METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COVER FOR ENCLOSURE AND ENCLOSURE HAVING COVER

Abstract

A cover for an enclosure includes a first louver panel having one or more first louvers. Also included is a second louver panel attached to the first louver panel and having one or more second louvers. The second louver panel having the one or more second louvers overlaps at least one of the one or more first louvers of the first louver panel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a venting cover, and more particularly to a cover having louvers, as well as a method of providing ventilation using a cover having louvers.

Outdoor electrical enclosures typically require proper ventilation to prevent an accumulation of heat within the enclosures which could damage enclosed electrical equipment. Elements, such as precipitation, insects, rodents, and other pests, dirt and debris, which may also deleteriously affect switchboards and other electrical components contained within the enclosure, need to be prevented from entering into the enclosure. To satisfy the need for heat ventilation as well as the need for protection from the outdoor elements, outdoor cover construction for electrical equipment enclosures commonly rely on a louver panel. The louver fin of each louver assists in directing falling precipitation away from a louver opening, however splashing or misting can cause some moisture to enter the enclosure through the louver opening. A baffle is used by some manufacturers within the enclosure to protect equipment in an area where splashing is an issue. Screens and/or filters behind the louver panel are also sometimes included to prevent dust, dirt, and insect ingress through the louver opening. Replacement of a screen or filter by an owner or operator may require turning off power to the unit or the need for personal protection equipment when the louver panel is removed to access the screen or filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a cover for an enclosure includes a first louver panel having one or more first louvers. Also included is a second louver panel attached to the first louver panel and having one or more second louvers. The second louver panel having the one or more second louvers overlaps at least one of the one or more first louvers of the first louver panel.

According to another aspect of the invention, an electrical enclosure includes the cover.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a cover for an enclosure includes a first louver panel having a first plate portion, a first louver having a first fin portion extending from the first plate portion, and a first louver opening. Also included is a second louver panel having a second plate portion, a second louver having a second fin portion extending from the second plate portion, and a second louver opening. The second plate portion overlaps the first fin portion and the second louver opening overlaps the first plate portion.

According to still another aspect of the invention, a method of providing ventilation and protection to an electrical enclosure is provided. The method includes attaching an auxiliary louver panel to a first louver panel to form a louvered cover. The method further includes attaching the louvered cover to an opening in the electrical enclosure.

These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical enclosure suitable for outdoor use;

FIG. 2 is a partial, exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover;

FIG. 3 is a partial, front elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover;

FIG. 4 is a partial, side cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover, taken along line I-I of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of another exemplary embodiment of a cover;

FIG. 6 is a partial, exploded rear perspective view of an exemplary auxiliary louver panel with exemplary filter;

FIG. 7 is a partial, exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover with an exemplary securing device;

FIG. 8 is a partial, exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover with another exemplary securing device;

FIG. 9 is a partial, exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover with still another exemplary securing device;

FIG. 10 is a partial, exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover with yet another exemplary securing device;

FIG. 11 is a front schematic view of an exemplary first louver panel for another exemplary embodiment of a cover; and,

FIG. 12 is a front schematic view of the exemplary cover of FIG. 11 including first and second louver panels.

The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical enclosure 10, such as an electrical enclosure suitable for use outdoors, is illustrated. The electrical enclosure 10 may contain any electrical components, switchgears, and the like (not shown) that emanate heat and that might be damaged by excess heat if not properly vented from the enclosure 10. For venting an interior of the enclosure 10, and allowing the release of excess heat therefrom, a louvered cover 12 is shown, hereinafter referred to more simply as cover 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 12 is a door 14 for the enclosure 10, having door handles 16, however the cover 12 can optionally be utilized alternatively or additionally for any sidewall 18 of the enclosure and with or without door functions. Also, while a box-shaped enclosure 10 is shown, the cover 12 can be used on any shaped enclosure.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the cover 12 includes a first louver panel 20 and an overlapping auxiliary second louver panel 22. The first and second louver panels 20, 22 of the cover 12 are positioned on a same side of electrical enclosure 10. The first louver panel 20 is interposed between the second louver panel 22 and an interior of the electrical enclosure 10. The first louver panel 20 may be a sidewall 18 of the electrical enclosure 10, a portion of a sidewall 18 of the electrical enclosure 10, or a door 14 of the electrical enclosure 10. The first louver panel 20 includes a first plate portion 24, and side plate portions 26 extending from edges of the first plate portion 24. The side plate portions 26 are usable for attachment of the first louver panel 20 to the electrical enclosure 10, such as via screws 28 passed through attachment holes 30 in the side plate portions 26. While the first louver panel 20 is illustrated as rectangular, the first louver panel 20 is not limited to rectangular shapes and may include curved edges and non-rectangular peripheries that match an opening of the electrical enclosure 10.

