Rack door transition kit with universal bracket

Abstract

A door transition kit for mounting a cooling door to an electronics equipment rack comprises vertically extending frame members and horizontally extending frame members defining a rectangular frame. The vertically extending frame members have cooling door mounting holes which align with the cooling door attachment points, and respective first and second flanges each having an elongated slot. Universal mounting brackets interconnect the frame to the mounting posts located within the rack and each comprises a first bracket part having an end with a mounting member removably mounted to a mounting hole in the mounting posts, and a second bracket part having a mounting member removably mounted to the elongated slot of a respective flange. The bracket parts are adapted to cooperatively engage with one another to allow selective, lateral adjustment toward and away from each other to selectively adjust the distance between the rectangular frame and the mounting posts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for mounting a cooling door having predefined cooling door attachment points to any one of a variety of electronics equipment racks having an enclosure with first and second equipment mounting posts located within said enclosure, said mounting posts having a plurality of longitudinally spaced equipment mounting holes formed therethrough, said apparatus comprising a door transition kit for mounting said cooling door to said enclosure, said kit comprising:
 a) a rectangular frame having first and second spaced, vertically extending frame members each having a top and bottom end, and first and second spaced, horizontally extending frame members each having a right and left end interconnecting said first and second vertically extending frame members at said top and bottom ends thereof, respectively, and thereby defining said rectangular frame member, said first and second vertically extending frame members having cooling door mounting holes formed therethrough at locations which may align with said cooling door attachment points;   b) first and second flanges each having an elongated slot, said first and second flanges attached to a respective one of said first and second vertically extending frame members with said elongated slot extending in spaced, parallel relation to its respective vertically extending frame member; and   c) first and second universal mounting brackets for interconnecting said rectangular frame which is located outside said enclosure to said first and second equipment mounting posts which are located within said enclosure, said first and second universal mounting brackets each comprising:
 i) a first bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a selected one or more of said equipment mounting holes in said first and second equipment mounting posts, respectively; 
 ii) a second bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a respective flange at a selected point along the length of said elongated slot thereof; 
 wherein said first and second bracket parts are adapted to cooperatively engage with one another in a manner allowing selective, lateral adjustment of said first and second bracket parts toward and away from each other to selectively adjust the distance between said rectangular frame and said first and second equipment mounting posts. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 d) first and second adjustable feet attached to said bottom ends of said first and second vertically extending frame members, respectively, said feet allowing said rectangular frame to rest upon the floor regardless of the relative positioning of said rectangular frame with respect to said enclosure, said rectangular frame thereby having a load bearing capability which is independent of said enclosure.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 d) a locking element attached to at least one of said first and second bracket parts, said locking element operable to releasably fix the selected relative positioning of said first and second bracket parts.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 d) third and fourth flanges each having an elongated slot, said third and fourth flanges attached to a respective one of said first and second vertically extending frame members with said elongated slot extending in spaced, parallel relation to its respective vertically extending frame member; and   e) third and fourth universal mounting brackets for interconnecting said rectangular frame to said first and second equipment mounting posts;   whereby said first and second elongated slots and respective first and second universal mounting brackets are located adjacent said bottom ends of said first and second vertically extending frame members, respectively, and said third and fourth elongated slots and respective third and fourth universal mounting brackets are located adjacent said top ends of said first and second vertically extending frame members, respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second bracket parts include mating sliding elements extending between respective first and second ends thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said universal mounting brackets include a turnbuckle comprising said first bracket part, said second bracket part and a turnbuckle body. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each of said at least one mounting members on each of said first and second bracket parts is selected from the list consisting of an eyelet, a hook, a jaw, a non-threaded stub and a threaded stud. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 d) a stabilizing element attached to said universal mounting bracket proximate said flange, said stabilizing element operable to reduce torsion of said universal mounting bracket.   
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for mounting a cooling door having predefined cooling door attachment points to any one of a variety of electronics equipment racks having an enclosure with first and second equipment mounting posts located within said enclosure, said mounting posts having a plurality of longitudinally spaced equipment mounting holes formed therethrough, said apparatus comprising a door transition kit for mounting said cooling door to said enclosure, said kit comprising:
 a) first and second spaced, vertically extending frame members each having a top and bottom end, said first and second vertically extending frame members having cooling door mounting holes formed therethrough at locations which may align with said cooling door attachment points, wherein each of said vertically extending frame members which is located outside said enclosure;   b) first and second flanges each having an elongated slot, said first and second flanges attached to said first vertically extending frame member proximate said top and bottom end, respectively, and third and fourth flanges each having an elongated slot, said third and fourth flanges attached to said second vertically extending frame member proximate said top and bottom end, respectively, with each of said elongated slots extending in spaced, parallel relation to its respective vertically extending frame member;   c) first and second universal mounting brackets for interconnecting said first vertically extending frame member to said first equipment mounting post, and third and fourth universal mounting brackets for interconnecting said second vertically extending frame member to said second equipment mounting post, said first, second, third and fourth universal mounting brackets each comprising:
 i) a first bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a selected one or more of said equipment mounting holes in said first and second equipment mounting posts, respectively; and 
 ii) a second bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a respective flange at a selected point along the length of said elongated slot thereof; 
 wherein said first and second bracket parts are adapted to cooperatively engage with one another in a manner allowing selective, lateral adjustment of said first and second bracket parts toward and away from each other to selectively adjust the distance between said first and second vertically extending frame members and said first and second equipment mounting posts, respectively. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 d) first and second adjustable feet attached to said bottom ends of said first and second vertically extending frame members, respectively, said feet allowing said frame members to rest upon the floor regardless of the relative positioning of said frame members with respect to said enclosure, said frame members thereby having a load bearing capability which is independent of said enclosure.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 d) a locking element attached to at least one of said first and second bracket parts, said locking element operable to releasably fix the selected relative positioning of said first and second bracket parts.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second bracket parts include mating sliding elements extending between respective first and second ends thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said universal mounting brackets include a turnbuckle comprising said first bracket part, said second bracket part and a turnbuckle body. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of said at least one mounting members on each of said first and second bracket parts is selected from the list consisting of an eyelet, a hook, a jaw, a non-threaded stub and a threaded stud. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 d) a stabilizing element attached to said universal mounting bracket proximate said flange, said stabilizing element operable to reduce torsion of said universal mounting bracket.   
     
