Frame assembly and environmental enclosure

Abstract

A frame assembly for an environmental enclosure including a plurality of channel-shaped members each including an end wall, opposed spaced side walls and an opening opposite the end wall adapted to receive and retain an end cap for retaining a film over the frame assembly having an integral internal channel which receives a connector element for interconnecting the frame members into a rectangular frame assembly and the frame assemblies are then interconnected to form an environmental enclosure. In one embodiment, the channel-shaped frame members include a generally L-shaped connector portion integral with one of the side walls for interconnecting the frame assemblies in side to side and end to end relation. In the other embodiment, the rectangular frame assembly has a height equal to the height of the environmental enclosure and transverse bracing elements having a U-shaped connector plate including transverse slots received in the internal channel.

1 . A frame assembly for an environmental enclosure, comprising: 
 a plurality of channel-shaped members, each channel-shaped member including a first end wall, opposed spaced side walls extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall, an opening opposite said first end wall adapted to receive and retain an end cap for retaining a film over said frame assembly, and an integral internal retainer channel including a wall integral and generally perpendicular to one of said side walls spaced from said first end wall forming an internal channel with said first end wall; and    said plurality of channel-shaped frame members including a first channel-shaped frame member in abutting relation with a second channel-shaped frame member and a retainer element received in said internal channel of said first channel-shaped frame member interconnecting said first and second channel-shaped frame members.    
     
     
         2 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said retainer element includes a first leg portion received in said internal retainer channel of said first channel-shaped frame member and a second leg portion received in said internal retainer channel of said second channel-shaped frame member.  
     
     
         3 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said second channel-shaped frame member extends generally perpendicular to said first channel-shaped frame member and said retainer element is generally L-shaped.  
     
     
         4 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first end wall of said plurality of channel-shaped frame members include an internal wall integral with and extending generally perpendicular to said first end wall extending toward said wall integral with and generally perpendicular to one of said side walls forming said internal channel.  
     
     
         5 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said wall integral with and generally perpendicular to one of said side walls is generally L-shaped including an end portion extending toward said first end wall.  
     
     
         6 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said opening opposite said first end wall includes opposed enlarged parallel bead-like portions at least one of which extends toward said first end wall adapted to receive and retain an end cap.  
     
     
         7 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of said opposed spaced side walls include a U-shaped end portion.  
     
     
         8 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said U-shaped end portions of said opposed spaced side walls include an end portion extending toward said first end wall.  
     
     
         9 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of channel-shaped frame members each include an integral connector portion including an end wall integral with one of said opposed side walls extending generally parallel to said first end wall having an end portion extending generally perpendicular to said end wall of said connector portion spaced from said one of said opposed side walls forming an L-shaped connector portion, and said generally L-shaped connector portion of said first channel-shaped frame member engaging said generally L-shaped connector portion of a third channel-shaped frame member and a connector element interconnecting said generally L-shaped connector portions of said first and third channel-shaped members.  
     
     
         10 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of said side walls includes an integral end portion extending toward an opposite side wall having a U-shaped portion extending toward said first end wall.  
     
     
         11 . A frame assembly for an environmental enclosure, comprising: 
 a plurality of channel-shaped frame members, each of said channel-shaped frame members including a first end wall, opposed spaced side wall integral with and extending generally perpendicular to said first end wall, an opening opposite said first end wall having parallel sides adapted to receive and retain an end cap for retaining a film over said frame assembly, and an integral internal channel within said channel-shaped frame members including a first generally L-shaped internal channel wall portion integral with one of said side walls including a first portion integral with and extending generally perpendicular to said one of said side walls and an end portion extending toward said first end wall and a second internal channel wall integral with and extending generally perpendicular to said first end wall portion extending toward said second end portion of said first generally L-shaped internal wall portion.    
     
     
         12 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said frame assembly includes a first channel-shaped frame member in abutting relation with a second channel-shaped frame member and a retainer element in one of said internal channels within one of said first and second channel-shaped members interconnecting said first and second channel-shaped frame members.  
     
     
         13 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said connector element includes a first leg portion received in said internal channel of said first channel-shaped frame member and a second leg portion received in said internal channel of said second channel-shaped frame member interconnecting said first and second channel-shaped frame members.  
     
     
         14 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said leg portions of said connector element include a plurality of teeth forming an interference fit with said internal channels of said first and second channel-shaped frame members.  
     
