Robust lightweight electronic rack enclosure

The embodiments of the instant invention comprise a lightweight, robust electronic rack enclosure. The embodiments are comprised of an outer chassis, an inner chassis, bottom vibration isolators, and top vibration isolators. The outer chassis is comprised of an outer chassis door, two outer chassis side assemblies, an outer chassis top panel, an outer chassis bottom panel, and an outer chassis back panel. The inner chassis is comprised of two inner chassis side assemblies, an inner chassis top panel, and an inner chassis bottom panel. Each outer chassis side assembly is comprised of a flat outer chassis side panel, one or more diagonal reinforcing members, one or more horizontal reinforcing members, and one or more vertical reinforcing members. Each inner chassis side assembly is comprised of an inner chassis flat side panel, and one or more inner chassis side panel horizontal supports.

Not applicable

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The field of the embodiments is electronics and more specifically the housing of rack-mountable electronic components in robust, lightweight rack system that isolates the electronic components from vibration from the surroundings.

BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Electronic components are commonly manufactured in component form. These electronic components are commonly housed in electronic chassis with identical size and attachment mechanisms that slide into electronic rack enclosures. The electronic rack enclosures allow the user of the electronic components to readily access the electronic components and interconnect the components with the appropriate electronic connections. Therefore, the electronic rack enclosures serve as means of storing and protecting valuable electronic components.

These electronic rack enclosures are typically rectangular in shape and have historically been made of metal, either stainless steel or aluminum. In hostile environments these electronic rack enclosures undergo significant mechanical stresses. These mechanical stresses are in the form of mechanical vibrations over a broad spectrum of frequencies and amplitudes. Unfortunately, if the rack is not properly designed, the mechanical vibrations are transferred to the electronic components. Since electronic components are typically fragile and expensive, the transfer of the mechanical vibration stress can result in damage or destruction of expensive electronic equipment. Furthermore, in critical applications, transfer of mechanical vibration resulting in the destruction of the electronic component can produce a catastrophic loss of electronic functionality. Depending on the application and the electronic function, this loss could result in property damage and loss of life.

In any case, the electronic rack enclosures are storage devices for the electronic components. In many applications, particularly military applications, it is critical to make the enclosures that are structurally strong and isolate the electronic components from vibrations transferred from the surroundings. The easiest method of achieving strength and vibration isolation is to increase the mass of the components of the electronic rack enclosure. In many applications, however, increasing mass is not desirable or even possible.

There are many applications where a strong, vibration-free electronic rack enclosure must be also the lightest possible. In aerospace and naval applications, increased weight translates directly into additional costs, particularly fuel costs. Over the lifetime of the electronic component, any additional weight adds significantly to the use of the electronic component. Therefore, there are many applications where it is desirable to employ an electronic rack enclosure with the greatest possible strength and vibration isolation characteristics to meet the application requirements, but at the same time minimize the mass of the electronic rack enclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure are comprised of an outer chassis, an inner chassis, bottom vibration isolators, and top vibration isolators. The outer chassis is comprised of an outer chassis door, two outer chassis side assemblies, an outer chassis top panel, an outer chassis bottom panel, and an outer chassis back panel. The inner chassis is comprised of two inner chassis side assemblies, an inner chassis top panel, and an inner chassis bottom panel.

In this respect, it is to be understood that the embodiments in this application are not limited to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the embodiments described in this application. Additional benefits and advantages of the present embodiments will become apparent in those skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from the description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the embodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure100are comprised of an outer chassis101, an inner chassis150, bottom vibration isolators104, and top vibration isolators1701.

The outer chassis101is comprised of an outer chassis door102, two outer chassis side assemblies105, an outer chassis top panel assembly106, an outer chassis bottom panel assembly107, and an outer chassis back panel103.

