Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 10/959,648 filed on Oct. 7, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,154,755 and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/561,209 dated Apr. 12, 2004, which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to power supply assemblies, and more specifically, a weather-resistant power supply assembly for outdoor use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Power supplies are sometimes used in outdoor environments where they can be exposed to damage from weather conditions, such as, for example, rain and high humidity. Some power supplies are resistant to weather damage by using a sealed outer housing with wires extending through watertight ports to make external wiring connections. However, the external wiring connections remain exposed to harsh conditions, which can cause deterioration of the wiring connections. In addition, the housing may need to be disassembled in the field in order to adjust certain operating characteristics thereby exposing the electrical components to potential damage. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a water-tight power supply assembly that protects AC and DC wiring connections in separate compartments and provides easy access to the wiring and allows operating adjustments while protecting the active electrical components from damage. 
     In one general aspect, a power supply assembly includes a housing having side walls, end walls, and a bottom wall defining a rectangular box with an interior space and an open top. A first dividing wall and a second dividing wall are positioned in the interior space of the housing which divide the interior space into first, second, and third compartments. 
     Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the first dividing wall may have a first port providing access between the first compartment and the second compartment and the second dividing wall may have a second port between the second compartment and the third compartment. 
     A printed circuit board may be installed in the second compartment and the printed circuit board may have alternating current wires and direct current wires extending from opposing ends. In this implementation, the alternating current wires extend through the first port into the first compartment and the direct current wires extend through the second port into the third compartment. 
     An inner lid may be attached to the first dividing wall and the second dividing wall thereby enclosing the second compartment. In one implementation, the first and second dividing wall have cut-out areas and the inner lid has a pair of matching protrusions or flanges extending partially into the cutout areas to define a first port between the first and second compartments and a second port between the second and third compartments. Electrical features of the power supply may be adjusted by accessing the printed circuit board through current and voltage adjustment ports in the inner lid. 
     In another implementation, an outer lid covers the open top of the housing thereby enclosing the first, second, and third compartments. In a further implementation, the first compartment is used as an alternating current wiring connection compartment, the second compartment is used as a printed circuit board compartment, and the third compartment is used as a direct current wiring compartment. A printed circuit board installed in the printed circuit board compartment may have a U-shaped heat sink which fastens to the housing and/or the printed circuit board may have alternating current wiring connections extending into the alternating current wiring compartment and direct current wiring connections extending into the direct current wiring compartment. Each end wall and side wall of the housing may have ports configured to receive electrical conduit. 
     In another general aspect, a method of manufacturing a power supply that has a housing with a first, a second, and a third compartment, an inner lid, an outer cover, and a printed circuit board having a first wire set and a second wire set at opposing ends, includes installing the printed circuit board PCB in the second compartment and positioning the first wire set to terminate in the first compartment and the second wire set to terminate in the third compartment. 
     The method may include one or more of the features outlined above and one or more of the following features. For example, the method may include routing the first wire set through a first opening between the first compartment and the second compartment and routing the second wire set through a second opening between the second compartment and the third compartment. 
     In another implementation, the method includes enclosing the second compartment with the inner lid, the inner lid having protrusions that extend partly into the first opening to define a first port and partly into the second opening to define a second port. In further implementations, the method includes inserting grommets in the first opening and the second opening, attaching the outer cover to the housing, and/or bonding a gasket to the outer cover. 
     In another general aspect, a method of installing a power supply having a housing with an interior space divided into an alternating current wiring compartment, a printed circuit board wiring compartment, and a direct current wiring compartment, an inner lid enclosing the printed circuit board compartment and an outer cover enclosing the interior space, includes connecting alternating current wires in the alternating current wiring compartment to an alternating current power source, connecting direct current wires in the direct current wiring compartment to a direct current receiving load, and attaching the outer cover. 
     The method may include features outline above or may also include one or more of the following features. For example, the method may include removing the outer cover thereby exposing the alternating current wiring compartment and the direct current wiring compartment. The method may also include inserting a tool through a port in the inner lid to access a power supply control, and manipulating the power supply control to set an operating characteristic of the power supply. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a power supply housing. 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the power supply housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the power supply housing. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an insert. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are top and side views of an inner lid. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are side and top views of an outer cover. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a power supply assembly without electrical components. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are exploded views of the power supply assembly with the electrical components. 
