EXPLOSION-PROOF ENCLOSURE

• US 20100258331A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precision Digital Corporation
• Original Assignee: Precision Digital Corporation
• Inventors: Dahlgren, Erik, Umana, Jose, Ewen, Scott M., Ryan, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,227,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/50.540
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/042 Explosion-proof cases
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/061 sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing

Abstract

A system for enclosing an instrument, module or other assembly in an explosion-proof housing. The system includes an upper housing portion that includes a first threaded portion and, optionally, a transparent window portion; a lower housing portion that has a second threaded portion that is structured and arranged to cooperate with the first threaded portion to provide a tight, air- and water-tight fit; and an inner mounting assembly for supporting an instrument, module, electrical circuit, electrical device, display device, or other assembly. In pertinent part, the lower housing portion includes integrated bosses that provide horizontal surfaces for supporting the inner mounting assembly and for releasably attaching the inner mounting assembly to the lower housing portion. The number of positioning of the bosses and the number and positioning of mounting studs on the inner mounting assembly are designed to mount the inner mounting assembly within the lower housing portion in a manner that is independent of the mounting orientation of the lower housing portion.

Claims

1. An explosion-proof housing for containing an electrical device comprising:

an upper housing portion having a first threaded portion;

a lower housing portion having a second threaded portion that is structured and arranged to cooperate with the first threaded portion to provide an air and/or water-tight seal and a plurality of bosses spaced about the periphery of an inner wall of the lower housing portion; and

an inner mounting assembly for supporting the device in the housing, and having a plurality of recesses about the periphery thereof that is cooperative with the plurality of bosses to orient the inner mounting assembly in the lower housing portion in different rotational positions.

2. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the lower housing portion includes at least one port for introducing at least one of a conduit, a wire, a cable or a line into the lower housing portion.

3. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the lower housing portion includes a surface for supporting a sealing device, to provide at least one of an air- and a water-tight seal between the upper and lower housing portions.

4. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper housing portion includes a locking device for fixedly attaching the upper housing portion to the lower housing portion.

5. The housing as recited in claim 1 further comprising plural mounting flanges for mounting the system to an external surface.

6. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper housing portion includes a transparent window portion.

7. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of bosses is integrated into an inner surface of the lower housing portion and includes a planar or substantially planar portion for supporting the inner mounting assembly.

8. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner mounting assembly includes at least one mounting stud for accommodating an attaching device.

9. The housing as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of bosses of the lower housing portion includes an opening for receiving the attaching device for releasably attaching the inner mounting assembly to said at least one of the plurality of bosses.

10. The housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the inner mounting assembly includes at least one alignment portion for accommodating the planar or substantially planar surface of each of the plurality of bosses.

11. The housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of bosses and inner mounting assembly cooperate so that orientation of the lower housing portion and orientation of the inner mounting assembly disposed therein are independent of each other.