The inner chassis150is comprised of two inner chassis side assemblies405, an inner chassis top panel assembly406, and an inner chassis bottom panel407. The inner chassis top panel assembly406is further comprised of a top panel1101which forms apertures1104through which various hardware such as hooks and hangers can be mounted. In addition the inner chassis top panel assembly406is further comprised of inner top panel edge members1102and inner top panel center members1103which provide structural support for the top panel.

The inner chassis bottom panel407is further comprised of a bottom panel1201which forms apertures1204through which various hardware such as hooks and hangers can be mounted. In addition the inner chassis bottom panel assembly407is further comprised of inner bottom panel edge members1202and inner bottom panel center members1203which provide structural support for the bottom panel.

The metallic materials include without limitation aluminum, steel or stainless steel. The composite materials include without limitation carbon fiber-reinforced polymer or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic composite materials wherein the polymer is commonly epoxy, but other polymers, such as polyester, vinyl ester or nylon, are sometimes used. The composite materials may also incorporate other reinforcing materials such as para-aramid synthetic polymer, aluminium, and fiberglass reinforcement materials. The terms graphite-reinforced polymer or graphite fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) are also used, but less commonly, since glass-(fiber)-reinforced polymer can also be called GFRP. In product advertisements, it is sometimes referred to simply as graphite fiber (or graphite fibre), for short.

In order to minimize the weight of all embodiments and yet maintain sufficient structural integrity of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure, the outer chassis101and the inner chassis150and all of their subcomponents as described below are manufactured from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) material. CFRP material means any material that is produced by molding or forming carbon fiber material into any polymeric material including, without limitation, epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester or nylon. In addition, in place of or in addition to carbon fibers, other fibers such as para-aramid synthetic polymeric fibers (e.g., Kevlar fibers), aluminium fibers, and fiberglass fibers may be used as reinforcing fibers. Using CFRP as the main structural material significantly reduces the mass density of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure. Using CFRP also necessitates using structural reinforcement of the components of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure.

The term adhesive means indicates the application of an adhesive such as, but without limitation, epoxy or other natural or synthetic polymeric adhesives to the surface of the appropriate structural reinforcing component.

The term structural reinforcing component is meant to include the various diagonal, horizontal and vertical reinforcing flanges attached to the inside surface of the various inner and outer assemblies of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure. The surface of the appropriate structural reinforcing component is then brought into contact with the corresponding surface of the mating surface to form an adhesive joint. This adhesive joint is cured to form a permanent adhesive joint.

The outer chassis101is assembled by mating the appropriate components via an adhesive means. As way of an example, the outer chassis top panel assembly106is connected to the two outer chassis side assemblies105through an adhesive means.

The inner chassis150is assembled by the appropriate mating components via an adhesive means. As way of an example, the inner chassis top panel407is connected to both inner chassis side assemblies405through an adhesive means.

The structural reinforcing components of each component of the outer chassis101and inner chassis150serve to strengthen the outer chassis101and inner chassis150to accommodate the various stress modes that the components of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure experience and to provide surfaces to which adhesives can be applied to assemble the outer chassis101and inner chassis150. The stress modes include elongational, compression, flexural and torsional stresses of various frequencies and amplitudes. In the various embodiments, these structural reinforcing components are attached to the inside of the assemblies. The structural reinforcing components are comprised of hollow tubes manufactured from CFRP. The cross-sectional geometries of the hollow CFRP tubes can be circular, square, triangular or rectangular. In the preferred embodiments of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure, the cross-sectional geometry is square or rectangular with a side dimension of between ½ inch and 3 inches.

A detail of the edge and corner construction of the inner150and outer101chasses is illustrated inFIG. 19a(upper corner) andFIG. 19b(lower corner). The upper and lower edges of the chassis are constructed and reinforced with the hollow tube structural reinforcing components and an overlay of CFRP sheet. In the embodiment shown ifFIGS. 19aand19b, a square CFRP tube1901is placed along all top edges of the outer chassis101. InFIG. 19a, this square CFRP tube1901is shown placed along one edge. An overlay CFRP reinforcing sheet1902is placed over the CFRP tube1901and overlaps both the top of the106chassis and the side of the chassis105. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 19a, the CFRP reinforcing sheet1902is placed on the inside of the side of the chassis105. In another embodiment, the CFRP reinforcing sheet1902is placed on the outside of the side of the chassis105.

