Pole mount cabinet and method for assembling the same

• US 6,486,399 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alphatec
• Original Assignee: Powerware Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Armstrong, John, Lance, Brian, Cronin, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinkins, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US09/851,491
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/58, 174/50, 174/45.R, 220/3.8, 220/4.02, 439/535, 361/730, 385/134-137
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings

Abstract

A pole mount cabinet for housing and supporting an article on a pole includes a housing having a rear wall and defining a chamber. The housing defines a rear opening in the rear wall. A mounting and support framework is adapted to be secured to the pole and includes at least one support member extending horizontally. The support member extends through the rear opening and into the chamber. The article can be positioned in the chamber such that it is supported by the support member.

Claims

1. A pole mount cabinet for housing and supporting an article on a pole, said cabinet comprising:

a) a housing having a rear wall and defining a chamber, said housing defining a rear opening in said rear wall; and

b) a mounting and support framework adapted to be secured to the pole and including at least one support member extending horizontally, said support member extending through said rear opening and into said chamber;

c) wherein the article can be positioned in said chamber such that it is supported by said support member.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said housing is formed of a lighter weight material than said framework.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a first material, said framework includes a second material and said second material has a greater yield strength and a greater modulus of elasticity than said first material.

4. The cabinet of claim 3 wherein said first material is a polymeric material and said second material is a metallic material.

5. The cabinet of claim 3 wherein said second material has a yield strength of at least 28,000 psi and a modulus of elasticity of at least 10,000 ksi.

6. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said support member provides a horizontally extending shelf.

7. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said framework includes a second support member extending horizontally and positioned to support an article in said chamber.

8. The cabinet of claim 7 wherein:

said housing includes a bottom wall; and

said second support member is positioned adjacent said bottom wall.

9. The cabinet of claim 8 wherein:

said housing includes a front flange;

said front flange and said bottom wall define a lower recess; and

said second support member is disposed in said lower recess.

10. The cabinet of claim 7 wherein said framework includes a shelf bracket that comprises said first and said second support members and a vertically extending connecting member extending between said first and second support members.

11. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said framework includes:

a pole mount bracket adapted to be secured to the pole to support said cabinet; and

a platform extending forwardly from said pole mount bracket and disposed below said support member.

12. The cabinet of claim 11 wherein said framework includes a support bracket secured to said pole mount bracket by at least one fastener, wherein said platform forms a part of said support bracket.

13. The cabinet of claim 11 wherein said framework further includes a shelf bracket connected to said pole mount bracket and adapted to support said housing and the article, said support member forming a part of said shelf bracket.

14. The cabinet of claim 11 wherein said shelf bracket includes a second support member extending horizontally and disposed below said first mentioned support member and a connecting member extending between said first mentioned support member and said second support member.

15. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein:

said housing includes a housing shelf disposed in said chamber and an interior pocket defined within said housing shelf and communicating with said rear opening; and

said support member is disposed in said pocket.

16. The cabinet of claim 15 wherein said housing shelf is non-load bearing.

17. The cabinet of claim 1 including a cover secured to said housing, wherein said cover is selectively positionable between a closed position wherein said cover restricts access to said chamber and an open position wherein said cover allows access to said chamber.

18. The cabinet of claim 17 wherein said cover is formed of a polymeric material.

19. The cabinet of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of said cover extends forwardly from an upper end of said housing when said cover is in said open position.

20. The cabinet of claim 17 wherein said cover includes a front wall and a top wall extending rearwardly from said front wall and overlying said chamber.

21. The cabinet of claim 1 including a retention member removably connected to said framework and extending across said chamber to retain the article on said support member.

22. The cabinet of claim 1 adapted to support a load of at least 100 pounds, wherein said framework is constructed to be load bearing and said housing is constructed to not be load bearing.

23. The cabinet of claim 22 wherein said framework further includes a second support member extending horizontally and positioned below said first mentioned support member and under a bottom wall of said housing, and wherein said housing includes a pocket providing said rear opening into which said first mentioned support member extends.

24. A pole mount cabinet for housing and supporting an article on a pole, said cabinet comprising:

a) a mounting and support framework adapted to be secured to the pole and including at least one support member; and

b) a housing mounted on said framework and defining a chamber, wherein the article can be positioned in said chamber such that it is supported by and overlies said support member;

c) wherein said housing includes a first material, said framework includes a second material and said second material has a greater yield strength and a greater modulus of elasticity than said first material.

25. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material is lighter weight than said second material.

26. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material is a polymeric material and said second material is a metallic material.

27. The cabinet of claim 26 wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyurethane, polypropylene and polycarbonate.

28. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said second material is selected from the group consisting of steel, galvaneal, aluminum and aluminum alloy.

29. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said second material has a yield strength of at least 28,000 psi and a modulus of elasticity of at least 10,000 ksi.

30. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material has an ultraviolet rating of at least UV-8.

31. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material has an impact resistance of at least 52 as measured using an Association of Rotomolders (ARM) impact test at −

40°

C. with a ⅛

inch specimen.

32. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material meets or exceeds the wind, ice loading and flammability requirements of UL Standard for Safety for Enclosures for Electrical Equipment, UL50, 11^th Edition, October 1995.

33. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material has a melting point of at least 260°

F. and a deflection temperature at 0.46 MPa per ASTM D648, 1^st Edition, August 2001, of at least 126°

F.

34. The cabinet of claim 24 wherein said first material has a density of no greater than 1.00 g/cc.

35. A power supply assembly adapted to be mounted on a pole, said power supply assembly comprising:

a) a mounting and support framework adapted to be secured to the pole and including at least one support member;

b) a housing mounted on said framework and defining a chamber; and

c) a power supply positioned in said chamber such that said power supply is supported by said support member;

d) wherein said housing includes a first material, said framework includes a second material and said second material has a greater yield strength and a greater modulus of elasticity than said first material.

