Modular housing apparatus
Systems, modes, and methods for mounting one or more electronic housings to each other and to a rack mount system, a table mount system, or wall mount system. The mounting system includes a first pair of matching sliding panels that interface with each other in a slidingly engaging manner. Each of the first pair of sliding panels can be mounted to housings prior to being engaged with each other; the engagement of the first pair of sliding panels removably fixes the two housings together; additional housings can be fixed to the first two in a substantially similar manner. In the pair of sliding panels, a first panel includes an upper U-shaped channel and a lower U-shaped channel, each of which are formed by an inner lip and an outer lip, the outer lip being of greater height than the inner lip; the second panel includes an upper U-shaped channel and a lower U-shaped channel, each of which is formed by a wall of the second panel and a respective inner lip of the second panel. Respective inner lips of the second panel slidingly engage to fit within the respective upper and lower U-shaped channels of the first panel.
1 . A system for joining electronic equipment housings together in a rack apparatus, the system comprising:
a first substantially planar panel (first panel) comprising
a first edge,
a second opposing edge (second edge),
a first U-shaped channel on the first edge,
a second U-shaped channel on the second edge, wherein each of the first and second U-shaped channels comprise inner surfaces that face each other and are substantially parallel to each other; and
a second substantially planar panel (second panel) comprising
a first U-shaped lip channel adapted to slidingly engage and mate with the first U-shaped channel on the first edge of the first panel, and
a second U-shaped lip channel adapted to slidingly engage and mate with the second U-shaped channel on the second edge of the first panel, and wherein
the first panel is further adapted to be attached to a respective one of the housings, and further wherein
the second panel is further adapted to be attached to a respective one of the housings, and wherein
each of the first and second U-shaped lip channels comprise:
a lip portion adapted to slidingly engage and fit into respective first and second U-shaped channels on the first and second edges, and wherein each of the first and second U-shaped channels comprise:
an outer wall portion that has a first height extending from an uppermost portion of a respective edge of the U-shaped channel to a bottom of the U-shaped channel; and
an inner wall portion that has a second height extending from an uppermost portion of the inner wall to the bottom of the U-shaped channel, and wherein
a depth of the U-shaped channel is substantially similar to the second height wherein, the second height is less than the first height, and wherein
a width and height of the lip portion is substantially similar to a width and height of the U-shaped channel, such that the lip portion is adapted to fit in a slidingly engaging manner with the U-shaped channel.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first panel is further adapted to be made part of a respective one of the housings.
3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second panel is further adapted to be made part of a respective one of the housings.
4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first U-shaped channel on the first edge of the first panel comprises a first opening, and
the second U-shaped channel on the second edge of the first panel comprises a second opening, and further wherein
the first opening of the first U-shaped channel on the first edge of the first panel and
the second opening of the second U-shaped channel on the second edge of the first panel face are oriented such that the first opening and second opening open in substantially opposite directions.
5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first U-shaped lip channel on the first edge of the second panel comprises a first opening, and
the second U-shaped lip channel on the second edge of the second panel comprises a second opening, and further wherein
the first opening of the first U-shaped lip channel on the first edge of the second panel and
the second opening of the second U-shaped lip channel on the second edge of the second panel open towards each other.