Watertight seal for network interface device

• US 6,815,612 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Higa, Liem H., Watson, John E., Wang, William C. K., Bloodworth, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhiru R
• Application Number:
  US10/274,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/63, 174/17.R, 174/135, 220/4.02, 220/3.8, 439/535, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A network interface device includes a base and a protective outer cover that is attached to the base for movement between an opened position and a closed position. The base has a channel formed therein, and the outer cover has a corresponding lip that depends outwardly from the outer cover and is received within the channel. The channel and the lip form a watertight seal across the top and along the sides of the network interface device when the outer cover is closed on the base. With the outer cover in the closed position, a small opening is defined between the lip and the outer edge of the outer cover so that any moisture that accumulates against the outside of the lip drains along the opening towards the bottom of the network interface device. Accordingly, terminating equipment and wiring connection housed within the network interface device are protected without the use of an elastic seal or gasket.

Claims

1. An enclosure for protecting terminating equipment and wiring connections against adverse environmental conditions, the enclosure comprising:

a base defining an interior cavity for housing the terminating equipment and wiring connections, the base comprising a pair of side walls spaced apart by a top wall and a bottom wall;

a protective outer cover attached to the base for movement between an opened position and a closed position, the outer cover comprising a pair of side walls opposite the side walls of the base in the closed position, a top wall opposite the top wall of the base in the closed position and a bottom wall opposite the bottom wall of the base in the closed position;

a channel formed in one of the base and the outer cover, the channel extending at least partially along the side walls and the top wall of said one of the base and the outer cover and terminating adjacent the bottom wall of said one of the base and the outer cover; and

a lip depending from the other of the base and the outer cover, the lip extending at least partially along the side walls and the top wall of said one of the base and the outer cover and terminating adjacent the bottom wall of said one of the base and the outer cover, the lip received within the channel to form a watertight seal that prevents moisture from entering the interior cavity when the outer cover is in the closed position and permits moisture that accumulates along the outside of the lip to drain in the direction of the bottom wall of the base.

2. An enclosure according to claim 1 wherein one of the base and the outer cover has a hook and the other of the base and the outer cover has a resilient snap for engaging the hook to secure the outer cover on the base in the closed position.

3. An enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the channel is formed in the base and extends continuously along the side walls and across the top wall of the base.

4. An enclosure according to claim 3 wherein the lip depends outwardly form the outer cover and extends continuously along the side walls and across the top wall of the outer cover.

5. An enclosure according to claim 1 further comprising an inner cover movably attached to the base for preventing unauthorized access to a portion of the terminating equipment housed within the interior cavity defined by the base.

6. An enclosure according to claim 5 further comprising means for releasably locking at least one of the outer cover and the inner cover to the base.

7. An enclosure according to claim 6 wherein at least one of the outer cover and the inner cover is hinged to the base.

8. An enclosure for protecting communications equipment from adverse environmental conditions at a subscriber premises, the enclosure defining an interior cavity for receiving the communications equipment and comprising;

a base comprising a first side wall having a first end and a second end, a second side wall having a first end and a second end, a top wall extending between the first end of the first side wall and the first end of the second side wall, and a bottom wall extending between the second end of the first side wall and the second end of the second side wall, the base defining a channel extending along the first side wall between the bottom wall and the top wall, along the top wall between the first side wall and the second side wall, and along the second side wall between the top wall and the bottom wall, the channel terminating adjacent the bottom wall to the base; and

a protective outer cover attached to the base for movement between an opened position and a closed position, the outer cover comprising a lip that is received within the channel when the outer cover is in the closed position to define a substantially watertight seal between the base and the outer cover, the lip terminating adjacent the bottom wall of the base in the closed position to permit moisture that accumulates along the outside of the lip to drain in the direction of the bottom wall of the base.

9. An enclosure according to claim 8 wherein one of the base and the outer cover has a hook and the other of the base and the outer cover has a resilient snap for engaging the hook to secure the outer cover on the base in the closed position.

10. An enclosure according to claim 8 wherein the lip depends outwardly from the outer cover and the outer cover comprises a first side wall opposite the first side wall of the base, a second side wall opposite the second side wall of the base, a top wall opposite the top wall of the base and a bottom wall opposite the bottom wall of the base when the outer cover is in the closed position and wherein the lip extends continuously along the first side wall and the second side wall and across the top wall of the outer cover.

11. An enclosure according to claim 8 further comprising an inner cover movably attached to the base for preventing unauthorized access to a portion of the terminating equipment housed within the interior cavity defined by the base.

12. An enclosure according to claim 11 further comprising means for releasably locking at least one of the outer cover and the inner cover to the base.

13. An enclosure according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the outer cover and the inner cover is hinged to the base.

14. A network interface device comprising:

a base defining an interior cavity, the base comprising a pair of side walls spaced apart by a top wall and a bottom wall;

an outer cover movably attached to the base between an opened position for providing access to the interior cavity and a closed position;

a channel formed in at least a portion of the side walls and the top wall of the base and terminating adjacent the bottom wall of the base; and

a lip depending from at least a portion of the periphery of the outer cover opposite the channel, the lip received within the channel to prevent moisture from entering the interior cavity defined by the base and to permit moisture that accumulates along the outside of the lip to drain in the direction of the bottom wall of the base.

15. A network interface device comprising:

a base comprising a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall and bottom wall that define an interior cavity, the top wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall;

an outer cover comprising an outwardly depending lip that continuously engages the base along the first side wall, the top wall and the second side wall, the lip terminating adjacent the bottom wall of the base to permit moisture that accumulates along the outside of the lip to drain towards the bottom wall of the base.

16. A network interface device comprising:

a base comprising a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall and a bottom wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall, the floor, the first side wall, the second side wall, the top wall and the bottom wall defining an interior cavity;

a protective outer cover movably attached to the base between an opened position for providing access to the interior cavity defined by the base and a closed position, the outer cover comprising a first side wall opposite the first side wall of the base, a second side wall opposite the second side wall of the base, a top wall opposite the top wall of the base and a bottom wall opposite the bottom wall of the base when the outer cover is in the closed position;

a channel formed in the base that extends continuously along substantially the entire length of the first side wall, the top wall and the second side wall of the base, the channel terminating on the first side wall and the second side wall adjacent the bottom wall of the base; and

a lip depending outwardly from the outer cover that is received within the channel in the closed position and terminates adjacent the bottom wall of the outer cover to prevent moisture that accumulates against the lip from entering the interior cavity defined by the base and instead permits the moisture to drain in the direction of the bottom wall of the base.