     
    
    
     Reference numerals in the drawings correspond to numbers in the Detailed Description for ease of reference. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a power supply housing  10  is a generally rectangular box that includes end walls  15 , side walls  20 , and a bottom wall  25 . An open top  28  exposes the interior space of the housing  10 . Apertures  30  are circular openings positioned approximately in the center of each of the side walls  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , mounting brackets  35  attach to the bottom wall  25  of the housing  10  such that a portion of the mounting brackets  35  extend beyond the side walls  20 . The mounting brackets  35  are flat and generally rectangular with screw recesses  40  configured to receive screws that mount the housing  10  to an exterior surface. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , inserts  45  are positioned in the interior space of the housing  10 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , each insert includes a base  50 , a dividing wall  55 , and a mounting wall  60 . The base  50  and the mounting wall  60  are at opposing ends of the dividing wall  55  and are generally perpendicular to the dividing wall  55 . As shown, the insert  45  includes a cut-away area  65  through the center of the mounting wall  60  and extending a portion of the way down into the dividing wall  55 . The edge  70  of the cut-away area  65  makes a straight line terminating in a rounded portion  75  at the approximate center of the dividing wall  55 . The mounting wall  60  includes screw channels  80  that extend below the bottom edge of the mounting wall  60 . In another implementation, circular ports (see  FIGS. 8A and 8B ) may replace the cut-away areas in the dividing walls  55 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the base  50  of each insert  45  is mounted to the bottom wall  25  and side walls  20  of the housing  10  with the mounting wall  60  positioned just beneath the open top  28  such that the interior space of the housing is separated into alternating current (AC) wiring, printed circuit board (PCB), and direct current (DC) wiring compartments  85 ,  90 ,  95 . Attachment of the inserts  45  to the housing  10  may be accomplished by, for example, welding or other attachment or bonding methods. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a generally rectangular inner lid  100  attaches to the mounting walls  60  of the inserts  45  via screw holes  105 . Flanges  110  at opposing ends of the inner lid  100  are perpendicular to the rectangular plane of the inner lid  100 . As shown, the flanges  110  are protrusions extending from opposing ends. The flanges  110  may be formed by making parallel cuts in opposing ends of the inner lid  100  and bending the cut portions to a perpendicular position or by attaching the flanges  110  to the inner lid  100 . Each flange  110  has a crescent shape or semi-circular portion  115  at the end farthest from the surface of the inner lid  100 . 
     Installing the inner lid  100  on the housing  10  encloses the PCB compartment  90 . The flanges  110  are positioned in the cut-away area  65  of the inserts  45  thereby forming a port with straight sides and semicircular top and bottom portions. As mentioned above, ports in the dividing wall may replace the cut-away areas  65 , in which case, the inner lid  100  is a flat plate without the flanges  110 . In either implementation, grommets are installed in the ports or in the cut-out areas  65  to protect wiring from chafing and to provide strain relief for wiring running between the PCB compartment  90  and the outer DC and AC wiring compartments  85 ,  95 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6A and 6B , a generally rectangular outer cover  120  encloses the interior space of the housing  10 . The outer cover has a top  125  with screw holes  130  and a lip  135 . Screws (not shown) are inserted in the screw holes  130  to attach the outer cover  120  through screw holes  138  in the inner lid  100  (see  FIGS. 5A and 5B ) to the screw channels  80  in the mounting walls  60  of the housing  10 . The top  125  is slightly larger that the exterior of the housing  10  such that the lip slides  135  over a portion of the end walls  15  and side walls  20 . A series of notches  139  on the outer cover  120  provide proper alignment of the outer cover  120  on the housing  10  and provide additional rigidity to the outer cover  120 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of the power supply assembly  5  without electrical components. The inner lid  100  attaches to the mounting walls  160 . Next, the outer cover  120 , which includes a gasket  140  bonded to the under-side, is installed onto the housing  10 . The gasket  140  is slightly larger than the length and width of the housing  10 . Thus, compression of the gasket  140  between the outer cover  120  and the housing  10  forms a watertight seal. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate a method of assembling the power supply assembly  5 . A U-shaped heat sink  145  and PCB  150  are attached to mounting bosses  155  on the bottom wall  25 . AC wires  160  from the PCB  150  are passed through a port  165  in the dividing wall  55  and into the AC wiring compartment  85 . DC wires  170  from the PCB  150  are passed through a port  165  in the other dividing wall  55  and into the DC wiring compartment  95 . Grommets are installed in the ports  165  to protect and provide strain relief for any wiring running between the AC and DC wiring compartments  85 ,  95  and the PCB compartment  90 . 
     The inner lid  100  is attached to the mounting walls  160  thereby enclosing the PCB  150  in the PCB compartment  90 . Where the dividing walls  55  include cut-away areas  65  as shown in  FIG. 1 , the AC and DC wires  160 ,  170  are self-fed into respective AC and DC wiring compartments  85 ,  95  as the PCB  150  is lowered into the housing  10 . The flanges  110  on the inner lid  100  are then used to partly enclose the cut-away areas  65  when the inner lid  100  is installed thereby forming openings similar to the ports  165  described above. Grommets are then installed in the openings. The gasket  140  is adhered to the under-side of the outer cover  120  and the outer cover  120  is tightened down onto the housing  10 . 
     Field installation of the power supply assembly  5  is straight-forward. The technician mounts the power supply assembly  5  to a desired surface using screws that are inserted in the recesses  40  on the housing  10 . The technician removes the outer cover  120  to expose the AC and DC wiring compartments  85 ,  95  while the inner lid  100  remains in place to protect the PCB  150 . 
     The technician passes AC source wires (not shown) through the aperture  30  and into the AC wiring compartment  85  and wires from the DC load (not shown) through the other aperture  30  and into the DC wiring compartment  95 . The AC wiring  160  is then connected to the AC source wires and the DC wiring is connected to the DC load wires. Water-tight fittings are then installed in the apertures  30  and/or electrical conduits (not shown) are attached to the apertures  30  to seal the AC and DC wire connections from outside elements. 
     The technician inserts a tool through access holes  175  to make current and/or voltage adjustments to the power supply output. Plastic or rubber plugs are then installed in the access holes. When the wiring and other adjustments are complete, the technician attaches the outer cover  120  (with gasket  140 ) to the housing  10 . 
     Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 4