US20060157436A1

US20060157436A1 - Rack system, adapter, rack frame, support rail, and method of making a rack system

Info

Publication number: US20060157436A1
Application number: US11/311,666
Authority: US
Inventors: Misa Iwamoto
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 2005-01-18
Filing date: 2005-12-20
Publication date: 2006-07-20
Also published as: FR2880780A1; JP2006202792A; JP4175325B2; KR20060083865A; TWI291333B; KR100786738B1; CN1835126B; CN1835126A; TW200631522A; FR2880780B1

Abstract

A rack system includes a rack frame, and a support rail which is fixable to the rack frame. A device is supportable by the support rail. Multiple positioning projections are provided on at least one of the rack frame and the support rail and each of which is insertable into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of said at least one of the rack frame and the support rail.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a rack system which can position support rails used to support various devices on rack frames, an adapter, a rack frame, a support rail, and a method of making a rack system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rack which enables support rails to be mounted on rack frames having different specifications.
2. Background
As a rack to mount various types of electronic devices, there is widely used a rack having support rails that are attached to rack frames in a fixed manner and devices are mounted on the support rails. This type of rack is useful especially in a case where multiple devices are mounted in a vertical array.
In conventional racks, multiple pairs of support rails are attached beforehand to the right and left sides of a rack frame at prescribed vertical intervals and both sides of a device are each supported by a pair of support rails, whereby the device is mounted within the rack. However, in this case, a device having a large height may not be capable of being mounted within the rack. Therefore, the rack must be constructed so that the vertical intervals of the support rails have a sufficient size. However, when a device having a small height is mounted, gaps are produced in the vertical intervals, thereby wasting space in the rack. In particular, it has become necessary to utilize a limited space to a maximum degree owing to recent requirements for smaller rack size and higher density mounting, and it has become necessary to minimize the vertical gaps between mounted devices in the rack.
To meet such requirements, racks have been proposed in which attaching positions of the support rails can be adjusted with respect to rack frames according to the height of the devices to be mounted. For example, in a rack disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-137062, multiple projections are provided in the attaching portions of rack frames (mount angles) and support rails (panels and shelves), and through holes and notches are provided on the support rail side. By fitting these through holes and notches around the projections of the rack frames, positioning is performed while adjusting the attaching positions of the support rails with respect to the rack frames. In the rack of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-137062, by adjusting the vertical positions of the support rails according to the height of the devices, the vertical gaps between the mounted devices can be minimized and the requirements for smaller rack size and higher density mounting may be met.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, because in the rack of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-137062, the rack frames and support rails are constructed beforehand as sets (e.g., assemblies), support rails of one kind of rack frame may not be attachable to different kinds of rack frames having different specifications for projections and through holes. Hence, when a variety of racks are provided for the various kinds of devices which is a result of recent “open design” (e.g., a design which can be generically used for many kinds of devices), support rails must be used which are suited to the rack frames to be furnished. In particular, in a usual rack, multiple support rails are used for one rack frame. Therefore, when many kinds of rack frames are provided, many kinds of support rails must be prepared suited to each kind of rack frame. This is undesirable in terms of control (e.g., management) as well as cost. The same problem arises when the depth dimension of racks differs in addition to the above-described specifications for projections and through holes and notches, and it is necessary to prepare support rails having many kinds of depth dimensions suited to the depth dimensions of rack frames.
In view of the foregoing and other exemplary problems, drawbacks, and disadvantages of the conventional techniques, it is an exemplary feature of the present invention to provide a rack system, a rack frame, a support rail, and a method of making a rack system which enable one support frame (e.g., support rail) to be mounted on different kinds of rack frames. In particular, for example, the present invention provides a rack which enables a support frame to be mounted on rack frames having different specifications for structures (e.g., positioning structures) for positioning the support frame in rack frames or rack frames having different depth dimensions.
