Hinge and Latch Arrangement for Enclosures

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide hinging and latching hardware and arrangements for enclosures for electronic components. In one embodiment, first and second brackets can be secured to an enclosure frame on first and second sides, respectively, of a door opening. Both brackets can be configured to receive a hinge pin and engage a latching mechanism, such that the brackets can be hingedly secure the door to the enclosure and latch the closed with the door in at least two different orientations. In one embodiment, hinging and latching hardware for an enclosure can include a door wing configured to be secured to an enclosure door, and first and second frame wings configured to be secured to an enclosure frame on different sides of a door opening. The hardware can accordingly provide first and second hinging and latching configurations for the door, with the door in first and second orientations, respectively.

1 . A hinging and latching arrangement for an enclosure for electronic components, the enclosure including a support structure, a door opening, a door configured to be secured to the support structure with a hinge pin, and a latching mechanism secured to the door, the hinging and latching arrangement comprising:
 at least two brackets, each of the brackets being configured to:
 receive the hinge pin to hingedly secure the door to the support structure; and 
 engage the latching mechanism to secure the door relative to the door opening; 
   a first bracket of the at least two brackets being secured to the support structure on a first side of the door opening; and   a second bracket of the at least two brackets being secured to the support structure on a second side of the door opening different from the first side of the door opening;   the first bracket and the second bracket being thereby arranged to hingedly secure the door to the enclosure and to latch the door closed with the door in any of at least two different orientations relative to the support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The hinging and latching arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the first bracket is substantially identical to the second bracket. 
     
     
         3 . The hinging and latching arrangement of  claim 1 , with the latching mechanism including a latching member, wherein each of the at least two brackets includes:
 an attachment portion to secure the bracket to the support structure; and   a hinge barrel that is supported by the attachment portion and spaced apart from the attachment portion to define a space to receive the latching member.   
     
     
         4 . The hinging and latching arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein each of the attachment portions includes an attachment flange; and
 wherein each of the hinge barrels is supported relative to the respective attachment flange by a respective support arm that angles at least partly across the attachment flange to provide a catch for the latching member.   
     
     
         5 . An enclosure for electronic components, the enclosure comprising:
 a support structure;   a door opening;   a door;   a latching mechanism secured to the door on a first side of the door; and   hinging and latching hardware including:
 a door wing secured to the door on a second side of the door; 
 a first support-structure wing secured to the support structure on a first side of the door opening; 
 a second support-structure wing secured to the support structure on a second side of the door opening; and 
 a hinge pin configured to hingedly secure the door wing to either of the first support-structure wing and the second support-structure wing; 
   the enclosure having a first hinging and latching configuration, in which the hinge pin hingedly secures the door wing to the first support-structure wing, with the latching mechanism disposed to engage the second support-structure wing to latch the door closed; and   the enclosure having a second hinging and latching configuration, in which the hinge pin hingedly secures the door wing to the second support-structure wing, with the latching mechanism disposed to engage the first support-structure wing to latch the door closed.   
     
     
         6 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the door, in the first hinging and latching configuration, is rotated 180 degrees relative to the door in the second hinging and latching configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the first support-structure wing is substantially identical to the second support-structure wing; and
 wherein the first support-structure wing and the second support-structure wing are secured to the support structure with the first support-structure wing in an orientation that is rotated 180 degrees relative to an orientation of the second support-structure wing.   
     
     
         8 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the latching mechanism includes a latching member;
 wherein each of the support-structure wings includes:
 a attachment portion to secure the support-structure wing to the support structure; and 
 a hinge barrel supported by the attachment portion, with the hinge barrel being spaced apart from the attachment portion to define a space to receive the latching member and latch the door closed. 
   
     
     
         9 . The enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein each of the attachment portions includes an attachment flange; and
 wherein each of the hinge barrels is supported relative to the respective attachment flange by a respective support arm that angles at least partly across the attachment flange to provide a catch for the latching member.   
     
