to pass signals to a central control board.
19. The monitoring device of claim 17 , wherein the power protection device is a fuse.