US20070247040A1 - Universal Mounting Channel - Google Patents

Abstract

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.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• 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 INVENTION
• The 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 INVENTION
• Computer 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 INVENTION
• According 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention.
• In the drawings:
• FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a universal mounting channel constructed according to the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the channel ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the channel ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a front plan view of a blank for use in forming a channel ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the channel ofFIG. 1 mounted within a cabinet; and
• FIG. 6 is a partially broken away, exploded isometric view of the attachment of a mounting rail to the channel ofFIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• 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 at10 inFIG. 1. Thechannel10 is formed as an elongate member including a pair of recessedside sections12,14 disposed on opposite sides of a central section16. Eachrecessed side section12,14 is formed with a generally U-shaped configuration, with the central section16 positioned therebetween. However, other configurations are also contemplated, such as a configuration where theside sections12 and14 and the central section16 are co-planar with one another.
• Referring now toFIGS. 1,4 and5, the central section16 includes anelongate slot18 extending along the center line of the central section16, and a number ofmarking openings20 spaced equidistant from one another along the center section16, such as in one inch increments, and in a particularly preferred embodiment located on opposite sides of theslot18 along the length of the central section16. Themarking openings20 can also be disposed on one or both of theside sections12 and14, if desired. Theopenings20 are utilized as alignment or location identifiers to alignvarious mounting rails100 for electronic equipment (not shown) that are secured to thechannels10 at the same relative locations with respect to each of thechannels10 secured to the cabinet frame102 by aligning therails10 with thesame openings20 on eachchannel10. Additionally, theopenings20 can also be adapted to receive therein tabs, pins, or other mounting members (not shown) disposed on therails100 that are inserted within theopenings20 to engage and position themounting rails100 or equipment on thechannels10 in a desired location. Alternatively, theopenings20 can be formed as markings that do not completely pierce the material forming thechannel10, such as indentations, tick marks, scratches or other suitable printed markings that can be formed on thechannel10.
• Theelongate slot18 includes a pair of generallysquare notches22 spaced from one another and also from opposite ends of theslot18. Thenotches22 enable the retainingmembers104 used to attach themounting rails100 to thechannels10 to be inserted or withdrawn through the central section16 and through theslot18 for engagement with a securing member106 disposed against thechannel10 opposite themounting rail100. If the securing members106 are already attached to or pre-assembled with theretaining members104, thenotches22 can also be formed to be large enough to accommodate passing the entire securing member106 therethrough. Theslot18 allows theretaining members104 attached to therails100 to be slid along theslot18 when positioning therails100 where desired, while keeping therails100 engaged with thechannel10.
• Looking now atFIGS. 1-6, each of theside sections12 and14 includes a number ofapertures24 spaced from one another along the outer sides of one or both of eachside section12 and14, opposite the central section16. Theapertures24 are designed to enable various cable ties, Velcro straps or other securing items (not shown) to be inserted through theapertures24 and used to bundle and secure the cables (not shown) extending to and from the equipment disposed within the cabinet200 to thechannels10. This enables the cables positioned within the cabinet200 to be located and secured along theside sections12 and14 of thechannels10 in an easily accessible and out of the way manner, such that the cables do not interfere with the access to the equipment to which the cables are connected. Additionally, the location of theapertures24 in the outer sides of theside sections12 and14 places theapertures24 in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which therails100 are mounted to thechannels10, e.g., theapertures24 are disposed in a horizontal plane while therails100 extend in a vertical plane when secured to thechannels10, as best shown inFIG. 5. This enables theapertures24 to be easily accessible whenrails100 are secured to thechannels10, such that therails100 and any electronic equipment mounted to therails100 do not cover theapertures24 in the horizontal surface of theside sections12 and14, as is the case if theapertures24 were disposed in a vertically oriented surface.
• Eachside section12 and14 also includes a pair ofcircular openings26 disposed at each end between the opposed sides of eachside section12 and14. Theopenings26 provide points of attachment between thechannels10 and the cabinet frame102, such that thechannels10 can be secured to the frame102 at theopenings26 using any suitable means, such as by welding or by using suitable fasteners inserted through theopenings26.
• Thus, as best shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, a number ofchannels10 can be secured to the frame102 of the electronic equipment cabinet200 such that thechannels10 are preferably disposed in generally horizontal, opposed positions within the cabinet200. However, when necessary, thechannels10 can also be secured to the cabinet frame102 in vertical opposed positions. Preferably, 3-4channels10 are secured to each side of the cabinet frame102 in directly opposite positions, as shown inFIG. 5. When it is desired to secure amounting rail100 within the cabinet200, initially each of the retainingmembers104 for themounting rail100 is inserted into theslot18 in each of thechannels10 to which therail100 is to be secured and loosely engaged with the associated securing member106. Therail100 and retainingmembers104 are then slid along theslots18 in thechannels10 until therail100 is positioned in alignment with theopenings20 on eachchannel10 representing the desired location for therail100. In this manner, therail100 is positioned in a perpendicular configuration with regard to eachchannel10 disposed on the side of the cabinet200 to which therail100 is attached. The same is done with regard to theremaining channels10 disposed on the either side of the cabinet200, such that themounting rails100 are each positioned vertically with regard to thechannels10 in the cabinet200.
• When it is desired to reconfigure the positioning of therails100 in the cabinet200, the retainingmembers104 for eachrail100 to be moved are disengaged at least partially from the associated securing members106, such that therail100, the retainingmembers104 and the securing members106 can all be slid along theslot18 in eachchannel10 to the new position for therail100, as indicated by the designated pair ofopposed openings20 on eachchannel10. When positioned in the new location, theretaining members104 are reengaged with the securing members to secure therail100 to thechannels10 at the new location. Because theopenings20 are evenly spaced along thechannels10, it is easy to properly locate therails100 where required to accommodate equipment of various sizes.
• Thechannel10 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 blank28 shown inFIG. 4, in which thevarious openings18,20,22,24, and26 can be formed prior to bending the blank28 to form thevarious sections12,14, and16 and the resultingchannel10.
• 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 (20)

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 ofclaim 1 further comprising opposed pairs of alignment markings located on opposite sides of the central section.

3. The channel ofclaim 1 wherein the alignment markings are spaced equidistant from one another.

4. The channel ofclaim 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 ofclaim 4 wherein the notches are oriented generally perpendicular to the slot.

6. The channel ofclaim 1 wherein the pair of side sections are disposed in an offset position with regard to the central section.

7. The channel ofclaim 6 wherein the pair of side sections and the central section define a channel having a generally U-shaped configuration.

8. The channel ofclaim 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 ofclaim 8 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.

10. The channel ofclaim 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 ofclaim 11 further comprising at least two channels mounted to the same side of the enclosure.

13. In the enclosure ofclaim 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 ofclaim 14 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.

16. The channel ofclaim 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 ofclaim 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 ofclaim 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.

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