The present invention provides a rack system including a rack frame, a support rail which is fixable to the rack frame. A device is supportable by the support rail. Multiple positioning projections are provided on at least one of the rack frame and the support rail and each of which is fittable into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of the at least one of the rack frame and the support rail.
[Exemplary Advantage of the Invention]
According to the present invention, for example, one support rail may be fixed to rack frames having different positioning holes and rack frames having different depth dimensions, thereby increasing the versatility of the support rail. Likewise, for example, one rack frame may be fixed to support rails having different positioning holes. As a result, by simply preparing one support rail or one rack frame, a rack can be constructed in which wasted vertical space within the rack is eliminated regardless of the kinds of rack frames or the kinds of support rails and, at the same time, the cost of racks may be lowered by the versatility of the support rail or rack frames.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel and exemplary features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as other exemplary features and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the detailed description which follows, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary rack 1 of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an exemplary support rail 3;
FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary fixing flange 6;
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view which shows how exemplary fixing is performed to an exemplary rack frame 2 having positioning holes 23A;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view which shows an example of how device 100 is mounted on an exemplary rack 2;
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view which shows how exemplary fixing is performed to an exemplary rack frame 2 having positioning holes 23B;
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view which shows how an exemplary adapter 9 is fixed;
FIGS. 8A-8B show a perspective view of an exemplary guide piece 41 and of an exemplary modification thereof 41A;
FIGS. 9A-9C show a perspective view of an exemplary stopper 51 and an exemplary modification thereof 51A, 51B; and
FIG. 10 shows a perspective view which shows how exemplary fixing is performed to an exemplary rack frame 20 having exemplary multiple positioning projections 24A, 24B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a rack system including a rack frame, a support rail which is fixable to the rack frame. A device is supportable by the support rail. Multiple positioning projections are provided on at least one of the rack frame and the support rail and each of which is insertable into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of the at least one of the rack frame and the support rail.
A fixing portion which may fix the support rail to the rack frame may include the multiple positioning projections.
The multiple positioning projections may include different height projections.
A lower projection of the multiple positioning projections may be wider than a higher projection of the multiple positioning projections.
When the lower projection fits into a positioning hole of one of the rack frame and the support rail of one kind, the higher projection may be inserted into a positioning hole of the one of the rack frame and the support rail of the one kind.
When the higher projection fits into a positioning hole of one of the rack frame and the support rail of another kind, the lower projection may come into contact with a fixed surface of the one of the rack frame and the support rail.
One of the multiple positioning projections may include an angular projection including a substantially square shape and another of the multiple positioning projections includes a round projection in the form of a circle including a diameter substantially equal to one side length of the other angular projection.
The fixing portion may be fixable to an adapter having a second positioning projection capable of inserting into a second positioning hole which is provided in one of the rack frame and the support rail.
The fixing portion may include a rail fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing the support rail to the rack frame, an adapter fixing screw hole, the adapter is fixable to the adapter fixing screw hole, and a device fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing the device to the support rail.
The support rail may include a rail main body, and an auxiliary rail which moves in a length direction of the rail main body. The fixing portion may be provided in an end portion of the rail main body in a length direction thereof, and in an end portion of the auxiliary rail on the opposite side in a length direction thereof.
The rail main body may include a guide cut and raised up from a part of the rail main body and the auxiliary rail being supported by the guide.
The auxiliary rail may include a stopper which comes into contact with the guide.
The guide may include a small projection which comes into contact with a surface of the auxiliary rail.
The present invention also provides a rack system including a rack frame, a support rail which is fixable to the rack frame, a device being supportable by the support rail, a first positioning projection provided on at least one of the rack frame and the support rail, and an adapter which includes a first positioning hole into which the first positioning projection is insertable, the adapter including a second positioning projection being insertable into a second positioning hole which is provided in the other of the at least one of the rack frame and the support rail.
