Protective structure

Details Protective structure Protective structure

1999-04-09

2001-03-13

Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C165S104330, C312S223100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06201694

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure for housing electronic circuitry and electronic equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cabinets for housing electronic circuitry and equipment are used in a number of different areas and environments, for instance in industrial and office environments. A common feature of so-called single-wall electronic cabinets is that they are comprised of a plurality of different parts, regardless of the field in which they are used. A cabinet often comprises an open frame-work which fully covered with protective material, such as sheet-metal panels. The frame-work itself comprises several parts and when taking into consideration the metal panels and their fastening devices such a cabinet will include a significant number of different component parts. This results in high manufacturing and assembly costs.
Another area in which electronic equipment housing cabinets are used is in the field of radio technology, for instance in the mobile telephone industry. In the case of mobile telephony, a mobile communicates with the aid of radio signals that are sent/received to/from radio base stations. Radio base stations are often located outdoors, in a temperature/moisture climate which affects the electronic circuitry and equipment. One way of protecting electronic devices against such ambient factors is to use cabinets which have a double-wall outer casing, i.e. twin metal panels with an insulating layer of air therebetween. One drawback with double-wall cabinets is that both the manufacturing costs and the assembly costs are higher than in the case of single-wall cabinets. As before mentioned, single-wall cabinets represent a high user cost. A switch from single-wall cabinets to double-wall cabinets represents significant additional costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the problem of the large number of different parts from which an electronic equipment housing cabinet is comprised, and then particularly double-wall cabinets. This large number of component parts represents high manufacturing and assembly costs, resulting in a high total user cost.
The problems are solved by using compression moulded profile elements at least for some parts of the cabinet. The profiles are preferably made of aluminum. The advantages of these kinds of elements are that almost any kind of cross section area could be chosen. The profiles may be made to include double-walled constructions, constructions with grooves for fastening of other element, constructions with stabilizing flanges, cooling channels etc. A profile of the kind could also easily be bent without severely affecting the cross-sectional area. The profile elements are primarily used for the body structure of the cabinet, that is its top and bottom part and the side members of the cabinet. As could easily be seen, it is possible to construct the body structure out of just one bent profile element put together at just one point. The structure could also be divided into separate straight or bent profile parts, e.g. for manufactoring reasons.
A preferred embodiment of the body structure is that one bent profile element forms the upper part and the side parts while a further elongated profile, a straight profile, is used for the bottom part of the cabinet.
The profiles are designed to provide optimum support for EMC protection and environmental protection.
Another problem addressed by the invention is one of insulating the electronic equipment against electromagnetic interference from the equipment required to operate the electronic components. A climate conditioning plant is an example of such equipment. The converse problem is also addressed by the invention, i.e. the problem of protecting the surroundings from the influence of the housed electronic equipment and electronic circuitry, for instance from the electromagnetic fields generated thereby.
This problem is solved by the invention, by placing both the electronic circuitry/equipment and the climate conditioning system within the protective structure and separating said circuitry/equipment and climate conditioning system from one another by means of a sealing wall. The wall could be mounted in grooves or the like in the profiled elements of the body structure. The electronic circuitry/equipment is thus located in its own climate zone protected with a double-wall shell and insulated from the operating equipment, which is located on the other side of the partition wall in a so-called antechamber.
One object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts required by such a protective structure.
Another object of the present invention is to protect the electronic circuitry/equipment from interference by peripheral equipment, for instance electromagnetic interference from a climate conditioning plant, without appreciably increasing the number of necessary component parts, and also to protect the surroundings from electromagnetic fields generated by the electronic circuitry/equipment.
One advantage afforded by the invention resides in a reduction in manufacturing and assembly costs.
Another advantage afforded by the invention is that assembly of the cabinet is simplified.
Yet another advantage is that the electronic circuitry/equipment is better protected against the ingress of water and dust than in earlier known cases.
Still another advantage is that the electronic circuitry is protected against electromagnetic interference—EMC.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.


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