     
         16 . A method for mounting a cooling door having predefined cooling door attachment points to any one of a variety of electronics equipment racks having an enclosure with first and second equipment mounting posts located within said enclosure, said mounting posts having a plurality of longitudinally spaced equipment mounting holes formed therethrough, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) securing a first and second mounting bracket to said first and second mounting posts, respectively;   b) securing a first and second vertically extending frame member to said first and second mounting brackets, respectively, wherein said first and second vertically extending frame members have cooling door mounting holes formed therethrough; and   c) mounting said cooling door to at least one of said vertically extending frame members wherein said cooling door attachment points substantially align with said cooling door mounting holes.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second mounting brackets comprises:
 i) a first bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a selected one or more of said equipment mounting holes in said first and second equipment mounting posts, respectively; and   ii) a second bracket part having opposite first and second ends, said first end having at least one mounting member adapted to removably mount to a respective first and second vertically extending frame member;   wherein said first and second bracket parts are adapted to cooperatively engage with one another in a manner,   
       wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 d) selectively adjusting said first and second bracket parts toward and away from each other to selectively adjust the distance between said first and second vertically extending frame members and said first and second equipment mounting posts, respectively. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second vertically extending frame members further comprises first and second adjustable feet attached to a bottom end of said first and second vertically extending frame members, respectively, wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 d) adjusting said feet to allow said frame members to rest upon the floor regardless of the relative positioning of said frame members with respect to said enclosure, said frame members thereby having a load bearing capability which is independent of said enclosure.