Abstract:
A removable rack mount frame for securing goods within a container while permitting unfettered access to the goods includes forming an inner frame assembly and an outer frame assembly. Nesting the inner frame assembly within the outer frame assembly in a manner that permits the inner frame assembly to slide relative to the outer frame assembly. A biasing mechanism is provided to one of the inner frame assembly or the outer frame assembly so as to arrest the inner frame assembly in a predetermined orientation relative to the outer frame assembly. Selectively operating the biasing mechanism to permit the inner frame assembly to be moved from the predetermined orientation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/563,159, filed on Jun. 20, 2005, and herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates, in general, to a removable rack mount frame, and deals more particularly with a removable rack mount frame having increased operability and functionality. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cases, containers, and the like, are typically utilized for the transportation of goods and equipment. As is known, these cases often experience rough handling conditions, as well as transit-related impacts and blows. 
     Of great concern, therefore, is the safety and protection of the goods or equipment stored within these cases. There has been proposed differing container systems that strive to protect the stored goods or equipment via the introduction of internal protective mechanisms, such as belts, straps, cushioning foam, bubble-wrap, or the like. 
     While protecting the transported goods and equipment to a certain degree, these known protective mechanisms often fail to protect their cargo during extreme impacts. Moreover, some of the known protective mechanisms are complex, and so provide a host of logistical and ergonomic difficulties when a user attempts to position the cargo within the case. 
     With the forgoing problems and concerns in mind, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame that not only protects the secured cargo against extreme impacts, but also facilitates an ease of packing and removability not heretofore known in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame for a case, that includes nested frame assemblies. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame for a case, whereby the removable rack mount frame enables the removal of the inner nested frame assembly from the outer frame assembly. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame for a case that includes nested frame assemblies which may be selectively disposed at differing structural orientations to one another. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame that utilizes locking pins to selective arrange the inner nested frame at a predetermined distance from the outer nested frame. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable rack mount frame that includes several shock absorbing pads mounted between the outer nested frame assembly and the wall of the case. 
     It is therefore a general object of the present invention to propose a removable rack mount frame for securing goods within a container while permitting unfettered access to the goods, by forming an inner frame assembly and an outer frame assembly. Nesting the inner frame assembly within the outer frame assembly in a manner that permits the inner frame assembly to slide relative to the outer frame assembly. A biasing mechanism is provided to one of the inner frame assembly or the outer frame assembly so as to arrest the inner frame assembly in a predetermined orientation relative to the outer frame assembly. The selective operation of the biasing mechanism permits the inner frame assembly to be moved from the predetermined orientation. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention, and their preferred embodiments, shall become clear by consideration of the specification, claims and drawings taken as a whole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the outer frame assembly of a removable rack mount frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the outer frame assembly of a removable rack mount frame shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the outer frame assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of the outer frame assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the inner frame assembly being nested within the outer frame assembly of the removable rack mount frame, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the nested inner and outer frames shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the nested inner and outer frames shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is an end view of the nested inner and outer frames shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the removable rack mount frame being mounted within a container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  illustrates multiple views of the outer nested frame  10  of a removable rack mount frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a top view of the outer nested frame  10  of  FIG. 1 . The outer nested frame  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is preferably formed in the shape of a rectangular, or cube-like, assembly in order to be accommodated within a similarly-shaped case or container. It will, of course, be readily appreciated that the case could be of any shape or size, and that the outer nested frame  10  could likewise be of any particular geometrical configuration, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the outer nested frame  10  includes a series of horizontal and vertical support members  12  which, together with a plurality of edge members  14 , form the outer structural configuration of the removable rack mount frame of the present invention. The support members  12  and the edge members  14  may be welded, riveted or otherwise fixedly bonded to one another in any known manner. 
     As also shown in  FIG. 1 , the edge members  14  are preferably comprised to have three distinct and elongated planes, including a center chamfered plane  16 . Each of the chamfered planes  16  themselves support a spring biased locking pin  18  at the distal end thereof. As will become clear later, the spring biased locking pins  18  operate to selectively position an inner nested frame assembly at a predetermined structural orientation to the outer nested frame assembly  10 . As is also illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the spring biased locking pins  18  may be selectively mounted to either distal end of the chamfered plane  16  via mounting holes  20 . 
     While the locking pins  18  have been described as being preferably spring biased, the present invention is not limited in this regard as other biasing means may be alternatively utilized, including non-actively biased locking means, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the outer nested frame assembly  10 , while  FIG. 4  illustrates an end view of the same. As best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the outer nested frame  10  also includes a plurality of wear pads  22  fixedly disposed on the opposing elongated planar sides of the edge members  14 . As will become clear later, the wear pads  22  serve to facilitate the smooth, sliding movement of the inner nested frame assembly into, and out of, the outer nested frame assembly  10 . 
     The wear pads  22  are shown in  FIG. 1  as being elongated strips extending along the interior surface of the edge members  14 , and are preferably formed from any resilient and semi-frictionless material, inclusive of metallic material having a suitable plastic or polymer coating. 
