Control cabinet

• US 6,632,995 B1
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Knieriem, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US09/937,921
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/63, 174/17.R, 174/60, 220/4.02, 220/3.6, 220/3.8, 220/3.2, 312/223.6, 297/29, 297/72, 248/906, 439/535
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/28 dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof or flameproof
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/30 Cabinet-type casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/305 Cable entries
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/56 Cooling; Ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0209 Thermal insulation, e.g. for fire protection or for fire containment or for high temperature environments
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/183 support rails therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A control cabinet for installing electronic equipment includes a bottom, wall parts which may be disassembled, at least one door and a top, in which devices for securing the equipment, particularly withdrawable mount fixtures, may be arranged in the control cabinet and cable lead-throughs may be provided on the control cabinet. The walls may be produced from fire-resistant material. An air conditioner is provided for regulating the temperature in the control cabinet. The openings and cable lead-throughs of the control cabinet may act in a self-sealing manner in case of fire. Furthermore, a method for assembling a control cabinet around an apparatus rack fitted with equipment in operation.

Claims

1. A control cabinet for installing electronic equipment, comprising:

a bottom;

at least one wall part being configured to be disassembled;

atop;

an electromechanical lock arrangement;

an actuation device mounted on an outer side of the control cabinet, the actuation device being operable to unlock the electromechanical lock arrangement;

at least one mounting device to secure the electronic equipment within the control cabinet;

at least one cable lead-through provided on the control cabinet, the at least one cable lead-through being constructed as a fire barrier and acting in a self-sealing manner in a fire;

an air conditioner to regulate a temperature in the control cabinet, and including ventilation openings that close automatically in the fire; and

at least one door including the electromechanical lock arrangement and a seal, and being arranged to act in a self-sealing manner in the fire;

wherein the bottom, the at least one wall part, the top and the at least one door are produced from fire-resistant material.

2. The control cabinet of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one monitoring and recording device to monitor and record an opening of the at least one door, any access attempt, the fire, a voltage supply, a functioning of the air conditioner, and the temperature in the control cabinet; and

at least one sensor device in the control cabinet, and being connected to an arrangement to switch off the voltage supply of the electronic equipment in a dangerous condition.

3. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the ventilation openings include at least one insert, the at least one insert being configured to foam up to provide a seal in response to strong heating.

4. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner is insertable to fit into an opening of the control cabinet, the ventilation openings being arranged on a housing of the air conditioner.

5. The control cabinet of claim 1, further comprising an air circulation/ventilation device including an at least one ventilator arranged in the control cabinet.

6. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the fire barrier includes a foaming material that foams up to provide a seal in response to strong heating.

7. The control cabinet of claim 6, wherein the fire barrier includes a frame open to one side into which a foaming material and at least one cable are insertable so that the at least one cable already connected can be installed, and at least one cutout for accommodating the fire barrier is provided on at least one part of the control cabinet.

8. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein at least a section of the at least one wall part is removable to provide an opening so that the control cabinet is joinable to another control cabinet at the opening, the opening providing an attachment point, the attachment point being sealable with a sealing device configured to foam up in response to strong heating.

9. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the electronic equipment is disposed in the control cabinet so that a space for laying at least one connecting cable is provided between the electronic equipment and the at least one door.

10. The control cabinet of claim 1, further comprising at least one multiple socket outlet for connecting to the electronic equipment, wherein the at least one multiple socket is disposed within the control cabinet.

11. The control cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a voltage monitoring device to monitor a voltage being supplied to the electronic equipment.

12. The control cabinet of claim 1,further comprising a card reader unit for at least one of a magnetic card and a chip card, the card reader unit being arranged on an outer side of the control cabinet, wherein the electromechanical lock arrangement associated with the at least one door is unlockable via a control device disposed within an inner side of the control cabinet by inserting an appropriate card into the card reader unit.

13. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the control cabinet is connected to an at least one of a data line and a telephone line for transmitting a warning signal in a dangerous condition.

14. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the control cabinet is connected to an acoustical signal transmitter for transmitting a warning signal in a dangerous condition.

15. The control cabinet of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting device for securing the electronic equipment within the control cabinet includes a withdrawable mount fixture.

16. A method for assembling a control cabinet, comprising:

providing a bottom;

providing at least one wall part being configured to be disassembled;

providing a top;

providing an electromechanical lock arrangement;

mounting an actuation device on an outer side of the control cabinet, the actuation device being operable to unlock the electromechanical lock arrangement;

providing at least one device to secure the electronic equipment within the control cabinet;

providing at least one cable lead-through on the control cabinet, the at least one cable lead-through being constructed as a fire barrier and acting in a self-sealing manner in a fire;

providing an air conditioner to regulate a temperature in the control cabinet, the air conditioner including ventilation openings that close automatically in the fire; and

providing at least one door, and including the electromechanical lock arrangement and a seal in the at least one door, so that it is arranged to act in a self-sealing manner in the fire; and

during operation of the electronic equipment arranged on a separate apparatus rack of the control cabinet, performing the steps of;

lifting the separate apparatus rack,

pushing a bottom side underneath the separate apparatus rack,

assembling the at least one wall part,

assembling at least one fire barrier frame set into the at least one wall part, the at least one fire barrier frame including fireproof material, and

inserting a cable leading to an outer side of the control cabinet into the at least one fire barrier frame;

wherein the bottom, the at least one wall part, the top and the at least one door are produced from fire-resistant material.

17. A method for operating a control cabinet for installing electronic equipment, the method comprising:

sending out a warning signal if there is an excessive temperature in the control cabinet; and

switching off a voltage supply of the electronic equipment in the control cabinet if there is a further excessive temperature;

wherein the control cabinet includes;

a bottom;

at least one wall part being configured to be disassembled;

a top;

an electromechanical lock arrangement;

an actuation device mounted on an outer side of the control cabinet, the actuation device being operable to unlock the electromechanical lock arrangement;

at least one device to secure the electronic equipment within the control cabinet;

at least one cable lead-through provided on the control cabinet, the at least one cable lead-through being constructed as a fire barrier and acting in a self-sealing manner in a fire;

an air conditioner to regulate a temperature in the control cabinet, and including ventilation openings that close automatically in the fire;

at least one door including the electromechanical lock arrangement and a seal, and being arranged to act in a self-sealing manner in the fire; and

wherein the bottom, the at least one wall part, the top and the at least one door of the control cabinet are produced from fire-resistant material.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising switching off the voltage supply of the electronic equipment in the fire.