Patent Document

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This patent relates generally to mounting frames and, more particularly, to mounting frames for holding electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Some communication, power distribution, media distribution, process control, computing, etc. systems include a bus, base, rack and/or frame to which a plurality of pluggable, insertable, installable and/or field replaceable modules can be electrically and/or communicatively coupled. An example bus, base, rack and/or frame includes a plurality of sockets, connectors and/or slots into which different modules can be inserted and/or plugged. 
     The modules may be electrically coupled to various electrical cables or wires. These electrical cables or wires typically converge at the bus, base, rack and/or frame to which the modules are mounted or installed. As a result, relatively large numbers of electrical devices (e.g., modules) and large amounts of wire must be routed and organized within a relatively small amount of available space surrounding the bus, base, rack and/or frame. 
     SUMMARY 
     An example mounting frame for holding electronic devices includes an elongated extruded body having two substantially parallel wiring cavities extending along a length of the body and separated by a wall within the body. The wiring cavities have respective openings facing in opposite directions, and opposing faces of the body have respective process control device mounting rails and respective mounting channels, where each of the mounting channels is configured to hold the mounting frame to a structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a cabinet to which a known mounting rail and a known cable tray are coupled. 
         FIGS. 2-4  depict different views of an example mounting frame. 
         FIG. 5  depicts an example mounting bracket that can be used in connection with the example mounting frame of  FIGS. 2-4 . 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  depict different views the example mounting frame of  FIGS. 2-4  coupled to a structure. 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  depict different views of an alternative example mounting frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain examples are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. In describing these examples, like or identical reference numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic for clarity and/or conciseness. Additionally, several examples have been described throughout this specification. Any features from any example may be included with, a replacement for, or otherwise combined with other features from other examples. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a cabinet  100  having a solid back panel  102  to which a mounting rail  104  and a cable tray or wiring trough  106  are directly mounted. The mounting rail  104  defines a plurality of apertures  108  through which fasteners  110  extend to couple the mounting rail  104  directly to the solid back panel  102 . Coupling the mounting rail  104  to the solid back panel  102  enables one or more electronic device(s)  112  to be securely fastened to the mounting rail  104  within the cabinet  100 . 
     Spaced from the mounting rail  104 , the cable tray  106  may be similarly coupled to the solid back panel  102  via fasteners (not shown). One or more wire(s) or cable(s)  114  electrically coupled to the one or more electronic device(s)  112  may extend a distance  116  from the electronic device(s)  112  to the cable tray  106 . The cable tray  106  enables wires or cables to be relatively organized within the cabinet  100 . 
     However, in such known configurations, both the mounting rail  104  and the cable tray  106  are mounted directly to the solid back panel  102 . As a result, a significant portion of a width  118  of the solid back panel  102  is occupied by the mounting rail  104 , the cable tray  106  and the electronic device(s)  112 , while a significant portion of a depth  120  of the cabinet  100  is not sufficiently utilized or occupied. Therefore, in some instances, a greater number of cabinets must be designed and manufactured to mount the required number of electronic devices needed for a given facility (e.g., a process control plant). An inherent drawback of having more cabinets in the given facility is the large amount of floor and/or wall space occupied by such cabinets. Additionally, because such known configurations are typically custom designed and manufactured, these configurations are inherently non-versatile and require significant amounts of time to design and manufacture and, thus, are relatively expensive and difficult to modify. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an example mounting frame  200  that includes first and second opposing frame portions or plate portions  202  and  204  that may be substantially parallel to one another. The example mounting frame  200  also includes a wall, spacer, rib, spine or central beam  206  that may be substantially perpendicular to the first and second frame portions  202  and  204 . The frame portions  202  and  204  and the spacer  206  may be made from any suitable material such as, for example, a metallic material (e.g., aluminum) and may be produced using any suitable method such as, for example, an extrusion process and/or a roll-forming process. 
     The spacer  206  separates the first frame portion  202  from the second frame portion  204  and defines a first wiring cavity or wiring trough  208  and a second wiring cavity or wiring trough  210 . The first and second wiring cavities  208  and  210  may be substantially parallel to each other and extend along a length of the mounting frame  200 . Advantageously, providing the mounting frame  200  with the first and second wiring cavities  208  and  210  enables wires or cables associated with a first type of device(s) and/or current type (e.g., alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC)) to be positioned in the first wiring cavity  208  while wires or cables associated with a second type of device(s) or current type may be positioned in the second wiring cavity  210 , for example. 
