BACKGROUND (i) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment cabinets and methods of manufacture and, in particular, although not necessarily solely, cabinets for the containment of electrical equipment such as modems, routers and other communications equipment.

(ii) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Prior art electrical equipment cabinets utilise structural cabinets often of welded construction having substantially vertical mounting frames for mounting shelves or trays to support the enclosed equipment. The mounting frames themselves provide a series of fixing points for the fixing of shelving units and act as columns to pass the load from the shelves on to the structural cabinet and/or on to the base of the cabinet. However, these prior art cabinets do not utilise the frames for the structural integrity of the cabinet itself. Instead, the prior art cabinets provide a welded or bolted outer structure and merely use the mounting racks for the cartage of the shelving loads.

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The welded or bolted construction of the prior art cabinets can be seen as a disadvantage over a cabinet of purely bolted construction and where the utilisation of t^e mounting frames as structural elements for the cabinet itself decreases the need for welded joints between panels of the cabinet and also reduces wall thickness and complexity of the panel construction.

Further problems with prior art cabinets have arisen through the non-provision of access for cables entering or exiting the cabinet at ground level to progress along the floor. Conventional cabinets have provided access through the base of the cabinet for cables through apertures in the floor beneath the cabinet and this is undesirable in some situations where a raised floor is not used or the associated equipment outside the cabinet may be of a temporary nature and it is desirable to have a cable simply laid over the floor and accessible to the equipment within the cabinet.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an equipment cabinet and a method of

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manufacture which overcomes some of L-.e disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect the invention consists in an equipment cabinet comprising at least first and second portal frames wherein each frame contains two substantially vertical mounting frame members and wherein said portal frames are interconnected at or adjacent their bottom ends by a base section and interconnected at or adjacent their top ends by a top section and side panels or doors to enclose said portal frames.

Accordingly, in a second aspect, the invention consists in a method of manufacturing an equipment cabinet comprising:

constructing mounting frame members to be interconnected by support members to form first and second portal frames;

interconnecting said portal frames with top and bottom panels; and

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fitting side panels or doors to enclose said cabinet.

Accordingly, in a third aspect, the invention v consists in an equipment -cabinet having a top section, base section and enclosing side panels or doors and wherein an aperture is provided in a side of said cabinet adjacent the base for the entry of floor laid cables in to said cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects of this invention which should be considered novel will become apparent from the description with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1: Is a perspective view of an equipment cabinet in accordance with one embodiment of this invention and without side covers or doors; Figure 2: Is a perspective view of the interconnection between a mounting frame, support member and base section of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3: Is an elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with a side cover fitted;

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Figure 4: Is an elevational view of the apparauua Figure 1 showing a door fitted to the apparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 5: Is an elevational view of part of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the top of a mounting frame member, top support member and top section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the apparatus shown in Figure 1, the apparatus comprises an equipment cabinet 1 without the side covers or door panels fitted for clarity. The cabinet includes mounting frame members 2 comprising two opposed pairs of mounting frame members being a first pair 2A and 2B and a second pair of mounting framing members 2C and 2D.

Each pair of mounting frame members 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D are interconnected at a lower end by a first support member 3 and, as shown in Figure 5, at a top end by a second support member 4.

The mounting frames in each pair such as mounting frame members 2A and 2B and the first support member 3 and second member 4 complete a portal frame to provide the main structural integrity to the cabinet itself. In

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this manner, two portal frames are constructed within the cabinet and are then provided with a base section 5 and top section 6 in such a manner as to prevent racking of the two portal frames in a plane transverse to the main plane of the portal frames themselves.

In this preferred embodiment, the first and second support members 3 and 4 are provided as additional channel sections or other structural members to provide a completed frame. It is envisaged that such support members could be incorporated as part of the base or top section 5 and 6 if desired.

Each of the mounting frame members 2 provide a series of fixing points 8 along their lengths although only a portion of these fixing points are shown in Figure 1. The fixing points 8 allow for the fitment of shelves and other attachments within the complete cabinet 1 to carry the necessary electrical equipment.

As can be seen best by Figure 2, the connection between the mounting frame member 2A and its first support member 3 is an non-rotational connection 9 which in this preferred embodiment comprises bolts 10 passing through associated flanges of the channel sections comprising items 2A and 3.

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Any convenient connection could be used provided the connection provides a non-rotational joint between these members to allow the portal frame constructed from these members 2A and 3 to act as a suitable structural frame.

As mentioned, in this preferred embodiment two bolts 10 are used through each side flange of the channel member 2A, however, screws, dowels or rivets could equally be used as well as any other similar structural connection that will provide the non- rotational joint.