The first louver panel 20 further includes a plurality of first louvers 32 on the first plate portion 24. The first louvers 32, as more particularly shown in FIG. 4, include a louver opening 34 to provide ventilation for the electrical enclosure 10, and a fin portion 36 that overhangs to protect the louver opening 34 from the ingress of precipitation. The fin portion 36 of the first louvers 32 projects towards the second louver panel 22 by a distance A away from the first plate portion 24, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first plate portion 24. When the louver opening 34 has a height of B, the fin portion 36 of the first louvers 32 extends from an intersection 38 of the fin portion 36 and the first plate portion 24 to a free end 40 of the fin portion 36, and substantially covers the height B measured in a direction substantially parallel to the first plate portion 24.

As further shown in FIGS. 2-4, the second louver panel 22 at least partially overlaps the first louver panel 20. The second louver panel 22 is attached to the first louver panel 20 using at least one fastener 42 shown in FIG. 4, although in an alternative exemplary embodiment, the second louver panel 22 is integrally attached to the first louver panel 20. The second louver panel 22 includes a second plate portion 44 which may be substantially parallel to the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20. While the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22 could be substantially the same size as the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20, the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22 is sized to at least cover an arrangement of first louvers 32 on the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the second plate portion 44 is smaller than the first plate portion 24. Also, while the second plate portion 44 is illustrated as rectangular, other peripheries could be employed for the second louver panel 22. The second louver panel 22 also includes a plurality of side plate portions 46 extending from the second plate portion 44. The side plate portions 46 have a width at least slightly larger than the distance A, such that the second louver panel 22 has a depth C to enable the second louver panel 22 to enclose and overlap the first louvers 32 on the first louver panel 20. A bottom side plate 48 of the second louver panel 22, as shown in FIG. 6, includes apertures 50 that serve as drain holes to prevent water that enters the second louver panel 22 from misting or splashing from collecting between the first and second louver panels 20, 22.

The second louver panel 22 further includes a plurality of second louvers 52 on the second plate portion 44. The second louvers 52, as more particularly shown in FIG. 4, include a louver opening 54 to provide ventilation for the electrical enclosure 10, and a fin portion 56 to protect the louver opening 54 from the ingress of precipitation. While the fin portion 56 of the second louvers 52 is shown to extend a distance substantially the same as the distance A away from the second plate portion 44, alternate projection distances are possible. The louver opening 54 of the second louver is also shown to have a height substantially the same as height B, however the height of the louver opening 54 may alternatively be greater than B. The fin portion 56 of the second louvers 52 extends from an intersection 58 of the fin portion 56 and the second plate portion 44 to a free end 60 of the fin portion 56, measured in a direction substantially parallel to the second plate portion 44.