The rack system may further include a fixing portion which is provided on one of the rack frame and the support rail.
The fixing portion may include the first positioning projection and an adapter fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing the adapter to the fixing portion.
The present invention also provides an adapter including a first positioning hole which receives a first positioning projection provided on at least one of a rack frame and a support rail and a second positioning projection insertable into a second positioning hole which is provided in the other of the at least one of the rack frame and the support rail. The support rail is fixable to the rack frame and a device is supportable by the support rail.
The present invention also provides a rack frame including multiple positioning projections which each are insertable into different positioning holes of different kinds of support rails. A device is supportable by the support rail.
The present invention also provides a support rail including multiple positioning projections which each are insertable into different positioning holes of different kinds of rack frames. A device is supportable by the support rail.
The present invention also provides a method of making a rack system including fixing a support rail to a rack frame, the support rail supporting a device. The fixing of the support rail to the rack frame includes inserting multiple positioning projections provided on at least one of the rack frame and the support rail into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of the at least one of the rack frame and the support rail.
[Exemplary Embodiment]
Next, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present invention may provide multiple positioning projections 61, 62, 24A, or 24B provided on one of rack frame 2 and support rail 3 which can each fit into positioning holes 23A, 23B, or 68A of different kinds provided in the other of rack frame 2 and support rail 3. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment may provide multiple positioning projections 61 or 62 provided on support rail 3 which can each fit into positioning holes 23A, 23B of different kinds provided in the other of rack frame 2.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a rack 1 of an exemplary embodiment, Rack 1 related to the present invention includes rack frame 2 and support rail 3 attached to rack frame 2 as an example.
Rack frame 2 may be a frame body assembled from a metal material and the like. In this case, supporting posts 21 may each be installed in a standing manner (e.g., vertically) back and forth, such that right and left supporting posts 21 are each connected back and forth, and right and left in top and bottom end portions thereof by lateral frame members 22 to form the frame body. A bottom plate, a top plate and side plates (not shown for clarity) may cover up the interior of the rack frame as desired. Each of supporting posts 21 may be formed from a stem having a roughly L-shaped horizontal section, and on front and back surfaces of the supporting post, a large number of positioning holes 23 are opened in the back and forward directions with a prescribed vertical pitch size, for example. Positioning hole 23 may be formed as an angular hole or a round hole according to the kind of rack (i.e., rack frame 2). However, for example, the pitch size of positioning holes 23 may be common to various kinds of rack frames. The width dimension of rack frame 2 in the right and left directions and the depth dimension thereof in the back and forward directions are each arbitrary for each kind of rack frame.
As shown in FIG. 2, support rail 3 may include rail main body 4 which may be a roughly rectangular elongated plate in the back and forward directions, and auxiliary rail 5 which may be connected to rail main body 4 so as to be slidable in the length direction. Rail main body 4 may have, in one end portion thereof, fixing flange 6 which is formed by being bent at substantially right angles and also have, in an end portion of auxiliary rail 5 on the opposite side, a fixing flange 7, which is formed by being bent at substantially right angles as with fixed flange 6. Furthermore, rail main body 4 may have, along a lower edge thereof, rail section 8 which may be formed by being bent at right angles in the direction opposite to fixing flanges 6, 7.
As shown in FIG. 1, this support rail 3 fixes each of the fixing flanges 6, 7 of rail main body 4 and auxiliary rail 5 to supporting posts 21 on the frontside or backside of rack frame 2, with rail section 8 directed inwardly, whereby a pair of support rails 3 is fixed in a condition opposed to each other right and left in the same height position of rack frame 2, and the right and left lower edge portions of a device to be mounted are supported in each of rail sections 8 of support rails 3, thereby to mount the device within the rack.
For example, in attaching the support rail of FIG. 2 to the observer's left side of the interior of rack frame 2 shown in FIG. 1, fixing flange 6 of rail main body 4 is fixed to supporting post 21 on the frontside of rack frame 2 and fixing flange 7 of auxiliary rail 5 is fixed to the supporting post on the backside.
