Cabinet frame enclosures, frame members and corresponding methods
View Patent ↗According to some aspects of the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed for cabinet frames, including frame members coupled together via corner copulas. Frame members may include external and internal channels and surfaces for mounting external and internal components. Systems and methods are also disclosed for coupling the frame members and corner copulas.
1. An electrical equipment cabinet comprising:
frame members defining four sides, a top, and a bottom of the cabinet, at least one of the frame members including interior walls defining an opening at an end of the frame member and a connecting rib extending between opposite interior walls or between opposite interior corners defined by adjacent interior walls, the connecting rib including a central boss structure having threads;
a corner copula including a wall and at least two separated prongs extending from the wall to define a central channel, the at least two prongs extending into the opening of the at least one frame member to create a friction fit therebetween;
a gasket positioned around the at least two prongs and between the wall of the corner copula and the at least one frame member; and
a fastener extending through the central channel and into the central boss structure to couple the corner copula to the at least one frame member;
wherein the wall of the corner copula includes at least one raised portion that defines a recess, the gasket is positioned in the recess, and a thickness of the gasket exceeds a height of the at least one raised portion such that the gasket is compressed when the frame member is coupled to the corner copula.
2. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rib extends between central portions of opposite internal walls.
3. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rib extends between opposite interior corners.
4. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rib divides the frame member opening into a first opening portion and a second opening portion.
5. The electrical equipment cabinet claim of claim 4 , wherein a first of the at least two separated prongs extends into the first opening portion and a second of the at least two separated prongs extends into the second opening portion so that the connecting rib is positioned in the central channel between the at least two separated prongs.
6. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the central channel of the corner copula has a cross-section corresponding to a cross-section of the connecting rib and the central boss structure that allows the connecting rib and the central boss structure to be positioned in the central channel when the at least two prongs of the corner copula are positioned in the opening of the frame member.
7. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein the at least two separated prongs each have an approximately L-shaped cross-section and two exterior surfaces that are substantially perpendicular.
8. The electrical equipment cabinet of claim 1 , wherein:
the corner copula further includes a second wall having a second set of at least two separated prongs extending therefrom to engage an opening of a second of the plurality of frame members;
the corner copula further includes a third wall having a third set of at least two separated prongs extending therefrom to engage an opening of a third of the plurality of frame members; and
the second and third frame members each including interior walls and a connecting rib extending between the interior walls and having a central boss structure.
9. A method of constructing an electrical equipment cabinet having at least one frame member and at least one corner copula, the frame member having interior walls defining an opening and a connecting rib extending between the interior walls and having a central boss structure, the corner copula having a wall with at least two separate prongs extending from the wall to define a central channel between the prongs, the wall including at least one raised portion that defines at least a portion of a recess in the wall, the method comprising:
positioning a gasket in the recess, around the at least two prongs, and between the wall of the corner copula and the frame member, wherein a thickness of the gasket exceeds a height of the at least one raised portion;
inserting the at least two prongs into the opening of the frame member to create a friction fit between the prongs and the interior walls of the frame member;
inserting a fastener through an opening in the wall of the corner copula, through the central channel of the corner copula and into the central boss structure to couple the corner copula to the frame member; and
tightening the fastener until the frame member is in contact with the at least one raised portion, thereby compressing the gasket.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein inserting the at least two prongs includes guiding the connecting rib and the central boss structure into the central channel between the two prongs.
11. An electrical equipment cabinet comprising:
frame members defining four sides, a top, and a bottom of the cabinet, at least one of the frame members including interior walls defining an opening at an end of the frame member and a connecting rib extending between opposite interior walls or between opposite interior corners defined by adjacent interior walls, the connecting rib including a central boss structure having threads;
a corner copula including a wall and at least two separated prongs extending from the wall to define a central channel, the at least two prongs extending into the opening of the at least one frame member to create a friction fit therebetween;
a gasket positioned between the wall of the corner copula and the at least one frame member; and
a fastener extending through the central channel and into the central boss structure to couple the corner copula to the at least one frame member;
wherein the wall of the corner copula defines a recess, the gasket positioned in the recess, and wherein the wall of the corner copula includes at least one raised portion that defines at least a portion of the recess, and wherein a thickness of the gasket exceeds a height of the raised portion such that the gasket is compressed when the frame member is coupled to the corner copula.