Abstract:
A frame profile section for a framework of a rack or a switchgear cabinet or a table system. A cooling system can be constructed advantageously if the frame profile section is made from a support profile section and a coolant supply line arranged in a hollow chamber extending the length of said support section. The coolant supply line can be accessed at least in sections, along a longitudinal side of the frame profile section.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a frame profile section for a frame structure of a rack or a switchgear cabinet or a table or a table arrangement, and also to a frame structure or a switchgear cabinet or a table or a table arrangement having a frame profile section.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0004]     A frame profile section is used for constructing a rack or a switchgear cabinet or a table arrangement with superstructures or extensions, particularly formed as an open or closed hollow profiled section for achieving the required load-bearing capability and has openings and/or support strips for different installation possibilities in the interior of the switchgear cabinet and in connection with a switchgear cabinet, for obtaining the required sealing against climatic or electromagnetic interference on the exterior by sealing strips. The frame profile sections can also be used for a tight line-up of frame structures constructed from the frame profile sections. Reference is made to German Patent References DE 33 44 598 A1, DE 44 39 551 A1 and DE 196 47 814 A1 as examples of known frame profile sections used to construct frame structures. Various electrical devices, for example an apparatus in the information technology, which generate a relatively great amount of waste heat and must be cooled, are often placed into a frame structure or switchgear cabinet or a table arrangement. For this purpose, appropriate cooling installations are provided either in the individual electrical devices or in the interior of the switchgear cabinet, which require considerable space for arrangement and for connecting elements.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     One object of this invention is to provide an advantageous cooling system for electrical or information technological devices placed in a rack or a switchgear cabinet or a table arrangement.  
         [0006]     This object is achieved according to this invention having characteristics described in this specification and in the claims. A frame profile section is put together from a profiled support element and a coolant conductor received by it in a longitudinally extending hollow space, which is accessible over a longitudinal side of the frame profile section, at least at intervals.  
         [0007]     The frame structure or switchgear cabinet or a table arrangement have at least one frame leg, vertical and/or horizontal, in the form of a frame profile section and having a filigreed coolant guidance system with various connecting and branching options.  
         [0008]     A cooling system requiring little space and opening various cooling and connecting options is thus possible, wherein each frame profile section can be used several times.  
         [0009]     Thus, steps are advantageous for the structure of an attachment on the profiled support element, by which the coolant conductor is fixed in the hollow space. Various mounting or production options include the coolant conductor being snapped into the hollow space, screwed, glued, welded or soldered or clamped into it.  
         [0010]     Thus a simple manufacture along with an advantageous construction is achieved because the coolant conductor is pushed from an opening at the front in the longitudinal direction of the profiled support element, or can be placed perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal direction, through a continuous longitudinal opening of the profiled support element.  
         [0011]     Advantageous connecting opportunities for a device to be cooled, or for the cooling of the switchgear cabinet interior, as well as for a coolant supply and/or coolant removal are obtained because the coolant conductor, which is in a tube shape, has access openings on its accessible longitudinal side, which are open, or can be covered and uncovered.  
         [0012]     Further opportunities for cooling result from cooling ribs which are arranged along a guide channel extending in the longitudinal direction in the interior of the coolant conductor.  
         [0013]     Also, steps are advantageous for the design of the frame profile section because a chamber, at least open on a longitudinal side, is in the profiled support element and forms the hollow space, and an inner cross-sectional shape of the chamber and the outer cross-sectional contour of the coolant conductor is matched at least over sections.  
         [0014]     The support and cooling properties of the frame profile section are aided because the profiled support section has at least two chambers, one of which forms a hollow chamber, and the other one which is used for mounting purposes and/or reinforcement purposes.  
         [0015]     The steps, wherein the frame profile section has at least one row of fastening holes, at least one longitudinal fastening groove and/or at least one fastening strip in at least one profile side which adjoins the opening side of the hollow chamber parallel or at right angles, are also advantageous for the construction of the frame profile section, particularly if used in a switchgear cabinet, frame or a table arrangement. The easy accessibility to the interior, in particular of a switchgear cabinet, for assembly and cooling is aided because in an edge area which is remote from the opening side a free space is formed by an obliquely extending wall section and/or sealing edges projecting perpendicularly to the exterior, because mounting options are offered on the exterior, for example for hinges, locking elements and wall elements, so that these do not form obstacles in the interior.  
         [0016]     The simple arrangement of the cooling conductor is aided because two support strips, which are oriented facing each other, are arranged in the free opening area of the hollow chamber.  
         [0017]     In connection with the rack or the switchgear cabinet or the table arrangement, other advantageous connecting options for the cooling system exist because the coolant conductor is or can be connected to a coolant inlet and/or an outlet line by a connecting element inserted into one or both front sides of the frame profile section and/or by adapters inserted into the access opening.  
