CA2325648C - Method of assembling electrical and electronic equipment - Google Patents
Method of assembling electrical and electronic equipment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2325648C CA2325648C CA002325648A CA2325648A CA2325648C CA 2325648 C CA2325648 C CA 2325648C CA 002325648 A CA002325648 A CA 002325648A CA 2325648 A CA2325648 A CA 2325648A CA 2325648 C CA2325648 C CA 2325648C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- plate
- chassis box
- electrical
- connector
- iec
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/73—Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
- H01R13/74—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel
- H01R13/741—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel using snap fastening means
- H01R13/743—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel using snap fastening means integral with the housing
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02B1/00—Frameworks, boards, panels, desks, casings; Details of substations or switching arrangements
- H02B1/015—Boards, panels, desks; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
- H02B1/04—Mounting thereon of switches or of other devices in general, the switch or device having, or being without, casing
- H02B1/044—Mounting through openings
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G3/12—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes for flush mounting
- H02G3/128—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes for flush mounting in plinths, channels, raceways or similar
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49124—On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
- Y10T29/4913—Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49124—On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
- Y10T29/49147—Assembling terminal to base
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49169—Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
Abstract
A method is provided for assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using conventional front mounting electrical connectors. The method comprises the steps of providing a front-mounting electrical connector having a body portion and a sidewardly-projecting shoulder portion at an electric cord plug insertion end of the body portion; forming a connector mounting plate sized for attaching to an inside surface of a selected chassis box wall, the plate having a front surface and a back surface and having an aperture sized for receiving the body portion of the connector; and inserting the body portion of the connector into the plate aperture so that an under surface of the connector shoulder portion is against the plate front surface. The method further comprises the steps of forming in the selected chassis box wall an aperture sized to receive the connector shoulder portion and located to match the connector body portion receiving aperture in the plate; and attaching the plate to the selected chassis box wall with the front surface of the plate against the inside surface of the selected chassis box wall and with the shoulder of the plate- installed connector extending into the chassis box wall aperture. Additionally, the connector, which may be an IEC inlet or outlet, has wire connection pins extending from the body portion at an end opposite the shoulder, the method including the step of connecting wires to the pins and tying the connected wires into a wiring harness before the plate is attached to the selected chassis box wall. If other electrical or electronic components are to be installed in the chassis box, the method may include connecting the connection wires to such other components before the plate is attached to the chassis box wall.
Description
METHOD OF ASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to the assembly of electrical and electronic equipment or apparatus, and more particularly to the assembly of such equipment or apparatus using industry-standard, IEC
("international electrical connector") inlets and/or outlets.
Background Discussion:
Conventional, industry-standard IEC inlets and outlets (i.e., IEC connector devices) are used in the manufacture of many types of electrical and electronic equipment. IEC inlets or male-type connectors (i.e., IEC
320 C-20 inlets) are, for example, installed in such electrical and electronic equipment computers, printers and facsimile machines to enable the providing of electrical operating power from an external power source to the equipment (via an external power cord) . On the other hand, IEC outlets or female-type connectors (i.e., IEC 320 C-13 outlets) are installed in many types of electrical power control equipment to enable the providing of electrical power from the equipment (via an external power cord or cords) to one or more external pieces of electrical or electronic equipment to be controlled.
As is well known, these industry-standard IEC devices are constructed for convenient insertion from the outside of an electrical equipment chassis box or enclosure into receiving apertures in a sheet metal wall of the box or 3 0 enclosure. Accordingly, these standard IEC
devices are commonly referred to as "front mounting" con-nectors.
More particularly, IEC inlets are formed having a body portion shaped to fit into and through a receiving aperture in the chassis bo:: or enclosure wall and a shoulder portion that projects sidewardl_, Jffro^: the body portion at the exterior end thereof. The flat, under surface of this shoulder portion lies against the outside surface of the chassis box or enclosure wall around the IEC inlet receiving aperture after the body portion is fully inserted into and through such aperture. Mounting holes formed in the shoulder portion enable installed IEC
inlets to be screwed or bolted to the wall of the chassis box or enclosure. Because the outer surface of the shoulder portion is convexly curved, IEC inlets are not adapted for mounting to the wall of the chassis box or enclosure from inside the box or enclosure IEC outlets (female connectors) are also constructed having a body portion and a shoulder portion. However, the body portion is formed with an opposi-ng pair of flexible locking "wings" or lugs. When the body portion is inserted from the outside into an IEC outlet receiving aperture in the wall of a chassis box or enclosure, the locking wings or lugs are compressed to permit such in-sertion. When the IEC outlet body portion is fully in-serted into its receiving aperture, the compressed lock-ing wings or lugs automatically release to an extended position to lock the IEC outlet in its receiving aper-=ure.
Both industry standard IEC inlets and outlets are two pole, three wire grounding connectors constructed having three closely-spaced, spade-type wire-connecting elements extending from the installed connectors into the chassis box or enclosure. Three corresponding connec-tions are provided internally in the IEC inlets and out-lets for enabling connection using an external power cord plug of the female type for IEC inlets or male type for IEC outlets.
After such IEC devices are installed into a wall of a chassis bor or enclosure, further assembly of the equipment requ_res that wiy` conze:.t_ons be made to the inwardly-e~tending pins of the IEC devices to thereby form ar_ internal wiring harness. Alternatively, wire connections may be made to the IEC devices prior to their insertion into a wall of a chassis box or enclosure. In such case, the connection wires are still required to be formed into a wiring harness after installation of the IEC - devices. The complexity of the wiring harness de-pends upon such factors as the number of installed IEC
devices and the electrical and/or electronic components installed or to be instailed in the chassis bol or enclo-sure and which must be connected by the wiring harness.
If the equipment chassis box or enclosure is required by an end user to be small, as is typically the case for commercial or military equipment where equipment space is limited, the making and inspection of the necessary in-ternal wiring harness and electrical connections is gen-erally tedious, difficult and time consuming. Due to in-ternal space limitations, electrical connection errors can be made and correction of such errors is difficult.