The second louvers 52 are offset from respective overlapped first louvers 32. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2-4, the second plate portion 44 overlaps the first fin portions 36 and the second louver openings 54 overlap the first plate portion 24. Corresponding rows of louver openings 34, 54 do not align due to a vertical offset. As illustrated, a row of the second louver openings 54 is offset from a corresponding row of the first louver openings 34, while a column of second louver openings 54 is aligned with an overlapped corresponding column of first louver openings 34. A ventilation flow direction D in this embodiment is direct and not blocked, as indicated by the illustrative arrow to provide a substantially unified direction of ventilation flow, sequentially through the first louver openings 34 and then the corresponding second louver openings 54. The ventilation flow direction D enables ventilation from the cover 12 in a non-perpendicular and non-planar direction with respect to the first and second plate portions 24, 44 of the first and second louver panels 20, 22, respectively. The multiple offset layer louver design of the cover 12 provides additional protection against splashing and misting than a standard cover, and may include any number of additional layers of offset louver panels as required for maximizing precipitation protection. The coverage provided by the first louver panel 20 is extended by the offset of the second louvers 52 in the second louver panel 22 to create a difficult path for droplets from splashing and misting to have to pass, thus keeping such droplets out of the enclosure 10. Any misting entering through louver openings 54 in second louver panel 22 abuts the fin portion 36 of the first louver panel 20 and drips down towards the apertures 50 (FIG. 6) in the second louver panel 22. While the plurality of first and second louvers 32, 52 are depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 as arranged in rows and columns and equidistantly spaced, the specific arrangement of louvers 32, 52 is not limited to the illustrated matrix. In an exemplary embodiment, the space occupied by the louver openings 34 of the first louver panel 20 substantially matches or is less than the space occupied by the louver openings 54 of the second louver panel 22 to prevent a choking effect of vented heat flow.

In alternative exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, a cover 112 includes first and second louver panels 20, 22 as in the previous embodiment, however the second louver panel 22 is secured to the first louver panel 20 such that the second louvers 52 are additionally horizontally offset from the first louvers 32. Corresponding rows of louvers 32, 52 do not align due to a vertical offset, and additionally corresponding columns of louvers 32, 52 do not align due to a horizontal offset. In the illustrated embodiment, the second louvers 52 are horizontally offset from the first louvers 32 by an offset distance E, although alternate offset distances are within the scope of these embodiments. The vertical offset described for the cover 12 is maintained in the cover 112, and a vertical cross-section of the cover 112 taken along line I-I would thus be depicted as shown in FIG. 4. Depending on the amount of the horizontal offset distance E, the ventilation flow direction D will be maintained for any portion of the second louvers 52 horizontally overlapping the first louvers 32, that is, the portion of the column of second louvers 52 that overlaps the portion of the column of first louvers 32. Ventilation flow through the offset portions of the first and second louvers 32, 52 may be slightly indirect, however the offset portions of the first and second louvers 32, 52 may also increase protection from splashing and misting. The horizontal offset distance E can be accomplished by shifting the second louver panel 22 closer to one side of the first louver panel 20 and securing the second louver panel 22 in a shifted manner, or alternatively the second louver panel 22 includes the horizontally shifted louvers 52.

The depth C of the second louver panel 22, as shown in FIG. 4, which is at least larger than the projection distance A of the first louver 32, is sized to enable the inclusion of optional screens and filters in some embodiments of the cover 12 or 112. While the depth C is described as larger than the projection distance A, the depth C may only be slightly larger than the projection distance A to reduce the overall space required for the cover 12. In one exemplary embodiment, the second plate portion 44 is spaced from the first plate portion 22 by a distance not greater than twice the projection distance A. For the purpose of this description, the term filter will be used to generically describe a material that includes passageways allowing airflow yet trapping or preventing debris to flow there through, and therefore is inclusive of a screen. FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary embodiment of filters 62 for placement behind the second louver panel 22. The filters 62 may simply be enclosed between the first and second louver panels 20, 22, or alternatively, the filters 62 may be secured within the second louver panel 22 using securing devices 64. FIG. 6 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of securing devices 64 including supporting rods 66 that extend along a periphery of the second louver panel 22 and are secured to the second louver panel 22 using fasteners 68. The filters 62 may then be placed within the support pockets 70 provided by the supporting rods 66.

In an exemplary embodiment of the cover 12, 112, for simplifying the replacement of filters 62 between the first and second louver panels 20, 22, the cover 12 or 112 further includes externally removable hardware 72 attaching the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20. FIGS. 7 and 8 show two embodiments of externally removable hardware 72. The hardware 72 shown is included in multiple locations along the periphery of the second louver panel 22, such as at corners thereof. FIG. 7 shows a threaded screw 74 that passes through an opening 76 in the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22 and an opening 78 in the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20, thus securing the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20. The opening 78 in the first plate portion 24 can be threaded or include a threaded female standoff (not shown) for receipt of the threaded screw 74. FIG. 8 shows a threaded stud 80 that extends from a front of the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20. The opening 76 in the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22 is aligned and placed over the threaded stud 80, and then a nut 82 is threaded onto the threaded stud 80 to secure the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20. When a filter 62 between the second louver panel 22 and the first louver panel 20 requires replacement, the threaded screw 74 of FIG. 7 or the threaded nut 82 of FIG. 8 is unthreaded so that the second louver panel 22 can be removed from the first louver panel 20 and the filter 62 housed there between can be subsequently addressed. Providing externally removable hardware 72 in the cover 12 enables the filter 62 to be replaced without accessing the interior of the enclosure 10 and without removing any switchboard covers. Advantageously, in some embodiments of the cover 12, 112, this may eliminate the need for turning off power to electrical units in the enclosure 10 or the need for personal protection equipment when replacing the filter 62.

