Universal electronics cabinet

• US 6,238,029 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Myers Power Products Inc.
• Original Assignee: ADS, The Power Resource, Inc.
• Inventors: Marzec, Steven Jeffrey, Ratner, Lyle James
• Primary Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US09/546,985
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 312/257.1, 312/263, 312/264, 312/265.1, 312/265.2, 312/265.3, 312/265.4, 312/265.5, 312/265.6, 312/111, 312/140, 211/26, 211/182, 211/189, 52/648.1, 52/653.1
• US Class Current: 312/265.3
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/014 Corner connections for frameworks
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/30 Cabinet-type casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/565 for cabinets

Abstract

An electronics cabinet (12) has a welded frame (46) formed of sections of metal sheet which define a top (14), a base (16) and four corner posts (18). Two of the sections of metal sheet are formed into a pan-like configurations to define the top (14) and the base (16). Four of the sections of meal sheet are formed to define the four corner posts (18), each having a long side (144) and a short side (146) which are perpendicular. The longer sides (144) of the corner posts (18) are aligned parallel to a depth of the cabinet (12). Lengths of the four corner posts (18) extend for the height of the cabinet (12), with end portions (78) of the corner posts (18) overlapping and fitting flush against the outer sides (62, 64) of respective ones of the corners (15, 17) of the top (14) and base (16). The top (14) and the base (16) have corner openings defined by apertures (80) and by slots (120) which extend through the sidewalls(62, 64) adjacent to end portions (78) of the corner posts (18) which overlap the top (14) and the base (16). The openings defined by the apertures (80) are plug welded to the corner post (18). Edges (162, 164) of the corner posts (18) and edges (116, 122) of the top (14) and base (16), which are interior of the cabinet (12), are fillet welded together. Four mounting rails (36) are aligned in parallel and welded to respective ones of the top (14) and base (16), two of the rails (36) mounted to the top (14) and two of the rails (36) mounted to the base (16). Two foot plates (44) are mounted to the underside of the base (16), spaced apart and perpendicular to lengths of the two mounting rails (36) mounted to the topside of the base (16).

Claims

1. An electronics cabinet having a height, a width and a depth, said cabinet comprising in combination:

a top formed of a first section of metal sheet, said top being formed into a pan-like configuration having a top central portion which defines a top of said cabinet and plurality of topsides which extend from said top central portion, transverse to said top central portion, to define top corners and top rim portions which extend adjacent to lower edges of said topsides;

a base formed of a second section of metal sheet, said base being formed into a pan-like configuration having a base central portion which defines a floor of said cabinet and a plurality of base sides which extend from said base central portion, transverse to said base central portion, to define base corners and base rim portions which extend adjacent to upper edges of said base sides;

four posts formed of respective sections of flat metal sheet, said posts having lengths which extend said height of said cabinet, with end portions of said posts overlapping and fitting flush against outer sides of respective ones of said top and base corners of said top and base sides; and

said posts further having respective post sides which define post widths and post thicknesses, said post widths being at least two and one-half times wider than said post thicknesses and extending parallel to said depth of said cabinet, and said post thicknesses extending parallel to said width of said cabinet;

said top and base sides having openings formed there-through proximate to said corners and adjacent to said end portions of said posts which overlap said top and base corners, said openings defining edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings;

plug welds joining said end portions of said posts and said edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings; and

fillet welds joining said end portions of said posts and said top and base rim portions.

2. The electronics cabinet according to claim 1, further comprising two foot plates secured to a bottom-side of said base, spaced apart on opposite sides of an underside of said base central portion and having longitudinal lengths which extend parallel to said width of said cabinet.

3. The electronics cabinet according to claim 1, further comprising four mounting rails formed of angle iron, a first pair of said mounting rails secured to a top-side of said base and spaced apart on opposite sides of said base central portion, running parallel to said depth of said cabinet and transverse to said longitudinal lengths of said two foot plates, and a second pair of said mounting rails secured to a bottom-side of said top and spaced apart on opposite sides of said top central portion, running parallel to said depth of said cabinet and transverse to said width of said cabinet.

4. The electronics cabinet according to claim 3, further comprising edges of terminal ends of said posts being disposed adjacent to respective bend lines between said top and base central portions and respective ones of said top and base sides, and said edges of said terminal ends of said posts free of being joined to said bend lines of said top and said base.

