Equipment mounting support base
A support base system includes a mounting pad, at least one support frame, and at least one equipment-specific mounting plate, which are together used for mounting equipment. The pad includes an opening through which cable is routed into the equipment. Each support frame is located within the pad opening and includes an aligned frame opening through which the cable is routed into the equipment. And each equipment-specific mounting plate is removably attached to and supported by the support frame and includes an aligned equipment-specific opening through which the cable is routed into the equipment. The equipment-specific mounting plates are interchangeably mountable to the support frame so that when changing out the equipment, the mounting plate can be changed out too, but the same pad and support frame can be used. Methods of manufacturing, installing, and retrofitting the support base are also provided.
1 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the mounting pad includes a ledge that is formed within the pad opening and that supports the support frame in place within the pad opening, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
2 . The support base of claim 1 , wherein the ledge extends peripherally all the way around the pad opening.
3 . The support base of claim 1 , wherein the support frame extends peripherally all the way around the pad opening.
4 . The support base of claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported by the mounting pad, wherein the mounting plate is supported by the lip.
5 . The support base of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate further includes mounting elements configured for attachment to mounting elements of the equipment to secure the equipment in place.
6 . The support base of claim 1 , further comprising two upright walls forming a double-wall arrangement that transfers load from the equipment downward through the mounting plate, to the support frame, and to the mounting pad, wherein the two upright walls are formed by the mounting plate and/or the support frame.
7 . The support base of claim 1 , wherein the support frame is secured to the mounting pad in a nested arrangement within the pad opening, and wherein the mounting plate is supported by the support frame within the pad opening in a nested arrangement with the support frame.
8 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the support frame is secured to the mounting pad in a nested arrangement within the pad opening, and wherein the mounting plate is supported by the support frame within the pad opening in a nested arrangement with the support frame, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
9 . The support base of claim 8 , wherein the mounting plate is supported by the support frame in the nested arrangement in a position with the mounting plate flush with a top surface of the mounting pad.
10 . The support base of claim 9 , wherein the support frame includes a frame upright wall that is inset spaced below a top surface of the mounting pad, and wherein the mounting plate overhangs the frame upright wall and is flush with the top surface of the mounting pad.
11 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported by the mounting pad, wherein the lip of the support frame is positioned and supported on the ledge of the pad opening, wherein the mounting plate is supported by the lip, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
12 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment s supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported by the mounting pad, wherein the mounting plate is supported by the lip,
wherein the support frame further includes a frame upright wall that extends upwardly from the lip and that is inset spaced below a top surface of the mounting pad, and wherein the mounting plate overhangs the frame upright wall and is flush with the top surface of the mounting pad, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
13 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported by the mounting pad, wherein the mounting plate is supported by the lip,
wherein the support frame includes a downwall extending downwardly from the lip and a frame upright wall extending upwardly from the lip, wherein the upright wall, the lip, and the downwall are each peripherally extending all the way around the pad opening and are together vertically extending from a bottom to a top of the mounting pad, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
14 . A support base for mounting electrical equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported by the mounting pad, wherein the lip of the support frame is positioned and supported on the ledge of the pad opening, wherein the mounting plate is supported by the lip, and
wherein the mounting plate includes a panel and a plate upright wall extending downward from the panel, wherein the cable opening is formed in the panel, and wherein the plate upright wall is supported on the support frame, and
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted.
15 . The support base of claim 14 , wherein the plate upright wall extends peripherally all the way around the pad opening.
16 . The support base of claim 14 , wherein the panel includes a peripheral outer portion that overhangs the support frame with the mounting plate flush with a top surface of the mounting pad.
17 . The support base of claim 14 , wherein the plate upright wall is positioned laterally inward from an outer edge of the mounting plate to form a lateral offset, the mounting plate includes a plate mounting element positioned within the lateral offset, and the support frame includes a frame mounting element positioned within the lateral offset and aligned with the plate attachment element so that the frame upright wall and the plate upright wall do not interfere with the removable attachment of the mounting plate to the support frame.
18 . A method of replacing the electrical equipment on a support base, the equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment;
at least one support frame positioned within the pad opening and having a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame, the mounting plate having a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables to the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to different equipment to be mounted,
wherein the method comprises:
retrofitting the support base by removing the equipment from the mounting plate, removing the mounting plate from the support frame, installing the different mounting plate onto the support frame, and installing the different equipment to the mounting plate, with the different mounting plate having the different cable opening configured for receiving and routing the cables to the different equipment to be installed, and with the support frame and mounting pad reused with the different mounting plate and the different equipment.
19 . A support base for mounting EV charging equipment powered by underground electrical cables, the support base comprising:
a mounting pad having a pad opening through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the mounting pad includes a ledge formed within and extending peripherally all the way around the pad opening;
at least one support frame positioned within and extending peripherally all the way around the pad opening, wherein the support frame has a frame opening aligned with the pad opening and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the support frame includes a lip that is laterally extending and supported on the ledge, wherein the support frame further includes a frame upright wall that extends upwardly from the lip and supports the mounting plate; and
at least one interchangeable mounting plate removably attached to and supported by the support frame and extending peripherally all the way around the pad opening, wherein the mounting plate includes a panel and a plate upright wall extending downward from the panel, wherein the plate upright wall is supported on the lip of the support frame, wherein the panel includes mounting elements configured for attachment to mounting elements of the equipment to secure the equipment in place without penetrating the pad and a cable opening aligned with the pad and support openings and through which the cables are routed into the equipment, wherein the cable opening is configured for receiving and routing the cables of the equipment to be mounted, wherein in use the equipment is supported on the mounting plate, which is supported on the support frame, which is supported on the base,
wherein the same pad and support frame can be interchangeably used with a different interchangeable mounting plate configured for receiving and routing the cables to, and for attaching to mounting elements of, different equipment to be mounted.
20 . The support base of claim 19 , wherein the mounting plate is supported by the support frame in a position with the mounting plate flush with a top surface of the mounting pad.