Supports: cabinet structure – For particular electrical device or component – Housing for computer or computer related equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-04-24
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)
Supports: cabinet structure
For particular electrical device or component
Housing for computer or computer related equipment
C312S223100, C361S259000, C292S087000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220678
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to an electrical cabinet adapted to store, or house, electrical components, and, more particularly to an electrical cabinet adapted to store printed circuit boards used in data storage and/or transfer systems.
As is known in the art, an electrical cabinet is used to store, or house, a variety of electrical components such as printed circuit boards. An electrical cabinet permits components housed within the cabinet to be interconnected and also allows components within the cabinet to be connected to components outside the cabinet. The components housed within the cabinet often maintain or control data storage or data transfer systems.
Typically, administrators of a data storage or transfer systems contained within an electrical cabinet desire regular access to particular components housed within the cabinet. The administrators desire such access to increase their ability to monitor a system's functions and/or to exert control over the housed system.
When an electrical cabinet is assembled, components may be installed to provide administrators with access to monitor a system's functions and/or to exert control over the systems housed in such cabinet. However, current installation techniques are labor intensive, often including the attachment or machining of several parts, and therefore cost ineffective.
Also, the access provided to components within electrical cabinets is inconvenient for the type of regular access administrators of systems desire. Current mechanism fail to provide quick and easy regular access to particular stored components within electrical cabinets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical cabinet is provided for storing or housing electrical components having a door which latches in an open position. The door has an engaging member and a hinge. The engaging member contacts a latching member of the electrical cabinet as the door is opened. The engaging member deflects the latching member from a first position in the path of the door to a flexed position removed from that path. As the door is opened the engaging member passes beyond the latching member and once the door is completely opened the latching member returns resiliently to the first position fitting within a divot in the door. The latching member, positioned within this divot, holds the door up in an open position.
The engaging member also serves to contact the latching member and remove it from the divot as the door is closed. The engaging member again engages the latching member and, provided that sufficient force is applied, displaces the latching member out of the divot and into the flexed position, removing the latching member from the path of the door. As the latching member is displaced into the flexed position the door is allowed to close. Once closed, the latching member returns resiliently to its original position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention an electrical cabinet is provided having a printed circuit board mount. The mount is designed to hold the circuit board next to a portion of the cabinet so to provide access to displays and/or switches stored on the board.
The mount has a mount post, a head and a receiving slot, which together are used to mount a printed circuit board within the electrical cabinet. The mount post serves to connect and elevate the head from a surface portion of the electrical cabinet. The mount post further has a notch, which together with the head forms the receiving slot. The mount post is designed to fit snugly into a slot in the circuit board.
In an embodiment of the invention a latch is provided to secure the printed circuit board within the mount. The latch has a latch post and a latching member. The latch engages the printed circuit board between a surface of the latch post and a surface of the latching member holding the circuit board within the receiving slot in the mount. The latch also may have a protraction designed to fit within a latching slot in the circuit board. The protraction stabilizes the circuit board, preventing movement or torquing of the board which could break the latch. The invention is further designed to be made in a one piece molding process.
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Claprood Edward
Pignolet Lawrence G.
Cuomo Peter M.
Daly, Crowley & Mofford LLP
EMC Corporation
Tran Hanh V.
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