Communication equipment rack

• US 6,218,615 B1
• Filed: 04/12/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rocco Canonico
• Original Assignee: Rocco Canonico
• Inventors: Canonico, Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/290,318
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/57, 174/58, 174/DIG.9, 174/51, 220/3.2, 220/3.7
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0008 assembled by screws

Abstract

An enclosure is provided which includes a housing having deployable panels to accommodate hub hardware of different dimensions. The enclosure is hingedly connected to a mounting structure or a wall and constructed with symmetrical features so that the housing can be inverted for hinged opening in either direction to access the hub hardware enclosed therein.

Claims

1. An enclosure for electronic equipment, comprising:

a first support panel having;

first support surface,

first opposed edges,

a first pair of flanges, each one of the first pair of flanges extending from a corresponding one of the first opposed edges;

a second support panel having;

second support surface,

second opposed edges,

a second pair of flanges, each one of the second pair of flanges extending from a corresponding one of the second opposed edges and facing a respective one of the first pair of flanges in registration therewith;

a first sidewall disposed between the first and second support panels at one of the first and second pair of flanges, the first sidewall including;

a plurality of first locking holes,

a plurality of guide slots;

a second sidewall disposed between the first and second support panels at the other of the first and second pair of flanges and spaced apart from the first sidewall for providing a space for the electronic equipment, the second sidewall including;

a plurality of second locking holes;

a third sidewall including;

a third flange extending along an edge of the third sidewall,

a plurality of third locking holes in the third flange corresponding in number to the plurality of guide slots in the first sidewall and arranged for registration with corresponding ones of the guide slots,

an access port through the third sidewall,

a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart about the access port for mounting the third sidewall to another object;

a hinge pivotally connecting the second sidewall to the third sidewall;

a first deployable panel disposed between the first and second pair of flanges for sliding movement with respect to the first and second support panels;

a second deployable panel disposed between the first and second pair of flanges for sliding movement with respect to the first and second support panels and spaced apart from the first deployable panel for independent movement;

wherein the size of the space between the support panels, the sidewalls and the deployable panels can be adjusted by movement of the first and second deployable panels and the enclosure can be inverted for mounting the third sidewall for the enclosure to be hingedly opened in an opposite direction.

2. An enclosure for electronic equipment, comprising:

a first support panel having;

first support surface,

first opposed edges,

a first pair of flanges, each one of the first pair of flanges extending from a corresponding one of the first opposed edges;

a second support panel having;

second support surface,

second opposed edges,

a second pair of flanges, each one of the second pair of flanges extending from a corresponding one of the second opposed edges and facing a respective one of the first pair of flanges in registration therewith;

a first sidewall disposed between the first and second support panels at one of the first and second pair of flanges, the first sidewall including;

a plurality of first locking holes,

a plurality of guide slots;

a second sidewall disposed between the first and second support panels at the other of the first and second pair of flanges and spaced apart from the first sidewall for providing a space for the electronic equipment, the second sidewall including;

a plurality of second locking holes;

a third sidewall including;

a third flange extending along an edge of the third sidewall,

a plurality of third locking holes in the third flange corresponding in number to the plurality of guide slots in the first sidewall and arranged for registration with corresponding ones of the guide slots,

an access port through the third sidewall,

a plurality of mounting holes spaced apart about the access port for mounting the third sidewall to another object;

a hinge pivotally connecting the second sidewall to the third sidewall;

a first deployable panel disposed between the first and second pair of flanges for sliding movement with respect to the first and second support panels;

a second deployable panel disposed between the first and second pair of flanges for sliding movement with respect to the first and second support panels and spaced apart from the first deployable panel for independent movement;

wherein the size of the space between the support panels, the sidewalls and the deployable panels can be adjusted by movement of the first and second deployable panels.

3. An enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a support area therein and construction adapted for being mounted in a plurality of positions relative to a plane extending through a longitudinal axis of the housing;

mounting means operatively associated with the housing for selectively mounting the housing in a first one of the plurality of positions and a second one of the plurality of positions inverted from that of the first position about the plane; and

retaining means operatively associated with the housing, the retaining means comprising;

a first member operatively associated with the housing, and a second member operatively associated with the housing, the first and second members independently movable with respect to each other and the housing to adjust the size of the support area in the housing when disposed in one of the first position and the second position.

4. An enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a support area provided in the housing at opposed sides of a plane extending through a longitudinal axis of the support area and the housing, the housing adapted to provide access to the support area when disposed in either one of a first position or a second position substantially inverted from that of the first position about the plane; and

retaining means operatively associated with the housing, the retaining means comprising;

a first member movable with respect to the housing and a second member movable with respect to the housing independent of the first member to adjust the size of the support area in the housing.

5. The enclosure according to claim 4, further comprising:

mounting means operatively associated with the housing for selectively mounting the housing in either one of the first position or the second position.

6. The enclosure according to claim 4, further comprising support means extending from the retaining means for releasably receiving patch panels thereto.

7. The enclosure according to claim 4, wherein the first and second members of the retaining means comprise:

a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member, respectively.

8. The enclosure according to claim 4, wherein construction of the housing at the opposed sides of the plane is substantially similar.

9. The enclosure according to claim 4, wherein construction of the housing at opposed sides of the plane is substantially symmetrical.

10. The enclosure according to claim 4, wherein the retaining means further comprises:

locking means for locking the retaining means in a select position with respect to the housing.

11. The enclosure according to claim 10, wherein the locking means comprises:

apertures extending through the retaining means and through which mechanical fasteners can be inserted for coaction with the housing to lock the retaining means into a position with respect to the housing.

12. The enclosure according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means is pivotally connected to the housing.

13. The enclosure according to claim 5, further comprising:

a hinge interconnecting the mounting means with the housing for enabling the housing to pivot with respect to the mounting means.

14. The enclosure according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means further comprises:

an aperture through which wiring extends into the support area of the housing.

15. The enclosure according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means is spaced apart from the housing for access to the support area from above and below the support area.

16. The enclosure according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means comprises:

a longitudinal member.

17. The enclosure according to claim 16, wherein the longitudinal member further comprises:

a plurality of mounting holes separate and discrete from each other and adapted for releasably mounting the longitudinal member in either one of the first position or the second position substantially inverted from the first position.

18. A rack system for electronic equipment, comprising:

a plurality of enclosures stackable with respect to each other, each one of the plurality of enclosures, comprising;

a housing having a support area therein and substantially symmetrical construction at opposed sides of a plane extending through a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing adapted to provide access to the support area when disposed in either one of a first position or a second position substantially inverted from that of the first position about the plane; and

retaining means operatively associated with the housing, the retaining means comprising;

a first member movable with respect to the housing and a second member movable with respect to the housing independent of the first member to adjust the size of the support area in the housing.