         [0018]     If horizontal and vertical frame legs with frame profile sections having a coolant conductor are connected with each other, simple coupling pieces having a conduit and coupling elements for the coolant can be used for connecting their coolant conductors. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     This invention is explained in greater detail in view of exemplary embodiments and by making reference to the drawings, wherein:  
         [0020]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show respective portions of a frame profile section with a coolant conductor, each in a perspective plan view;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a portion of a rack in the area of a corner, wherein a vertical frame leg is a frame profile section with a coolant conductor;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show respective portions of a frame profile section in accordance with  FIG. 1  with a different coolant conductor, each in a perspective plan view;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows a section of the profiled support element of a frame profile section in accordance with one of the preceding figures without the coolant conductor inserted, in a perspective plan view;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the frame profile section in accordance with  FIGS. 1-4 , with the same profiled support element, but with an inserted current supply; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows a table arrangement with vertical and horizontal frame legs with coolant conductors. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     A frame profile section  10  represented in  FIG. 1  is embodied as a multi-chamber profiled section wherein, for constructing a rack  1 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , outward oriented sealing edges  12 ,  12 ′, as well as a free space  19  with an obliquely extending profiled wall, are formed in an outer edge area, and an open hollow space in the form of a chamber  11  is provided toward the interior of the rack  1  to be constructed. A coolant conductor  20  in the form of a closed hollow profiled section is inserted into the chamber  11  and has a number of access openings  22  in the opening side oriented toward the interior, by which a flow connection with a guide conduit  21  extending in the interior of the coolant conductor  20  is provided. The access openings  22  can be closed by inserted caps or supplied with connecting elements or can remain open for cooling the cabinet interior. The profiled section receiving the coolant conductor  20  is formed as a profiled support element  13  for the rack  1 . The hollow chamber  11 , which is accessible from the inner opening side in the form of a longitudinal opening  11 . 2 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , has an approximately rectangular or square basic shape which is surrounded by lateral walls  11 . 3  and a base  11 . 4 . In the area of or near the longitudinal opening  11 . 2 , the hollow chamber  11  has facing support strips  11 . 1  at the free areas of the lateral walls  11 . 3  which are provided toward the outside with oblique insertion elements and toward the interior of the hollow space  11  with rectangular shoulders, so that the coolant conductor  20 , which has rounded edges at its side remote from the access openings  22 , can be snapped in if the profiled support element  13  and/or the coolant conductor  20  are appropriately resilient. Alternatively, the coolant conductor  20  can also be inserted in the longitudinal direction into the hollow chamber  11 . The exterior cross section of the coolant conductor  20  is matched to the interior cross section of the hollow chamber  11  and is made of a material which is suitable for the coolant to be respectively conducted, for example air or a liquid coolant.  
         [0027]     The frame profile section is used as at least one vertical frame leg of the rack  1 , which is connected by suitable corner connectors, or by simple screwing, with a cover frame or a bottom frame formed in the width or the depth from horizontal frame legs  10 ,  10 ′,  10 ″ as shown in  FIG. 2 . With the rack  1  it is possible to introduce the coolant at the front or through suitable access openings  22  into the coolant conductor  20 , and to also remove it from the latter again, for example with a pump or a blower. Inserted devices to be cooled can be individually connected to further access openings  22  by appropriate lines and connections, or the entire interior of the switchgear cabinet can be cooled. It is also possible to supply cooling air via one frame leg, and removing warmed air by a corresponding coolant conductor  20 .  
         [0028]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show further variations of a coolant conductor  20 , wherein, besides the guide conduit  21 , the coolant conductor  20  has an interior with cooling ribs  23  arranged in the longitudinal direction, which project away toward the opening side from an intermediate wall which closes off the guide conduit  21  and extends parallel with the opening side. Thus the cooling ribs  23  can cool warmed air supplied via the access openings  22 , wherein the heat can be moved out via a coolant, fluid or air, flowing into the guide conduit  21 .  
         [0029]     As  FIG. 4  shows, the profiled support element  13  has an outer profiled side  15  forming a lateral wall  11 . 3 , as well as an inner profiled side  14  facing the interior of the rack  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1A, 1B ,  3 A, and  3 B, in connection with  FIG. 2 . Here, two T-grooves  16  extending in the longitudinal direction are formed on the outer profiled side  15 , by which fastening options for assembled elements exist. Also, rows of fastening openings, for example, can be provided in the inner profiled side  14 , which adjoins at the side of the longitudinal opening  11 . 2  in the direction toward the exterior of the rack  1  and forms the inner wall of a further closed chamber  17  of the profiled support element  13 , which forms other fastening possibilities such as shown, for example, by the lower horizontal frame legs in  FIG. 2  and which are known.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the hollow chamber can also be used for inserting a power supply  30 , so that the described cooling system in a rack  1  can also be combined with a power supply  30 , such as described in German Patent Reference DE 101 60 418.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows a table arrangement, or a table system  30  with tables  31  having at sides column-like supports of frame profile sections  10  with coolant conductors in accordance with the above explanations are arranged for support.  
         [0032]     The access openings to the coolant conductors  30  are arranged on the inside of the frame legs facing the table top, or are of a deposit plate arranged above it, so that an electrical apparatus positioned on the table top or the deposit plates, particularly devices of information technology, such as computers, servers or monitors or the like, can be easily connected for cooling to the coolant conductor by appropriate adapter elements. One or several rows of fastening receivers are cut on the inside of the vertical frame legs and extend in the longitudinal direction for the suspension of support elements for the table tops or deposit plates or similar receiving elements, from which the support arms in the form of horizontal frame legs formed of frame profile sections with coolant conductors of the type described can be suspended or to which they can be screwed. The coupling of horizontal and vertical coolant conductors  20  can be provided by simple coupling pieces having a conduit for the coolant and coupling elements. The frame legs are preferably flat at least on their inside and can have, for example, substantially a rectangular cross section, or can be rounded on their outside. With the frame profile sections forming vertical and/or horizontal frame legs, a multitude of connecting options and branching options of the coolant conductor result.  
         [0033]     The terms mentioned above, frame structure, rack, switchgear cabinet, table  31 , table arrangement or table system  30 , are understood to also include arrangements or combinations thereof for information technology, such as for example frame structures or shelvings for monitors or server cabinets or the like.