Structure and method for securing and transporting equipment racks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230221-B2
Application number	US-201815989250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2018
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A clamping device secures an equipment rack during shipping. The clamping device includes a gripping portion having first and second surfaces positionable along opposing sides of a respective one of a front and rear lateral logistic bar. The clamping device also includes a clamp mechanism attached to the gripping portion for movement between a disengaged position and an engaged position to selectively engage the first and second surfaces to the opposing sides of the respective one of the front and rear lateral logistic bars positioned adjacent to an equipment rack within a carrier shipping enclosure. A mounting feature is attached to the gripping portion to hold one end of a longitudinal logistic bar positioned along a lateral side of the equipment rack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping device for securing an equipment rack during shipping, the clamping device comprising:
a gripping portion having first and second sections with respective first and second interior surfaces positionable along opposing sides of a lateral logistic bar;
a clamp mechanism attached to the gripping portion and having two actuators that operate together to bring the first and second sections of the gripping portion together to frictionally engage the respective first and second interior surfaces against the lateral logistic bar, the two actuators being attached to a respectively one of a top and a bottom exterior surface of a same one of the first and second sections and enabling movement of the clamp mechanism between a disengaged position and an engaged position to selectively engage the first and second interior surfaces to the opposing sides of the lateral logistic bar positioned adjacent to one side of the equipment rack within a carrier shipping enclosure;
the gripping portion further comprising a rectangular shape divided on top and bottom into the two sections, at least one of the two sections having a latch hook attached thereto and extending from each of the top and the bottom exterior surfaces opposed from the clamp mechanism; and
at least one mounting feature attached to an exterior surface of and extending in a longitudinal direction away from at least one of the first and the second sections of the gripping portion to hold one end of a longitudinal logistic bar positioned along a next side of the equipment rack, the at least one mounting feature comprising a first mount receptacle, the longitudinal logistic bar being separate from the clamping device and extending between and directly/physically interconnecting with the mounting feature of the clamping device and a second mounting feature of a second clamping device to provide lateral support to the equipment rack.

2. The clamping device of claim 1 , wherein the clamp mechanism comprises top and bottom box latches.

3. A clamping device for securing an equipment rack during shipping, the clamping device comprising:
a gripping portion having first and second sections with respective first and second interior surfaces positionable along opposing sides of a lateral logistic bar;
a clamp mechanism attached to the gripping portion and having two actuators that operate together to bring the first and second sections of the gripping portion together to frictionally engage the respective first and second interior surfaces against the lateral logistic bar, the two actuators being attached to a respectively one of a top and a bottom exterior surface of a same one of the first and second sections and enabling movement of the clamp mechanism between a disengaged position and an engaged position to selectively engage the first and second interior surfaces to the opposing sides of the lateral logistic bar positioned adjacent to one side of the equipment rack within a carrier shipping enclosure; and
at least one mounting feature attached to an exterior surface of and extending in a longitudinal direction away from at least one of the first and the second sections of the gripping portion to hold one end of a longitudinal logistic bar positioned along a next side of the equipment rack, the at least one mounting feature comprising a first mount receptacle, the longitudinal logistic bar being separate from the clamping device and extending between and directly/physically interconnecting with the mounting feature of the clamping device and a second mounting feature of a second clamping device to provide lateral support to the equipment rack;
wherein the at least one mounting feature comprises both the first mounting receptable and a back mounting receptacle to form a lattice of lateral logistic bars to support equipment racks spaced longitudinally in the carrier shipping enclosure.

4. The clamping device of claim 1 , wherein the two actuators are rotatably attached handles.

5. The clamping device of claim 2 , wherein the top and bottom box latches of the clamp mechanism are opened and closed respectively by the handles, respectively.

6. The clamping device of claim 4 , wherein a spacing between the first and second sections is adjustable by a threaded attachment of a bail latch to a rotating pin through a respective one of the handles, which is pivotally attached to the second section.

7. The clamping device of claim 1 , wherein the clamp mechanism is slidably engageable on the lateral logistic bar until the actuators of the clamp mechanism, attached to a first one of the first and second sections, are engaged with latch hooks attached to a next one of the first and second sections.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Embleton Steven
• Curlee James D
• Salas Rene J
• Bartole Joseph A
• Lykins Bruce E
• Tunks Eric M
• Keup Joshua S

Classifications

• B60P7/13

  Securing freight containers or forwarding containers on vehicles · CPC title

• B65D90/0073

  Storage racks · CPC title

• B65D90/004

  Contents retaining means · CPC title

• B62D33/02

  Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} · CPC title

• B60P7/0892

  by preventing lateral movement of the load, e.g. using stop blocks · CPC title