The present inventor has, however, determined that making the associated internal connecti'-ons and wiring-harness is very often difficult and time consuming even if the IEC inlets and/or outlets are provided with con-nected wires when they are installed in the chassis..box or enclosure. Even if wire connections are made to the IEC inlets or outlets before their installation, the careful making of a subsequent, reliable wiring harness with appropriate cable ties is typically difficult and time consuming. This is particularly the case when the inside of the chassis or enclosure is small-as if often required--and/or a number of closely-spaced IEC inlets and/or outlets and other internal electrical or elec-tronic components are required for assembly of the final equipment.
A principal objective of the present invention is to effectively convert front mount , industry standard IEC
inlets and outlets to rear mount inlets and outlets so that the wire connections thereto and subsequent wiring harnesses can be relatively easily and cost effectively assembled outside a chassis box or enclosure for subse-quent assembly in the chassis box or enclosure.
SUNMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electrical connectors.
The method comprises the steps of providing a front-mounting electrical connector having a body portion and a sidewardly-projecting shoulder portion at an electric cord plug insertion end of the body portion, and forming a plate having a front surface and a back surface and sized for fitting against an inside surface of a selected chassis box wall and further having an aperture sized for receiving the body portion of the electrical connector.
Further, the method includes the steps of inserting the body portion of the connector into the plate aperture so that an under surface of the connector shoulder is against the plate front surface and forming an aperture in the selected wall of the chassis box, the aperture be-ing sized to receive the connector shoulder and being lo-cated to match the connector body receiving aperture in the plate. Included is the step of attaching the plate to the selected chassis box wall with the front surface of the plate against the inside surface of the chassis box wall and with the shoulder of the connector extending into the chassis box wall aperture.
The electrical connector typically has wire connec-tion pins extending from the body portion at an end oppo-5 site the shoulder, the method then including the step of connecting wires to the pins and tying the c-onnected wires into a wiring harness before the plate is attached to the selected chassis box wall.
The step of connecting wires to the wire connection pins may be performed before the connector body portion is inserted into the plate, or may be performed after the connector body portion is inserted into the plate.
The method preferably also includes the step of con-necting the connection wires to other electrical or elec-tronic components to be installed in the chassis box be-fore the plate is attached to the selected chassis bo:=
wall, the connections being thereby performed outside the chassis box in a convenient and effective manner.
The electrical connector is preferably selected as an IEC inlet or an IEC outlet. In the case of an IEC in-let, the method includes the step of fastening the shoul-der of the IEC inlet to the plate before the plate is at-tached to the inside of the selected chassis box wall.
More particularly, a method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electri-cal coinnectors comprises the steps of providing one or more front-mounting electrical connectors, each of the connectors having a body portion and a projecting shoul-der portion at an electric cord plug insertion end of the body portion and having electrical connection pins pro-jecting from an opposite, wire connection end of the body portion; and forming a sheet metal plate for mounting said one or more electrical connectors, said plate being sized for attachment to a selected wall of the chassis box from the inside of the box, the plate having a front surface and -a back surface and having one or nore aper-tures sized for receiving body portions oi the one or more electrical connectors which may be selected from IEC
inlets and outlets.
Included in the assembly method are the s=eps of in-serting the body portions of the one or more electrical connectors into the plate connector receiving apertures from the front surface of the plate so that under sur-faces of the shoulders of the one or more electrical con-nectors are against the plate front surface; and connect-ing electrical wires to the electrical connector connec-tion pins.
The method further includes the steps of forming in the selected chassis box wall apertures sized to receive the shoulders of the one or more electrical connectors and located to match the electrical connector receiving aper-tures in the plate; and attaching the plate to the chas-sis box wall with the front surface of the plate against an inside surface of the selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders- of the one or more eiectrical connec-tors extending into the apertures formed in the selected chassis box wall and with the electrical wires inside the chassis box.
The method includes the steps, before the plate is attached to the selected chassis box wall, of connecting the electrical connection wires to other electrical or electronic components to be contained in the chassis box and of tying the electrical connection wires into a wir-ing harness.
The present invention enables electrical assembly of many, if not most or all, electrical parts of a piece of electrical or electronic equipment outside oT the equip-ment's chassis box, where there is more space for making reliable electrical connections and where inspection of the connections is easier and more effective.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The present invention can be more readily understood by a consideration of the followirlg detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accor.tipanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of two representa-tive types of existing front mounting electrical connec-tors: FIG. 1A being a front-and side-view perspective drawing of an existing IEC (international electrical con-nector) type 320 C-20 inlet (male) connector showing the connector body portion and a sidewardly-projecting shoul-der or flange at an input end of the body portion; and FIG. 1B being a front-and side-view perspective drawing of an existing IEC type 320 C-13 outlet (female) connec-tor showing the connector body po--tion and a sidewardly-projecting shoulder or flange at an input end of the body portion and showing spring-type locking elements on the body portion;
FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing oL a representative electrical equ:.pment chassis bor or enclosure, showing its general external configuration and ffurther showing, by way of e tample, one IEC inlet connector s'ioul der-receiving and eight IEC outlet connector shoulder-receiving cutouts or openings formed in a selected (rear) wall of the box or enclosure;
FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of a representative, flat plate for installation against the inner surface oi the selected chassis box or enclosure wall of FIG. 2, showing, one IEC inlet and eight IEC outlet connector body-receiving cutouts or openings formed therein for ~ =
mounting one IEC inlet and eight IEC outlet connectors in the plate;
FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing o-f the exemplary mounting plate of FIG. 3 showing =the IEC connectors in-stalled in the plate and showing electrical wire connec-tions to the pins of the connectors and showing the elec-trical wires tied into a wiring harness;
FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing showing the assem-bled connector mounting plate of FIG. 4 ready to be in-stalled inside the associated chassi-s box or enclosure o:"
FIG. 2 against the selected wall thereof;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective drawing of an assem-bled chassis box or enclosure showing shoulder portions of the IEC inlet and outlets installed in the connector mountina plate extending into the cutouts or openings forned in the selected box or enclosure wall; and FIG. 7 is a cross sectional drawing taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing attachment of the connector mounting plate to the selected chassis box or enclosure wall with shoulder portions of the connectors extending into the cutouts or openings formed in the box or enclo-sur-3 wal-l.
