Systems and methods for weatherproof cabinets with variably cooled compartments
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for weatherproof cabinets with variably cooled compartments are provided. One such embodiment includes a housing having a door attached thereto, and in which a cooling compartment and a battery compartment are disposed. An electronics compartment is disposed within the cooling compartment, and an external fan is also disposed within the housing. Methods are also provided for transferring heat from inside the electronics compartment to the cooling compartment, from the cooling compartment to the outside of the housing, and from the battery compartment to the outside of the housing.
1. A weatherproof cabinet with variably cooled compartments, comprising:
a housing having at least a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, a right wall, and a rear wall, wherein at least one of said walls includes at least one vent;
a door at least partially attached to said housing, wherein said door provides a front wall for at least part of said housing;
a cooling compartment disposed within said housing;
an electronics compartment, adapted to house electronics, disposed within said cooling compartment and having at least a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, and a right wall which are separate from said walls of said housing;
a battery compartment, adapted to house at least one battery, disposed within said housing, wherein said battery compartment includes at least one opening for the through-flow of air from within said housing;
a first fan disposed within said housing, adapted to transfer air between the cooling compartment and a space external to the housing;
a second fan disposed within said electronics compartment and configured to cause air to circulate within said electronics compartment.
2. The weatherproof cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said left wall and said right wall each include at least one vent, and said first fan is configured to cause the flow of air through said at least one vent of said left wall into said cooling compartment, through said opening in said battery compartment into said battery compartment, and through said at least one vent of said right wall out of said cooling compartment.
3. The weatherproof cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said door is double-walled and has an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein said outer wall provides a front wall to at least part of said housing and said inner wall provides a front wail to at least part of said electronics compartment.
4. The weatherproof cabinet of claim 1 , further comprising a cable entrance compartment disposed within said housing, wherein said cable entrance compartment includes at least one opening for the through-flow of air between said battery compartment and said cooling compartment and at least one opening for the routing of cables into said cabinet.