Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2016903029 filed on 2 August 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates, generally, to outdoor electrical equipment enclosures and, more particularly, to an equipment housing assembly.

Background [0003] Outdoor electrical equipment enclosures are used to house field telemetry, data recording and monitoring systems, electrical switch gear, remote instrumentation, etc. These enclosures are typically utility-box type cabinets attached to, for example, a secure footing, wall, pole or other-stand pipe with one or more mounting brackets. Typical cabinets include a slot or opening to receive external cabling (for example from sensors), and a door, often lockable, through which the internal equipment can be accessed.

[0004] Because these cabinets are for outdoor use (and are often located in remote areas) they tend to be susceptible to weather, animal and/or insect damage. Theft and vandalism are also a concern for remote outdoor cabinets . Not only are the externally accessible features, such as cabling and, for example, mounted solar panels vulnerable, but so are the components housed inside the cabinets if the locks are broken and/or the doors are forced open.

[0005] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Summary

[0006] Described herein is an equipment housing assembly comprising: a housing having an access opening providing access to an interior of the housing; and a removable equipment container at least partially receivable within the interior of the housing; the equipment container comprising a body in which equipment is contained, and a closure formation carried by the body, the closure formation closing off the access opening to inhibit unauthorised access to the equipment within the body of the container when the body of the equipment container is received within the interior of the housing.

[0007] In use, the housing may be mounted on a substrate.

[0008] The housing may comprise a sleeve with the access opening forming a first opening at a first end, and the sleeve defining a second opening at an opposed, second end, the second opening, in use, being closed off when the housing is mounted on the substrate.

[0009] The housing may define a supporting formation configured to cooperate with the closure formation to hold the equipment container in an elevated position relative to the substrate.

[0010] The supporting formation may define a perimeter of the access opening; and the closure formation of the container may comprise a perimetral flange of the container, the flange resting on the perimeter of the access opening to hingelessly close off the access opening when the body of the equipment container is received within the interior of the housing. [0011] The assembly may further comprise a mounting system that mounts the housing to the substrate, wherein the mounting system is received into the second opening of the housing.

[0012] The mounting system may comprise: a foot configured to mount to the substrate, and at least one retaining formation extending from the base, the retaining formation being configured to cooperate with the housing to retain the housing in position relative to the substrate, wherein, in use, at least the retaining formation is inaccessible from outside the housing.

[0013] The assembly may comprise a first conduit for receiving one or more electrical cables from the substrate such that portions of the cables extending from the substrate are contained entirely within the interior of the housing.

[0014] The equipment container may comprise at least one further conduit for receiving the one or more electrical cables from the housing.

[0015] The assembly may include a locking mechanism which locks the container to the housing. The locking mechanism may include a locking interface known only to authorised users.

[0016] The equipment container may comprise a lid defining the closure formation, an edge of the closure formation being dimensioned to be flush with an outer surface of the housing when the closure formation closes off the access opening. The lid may carry additional equipment. The additional equipment may comprise variously, data recording, control, communication equipment and/or location equipment. The lid may include a lifter interface for attaching a lifting device for removing the equipment container from the housing.

[0017] The equipment container may be a configurable cartridge, and the body of the container may provide at least one supporting formation to hold the equipment, the equipment being configurable and/or removable. [0018] The body of the equipment container may define an aperture providing access to an interior of the body, and the equipment container may comprise a closure panel for closing the aperture, wherein when the closure panel closes the aperture, the closure panel is flush mounted in the aperture so that the closure panel is flush with the body of the equipment container.

[0019] The equipment container may include at least one solar panel supported by a wall of the body of the equipment container.

[0020] At least one window may be defined in a side wall of the housing, the window being configured to be in register with the solar panel when the body of the equipment container is received in the housing.

[0021] Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0022] Embodiments of the disclosure are now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

[0023] Fig. 1 A is a perspective view of an embodiment of an equipment housing assembly;

[0024] Fig. IB is a partially cut away perspective view of the assembly of Fig. 1A;

[0025] Fig. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the assembly;

[0026] Fig. 3 is a sectional, side view of a part of the assembly showing an equipment container of the assembly in place in a housing of the assembly; [0027] Fig. 4A is an exploded, front view of the equipment container;

[0028] Fig. 4B is a bottom view of the equipment container;

[0029] Fig. 5A is a perspective view illustrating the insertion of the equipment container into the housing of the assembly; [0030] Fig. 5B is an exploded, perspective view of a locking mechanism of the assembly;

[0031] Fig. 6 A is a back view of the housing receiving the equipment container;

[0032] Fig. 6B is a partially transparent perspective view illustrating the equipment container locked to the housing; [0033] Fig.7A is an exploded, front view illustrating the attachment of a handle to the equipment closure of the assembly; and

[0034] Fig. 7B is an exploded, side view illustrating the attachment of the handle to the equipment closure.