Also, in attaching the same support rail 3 to the right side in the interior of rack frame 2, a support rail which is symmetric to support rail 3 of FIG. 2 is provided and this support rail is attached to rack frame 2. In this case, support rail 3 of FIG. 2 may be used, and by fixing fixing flange 6 of rail main body 4 to supporting post 21 on the backside and fixing fixing flange 7 of auxiliary rail 5 to supporting post 21 on the frontside, support rail 3 may be used as either of the right and left support rails.
Auxiliary rail 5 may be formed as an elongated plate having a somewhat smaller vertical width dimension than that of rail main body 4. As described in detail later, a part of rail main body 4, in this case, two places in the back and forward directions along the vertical edge may be cut each to form a raised portion. As such, two pairs of guide pieces 41 which may be vertically opposed to each other, may be formed. Auxiliary rail 5 is inserted into the region between these guide pieces 41 so as to be movable in the length direction of rail main body 4. Also, stopper 51 may be integrally formed in one end portion of auxiliary rail 5, so that stopper 51 comes into contact with guide piece 41 during the movement of auxiliary rail 5. Thus, auxiliary rail 5 is prevented from falling off from rail main body 4.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of exemplary fixing flange 6 of rail main body 4 as viewed from the observer's right side. Incidentally, fixing flange 7 of auxiliary rail 5 may have substantially the same construction as fixing flange 6 and, therefore, only fixing flange 6 is described here. Fixing flange 6 may be formed to be vertically elongated, and, on the front surface thereof, fixing flange 6 may include multiple positioning projections. For example, five angular projections 61 a to 61 e may be vertically formed integrally.
Also, in the middle portion of the front surface of fixing flange 6 in the vertical direction where angular projections 61 a to 61 e are not formed, two round projections 62 a, 62 b are integrally formed. Round projections 62 a, 62 b are circular having a required diameter dimension, and angular projections 61 a to 61 e may be substantially square shaped having almost the same side dimension as the diameter of round projections 62 a, 62 b, for example.
Also, the projecting height of angular projections 61 a to 61 e is small, and the projecting height of round projections 62 a, 62 b is larger than angular projections 61 a to 61 e. Furthermore, round projections 62 a, 62 b and angular projections 61 a to 61 e are arranged in positions with a required vertical pitch size or in positions with a size which is a multiple of this pitch size.
Just under angular projection 61 a in the top end portion among the five angular projections, slit 63 a may be formed in the width direction of fixing flange 6. Angular projection 61 c, which is the third one from the bottom, may be formed within tongue 64 formed by notching a part of fixing flange 6. Slit 63 a may be formed along a base portion of tongue 64. These slits 63 a, 63 b are used when angular projections 61 a, 61 c are separated from fixing flange 6, as described below. Furthermore, angular projection 61 e in the lowest bottom position may be formed by bending up the bottom end portion of fixing flange 6 in the front direction and working the bent up portion in angular form.
Device fixing screw holes 65 a, 65 b for fixing devices to be mounted, may be opened in angular projections 61 a, 61 c which are provided with slits 63 a, 63 b among angular projections 61 a to 61 e. Also, rail fixing screw hole 66 for fixing support rail 3 to rack frame 2 may be opened in angular projection 61 d, which is the second one from the bottom. Furthermore, adapter fixing screw holes 67 a, 67 b for fixing an adapter, which will be described below, may be formed in positions except for those of the angular projections and round projections of fixing flange 6.
In attaching exemplary support rail 3 of the above-described construction to exemplary rack frame 2, as shown in FIG. 4, the positioning holes formed in supporting post 21 of rack frame 2 are angular holes 23A, the front surface of fixing flange 6 of support rail 3 is brought into close contact with the inner surface of supporting post 21 and angular projections 61 a to 61 e provided in fixing flange 6 are fitted into angular holes 23A, whereby positioning in the vertical and horizontal directions is performed. At this time, for example, round projections 62 a, 62 b, which have a smaller size than angular projections 61 a to 61 e (e.g., lower projections 61 a-61 e are wider than higher projections 62 a, 62 b), become inserted into angular holes 23A. Thereafter, rail fixing screw 11 is threaded into rail fixing screw hole 66 from outside rack frame 2 through the angular hole 23A, thereby allowing fixing flange 6 (i.e., support rail 3) to be fixed to rack frame 2.
This may apply also to fixing flange 7 provided on auxiliary rail 5 on the side opposite to support rail 3, for example. At this time, auxiliary rail 5 is moved with respect to rail main body 4 and the front surface of fixing flange 7 is brought into close contact with the supporting post on the backside of rack frame 2, the angular projections are fitted into the angular holes in the same manner as in the frontside case, and fixing flange 7 is fixed to the supporting post by the rail fixing screw.