It is intended that the non-rotational joint 9 be provided to resist rotation within the plane of the portal frame utilising members 2A and 3.

A series of fixing points may also be provided on the base section 5 and similarly on the top section 6 so that the portal frames may be connected to the base section 5 through the provision of two spaced apart bolts, screws, dowels or rivets 13 through the spaced part apertures 12.

Again, such a construction provides a non- rotational joint between the base section 5 and the mounting frame member 2 at or adjacent an end of the

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mounting frame member 2 such that the completed construction resists rotation of the portal frame utilising mounting frame 2A and 3 in a plane transverse to that of the principle plane of the portal frame itself. The use of similar connections at both the connection between the portal frame comprising mounting member 2A and support member 3 and the base section 5 as well as the mounting frame member 2A support member 4 and top section 6 provides a structurally sound cabinet resistent to loads both in the plane of the portal frame and transverse to the plane of the portal frame.

As with the non-rotational joint 9, the connection between the base section 5 and, in this preferred embodiment, the mounting frame member 2A is a non- rotational joint of any convenient type which in this preferred form comprises two bolts 13 passing through the mounting frame member 2A and through the flange 15 of the base member 5.

As can be seen in Figure 5, a similar joint is provided between the top section 6 and the mounting frame members such as member 2B with a series of apertures 16 then provided in a flange 17 forming part of the top section 6 such that at least two bolts may be passed through the apertures and through the mounting member 2B to provide the non-rotational joint.

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The base section 5 may be provided with apertures

18 in the floor of the base section 5 to accommodate the cables coming up through the floor or support surface on which the cabinet rests and entering into the cabinet. Similarly, an aperture 19 is provided in at least one side flange 20 of the base section 5 or equally in one of the side panels so that cables progressing along the floor or support surface on which the cabinet rests may enter in to the cabinet. It should be noted that this aperture 19 may be provided with a suitable foam or other material on the internal side of the aperture 19 so that cables may be pushed through the foam or similar material to enter into the cabinet and yet the aperture

19 is substantially closed to the entry of dust, dirt or other foreign material.

Referring now to Figure 3, side panels 22 may be fitted into the cabinet once the portal frames have been constructed and the base section 5 and top section 6 have been placed around the bottom and top ends of the portal frames.

In this preferred embodiment, the side panels 22 are provided with apertures 23 to locate on pins 24 provided on a receiving flange 25 to receive the lower end of the side cover 22. In this manner the side cover

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may be lifted in to place and the pins 24 engage through apertures 23 to lock the base section in place.

The top end of the side cover 22 may then be rotated into place and located and locked with location means 26 and locking means 27.

In this example, the side cover 22 is of a width slightly less than the entire width of the base section 5 and top section 6 so that the door panels or front and rear panels of the cabinet 1 may be provided of full width to completely enclose the cabinet. Of course, this could be rearranged with the side cabinets being of full width and the doors nesting within the side panels 22.

As shown in Figure 3, the side panel 22 may be provided with suitable venting 28 as desired.

Figure 4 shows a door panel 30 which may be provided on both the front and rear sides of the cabinet 1. The door panel 30 may be located by pins 31 located within apertures 32 provided in the base section 5 and in the top section 6 such that the door 30 may pivot about the pins 31. A lock 34 may be provided to keep the door 30 closed when rotated to its closed position.

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Figure 5 demonstrates the raised lid portion 6 of the preferred embodiment of this invention. The top section 6 may be connected to the mounting frame members 2 and support members 4 such that there is some clearance between the top panel of the top section 6 and the support member 4.

Such a connection detail allows for a sub-tray (not shown) carrying fans to be mounted on the support members 4 and be spaced from the top panel of the top section 6.

An aperture 38 may be provided in the top section 6 to allow for venting of this cabinet with the fans located within the sub-tray (not shown) drawing heated air from within the cabinet and exiting the air out aperture 38.

The solid top panel of top section 6 provides a drip proof lid to the cabinet while providing a duct between the sub tray (not shown) and the top panel of top section 6 to exit air out aperture 38.

Thus it may be seen that a cabinet is provided or relatively economic and simple construction requiring only bolting to construct and utilising the mounting frame members 2 as main structural elements of the

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cabinet itself. Portal frames are constructed within the cabinet utilising the mounting frame members and then side panels or doors simply fitted about the exterior together with the base section 5 and top section 6.

Furthermore, the cabinet allows for ground laid cables and provides venting through the top 6 with the provision of fans in a sub-tray spaced from the top panel of the top section 6.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

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