Supports: cabinet structure – Knockdown or setup type – Skeletal frame
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-11
2001-05-29
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Knockdown or setup type
Skeletal frame
C312S265500, C312S257100, C211S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238029
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to electronics cabinets and, in particular, to electronics cabinets for holding rack mounted electronics units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior art electronics cabinets have been provided for housing electronics units, such as power panel components, modular components, electronics panels and telecommunication equipment, often using interiorly disposed racks for mounting the electronics units within the prior art electronics cabinets. Such electronics cabinets have been provided by first building a steel support frame. The support frame typically provided a rack to which the electronics units were mounted. Sheet metal enclosure panel sections were mounted to the support frame to provide an enclosure. Support frame components, and in some cases the metal enclosure panels, were often secured to the support frames with butt welds. The butt welds were disposed on the exterior portions of the panels and the support frame. The use of exterior butt welds to join the enclosure panels to the support frames required grinding of the butt welds to a smooth finish to enhance the appearance of the exterior of the cabinets. Grinding the exterior butt welds was a time consuming process, often adding many man hours to the time required to fabricate such electronics cabinets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electronics cabinet and method for fabricating the electronics cabinet from sections of sheet metal are disclosed. The electronics cabinet has a welded frame which comprises a top, a base and four corner posts. Side panels and door panels, which are formed of sheet metal, are mounted to the welded frame to form an enclosure. The top and the base of the electronics cabinet are each formed of respective sections of sheet metal which are each folded into a pan-like configuration. The pan-like configuration of the top and the base includes a flat central portion, sidewalls which extend substantially around the periphery of the central portion, flanges which extend around edges of the periphery of the sidewalls which are opposite the central portion, and lips which extend around edges of the periphery of the flanges which are opposite the sidewalls. Adjacent ones of the sidewalls together define respective corners for the top and the base. The top and the base are substantially the same size, and each have a width, a depth and a height. Preferably the depths of the top and the base are longer than the widths, and the heights of the top and the base are defined by the height of the sidewalls and the lips.
Four posts are formed of respective sections of sheet metal. The sections of sheet metal are formed to define two sides for each of the four corner posts, with the sides extending for the lengths of the respective posts. One of the two sides is shorter than the other to define a short side and a long side for each post. Post flanges are formed along the edges of each of the two sides, on lateral edges which are opposite that of an adjoining side. Post lips are formed on the edges of each of the post flanges, on lateral sides which are opposite that of the sides. The four posts are aligned to extend between respective corners of the top and the base, with the short sides of the corner posts aligned to extend in the direction of the widths of the top and the base, and the long sides of the corner posts aligned to extend in the direction of the depths of the top and the base. The lengths of the four posts each extend for the full height of the cabinet, with end portions of the posts overlapping and fitting flush against the outer sides of respective ones of the corners defined by the sidewalls of the top and base. The end portions of opposite ends of the posts fit flush against respective ones of the flanges and the lips of the top and base sidewalls.
The corners of the top and the base have openings which extend through the sidewalls adjacent to end portions of the posts which overlap the corners. The openings are defined by both corner slots which extend between adjacent sidewalls and apertures which extend through the sidewalls. The openings defined by the apertures through the sidewalls of the corners of the top and base are then plug welded to join the end portions of the post to edge portions of the top and the base which are adjacent to the apertures. The edges of the top and the edges of the base, including the edges defined by the slots between the sidewalls of the top and the base, are fillet welded to the respective end portions of the posts.
Four mounting rails formed of angle iron have longitudinal lengths which are spaced apart and mounted in parallel to the welded frame. Two of the mounting rails are welded to the underside of the top and two of the mounting rails are welded to the topside of the base, directly beneath and parallel to the two mounting rails which are mounted to the top. Two foot plates are mounted to the underside of the base, and have longitudinal lengths which are spaced apart and which are aligned to extend perpendicular to lengths of the two mounting rails mounted to the topside of the base. Four rack posts are then mounted to the mounting rails to provide a rack structure for mounting electronics units in the cabinet. Side metal panels, and front and rear door panels are then mounted to the four corner posts to enclose the interior of the electronics cabinet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2167525 (1939-07-01), Rosendale
patent: 3075818 (1963-01-01), Fay
patent: 3110535 (1963-11-01), Anderson
patent: 3265419 (1966-08-01), Durnbaugh et al.
patent: 5806945 (1998-09-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 6006925 (1999-12-01), Sevier
patent: 6164737 (2000-12-01), Benner et al.
Marzec Steven Jeffrey
Ratner Lyle James
ADS, The Power Resource, Inc.
Hansen James O.
Howison, Chauza, Thoma, Handley & Arnott, L.L.P.
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