Patent Abstract:
A bracket assembly for mounting a rack to a floor includes a bracket. The bracket includes a rack-mounting surface having at least one pair of rack-mounting openings for mounting the bracket to the rack, and a floor-mounting surface extending from the rack-mounting surface. The floor-mounting surface has at least three pairs of floor-mounting openings for mounting the bracket to the floor.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Utility Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/328,229 filed Apr. 27, 2010, entitled “Two Post Rack With Floor Mounting Brackets”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to a floor mounting bracket for a two post rack which mounts electronic equipment. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a floor mounting bracket that provides multiple mounting options for high density switch applications. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Typical two post racks for mounting electronic equipment have only one floor mounting option. For example, Panduit&#39;s CMR19X84 and NFR84 two post racks each have bracket holes which provide for only one floor mounting option. These prior mounting brackets cannot be used with 3 inch and 6 inch deep two post racks, without creating additional holes in the floor surface. Also, these prior mounting brackets do not provide the most rigid installation for two post racks. 
         [0004]    A floor mounting bracket having multiple floor mounting options is needed to provide rack mounting flexibility, as well as to provide a more rigid rack installation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the invention, a bracket assembly for mounting a rack to a floor includes a bracket. The bracket comprises a rack-mounting surface having at least one pair of rack-mounting openings for mounting the bracket to the rack, and a floor-mounting surface extending from the rack-mounting surface. The floor-mounting surface has at least three pairs of floor-mounting openings for mounting the bracket to the floor. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for replacing a rack for supporting electrical equipment. A first rack, having a first width, is removed from a floor by removing first bolts extending between floor-mounting openings in the first rack and holes in the floor. A second rack, having a second width different than the first width, is installed to the floor by inserting the first bolts or second bolts through pre-manufactured floor-mounting openings in the second rack into the holes in the floor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of a two post 6 inch deep rack having a floor mounting bracket according to the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the rack of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a graph comparing the deflections for various loads applied to the rack of  FIG. 1  at two different mounting locations. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the rack of  FIG. 1  positioned adjacent a two post 3 inch deep rack with coplanar front faces. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of the rack of  FIG. 1  positioned adjacent a two post 3 inch deep rack with coplanar back faces. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of the rack of  FIG. 1  positioned adjacent a two post 3 inch deep rack on the same center line. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of a two post 6 inch deep rack  10 . Rack  10  includes two L-shaped brackets  12  and  14 , two uprights  16  and  18 , and two crossbars  20  and  22 . Each of brackets  12  and  14  has a supporting surface  24  integrally attached perpendicularly to an attachment surface  26 . Brackets  12  and  14  are removably attached to uprights  16  and  18 . Similarly, crossbars  20  and  22  are removably attached to uprights  16  and  18 . Uprights  16  and  18  are each U-shaped. A plurality of vent openings  28  and  30  extend vertically along each of uprights  16  and  18 . Preferably, vent openings  28  are generally square-shaped and vent openings  30  are generally rectangular-shaped. Vent openings  28  and  30  aid in maximizing air flow and cooling of equipment installed in rack  10 , especially when high density switches are utilized. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of rack  10 . Bracket  12  has three pairs of holes (A-A, B-B and C-C) to mount rack  10  to the floor. Similarly, bracket  14  has three pairs of holes (D-D, E-E and F-F) to mount rack  10  to the floor. Bracket  12  has a depth D 1  of 6.0 inches, upright  16  has a depth D 2  of 6.0 inches and bracket  14  has a depth D 3  of 6.0 inches. Thus, the overall depth D 4  of rack  10  is 18.0 inches. Holes A-A are spaced 1.25 inches from end  34  of bracket  12 , and holes A-A are spaced 1.5 inches from holes B-B. Holes B-B are spaced 1.5 inches from holes C-C, and holes C-C are spaced 1.75 inches from upright  16 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a graph comparing the deflections for various loads applied to rack  10  at two different mounting locations. Specifically, the graph compares deflections using hole patterns A-A and F-F, positioned 15.5 inches apart, and deflections using hole patterns C-C and D-D, positioned 9.5 inches apart. As shown in  FIG. 3 , forces of x, 2x, and 3x were applied to the center of the top of rack  10  with the mounting bolts in hole patterns A-A and F-F, and the deflections at the top of rack  10  were recorded in inches for each of these forces. The same forces were then applied to the center of the top of rack  10  with the mounting bolts in hole patterns C-C and D-D, and the deflections of rack  10  were recorded in inches for each of these forces. Depending on the amount of force applied, there was in a range of four to six times the amount of deflection of rack  10  when holes patterns A-A and F-F were used versus the amount of deflection of rack  10  when hole patterns C-C and D-D were used. Thus, a rack with a smaller mounting footprint results in a more rigid installation. For brackets  12  and  14 , hole patterns C-C and D-D provide the most rigid installation. 
         [0016]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , 3 inch deep two post racks, such as rack  32 , are typically installed with mounting bolts 12.5 inches apart (D 5 ). Distance D 5  corresponds to the distance between holes A-A and D-D on rack  10 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 5 , distance D 5  corresponds to the distance between holes C-C and F-F on rack  10 . Likewise, as shown in  FIG. 6 , distance D 5  corresponds to the distance between holes B-B and E-E on rack  10 . Thus, there are three 12.5 inch hole patterns that can be utilized in brackets  12  and  14 , which provides the ability to customize for a particular installation. For example, brackets  12  and  14  allow a customer to upgrade from rack  32  to rack  10 , without having to create additional holes in the floor surface. 
         [0017]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , utilizing hole patterns A-A and D-D results in the front faces of rack  10  and rack  32  being coplanar. When upgrading from rack  32  to rack  10 , this mounting configuration allows equipment installed in rack  32  to be installed in the same location in rack  10 , which significantly reduces the need to disturb any cabling, and eliminates the need to create additional holes in the floor surface. This mounting configuration will also provide a clean, flush appearance if rack  10  is installed in an aisle of racks  32 . 
         [0018]    As best seen in  FIG. 5 , utilizing hole patterns C-C and F-F results in the back faces of rack  10  and rack  32  being coplanar. Rack  32  can be replaced by rack  10 , without the need to create additional holes in the floor surface. 
         [0019]    As best seen in  FIG. 6 , utilizing hole patterns B-B and E-E results in the centers of rack  10  and rack  32  being aligned. This mounting configuration is desirable when rack equipment is removed when upgrading from rack  32  to rack  10 , but other items, such as floor cut-outs or overhead ladder racking, remain in place. 
         [0020]    Brackets  12  and  14  provide more floor mounting options than prior mounting brackets for two post racks. Hole patterns A-A thru F-F allow the front faces, back faces or centers of racks  10  and  32  to be aligned. The hole patterns also allow rack  32  to be replaced by rack  10 , using the existing holes in the floor surface. The hole patterns further allow for the most rigid installation of rack  10 . 
         [0021]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8