The same thing may apply also to the support rail 3 which is fixed on the right side of rack frame 2, for example. As a result, in a pair of support rails 3 fixed so as to be horizontally opposed, rail sections 8 become opposed to each other.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, device 100 is inserted into rack frame 2 such that the right and left lower edge potions of device 100 are placed on rail sections 8. Device fixing screws 12, which have been inserted into fixing screw holes 102 provided in front panel 101 of device 100, are inserted into angular holes 23A of rack frame 2 and further threaded into device fixing screw holes 65 a, 65 b provided in fixing flange 6. Thus, device 100 is fixed to rack frame 2, and device 100 is mounted on rack 1.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the positioning holes formed in supporting post 21 of rack frame 2 are round holes 23B, the front surface of fixing flange 6 of support rail 3 brought into close contact with the inner surface (i.e., fixed surface 26) of supporting post 21. Furthermore, round projections 62 a, 62 b provided in fixing flange 6 are fitted into round holes 23B, whereby positioning in the vertical and horizontal directions is performed.
At this time, for example, angular projections 61 a to 61 e, which have a larger size than that of round projections 62 a, 62 b, come into contact with the inner surface (i.e., fixed surface 26) of supporting post 21, and not inserted into round holes 23B. Thereafter, rail fixing screw 11 is threaded into rail fixing screw hole 66 from outside rack frame 2 through the angular hole 23B. Thus, support rail 3 is fixed to rack frame 2. Also in this case, on the backside of rack frame 2, fixing flange 7 is fixed to supporting post 21 on the backside after the adjustment of the projecting length of auxiliary rail 5. Also on the horizontally opposite side, device 100 may be mounted on rack 1, as shown in FIG. 5, by fixing support rail 3.
In this exemplary embodiment, round projections 62 a, 62 b are formed with a size smaller than that of angular projections 61 a to 61 e. However, angular projections 61 a to 61 e may be formed with a size smaller than that of round projections 62 a, 62 b. In the case of the latter construction, the projecting height of the angular projections is made larger than that of the round projections. When the rack frame has round holes, the round projections and angular projections are constructed such that the angular projections are inserted into the round holes, whereas when the rack frame has angular holes, the round projections come into contact with the inner surface of the supporting post.
Next as shown in FIG. 7, fixing portion (e.g., fixing flange 6, 7, or 6 a; 6 a to be described later) may be fixed with exemplary adapter 9 having a positioning projection fitting into positioning hole 23C which is provided in one of rack frame 2 and support rail 3 (e.g., positioning hole 23C in rack frame 2 is shown in this exemplary embodiment) of a kind different from one of rack frame 2 and support rail 3 (e.g., a different rack frame 2 in this exemplary embodiment is shown) will be described.
As shown in FIG. 7, when a positioning projection provided on one of rack frame 2 and support rail 3 cannot fit into, or be inserted to, a positioning hole provided on one of rack frame 2 and support rail 3, an adapter 9 can be used. For example, when positioning holes 23 provided in supporting post 21 of rack frame 2 are small-diameter holes 23C into which the round projections and angular projections are incapable of fitting, and not round holes or angular holes, adapter 9 provided separately can be used.
In exemplary adapter 9, small- diameter projections 91 a, 91 b capable of fitting into small-diameter holes 23C are formed on the front surface. By threading adapter fixing screws 13 which pierce through adapter fixing holes 92 a, 92 b into adapter fixing screw holes 67 a, 67 b of fixing flange 6, adapter 9 is integrally fixed to the front surface of fixing flange 6. In adapter 9, clearance holes 93 a to 93 d to receive round projections 62 a, 62 b and to insert device fixing screws 12 threaded into each of above-described fixing screw holes 65 b, 66, are opened. Therefore, when adapter 9 is fixed, the small- diameter projections 91 a, 91 b are fitted into small-diameter holes 23C of supporting post 21. Thereafter, rail fixing screw 11 is threaded into rail fixing screw hole 66 of fixing flange 6 in the same manner as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 6, thereby fixing support rail 3 to rack frame 2.
By fixing adapter 9 having projections of different specifications to the fixing flanges 6, 7 of support rail 3, for example, it may be possible to attach the support rail of the exemplary embodiment to rack frame 2 having positioning holes of any kinds of specifications. Furthermore, by adjusting the substantial length of support rail 3 by moving auxiliary rail 5, it may be possible to attach the support rail of the exemplary embodiment also to rack frame 2 having different depth dimensions.
The support rail of the exemplary embodiment has device fixing screw holes 65 a, 65 b for fixing a device to fixing flange 6. However, according to the kind of a device, the device is fixed to rack frame 2 and in this case, device fixing screw holes 65 a, 65 b become unnecessary in fixing flange 6. Thus, although the device fixing screw holes may be left as they are, angular projection 61 a in the highest position shown in FIG. 3 in which device fixing screw holes 65 a, 65 b are provided and angular projection 61 c from the third one from the bottom, which is provided in tongue 64, can be removed by being separated from fixing flange 6 by use of the slits 63 a, 63 b provided in fixing flange 6.
