Patent ID: 8052231
Filing Date: 2011-11-08
Classification: H05K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of filling in one or more vacant sections of an equipment rack or enclosure of the type including at least one pair of spaced apart vertically extending mounting rails each configured with a plurality of U-spaced openings to support rack-mounted equipment, the method comprising: providing a blanking panel having an elongated body constructed and arranged to install the blanking panel in a substantially horizontal orientation between the pair of mounting rails of an equipment rack or enclosure, the elongated body including a first side wall and a second opposing side wall, a front wall connecting the first side wall with the second side wall in such a manner that the first side wall, the front wall and the second side wall create a C-shaped channel, wherein the first and second side walls are of equal length, at least a portion of the first side wall and at least a portion of the second side wall being constructed to interface with a second blanking panel installed within the equipment rack adjacent to and above or below the blanking panel to form an air seal there between and constructed of at least one material that permits the portions of the first and second side walls to one of deflect, flex and compress in response to an application of force; aligning a first attachment configuration disposed along a first end of the elongated body with at least one U-spaced opening of a first rail of the pair of mounting rails, and aligning a second attachment configuration disposed along a second end of the elongated body with at least one U-spaced opening of a second rail of the pair of mounting rails; moving the blanking panel between the pair of mounting rails to center the blanking panel between the pair of mounting rails and to dispose the first attachment configuration flush with the first mounting rail and to dispose the second attachment configuration flush with the second mounting rail; and applying sufficient force to the blanking panel to cause each attachment configuration to engage a surface of its respective mountain rail, and to interface at least a portion of the elongated body flush with a portion of one of an adjacent second blanking panel and in adjacent equipment component to form an air seal therebetween.