In the various FIGS., the same elements and features are given the same reference numbers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT :
The present invention relates to an improved method of assemb}ing electrical or electronic equipment using one or more front mounting electrical connectors.
Hereinafter the term "electrical equipment" is to be un-derstood to include electronic equipment.
In order to better understand the invention, there is depicted in FIG. 1 representative industry-standard electrical connectors of the front mounting type. in this regard, FIG. 1A depicts an H-C (int.erna~,ional elec-trical connector) type 320 C-20 inlet (male) connector 10 used in connection with electrical equipment, such as a computer (not shown), to enable the connection of an in-put power cord for the supplying of electrical power to the equipment from a power source. FIG. 1B depicts an IEC type 320 C-13 outlet (female) connector 12 used in connection with electrical equipment, such as a power controller (not shown), to enable the connection of a conventional power cord for the supplying of electrical power by such equipment to other, external equipment.
As shown, IEC inlet connector 10 (FIG. 1A) com-prises a three-pin body or body portion 14 of generally rectangular cross section and a sidewardly-projecting rectangular shoulder or shoulder portion 16 formed at an plug input end of the connector. A pair of mounting holes 18 are provided in shoulder portion 16 to enable connector 10 to be attached to a mounting structure as more particularly described below. .
IEC outlet 12 (FIG. 1B) comprises a three-pin re-ceptacle body or body portion 20 of generally D-shaped cross section and a sidewardly-projecting rectangular shoulder*or shoulder portion 22 formed at an plug input end of the connector. A pair of leaf spring-type locking elements 24 are provided on opposite sides of body-por-tion 20 to automatically (releaseably) lock connector 12 in a mounting structure, also as more particularly de-scribed below.
Both IEC inlet and outlet 10 and 12 are constructed having three spade-shaped pins (not shown in FIG. 1) pro-jecting from respective ends 26 and 28 of body portions 14 and 20 for enabling the connection of electrical wires to the connectors upon equipment assembly utilizing the connectors.
5 Because of shoulder portion 16 on inlet connector 10 and shoulder portion 22 on outlet connector 12, both connectors are considered front mounting connectors. That is, connectors 10 and 12 are configured for mounting from the outside (i.e., front) of equipment chassis boxes or enclosures with the wire connection 10 pins projecting inside the box or enclosure which contains the equipments internal wiring and components.
The present inventor has however determined that such front mounting of connectors 10 and/or 12 onto equipment chassis boxes or enclosures frequently makes wire connections to the installed connectors difficult, especially if the space in the chassis box or enclosure is very tight, as is the case where equipment rack space is limited. Such in-the-chassis box wiring is made even more difficult since the chassis box or enclosure usually contains a number of other electrical components requiring electrical connection to the installed connectors.
Further, by way of example illustrating the present invention, FIG. 2 depicts a representative electrical equipment chassis box or enclosure 30. Shown comprising chassis box or enclosure 30 are a box portion 32 having sides 34, 36, 38 and 40 and a bottom 42, and a separate cover plate 44 which is attachable to the box portion be a number of screws 46. Box portion 32 and cover plate are generally constructed of about 14-18 gage sheet metal.
As shown in FIG. 2, a selected side 34, for example, a back side as shown, of box portion 32 has formed therein a number of cutouts or openings for receiving, as more particularly described below, shoulder portions 16 and 22 of front mounting connectors 10 and 12 as required by and corresponding to associated connector mounting plate 48 (FIG. 3).
By way of example, with no limitation being thereby intended or implied, there is shown in chassis box side 34 a single rectangular cutout or opening 60 for receiving in a relatively close fitting relationship a shoulder portion 16 of an IEC inlet (not shown in FIG. 2) . Additionally shown are eight serially 10 spaced apart rectangular cutouts or openings 62 for receiving in a relatively close fitting relationship shoulder portions 22 of eight individual IEC outlets 12 (also not shown in FIG. 2).
FIG 3 depicts connector mounting plate 48 that is relatively long and narrow, being sized to fit inside chassis box portion 32 against selected wall 34. Preferably plate 48 is constructed of 14-18 gage sheet metal. It is to be understood that the size of mounting plate 48 or its equivalent is thus limited by the size of the selected chassis box wall (for example rear wall 34) against which the plate is to be installed, as described below, as well as upon the number and type of front loading connectors to be mounted in the plate.
Formed in connector mounting plate 48 (by way of example only) is a rectangular cutout or opening 64 sized to receive in a relatively close fitting relationship body portion 14 of IEC
inlet 10 (not shown in FIG. 3) . Included are eight serially spaced apart, generally D-shaped cutouts or openings 66 sized to receive in a relatively close fitting relationship body portions 20 of eight individual IEC outlets 12 (also not shown in FIG. 3).
When connector mounting plate 48 is placed in assembly position relative to chassis box wall 34, chassis box wall cutout 60 and plate cutout 64 are located so as to be centered relative to one another. Similarly, chassis box wall cutouts 62 and plate cutouts 66 are located so as to be centered relative to each other.
Continuing with the above example, after cutouts 64 and 66 have been formed in connector mounting plate 48, and with the plate outside of chassis box portion 32, an IEC inlet 10 is installed into cutout 64 in a normal man-ner from a front side or surface 68 of the plate and eight IEC outlets 12 are similarly installed by being snapped into corresponding plate cutouts 66 with shoulder portions 22 exposed(see FIGS. 4 and 7). Exposed IEC inlet shoulder portion 16 is detachably attached to plate 48 by screws 69.
As shown in FIG. 4, with IEC inlet and outlets 10 and 12 installed in plate 48 in the above-described man-ner, electrical wire connections are made to existing pins or terminals of the IEC inlet and outlets from a readily =accessible =rear =side or surface 70 of =plate 48 . -The electrical wires are further connected, as requi-red, to other electrical components 72 to be installed in box portion 32. .The electrical wires are then tied or other-wise formed into wire bundles or wiring harnesses 74.
