Rail mounting clamp for electronic equipment enclosure
AssigneeChatsworth Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard Evans Lewis, II, D. Brian Donowho
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure having side cross members between front and rear frames, a vertical mounting rail and a clamping bracket attached to the vertical mounting rail. At least one of the side cross members defines an interior-facing channel that extends at least substantially along the length thereof. Upon insertion into the channel, the clamping bracket is rotatable within the channel to tighten, and thereby fasten, the vertical mounting rail to the frame structure.
Claims19
An electronic equipment enclosure comprising:
- a) a frame structure that includes side cross members between front and rear frames, wherein at least one of the side cross members defines an interior-facing channel that extends at least substantially along the length thereof;
- (b) a vertical mounting rail;
- and
- (c) a clamping bracket attached to the vertical mounting rail;
- (d) wherein, upon insertion into the channel, the clamping bracket is rotatable within the channel to tighten, and thereby fasten, the vertical mounting rail to the frame structure.
A mounting clamp for use in fastening a vertical mounting rail in an electronic equipment enclosure, the mounting clamp comprising:
- a) a clamping bracket, including:
- (i) a central portion having a pair of ends;
- and
- (ii) a pair of flanges, each flange extending from the central portion at opposite sides thereof, the flanges being spaced apart from one another to straddle a C-shaped portion of a vertical mounting rail;
- (b) a threaded rod rigidly attached to the clamping bracket and extending from the central portion;
- and
- (c) a nut for engagement with the threaded rod to permit fastening of the clamping bracket to the vertical mounting rail.
A method of fastening a vertical mounting rail to an electronic equipment enclosure comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a frame structure that includes side cross members between front and rear frames, wherein at least one of the side cross members defines an interior-facing channel that extends at least substantially along the length thereof;
- (b) loosely attaching a clamping bracket having a pair of spaced-apart flanges at sides thereof to a vertical mounting rail having a C-shaped portion;
- (c) configuring the clamping bracket such that the pair of spaced-apart flanges are oriented crosswise relative to the vertical mounting rail;
- (d) inserting the clamping bracket into the channel of a selected side cross member;
- and
- (e) rotating the clamping bracket within the channel to position ends of the clamping bracket within the channel and align the spaced-apart flanges to straddle the C-shaped portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.