Computer power supply apparatus

Abstract

A computer is provided with a redundant power supply system using a plurality of power supply boxes having generally conventional, off-the-shelf configurations. The computer includes a housing having a wall opening spaced apart from and facing the side of a paralleling type circuit board having mounted thereon a plurality of AC electrical connectors and a spaced plurality of DC electrical connectors. The power supply boxes are mounted on carrier structures slidably received in the computer housing for drawer-like movement through the housing wall opening toward and away from the circuit boards. Each power supply box has an external wire bundle with blind mate DC electrical connectors mounted on the outer ends of its leads and supported by the carrier structure for mating connection with their associated circuit board connectors when the carrier structure is moved into adjacency with its associated circuit board. The carrier structure also supports an AC connector structure which is mated with its associated circuit board connector in response to such movement of the carrier structure. A switch carded by each carrier structure is operative to selectively enable and disable its associated power supply box and releasably lock the carrier structure to the computer housing.