Flexible throat/duct between cabinets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022109292-A1
Application number	US-202117489952-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Apr 7, 2022
Grant date	—

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 an opening; a second enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the second enclosure has an opening, and wherein the first and second enclosures are adjacent to each other and define a gap therebetween so that the openings are aligned, and wherein connections extend from the first enclosure through its opening, across the gap and into the second enclosure through its opening; a first frame mounted to the wall in the first enclosure having the 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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

10 . 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 the gap.

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

12 . The duct assembly according to claim 11 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 space therefrom, and wherein the first gasket is secured to the second flange and the second gasket is secured to the fourth flange.

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

14 . The duct assembly according to claim 10 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.

15 . The duct assembly according to claim 10 wherein the frames are square or rectangular.

16 . An equipment assembly comprising:
a first enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the first enclosure has an opening; a second enclosure defined by a number of walls, wherein one of the walls in the second enclosure has an opening, and wherein the first and second enclosures are adjacent to each other and define a gap therebetween so that the openings are aligned, and wherein connections extend from the first enclosure through its opening, across the gap and into the second enclosure through its 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 gaskets.

17 . The equipment assembly according to claim 16 wherein the openings and the frames are square or rectangular.

18 . The equipment assembly according to claim 16 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

• H02G3/0487 Primary

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

• H02G3/081 Primary

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title