Method for making an enclosure

• US 9,517,586 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExteNet Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ExteNet Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Stahl, Gary D., Klosowski, Gregory L., Conklin, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Monica
• Application Number:
  US13/890,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20140332248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/562 using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0003 having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements

Abstract

An enclosure for housing electrical equipment is disclosed. The enclosure is produced by thermoforming four separate pieces or bodies together to form the top and bottom of the enclosure. The enclosure is made of a moldable material, such as plastic or fiberglass.

Claims

1. A method of making an enclosure for housing at least one electrical component, the method comprising:

thermoforming a first outer shell from a moldable material;

thermoforming a second outer shell from the moldable material;

thermoforming a first inner body from the moldable material;

thermoforming a second inner body from the moldable material;

securing the first inner body within the first inner shell to create a first part of the enclosure;

securing the second inner body within the second outer shell to create a second part of the enclosure; and

wherein the second inner body comprises a base with upwardly extending side walls and the second outer shell comprises a base with upwardly extending side walls;

wherein the second inner body is positioned within the second outer shell such that the side walls of the second inner body are positioned within the side walls of the second outer shell; and

wherein the second inner body includes a lip that extends downwardly from the upwardly extending side walls and the lip is positioned within the upwardly extending side walls of the base of the second outer shell.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising vacuum forming the first outer shell, the second outer shell, the first inner body, and the second inner body.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the moldable material comprises plastic or fiberglass.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the moldable material comprises a radio-frequency (RF) transparent material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first inner body is secured within the first outer shell by adhesive, and wherein the second inner body is secured within the second outer shell by adhesive.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first inner body comprises a base with downwardly extending side walls and the first outer shell comprises a base with downwardly extending side walls, and wherein the first inner body is positioned within the first outer shell such that the walls of the first inner body are positioned within the walls of the first outer shell.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the lip is also positioned within the downwardly extending walls of the first outer shell when the first outer shell is in a closed position with respect to the second outer shell.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising securing the first part of the enclosure to the second part of the enclosure.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising locking the first part of the enclosure to the second part of the enclosure with a locking mechanism.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a telecommunications antenna.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the lip is exposed to an exterior of the enclosure when the when the first outer shell is in a closed position with respect to the second outer shell.

11. A method of making and assembling an enclosure for housing at least one electrical component, the method comprising:

vacuum forming a first outer shell from a plastic material;

vacuum forming a second outer shell from the plastic material;

vacuum forming a first inner body from the plastic material;

vacuum forming a second inner body from the plastic material;

securing the first inner body within the first outer shell to create a first double-walled part of the enclosure;

securing the second inner body within the second outer shell to create a second double-walled part of the enclosure; and

securing the first part to the second part.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first part is secured to the second part via a hinge.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first inner body is secured within the first outer shell by adhesive.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the second inner body is secured within the second outer shell by adhesive.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising locking the first part of the enclosure to the second part of the enclosure with a locking mechanism.