Hinged Modular Electronics Enclosure for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional enclosures for electronic communication equipment face challenges in usability and thermal management due to their small size and portability, leading to overheating issues when equipped with multiple communication technologies.
Innovation Solution
A modular enclosure design featuring hingedly connected shelves that can be rearranged between storage and in-use positions, with a cushioning material to protect equipment and improve airflow, allowing for better thermal management and usability by expanding the equipment's footprint when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the enclosure is made small and lightweight for portability, then it can be transported almost anywhere, but the small size results in reduced usability and thermal management problems due to shoe-horning of equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is divided into multiple shelves that can be independently configured. Each shelf can be positioned at different heights and angles, allowing equipment to be distributed across multiple levels rather than cramped into a single space, thereby improving usability while maintaining portability
Solution Approach 2:
The shelves are designed to be movable and adjustable rather than fixed. This dynamic configuration allows the internal space to adapt to different equipment arrangements, enabling better heat dissipation pathways and improved accessibility without increasing the overall enclosure size
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication technologies are equipped in the enclosure, then communications capability is provided, but thermal management problems occur due to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes vertical space by implementing multi-level shelves, transitioning from a two-dimensional floor plan to a three-dimensional configuration. This allows heat to dissipate vertically and improves airflow around equipment, addressing thermal management issues while accommodating multiple communication technologies
3Volume of moving object
If equipment is densely packed to maximize space utilization, then the enclosure remains compact, but usability is reduced due to shoe-horning of equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure employs a nested shelf structure where multiple levels are arranged vertically within the compact volume. This nesting approach maximizes space utilization while maintaining accessibility to equipment on different levels, preventing the need to open the entire enclosure to access any component
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure comprises a bottom container and first and second shelves hingedly connected to the enclosure. The first shelf is movable between a storage position in which its shelf receiving portion is positioned entirely within the bottom container and an in-use position in which its receiving portion at least partially extends beyond a first corresponding wall of the bottom container. The second shelf is movable between a storage position in which its receiving portion is positioned entirely within the bottom container and an in-use position in which its receiving portion at least partially extends beyond a second corresponding wall of the bottom container. When the first and second shelves are in their respective storage positions, the receiving portions of the first and second shelves are positioned in a stacked arrangement such that the second shelf receiving portion is higher than the first shelf receiving portion within the bottom container.