Universal Mounting Channel
A universal mounting channel for use in an electronic equipment cabinet is provided which allows various mounting structures to be secured to the channel at various locations along the channel. The channel includes an elongate slot extending along the entire length of the channel and a number of opposed pairs of openings disposed on opposite sides of the slot. The slot allows for the mounting members to be slid along the channel while the openings allow for the mounting members to be aligned at the same position with each channel to which the rail is secured to ensure the mounting members are attached to the channels at the desired location. Each channel also includes apertures along each side of the channel to which ties or straps can be attached that secure cable bundles along the sides of the channels.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/793,936 filed on Apr. 21, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to cabinets or enclosures for housing and/or storing electrical or computer equipment and components therein and, more specifically, to channels mounted within these types of cabinets for assisting in mounting the equipment and components therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONComputer and electronic equipment, such as information technology equipment, is often necessary for the operation of a business. In order to locate this equipment in a reasonably accessible location, various cabinets and enclosures have been developed which allow for the equipment to be mounted therein in an easily accessible manner. These enclosures normally take the form of enclosed structures with a selectively openable door to enable an individual to access the equipment stored within the enclosure. However, the door can be secured and locked sufficient to prevent any unauthorized access to the equipment.
One significant drawback to cabinets and enclosures of this type is the inability of many enclosures to be adapted or modified to accommodate a number of components or pieces of equipment therein in varying configurations depending upon the size and/or number of different types of the electronic equipment to be mounted within the cabinet. Most cabinets only have specified mounting locations that are preformed within the cabinet frame during the original construction of the cabinet that only enable components and equipment to be secured to the cabinets at those locations. As a result, only limited numbers and/or sizes of components and/or pieces of equipment can be mounted within the cabinets in those specified configurations, which results in wasted space within the cabinet, or the inability to use the cabinet entirely.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a mounting member for use within cabinets or enclosures of this type to enable the mounting configurations for the equipment positioned within the cabinets to be varied as necessary. It is also desirable that the mounting member is securable within the cabinets in either an original manufacture or retrofit manner, and that is also easy to assemble and utilize.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect of the present invention, a universal mounting channel is provided which can be positioned within an electronic or computer equipment cabinet in order to allow the mounting configuration for the equipment to be positioned within the cabinet to be varied as necessary to accommodate equipment of varying sizes and/or varying numbers of equipment types. The channel is formed as an elongate member having an elongate central slot and a number of aligned openings spaced equidistant from one another along the length of the channel slot. The slot allows for various mounting rails and/or types of equipment to be mounted directly to the channels instead of to the cabinet frame. Also, the openings on the channels provide visual alignment indicators for the rails mounted to the channels and for the equipment mounted to the rails in order to position the mounting rails and/or equipment where desired within the cabinet.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the channels each include a number of oblong apertures spaced from the mounting slot along the sides of the channels. The apertures allow for wires, cables, power cords, and other elongate items to be bundled and routed along the channels to the various pieces of equipment disposed within the cabinet using ties or straps secured to the channels through the oblong apertures and around the cables.
Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.
The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention.
In the drawings:
With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a universal mounting channel constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally at 10 in
Referring now to
The elongate slot 18 includes a pair of generally square notches 22 spaced from one another and also from opposite ends of the slot 18. The notches 22 enable the retaining members 104 used to attach the mounting rails 100 to the channels 10 to be inserted or withdrawn through the central section 16 and through the slot 18 for engagement with a securing member 106 disposed against the channel 10 opposite the mounting rail 100. If the securing members 106 are already attached to or pre-assembled with the retaining members 104, the notches 22 can also be formed to be large enough to accommodate passing the entire securing member 106 therethrough. The slot 18 allows the retaining members 104 attached to the rails 100 to be slid along the slot 18 when positioning the rails 100 where desired, while keeping the rails 100 engaged with the channel 10.
Looking now at
Each side section 12 and 14 also includes a pair of circular openings 26 disposed at each end between the opposed sides of each side section 12 and 14. The openings 26 provide points of attachment between the channels 10 and the cabinet frame 102, such that the channels 10 can be secured to the frame 102 at the openings 26 using any suitable means, such as by welding or by using suitable fasteners inserted through the openings 26.
