Flexible throat/duct between cabinets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11612071-B2
Application number	US-202117489952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A duct assembly for covering electrical connections between electrical equipment enclosures having a gap therebetween. The duct assembly includes a first frame configured to be mounted to one of the enclosures, where the first frame includes a flange mounted to the enclosure and a flange to which a gasket is secured that extends all of the way around the first frame. The duct assembly also includes a second frame configured to be mounted to the other enclosure, where the second frame includes a flange mounted to the enclosure and a flange to which a gasket is secured that extends all of the way around the second frame. The duct assembly further includes a duct that compresses and is coupled only to the gaskets that enclose each end of the gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An equipment assembly comprising:
a first enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the first enclosure has a first opening;
a second enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the second enclosure has a second opening, and wherein the first and second enclosures are adjacent to each other and define a gap therebetween so that the first opening and the second opening are aligned, and wherein connections extend from the first enclosure through the first opening, across the gap and into the second enclosure through the second opening;
a first frame mounted to the wall in the first enclosure having the first opening and extending into the gap, said first frame including a first gasket extending all of the way around the first frame;
a second frame mounted to the wall in the second enclosure having the second opening and extending into the gap, said second frame including a second gasket extending all of the way around the second frame; and
a duct coupled to only the first and second gaskets, said duct enclosing the connections extending across the gap, wherein the duct includes a bottom panel and a three-sided cover secured to the bottom panel in a manner that causes a compressing force on the first and second gaskets.

2. The equipment assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first and the second frames have U-shaped cross-sections.

3. The equipment assembly according to claim 2 wherein the first frame includes a first flange mounted to the first enclosure and a second flange extending into the gap and defining a channel therebetween, and the second frame includes a third flange mounted to the second enclosure and a fourth flange extending into the gap and defining a channel therebetween, and wherein the first gasket is secured to the second flange and the second gasket is secured to the fourth flange.

4. The equipment assembly according to claim 3 wherein the first and second gaskets are bulb gaskets.

5. The equipment assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a plate secured to the first enclosure and covering the first opening, said plate including a plurality of slots through which the connections extend.

6. The equipment assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first and second frames are four-sided frames.

7. The equipment assembly according to claim 6 wherein the first and second openings and the first and second frames are square or rectangular.

8. The equipment assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first enclosure encloses a transformer and the second enclosure encloses a power converter system.

9. A duct assembly for enclosing connections extending between and through openings in adjacent equipment enclosures, said duct assembly comprising:
a first frame configured to be mounted to one of the enclosures, said first frame including a first gasket extending all of the way around the first frame;
a second frame configured to be mounted to the other enclosure, said second frame including a second gasket extending all of the way around the second frame; and
a duct coupled to the first and second gaskets, said duct enclosing the connections extending across a gap, wherein the duct includes a bottom panel and a three-sided cover secured to the bottom panel in a manner that causes a compressing force on the first and second gaskets.

10. The duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first and the second frames have U-shaped cross-sections.

11. The duct assembly according to claim 10 wherein the first frame includes a first flange mounted to the one enclosure and a second flange spaced therefrom, and the second frame includes a third flange mounted to the other enclosure and a fourth flange spaced therefrom, and wherein the first gasket is secured to the second flange and the second gasket is secured to the fourth flange.

12. The duct assembly according to claim 11 wherein the first and second gaskets are bulb gaskets.

13. The duct assembly according to claim 9 wherein the frames are square or rectangular.

14. An equipment assembly comprising:
a first enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the first enclosure has a first opening;
a second enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the second enclosure has a second opening, and wherein the first and second enclosures are adjacent to each other and define a gap therebetween so that the first opening and the second opening are aligned, and wherein connections extend from the first enclosure through the first opening, across the gap and into the second enclosure through the second opening;
a four-sided first frame mounted to the wall in the first enclosure having the opening, wherein the first frame includes a first flange mounted to the first enclosure and a second flange extending into the gap and defining a channel therebetween, said first frame including a first bulb gasket mounted to the second flange and extending all of the way around the first frame;
a four-sided second frame mounted to the wall in the second enclosure having the opening, wherein the second frame includes a third flange mounted to the second enclosure and a fourth flange extending into the gap and defining a channel therebetween, said second frame including a second bulb gasket mounted to the fourth flange and extending all of the way around the second frame; and
a duct including a bottom panel and a three-sided cover secured to the bottom panel in a manner that causes a compressing force on the first and second bulb gaskets.

15. The equipment assembly according to claim 14 wherein the first and second openings and the first and second frames are square or rectangular.

16. The equipment assembly according to claim 14 wherein the first enclosure encloses a transformer and the second enclosure encloses a power converter system.

Assignees

• S & C Electric Co

Inventors

• Dyer Thomas J
• Milton Joseph W

Classifications

• H05K5/0247 Primary

  Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring · CPC title

• H02G3/081 Primary

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• H02G3/0487

  with a non-circular cross-section (H02G3/0468, H02G3/0475 take precedence) · CPC title