Rack mounted component door system and method

• US 20060168759A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Laursen, Erik
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/358
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/40 supported on arms movable in vertical planes
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/18 with sliding pins or guides
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/08 Pivotable parts

Abstract

A rack mounted component door system according to the present invention is used in conjunction with a conventional equipment rack to secure components in the rack and to provide access to features of the components positioned away from the front side of the rack. The component door system includes two hinge assemblies that can be attached directly to two opposing vertical members of the front side of a conventional rack. The component door system also includes a panel that can be of conventional configuration or tailored for the component door system. The panel is attached to the two hinge assemblies to extend between the two front side vertical members of the rack.

Claims

1. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel including openings to receive devices to be retained by the rack;

a first hinge configured to be coupled to the first vertical member and the panel; and

a second hinge configured to be coupled to the second vertical member and the panel.

2. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members, the panel containing openings to receive patch blocks;

a first hinge configured to be coupled to the first vertical member and the panel; and

a second hinge configured to be coupled to the second vertical member and the panel.

3. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members;

a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the first vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening; and

a second hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the second vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first attachment member is a screw and the second attachment is a screw.

5. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members;

a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the first vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening; and

a second hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the second vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track being substantially a mirror image of the first track of the first hinge, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track being substantially a mirror image of the second track of the first hinge, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening.

6. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members;

a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the first vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track including a first position, a second position, and a third position the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track including a first position, a second position, and a third position, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening, the first track and the second track shaped so that when the first attachment member is at the first position of the first track, the second attachment member can go from the first position to the second position of the second track thereby traveling substantially in an arc about the first attachment member, the first track and the second track shaped so that when the second attachment member is at the third position of the second track, the first attachment member can go from the second position to the third position of the first track thereby traveling substantially in an arc about the second attachment member, and

a second hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the second vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track including a first position, a second position, and third position the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track including a first position, a second position, and a third position, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening, the first track and the second track shaped so that when the first attachment member is at the first position of the first track, the second attachment member can go from the first position to the second position of the second track thereby traveling substantially in an arc about the first attachment member, the first track and the second track shaped so that when the second attachment member is at the third position of the second track, the first attachment member can go from the second position to the third position of the first track thereby traveling substantially in an arc about the second attachment member.

7. For a component rack having opposing first and second vertical members, a system comprising:

a panel sized to extend between the vertical members;

a first hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the first vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the first track having a first portion with a first width and a second portion with a second width, the first width being greater than the second width, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening, the lever member having a peg portion extending from another portion of the level member, the peg portion having a width greater than the second width of the first track and smaller than the first width of the first track, the lever being positioned so that the peg portion of the lever member is inserted into the first portion of the first track when the first attachment member is at a first position of the first track and the peg portion is adjacent the second portion of the first track when the first attachment member is at a second position of the first track; and

a second hinge having a stationary member, a mobile member, a lever member, a first attachment member, and a second attachment member, the stationary member configured to be coupled to the second vertical member, the mobile member configured to be coupled to the panel, the stationary member having a first opening shaped to form a first track, the first track having a first portion with a first width and a second portion with a second width, the first width being greater than the second width, the stationary member having a second opening to form a second track, the lever member being coupled to the mobile member through the first attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member and through the second attachment member being attached to the lever member and the mobile member, the first attachment member passing through the first opening, the second attachment member passing through the second opening, the lever member having a peg portion extending from another portion of the level member, the peg portion having a width greater than the second width of the first track and smaller than the first width of the first track, the lever being positioned so that the peg portion of the lever member is inserted into the first portion of the first track when the first attachment member is at a first position of the first track and the peg portion is adjacent the second portion of the first track when the first attachment member is at a second position of the first track.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first hinge further comprises a spring positioned to be compressed by a portion of the lever member and a portion of the first attachment member of the first hinge and wherein the second hinge further comprises a spring positioned to be compressed by a portion of the lever member and a portion of the first attachment member of the second hinge.