In a case where no filter 62 is to be employed, operator access to a filter 62 is to be restricted, or aesthetic or operational requirements dictate that no external hardware 72 be made viewable or available, internally removable hardware 84 to secure the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20 is provided without any externally accessible components. FIGS. 9 and 10 show two exemplary embodiments of internally removable hardware 84. The hardware 84 shown is included at multiple locations along a periphery of the second louver panel 22, such as at corners thereof FIG. 9 shows a threaded stud 86 extending from a rear of the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22. The threaded stud 86 is aligned with an opening 78 in the first plate portion 24 of the first louver panel 20 while the second louver panel 22 is attached to the first louver panel 20. A nut 88 is then threaded onto the threaded stud 86 to secure the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20. FIG. 10 shows a female threaded standoff 90 extending from a rear of the second plate portion 44 of the second louver panel 22. After the second louver panel 22 is aligned with an opening 78 in the first louver panel 20, a threaded screw 92 passes through the opening 78 and then into the threaded standoff 90 to secure the second louver panel 22 to the first louver panel 20.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 and 12, another exemplary embodiment of a cover 212 (FIG. 12) is shown. The cover 212 includes a first louver panel 220 having first louvers 232 with a louver width X which may be substantially the same as the first louvers 32 in the first louver panel 20 of the cover 12, except that the first louvers 232 are horizontally spaced apart (in the width direction) from each other by a distance Z. In the illustrated embodiment, a first column of the first louvers 232 are spaced from a first side 260 by a distance Y and a last column of the first louvers 232 are spaced from an opposing second side 262 by a distance of approximately Z+Y, although the distances can be altered to suit specific manufacturing requirements. The cover 212 further includes a second louver panel 222 (shown overlapping the first louver panel 220 in FIG. 12) having second louvers 252 which may be substantially the same as the second louvers 52 in the second louver panel 22 of the cover 12, except that the second louvers 252 are horizontally spaced apart from each other by a distance which may be substantially the same as the distance Z, although alternate distances for accommodating manufacturing requirements are possible. A first column of the second louvers 252 is spaced from a first side 270 of the second louver panel 222 by a distance of approximately Z+Y, and spaced from a second side 272 of the second louver panel 22 by a distance of approximately Y. The cover 212 as shown in FIG. 12 thus provides first and second louver panels 220, 222 with offset louvers 232, 252. While rows of the second louvers 252 are aligned with corresponding rows of the first louvers 232, corresponding columns of the first and second louvers 232, 252 are not aligned. For venting the enclosure 10, the total space occupied by the louver openings 254 is preferably substantially the same or greater than the total space occupied by the louver openings 234. While the direct airflow direction D is not maintained in this embodiment, the protection from splashing and misting may be increased. Additionally, from a manufacturing perspective, the first and second louver panels 220 and 222 may be substantially the same when the panels 220, 222 are formed with the above described X, Y, and Z dimensions. For example, an additional first louver panel 220 turned 180 degrees can be placed on a first louver panel 220 to form the cover 212 shown in FIG. 12.

A method of venting using the cover 12, 112, or 212, includes attaching the second louver panel 22 or 222 to the first louver panel 20 or 220, and attaching the first louver panel 20 or 220 to an opening of an enclosure 10. Louver openings 54, 254 of the second louver panel 22, 222 are arranged to be offset from respective louver openings 34, 234 of the first louver panel 20, 220. The method further includes inserting an air filter 62 between the first and second louver panels 20, 22, or 220, 222 and replacing the air filter 62 by removing the second louver panel 22, 222 while retaining the first louver panel 20, 220 on the enclosure 10. The method of venting described herein increases protection from misting and splashing of precipitation while maintaining proper ventilation.

