Electronic equipment enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9420727-B2
Application number	US-201514726543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure and a customizable side air dam kit. The frame structure includes a front frame, a rear frame, front-to-back frame members connecting corners of the front and rear frames together, reinforced bracket structures located near ends of the cross members, and extruded horizontal mounting rails parallel to, but inward from, the front-to-back frame members. The ends of the horizontal mounting rails are connected to the reinforced bracket structures. Panels are installed in longitudinal slots in the front-to-back frame members and horizontal mounting rails, each of which is extruded. The customizable side air dam kit includes a framework of horizontal and vertical frame pieces, adapted to connect to the frame structure, and a customizable air dam panel supported by the framework. A plurality of the frame pieces are provided to an installer for use in constructing the framework to fit the specific frame structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic equipment enclosure structure, comprising:
(a) a frame structure, including:
(i) a front frame, including a first pair of vertical frame members, a first upper side-to-side cross member, and a first lower side-to-side cross member,
(ii) a rear frame, including a second pair of vertical frame members, a second upper side-to-side cross member, and a second lower side-to-side cross member,
(iii) first and second front-to-back horizontal frame members connecting upper corners of the front frame to respective upper corners of the rear frame, and
(iv) third and fourth front-to-back horizontal frame members connecting lower corners of the front frame to respective lower corners of the rear frame;

(b) a plurality of front-to-back horizontal mounting rails, each made of extruded metal and having proximal and distal ends, including:
(i) first and second horizontal mounting rails interconnected at their proximal ends to the upper side-to-side cross member of the front frame and at their distal ends to the upper side-to-side cross member of the rear frame such that the first and second horizontal mounting rails are disposed adjacent to, but spaced inwardly from, the first and second front-to-back horizontal frame members, and
(ii) third and fourth horizontal mounting rails interconnected at their proximal ends to the lower side-to-side cross member of the front frame and at their distal ends to the lower side-to-side cross member of the rear frame such that the third and fourth horizontal mounting rails are disposed adjacent to, but spaced inwardly from, the third and fourth front-to-back horizontal frame members; and

(c) a plurality of reinforced bracket assemblies, wherein each reinforced bracket assembly:
(i) is manufactured separately from the horizontal mounting rails and side-to-side cross members, and
(ii) is subsequently attached to either a proximal or distal end of a horizontal mounting rail, and to either a front side-to-side cross member or a rear side-to-side cross member, such that the bracket assembly reinforces the interconnection of the respective horizontal mounting rail and the respective side-to-side cross member.

2. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 1 , wherein each side-to-side cross member includes opposed ends and first and second integral tabs, the tabs extending vertically from the cross member at locations that are spaced inwardly from the opposed ends thereof, and wherein each integral tab is interconnected to an end of a respective horizontal mounting rail.

3. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 2 , wherein each reinforced bracket assembly includes a brace structure, having at least an L-shaped cross-section that includes a first vertical portion that is interconnected to the end of the respective horizontal mounting rail and a second vertical portion, right-angled relative to the first vertical portion, that braces the first vertical portion against the respective side-to-side cross member.

4. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 3 , wherein the first vertical portion of each brace structure is disposed between the respective tab and the end of the respective horizontal mounting rail.

5. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 4 , wherein the first vertical portion of each brace structure and the respective tab are fastened to the end of the respective horizontal mounting rail via a respective fastener connected to a slot that is part of the extrusion of the horizontal mounting rail.

6. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 5 , wherein the slot is a cylindrical slot and the fastener is threaded into the cylindrical slot.

7. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 3 , wherein each reinforced bracket assembly further includes a cover disposed around the brace structure.

8. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 1 , wherein each reinforced bracket assembly includes a brace structure, having at least an L-shaped cross-section that includes a first vertical portion that is interconnected to the end of the respective horizontal mounting rail and a second vertical portion, angled relative to the first vertical portion, that braces the first vertical portion against the respective side-to-side cross member.

9. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 8 , wherein the brace structure of each reinforced bracket assembly has a U-shaped cross-section that includes the first vertical portion, the second vertical portion, and a third vertical portion, wherein the third vertical portion is angled relative to the first vertical portion and braces the first vertical portion against the respective side-to-side cross member.

10. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 9 , wherein the second and third vertical portions of the brace structure each include a respective tab that extends through the side-to-side cross member.

11. The electronic equipment enclosure structure of claim 10 , wherein each reinforced bracket assembly further includes a reinforcement plate, wherein the bulk of each respective brace structure is disposed on the opposite side of the side-to-side cross member from the reinforcement plate, and wherein the tabs of the brace structure extend through the side-to-side cross member and reside in slots in the respective reinforcement plate.

12. A frame structure for an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
(a) a front frame, including a first pair of vertical frame members, a first upper side-to-side cross member, and a first lower side-to-side cross member;
(b) a rear frame, including a second pair of vertical frame members, a second upper side-to-side cross member, and a second lower side-to-side cross member;
(c) a plurality of front-to-back horizontal members, including first, second, third, and fourth horizontal members, wherein:
(i) each front-to-back horizontal member is a frame member, a horizontal mounting rail, or a combination frame member/horizontal mounting rail,
(ii) each horizontal member has a proximal end and a distal end, and
(iii) each horizontal member is made of extruded metal; and

(d) a plurality of brace structures, each having a U-shaped cross-section that includes center and side vertical portions, the side vertical portions being right-angled relative to the center vertical portion;
(e) wherein the first and second horizontal members are interconnected at their proximal ends to the upper side-to-side cross member of the front frame and at their distal ends to the upper side-to-side cross member of the rear frame, and wherein the third and fourth horizontal members are interconnected at their proximal ends to the lower side-to-side cross member of the front frame and at their distal ends to the lower side-to-side cross member of the rear frame; and
(f) wherein each interconnection of an end of a horizontal member with a side-to-side cross member is reinforced by a respective brace structure such that the center vertical portion of the brace structure is interconnected to the end of the respective horizontal members and the side vertical portions of the brace structure are arranged to brace the center vertical portion against the respective side-to-side cross member.

13. The frame structure of claim 12 , wherein each end of each horizontal member includes an end surface that matches the cross-section of the extrusion of the horizontal member, and wherein the side-to-side cross members and brace structures are interconnected with the end surfaces of the horizontal members.

14. The frame structure of claim 13 ,

Assignees

• Chatsworth Prod Inc

Inventors

• Lewis Ii Richard Evans
• Krietzman William Drew

Classifications

• H05K7/20736 Primary

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• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/0213

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• H05K7/183

  support rails therefor · CPC title

• H05K7/20836

  Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control · CPC title