Exterior case or enclosure used to protect an interior mechanism (considered an integral part of the equipment as opposed to packaging)
In engineering, a housing is a container, a protective exterior or an enclosing structural element designed to enable easier handling, provide attachment points for internal mechanisms, maintain cleanliness of the contents by shielding dirt/dust, fouling and other contaminations, or protect interior mechanisms from structural stress and/or potential physical, thermal, chemical, biological or radiational damages from the surrounding environment.