Abstract:
An enclosure is described comprising a container for housing equipment, a cover for enclosing said container, and a retention member for retaining the cover in an open position to allow a user to access the interior of said container. The retention member provides a releasable means to secure the cover in the open position and to allow the cover to be closed when the user has completed accessing the interior thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The box or enclosure described herein relates to enclosures for containing equipment. More specifically, it relates to enclosures for containing electrical or telecommunications equipment with a rotating cover that opens in an upward direction. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Enclosures for containing equipment with a rotating cover that opens in an upward direction are known. Typical enclosures do not provide a means of securing the cover in the open position, and without such means gravity will close the cover unless it is held in the open position by the user of the enclosure. 
         [0005]    Users of such enclosures must utilize one hand to hold the cover in the open position which severely limits their ability to work in the interior. Alternatively the user may utilize a screwdriver or some other tool to attempt to hold the cover open. This is not secure and the tool often slips, letting the cover fall shut. This unexpected closure interrupts the users access to the interior of the enclosure, and, since the enclosures are often formed from metal, may injure the user if her hands or head are in proximity to the cover when it drops closed. 
         [0006]    The enclosure described in this application addresses these issues and provides an improved enclosure for use in such situations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    As more fully described below, an enclosure is disclosed comprising a container, a cover, and a retention member wherein the retention member is rotatably attached to the cover and slidably attached to the container, and wherein the retention member retains the cover in an open position allowing access to the interior of the container. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the retention member is rotatably attached to the cover by a mounting pin. In some embodiments of the enclosure the retention member is slidably attached to the container by a guide pin, and the container is provided with a slot for slidably accepting the guide pin. The slot comprises an arcuate section and a retention section. The guide pin is disposed in the retention section of the slot when the cover is in the open position and retains the cover in the open position. The guide pin is disposed in the arcuate section of the slot when the cover is in the closed position. 
         [0009]    Also described herein is a method of supporting a cover of an enclosure in an open position comprising the steps of: providing an enclosure comprising a container and a cover wherein the cover is rotatably attached to the container; providing a retention member rotatably attached to the cover and slidably engaged to the container; rotating the cover to an open position; and releasably securing the retention member to the container for supporting the cover in the open position. The step of providing a retention member further comprises the steps of: providing a retention member with a first end and a second end wherein a mounting hole is provided adjacent to the first end and a guide pin is fixedly attached adjacent to the second end thereof; providing a mounting pin fixedly attached to the cover; providing a slot in the container; disposing the mounting hole over the mounting pin and rotatably attaching it thereto; and disposing the guide pin in the slot and slidably attaching it thereto. 
         [0010]    The step of rotating the cover to an open position further comprises the steps of: rotating the cover from the closed position to an open position; rotating the retention member around the mounting pin and sliding the guide pin through the arcuate section of the slot to the retention section of the slot. The step of releasably securing the retention member to the container for supporting the cover in the open position comprises retaining the guide pin in the retention section of the slot. 
         [0011]    Further described herein is a container for enclosing electrical or telecommunications equipment comprising a container for mounting said equipment, a cover for enclosing said container, and a retention member for retaining said cover in a open position to allow access to the interior of the container. The retention member comprises a rigid bar with a first end and a second end, and wherein a mounting hole is provided adjacent to said first end, and a guide pin is provided adjacent to said second end. The cover is provided with a mounting pin for rotatably attaching to the mounting hole in the retention member. The container further comprises a slot for slidably receiving the guide pin, wherein said slot has an arcuate section and a retention section. The guide pin is releasably retained in the retention section of the slot to retain the cover in an open position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the telecommunications box with a retention member in an open configuration. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an embodiment of the telecommunications box with a retention member in an open configuration. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the telecommunications box with a retention member in a closed configuration. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of the telecommunications box with a retention member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the telecommunications box  100  is depicted in a bottom perspective view. The box  100  comprises a container  102  with a back plate  104  and four walls extending perpendicular to the back plate  104 , including a top wall  106 , a bottom wall  108  and two side walls  110 . 
         [0017]    During use the back plate  104  is positioned vertically and mounted to a surface to support the box  100 . In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the back plate  104  is attached to the surface by a plurality of screws secured through mounting holes  112 . 
         [0018]    The back plate  104  and the top wall  106 , bottom wall  108  and side walls  110  define a volume comprising the interior of the container  102 . A mount plate  114  is attached to the back plate  104  in the interior of the container  102 . Various telecommunications equipment may be mounted on the mount plate  114  and secured within the interior of the container  102  and the box  100 . 
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment of the box  100 , the back plate  104  and the walls  106 ,  108  and  110  are formed from sheet metal. They may be formed by stamping from a single sheet of metal. In a preferred embodiment, the back plate  104  and the walls  106 ,  108  and  110  are formed from a single sheet of metal, cut to shape with the walls extending to the sides of back plate  104 . Once the sheet is cut to shape the walls are folded perpendicular to the back plate  104  and the walls are permanently attached to each other at corners  116 ,  118 ,  120  and  122 . 
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment of the box  100 , walls  110  are formed with tabs  124  at each corner which are folded to mate with top  106  and bottom  108 . The tabs are then permanently attached to the top wall  106  and the bottom wall  108  by welding, riveting, screwing, or any other means of fixedly attaching two sheets of metal. 
         [0021]    In an embodiment of the box  100 , a slot  126  may be provided at the corner between back plate  104  and top wall  106 . Further, bottom plate  108  may be provided with one or more knockout holes  128  for running cables into the interior of the box  100 . The front edge  130  of bottom plate  108  may also be provided with a tab, or lip,  132  folded over at an angle to accept and retain a latch mechanism provided in cover  134 . 
