1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to rack- or enclosure-mounted devices and, more particularly, to filler panels that are adapted to be detachably mounted with respect to a rack, cabinet or like structure.
2. Background
Cable management systems (such as cable racks, bays or frames, which are hereinafter referred to as “racks”) have long been used in many varied applications, such as in communications and electronic services. Racks are substantially rectilinear metal frames with several vertical railings, each provided with a plurality of mounting and alignment openings or holes that permit mounting of various devices. It is generally desirable to place a filler panel (also known as a blanking panel) to cover empty space in a rack. The use of a filler panel may be for aesthetic reasons, security reasons and/or to guide airflow through the components positioned on or in the rack for cooling purposes. To improve efficiency, it is desirable to provide a filler panel that is easy to install and that may be used in connection with various racks and rack designs.
The Electronic Industries Association (“EIA”) has promulgated standards for various dimensions of racks. These standards have allowed manufacturers to produce devices with standardized dimensions that can fit into any EIA compliant rack. Although these standardizations have improved interchangeability of devices between different racks, certain elements of racks have not been standardized. For example, the holes that are formed in the railings of a rack may be round, square and/or threaded. The thickness or depth of the railings in a rack may also vary, e.g., due to the use of different metal thicknesses in the manufacturing process. When manufacturing filler panels for racks, it is generally desirable to provide filler panels that can be used in a variety of racks, e.g., regardless of railing depth/thickness. It is further desirable to provide filler panels that can be removed from one rack and mounted in a different rack, i.e., are interchangeable from one rack to another, both initially and repeatedly after initial deployment.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0310126 to Lakoduk et al. (Hoffman Enclosures, Inc.) discloses a blanking panel which includes a first pin and a second removable pin. The pins are configured such that the main body of the panel can be alternatively attached to a square-shaped hole with the removable pin intact, or attached to a round-shaped hole with the removable pin removed and the first pin extending through the hole. The blanking panel of Hoffman Enclosures, however, fails to allow a removed pin to be reattached for interchangeable use of the filler panel in a railing with square-shaped holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,506,768 to Rassmussen et al. (American Power Conversion Corporation) discloses a blanking panel for use with equipment racks/enclosures that is adapted to be mounted with respect to a pair of vertical mounting rails or flanges of a rack or enclosure without the use of tools or other hardware. When the blanking panel is installed into a rack or enclosure, portions of a body of the blanking panel interface with a surface of an equipment component or another blanking panel installed above or below the blanking panel to thereby form an air seal therebetween.
Despite efforts to date, a need exists for an easy to install filler panel capable of engaging a variety of racks interchangeably. These and other disadvantages and/or limitations are addressed and/or overcome by the devices and methods of the present disclosure.