Supports: cabinet structure – Knockdown or setup type – Skeletal frame
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2001-04-10
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Knockdown or setup type
Skeletal frame
C312S265100, C211S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213577
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to equipment storage apparatus, such as equipment racks and cabinets for holding electronic, laboratory and industrial equipment. The invention has application both in storing equipment for use in plants, laboratories, and other sites, as well as in shipping such equipment.
Equipment storage apparatus hold electronic, laboratory and industrial equipment, including, computers, controllers, test equipment, communications devices, and so forth. In addition to providing storage, they isolate the equipment and protect it from bumps, jolts, dust, temperature fluctuations and other environmental factors. Some storage apparatus also protect equipment users from radiation or other hazards presented by the equipment.
The prior art offers a variety of designs for equipment storage apparatus. One common design is an “open rack” (here, simply referred to as a “rack”), which typically comprises a doorless, substantially rectangular frame. Equipment is mounted to vertical members of the frame, either directly or via shelf-like attachments. An advantage of open racks is that they are relatively lightweight and, therefore, can be easily shipped or handled. A drawback of open equipment racks is that they provide the equipment only minimal protection from external hazards, and vice versa.
Another common design for equipment storage apparatus is the enclosed rack or cabinet. These typically comprise box-like shells comprised of panels, with internal mounting brackets for attachment of the equipment. Examples of this design are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,134; 5,294,748; 5,536,079; 5,574,251. By enclosing the equipment, the cabinets afford it isolation from the environment. A drawback, however, is that equipment cabinets are exceedingly heavy and, therefore, difficult to transport. In addition, they must often be assembled from many parts, a task that can take hours.
An object of the present invention is to provide improved equipment storage apparatus.
A further object is to provide such storage apparatus as are lightweight, yet, strong and that can be readily transported.
A still further object is to provide such apparatus as can be easily assembled.
Yet a still further object of the invention is to provide such apparatus as can be used, not only, to store equipment, but also to protect it during shipment.
Yet still another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus as can be readily converted between open (i.e., rack) and closed (i.e., cabinet) configurations.
Still yet another aspect of the invention is to provide such apparatus as can be manufactured at low cost, using known techniques and readily available materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention achieves the foregoing objects by providing equipment storage apparatus, including novel equipment racks and cabinets based thereon, for use in storing and shipping equipment.
An equipment rack according to one aspect of the invention has a vertical load bearing member with a stepped cross-section. As used herein, a member is said to have a “stepped cross-section” if two or more of its external faces have surface normals disposed in substantially the same direction, yet, those faces lie in different planes.
Thus, for example, a load bearing member of a frame according to one aspect of the invention can have two faces on its front: one with a frontward directed normal for accommodating equipment mounts, and one with a frontward directed normal for accommodating front door mounts. An “edge” or other member (e.g., with a non-frontward directed normal) can affix the two faces to one another in different—but substantially parallel—planes.
According to a related aspect of the invention, a pair of such load bearing members can be provided, along with one or more horizontal cross-pieces or other such structural elements. These form a frame defining a generally rectangular central region in which mounted equipment is disposed.
Further aspects of the invention provide an equipment rack as described above in which both the front and back of a load bearing member have stepped cross sections. Thus, in addition to two faces on its front as described above, such a member can have one rear face with a rearward directed normal for accommodating additional equipment mounts, and another with a rearward directed normal for accommodating rear door mounts. As above, these two rear faces can be affixed, e.g., by an edge, so that they lie in different planes.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, an additional “edge” affixes the front and back door mount-accommodating faces to one another. This forms a cavity in the interior recesses of the frame that can receive the post of a foot, floor stand or other member, e.g., upon which the frame can rest.
A load bearing member with a stepped front and back can, according to further aspects of the invention, be symmetrical about a plane defined by the aforementioned central region (i.e., the region in which the mounted equipment is disposed). The resulting frame accommodates the mounting of equipment from either side—or, in the case of cabinets according to the invention, the mounting of identical or similarly constructed doors, hinges, handles and other structures, on either side.
Further aspects of the invention provide equipment racks as described above in which the vertical or load bearing members have more than three faces arranged in stepped configuration. Thus, for example, in addition to the two front faces and two back faces as described above, the member can include an additional frontward directed face disposed intermediate to, and in different planes from, the frontward directed equipment mount- and door mount-accommodating faces. In addition to enhancing the structural integrity of the load bearing member, the intermediate frontward-directed face provides a surface against which a gasket or other edge portion of a door or other panel may rest in the. This is useful when the frame is configured as part of an equipment cabinet.
To this end, a still further aspect of the invention provides an equipment cabinet that includes an equipment rack of any of the types described above. These cabinets, which form partial or full enclosures for the equipment, additionally include front and/or rear doors, panels or other covers that can be pivotably, removably, or otherwise affixed to the door mount-accommodating portions of the load bearing members.
These and other aspects of the invention are evident in the drawings and in the detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the invention may be attained by reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
depicts an equipment storage apparatus, to wit, an equipment cabinet, according to the invention with a front door that is partially open;
FIGS. 2 and 3
are front and side views, respectively, of the frame of the cabinet of
FIG. 1
, as well as of an rack-style equipment storage apparatus according to the invention;
FIG. 4
shows a cross section of a frame of
FIGS. 2 and 3
;
FIGS. 5 and 6
are front and side views, respectively, of the cabinet of
FIG. 1
with its front door or panel closed;
FIGS. 7 and 8
show a floor stand for use with an equipment storage apparatus according to the invention;
FIG. 9
depicts an equipment cabinet according to the invention with a cable routing panel attached to the lowermost cross-piece of the frame;
FIGS. 10
a
-
10
b
depict a hinged mounting for holding a panel or door to the frame of an equipment cabinet according to the invention; and
FIG. 11
depicts an arrangement of doors for shipping an equipment cabinet according to the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 108756 (1938-03-01), Swanson
patent: D. 326008 (1992-05-01), Hudson et al.
patent: D. 366247 (1996-01-01), Mazura et al.
patent: D. 390835 (1998-02-01), Mayfield, III
patent: 3563627 (1971-02-01), Whipps
patent: 4017134 (1977-04-01), Lenglin et al.
patent: 4102554 (1978-07-01), Reimer
patent: 4126364 (1978-11-01), Reilly
patent: 4988008 (
Porter John M.
Rooyakkers Albert
Barron David
Hansen James O.
Morris Jules J.
Powsner David J.
The Foxboro Company
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