In this manner, all such wiring is conveniently per-formed in the open, outside of box portion 32, with the beneficial result that the wiring, all related compo-nents, and plate 48 with installed connectors, comprise an electrical sub-assembly 80 that is configured to fit into the box portion (see also FIG. 5).
With sub-assembly 80 completed outside of box por-tion 32, the sub assembly is installed into the box por-tion so that connector mounting plate front surface 68 contacts a rear surface 82 (FIG. 7) of box wall 34, and connector shoulder portions 16 and 22 therefore project into corresponding cutouts 60 and 62 of the box wall (see also FIG. 6) so that input regions of connectors 10 and 12 are accessible in a normal, 'convnntional manner from the outside of chassis box portion 30. Plate 48 is then detachably attached to wall 34 by screws 90. Assembly of electrical equipment 100 is completed by the attachment of cover plate 44 to bo:: portion 32 by screws 46 (FIG.
6).
In the described manner of asse_rbly described above, front mounting IEC inlet 10 and outlets 12 have achieved the important advantage of, in effect, becoming rear mounted connectors.
Although there has been described above a method of assembling or constructing electrical or electronic equipment using front mounting electrical connectors, in accordance with the present invention for purposes of il-lustrating the manner in which the present invention maybe used to advantage, it is to be understood that the invention is not li:nited thereto. For ekample, although the use of industry standard IEC front mounting connec-tors in the assembly method has been illustrated and de-scribed, it will be understood that the present method is also applicable to other types of front mounting electri-cal connectors which might be used in the assembly of electrical equipment.
Moreover, if only one front mounting connector is used in the assembly, it may be either an inlet or outl"et connector. When more than one front mounting connector is used, the connectors may be all of either type or may be used any desired or required combination of inlet and outlet connectors.
Consequentlv, any and all variation and/or equiva-lent methods which may occur to those skilled in the ap-plicable art are to be considered to be within the scope and spirit of the invention as set orth in the clai-ms which are appended hereto as part of IL-his application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to the assembly of electrical and electronic equipment or apparatus, and more particularly to the assembly of such equipment or apparatus using industry-standard, IEC
("international electrical connector") inlets and/or outlets.
Background Discussion:
Conventional, industry-standard IEC inlets and outlets (i.e., IEC connector devices) are used in the manufacture of many types of electrical and electronic equipment. IEC inlets or male-type connectors (i.e., IEC
320 C-20 inlets) are, for example, installed in such electrical and electronic equipment computers, printers and facsimile machines to enable the providing of electrical operating power from an external power source to the equipment (via an external power cord) . On the other hand, IEC outlets or female-type connectors (i.e., IEC 320 C-13 outlets) are installed in many types of electrical power control equipment to enable the providing of electrical power from the equipment (via an external power cord or cords) to one or more external pieces of electrical or electronic equipment to be controlled.
As is well known, these industry-standard IEC devices are constructed for convenient insertion from the outside of an electrical equipment chassis box or enclosure into receiving apertures in a sheet metal wall of the box or 3 0 enclosure. Accordingly, these standard IEC
devices are commonly referred to as "front mounting" con-nectors.
More particularly, IEC inlets are formed having a body portion shaped to fit into and through a receiving aperture in the chassis bo:: or enclosure wall and a shoulder portion that projects sidewardl_, Jffro^: the body portion at the exterior end thereof. The flat, under surface of this shoulder portion lies against the outside surface of the chassis box or enclosure wall around the IEC inlet receiving aperture after the body portion is fully inserted into and through such aperture. Mounting holes formed in the shoulder portion enable installed IEC
inlets to be screwed or bolted to the wall of the chassis box or enclosure. Because the outer surface of the shoulder portion is convexly curved, IEC inlets are not adapted for mounting to the wall of the chassis box or enclosure from inside the box or enclosure IEC outlets (female connectors) are also constructed having a body portion and a shoulder portion. However, the body portion is formed with an opposi-ng pair of flexible locking "wings" or lugs. When the body portion is inserted from the outside into an IEC outlet receiving aperture in the wall of a chassis box or enclosure, the locking wings or lugs are compressed to permit such in-sertion. When the IEC outlet body portion is fully in-serted into its receiving aperture, the compressed lock-ing wings or lugs automatically release to an extended position to lock the IEC outlet in its receiving aper-=ure.
Both industry standard IEC inlets and outlets are two pole, three wire grounding connectors constructed having three closely-spaced, spade-type wire-connecting elements extending from the installed connectors into the chassis box or enclosure. Three corresponding connec-tions are provided internally in the IEC inlets and out-lets for enabling connection using an external power cord plug of the female type for IEC inlets or male type for IEC outlets.
After such IEC devices are installed into a wall of a chassis bor or enclosure, further assembly of the equipment requ_res that wiy` conze:.t_ons be made to the inwardly-e~tending pins of the IEC devices to thereby form ar_ internal wiring harness. Alternatively, wire connections may be made to the IEC devices prior to their insertion into a wall of a chassis box or enclosure. In such case, the connection wires are still required to be formed into a wiring harness after installation of the IEC - devices. The complexity of the wiring harness de-pends upon such factors as the number of installed IEC
devices and the electrical and/or electronic components installed or to be instailed in the chassis bol or enclo-sure and which must be connected by the wiring harness.
If the equipment chassis box or enclosure is required by an end user to be small, as is typically the case for commercial or military equipment where equipment space is limited, the making and inspection of the necessary in-ternal wiring harness and electrical connections is gen-erally tedious, difficult and time consuming. Due to in-ternal space limitations, electrical connection errors can be made and correction of such errors is difficult.
The present inventor has, however, determined that making the associated internal connecti'-ons and wiring-harness is very often difficult and time consuming even if the IEC inlets and/or outlets are provided with con-nected wires when they are installed in the chassis..box or enclosure. Even if wire connections are made to the IEC inlets or outlets before their installation, the careful making of a subsequent, reliable wiring harness with appropriate cable ties is typically difficult and time consuming. This is particularly the case when the inside of the chassis or enclosure is small-as if often required--and/or a number of closely-spaced IEC inlets and/or outlets and other internal electrical or elec-tronic components are required for assembly of the final equipment.