Each outer chassis side assembly105is comprised of a flat outer chassis side panel501, one or more diagonal members701, one or more horizontal members702, and one or more vertical members703. The diagonal members701, horizontal members702, and vertical members703are affixed to the flat outer chassis side panels via an adhesive means.

The outer chassis door is comprised of a flat outer chassis door panel109, of one or more door diagonal members108and one or more door horizontal members110. The door diagonal members108and the door horizontal members110are affixed to the flat outer chassis door panel109via an adhesive means.

The outer chassis top panel assembly106is further comprised of a flat outer chassis top panel901, four outer chassis top side tubes902, one or more outer chassis top edge reinforcing members903, one or more outer top panel horizontal supports904, and one or more metallic reinforcing strips804. The top panel edge supports902and the one or more outer chassis top edge reinforcing members903are affixed to the outer chassis top panel assembly106via an adhesive means.

The outer chassis bottom panel assembly107is comprised of an outer chassis bottom flat panel801, four outer chassis bottom side tubes802, one or more outer chassis bottom edge reinforcing members803, and one or more metallic reinforcing strips804. The outer chassis bottom edge reinforcing members are affixed to the outer chassis bottom flat panel via an adhesive means. In addition, the outer chassis bottom edge reinforcing members are affixed to the four outer chassis bottom side tubes802via an adhesive means forming an integral structure as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8. The outer chassis bottom edge reinforcing members803serve to strengthen the outer chassis bottom panel assembly107, and, in turn, strengthen the entire outer chassis101. The plurality of metallic reinforcing strips804serve to tie the reinforcing members803to further tie the outer chassis bottom edge reinforcing members803to the bottom flat panel801. In one embodiment the one or more metallic reinforcing strips804are manufactured from aluminum.

The outer chassis back panel103is an unornamented flat panel constructed from CFRP as is affixed to two outer chassis side assemblies105, one outer chassis top panel assembly106, one outer chassis bottom panel assembly107.

The inner chassis150is comprised of two inner chassis side assemblies, an inner chassis bottom panel, an inner chassis top panel.

The inner chassis side assemblies are comprised of an inner chassis flat side panel1001, and one or more inner chassis side panel horizontal supports1002. The inner chassis side panel horizontal supports are affixed to the inner chassis flat side panel1001and via an adhesive means.

The inner chassis150is comprised of attachment means to connect all of the inner chassis panels to form essentially smaller upright rectangular chassis that fits inside of the outer chassis. All components of both the outer chassis and the inner chassis150are comprised of lightweight carbon fiber components.

The inner chassis150is installed inside the outer chassis and secured by a plurality of bottom vibration isolators104and a plurality of top vibration isolators1701. The plurality of bottom vibration isolators are secured to the outer chassis bottom panel assembly107via fasteners. The plurality of bottom vibration isolators are also secured to the inner chassis bottom panel407via fasteners. The plurality of top vibration isolators are secured to the outer chassis top panel assembly106via fasteners. The plurality of top vibration isolators are also secured to the inner chassis top panel406via fasteners. Fasteners include without limitation screws, rivets, or bolts.

In the best mode of operating the embodiments of the Robust Lightweight Electronic Rack Enclosure, the inner chassis150is installed inside of the outer chassis101. The inner chassis150is secured to the outer chassis101through a plurality of top vibration isolators1701and bottom vibration isolators104. The top1701and bottom104vibration isolators are secured to the inner chassis150and outer chassis101via fasteners. At this point electronic racks can be installed into the inner chassis. These electronic racks can in turn be electronically connected and employed in the application environment.