Modular stacking equipment rack

• US 6,749,070 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mignacci, Alfred A., Corbett, Jesse Vernon Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US09/917,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 211/26, 211/194, 211/188, 211/134, 211/186, 211/153, 211/189, 211/126.1, 211/126.2, 211/126.12, 211/128.1, 211/40, 361/724, 361/728-730, 361/735, 108/33, 108/91, 108/106, 312/108, 312/109, 312/111, 312/257.1, 312/293.1, 312/293.3, 312/223--22, 312/223.6, 312/263, 312/265--26, 206/503, 206/504, 206/509, 206/724, 220/4-6-, 220/23.6, 220/23.83
• US Class Current: 211/26
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1441 Horizontal struts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0021 Side-by-side or stacked arrangements

Abstract

A system for storing equipment in a rack comprises a U-shaped enclosure having two opposing side surfaces perpendicularly coupled to a bottom surface, and an attachment element for detachably coupling the U-shaped enclosure to at least one other U-shaped enclosure to form a plurality of configurations, such that an electronic component storage rack can be constructed incrementally.

Claims

1. A system for storing at least one electronic component comprising:

a first U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom and a front and a back, and having two opposing side panels perpendicularly coupled to a bottom panel;

a second U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom and a front and a back, and having two opposing side panels perpendicularly coupled to a bottom panel; and

an attachment mechanism provided on each of the first and second U-shaped enclosures, each attachment mechanism including a stud on each of the side panels of each U-shaped enclosure and a receiving hole on each of the side panels of each U-shaped enclosure, wherein, for each enclosure, the stud on one side panel is disposed a different distance from the front of the enclosure than the stud on the other side panel of that enclosure is disposed from the back of that enclosure, and, for each enclosure, the receiving hole on one side panel is disposed a different distance from the front of the enclosure than the receiving hole on the other side panel is disposed from the back of that enclosure,

wherein the attachment mechanisms of the first and second enclosures are operative to detachably couple the first U-shaped enclosure to the second U-shaped enclosure and are adapted to allow the first U-shaped enclosure to form a plurality of coupled configurations with the second U-shaped enclosure, wherein a first configuration has the top of the first enclosure coupled to the bottom of the second enclosure, and a second configuration has the top of the first enclosure coupled to the top of the second enclosure such that the studs of the first enclosure are received by the receiving holes of the second enclosure and the studs of the second enclosure are received by the receiving holes of the first enclosure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first U-shaped enclosure further comprises a cover plate coupled perpendicularly to the two side panels and the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure for covering a back opening at the back of the first U-shaped enclosure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first U-shaped enclosure further comprises a bezel plate coupled perpendicularly to the two side panels and the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure for covering a front opening at the front of the first U-shaped enclosure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first U-shaped enclosure is positioned under the second U-shaped enclosure, and the system further comprising a plurality of rolling casters coupled to the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure, the rolling casters adapted to contact a supporting surface underneath the bottom panel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure includes a plurality of cable port openings for allowing the passage of cables through the bottom panel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the studs include threaded studs and the attachment mechanisms also include a plurality of nuts corresponding to the threaded studs, the nuts being used for bolting the first U-shaped enclosure and the second U-shaped enclosure together.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each side panel of each enclosure provides a first stud disposed a first distance from the front of the enclosure and a second stud disposed a second distance from the back of that enclosure, wherein the second distance is different from the first distance.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein each side panel of each enclosure provides a first receiving hole disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the second distance, and a second receiving hole disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the first distance.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the attachment mechanisms include a plurality of bottom panel elements provided in the bottom panel of each of the enclosures, wherein the bottom panel elements of each enclosure correspond to the first and second studs of that enclosure.

