Universal electronics cabinet

An electronics cabinet having a height, a width and a depth, said cabinet comprising in combination:

• a top formed of a first section of flat metal sheet into a pan-like configuration having a top central portion which defines a top of said cabinet and four topsides which extend from said top central portion, perpendicular to said top central portion, to define top corners and top rim portions which extend adjacent to lower edges of said four topsides;
• a base formed of a second section of flat metal sheet into a pan-like configuration having a base central portion which defines a floor of said cabinet and four base sides which extend from said base central portion, perpendicular to said base central portion, to define base corners and base rim portions which extend adjacent to upper edges of said four base sides;
• four posts formed of respective sections of flat metal sheet, said posts having lengths which extend said height of said cabinet, with end portions of said posts overlapping and fitting flush against outer sides of respective ones of said top and base corners of said top and base sides;
• and
• said posts further having respective post sides which define post widths and post thicknesses, said post widths being at least two and one-half times wider than said post thicknesses and extending parallel to said depth of said cabinet, and said post thicknesses extending parallel to said width of said cabinet;
• said top and base sides having openings formed there-through proximate to said corners and adjacent to said end portions of said posts which overlap said top and base corners, said openings defining edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings;
• plug welds joining said end portions of said posts and said edge portions of said top and base sides which are adjacent to said openings;
• fillet welds joining said end portions of said posts and said top and base rim portions;
• and
• edges of terminal ends of said posts being disposed adjacent to respective bend lines between said top and base central portions and respective ones of said top and base sides, and said edges of said terminal ends of said posts free of being joined to said bend lines of said top and said base.

A method for fabricating an electronics cabinet having a height, a width and a depth, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing several sections of flat metal sheet;
• forming a first of the sections of metal sheet into a pan-like configuration to provide a top having a top central portion which defines a top of the cabinet and a plurality of topsides which extend from the top central portion, perpendicular to the top central portion, to define top corners and top rim portions which extend adjacent to lower edges of four topsides;
• forming a second section of metal sheet into a pan-like configuration to provide a base having a base central portion which defines a floor of the cabinet and a plurality of base sides which extend from the base central portion, perpendicular to the base central portion, to define base corners and base rim portions which extend adjacent to upper edges of the base sides;
• forming openings through the topsides and the base sides, proximate to respective ones of the corners of the top and bas, the openings defining edge portions of the top and base sides which are adjacent to the openings;
• forming a plurality of posts of sections of flat metal sheet of lengths which extend the height of the cabinet, and post widths and post thicknesses, the post widths being at least two and one-half times wider than the post thicknesses;
• fitting the end portions of the posts flush against and outside of respective ones of the top and base corners defined by respective ones of the top and base sides, with the lengths of the posts extending from the top to the base, the openings through the top and base sides disposed adjacent to the end portions of the posts, the post widths extending parallel to the depth of the cabinet, and the post thicknesses extending parallel to the width of the cabinet;
• welding the edge portions of the top and base sides which are defined by the openings to adjoining regions of respective ones of the end portions of the posts;
• and
• welding the top and base rim portions to adjacent regions of respective ones of the end portions of the posts.