Communication equipment cabinet arrangement

#This invention relates to a communication equipment cabinet which utilizes circuit module housings as the side panels of the cabinet.

#In prior art communication equipment cabinet design, the cabinets basically consisted of a frame around which sheet metal or plastic surfaces were affixed. In these types of cabinets, there was always a space between the communication equipment which mounted to the cabinet frame and the cabinet walls. This space was often wasted space.

#As communication equipment continues to decrease in size, there is a continuing need to eliminate wasted space and to decrease the size of the communication equipment cabinets. Additionally, when the communication circuitry is designed to be modular in size, this imposes additional design problems and complexities on equipment cabinet designs.

#The operation of this invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a communication equipment cabinet in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view taken along axis A--A of FIG. 1 to illustrate the connection of the top cover to the mounting apparatus and the connection of the front cover to the top cover and circuit pack modules;

#Shown in FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a communication equipment cabinet 101 and an assembled cabinet 102. The cabinet 101 comprises a circuit pack housing arrangement 110, a top panel 120, and a front panel 130. Circuit pack housing arrangement 110 includes circuit pack housings or modules 111, 112 and 113 mounted to a mounting apparatus 114. One embodiment of such a circuit pack mounting arrangement 110 is disclosed in our concurrently filed, co-pending patent application Ser. No. 925,078, filed Oct. 30, 1986, entitled "A Swing-In Circuit Module Mounting Arrangement" and designated as Hiatt-Martin-Millman, the description of which is incorporated by reference herein.

#According to the present invention, the right-side surface 113A of circuit pack module 113 comprises a substantial part of the right-side of cabinet 101. This aspect is better illustrated by 113A of cabinet 102. The left-side surface (not shown) of circuit pack module 111 comprises a substantial part of the left side of cabinet 101. The end partitions 115 and 116, which are part of the mounting apparatus 114, also form part of the right side and left side, respectively, of cabinet 101. A fully assembled cabinet 102 appears as shown with top cover 120, front cover 130, circuit module 113 and mounting apparatus 114.

#While the detailed assembly of a typical cabinet will be described in later paragraphs, the general sequence for assembling cabinet 101 is as follows. Circuit modules 111, 112, and 113 are installed on mounting apparatus 114. Top cover 120 is then hooked or connected onto mounting apparatus 114 and then rotated until it rests on circuit modules 111, 112 and 113. Front cover 130 is then hooked onto top cover 120 and rotated until it is flat against the front of circuit modules 111, 112 and 113. The bottom of front cover 130 is then connected at each end to circuit modules 111 and 113.