Power supply support system and method

• US 20090033184A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Coe, Stanley S., Espiritu, Carlo, Pincek, David, Perez, Nerio, Hatley, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,220,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/223.100
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1421 Drawers for printed circuit boards

Abstract

An external power supply support system includes an enclosure with indentations spanning its top and side surfaces in a substantially horizontal fashion, and a caddy with a shell-like body configured to engage at least a portion of the indented power supply enclosure. The shell-like caddy body is provided with mounting apertures spaced according to standard rack rail aperture spacing. The mounting apertures emanate from a series of integral structures bulging from the bottom surface of the shell-like caddy body. The bulging aperture structures in combination with several integral structural ribs are configured collectively to provide a substantially flat and elevated interface suitable for secure mounting of the caddy to a support surface.

Claims

1. A power supply support system, comprising:

a caddy configured for secure mounting to at least one support surface; and

a power supply enclosure releasably engaged by said securely mounted caddy.

2. The power supply support system of claim 1, wherein said caddy includes a top portion configured to frictionally engage at least a portion of said power supply enclosure.

3. The power supply support system of claim 2, wherein said top caddy portion is configured substantially as a shell.

4. The power supply support system of claim 3, wherein said power supply enclosure includes a bottom portion configured to engage said shell-like top portion of said securely mounted caddy.

5. The power supply support system of claim 4, wherein said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure is securely retained within said shell-like top portion of said securely mounted caddy.

6. The power supply support system of claim 5, wherein said shell-like top portion of said caddy is provided with at least one integral tab configured to flex away from said retained power supply enclosure when pressed in the same direction by a user.

7. The power supply support system of claim 6, wherein said at least one integral tab is utilized by the user to disengage said power supply enclosure from said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

8. The power supply support system of claim 7, wherein said at least one integral tab includes a tongue-like body which flexes away from said retained power supply enclosure via a first crosswise structural rib on said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

9. The power supply support system of claim 8, wherein said shell-like top portion of said caddy is further provided with at least one substantially T-shaped integral member which is configured to flex away from said retained power supply enclosure when said power supply enclosure is being disengaged from said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

10. The power supply support system of claim 9, wherein said at least one substantially T-shaped integral member flexes away from said retained power supply enclosure via a second crosswise structural rib on said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

11. The power supply support system of claim 10, wherein said second crosswise structural rib is substantially parallel to said first crosswise structural rib.

12. The power supply support system of claim 11, wherein said at least one substantially T-shaped integral member and said at least one integral tab facilitate engagement of said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure by flexing accordingly as said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure snaps into said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

13. The power supply support system of claim 5, wherein said shell-like top portion of said caddy includes at least one integral cutout on its outer edge.

14. The power supply support system of claim 13, wherein said power supply enclosure is provided with at least one indentation across its top and side surfaces.

15. The power supply support system of claim 14, wherein said at least one indentation is configured to accommodate strapping for fastening said power supply enclosure to an elongated member without using said caddy.

16. The power supply support system of claim 15, wherein said elongated member is a pole.

17. The power supply support system of claim 15, wherein said elongated member is a table leg.

18. The power supply support system of claim 15, wherein said elongated member is a stand leg.

19. The power supply support system of claim 15, wherein said at least one integral cutout is configured to line up with said at least one indentation to allow the threading of at least one fastener strip there through when said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure is retained within said shell-like top portion of said caddy.

20. The power supply support system of claim 19, wherein said at least one fastener strip is threaded to secure cabling from a power supply housed in said enclosure.

21. The power supply support system of claim 20, wherein said at least one fastener strip is of the zip tie type.

22. The power supply support system of claim 4, wherein said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure is configured to mount said power supply enclosure to a support surface without using said caddy.

23. The power supply support system of claim 22, wherein said bottom portion of said power supply enclosure is embedded with at least one female-threaded insert.

24. The power supply support system of claim 23, wherein said at least one female-threaded insert is used in combination with at least one male-threaded fastener to securely mount said power supply enclosure to a support surface without using said caddy.

25. The power supply support system of claim 24, wherein said at least one female-threaded insert is made of metal.

26. The power supply support system of claim 1, wherein said caddy is provided with at least one aperture.

27. The power supply support system of claim 26, wherein said at least one caddy aperture is configured to accommodate at least one fastener for securely mounting said caddy to a support surface.