[0035] In the drawings, like reference numerals designate similar parts. Description of Embodiments

[0036] Figs. 1A and Fig. IB of the drawings show an embodiment of an equipment housing assembly 100 with a housing 102 that has an access opening 108 that provides access to an interior 110 of the housing 102. The assembly 100 also has a removable equipment container, in the form of a cartridge 104, that is at least partially receivable within the interior 110 of the housing 102. The cartridge 104 has a body 105 that contains equipment, and also has a closure formation in the form of a lid 120 that is carried by the body 105. The lid 120 closes off the access opening 108 of the housing 102 to inhibit unauthorised access to the equipment within the body 105 of the cartridge 104 when the body 105 of the cartridge 104 is received within the interior 110 of the housing 102.

/. The housing

[0037] In some embodiments, the housing 102 is formed as a sleeve 200, for example a hollow tube of substantially square cross-section made from heavy-duty stainless steel or other weather resistant material. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the sleeve 200 defines the access opening 108 at a first end 207, and also defines a second opening 204 at an opposed, second end 203. More particularly, the perimeter of the sleeve 200 at the first end 207 defines the access opening 108, and the perimeter of the sleeve 200 at the second end 203 defines the second opening 204. In some

embodiments the second end 203 of the housing 102 is closed and there is no second opening 204, or the second opening 204 is completely or partially closed off. Each of opposed side walls 201, 202 of the sleeve 200 define a rectangular window 205.

[0038] In some embodiments, the housing 102 may be shaped and sized differently, depending on the contents, application, location of use etc. For example, the body 106 may be a stanchion-like structure having an upright configuration with a greater height than width/depth, such as a tube of a rectangular, round, oval or triangular cross- section. The height of the housing 102 may be extended where applications require additional elevation (e.g. for vandalism prevention, flood levels, etc.) In other embodiments, the body 106 may have a flat configuration with operatively horizontal dimensions that are equal to or greater than an operatively vertical dimension, such as a hollow square, short cylinder or squat rectangle.

2. The cartridge

[0039] The access opening 108 of the housing 102 receives the equipment cartridge 104. As described above, the cartridge 104 has the body 105, for example a box frame, defining at least one compartment 231. One or more supporting formations, such as shelves 232, that are used to hold components, for example electronics, circuit boards, power supplies, batteries, cabling etc. are arranged in the compartment 231. The components can be accessed inside the compartment 231 of the cartridge 104 via an access opening 234. The access opening 234 is closed off by a removable closure panel 240. A recess 235 is defined in the body 105 about the access opening 234. The closure panel 240 is a snug fit within the recess 235 so that, once mounted to the body 105, an outer surface of the closure panel 240 lies substantially flush with an outer surface of the body 105 of the cartridge 104. The closure panel 240 is secured to the body 105 using screws, latches, a snap-fit, or other suitable means. In some embodiments the flush mounting closure panel 240 is held in place by tamper resistant fasteners such as counter-sunk hex head screws that lie below, or substantially flush with, the surface of the closure panel 240. Because the removable closure panel 240 is held completely within the housing 102, and is not exposed when the cartridge 104 is in the housing 102, this further enhances the security of the assembly.

[0040] The cartridge body 105 is made from a weather resistant material such as aluminium, stainless steel or hardened plastic. In an embodiment, the cartridge body 105 is machined from plate aluminium and bonded with high strength chemical adhesive. To inhibit the ingress of moisture and/or other detritus into the compartment 231, a seal is arranged in the recess 235, about the access opening 234. In some embodiments, a continuous O-ring slot 408 (Fig. 4A) is defined in the recess with a compression O-ring being received in the slot 408.

