Modular rack system for supporting electronic equipment

• US 5,794,794 A
• Filed: 04/10/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leslie Hull
• Original Assignee: Leslie Hull
• Inventors: Hull, Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US08/630,740
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 211/13, 211/26, 211/134, 211/175, 211/187, 211/188, 522/36.1, 522/126.6, 312/257.1, 312/350, 361/429
• US Class Current: 211/26
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/064 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame

Abstract

A modular rack system is provided for supporting electronic equipment, comprising vertical and lateral frame members cooperating to form a vertical supporting frame, and shelf or rack members supported from a front of the frame for carrying the electronic equipment, wherein the vertical and horizontal frame members comprise channel members with walls defining continuous longitudinal openings at a rear of the frame and cooperating to form a system of interconnected raceways for receiving cables for forming connections to and between the electronic equipment, the walls of the channel shaped members defining ports for passing end connectors of cables. Preferably the channel section members are closed at the rear by doors, and the cable ports are closed by removable cover plates. The horizontal channel section members are located so as to line up with cable ports in the vertical members, while the vertical members may be provided with internal brackets for power bars.

Claims

1. A modular rack system for supporting electronic equipment, comprising vertical and lateral frame members cooperating to form a vertical supporting frame, and shelf or rack members supported from the frame for carrying the electronic equipment, wherein the vertical and horizontal frame members respectively comprise vertical and horizontal channel section members with walls defining continuous longitudinal openings at a rear of the frame and cooperating to form a system of interconnected raceways for receiving cables for forming connections to and between the electronic equipment, the walls of the channel section members defining ports for passing end connectors of cables, the ports defined in the vertical channel section members including a plurality of vertical spaced ports in the walls of said members, and the raceways formed by the horizontal members communicating with raceways formed by the vertical members through selected ones of said vertically spaced ports.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the channel section members have doors hinged thereto for closing said longitudinal openings.

3. A system according to claim 1, further including removable closing plates normally closing said ports defined in the channel section members.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal channel section members are located to extend between side walls of vertical channel section members and said series of vertically spaced ports are formed in said side walls such that ports in the side walls of vertical channel section members open into the horizontal channel section members.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vertical channel section members comprise internal brackets for the attachment of power bars.