28. The power supply support system of claim 27, wherein said support surface is a rear rack rail.

29. The power supply support system of claim 24, wherein said support surface is a rack shelf.

30. The power supply support system of claim 11, wherein said caddy is provided with a plurality of apertures spaced according to standard rack rail aperture spacing.

31. The power supply support system of claim 30, wherein the standard spacing of said plurality of apertures allows secure mounting of said caddy to a rear rack rail with the use of corresponding fasteners.

32. The power supply support system of claim 30, wherein said apertures emanate from a series of integral structures bulging from the bottom surface of said caddy.

33. The power supply support system of claim 32, wherein said bulging aperture structures in combination with a plurality of integral structural ribs are configured collectively to provide a generally flat and elevated interface suitable for mounting said caddy to a support surface.

34. The power supply support system of claim 33, wherein said support surface is a rack shelf.

35. The power supply support system of claim 33, wherein said at least one integral tab is disposed at higher elevation than said aperture interface.

36. The power supply support system of claim 35, wherein said higher elevation disposition of said at least one integral tab allows sufficient flexing clearance for said at least one integral tab when said caddy is securely mounted to said support surface.

37. The power supply support system of claim 33, wherein said plurality of integral ribs includes said first and second crosswise structural ribs.

38. A power supply support system, comprising:

an enclosure for an external power supply, said power supply enclosure including at least one indentation spanning its top and side surfaces in a substantially horizontal fashion; and

a caddy with a shell-like body configured to engage at least a portion of said power supply enclosure, said shell-like body being provided with a plurality of mounting apertures spaced according to standard rack rail aperture spacing, said mounting apertures emanating from a series of integral structures bulging from the bottom surface of said shell-like body, wherein said bulging aperture structures in combination with a plurality of integral structural ribs are configured collectively to provide a substantially flat and elevated interface suitable for mounting said caddy to a support surface.

39. The power supply support system of claim 38, wherein said at least one indentation is configured to accommodate strapping for fastening said power supply enclosure to an elongated member without using said caddy.

40. The power supply support system of claim 39, wherein said shell-like body of said caddy includes at least one integral cutout on its outer edge.

41. The power supply support system of claim 40, wherein said at least one integral cutout is configured to line up with said at least one indentation to allow the threading of at least one fastener strip there through when a portion of said power supply enclosure is engaged within said shell-like body of said caddy.

42. The power supply support system of claim 41, wherein said at least one fastener strip is threaded to secure cabling from an external power supply housed in said enclosure.

43. The power supply support system of claim 42, wherein said at least one fastener strip is a zip tie.

44. The power supply support system of claim 38, wherein said external power supply enclosure further includes a bottom portion which is embedded with at least one female-threaded insert.

45. The power supply support system of claim 44, wherein said at least one female-threaded insert is used in combination with at least one male-threaded fastener to securely mount said external power supply enclosure to a support surface without using said caddy.

46. The power supply support system of claim 38, wherein said shell-like body of said caddy is further provided with at least one integral tab configured to flex away from said engaged power supply enclosure when pressed in the same direction by a user.

47. The power supply support system of claim 46, wherein said at least one integral tab is utilized by the user to disengage said external power supply enclosure from said shell-like body of said caddy.

48. The power supply support system of claim 47, wherein said at least one integral tab includes a tongue-like body which flexes away from said engaged enclosure via a first crosswise structural rib on said shell-like body of said caddy.

49. The power supply support system of claim 48, wherein said at least one flexing tab is disposed at higher elevation than said aperture interface.

50. The power supply support system of claim 49, wherein said higher elevation disposition of said at least one tab allows sufficient flexing clearance for said at least one tab when said caddy is securely mounted to said support surface.

51. A power supply method, comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure for an external power supply;

indenting the external power supply enclosure across its top and side surfaces in a substantially horizontal fashion;

configuring a caddy to releasably engage at least a portion of the indented power supply enclosure;

providing the caddy with a plurality of mounting aperture structures spaced according to standard rack rail aperture spacing; and

utilizing said mounting aperture structures to provide a substantially flat and elevated interface suitable for mounting the caddy to a support surface.