[0041] The cartridge 104 carries a solar panel 242 on each of opposed side walls of the cartridge body 105. Each solar panel 242 is cast directly into the wall of the body 105 using optically clear and ultraviolet stable polyurethane resin. The hardened resin completely covers each solar panel 242 and forms a toughened protective layer over the entire panel 242, leaving minimal, or no, surface exposed. This contributes to making the solar panels 242 tamper resistant even if the cartridge 104 is removed from the housing 102.

[0042] When the cartridge 104 is received within the housing 102, each solar panel 242 lies in register with one of the windows 205 of the housing 102. Each window 205 is sized to match its associated solar panel 242. A periphery of each window 205 forms a seat for its associated solar panel 242. In this way, there are no externally exposed components of the solar panels, for example the power cables from the solar panels are all contained within the housing 102 of the assembly 100. Because only the flat face of each solar panel 242 is exposed and that face is covered by the protective resin, with the edges covered by the housing 102, the solar panels 242 are less vulnerable to vandalism or theft.

[0043] One end of the cartridge body 105 is closed by the lid 120. A part of the lid 120, for example a perimetral flange 238 of the lid 120, is sized and shaped to rest on and/or mate with that end 207 of the housing 102 that defines the access opening 108. In some embodiments, the end of the housing 102 defining the access opening 108 and/or the flange 238 includes a seal so that the housing 102 is sealed when the cartridge 104 is mounted to the housing 102, contributing to the assembly 100 being weatherproof and/or weather resistant. [0044] In some embodiments, the cartridge lid 120 carries additional electronic equipment, for example, communication electronics such as a GPS module 244. The additional equipment is connected to or is in communication with the equipment held within the cartridge via an aperture 246 defined in an operatively upper end of the cartridge body 105. [0045] Fig. 3 of the drawings shows a sectional view of the cartridge 104 in place in the housing 102. The perimeter of the access opening 108 cooperates with the perimetral flange 238 of the container, the flange 238 resting on the perimeter of the access opening 108 to hingelessly close off the access opening 108 when the cartridge 104 is mounted to the housing 102. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the edge of the flange 238 lies substantially flush with the outer surface of the housing 102 when the lid 120 closes off the access opening 108, or only very slightly overhangs the housing wall.

[0046] In some embodiments the cartridge 104 includes a user interface, for example a display (not shown), for showing the status of components contained within the cartridge 104. In some embodiments the user interface may include a touch sensitive display, for example a touchscreen vacuum fluorescent display module.

[0047] In some embodiments the perimetral flange 238 does not form part of the lid 120 of the cartridge body 105 but, instead, is formed around at least a part of the outside of the cartridge, for example integrally formed or attached to an outer wall of the cartridge body 105.

[0048] As shown in the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the lid 120 of the cartridge 104 functions to close off the access opening 108 of the housing 102. In addition, the flange 238 of the lid 120 functions as a support that bears on a part of the housing 102 (the perimeter of the access opening 108 in the illustrated examples) in order to locate the cartridge 104 in the housing 102. The body 105 of the cartridge 104 is suspended from the lid 120 within the interior 110 of the housing 102. The cartridge 104 is thus held in an elevated position above a substrate. In other embodiments, these two functions may be performed by two separate components of the system. For example, a lid and/or wall portion of the cartridge may close off one or more openings into the housing, while a bearing formation such as a foot or floor of the cartridge rests on a positioning formation, such as a ridge or a shelf inside the housing, to retain the cartridge within the housing in an elevated position relative to the substrate.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B of the drawings, the cartridge 104 includes a pair of spaced feet 404 that elevate a floor 400 of the cartridge body 105 when the cartridge 104 stands on a flat surface. In some embodiments the housing 102 may additionally or alternatively include an internal cartridge support (not shown), for example, one or more shelves, ridges, ribs, or the like on an inner surface of one or more walls of the housing body 106. The internal cartridge support supports the cartridge body 105 in position inside the housing 102. In some embodiments the cartridge support or positioning formation may be provided by a locking mechanism (for example, the locking mechanism described elsewhere herein). [0050] Also shown in Fig. 4A and 4B is a cable gland 402 received through the floor 400 of the cartridge body 105. The cable gland 402 provides a conduit for cables to pass from the exterior of the cartridge body 105 into the compartment 231 of the cartridge body 105. Where the cartridge floor 400 includes a cable gland 402 therethrough, the feet 404 raise the floor 400 by at least the vertical dimension of the cable gland 402. The cable gland 402 may be a compression-type cable gland providing a water-resistant entry point for the cables into the cartridge body 105. In some embodiments the cable gland complies with a water submersible IP68 rating as defined in the IEC 60529, and may be, for example, a high strength twin- seal nickel- plated brass gland sealed with nylon washers.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 5A of the drawings, the assembly 100 includes a locking mechanism 500 attached to the inside of the housing 102 (for example welded, screwed, etc. to the housing). The locking mechanism 500 is shown in more detail in Fig. 5B. Fig. 6A of the drawings shows the cartridge 104 being inserted into the housing 102. Fig. 6B shows the cartridge 104 in place in the housing 102, and locked to the housing 102.