         [0022]    Cover  134  is provided for shielding the contents of the interior of box  100 . Cover  134  is rotatably attached to container  102  to allow cover  134  to be rotated from a closed position to an open position. In the closed position, cover  134  shields and protects the contents of the container  102 . In the open position of cover  134 , the interior of container  102  is accessible to a user thereof, allowing the installation, removal and reconfiguration of the equipment mounted in the container  102 . 
         [0023]    Cover  134  is comprised of a front plate  136 , a top plate  138 , bottom plate  140  and two side plates  142 . In an embodiment of the box  100 , cover  134  is formed from a single sheet of material with plates  138 ,  140  and  142  formed as extensions from the front plate  136 , and then folded perpendicular to front plate  136  to form the cover  134  and defining the interior thereof. The plates  138 ,  140  and  142  are then joined at corners  144 ,  146 ,  148  and  150 . In an embodiment the edges of side plates  142  are welded to the edges of top and bottom plates  138  and  140 . In other embodiments of the box  100 , tabs may be provided for attachment of the side plates  142  to top and bottom plates  136  and  138  by welding, screws or rivets. 
         [0024]    A latch  152  may be provided for securing the cover in a closed position. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, latch  152  is mounted through a hole in front plate  136 , is provided with a locking mechanism actuated by keys, and engages the lip  132  in bottom wall  108  to secure the cover  134  to the container  102 . 
         [0025]    In an embodiment of box  100 , cover  134  is rotatably attached to the back plate  104  through the slot  126  by a hinge  154  attached to cover  134  at a first edge of top plate  140 . Bottom plate  140  may be provided with a recess  156  to provide clearance to knockout holes  128  when cover  134  is in the closed position for cables of various types inserted through the holes  128 . 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the box is shown with the cover in an open position. The box  100  is provided with means of retaining the cover  134  in the open position. At least one side wall  110  further comprises a slot  158 , having an arcuate section  160  and a rentention section  162 . A retention member  164  is also provided, and is rotatably attached to cover  134  and configured for engaging slot  158 . In the embodiment shown, the retention member  164  is disposed outside the container  102  and inside the cover  134 . The portion of retention member  164  located inside cover  134  is depicted with dotted lines. In an embodiment, the retention member  164  comprises a rigid sheet or bar of material, such as metal, plastic, wood or other rigid material, with a mounting hole  166  located in a first end of the retention member  164  and a guide pin  168  attached to a second end of the retention member  164  and extending perpendicularly to the surfaces thereof. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment, retention member  164  is rotatably attached to cover  134  by providing a mounting pin  170  fixedly mounted to cover  134  along the adjacent side plate  142 . In an embodiment, the mounting pin  170  is a threaded bolt welded to the inside surface of side plate  142 . In an embodiment, mounting pin  170  is inserted into mounting hole  166  of retention member  164 . Retention member  164  is secured on pin  170  between the side plate  142  and a retention device  172 , which may be a threaded nut, cotter pin, or similar means of retention. 
         [0028]    The guide pin  168  is inserted into slot  158  and slidably and rotatably secured therein by retention device  174 . In an embodiment of the box  100 , guide pin  168  comprises a threaded bolt welded or otherwise attached to retention member  164 , and the pin  168  is secured in slot  158  by a threaded nut  174 . 
         [0029]    When cover  134  is in the open position shown in  FIG. 2 , the weight of cover  134  forces retention member  164  down and causes guide pin  168  to rest against side plate  142  in the retention section  162  of slot  158  thus supporting the weight of cover  134  and retaining it in the open position. 
         [0030]    A user of the box  100  opens cover  134  by actuating latch  152  and raising cover  134  to the open position. As cover  134  is lifted guide pin  168  slides along arcuate section  160  of slot  158 . As cover  134  reaches the maximum upward position guide pin  168  slides into retention section  164  of slot  158 . As the user releases support for cover  134 , guide pin  168  is held by retention section  164  and cover  134  is securely retained in an open position. The user may then access the interior of the container  102  with both hands as necessary without a need to hold the cover  134  in the open position. 
         [0031]    Once the user has completed accessing the interior of the container  102 , the user lifts the cover  134  slightly to remove its weight from the guide pin  168  with one hand, and simultaneously rotates the retention member  164  so that guide pin  168  is in the arcuate section  160  of slot  158 . The user then lowers the cover  134  and guide pin  168  slides down arcuate section  160  of slot  158  allowing the cover  134  to close. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the box is shown from a side perspective view in the closed configuration. The retention member  164  and slot  158  are not visible from the exterior of the box  100  when it is in the closed configuration, and are depicted with dotted lines. As cover  134  is rotated to the closed position, mounting pin  170  rotates toward corner  118  of container  102 , and guide pin  168  slides down the arcuate section  160  of slot  158 . Arcuate section  160  of slot  158  extends a sufficient distance to allow retention member  164  to slide freely until cover  134  is completely closed. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a detailed perspective view of an embodiment of the box  100  is depicted. The cover  134  is shown in a partially open configuration. Retention member  164  is rotateably attached to cover  134  by disposing mounting hole  166  over mounting pin  170  and securing it loosely there with a retention device such as lock nut  172 . The guide pin  168  is slidably engaged in slot  158  and retained there by retention device such as lock nut  174 . The arcuate section  160  and retention section  162  of slot  158  can be clearly seen in the view of  FIG. 4 .