Abstract:
A multiple layer hinged enclosure utilizes two sets of parallel hinge pins to be able to stack as many layers as desired. An outer set of hinge pins is utilized by the cover and an inner set of hinge pins is utilized by intermediate layers to form an offset “shingle”effect.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to wiring enclosures and, more particularly, to a multiple layer hinged enclosure which is of modular construction to accommodate any desired number of layers. 
     Where telephone wires enter a building, there is usually provided an enclosure, called a building entrance box, which provides an interface between a signal transmission media cable entering a building and wires extending through the building to input jacks at various locations in the building. Such a box typically is provided in multiple layers, with the various layers being hinged one to the other so that every layer can be made accessible. It would be desirable to have such layers constructed in modular form so that any desired number of layers can be added where required. 
     It would also be desirable to have all the layers of such a box, or enclosure, hinged along the same side so that the wiring between layers does not have to extend “back and forth”across the layers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a multiple layered hinged enclosure comprising a base section, at least one intermediate section and a cover section. The base section has a side wall and two sets of first and second parallel axially offset hinge pins mounted to the side wall. The first hinge pins of the two sets are co-linear to each other and the second hinge pins of the two sets are co-linear to each other. Each intermediate section has two co-linear hinge members adapted to each engage the first hinge pin within a respective set of hinge pins, and two sets of first and second parallel axially offset hinge pins spaced the same as the two sets of first and second hinge pins of the base section. The cover section has two co-linear hinge members adapted to each engage the second hinge pin within a respective set of hinge pins. 
     In accordance with an aspect of this invention, each hinge member is formed with a snap-fit feature to engage a respective hinge pin. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements in different figures thereof are identified by the same reference numeral and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating an enclosure constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view schematically depicting a first configuration of a multiple layered hinged enclosure according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view schematically depicting a second configuration of a multiple layered hinged enclosure according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a wire path with a prior art multiple layer hinged enclosure; and 
     FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a wire path with a multiple layer hinged enclosure of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a three layer hinged enclosure, designated generally by the reference numeral  10  and constructed according to the present invention. The enclosure  10  includes a base section  12 , an intermediate section  14 , and a cover section  16 . As shown, the base section  12  includes a side wall  18  on which are mounted a first set of hinge pins  20 ,  22  which are axially offset one from the other, and a second set of hinge pins  24 ,  26  which are axially offset one from the other. The first set of hinge pins  20 ,  22  is parallel to the second set of hinge pins  24 ,  26 . The first hinge pins  20 ,  24  of the two sets are co-linear to each other and the second hinge pins  22 ,  26  of the two sets are co-linear to each other. Illustratively, all four of the hinge pins  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  are co-linear to each other. 
     The intermediate section  14  has two co-linear hinge members  28 ,  30  which are adapted to each engage the first hinge pin  20 ,  24  within a respective set of the hinge pins of the base section  12 . The hinge members  28 ,  30  are formed with a snap-fit feature to engage the hinge pins  20 ,  24 . Illustratively, as shown in FIG. 1, the hinge members  28 ,  30  are adjacent the bottom of the intermediate section  14  so that the intermediate section  14  can be stacked on top of the base section  12 . The intermediate section  14  is further formed with two sets of first and second parallel axially offset hinge pins  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  which are spaced the same as the two sets of first and second hinge pins  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  of the base section  12 . 
     The cover section  16  has two co-linear hinge members  40 ,  42  which are adapted to each engage a second hinge pin  20  or  32 , and  24  or  36 , respectively, within a respective set of hinge pins. Like the hinge members  28 ,  30 , the hinge members  40 ,  42  are formed with a snap-fit feature to engage respective hinge pins. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the base section  12 , the intermediate section  14  and the cover section  18  may be stacked to form a multiple layer hinged enclosure wherein all of the hinging takes place along the same side. 
     Sometimes it is desired to have a multiple layer hinged enclosure where an intermediate section is nested within a lower section. According to the present invention, this is accomplished by altering the intermediate section so that there are no hinge pins  32 ,  36  and the hinge members  28 ,  30  are positioned near the upper edge of the intermediate section. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the modified intermediate (or auxiliary) section  14 ′ is hingedly secured to the hinge pins  20 ,  24  of the base section  12  and the cover member  16  is hingedly secured to the hinge pins  22 ,  26  of the base section  12 . 
     The aforedescribed arrangement is advantageous when compared with multiple layer hinged enclosures according to the prior art wherein the hinges alternate side-to-side. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, in a prior art three layer hinged enclosure having a base section  44 , an intermediate section  46  and a cover section  48  hinged alternately side-to-side, the enclosure opens to a Z-shape. With this arrangement, if one wishes to run wires from the base section  44  to the cover section  48 , the wires have to traverse the entire length of the intermediate section  46 , as shown by the line  50 . 
     According to the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the multiple layer hinged enclosure opens like a book and the wire path is much shorter, as shown by the line  52 . 
     Accordingly, there has been disclosed an improved design of a multiple layer hinged enclosure. While an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment are possible, and it is therefore intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.