     The first frame portion  202  includes an elongated plate  211  that defines a plurality of laterally spaced channels  212 ,  214  and  216  that may be substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis  217  of the first frame portion  202 . The channels  212 - 216  include inwardly extending lips  220 - 230  to enable a portion of a securing apparatus or mounting bracket  500  ( FIG. 5 ) and/or a nut or other fastener (not shown) to be retained or captured within the corresponding channel  212 - 216 . Additionally, the channels  212 - 216  define openings or apertures  232 ,  234  and  236  to enable a fastener or bolt to extend through the openings  232 - 236  and to be received by the mounting bracket  500  ( FIG. 5 ), nut or other fastener, for example. 
     Additionally, first and second walls or extensions  238  and  240  may extend substantially perpendicularly from an exterior surface or face  241  of the elongated plate  211  on opposing sides of the channel  214 . However, the extensions  238  and  240  may be positioned differently on the exterior surface  241  or the first frame portion  202  may not be provided with the extensions  238  and  240 . The extensions  238  and  240  include opposing lips  242  and  244  that may form a mounting rail, a Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (DIN) rail or a top-hat rail, for example, that enable a process control device and/or an electronic device or module to be secured or mounted relative to the mounting frame  200 . Specifically, the electronic device may receive and be held in place by an interaction between a portion (not shown) of the electronic device and the extensions  238  and  240 . 
     To enable wire guides or wire combs  246  and  248  to be coupled to lateral edges  250  and  252  of the first frame portion  202 , in this example, the lateral edges  250  and  252  define channels or grooves  253  and  254  that receive a tongue or portion  256  and  258  of the respective wire guide  246  and  248  and, adjacent the channels  253  and  254 , the lateral edges  250  and  252  include a tongue or portion  260  and  262  that is received by a channel or groove  264  or  266  of the respective wire guide  246  and  248 . In this example, a friction fit or interference fit between the channels  253  and  254  and  264  and  266  and the respective tongues  256  and  258  and  260  and  262  couple the wire guides  246  and  248  to the first frame portion  202 . The wire guides  246  and  248  include a plurality of flexible fingers or portions  265  between which wires or cables may be securely held, for example. To enable relatively easy access to the first wiring cavity  208  and/or the second wiring cavity  210  while enabling the cavities  208  and  210  to be enclosed, a cover  267  may be positioned between the opposing wire guides  246  and  248 . The cover  267  may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, a plastic material, a metallic material, etc. 
     In this example, the first and second frame portions  202  and  204  are substantially mirror images of one another and may be symmetrical about a longitudinal axis  268  of the mounting frame  200 . However, in other examples, the first frame portion  202  may be different than the second frame portion  204 . For example, the first frame portion  202  may define the channels  212 - 216  and the extensions  238  and  240  and the second frame portion  204  may not include or define the extensions  238  and  240  and/or some or all of the channels  212 - 216 . Additionally or alternatively, some or all of the channels  212 - 216  and/or the extensions  238  and  240  of the first frame portion  202  may be offset relative to the channels  212 - 216  and/or the extensions  238  and  240  of the second frame portion  204 . 
     The spacer  206  is positioned between interior surfaces  269  and  270  of the first and second frame portions  202  and  204 , respectively. The spacer  206  includes a plurality of apertures or channels  272  and  274  that receive fasteners (one of which is represented by reference number  276 ) to couple the frame portions  202  and  204  to the spacer  206 . In some examples, ribs  278  and  280  extend along a length of the apertures  272  and  274 . The ribs  278  and  280  may be sized and/or spaced to threadably engage threads on the fasteners. However, the spacer  206  may not include the ribs  278  and  280 . In such examples, a distance  282  between walls  284 ,  286 ,  288  and  290  of the spacer  206  that define the apertures  272  and  274  may be slightly undersized relative to the fastener such that threads may be formed in the walls  284 - 290  as the fastener is threaded through the respective frame portion  202  or  204  and into the respective aperture  272  and  274 . 
     Additionally, the spacer  206  may include a plurality of opposing channels  292  and  294  that may be similar to the channels  212 - 216  of the first and/or second frame portions  202  and/or  204 . The channels  292  and  294  may receive a portion  614  ( FIG. 6 ) of a wire tie device or cradle  612  ( FIG. 6 ), which may enable wires or cables that extend through the wiring cavities  208  and  210  to be secured relative to the spacer  206  and, thus, organized within the respective wiring cavity  208  and  210 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view of the example mounting frame  200  including the first and second frame portions  202  and  204 , the spacer  206 , the wire guides  246  and  248  and the cover  267 . While not shown, a cover similar to the cover  267  may be positioned between the wire guides  246 . 
