US 5,045,636 AGranted

Low closure force EMI/RFI shielded door

AssigneeChomerics, Inc.

InventorsEivind Johnasen, James McQueeney

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Abstract

An EMI/RFI shielded door assembly for use in controlling the movement of EMI/RFI in a shielded room or enclosure. The assembly has an electrically conductive frame defining a generally rectangular opening. A conductive door stop is formed on the inner surfaces of the top and side members of the frame to form a pocket into which a shielded door may be held when in its closed position. The threshold of the frame is preferably flat. A series of cam or drop hinges are used to mount the door to the frame. The hinges cause the door to be raised or lowered to or from the threshold as it is rotated on the hinges from a closed to an open position and vice versa. A low closure force gasket, e.g. less than 5 pounds per linear inch preferably formed of a conductive elastomer, is used to fill any gap that may exist between the door and the frame. Optionally, a rotatable EMI/RFI shielding means mounted in a hollow of the bottom of the door and comprised of a flap or flipper like blade attached to a rotatable rod can be used to seal the gap between the door and the threshold.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A shielded door assembly comprising:

a) an electrically conductive frame having two side members, a top member and a bottom threshold, the top member and bottom threshold interconnecting the side members respectively along the top and bottom portion of the frame;
the frame being mounted in an opening in an enclosure and being in electrical connection with the opening;
b) an electrically conductive door stop attached to the two side members and top member of the frame and in electrical connection with the frame;
c) an electrically conductive door pivotally secured to the frame and adapted for pivoting between an open and closed position, the door having an outer edge which is generally parallel to the frame and doorstop and cooperating with the doorstop when the door is in its closed position so that the door is in electrical connection with the doorstop;
d) the doorstop having one or more electrically conductive resilient gaskets secured to a surface of the door stop with which the door is in electrical connection, the gaskets being secured to the doorstop and in electrical connection with the doorstop, the gaskets being adapted for engagement with the outer edge of the door when the door is in its closed position so as to establish an electrical connection between the door and the doorstop;
e) the door having a recess along a bottom portion of the door, the recess being substantially parallel to the threshold of the frame, the recess containing a rotatable electrically conductive sealing device to establish an electrical contact between the threshold and the door when the door is in its closed position;
and,
f) a latching device mounted on the door for maintaining the door in its closed position.

5 more elements

A shielded door assembly comprising:

a) an electrically conductive door frame generally rectangular in shape and designed to fit within an opening in an electrically conductive enclosure, the door frame having a top member, two side members depending downwardly from the top member, the two side members being spaced apart from and parallel to each other, and a threshold, spaced apart from and parallel to the top member, the threshold being attached to lower most portions of the two side member, the top member and two side members also containing an electrically conductive door stop along the innermost portions of the members;
b) an electrically conductive door attached to one of the two side members by a series of hinges, and being adapted to pivotally move between an opened and closed position, the door being of such a size and shape so as to fit within the door frame and to engage a substantial portion of the door stop;
c) the hinges which pivotally secure the door to the door frame having a means for raising and lowering the door from and to the threshold as the door is rotated between its closed and opened position;
d) an EMI/RFI gasket mounted around the periphery of the door stop and in engagement with a surface of the door when the door is in its closed position;
e) an EMI/RFI gasket along a bottom of the door so that it is in contact with the threshold of the door frame when the door is in a closed position, the gasket being subjected to limited friction and compression due to the ability of the hinges to raise and lower the door and the gasket thereon from and to the threshold as the door is rotated between its closed and opened positions;
and
f) a latch means for selectively securing the door in the door frame.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.