[0052] The locking mechanism 500 includes a dual lock: a key lock 502 and a magnetically actuated lock 504. When the cartridge 104 is in place inside the housing 102, each cartridge foot 404 is received into a channel 506 formed between a lock side recess 508 and a neighbouring inner wall of the housing 102 as shown in Fig. 6B of the drawings. The key lock 502 comprises a latch assembly 510 with a pair of outwardly facing catches 512 that lock into a reciprocal locking recess 514 defined by a component of the cartridge 104. The component defining the locking recess 514 is attached to, or is integrally formed with, one of the cartridge feet 404a that is received in its associated channel 506a. Once locked, a keyhole 515 is covered by a plug 518 that hides the keyhole 515. The plug 518 can be a press fit plastics or rubber plug, or can be a metal plug removable with, for example, a hex key, etc. In some embodiments, the key lock is of a proprietary rotating detainer disc type. [0053] The magnetically actuated lock 504 includes a mild steel latch assembly held under positive spring load (not shown) that has one or more retractable prongs that lock into a reciprocal locking recess 516 defined by a further component, such as the other cartridge foot 404b, of the cartridge 104. The mild steel latch disengages in reaction to the application of a magnet held outside the housing 102 adjacent the lock 504. The reciprocal locking recesses 514, 516 each have at least a ridge that bears against the catches 512 or prongs to prevent the movement and/or removal of the cartridge 104 from the housing 102. In some embodiments, the reciprocal locking recesses 514, 516 are similarly configured, and in other embodiments the reciprocal locking recesses 514, 516 are matched specifically to the shape and mechanism of the catches 512 and the retractable prongs, respectively.

[0054] Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawings, a back wall 600 of the cartridge defines a vertical groove 602. If accessories are attached to the outside of the housing 102, e.g. via bolts or other fasteners/retaining devices, this vertical groove 602 provides clearance for such fasteners/retaining devices protruding into the interior 110 of the housing 102. This allows the cartridge 104 to slide into the housing 102 even where the cartridge 104 fits snugly inside the housing 102.

[0055] When the locking mechanism 500 is unlocked, the cartridge 104 can be removed from the housing 102. To facilitate removal of the cartridge 104 from the housing 102, a removable lifter device, in the form of a handle 700, can be used as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The handle 700 is attached to the lid 120 via a lifter interface. In this embodiment, the handle 700 is connected to the cartridge lid 120 with screws 702 via which the handle 700 is attached when the screws 702 are screwed into screw holes 606 (also shown in Fig. 6) provided on opposed sides of the cartridge lid 120. In this embodiment, the screw holes 606 define the lifter interface.

3. The mounting system

[0056] Referring again to Fig. 1A, IB, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 of the drawings, the housing 102 is illustrated as being mounted on a substrate 112. More particularly, in this embodiment, the lower end 203 of the housing 102 bears against the substrate to inhibit access to the opening 204 of the housing 102. In other embodiments, the lower end of 203 of the housing 102 may be embedded in a concrete base sunk into the substrate 112 and/or may be mounted to a grating system received in the substrate 112. [0057] In this embodiment, when deployed the housing 102 is held in position by a mounting system 206 as best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The mounting system 206 has a mounting system foot, in the form of a foot pad 208, that is configured to be attached to, or anchored in, the substrate 112. For example, the mounting system footpad 208 may be cemented into the substrate 112, bolted to the substrate 112 via mounting holes 212 provided through the mounting system footpad 208, or welded to the grating system, where provided.