     In some examples, a distance  302  between surfaces  304  and  306  and  308  and  310  of the respective lateral edges  250  and  252  may be approximately 60 millimeters (mm) and/or a height  312  of the spacer  206  may be approximately 66 mm. However, the height  312  of the spacer  206  may be adjusted to change the size of the wiring cavities  208  and  210  or for any other reason. Advantageously, the height  312  may be changed without changing any of the dimensions of the first and second frame portions  202  and  204 . Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, a distance  314  between an inner surface  316  of the wire guide  248  and a surface  318  of the spacer  206  may be approximately 57 mm and/or a distance  320  between ends  322  and  324  of the wire guides  246  may be approximately 30 mm. However, the example distances or lengths noted above can be varied as needed to suit a particular application. 
       FIG. 4  depicts another cross-sectional view of the example mounting frame  200  including the first and second frame portions  202  and  204  and the spacer  206 . In some examples, a width  402  of the first frame portion  202  and the second frame portion  204  may be approximately 140 mm and/or a distance  404  between a center  406  and  408  of the respective channels  212  and  216  may be approximately 80 mm. However, the width  402  may be adjusted to change the size of the wiring cavities  208  and  210  or for any other reason. Advantageously, the width  402  may be changed without changing any of the dimensions of the spacer  206 . Additionally or alternatively, a distance  410  between ends  412  and  414  of the lips  242  and  244  may be approximately 35 mm, a distance  416  between the exterior surface  241  and the end  412  may be approximately 7.5 mm and/or a distance  418  between surfaces  420  and  422  of the extensions  240  of the first and second frame portions  202  and  204  may be approximately 99.6 mm. However, the example distances or lengths noted above can be varied as needed to suit a particular application. 
       FIG. 5  depicts the securing apparatus or mounting bracket  500  that includes an elongated portion or tab  502  to be inserted into one of the channels  212 - 216  and a transverse or lateral portion  504  that is to extend from the mounting frame  200  and which may be coupled directly to a structure  602  ( FIG. 6 ). The lateral portion  504  defines a plurality of tapered apertures  506  and  508  to receive a plurality of fasteners  618  ( FIG. 6 ) to mount the mounting frame  200  ( FIG. 2 ) to the structure  602  ( FIG. 6 ). The elongated portion  502  defines an aperture  510  through which a fastener (not shown) may extend to more securely couple the mounting frame  200  to the mounting bracket  500 . However, the mounting bracket  500  may not include the aperture  510  in some examples. In this example, the mounting bracket  500  is a substantially T-shaped bracket. However, the mounting bracket  500  may have any other suitable shape. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  depict different views of the example mounting frame  200  coupled to the structure  602  and shown partially cut away in  FIG. 6 . Additionally,  FIG. 6  depicts how one or more electronic device(s) (e.g., process control device(s))  604  may coupled to the mounting frame  200  via an interaction between a portion (e.g., a hook or lip)  606  of the electronic device  604  and the extensions  238  and  240  on either the first frame portion  202  and/or the second frame portion  204 . Mounting the one or more of the electronic device(s)  604  via the extensions  238  and  240  of the first portion  202  and the second portion  204  further utilizes space available within the cabinet  100  ( FIG. 1 ), thereby maximizing the number of electronic devices that may be positioned in a single cabinet, for example. 
     One or more wire(s) or cable(s)  608  electrically coupled to the one or more of the electronic device(s)  604  may extend from the electronic device(s)  604  through the fingers  265  of the wire guides  246  and  248  and toward an aperture  610  of the wire tie device or cradle  612 . The one or more wire(s) or cables(s)  608  may be secured relative to the wire tie device  612  by any suitable method such as threading a wire tie  613  through the aperture  610  and then coupling the one or more wire(s) or cables(s)  608  to the wire tie device  612  via the wire tie  613 , for example. The portion  614  of the wire tie device  612  may be positioned within either of the channels  292  or  294  of the spacer  206  to secure the wire tie device  612  relative to the mounting frame  200  via a fastener (not shown). 
