Equipment rack having mounting rails

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10588235-B2
Application number	US-201715418028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

An equipment rack, mounting rails for the equipment rack, and associated methods. The mounting rails are selectively movable on a frame of the equipment rack and can be clamped to secure the mounting rails to the frame. A clamp of the mounting rail can include a clamp arm having a clamped position and an unclamped position and a lever arm for moving the clamp arm between the clamped and unclamped positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An equipment rack comprising:
a frame assembly including first and second generally horizontal braces, one of the first and second braces being positioned lower than the other of the first and second braces; and
a mounting rail including an elongate rail body extending vertically between the first and second braces and a releasable clamp operatively coupled to the elongate rail body, the clamp including
a clamp arm movable between a clamped position, in which the clamp arm is in clamping engagement with the first brace to secure the rail body in a selected horizontal position on the first brace, and an unclamped position, in which the clamp arm is free from clamping engagement with the first brace to allow the rail body to move horizontally along the first brace, and
a lever arm operatively coupled to the clamp arm and configured to rotate relative to the clamp arm to impart movement of the clamp arm between the clamped and unclamped positions;

wherein the clamp includes a cam secured to the lever arm configured to cam lock the lever arm when the clamp arm is in the clamped position;
wherein the first brace is clamped between the clamp arm and the rail body when the clamp arm is in the clamped position.

2. The equipment rack set forth in claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm at least partially defines a channel in which the first brace is received.

3. The equipment rack set forth in claim 2 , wherein the clamp arm is slidable along the first brace to change the horizontal position of the mounting rail relative to the first and second braces when the clamp arm is in the unclamped position.

4. The equipment rack set forth in claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm is configured to clamp the first brace against the rail body.

5. The equipment rack set forth in claim 4 , wherein the rail body includes a web and the clamp arm includes first and second portions, the first portion extending away from the web and the second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion extending transversely with respect to the first portion, the second portion being movable toward the first brace from the unclamped position to the clamped position to clamp the first brace against the web of the rail body.

6. The equipment rack set forth in claim 1 , wherein the clamp includes a trunnion bearing having spaced apart bearing arms, wherein the lever includes a trunnion rotatably received in the bearing arms.

7. The equipment rack set forth in claim 1 , wherein the clamp is configured to form a mating connection of the clamp arm and the first brace as the clamp arm is moved into the clamped position to further inhibit horizontal movement of the mounting rail along the first brace.

8. The equipment rack set forth in claim 7 , wherein the clamp arm includes a detent projection and the first brace includes a plurality of spaced apart recesses configured to receive the detent projection, the detent projection being movable into a selected one of the recesses when the clamp arm is moved toward the brace from the unclamped position to the clamped position.

9. The equipment rack set forth in claim 1 , wherein the at least one clamp comprises a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp configured to releasably clamp on the first brace to secure the mounting rail on the first brace, the second clamp configured to releasably clamp on the second brace to secure the mounting rail on the second brace.

10. An equipment rack comprising:
a frame assembly including first and second generally horizontal braces, one of the first and second braces being positioned lower than the other of the first and second braces; and
a mounting rail including an elongate rail body extending vertically between the first and second braces and a releasable clamp operatively coupled to the elongate rail body, the clamp including
a clamp arm movable between a clamped position, in which the clamp arm is in clamping engagement with the first brace to secure the rail body in a selected horizontal position on the first brace, and an unclamped position, in which the clamp arm is free from clamping engagement with the first brace to allow the rail body to move horizontally along the first brace, and
a lever arm operatively coupled to the clamp arm and configured to rotate relative to the clamp arm to impart movement of the clamp arm between the clamped and unclamped positions

wherein the rail body includes a web and the clamp arm includes first and second portions, the first portion extending away from the web and the second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion extending transversely with respect to the first portion, the second portion being movable with the clamp arm from the unclamped position to the clamped position,
wherein the clamp includes a trunnion bearing having spaced apart bearing arms, wherein the lever includes a trunnion rotatably received in the bearing arms.

11. The equipment rack set forth in claim 10 , wherein the second portion of the clamp arm is movable toward the first brace from the unclamped positon to the clamped position to clamp the first brace against the web of the rail body.

12. The equipment rack set forth in claim 10 , wherein the clamp includes a cam secured to the lever arm configured to cam lock the lever arm when the clamp arm is in the clamped position.

13. The equipment rack set forth in claim 10 , wherein the clamp arm at least partially defines a channel in which the first brace is received.

14. The equipment rack set forth in claim 13 , wherein the clamp arm is slidable along the first brace to change the horizontal position of the mounting rail relative to the first and second braces when the clamp arm is in the unclamped position.

15. The equipment rack set forth in claim 10 , wherein the clamp is configured to form a mating connection of the clamp arm and the first brace as the clamp arm is moved into the clamped position to further inhibit horizontal movement of the mounting rail along the first brace.

16. The equipment rack set forth in claim 15 , wherein the clamp arm includes a detent projection and the first brace includes a plurality of spaced apart recesses configured to receive the detent projection, the detent projection being movable into a selected one of the recesses when the clamp arm is moved toward the brace from the unclamped position to the clamped position.

17. The equipment rack set forth in claim 10 , wherein the at least one clamp comprises a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp configured to releasably clamp on the first brace to secure the mounting rail on the first brace, the second clamp configured to releasably clamp on the second brace to secure the mounting rail on the second brace.

Assignees

• Cooper Technologies Co
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Jost Henry D
• Latino Richard M
• Sandoval Lorena E
• Rau Joseph

Classifications

• A47B96/1441

  Horizontal struts · CPC title

• B62B2301/05

  Details of the attachment of the wheel assembly to the chassis · CPC title

• A47B96/06

  Brackets or similar supporting means for cabinets, racks or shelves ({A47B96/022 takes precedence; } aspects of adjusting height or inclination A47B57/00 {; brackets for the display of articles A47F5/08}) · CPC title

• B62B3/02

  involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable or convertible · CPC title

• A47B57/34

  the grooved or notched parts being the side walls or uprights themselves · CPC title