A principal objective of the present invention is to effectively convert front mount , industry standard IEC
inlets and outlets to rear mount inlets and outlets so that the wire connections thereto and subsequent wiring harnesses can be relatively easily and cost effectively assembled outside a chassis box or enclosure for subse-quent assembly in the chassis box or enclosure.
SUNMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electrical connectors.
The method comprises the steps of providing a front-mounting electrical connector having a body portion and a sidewardly-projecting shoulder portion at an electric cord plug insertion end of the body portion, and forming a plate having a front surface and a back surface and sized for fitting against an inside surface of a selected chassis box wall and further having an aperture sized for receiving the body portion of the electrical connector.
Further, the method includes the steps of inserting the body portion of the connector into the plate aperture so that an under surface of the connector shoulder is against the plate front surface and forming an aperture in the selected wall of the chassis box, the aperture be-ing sized to receive the connector shoulder and being lo-cated to match the connector body receiving aperture in the plate. Included is the step of attaching the plate to the selected chassis box wall with the front surface of the plate against the inside surface of the chassis box wall and with the shoulder of the connector extending into the chassis box wall aperture.
The electrical connector typically has wire connec-tion pins extending from the body portion at an end oppo-5 site the shoulder, the method then including the step of connecting wires to the pins and tying the c-onnected wires into a wiring harness before the plate is attached to the selected chassis box wall.
The step of connecting wires to the wire connection pins may be performed before the connector body portion is inserted into the plate, or may be performed after the connector body portion is inserted into the plate.
The method preferably also includes the step of con-necting the connection wires to other electrical or elec-tronic components to be installed in the chassis box be-fore the plate is attached to the selected chassis bo:=
wall, the connections being thereby performed outside the chassis box in a convenient and effective manner.
The electrical connector is preferably selected as an IEC inlet or an IEC outlet. In the case of an IEC in-let, the method includes the step of fastening the shoul-der of the IEC inlet to the plate before the plate is at-tached to the inside of the selected chassis box wall.
More particularly, a method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electri-cal coinnectors comprises the steps of providing one or more front-mounting electrical connectors, each of the connectors having a body portion and a projecting shoul-der portion at an electric cord plug insertion end of the body portion and having electrical connection pins pro-jecting from an opposite, wire connection end of the body portion; and forming a sheet metal plate for mounting said one or more electrical connectors, said plate being sized for attachment to a selected wall of the chassis box from the inside of the box, the plate having a front surface and -a back surface and having one or nore aper-tures sized for receiving body portions oi the one or more electrical connectors which may be selected from IEC
inlets and outlets.
Included in the assembly method are the s=eps of in-serting the body portions of the one or more electrical connectors into the plate connector receiving apertures from the front surface of the plate so that under sur-faces of the shoulders of the one or more electrical con-nectors are against the plate front surface; and connect-ing electrical wires to the electrical connector connec-tion pins.
The method further includes the steps of forming in the selected chassis box wall apertures sized to receive the shoulders of the one or more electrical connectors and located to match the electrical connector receiving aper-tures in the plate; and attaching the plate to the chas-sis box wall with the front surface of the plate against an inside surface of the selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders- of the one or more eiectrical connec-tors extending into the apertures formed in the selected chassis box wall and with the electrical wires inside the chassis box.
The method includes the steps, before the plate is attached to the selected chassis box wall, of connecting the electrical connection wires to other electrical or electronic components to be contained in the chassis box and of tying the electrical connection wires into a wir-ing harness.
The present invention enables electrical assembly of many, if not most or all, electrical parts of a piece of electrical or electronic equipment outside oT the equip-ment's chassis box, where there is more space for making reliable electrical connections and where inspection of the connections is easier and more effective.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The present invention can be more readily understood by a consideration of the followirlg detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accor.tipanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of two representa-tive types of existing front mounting electrical connec-tors: FIG. 1A being a front-and side-view perspective drawing of an existing IEC (international electrical con-nector) type 320 C-20 inlet (male) connector showing the connector body portion and a sidewardly-projecting shoul-der or flange at an input end of the body portion; and FIG. 1B being a front-and side-view perspective drawing of an existing IEC type 320 C-13 outlet (female) connec-tor showing the connector body po--tion and a sidewardly-projecting shoulder or flange at an input end of the body portion and showing spring-type locking elements on the body portion;
FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing oL a representative electrical equ:.pment chassis bor or enclosure, showing its general external configuration and ffurther showing, by way of e tample, one IEC inlet connector s'ioul der-receiving and eight IEC outlet connector shoulder-receiving cutouts or openings formed in a selected (rear) wall of the box or enclosure;
FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of a representative, flat plate for installation against the inner surface oi the selected chassis box or enclosure wall of FIG. 2, showing, one IEC inlet and eight IEC outlet connector body-receiving cutouts or openings formed therein for ~ =
mounting one IEC inlet and eight IEC outlet connectors in the plate;
FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing o-f the exemplary mounting plate of FIG. 3 showing =the IEC connectors in-stalled in the plate and showing electrical wire connec-tions to the pins of the connectors and showing the elec-trical wires tied into a wiring harness;
FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing showing the assem-bled connector mounting plate of FIG. 4 ready to be in-stalled inside the associated chassi-s box or enclosure o:"
FIG. 2 against the selected wall thereof;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective drawing of an assem-bled chassis box or enclosure showing shoulder portions of the IEC inlet and outlets installed in the connector mountina plate extending into the cutouts or openings forned in the selected box or enclosure wall; and FIG. 7 is a cross sectional drawing taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing attachment of the connector mounting plate to the selected chassis box or enclosure wall with shoulder portions of the connectors extending into the cutouts or openings formed in the box or enclo-sur-3 wal-l.
In the various FIGS., the same elements and features are given the same reference numbers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT :
The present invention relates to an improved method of assemb}ing electrical or electronic equipment using one or more front mounting electrical connectors.
Hereinafter the term "electrical equipment" is to be un-derstood to include electronic equipment.