Thus, as best shown in
When it is desired to reconfigure the positioning of the rails 100 in the cabinet 200, the retaining members 104 for each rail 100 to be moved are disengaged at least partially from the associated securing members 106, such that the rail 100, the retaining members 104 and the securing members 106 can all be slid along the slot 18 in each channel 10 to the new position for the rail 100, as indicated by the designated pair of opposed openings 20 on each channel 10. When positioned in the new location, the retaining members 104 are reengaged with the securing members to secure the rail 100 to the channels 10 at the new location. Because the openings 20 are evenly spaced along the channels 10, it is easy to properly locate the rails 100 where required to accommodate equipment of various sizes.
The channel 10 can be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of a generally rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, with metal being especially preferred as it can be used to form a generally rectangular blank 28 shown in
Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.
Claims
1. A universal mounting channel for use within an electronic equipment cabinet, the channel comprising;
- a) a pair of side sections adapted to be secured to the frame of the cabinet;
- b) a central section extending between the side sections; and
- c) a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
2. The channel of claim 1 further comprising opposed pairs of alignment markings located on opposite sides of the central section.
3. The channel of claim 1 wherein the alignment markings are spaced equidistant from one another.
4. The channel of claim 1 wherein the central section includes an elongate slot having a pair of enlarged notches spaced from one another and spaced from opposite ends of the slot.
5. The channel of claim 4 wherein the notches are oriented generally perpendicular to the slot.
6. The channel of claim 1 wherein the pair of side sections are disposed in an offset position with regard to the central section.
7. The channel of claim 6 wherein the pair of side sections and the central section define a channel having a generally U-shaped configuration.
8. The channel of claim 1 further comprising a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane different from a second plane in which a mounting rail is adapted to be secured to the channel.
9. The channel of claim 8 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.
10. The channel of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of side sections includes a mounting aperture disposed adjacent opposite ends of each side section.
11. An enclosure for electrical components comprising:
- a) a frame defining a top end and a bottom end with a number of frame rails extending between the top end and bottom end;
- b) at least one mounting channel secured between the frame rails, the at least one mounting channel including a pair of side sections secured to the frame rails and a central section extending between the side sections and including a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane different from a second plane in which a mounting rail is adapted to be secured to the at least one channel; and
- c) at least one mounting rail movably secured to the at least one mounting channel.
12. The enclosure of claim 11 further comprising at least two channels mounted to the same side of the enclosure.
13. In the enclosure of claim 11 further comprising a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
14. A universal mounting channel for use within an electronic equipment cabinet, the channel comprising;
- a) a pair of side sections adapted to be secured to the frame of the cabinet;
- b) a central section extending between the side sections; and
- c) a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the central section.
15. The channel of claim 14 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.
16. The channel of claim 14 further comprising a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
17. A method for securing electronic equipment within an enclosure, the method comprising:
- a) providing an enclosure having a frame defining a top end and a bottom end with a number of frame rails extending between the top end and the bottom end;
- b) securing at least two mounting channels to the frame rails, the at least two mounting channels including a pair of side sections secured to the frame rails and a central section extending between the side sections and including a number of marking indicators on at least one side of the center section;
- c) attaching at least one equipment mounting rail to the at least two mounting channels; and
- d) mounting a piece of electronic equipment to the at least one equipment mounting rail.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of attaching and the at least one equipment mounting rail to the at least two mounting channels comprises:
- a) aligning the at east one mounting rail with corresponding marking indicators on each of the at least two mounting channels at a desired position for the at least one mounting rail; and
- b) engaging the at least one mounting rail with each of the at least two mounting channels at the desired position.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least two mounting channels each include a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the central section, the method further comprising the step of engaging cables or wiring connected to piece of electronic equipment to the at least two mounting channels with the number of cable attachment openings.
20. A mounting channel for securing one or more pieces of electronic equipment within an enclosure, the channel comprising:
- a) a body adapted to be secured to the enclosure;
- b) a number of alignment markings located on the body and adapted to be used to align a mounting rail on the body; and
- c) a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on the body in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the body.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 18, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 25, 2007
Inventor: Richard Cardenas (Lomira, WI)
Application Number: 11/736,883
International Classification: A47B 81/00 (20060101); A47G 29/00 (20060101);