10. The system of claim 1 of wherein on a first side panel of each enclosure, a first stud is disposed a first distance from the front of the enclosure and a second stud disposed the first distance from the back of that enclosure, and on a second side panel of each enclosure, a first stud is disposed a second distance from the front of the enclosure and a second stud disposed the second distance from the back of that enclosure, wherein the second distance is different from the first distance.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein on the first side panel of each enclosure, a first receiving hole is disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the second distance, a second receiving hole is disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the second distance, and wherein on the second side panel of each enclosure, a first receiving hole is disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the first distance, and a second receiving hole is disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the first distance.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the attachment mechanism includes a plurality of bottom panel elements provided in the bottom panel of each of the enclosures, wherein the bottom panel elements correspond to the first and second studs.

13. A modular equipment rack comprising:

a U-shaped enclosure having two opposing side panels coupled to a bottom panel, and wherein the U-shaped enclosure includes a top and a bottom and a front and a back; and

a plurality of studs provided at a top of each of the two opposing side panels, the studs adapted to detachably couple the U-shaped enclosure to at least one other U-shaped enclosure in a plurality of configurations, the other U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom, the configurations including a first configuration having the top of one enclosure coupled to the bottom of the other enclosure, and the second configuration having the top of one enclosure coupled to the top of the other enclosure, and

wherein on each of the two side panels, a first stud is disposed a first distance from the front of the enclosure, and a second stud is disposed a second distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein the second distance is not the same as the first distance, and

wherein each of the two side panels further includes corresponding elements, each able to couple with or receive a corresponding one of the studs, wherein a front corresponding element is disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the second distance, and a back corresponding element is disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the first distance.

14. The rack of claim 13, wherein the bottom panel of the U-shaped enclosure includes bottom panel elements corresponding to the first and second studs.

15. The rack of claim 14, wherein the U-shaped enclosure is a first U-shaped enclosure, and the rack further comprises a second U-shaped enclosure that includes a plurality of studs and a plurality of corresponding elements, each able to couple with or receive one of the studs, wherein the plurality of corresponding elements of the first U-shaped enclosure are positioned as to be capable of receiving the first and second studs of the second U-shaped enclosure, such that when the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure is placed on the two side panels of the second U-shaped enclosure, the first and second studs on the two side panels of the second U-shaped enclosure pass through or couple with the corresponding plurality of corresponding elements of the first U-shaped enclosure.

16. The rack of claim 15, wherein the first and second studs are threaded studs, and wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are bolted together with a plurality of nuts screwed onto the plurality of threaded studs of the second enclosure.

17. The rack of claim 14, wherein the corresponding elements of the enclosure include receiving holes for the studs, and wherein the bottom panel elements include receiving holes for the studs.

18. The rack of claim 13, wherein the front corresponding element is a front receiving slot, and wherein the back corresponding element is a back receiving slot.

19. The rack of claim 18, wherein the U-shaped enclosure is a first U-shaped enclosure, and the rack further comprises a second U-shaped enclosure that includes a plurality of studs and a plurality of corresponding receiving holes, wherein the studs of the first enclosure and the studs of the second enclosure are adapted to pass through the receiving slots of the second enclosure and the receiving slots of the first enclosure, respectively, when the first U-shaped enclosure and the second U-shaped enclosure are coupled such that the top of one enclosure is attached to the top of the other enclosure.

20. The rack of claim 19, wherein the first and second studs are threaded studs, and wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are bolted together with a plurality of nuts screwed onto the plurality of threaded studs of the first enclosure and the second enclosure.

21. A modular equipment rack comprising:

a U-shaped enclosure having two opposing side panels coupled to a bottom panel, and wherein the U-shaped enclosure includes a top and a bottom and a front and a back; and

a plurality of studs provided at a top of each of the two opposing side panels, the studs adapted to detachably couple the U-shaped enclosure to at least one other U-shaped enclosure in a plurality of configurations, the other U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom, the configurations including a first configuration having the top of one enclosure coupled to the bottom of the other enclosure, and a second configuration including the top of one enclosure coupled to the top of the other enclosure, and

wherein on one of the two side panels, a first stud is disposed a first distance from the front of the enclosure, a second stud is disposed the first distance from the back of the enclosure, a first corresponding element, able to couple with or receive the first or second stud, is disposed a second distance from the front of the enclosure, and a second corresponding element, able to couple with or receive the first or second stud, is disposed the second distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.

