Enclosure with sliding and pivoting cover
AssigneeCarnes Company, Inc.
InventorAnthony Corners
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An enclosure comprises a housing defining an opening, and a cover movable between a closed position, a slide open position, and a hinge open position. The hinge open position is rotationally displaced about a hinge axis from the closed position, and the slide open position is translationally displaced from the closed position along a slide path that is perpendicular to the hinge axis. There is a position between the closed position and the slide open position in which rotation of the cover is inhibited.
Claims18
An enclosure comprising:
- a housing defining a hollow space and including an opening to the hollow space;
- a cover coupled to the housing and movable relative to the opening between a closed position, a slide open position, and a hinge open position,
- wherein the hinge open position is rotationally displaced from the closed position about a hinge axis positioned adjacent a distal end of the housing,
- wherein the slide open position is translationally displaced from the closed position along a slide path that is skewed to the hinge axis,
- wherein in the slide open position rotation of the cover is inhibited, and
- wherein there is a position between the closed position and the slide open position in which rotation of the cover is inhibited.
A method of operating an enclosure having a housing and a cover, wherein the housing defines a hollow space and includes an opening to the hollow space, wherein the housing includes a first hinge member and a flange that guides a second hinge member during a sliding step, and wherein the cover includes the second hinge member, the method comprising:
- positioning the cover in a slide open position engaged with the housing and with at least a substantial portion of the opening uncovered;
- sliding the cover along a slide path toward a hinge axis adjacent a distal end of the housing, thereby positioning the cover in a closed position with a substantial portion of the opening covered;
- inhibiting rotation of the cover relative to the housing at a position between the slide open position and the closed position;
- engaging the second hinge member with the first hinge member prior to rotating the cover;
- and
- rotating the cover relative to the housing about the hinge axis that is skewed relative to the slide path.
An enclosure comprising:
- a housing having walls defining a hollow space and including an opening to the hollow space, wherein at least two opposing walls each defines a rail on an outer surface of the wall;
- a cover including two opposing followers coupling the cover to the housing, each follower being positioned to engage a corresponding rail,
- wherein the cover is movable relative to the opening between a closed position, a slide open position, and a hinge open position,
- wherein the hinge open position is rotationally displaced from the closed position about a hinge axis,
- wherein the slide open position is translationally displaced from the closed position along a slide path that is skewed to the hinge axis,
- wherein the housing defines opposing hinge recesses each adapted to receive one of the opposing followers when the cover is in the hinge open position;
- and
- wherein the hinge axis is positioned adjacent a distal end of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.