In order to better understand the invention, there is depicted in FIG. 1 representative industry-standard electrical connectors of the front mounting type. in this regard, FIG. 1A depicts an H-C (int.erna~,ional elec-trical connector) type 320 C-20 inlet (male) connector 10 used in connection with electrical equipment, such as a computer (not shown), to enable the connection of an in-put power cord for the supplying of electrical power to the equipment from a power source. FIG. 1B depicts an IEC type 320 C-13 outlet (female) connector 12 used in connection with electrical equipment, such as a power controller (not shown), to enable the connection of a conventional power cord for the supplying of electrical power by such equipment to other, external equipment.
As shown, IEC inlet connector 10 (FIG. 1A) com-prises a three-pin body or body portion 14 of generally rectangular cross section and a sidewardly-projecting rectangular shoulder or shoulder portion 16 formed at an plug input end of the connector. A pair of mounting holes 18 are provided in shoulder portion 16 to enable connector 10 to be attached to a mounting structure as more particularly described below. .
IEC outlet 12 (FIG. 1B) comprises a three-pin re-ceptacle body or body portion 20 of generally D-shaped cross section and a sidewardly-projecting rectangular shoulder*or shoulder portion 22 formed at an plug input end of the connector. A pair of leaf spring-type locking elements 24 are provided on opposite sides of body-por-tion 20 to automatically (releaseably) lock connector 12 in a mounting structure, also as more particularly de-scribed below.
Both IEC inlet and outlet 10 and 12 are constructed having three spade-shaped pins (not shown in FIG. 1) pro-jecting from respective ends 26 and 28 of body portions 14 and 20 for enabling the connection of electrical wires to the connectors upon equipment assembly utilizing the connectors.
5 Because of shoulder portion 16 on inlet connector 10 and shoulder portion 22 on outlet connector 12, both connectors are considered front mounting connectors. That is, connectors 10 and 12 are configured for mounting from the outside (i.e., front) of equipment chassis boxes or enclosures with the wire connection 10 pins projecting inside the box or enclosure which contains the equipments internal wiring and components.
The present inventor has however determined that such front mounting of connectors 10 and/or 12 onto equipment chassis boxes or enclosures frequently makes wire connections to the installed connectors difficult, especially if the space in the chassis box or enclosure is very tight, as is the case where equipment rack space is limited. Such in-the-chassis box wiring is made even more difficult since the chassis box or enclosure usually contains a number of other electrical components requiring electrical connection to the installed connectors.
Further, by way of example illustrating the present invention, FIG. 2 depicts a representative electrical equipment chassis box or enclosure 30. Shown comprising chassis box or enclosure 30 are a box portion 32 having sides 34, 36, 38 and 40 and a bottom 42, and a separate cover plate 44 which is attachable to the box portion be a number of screws 46. Box portion 32 and cover plate are generally constructed of about 14-18 gage sheet metal.
As shown in FIG. 2, a selected side 34, for example, a back side as shown, of box portion 32 has formed therein a number of cutouts or openings for receiving, as more particularly described below, shoulder portions 16 and 22 of front mounting connectors 10 and 12 as required by and corresponding to associated connector mounting plate 48 (FIG. 3).
By way of example, with no limitation being thereby intended or implied, there is shown in chassis box side 34 a single rectangular cutout or opening 60 for receiving in a relatively close fitting relationship a shoulder portion 16 of an IEC inlet (not shown in FIG. 2) . Additionally shown are eight serially 10 spaced apart rectangular cutouts or openings 62 for receiving in a relatively close fitting relationship shoulder portions 22 of eight individual IEC outlets 12 (also not shown in FIG. 2).
FIG 3 depicts connector mounting plate 48 that is relatively long and narrow, being sized to fit inside chassis box portion 32 against selected wall 34. Preferably plate 48 is constructed of 14-18 gage sheet metal. It is to be understood that the size of mounting plate 48 or its equivalent is thus limited by the size of the selected chassis box wall (for example rear wall 34) against which the plate is to be installed, as described below, as well as upon the number and type of front loading connectors to be mounted in the plate.
Formed in connector mounting plate 48 (by way of example only) is a rectangular cutout or opening 64 sized to receive in a relatively close fitting relationship body portion 14 of IEC
inlet 10 (not shown in FIG. 3) . Included are eight serially spaced apart, generally D-shaped cutouts or openings 66 sized to receive in a relatively close fitting relationship body portions 20 of eight individual IEC outlets 12 (also not shown in FIG. 3).
When connector mounting plate 48 is placed in assembly position relative to chassis box wall 34, chassis box wall cutout 60 and plate cutout 64 are located so as to be centered relative to one another. Similarly, chassis box wall cutouts 62 and plate cutouts 66 are located so as to be centered relative to each other.
Continuing with the above example, after cutouts 64 and 66 have been formed in connector mounting plate 48, and with the plate outside of chassis box portion 32, an IEC inlet 10 is installed into cutout 64 in a normal man-ner from a front side or surface 68 of the plate and eight IEC outlets 12 are similarly installed by being snapped into corresponding plate cutouts 66 with shoulder portions 22 exposed(see FIGS. 4 and 7). Exposed IEC inlet shoulder portion 16 is detachably attached to plate 48 by screws 69.
As shown in FIG. 4, with IEC inlet and outlets 10 and 12 installed in plate 48 in the above-described man-ner, electrical wire connections are made to existing pins or terminals of the IEC inlet and outlets from a readily =accessible =rear =side or surface 70 of =plate 48 . -The electrical wires are further connected, as requi-red, to other electrical components 72 to be installed in box portion 32. .The electrical wires are then tied or other-wise formed into wire bundles or wiring harnesses 74.
In this manner, all such wiring is conveniently per-formed in the open, outside of box portion 32, with the beneficial result that the wiring, all related compo-nents, and plate 48 with installed connectors, comprise an electrical sub-assembly 80 that is configured to fit into the box portion (see also FIG. 5).