     
         15 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said opening opposite said first end wall includes parallel enlarged bead-shaped portions for retaining an end cap in said opening.  
     
     
         16 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said side walls each include a U-shaped end portion having an said enlarged bead-shaped portion at an end of said U-shaped portions.  
     
     
         17 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said one of said side walls include a second end wall extending generally parallel to and opposite said first end wall defining said opening adjacent the other of said side walls.  
     
     
         18 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said opening is rectangular having parallel enlarged bead-shaped portions for retaining an end cap.  
     
     
         19 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of channel-shaped frame members includes an integral retainer portion including a first retainer wall portion integral with a side wall opposite said one of said side walls extending generally parallel to said first end wall and a second retainer wall portion integral and extending generally parallel to said first wall portion.  
     
     
         20 . A frame assembly for an environmental enclosure, comprising: 
 a plurality of interconnected frame members, each of said frame members including a channel-shaped portion having a first end wall portion, opposed spaced side walls extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall portion defining an open end opposite said first end wall portion, said side walls having opposed inwardly projecting portions adjacent said open end adapted to receive and retain an end cap, and a connector portion integral with said channel-shaped portion including a second end wall portion generally aligned with said first end wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said second end wall portion spaced from an adjacent side wall portion;    said plurality of interconnecting frame members including two frame members having abutting leg portions; and    a fastener interconnecting said leg portions.    
     
     
         21 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said leg portion has a length less than said side walls.  
     
     
         22 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said two frame members are mirror images of each other.  
     
     
         23 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said inwardly projecting portions of said side walls are hook-shaped.  
     
     
         24 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said hook-shaped projecting portions are U-shaped each including a first portion extending generally perpendicular to said side walls and an end portion extending generally parallel to said side walls.  
     
     
         25 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said end portion of said hook-shaped portion has a greater thickness than said first portion and rounded end surfaces.  
     
     
         26 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said side walls include an outer side wall and an inner side wall adjacent said connector portion, and said inner side wall including an outwardly projecting end portion adjacent said open end overlying said second bottom wall portion, such that said two side frame members have opposed projecting end portions adapted to receive a second end cap.  
     
     
         27 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 20 , wherein one of said side walls of said frame members includes an integral generally L-shaped web portion spaced from said first bottom wall portion having an end portion extending toward said first bottom wall portion, and said first bottom wall portion including an opposed web portion, wherein said web portions are adapted to receive an L-shaped connector interconnecting said frame members in end to end relation.  
     
     
         28 . A frame assembly for an environmental enclosure, comprising: 
 a first plurality of frame members each including a channel-shaped portion having a first end wall portion, a first side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall portion, a second side wall spaced from said first side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall portion, said first side wall including an end portion extending toward said second side wall and said second side wall including an end portion extending toward said first side wall, and a connector portion including a second end wall portion integral with said second side wall generally aligned with said first end wall portion and a leg portion spaced from said second side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said second end wall portion having a length less than said side wall;    a second plurality of frame members each being a mirror image of said first plurality of frame members, each including a first end wall portion, a first side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall portion, a second side wall spaced from said first side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said first end wall portion, said first end wall portion including an end portion extending toward said second side wall, said second side wall including an end portion extending toward said first side wall and a connector portion including a second end wall portion integral with said second side wall aligned with said first end wall portion and a leg portion spaced from said second side wall extending generally perpendicular to and integral with said second end wall portion, wherein said leg portions of one of said first plurality of frame members and said leg portion of one of said second plurality of frame members are abutting; and    a fastener interconnecting said leg portions of said one of said first plurality of frame members to said leg portion of said one of said second plurality of frame members.    
     
     
         29 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said end portions of said first and second side walls are hook-shaped adapted to receive and retain an end cap for securing a flexible film to said frame members.  
     
     
         30 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said hook-shaped portions of said side walls are U-shaped, including a first portion extending generally perpendicular to said side walls and an end portion extending generally parallel to said side walls.  
     
     
         31 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said hook-shaped end portions of said side walls have a greater thickness than said first portion, and rounded end surfaces.  
     
     
         32 . The frame assembly as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said first side wall of said first and second plurality of frame members includes an integral generally L-shaped web portion having an end portion extending toward said first bottom wall portion and said first bottom wall portion including an opposed web portion for receiving an L-shaped connector interconnecting said first and second plurality of frame members to a third plurality of frame members in end to end relation.