22. The rack of claim 21, wherein the side panel having the first and second studs and corresponding elements is a first side panel, and wherein on a second of the two side panels, a first stud is disposed the second distance from the front of the enclosure, a second stud is disposed the second distance from the back of the enclosure, a first corresponding element is disposed the first distance from the front of the enclosure, and a second corresponding element is disposed the first distance from the back of the enclosure, the first and second corresponding elements of the second side panel each able to couple with or receive a corresponding one of the studs of the first side panel.

23. The rack of claim 22, wherein the U-shaped enclosure is a first U-shaped enclosure, and the rack further comprises a second U-shaped enclosure that includes a plurality of studs and a plurality of corresponding elements, wherein the studs of the first enclosure and the studs of the second enclosure are adapted to pass through or couple with the corresponding elements of the second enclosure and the corresponding elements of the first enclosure, respectively, when the first U-shaped enclosure and the second U-shaped enclosure are coupled such that the top of one enclosure is attached to the top of the other enclosure.

24. The rack of claim 23, wherein the first and second studs are threaded studs, and wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are bolted together with a plurality of nuts screwed onto the plurality of threaded studs of the first enclosure and the second enclosure.

25. The rack of claim 21, wherein the bottom panel of the U-shaped enclosure includes bottom panel elements corresponding to the first and second studs.

26. The rack of claim 25, wherein the corresponding elements of the enclosure include receiving slots for the studs, and wherein the bottom panel elements include receiving holes for the studs.

27. The rack of claim 26, wherein the studs are threaded studs.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the bottom panel of the U-shaped enclosure includes a plurality of receiving holes corresponding to the first and second studs.

28. A method for building a modular equipment rack for storing electronic components comprising the steps of:

a) providing a U-shaped enclosure having two opposing side panels coupled to a bottom panel that couples the two side panels together, the U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom and a front and a back, wherein the bottom panel of the U-shaped enclosure is at the bottom of the U-shaped enclosure;

b) attaching a plurality of studs to a top of the two opposing side panels, including, on each of the two side panels, coupling a first stud a first distance from the front of the enclosure, and coupling a second stud a second distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein the second distance is not the same as the first distance, and wherein each of the side panels further includes a front corresponding element, able to receive or couple with the first or second stud, disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the second distance, and a back corresponding element, able to receive or couple with the first or second stud, disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the first distance; and

c) detachably coupling the U-shaped enclosure to at least one other U-shaped enclosure via the plurality of studs, the at least one other U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom, wherein the enclosures can be coupled in a plurality of configurations, the configurations including a first configuration having the top of one enclosure coupled to the bottom of the other enclosure, and a second configuration having the top of one enclosure being coupled to the top of the other enclosure.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the bottom panel of the U-shaped enclosure includes a plurality of receiving holes corresponding to the first and second studs.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the U-shaped enclosure is a first U-shaped enclosure, and the at least one other U-shaped enclosure is a second U-shaped enclosure that includes a plurality of threaded studs, and wherein the coupling step (c) further includes the steps of:

c1) aligning the plurality of receiving holes on the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure with the plurality of threaded studs of the second U-shaped enclosure;

c2) stacking the bottom panel of the first U-shaped enclosure on top of the two side panels of the second U-shaped enclosure so that the threaded studs of the second enclosure pass through the receiving holes of the first enclosure; and

c3) bolting together the first enclosure and the second enclosure by screwing a plurality of nuts onto the plurality of threaded studs of the second enclosure.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the U-shaped enclosure is a first U-shaped enclosure and the plurality of studs are threaded studs, and the at least one other U-shaped enclosure is a second U-shaped enclosure that includes a plurality of threaded studs and a plurality of corresponding receiving slots on side panels of the second U-shaped enclosure, and wherein the coupling step (c) further comprises the steps of:

c1) aligning the first threaded stud of each side panel of the first U-shaped enclosure over a back receiving slot of each side panel of the second U-shaped enclosure, thereby aligning the second threaded stud of each side panel of the first enclosure over a front receiving slot of each side panel of the second enclosure;

c2) stacking the two side panels of the first U-shaped enclosure on top of the two side panels of the second U-shaped enclosure so that the threaded studs of the first enclosure and the threaded studs of the second enclosures pass through the receiving slots of the second enclosure and the receiving slots of the first enclosure, respectively; and

c3) bolting together the first enclosure and the second enclosure by screwing a plurality of nuts onto the plurality of threaded studs of the first and second enclosures.

32. The method claim 28, wherein the corresponding elements each include at least one receiving slot.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of:

d) repeating step c) with additional U-shaped enclosures until the modular equipment rack includes a desired number of enclosures.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the coupling step (c) further includes coupling the U-shaped enclosure to a different U-shaped enclosure, the different U-shaped enclosure having a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom of the U-shaped enclosure is coupled to a bottom of the different U-shaped enclosure.

35. A method for providing a modular equipment rack for storing at least one electronic component, the method comprising:

(a) providing first and second U-shaped enclosures, each having a top and a bottom and each having two first opposing side panels coupled to a first bottom panel, wherein first and second studs are provided on a top of each of the two opposing side panels, wherein the first stud is provided a first distance from the front of the enclosure, and the second stud is provided a second distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein the second distance is not the same as the first distance, and wherein each of the side panels further includes a front corresponding element disposed a distance from the front of the enclosure equal to the second distance, and a back corresponding element disposed a distance from the back of the enclosure equal to the first distance, wherein each of the corresponding elements is able to receive or couple with a corresponding one of the studs on the panel opposing the panel which includes that corresponding element; and

(b) detachably coupling the first U-shaped enclosure to the second U-shaped enclosure using the first and second studs and corresponding elements, wherein the enclosures can be coupled in a plurality of configurations to form the rack to store the at least one electronic component, wherein the configurations include a first configuration having the first bottom panel coupled to the second opposing side panels, and a second configuration having the first opposing side panels coupled to the second opposing side panels.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the corresponding elements include receiving holes.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising coupling a third U-shaped enclosure to one of the first and second U-shaped enclosures to store at least one additional electronic component.

39. A method for providing a modular equipment rack for storing at least one electronic component, the method comprising:

(a) providing first and second U-shaped enclosures, each having a top and a bottom and each having two first opposing side panels coupled to a first bottom panel, wherein first and second studs are provided on a top of each of the two opposing side panels, wherein on a first side panel, a first stud is disposed a first distance from the front of the enclosure, a second stud is disposed the first distance from the back of the enclosure, a front corresponding element is disposed a second distance from the front of the enclosure, and a second corresponding element is disposed the second distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein the first distance is different than the second distance, and wherein on a second side panel, a first stud is disposed the second distance from the front of the enclosure, a second stud is disposed the second distance from the back of the enclosure, a first corresponding element is disposed the first distance from the front of the enclosure, and a second corresponding element is disposed the first distance from the back of the enclosure, wherein each of the first and second corresponding elements of the first panel are able to couple with or receive a corresponding stud of the second panel, and each of the first and second corresponding elements of the second panel are able to couple with or receive a corresponding stud of the first panel; and

(b) detachably coupling the first U-shaped enclosure to the second U-shaped enclosure using the first and second studs and corresponding elements of the side panels, wherein the enclosures can be coupled in a plurality of configurations to form the rack to store the at least one electronic component, wherein the configurations include a first configuration having the first bottom panel coupled to the second opposing side panels, and a second configuration having the first opposing side panels coupled to the second opposing side panels.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the corresponding elements on the side panels are receiving holes.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the bottom panel of each U-shaped enclosure includes a plurality of receiving holes corresponding to the first and second studs.