With sub-assembly 80 completed outside of box por-tion 32, the sub assembly is installed into the box por-tion so that connector mounting plate front surface 68 contacts a rear surface 82 (FIG. 7) of box wall 34, and connector shoulder portions 16 and 22 therefore project into corresponding cutouts 60 and 62 of the box wall (see also FIG. 6) so that input regions of connectors 10 and 12 are accessible in a normal, 'convnntional manner from the outside of chassis box portion 30. Plate 48 is then detachably attached to wall 34 by screws 90. Assembly of electrical equipment 100 is completed by the attachment of cover plate 44 to bo:: portion 32 by screws 46 (FIG.
6).
In the described manner of asse_rbly described above, front mounting IEC inlet 10 and outlets 12 have achieved the important advantage of, in effect, becoming rear mounted connectors.
Although there has been described above a method of assembling or constructing electrical or electronic equipment using front mounting electrical connectors, in accordance with the present invention for purposes of il-lustrating the manner in which the present invention maybe used to advantage, it is to be understood that the invention is not li:nited thereto. For ekample, although the use of industry standard IEC front mounting connec-tors in the assembly method has been illustrated and de-scribed, it will be understood that the present method is also applicable to other types of front mounting electri-cal connectors which might be used in the assembly of electrical equipment.
Moreover, if only one front mounting connector is used in the assembly, it may be either an inlet or outl"et connector. When more than one front mounting connector is used, the connectors may be all of either type or may be used any desired or required combination of inlet and outlet connectors.
Consequentlv, any and all variation and/or equiva-lent methods which may occur to those skilled in the ap-plicable art are to be considered to be within the scope and spirit of the invention as set orth in the clai-ms which are appended hereto as part of IL-his application.
Claims (17)
1. A method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electrical connectors, said method comprising the steps of:
a. providing a front-mounting electrical connector having a body portion and a -projecting shoulder portion with an under surface adjoining the body portion;
b. forming a plate sized to attach to an inside surface of a selected wall of said chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having an aperture sized for receiving the body portion of said connector;
c. inserting the body portion of said connector into said plate aperture so that the under surface of said connector shoulder is against said plate front surface;
d. forming an aperture in said selected wall of said chassis box, said wall aperture being sized to receive said connector shoulder and being located to match said connector body receiving aperture in said plate; and e. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against the inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulder of said connector extending into said aperture formed in said selected chassis box wall.
a. providing a front-mounting electrical connector having a body portion and a -projecting shoulder portion with an under surface adjoining the body portion;
b. forming a plate sized to attach to an inside surface of a selected wall of said chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having an aperture sized for receiving the body portion of said connector;
c. inserting the body portion of said connector into said plate aperture so that the under surface of said connector shoulder is against said plate front surface;
d. forming an aperture in said selected wall of said chassis box, said wall aperture being sized to receive said connector shoulder and being located to match said connector body receiving aperture in said plate; and e. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against the inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulder of said connector extending into said aperture formed in said selected chassis box wall.
2. The assembly method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector has wire connection pins extending from said body portion at an end opposite said shoulder portion, and including the step of connecting wire to said pins and tying the connected wires into a wiring harness before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
3. The assembly method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of connecting wires to said wire connection pins is performed before said connector body is inserted into said plate.
4. The assembly method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of connecting wires to said wire connection pins is performed after said connector body is inserted into said plate.
5. The assembly method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of connecting said connection wires to other electrical or electronic components to be installed in said chassis box before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
6. The assembly method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical connector is selected as an IEC inlet or an IEC outlet.
7. The assembly method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said electrical connector is an IEC inlet, and including the step of fastening the shoulder portion of said IEC inlet to said plate before the plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
8. A method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounting electrical connectors, said method comprising the steps of:
a. providing one or more front-mounting electrical connectors, each of said connectors having a body portion, a sidewardly-projecting shoulder portion at one side of said body portion and electrical connection pins projecting from an opposite side of said body portion, said shoulder portion having an under surface adjoining said body portion;
b. forming an electrical connector mounting plate sized for attaching to an inside surface of a selected chassis box wall from inside the chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having one or more apertures sized for receiving body portions of said one or more electrical connectors;
c. inserting the body portions of said one or more electrical connectors into said plate connector receiving apertures from the front surface of the plate so that said under surfaces of said shoulder portions of said one or more electrical connectors are against said plate front surface;
d. connecting electrical wires to said electrical connector connection pins;
e. forming in said selected chassis box wall apertures sized to receive said shoulders of said one or more electrical connectors and located to match the electrical connector receiving apertures formed in said plate; and f. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against an inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders of said one or more electrical connectors extending into said chassis box wall apertures and with said electrical wires inside said chassis box.
a. providing one or more front-mounting electrical connectors, each of said connectors having a body portion, a sidewardly-projecting shoulder portion at one side of said body portion and electrical connection pins projecting from an opposite side of said body portion, said shoulder portion having an under surface adjoining said body portion;
b. forming an electrical connector mounting plate sized for attaching to an inside surface of a selected chassis box wall from inside the chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having one or more apertures sized for receiving body portions of said one or more electrical connectors;
c. inserting the body portions of said one or more electrical connectors into said plate connector receiving apertures from the front surface of the plate so that said under surfaces of said shoulder portions of said one or more electrical connectors are against said plate front surface;
d. connecting electrical wires to said electrical connector connection pins;
e. forming in said selected chassis box wall apertures sized to receive said shoulders of said one or more electrical connectors and located to match the electrical connector receiving apertures formed in said plate; and f. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against an inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders of said one or more electrical connectors extending into said chassis box wall apertures and with said electrical wires inside said chassis box.
9. The assembly method as claimed in claim 8, including the step of tying the electrical connection wires into a wiring harness before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
10. The assembly method as claimed in claim 8, including the step of connecting said electrical connection wires to other electrical or electronic components to be contained in said chassis box before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
11. The assembly method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said one or more electrical connectors are selected from IEC inlets and outlets.