The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms “a” and “an” and “the” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, and are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The suffix “(s)” may be used herein to include both the singular and the plural of the term that it modifies, thereby including one or more of that term (e.g., the louver panel(s) include one or more louvers). Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “an embodiment”, and so forth, means that a particular element (e.g., feature, structure, and/or characteristic) described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment described herein, and may or may not be present in other embodiments. In addition, it is to be understood that the described elements may be combined in any suitable manner in the various embodiments.

While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cover for an enclosure, the cover comprising:

a first louver panel having one or more first louvers; and,

a second louver panel attached to the first louver panel and having one or more second louvers, wherein the second louver panel having the one or more second louvers overlaps at least one of the one or more first louvers of the first louver panel.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the one or more first louvers extend towards the second louver panel and the one or more second louvers are offset by an offset distance from the one or more first louvers.

3. The cover of claim 2, wherein a row of the one or more second louvers is offset by the offset distance from a corresponding row of the one or more first louvers.

4. The cover of claim 2, wherein the offset distance of the one or more second louvers with respect to the one or more first louvers is substantially equal to a height of a louver opening of the one or more first louvers.

5. The cover of claim 2, wherein a column of the one or more second louvers are offset from a corresponding column of the one or more first louvers.

6. The cover of claim 5, wherein adjacent columns of the one or more first louvers are spaced apart from each other by approximately a same dimension as a width of the one or more second louvers.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the first louver panel includes a first plate portion and one or more first fin portions extending outwardly from the first plate portion and towards the second louver panel, and the second louver panel includes a second plate portion and one or more second fin portions extending from the second plate portion, the second plate portion overlapping the one or more first fin portions, and louver openings of the second louver panel overlapping the first plate portion.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein the first louver panel includes a first plate portion and one or more first fin portions extending outwardly from the first plate portion and towards the second louver panel, and the second louver panel includes a second plate portion spaced from the first plate portion by a distance not greater than twice an extension distance of the one or more first fin portions.

9. The cover of claim 8, wherein the extension distance is sized to trap an air filter interposed between the first louver panel and the second louver panel.

10. The cover of claim 1 wherein the second louver panel is coupled to the first louver panel and covers one or more first louvers of the first louver panel by one or more threaded connectors, the one or more threaded connectors including a portion accessible from an exterior of the second louver panel.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein a total space occupied by louver openings in the second louver panel is approximately same as or greater than a total space occupied by an overlapped portion of louver openings in the first louver panel.

12. The cover of claim 1, wherein the second louver panel includes a bottom side plate, the bottom side plate having an aperture defined therethrough.

13. The cover of claim 1 wherein offset louver openings in the first and second louver panels enable ventilation sequentially through the first and second louver panels at a non-zero and non-perpendicular angle relative to a first plate of the first louver panel.

14. An electrical enclosure having the cover as claimed in claim 1.

15. The electrical enclosure of claim 14, wherein the cover is a door capable of providing or restricting access to an interior of the electrical enclosure.

16. The electrical enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first and second louver panels are separated by a distance sized to receive an air filter there between, the air filter removable by removing the second louver panel while retaining the electrical enclosure in a closed condition with the first louver panel.

17. A cover for an enclosure, the cover comprising:

a first louver panel having a first plate portion, a first louver having a first fin portion extending from the first plate portion, and a first louver opening; and,

a second louver panel having a second plate portion, a second louver having a second fin portion extending from the second plate portion, and a second louver opening;

wherein the second plate portion overlaps the first fin portion and the second louver opening overlaps the first plate portion.

18. A method of providing ventilation and protection to an electrical enclosure, the method comprising:

attaching an auxiliary louver panel onto a first louver panel to form a louvered cover; and,

attaching the louvered cover to an opening in the electrical enclosure.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting an air filter between the auxiliary louver panel and the first louver panel.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising replacing the air filter by removing the auxiliary louver panel while retaining the first louver panel on the enclosure.

21. The electrical enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first louver panel is attached to the enclosure.