     
         10 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the latching mechanism includes a knob and at least one latching member, the knob being configured to turn to move the at least one latching member between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation; and
 wherein, with the at least one latching member in the locked orientation, the at least one latching member engages at least one of the first support-structure wing and the second support-structure wing to latch the door closed.   
     
     
         11 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the latching mechanism is positioned to the outside of a gasket of the door. 
     
     
         12 . The enclosure of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second hinge pin;   a padlock ring coupled to the second hinge pin; and   a slit in the door;   wherein, in the first hinging and latching configuration, the second hinge pin engages the second support-structure wing so that, with the door closed, at least part of the padlock ring extends through the slit to receive a padlock to lock the door closed; and   wherein, in the second hinging and latching configuration, the second hinge pin engages the first support-structure wing so that, with the door closed, at least part of the padlock ring extends through the slit to receive a padlock to lock the door closed.   
     
     
         13 . Hinging and latching hardware for use with an enclosure for electronic components, the enclosure including a support structure, a door opening, a door, and a latching mechanism secured to the door on a first side of the door, the hinging and latching hardware comprising:
 a door wing;   a first support-structure wing configured to be secured to the support structure on a first side of the door opening;   a second support-structure wing configured to be secured to the support structure on a second side of the door opening; and   a hinge pin configured to hingedly secure the first door wing to either of the first support-structure wing and the second support-structure wing;   the hinging and latching hardware being configured, with the door wing secured to the door on a second side of the door, the first support-structure wing secured to the support structure on a first side of the door opening, and the second support-structure wing secured to the support structure on a second side of the door opening, to provide:
 a first hinging and latching configuration for the enclosure, in which the hinge pin hingedly secures the door wing to the first support-structure wing with the latching mechanism disposed to engage the second support-structure wing to latch the door closed; and 
 a second hinging and latching configuration for the enclosure, in which the hinge pin hingedly secures the door wing to the second support-structure wing with the latching mechanism disposed to engage the first support-structure wing to latch the door closed. 
   
     
     
         14 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 13 , wherein the door, in the first hinging and latching configuration, is rotated 180 degrees relative to the door in the second hinging and latching configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 13 , wherein the first support-structure wing is substantially identical to the second support-structure wing; and
 wherein the first support-structure wing and the second support-structure wing are secured to the support structure with the first support-structure wing in an orientation that is rotated 180 degrees relative to an orientation of the second support-structure wing.   
     
     
         16 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 13 , wherein the latching mechanism including a latching member;
 wherein each of the support-structure wings includes:
 a attachment portion to secure the support-structure wing to the support structure; and 
 a hinge barrel supported by the attachment portion, with the hinge barrel being spaced apart from the attachment portion to define a space to receive the latching member to latch the door closed. 
   
     
     
         17 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 16 , wherein each of the attachment portions includes an attachment flange; and
 wherein the hinge barrel is supported relative to the respective attachment flange by a respective support arm that angles at least partly across the attachment flange to provide a catch for the latching member.   
     
     
         18 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 16 , wherein the latching member is configured as a retractable tang. 
     
     
         19 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 13 , with the enclosure further including a swing panel, the hinging and latching hardware further comprising:
 a swing-panel wing configured to be connected to the swing panel;   a third support-structure wing configured to be secured to the support structure; and   a second hinge pin configured to hingedly secure the swing-panel wing to the third support-structure wing;   wherein the hinging and latching hardware is further configured to provide, with the deer swing-panel wing secured to the swing panel, and the third support-structure wing secured inside the enclosure:
 a third hinging and latching configuration for the enclosure, in which, the second hinge pin hingedly secures the swing-panel wing to the first third support-structure wing. 
   
     
     
         20 . The hinging and latching hardware of  claim 19 , with the swing panel including a slit, the hinging and latching hardware further comprising:
 a rotatable latch configured to be secured inside the enclosure;   wherein, in the third hinging and latching configuration, when the swing panel is closed, at least part of the rotatable latch extends through the slit in the swing panel to receive a padlock to lock the swing panel closed.