     To secure or mount the mounting frame  200  to the structure  602  having a lower channel (not shown) that may be substantially parallel to an upper channel  616 , in some examples, two of the mounting brackets  500  may be positioned adjacent the lower channel (similar to the upper channel  616 ) of the structure  602  such that the elongated portion  502  of the mounting bracket  500  extends toward the upper channel  616 . Fasteners (similar to the fasteners  618 ) may then be inserted through the respective tapered apertures  506  and  508  of the mounting bracket  500  and into the lower channel to be received by a nut (similar to a nut  620 ) captured within the lower channel. The channels  212  and  216  of the mounting frame  200  may then be aligned with the elongated portions  502  of the mounting brackets  500  extending from the lower channel. The elongated portions  502  may then be inserted into respective ones of the channels  212  and  216 . The mounting frame  200  may then be moved toward the upper channel  616  of the structure  602  and two additional mounting brackets  500  may be inserted into the channels  212  and  216  on an opposite end of the mounting frame  200 . The fasteners  618  may then be inserted through the respective tapered apertures  506  and  508  and into the upper channel  616  to be received by the respective nuts  620  captured within the upper channel  616 . Once the mounting frame  200  is secured relative to the structure  602 , the one or more electronic device(s)  604  may be coupled to the extensions  238  and  240  and the one or more wire(s) or cable(s)  608  may be fed through the fingers  265  of the wire guides  246  and  248  and coupled to the wire tie device  612  within the first wiring cavity  208  and/or the second wiring cavity  210 , for example. The cover  267  may then be snapped in place between the wire guides  246  and  248 .  FIG. 7  additionally depicts additionally mounting frames  702 ,  704  and  706  mounted to the structure  602 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a cross-sectional view of an alternative mounting frame  800 . The mounting frame  800  includes an elongated body or frame  802  and an elongated mounting plate portion  804  that may be coupled to the elongated body  802  by one or more fasteners  806 . The elongated body  802  and/or the elongated mounting plate portion  804  may be made from any suitable material such as, for example, a metallic material (e.g., aluminum) and may be produced using any suitable method such as, for example, an extrusion process and/or a roll-forming process. 
     The elongated body  802  includes a spine, wall or spacer  808 , a plurality of laterally extending portions  812  and  814  and a plurality of walls  816  and  818  that may extend perpendicularly from the respective portions  812  and  814 . The spine  808 , the laterally extending portions  812  and  814  and the walls  816  and  818  may at least partially define at least one of a first wiring cavity or wiring trough  820  and a second wiring cavity or wiring trough  822 . The wiring cavities  820  and  822  may be substantially parallel to each other and extend along a length of the mounting frame  800 . 
     The spine  808  includes a first plurality of supports  824  and  826  that extend from a central portion  828  of the spine  808  toward the laterally extending portions  812  and  814 . Additionally, the spine  808  includes a second plurality of supports  830  and  832  that extend outwardly from the central portion  828  toward a plate  834  that may be coupled to the second plurality of supports  830  and  832  via a plurality of fasteners  835 . 
     The plate  834  may include a plurality of wire guides  836  and  838  (shown most clearly in  FIG. 9 ) extending along lateral edges  840  and  842  of the plate  834 . In some examples, the lateral edges  840  and  842  may include lips  844  and  846  that are engaged by a portion  848  of a cover  850  that may cover openings  852  and  854  of the wiring cavities  820  and  822 . Additionally, the cover  850  may include a leg or tapered portion  856  to frictionally engage an end  858  and  860  of the respective walls  816  and  818  to maintain the position of the cover  850  relative to the respective openings  852  and  854 . 
     The elongated mounting plate portion  804  includes an elongated plate section  862  and walls  864  and  866  that may extend substantially perpendicularly from the elongated plate section  862 . The walls  864  and  866  define a chamber  868  into which the elongated body  802  is at least partially positioned. Additionally, the elongated mounting plate portion  804  includes a mounting rail  870  having extensions or walls  872  and  874  that extend substantially perpendicularly from an exterior surface  876  of the elongated plate section  862 . As discussed above, the extensions  872  and  874  may be received by a portion of one or more electronic device(s). 
       FIG. 9  depicts the frame member  800  without the covers  850 . To secure the frame member  800  relative to a structure (such as the structure  600  of  FIG. 6 ), the elongated plate section  862  defines a plurality of apertures  902 - 912  that are to receive corresponding fasteners. 
     Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.

Technology Category: 5