5. The electronics cabinet according to claim 3, further comprising two foot plates secured to a bottom-side of said base, spaced apart on opposite sides of said base central portion and having longitudinal lengths which extend parallel to said width of said cabinet.

6. The electronics cabinet according to claim 1, further comprising said top rim portions and said base rim portions each having horizontal lips and vertical lips against which respective edges of side portions of said posts fit flush against.

7. The electronics cabinet according to claim 6, further comprising two foot plates secured to a bottom-side of said base, spaced apart on opposite sides of said base central portion and having longitudinal lengths which extend parallel to said width of said cabinet.

8. The electronics cabinet according to claim 6, further comprising edges of terminal ends of said posts being disposed adjacent to respective bend lines between said top and base central portions and respective ones of said top and base sides, and said edges of said terminal ends of said posts free of being joined to said bend lines of said top and base.

9. The electronics cabinet according to claim 8, wherein said edges of side portions of said posts are spaced apart from said edges of said terminal ends of said posts by respective lengths of said top and base sides, which extend from said bend lines to said top and base rim portions, respectively.

10. An electronics cabinet having a height, a width and a depth, said cabinet comprising in combination:

a top formed of a first section of flat metal sheet into a pan-like configuration having a top central portion which defines a top of said cabinet and four topsides which extend from said top central portion, perpendicular to said top central portion, to define top corners and top rim portions which extend adjacent to lower edges of said four topsides;

a base formed of a second section of flat metal sheet into a pan-like configuration having a base central portion which defines a floor of said cabinet and four base sides which extend from said base central portion, perpendicular to said base central portion, to define base corners and base rim portions which extend adjacent to upper edges of said four base sides;

four posts formed of respective sections of flat metal sheet, said posts having lengths which extend said height of said cabinet, with end portions of said posts overlapping and fitting flush against outer sides of respective ones of said top and base corners of said top and base sides; and

said posts further having respective post sides which define post widths and post thicknesses, said post widths being at least two and one-half times wider than said post thicknesses and extending parallel to said depth of said cabinet, and said post thicknesses extending parallel to said width of said cabinet;

said top and base sides having openings formed there-through proximate to said corners and adjacent to said end portions of said posts which overlap said top and base corners, said openings defining edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings;

plug welds joining said end portions of said posts and said edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings;

fillet welds joining said end portions of said posts and said top and base rim portions; and

edges of terminal ends of said posts being disposed adjacent to respective bend lines between said top and base central portions and respective ones of said top and base sides, and said edges of said terminal ends of said posts free of being joined to said bend lines of said top and said base.

11. The electronics cabinet according to claim 10, further comprising two foot plates secured to a bottom-side of said base, spaced apart on opposite sides of said base central portion and having longitudinal lengths which extend parallel to said width of said cabinet.

12. The electronics cabinet according to claim 11, further comprising four mounting rails formed of angle iron, a first pair of said mounting rails secured to a top-side of said base and spaced apart on opposite sides of said base central portion, running parallel to said depth of said cabinet and transverse to said longitudinal lengths of said two foot plates, and a second pair of mounting rails secured to a bottom-side of said top and spaced apart on opposite sides of said top central portion, running parallel to said depth of said cabinet and transverse to said width of said cabinet.

13. The electronics cabinet according to claim 12, further comprising said top rim portions and said base rim portions which each have horizontal lips and vertical lips against which respective edges of side portions of said posts fit flush against.

14. The electronics cabinet according to claim 13, wherein said edges of side portions of said posts are spaced apart from said edges of said terminal ends of said posts by respective lengths of said top and base sides, which extend from said bend lines to said top and base rim portions, respectively.

15. A method for fabricating an electronics cabinet having a height, a width and a depth, the method comprising the steps of:

providing several sections of flat metal sheet;

forming a first of the sections of metal sheet into a pan-like configuration to provide a top having a top central portion which defines a top of the cabinet and a plurality of topsides which extend from the top central portion, perpendicular to the top central portion, to define top corners and top rim portions which extend adjacent to lower edges of four topsides;

forming a second section of metal sheet into a pan-like configuration to provide a base having a base central portion which defines a floor of the cabinet and a plurality of base sides which extend from the base central portion, perpendicular to the base central portion, to define base corners and base rim portions which extend adjacent to upper edges of the base sides;

forming openings through the topsides and the base sides, proximate to respective ones of the corners of the top and bas, the openings defining edge portions of the top and base sides which are adjacent to the openings;