36. The power supply assembly of claim 35 wherein said first material is a polymeric material and said second material is a metallic material.

37. The power supply assembly of claim 35 wherein said second material has a yield strength of at least 28,000 psi and a modulus of elasticity of at least 10,000 ksi.

38. The power supply assembly of claim 35 wherein:

said framework includes a shelf bracket including a second horizontally extending support member disposed below said first support member and a rear wall extending between said first and second support members;

said power supply is mounted to be supported by one of said first and second support members; and

said power supply assembly further includes at least one battery mounted to be supported by the other of said first and second support members.

39. The power supply assembly of claim 35 including:

a first connector electrically connected to said power supply and adapted to engage an input AC power supply line; and

a second connector electrically connected to said power supply and adapted to engage a community antenna television (CATV) AC power output line.

40. An enclosure adapted to be mounted on a pole using a pole mounting framework having a horizontally extending support member, said enclosure comprising a housing defining a chamber and including:

a) a rear wall;

b) a housing shelf disposed in said chamber; and

c) a rear opening formed in said rear wall adapted to receive the support member;

d) wherein said housing includes an interior pocket defined within said housing shelf and communicating with said rear opening, said pocket adapted to receive the support member such that a load on said housing shelf is borne by the support member.

41. The enclosure of claim 40 wherein said housing is formed of a polymeric material.

42. The enclosure of claim 40 wherein said housing includes a bottom wall and a front flange and said front flange and said bottom wall define a lower recess adapted to receive a second horizontally extending support member of the framework.

43. The enclosure of claim 40 including a cover secured to said housing, wherein said cover is selectively positionable between a closed position, wherein said cover restricts access to said chamber, and an open position, wherein said cover allows access to said chamber.

44. The enclosure of claim 43 wherein said cover is formed of a polymeric material.

45. The enclosure of claim 43 wherein at least a portion of said cover extends forwardly from an upper end of said housing when said cover is in said open position.

46. The enclosure of claim 43 wherein said cover includes a front wall and a top wall extending rearwardly from said front wall and overlying said chamber.

47. A framework for supporting a housing and an article on a pole, said framework comprising:

a) a load bearing, horizontally extending upper support member;

b) a load bearing, horizontally extending lower support member; and

c) means for securing said framework to the pole, said means for securing said framework to the pole including a pole mount bracket adapted to be secured to the pole;

d) wherein said framework is adapted to support the housing and the article within the housing;

e) wherein said means for securing said framework to the pole includes a platform extending forwardly from said pole mount bracket and disposed below said support member.

48. The framework of claim 47 wherein said means for securing said framework to the pole includes a support bracket secured to said pole bracket, wherein said platform forms a part of said support bracket.

49. The framework of claim 48 wherein said framework further includes a shelf bracket connected to said pole mount bracket and adapted to support the housing and the article, said shelf bracket including said upper and lower support members.

50. A framework for supporting a housing and an article on a pole, said framework comprising:

a) a pole mount bracket adapted to be secured to the pole;

b) a support bracket secured to said pole mount bracket and including a platform extending forwardly from said pole mount bracket; and

c) a shelf bracket connected to said pole mount bracket above said platform and adapted to support the housing and the article within the housing.

51. The framework of claim 50 wherein said framework is formed of a metallic material.

52. The framework of claim 50 wherein said pole mount bracket includes a first opening adapted to receive a strap for securing said framework to the pole and a second opening adapted to receive a bolt for securing said framework to the pole.

53. The framework of claim 50 wherein said shelf bracket includes an upper horizontally extending support member, a lower horizontally extending support member and a connecting member extending between said upper and lower support members.

54. The framework of claim 53 wherein one of said upper and lower support members is adapted to support at least 20 pounds and the other of said upper and lower support members is adapted to support at least 100 pounds.

55. The framework of claim 50 adapted to support a load of at least 100 pounds.

56. The framework of claim 50 wherein said pole mount bracket, said support bracket and said shelf bracket are each formed of a material having a yield strength of at least 28,000 psi and a modulus of elasticity of at least 10,000 ksi.

57. A method for assembling and mounting a cabinet on a pole, said method comprising:

a) securing a framework to the pole; and

thereafter

b) securing a housing to the framework;

c) wherein the housing includes a first material, the framework includes a second material and the second material has a greater yield strength and a greater modulus of elasticity than the first material.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the first material is a polymeric material and the second material is a metallic material.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein the framework is constructed and arranged to support a load of at least 20 pounds within the housing.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the load includes at least one of a battery and a power supply, and wherein the method further includes mounting the load in a chamber of the housing following said step of securing the housing to the framework.

61. The method of claim 60 including electrically connecting each of an input AC power supply line and a community antenna television (CATV) AC power output line to the power supply.

62. A method for assembling and mounting a cabinet on a pole, said method comprising:

a) securing a pole mount bracket to the pole;

b) securing a support bracket to the pole mount bracket such that a platform of the support bracket extends forwardly from the pole mount bracket;

c) placing a shelf bracket on the platform, the shelf bracket including a support member extending horizontally;

d) securing the shelf bracket to the pole mount bracket; and

e) mounting a housing on the shelf bracket.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein steps a) and b) precede steps c), d) and e).

64. The method of claim 62 wherein said step of mounting a housing on the shelf bracket includes inserting the support member through an opening in the housing.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein said step of mounting a housing on the shelf bracket includes inserting the support member into a pocket provided in the housing.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the pocket is defined in a shelf of the housing.

67. The method of claim 62 wherein the housing includes a first material, the framework includes a second material and the second material has a greater yield strength and a greater modulus of elasticity than the first material.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the first material is a polymeric material and the second material is a metallic material.