Supports: racks – Special article – Electrically powered
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-08-07
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Electrically powered
C211S189000, C248S222520, C361S829000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to mounting equipment in a rack. In particular, the invention relates to a mounting bracket for mounting a rack-mountable unit in a rack, to electrical equipment for mounting in a rack and to a method of mounting electrical equipment in a rack.
It is well known to provide racking systems for mounting electrical equipment in a rack structure. Typically, the rack structure includes vertical bars having holes to which rack-mountable units can be mounted by means of screws, clips, etc. Typically, a unit for mounting in the rack comprises a housing. Attached to or forming an integral part of the housing, a mounting element will include a flange having holes for co-operating with corresponding holes of a rack bar for receiving fasteners or other fixing means that pass through the holes in the flange and the rack bar for securing the unit to the rack structure. If the mounting element is integral to the rack-mountable unit, then it will typically only be suitable for one type of racking. Accordingly, it is usual for such a mounting element to be in the form of a bracket that is attached to the unit by means of screws.
However, the use of screws to secure the mounting bracket to the unit to be supported includes a number of disadvantages. In the first place, it is necessary to supply the screws in a fixing kit. This increases the parts costs way beyond the individual value of the screws. Also, the screws can easily be omitted from the fixing kit and/or be lost. Also, when a mounting bracket is attached to a rack mountable unit, it is necessary to provide the unit with a nut or threaded element for receiving and securing the screw. Also, where a screw mounting is needed, it is typically the case that the screw will penetrate the housing of the unit. If supplied screws are used, this would typically not cause any problems. However, if the screws are lost, and an installer decides to use a longer screw, it is perfectly possible that a screw may then interfere with an electrical component within the housing, and cause an electrical failure and/or be dangerous to the installer and/or users of the rack mountable units and/or the racking system.
The current trend of providing slim form factors for rack mountable equipment (i.e., units that are thin), puts more and more demands on the designers of rack mountable units regarding the location and cooling of components within the rack-mountable unit. Typically, with a slim unit, it is necessary to use as much as possible of the available width within the unit. Accordingly, this leaves very little space at the edges of the unit, and increases the potential dangers from incorrect screws being used for attaching a mounting bracket to the rack-mountable unit.
Accordingly, an aim of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket for a rack-mountable unit and rack-mountable equipment that avoids the disadvantages of prior art. In particular, it is desired to provide an arrangement that is simple and easy to use, and requires a minimum of components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Particular and preferred aspects of the invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Combinations of features from the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate and not merely as explicitly set out in the claims.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting bracket for mounting a unit within a rack. The mounting bracket includes a body portion. A mounting portion on a first side of the body portion includes formations connectable to a rack. A latching pivot portion on a second side of the body portion is insertable into an aperture in a wall of the unit at a given relative orientation of the mounting bracket to the unit and engages behind the wall of the unit on relative rotation between the mounting bracket and the unit.
This latching pivot arrangement enables the attachment of the mounting bracket to the wall of the rack-mountable unit. As the latching pivot portion forms part of the mounting bracket, it can be configured to have a controlled length so that it does not interfere with components within the housing of the rack-mountable unit. Also, because it forms part of the mounting bracket, it cannot be lost. An embodiment of a mounting bracket according to the invention thus reduces the parts count of a fixing assembly and facilitates mounting of the rack-mountable units.
At least one detent portion can be provided for restricting rotation of the mounting bracket with respect to the unit. Preferably, two detent portions are provided that engage in stepped recesses in a side wall of the rack-mountable unit.
The mounting portion can be in the form of a flange with at least one hole for receiving a fastener. The fastener can be a screw, clip or other fixing means. The mounting portion can be formed integrally to the body portion.
The latching pivot portion can be thought of as providing a bayonet-like fastening. The latching pivot portion can be formed with a shank and a head. The shank can be longer than the thickness of the wall. The body portion can be formed with raised portions that are operable, on rotation of the mounting bracket, to urge the body portion away from the wall of the unit causing the head of the latching pivot portion to latch securely behind the side wall of the rack-mountable unit.
The head can have at least one dimension in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shank different from a dimension in another direction in the plane. For example, the head could be polygonal. Alternatively, it could be obround. By providing a correspondingly shaped aperture in the side wall of the rack-mountable unit, on rotation of the mounting bracket the head will latch behind the side wall of the rack mountable unit. The relative orientations of the aperture and the head are arranged such that when the body portion of the mounting bracket is offered up to the side wall of the rack-mountable unit, the head of the latchable pivot, or mounting pin, fits within the aperture in the side wall, and, on rotation of the mounting bracket about the axis of the mounting pin, the head engages behind the side wall of the rack-mountable unit. Where, for example, the head is obround, the longitudinal axis of the obround can be oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion (e.g. 45°) for insertion through an obround aperture arranged parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the side wall. In this way, the mounting bracket can be oriented at an angle to the rack-mountable unit (e.g., 45°) for insertion of the latchable pivot in the aperture and then be rotated to align the mounting bracket with the unit, securing the mounting bracket to the unit.
The latching pivot portion can be fastened to the body portion, for example using a fastener such as a screw. Alternatively, the latching pivot portion could be integral to the body portion. In a preferred embodiment, the body portion is substantially planar, with all portions of the mounting bracket with the exception of the latching pivot being formed by stamping and folding sheet metal.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting bracket for mounting a unit within a rack. The mounting bracket includes a substantially planar body portion having a first and second sides, first and second edges and first and second ends. A mounting portion is provided on the first side of the body portion adjacent the first end thereof. A first detent portion is provided on the second side of the body portion adjacent the first edge and towards the first end thereof. A second detent portion is provided on the second side of the body portion adjacent the second edge and towards the second end thereof. A latching pivot portion is provided on the second side of the body portion at least substantially at the centre thereof, the latching pivot portion being configured to be inserted in a hole in a side wall of the unit and to eng
Conley Rose & Tayon PC
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Kivlin B. Noäl
Sun Microsystems Inc.
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