     Still further, one or more shock absorbing bushings  42  (shown in  FIG. 9 ) may also be mounted to the chamfered plane  16  (or other, exterior portions of the edge members  14 ) via apertures  24 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorbing bushings  42  are disposed between the outer nested frame assembly  10  and the walls of the container  40  (also shown in  FIG. 9 ), within which the removable rack mount frame  25  is secured. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5-8 , the removable rack mount frame  25  of the present invention is illustrated in its nested form.  FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the nested removable rack mount frame  25 , while  FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of the same. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the outer frame assembly  10  accommodates an inner nested frame assembly  30 . The inner nested frame assembly  30  itself includes substantially the same structural configuration as does the outer nested frame assembly  10 , including defining a plurality of horizontal and vertical support members  32  and edge members  34 . 
     Similar to the edge members  14 , the edge members  34  are also comprised of three distinct and elongated planes, including a center chamfered plane that slides in intimate nesting contact with the chamfered plane  16 . A series of positional apertures  36  are formed in the elongated chamfered plane of the inner nested frame assembly  30 , and serve to selectively accommodate the locking pins  18 . In this manner, and as will be appreciated, the inner nested frame assembly  30  may be selectively secured at a predetermined extended position (as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 ) in relation to the outer nested frame assembly  10 , via the interaction between the locking pins  18  and the positional apertures  36 . 
     As will be appreciated, the pins  18  are biased to extend inwardly of the outer frame  10 , and therefore may be manually retracted to permit the inner, nested frame  30  to be extended therefrom. 
     It is therefore an important aspect of the present invention that the inner nested frame assembly  30  may be pulled outwardly from the outer nested frame assembly  10  by a predetermined amount, and secured in this extended position via the selective application of the locking pins  18  into one of the positional apertures  36  formed on the edge members  34  of the inner nested frame assembly  30 . 
     In practical application, the outer frame assembly will be mounted within a container, while the inner, nested frame assembly  30  will be removably mounted within the outer frame assembly  10 . Thus, the present invention permits the inner nested frame assembly  30  to be pulled from the container housing the removable rack mount frame  25  so as to more easily permit a user to load or unload cargo from the container.  FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of the extended inner frame  30 , while  FIG. 8  illustrates an end view of the nested inner and outer frames  30 / 10 . 
     It is another important aspect of the present invention that the inner nested frame assembly  30  may be removed completely from nested interaction with the outer nested frame assembly  10  by the selective decoupling of the locking pins  18  from their berths within the positional apertures  36 . Thus, the removable rack mount frame  25  enables the complete removal of the inner nested frame assembly  30 , thereby permitting the user the ability to pack, unpack or otherwise manipulate, fix or test the cargo within the inner nested frame assembly  30  without the interference caused by the container or outer nested frame assembly  10 . 
     It is still yet another important aspect of the present invention that the locking pins  18  not only selectively position the inner nested frame assembly  30  at a predetermined distance from, or in relation to, the outer nested frame assembly  10 , but also that the locking pins  18  releasably secure the inner nested frame assembly  30  to the outer nested frame assembly  10  during transport of the container. Thus, with the outer nested frame assembly  10  being fixed to the walls of the container, the locking pins  18  secure the inner nested frame assembly  30  from possibly destructive movement when the container is dropped, or suffers some other type of impact or incident force. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an end view of the removable rack mount frame  25 , including a container  40  within which the outer frame  10  of the removable rack mount frame  25  is secured. It will be readily appreciated that the outer frame  10  may be selectively secured to the interior of the container  40  by any suitable means, such as by utilizing rivets, threaded fasteners, adhesive, or the like, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. Moreover, although the shock-absorbing bushings  42  have been shown as extending from the chamfered planes  16  in  FIG. 9 , the bushings  42  may alternatively (or, in addition to) be mounted to other portions of the edge members  14  of the inner nested frame  30 . 
     It should be readily appreciated that the inner and outer frame assemblies,  30  and  10  respectively, need not be structurally formed in accordance with  FIGS. 1-9 . That is, the present invention encompasses all structural configurations in which there are nested frame assemblies, and whereby the inner nested frame assembly is selectively slidable and removable in relation to the outer frame assembly that is itself fixed to the walls of a container. Moreover, by providing selectively actuated spring biased locking pins  18 , the present invention permits the selective and complete removal of the inner nested frame assembly  30  from the container and the outer nested frame assembly  10 . 
     The present invention finds particular usefulness in the transportation of complex, sensitive and/or electrical equipment. That is, by enabling the removal of the inner nested frame assembly  30  from the outer nested frame assembly  10 , and thereby from the container within which the outer nested frame assembly  10  is mounted, a user may have complete and unfettered access to the compartment defined by the inner nested frame assembly  30 . In certain situations, such as the packing and transportation of sensitive military electrical equipment, the ability to have a complete, 360° access to the compartment defined by the inner nested frame assembly  30 , the removable rack mount frame  25  of the present invention provides a level of access not heretofore known in the art. 
     Indeed, in those applications where interconnected electrical components are installed within a container system, the present invention permits a user to selectively remove the inner nested frame assembly  30  from the container so as to perform the electrical connections between the electrical components. As mentioned previously, known container systems demand that the packing and electrical connections of any cargo take place within the confines of the container itself. Thus, the removable rack mount frame  25  greatly assists in the speed of loading cargo within a container, as well as providing greater shock absorption for the cargo itself. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various obvious changes may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the essential scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.