[0058] The mounting system 206 has an upright mounting support 214 extending from the foot pad 208 that carries a guide plate 216 and a holding formation. In the illustrated embodiment, the holding formation comprises at least one pair of opposed gripping arms 218, each with a hardened gripping outer surface 220, the gripping arms 218 being aligned with each other and arranged on a diagonal of the footpad 208. The holding formation further includes a second pair of opposed gripping arms 218. The arms 218 of the second pair are also aligned with each other with the pairs being orthogonally arranged on the mounting support 214. Instead of the gripping arms 218, the holding formation may be provided by a different type of expanding fastener such as a screw-based clamp.

[0059] To deploy, the housing 102 typically slides over an already positioned mounting system 206, the second opening 204 of the housing 102 receiving the mounting system 206 so that the guide plate 216 slides into (and in some embodiments closes) the second opening 204. The mounting system 206 includes an actuator 300 (Fig. 3) for actuating the arms 218 of the holding formation. The actuator 300 comprises a manipulating element which, in this embodiment, is in the form of a nut 222 accessible from above the guide plate 216 through the opening 108 of the housing 102 prior to insertion of the cartridge 104 into the housing 102. [0060] The nut 222 manipulates a displacement mechanism 302 arranged in the mounting support 214. The displacement mechanism 302 comprises a worm and roller gear combination. Each arm 218 has a roller gear 303 integrally formed with it. A rotating worm gear 304, part of the worm and roller gear combination, is mounted and secured on a shaft 306 extending from the guide plate 216 into the support 214. The shaft 306 is rotatably mounted in the mounting support 214. The nut 222 is mounted on an end of the shaft 306 protruding through the guide plate 216. Manipulation of the nut 222 in a first direction causes the arms 218 to flare and bear firmly against inner corners of the housing body 106 of the housing 102 to hold the housing 102 in place on the mounting system 206. Once the housing 102 is mounted on the mounting system 206, apart from possibly part of the footpad 208, the mounting system 206 is generally not visible or accessible from outside the assembly 100. Further, once the cartridge 104 has been inserted into the housing 102, the nut 222 is inaccessible to unauthorised personnel. [0061] The footpad 208 includes at least one aperture 210 that allows external cables (such as sensor or instrumentation cables) to enter the interior 110 of the housing 102 from the substrate 112. A cable guide 224 is connected to and runs along the upright mounting support 214. The cable guide 224 receives and guides such external cables from the aperture 210 up through a corresponding aperture 226 in the guide plate 216. The aperture 226 allows the cables to pass through the mounting system 206 to be received through the cable gland 402 of the cartridge 104 to connect to electronics contained in the compartment 231 of the cartridge 104. Because cables can enter the interior 110 of the housing 102 directly from the substrate 112 below the mounting system 206, it is possible to contain the cables that extend from the substrate entirely within the interior of the housing, so that the cables are not exposed outside the housing 102 of the assembly 100.

[0062] The assembly 100 described herein advantageously holds electronic equipment in manner that avoids typical enclosure weak points such as hinges, clasps, tabs, external mounting brackets, externally exposed cables, handles, latches and gaps around door edges, access points or closures that can make it easier to pry open the enclosure or remove the enclosure from a supporting pole. The hingeless closure of the housing 102 inhibits unauthorised access to the assembly 100 when the cartridge 104 is received in the housing 102. Also, because the edge of the lid 120 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the housing 102 when the cartridge 104 is in place, there is reduced leverage surface that can be used to lift the cartridge 104 out of the housing 102. Because the housing 102 itself (with or without a mounting system) is securely mounted to the substrate, the housing itself cannot be easily removed or vandalised. When a mounting system 206 is used, having at least the holding formation of the mounting system 206 within the housing 102 and inaccessible from outside the housing 102, adds to the tamper resistant qualities of the assembly 100. In addition, locking the cartridge 104 to the housing 102 adds to the robustness and safety of the assembly 100. Having the solar panels 242 contained within the housing 102 also inhibits the removal or vandalism of the solar panels 242. Because the cabling enters the assembly 100 from the substrate 112 directly into the housing 102, there are no exposed cables.

Collected data has a better chance of being preserved when a more secure assembly, like the one described herein, is used for housing the electronics.

[0063] In addition to the tamper resistant qualities of the assembly 100, the cartridge 104 is also configurable. This means that the assembly 100 is modular allowing multiple combinations of instrumentation, power supplies, communication electronics etc. to be used in different cartridges.

[0064] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.