Molded plastic enclosure

• US 6,242,697 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Boucher, George Joseph, Tremmel, Hermann F., Wise, Randall Dean, Squillace, Dominick Paul, Gerken, Michael Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Dhiru R
• Application Number:
  US09/322,437
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 174/65.R, 174/65.G, 174/135, 174/152.G, 174/153.G, 16/21, 16/22, 248/68.1, 248/237, 439/535
• US Class Current: 174/666
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/04 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/085 including knock-out or tear-out sections
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A molded plastic enclosure of an electrical disconnect is presented. The disconnect has a switch mounted within the enclosure for manually disconnecting electrical equipment from a source of power. The disconnect enclosure includes a molded base hingedly attached to a cover. The base includes an interior compartment for mounting the disconnect switch therein. The base also includes a plurality of knockouts, which can be removed (knocked out) to provide access for electrical wiring. Each knockout has a plurality of concentric circular sections, each having an angular groove formed on their circumference. The smallest-diameter section includes a groove with a cross-sectional shape having a sharp corner (knife-edge) while the larger-diameter sections include grooves with cross sections having radiused corners. Additionally, the depth of the groove for smaller-diameter sections is greater than the depth of the groove for larger diameter sections.

Claims

1. A molded plastic enclosure comprising:

a molded plastic base including,

a plurality of walls forming an interior compartment for mounting an electrical component therein,

a knockout formed in one of said plurality of walls, said knockout including,

a first circular section having a first circumference formed by a first groove disposed in said one of said walls, said first groove having a knife-edge, and

a second circular section having a second circumference disposed about said first circumference, said second circumference being formed by a second groove disposed in said one of said walls, said second groove having a radiused edge.

2. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 1, wherein said knockout further includes,

a third circular section having a third circumference disposed about said second circumference, said third circumference being formed by a third groove disposed in said one of said walls, said third groove having a radiused edge.

3. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first groove has a first depth greater than a second depth of said second groove.

4. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 2 wherein said first groove has a first depth greater than a second depth of said second groove, and said third groove has a third depth less than said second depth.

5. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 1 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween, said first arcuate member having a locating tab extending therefrom; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a locating groove disposed about a radius of said axle, said locating groove receiving said locating tab.

6. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 1 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a stop tab extending radially from said axle, said stop tab including a lower surface for contacting an upper surface of said first arcuate member.

7. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 1 wherein:

said plurality of walls includes,

a rear wall,

first and second side walls extending from opposing boundaries of said rear wall, said rear wall and said first and second side walls defining said interior compartment, and

an upper wall extending from an upper boundary of said rear wall, said upper wall further defining said interior compartment; and

said molded plastic base further includes,

a shield disposed on said upper wall, said shield having an upper portion spaced from said upper wall to form a slot for slidably accepting a rim extending from a cover.

8. A molded plastic enclosure comprising:

a molded plastic base including,

a plurality of walls forming an interior compartment for mounting an electrical component therein,

a knockout formed in one of said plurality of walls, said knockout including,

a first circular section having a first circumference formed by a first groove disposed in said one of said walls,

a second circular section having a second circumference disposed about said first circumference, said second circumference formed by a second groove disposed in said one of said walls, and

a third circular section having a third circumference disposed about said second circumference, said third circumference formed by a third groove disposed in said one of said walls.

9. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 8 wherein said first groove includes a knife-edge, and said second groove includes a radiused edge.

10. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 8 wherein said first groove has a first depth greater than a second depth of said second groove.

11. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 8 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween, said first arcuate member having a locating tab extending therefrom; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a locating groove disposed about a radius of said axle, said locating groove receiving said locating tab.

12. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 8 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a stop tab extending radially from said axle, said stop tab including a lower surface for contacting an upper surface of said first arcuate member.

13. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 8 wherein:

said plurality of walls includes,

a rear wall,

first and second side walls extending from opposing boundaries of said rear wall, said rear wall and said first and second side walls defining said interior compartment, and

an upper wall extending from an upper boundary of said rear wall, said upper wall further defining said interior compartment; and

said molded plastic base further includes,

a shield disposed on said upper wall, said shield having an upper portion spaced from said upper wall to form a slot for slidably accepting a rim extending from a cover.

14. A molded plastic enclosure comprising:

a molded plastic base including,

a plurality of walls forming an interior compartment for mounting an electrical component therein,

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween, said first arcuate member having a locating tab extending therefrom; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a locating groove disposed about a radius of said axle, said locating groove receiving said locating tab.

15. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 14 wherein said axle further includes a stop tab extending therefrom, said stop tab including a lower surface for contacting an upper surface of said first arcuate member.

16. The molded plastic enclosure of claim 14 wherein said molded plastic base further includes,

an upper wall extending from an upper boundary of said rear wall, said upper wall further defining said interior compartment, and

a shield disposed on said upper wall, said shield having an upper portion spaced from said upper wall to form a slot for slidably accepting a rim extending from said cover.

17. A molded plastic enclosure comprising:

a molded plastic base including,

a rear wall,

first and second side walls extending from opposing side boundaries of said rear wall, said rear wall and said first and second side walls defining an interior compartment for mounting an electrical component therein,

an upper wall extending from an upper boundary of said rear wall, said upper wall further defining said interior compartment, and

a shield disposed on said upper wall, said shield having an upper portion spaced from said upper wall to form a slot; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including a front panel and a rim extending from a periphery of said front panel, said slot accepting said rim.

18. A plastic enclosure for manually disconnecting electrical equipment from a source of supply power, the plastic enclosure comprising:

a disconnect switch; and

a molded plastic base including,

a plurality of walls forming an interior compartment for mounting said disconnect switch therein,

a knockout formed in one of said plurality of walls, said knockout including,

a first circular section having a first circumference formed by a first groove disposed in said one of said walls, said first groove having a knife-edge, and

a second circular section having a second circumference disposed about said first circumference, said second circumference being formed by a second groove disposed in said one of said walls, said second groove having a radiused edge.

19. The plastic enclosure of claim 18, wherein said knockout further includes,

a third circular section having a third circumference disposed about said second circumference, said third circumference being formed by a third groove disposed in said one of said walls, said third groove having a radiused edge.

20. The plastic enclosure of claim 18 wherein said first groove has a first depth greater than a second depth of said second groove, and said third groove has a third depth less than said second depth.

21. The plastic enclosure of claim 18 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween, said first arcuate member having a locating tab extending therefrom; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a locating groove disposed about a radius of said axle, said locating groove receiving said locating tab.

22. The plastic enclosure of claim 18 further comprising:

first and second arcuate members extending outwardly from one of said plurality of walls, said first and second arcuate members defining a cylindrical opening therebetween; and

a cover hingedly secured to said molded plastic base, said cover including,

an axle extending from a side portion of said cover, said axle being pivotally disposed in said cylindrical opening for hingedly securing said cover to said molded plastic base, and

a stop tab extending radially from said axle, said stop tab including a lower surface for contacting an upper surface of said first arcuate member.

23. The disconnect of claim 18 wherein:

said plurality of walls includes,

a rear wall,

first and second side walls extending from opposing boundaries of said rear wall, said rear wall and said first and second side walls defining said interior compartment, and

an upper wall extending from an upper boundary of said rear wall, said upper wall further defining said interior compartment; and

said molded plastic base further includes,

a shield disposed on said upper wall, said shield having an upper portion spaced from said upper wall to form a slot for slidably accepting a rim extending from a cover.