Incidentally, in the construction of the exemplary embodiment including guide piece 41 which supports auxiliary rail 5 on rail main body 4 so as to be movable, as shown in detail in FIG. 8A, the portions near the upper edge and lower edge of rail main body 4 may be cut to form II-shaped (e.g., inverted U-shaped) raised portions so as to be opposed to each other and bent up in an L-shape, so that a gap, into which auxiliary rail 5 can be inserted, is formed between auxiliary rail 5 and the outer surface of rail main body 4. Auxiliary rail 5 is movable in the length direction of rail main body 4, while the upper edge and lower edge are being guided, respectively by the upper and lower guide pieces 41.
In place of this construction, as shown in FIG. 8B, a region from near the upper edge of rail main body 4 to the lower edge thereof may be cut to form a raised portion as guide piece 41A having a gap into which auxiliary rail 5 can be inserted.
On the other hand, to prevent auxiliary rail 5 from falling from rail main body 4, in the exemplary embodiment, stopper 51 may be provided in one end portion of auxiliary rail 5, for example. As shown in FIG. 9A, this may be a tongue formed on one end edge of auxiliary rail 5, and this tongue may be bent up at substantially right angles.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9B, a part of one end edge of auxiliary rail 5 may be cut to form a trapezoidal raised portion as stopper 51A. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9C, a minute projection may be formed as stopper 51B.
In any case, in assembling support rail 3, auxiliary rail 5 is inserted through guide pieces 41, 41A of rail main body 4 from one end side and is provided a stopper after the insertion. In the case of FIGS. 9A and 9B, these parts may be bent after the insertion of auxiliary rail 5 and in the case of FIG. 9C, after the insertion, a part of auxiliary rail 5 may be hammered out to form a projection by use of window 43 provided in rail main body 4. As described above, stoppers 51, 51A, 51B come into contact with guide pieces 41, 41A during movement, whereby auxiliary rail 5 is prevented from falling off.
As a result, for example, in constructing the support rail of exemplary embodiment provided with the fixing flanges, the auxiliary rail, etc., separate members such as screws and rivets may be unnecessary. This is favorable for reducing the number of parts and associated costs.
Incidentally, in the exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a part of guide piece 41 is hammered out toward the inner surface as minute projection 42 so that auxiliary rail 5 does not move excessively with respect to rail main body 4. By the contact of this minute projection 42 with the outer surface of auxiliary rail 5, the movement of auxiliary rail 5 is resisted to some extent, and the moving position of auxiliary rail 5 is moderated, thereby increasing the workability when support rail 3 is attached to rack frame 2.
Although in exemplary embodiment described above, five angular projections and two round projections are provided in the fixing flange, at least one projection may be provided as each kind of projection. However, to perform stable positioning, it is desirable to provide two or more projections vertically at required intervals. Also, projections of different kinds are not limited to the angular projections and round projections of the exemplary embodiment. Thus, the projections can be appropriately changed to adapt to the shape of positioning holes provided in the rack frame.
In the exemplary embodiment, multiple positioning projections 61, 62 which can each fit into different positioning holes 23A, 23B of different kinds of rack frames 2, are provided in support rail 3 which can support device 100 to be mounted. Next, an example of multiple positioning projections being provided in rack frame 2 will be described.
FIG. 10 shows an exemplary perspective view which shows how fixing is performed to rack frame 2 having multiple positioning projections 24A, 24B. In this exemplary embodiment, rack frame 2 includes multiple positioning projections which can each fit into different positioning holes of different kinds of support rails 30. Angular projections 24A and round projections 24B are provided in fixing portion 6 a of rack frame 20, and angular projections 24A can fit into angular hole 68A provided in support rail 30. Round projections 24B can be inserted into angular hole 68A. As shown in the exemplary embodiment, by simply preparing one kind of rack frame, a rack is constructed in which wasted vertical space within the rack is eliminated regardless of the kinds of support rail 30.
While this invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, this description is not intended as limiting. Various modifications of the illustrative exemplary embodiments, as well as other exemplary embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon taking description as a whole. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or exemplary embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.
Further, the inventor's intent is to encompass all equivalents of all the elements of the claimed invention even if the claims are amended during prosecution.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-009753 filed on Jan. 18, 2005 and including specification, claims, drawings and summary. The disclosure of the above Japanese Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A rack system comprising:

a rack frame;

a support rail which is fixable to said rack frame, a device being supportable by said support rail; and

multiple positioning projections which are provided on at least one of said rack frame and said support rail and each of which is insertable into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of at least one of said rack frame and said support rail.

2. The rack system according to claim 1, wherein a fixing portion which fixes said support rail to said rack frame includes said multiple positioning projections.

3. The rack system according to claim 1, wherein said multiple positioning projections include different height projections.

4. The rack system according to claim 3, wherein a lower projection of said multiple positioning projections is wider than a higher projection of said multiple positioning projections.

5. The rack system according to claim 4, wherein when said lower projection fits into a positioning hole of one of said rack frame and said support rail of one kind, said higher projection is inserted into a positioning hole of said one of said rack frame and said support rail of said one kind.

6. The rack system according to claim 4, wherein when said higher projection fits into a positioning hole of one of said rack frame and said support rail of another kind, said lower projection comes into contact with a fixed surface of said one of said rack frame and said support rail.

7. The rack system according to claim 1, wherein one of said multiple positioning projections comprises an angular projection including a substantially square shape and another of said multiple positioning projections comprises a round projection in the form of a circle including a diameter substantially equal to one side length of said other angular projection.

8. The rack system according to claim 2, wherein said fixing portion is fixable to an adapter having a second positioning projection capable of inserting into a second positioning hole which is provided in one of said rack frame and said support rail.

9. The rack system according to claim 8, wherein said fixing portion includes:

a rail fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing said support rail to said rack frame;

an adapter fixing screw hole, said adapter is fixable to said adapter fixing screw hole; and

a device fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing said device to said support rail.

10. The rack system according to claim 2, wherein said support rail comprises:

a rail main body; and

an auxiliary rail which moves in a length direction of said rail main body,

wherein said fixing portion is provided in an end portion of said rail main body in a length direction thereof, and in an end portion of said auxiliary rail on the opposite side in a length direction thereof.

11. The rack system according to claim 10, wherein said rail main body includes a guide cut and raised up from a part of said rail main body and said auxiliary rail being supported by said guide.

12. The rack system according to claim 11, wherein said auxiliary rail includes a stopper which comes into contact with said guide.

13. The rack system according to claim 12, wherein said guide includes a small projection which comes into contact with a surface of said auxiliary rail.

14. A rack system comprising:

a rack frame;

a support rail which is fixable to said rack frame, a device being supportable by said support rail;

a first positioning projection provided on at least one of said rack frame and said support rail; and

an adapter which includes a first positioning hole into which said first positioning projection is insertable, said adapter including a second positioning projection being insertable into a second positioning hole which is provided in the other of said at least one of said rack frame and said support rail.

15. The rack system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a fixing portion which is provided on one of said rack frame and said support rail.

16. The rack system according to claim 15, wherein said fixing portion includes:

said first positioning projection; and

an adapter fixing screw hole which is capable of fixing said adapter to said fixing portion.

17. An adapter, comprising:

a first positioning hole which receives a first positioning projection provided on at least one of a rack frame and a support rail; and

a second positioning projection insertable into a second positioning hole which is provided in the other of said at least one of said rack frame and said support rail,

wherein said support rail is fixable to said rack frame, a device being supportable by said support rail.

18. A rack frame, comprising:

multiple positioning projections which each are insertable into different positioning holes of different kinds of support rails,

wherein a device is supportable by said support rail.

19. A support rail, comprising:

multiple positioning projections which each are insertable into different positioning holes of different kinds of rack frames,

wherein a device is supportable by said support rail.

20. A method of making a rack system, comprising:

fixing a support rail to a rack frame, said support rail supporting a device, wherein said fixing of said support rail to said rack frame includes inserting multiple positioning projections provided on at least one of said rack frame and said support rail into positioning holes of different kinds provided in the other of said at least one of said rack frame and said support rail.