forming a plurality of posts of sections of flat metal sheet of lengths which extend the height of the cabinet, and post widths and post thicknesses, the post widths being at least two and one-half times wider than the post thicknesses;

fitting the end portions of the posts flush against and outside of respective ones of the top and base corners defined by respective ones of the top and base sides, with the lengths of the posts extending from the top to the base, the openings through the top and base sides disposed adjacent to the end portions of the posts, the post widths extending parallel to the depth of the cabinet, and the post thicknesses extending parallel to the width of the cabinet;

welding the edge portions of the top and base sides which are defined by the openings to adjoining regions of respective ones of the end portions of the posts; and

welding the top and base rim portions to adjacent regions of respective ones of the end portions of the posts.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

the step of fitting the end portions of the post sides against the top and base corners further including the step of disposing edges of terminal ends of the posts adjacent to respective bend lines between the top and base central portions and respective ones of the top and base sides; and

maintaining the edges of the terminal ends of the posts free of being joined to the bend lines of the top and base, throughout each of the steps of the method.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing the top rim portions and the base rim portions each with horizontal lips and vertical lips; and

disposing respective edges of side portions of the posts flush against the horizontal and vertical lips of the top and base rim portions.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of providing the top rim portions comprises spacing the top rim portions apart from the edges of the terminal ends of the posts by respective lengths of the top and base sides, which extend from the bend lines to the top and base rim portions, respectively.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing four mounting rails formed of angle iron;

securing a first pair of the mounting rails to a top-side of the base, spaced apart on opposite sides of the base central portion and running parallel to the depth of the cabinet and transverse to the width of the cabinet; and

securing a second pair of the mounting rails to a bottom-side of the top, spaced apart on opposite sides of the top central portion and running parallel to the depth of the cabinet and transverse to the width of the cabinet.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

providing two foot plates formed of metal plate; and

securing the two foot plates to a bottom-side of the base, spaced apart on opposite sides of the base central portion and having longitudinal lengths which extends parallel to the width of the cabinet and transverse to the first pair of the mounting rails secured to the top-side of the base.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the steps of forming each of first and second of the sections of metal sheets to provide each of the top and the base comprises the steps of:

forming five notches into each corner of a flat sheet of metal, each of the five notches connected to an adjacent notch across a respective corner to provide each corner of the metal sheet with a stair-stepped shaped edge periphery;

bending the metal sheet approximately ninety degrees in four places to provide four first breaks, each of the four first breaks extending parallel to one of the other first breaks and perpendicular to the adjacent two of the other first breaks, and each of the first breaks extending between the central notches of the five notches of adjacent ones of the corners, to provide sidewalls;

bending the metal sheet approximately ninety degrees in four places to provide four second breaks which extend parallel to and adjacent to the first breaks, outward of the first breaks, and extending between respective ones of adjacent notches to the central notches of the five notches of adjacent ones of the corners to provide lips which extend at approximately ninety degrees to the sidewalls; and

bending the metal sheet approximately ninety degrees in four places to provide four third breaks which extend parallel to and adjacent to the first and second breaks, outward of the first and second breaks, and extending between respective ones of adjacent outward notches which are adjacent to the adjacent notches to the central notches of the five notches of adjacent ones of the corners to provide lips which extend at approximately ninety degrees to the lips.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of forming a plurality of posts of sections of flat metal sheet for each of the posts comprises the steps of:

punch rectangular shaped notches into the peripheries of the four corners of elongated, flat rectangular sheet of metal;

break sheet parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sheet, and between adjacent pairs of the rectangular notches, for the full length of the metal sheet;

break sheet at two places, parallel to the longitudinal axis, and running from notch to notch on respective sides of the sheet and on the inward ends of the notches to form flanges which extend on opposite lateral sides of the sheet of metal, perpendicular to a central section of the sheet of metal; and

break sheet at two places, parallel to the longitudinal axis, running from notch to notch on respective sides of the sheet, intermediate each of the respective notches to form tabs which extend outward from respective flanges.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of fitting the end portions of the posts flush against and outsides of respective ones of the top and base corners comprises the steps of:

installing the lips of the end portions of the corner posts adjacent to and flush with the lips of respective ones of the lips of the top and base and the terminal edge of the flanges of the top and base;

aligning the longitudinal terminal ends of the lips of the corner posts flush with the laterally disposed terminal ends of longitudinal end portions of the flanges of the top and base; and

aligning the longitudinal terminal end portions of the flanges of the corner posts adjacent the longitudinal terminal end portions of respective ones of the top and base.