Electricity: conductors and insulators – Anti-inductive structures – Conductor transposition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-09
2001-09-11
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Anti-inductive structures
Conductor transposition
C361S689000, C361S816000, C361S725000, C361S752000, C361S800000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288329
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a housing assembly for equipment components. In particular, the present invention provides a housing assembly created by folding a flat blank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a chassis for holding equipment components is known. Depending upon the nature of the equipment, the components may be printed circuit boards, storage disks, ventilators, loudspeakers, cooling units, pumps, gear units, etc. The individual components are held in the chassis by mechanical fixtures whereby the components are arranged in a specific fixed position relative to other components. Such a chassis generally consists of a frame with a number of partitions in which the components are fitted. Typically, the frame itself is attached to an external housing of the device.
Metal chassis are often complicated and expensive to design and assemble. Bolts, screws, rivets, or other attachment means are needed to secure components to a metal chassis. Metal chassis are rigid and therefore require precision machining of the chassis as well as the components attached to the chassis.
The introduction of plastic components has further complicated chassis design. Plastic components require electrical shielding. For example, plastic components of an electrical device may need to be covered with conductive material. Alternatively metal plates or foil must be attached to the chassis. For these reasons, it has proven to be structurally and mechanically complicated, as well as expensive, to assemble a chassis having plastic components.
Plastic chassis have been developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of metal chassis and the difficulties presented by plastic components. Typically, plastic chassis are designed for a specific device, such as a computer or an electronic measuring instrument. The chassis is formed by a support unit made of plastic that is shaped to match the outer shapes of the components. The components are held in the chassis by positive locking without attachment elements such as screws and rivets and thereby overcome some of the shortcomings of metal chassis.
A plastic chassis may comprise a lower part and an upper part. Components are fitted into the lower part of the support unit and the upper part is placed over the lower part. The components fit snugly into the receptacle areas created by recesses in the lower and upper chassis areas. In some embodiments, the upper part and the lower part are hinged to each other along one edge so that the upper part can be swivelled upwards to permit access to the components fitted in the lower part. A plastic chassis can be configured so that recesses exist at different levels, with one level being located above the other. This allows for positioning components one above each other. Often, a plastic chassis has ventilation ducts that are molded into the plastic. A ventilator is located in one of the ventilation ducts in such a way that the flow of air produced by the ventilator is directed over components that need to be cooled.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08,936039 entitled “Component Housing for Integration with Furniture,”assigned to the assignee of the present invention, provides a description, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, of a housing assembly that can be integrated into typical work spaces and furniture so as to provide for quick and easy access to equipment while maintaining an aesthetically appealing environment. The housing assembly disclosed therein comprises a housing and a chassis and can be integrally coupled to a standard piece of furniture, such as a desk. The housing may be in the form of a drawer which can be inserted and withdrawn from a standard unit of furniture such as a desk or cabinet. The drawer has perforations in its bottom and sides for air flow and is preferably made from a metal or metallic material but alternatively may be made from a non-metallic material which is lined with a metallic film. The chassis is made of plastic, preferably expanded polypropylene and may comprise two parts in which are secured equipment components. Projections extend from the sides of the chassis and extend to the drawer walls and thereby create air ducts through which air may flow to cool the components situated in the chassis. Plastic inserts may be placed in the air ducts created by the projections so as to direct the air flow within the assembly. Thus, according to such a housing assembly, computers, measuring instruments, laboratory equipment, multimedia equipment may be housed in the drawer of a desk or laboratory table.
Despite the advantages offered by the above described component housing devices, there being a need in the art for an improved housing. In particular, there is a need in the art for a housing which is simple to change or adapt to the environment. In addition, the housing should be light and require minimum space for transport and storage. Further, the housing should be easily manufactured. Finally, there is a need for a housing with the above mentioned characteristics which also satisfies all the requirements of the relevant electrical shielding standards and specifications, such as Cispr. 22.2. Class B, 30 MHZ-1 GHz.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved housing which is easily manufactured and transported and which can be readily adapted to a new environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the general object of the current invention to provide a housing that is easily manufactured and transported and which can be readily adapted to a new environment.
Briefly, this object, as well as other objects of the current invention, is accomplished in a foldable blank for forming a device housing, comprising the following items: a bottom section; a top section; and a front section. The front section is attached on one side to the bottom section and attached on another side to the top section. The top section is foldable to form a top portion of a box while the bottom section is foldable to form a bottom portion of a box. The top portion hinges around the front section and over the bottom portion so as to form an enclosed box. In one embodiment, the top portion and the bottom portion are secured together using a fastener such as velcro strips, zippers, screws, or press fasteners.
In one embodiment of the invention, the top section comprises the following elements: a top section base panel; a first top section side panel; a second top section side panel; and a top section back panel. The first top section side panel, the second top section side panel, and the top section back panel are foldably connected to the top section base panel. The first and second top section side panels have internal side panels extending therefrom and the top section back panel has a first and second internal side panel foldably attached thereto.
The bottom section comprises the following elements: a bottom section base panel, a first bottom section side panel, a second bottom section side panel, and a bottom section back panel. The first bottom section side panel, second bottom section side panel, and bottom section back panel are foldably connected to the bottom section base panel.
The front panel or section foldably connects on one side with the top section base panel and foldably connects on a second side with the bottom section base panel. The front panel has an internal side panel extending from a third side and an internal side panel extending from a fourth side.
Generally, the foldable blank including the bottom section, top section, and front section is composed of a substrate having an electrically conductive layer situated thereon. The conductive layer substantially covers at least one surface of the substrate and forms an electrostatic shield when the blank being folded and the top portion of the box is closed over the bottom portion. The substrate may be corrugated board, laminate, composite material, paper board, fabric, leather, thermoplastic composite or fabric. The conductive layer may be meta
Haberle Jurgen Gunther
Kopp Siegfried Helmut
Schwegler Tim Klaus Georg
DMT GmbH, Feinwerktechnische Komplettlosungen
Ngo Hung V
Reichard Dean A.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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