12. A method of assembling electrical equipment in a chassis box using front mounted electrical connectors, said method comprising the steps of:
a. providing one or more front-mounting IEC electrical connectors, each of said IEC connectors having a body portion, a shoulder portion at one side of said body portion and electrical connection pins projecting from an opposite side of said body portion, said shoulder portion having an under surface adjoining said body portion;
b. forming a connector mounting plate sized for attachment to an inside surface of a selected wall of said chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having one or more apertures sized for receiving said body portions of said one or more IEC connectors;
c. inserting the body portions of said one or more IEC connectors into said plate apertures from the front surface of said plate so that under surfaces of said shoulder portions of said one or more IEC connectors are against said plate front surface;
d. connecting electrical wires to said electrical connector connection pins;
e. forming apertures in said selected chassis box wall, said apertures being sized to receive said shoulder portions of said one or more IEC connectors and being located to match said IEC connector receiving apertures formed in said plate;
and f. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against the inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders of said one or more IEC connectors extending into said chassis box wall apertures and with said connected electrical wires inside said chassis box.
a. providing one or more front-mounting IEC electrical connectors, each of said IEC connectors having a body portion, a shoulder portion at one side of said body portion and electrical connection pins projecting from an opposite side of said body portion, said shoulder portion having an under surface adjoining said body portion;
b. forming a connector mounting plate sized for attachment to an inside surface of a selected wall of said chassis box, said plate having a front surface and a back surface and having one or more apertures sized for receiving said body portions of said one or more IEC connectors;
c. inserting the body portions of said one or more IEC connectors into said plate apertures from the front surface of said plate so that under surfaces of said shoulder portions of said one or more IEC connectors are against said plate front surface;
d. connecting electrical wires to said electrical connector connection pins;
e. forming apertures in said selected chassis box wall, said apertures being sized to receive said shoulder portions of said one or more IEC connectors and being located to match said IEC connector receiving apertures formed in said plate;
and f. attaching said plate to said selected chassis box wall with the front surface of said plate against the inside surface of said selected chassis box wall and with the shoulders of said one or more IEC connectors extending into said chassis box wall apertures and with said connected electrical wires inside said chassis box.
13. The assembly method as claimed in claim 12, including the step of tying the connected wires into a wiring harness before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
14. The assembly method as claimed in claim 12, including the step of connecting said electrical connection wires to other electrical or electronic components to be installed in said chassis box before said plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
15. The assembly method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said one or more IEC
connectors are selected from IEC inlets and IEC outlets.
connectors are selected from IEC inlets and IEC outlets.
16. The assembly method as claimed in claim 15, wherein when said one ore more IEC connectors include and IEC inlet, the method includes the step of fastening the shoulder of said IEC inlet to said plate before the plate is attached to said selected chassis box wall.
17. The assembly method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said connector mounting plate is formed from sheet metal.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US09/436,842 | 1999-11-09 | ||
| US09/436,842 US6250956B1 (en) | 1999-11-09 | 1999-11-09 | Electrical equipment and method of assembling same |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2325648A1 CA2325648A1 (en) | 2001-05-09 |
| CA2325648C true CA2325648C (en) | 2009-07-14 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002325648A Expired - Lifetime CA2325648C (en) | 1999-11-09 | 2000-11-09 | Method of assembling electrical and electronic equipment |
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| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (2) | US6250956B1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2325648C (en) |
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| US11196212B2 (en) | 2020-03-16 | 2021-12-07 | Server Technology, Inc. | Locking combination outlet module and power distribution unit incorporating the same |
| US11895801B1 (en) * | 2020-06-10 | 2024-02-06 | Gateview Technologies, Inc. | Rack power distribution unit method and system for construction allowing greater unit permutations and optimized manufacturing efficiency |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2267771A (en) * | 1938-10-08 | 1941-12-30 | Hubbell Inc Harvey | Faceplate mounting for electrical device |
| US3049688A (en) * | 1959-08-31 | 1962-08-14 | Sinopoli Frank | Portable electrical receptacle box |
| US3729657A (en) * | 1971-07-15 | 1973-04-24 | Allen Bradley Co | Coded circuit mounting device with cover |
| US4080028A (en) * | 1976-12-09 | 1978-03-21 | Powell Electrical Manufacturing Company | Printed circuit board connector adapter |
| US4437717A (en) * | 1981-09-28 | 1984-03-20 | Paradyne Corporation | Rack mountable primary power AC plug |
| US4585284A (en) * | 1984-09-21 | 1986-04-29 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Transition adapter connector employing a printed circuit board |
| US4737116A (en) * | 1986-04-21 | 1988-04-12 | Micro Component Technology, Inc. | Impedance matching block |
| US5117122A (en) * | 1989-01-19 | 1992-05-26 | Hogarth Peter T | Integrated outlet for communication and electrical power transmissions with noise reducing characteristics |
| US5392192A (en) * | 1993-03-22 | 1995-02-21 | Apple Computer, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for snap-together computer construction |
| CA2137011C (en) * | 1994-11-30 | 2001-10-23 | Gordon S. Almond | Modular electrical connector box |
| US5773760A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1998-06-30 | Arlington Industries, Inc. | Universal electrical cover |
| US5664950A (en) * | 1996-02-13 | 1997-09-09 | Lawrence; Richard J. | Hardware mechanism for computer software security |
| JP3094150B2 (en) * | 1996-04-30 | 2000-10-03 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | Switch box mounting structure |
| US6086415A (en) * | 1998-10-29 | 2000-07-11 | Hubbell Incorporated | High density modular patch panel |
| TW445021U (en) * | 1999-09-17 | 2001-07-01 | Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd | Magnetic holding device |
| US6362425B1 (en) * | 2000-07-18 | 2002-03-26 | General Instrument Corporation | Grounding structure for use between surfaces of aligned equipment housing elements |
-
1999
- 1999-11-09 US US09/436,842 patent/US6250956B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2000
- 2000-11-09 CA CA002325648A patent/CA2325648C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2001
- 2001-05-04 US US09/849,464 patent/US6782617B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US6250956B1 (en) | 2001-06-26 |
| US6782617B2 (en) | 2004-08-31 |
| US20040077212A1 (en) | 2004-04-22 |
| CA2325648A1 (en) | 2001-05-09 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20201109 |