Patent Application
20160021770
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cabinets and more particularly, to a cabinet having an environment monitoring function that has a monitoring system main unit mounted in the cabinet body thereof and a plurality of connection interfaces respectively electrically connected to respective signal lines of the monitoring system main unit and fixedly disposed at different locations inside the cabinet body for the installation of different sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the continuous improvement of socio-economic, national income has been continuously increased. In consequence, small and medium-sized enterprises as well as large-sized companies are more likely to be active. Further, company staffs need to use telecommunication equipment for operating electronic machines such as telephones, network systems and/or servers for industrial computers. Further, enterprises and companies normally will gather various electronic machines like servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines in a cabinet. However, in order to keep normal and safety functioning of all kinds of electronic machines, including servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines in an electronic machine cabinet, it is necessary to monitor the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure, access control, and other fire protection safety conditions (such as flood or fire) so that any abnormality can be solved immediately when it is found.
In order to monitor various conditions in and around an electronic machine cabinet, the user may install monitors and sensors at different locations around the electronic machine cabinet. However, according to conventional methods, this monitoring work must keep running round the clock under the control of a person, consuming much labor. This monitoring method cannot eliminate human error. When an unexpected condition occurs and is not found due to human error, the problem cannot be solved immediately after its occurrence. Some electronic machine cabinet providers may install different sensors in the electronic machine cabinets for monitoring various conditions. However, prior to mounting sensors inside an electronic machine cabinet, a wiring work is necessary. When a large number of sensors are to be installed in an electronic machine cabinet, the wiring work will be complicated and very time consuming and labor intensive. Further, it is not easy to control sensor locations, to manage installed sensors, or keep installed sensors in accurate alignment with respective electronic machines in the electronic machine cabinet for monitoring temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and other conditions accurately.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a cabinet having an environment monitoring function that comprises a cabinet body, which comprises an accommodation chamber surrounded by an inside wall thereof for accommodating electronic machines including telecommunication equipment and machines, a monitoring system main unit mounted in the accommodation chamber inside the cabinet body and comprising a plurality of signal lines arranged along the inside wall of the cabinet body, and a plurality of connection interfaces respectively electrically connected to the signal lines remote from the monitoring system main unit and disposed at different locations in the accommodation chamber for the installation of different sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control. After establishment of the cabinet body, the arrangement of the signal lines of the monitoring system main unit is done, and no further wiring work will be necessary.
Preferably, the signal lines are arranged along horizontal top surface and vertical lateral surfaces of the inside wall of the cabinet body and exposed to the accommodation chamber. Further, the signal lines can be affixed to said horizontal top surface and vertical lateral surfaces of the inside wall of the cabinet body using an adhesive, wire pressing strips, cable holders and/or cable clips.
Further, extension lead wires can be used and respectively electrically extended from the connection interfaces for electrically connecting different sensors to the connection interfaces, enabling the sensors to be disposed at locations relatively closer to respective electronic machines in the accommodation chamber inside the cabinet body and at respective optimal angles to enhance the sensing accuracy in monitoring the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control in and around the cabinet body.
Referring to
The cabinet body 1 defines therein an accommodation chamber 10 adapted for accommodating various electronic machines such as servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines.
The monitoring system main unit 2 has electrically connected thereto a plurality of signal lines 21. The connection interfaces 3 are respectively connected to the signal lines 21 remote from the monitoring system main unit 2. Further, the connection interfaces 3 can be plug type or socket type electric connectors.
During installation of the present invention, mount the monitoring system main unit 2 in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the cabinet body 1 to let the signal lines 21 be arranged along the inside wall 101 of the cabinet body 1 and the connection interfaces 3 be fixedly mounted in the peripheral wall of the cabinet body 1 at different elevations to face toward the accommodation chamber 10 for the mounting of different sensors 4.
Further, the signal lines 21 are arranged along the horizontal top surface and vertical lateral surfaces of the inside wall 101 of the cabinet body 1 and affixed thereto using an adhesive, wire pressing strips, cable holders, cable clips. After installation, the connection interfaces 3 are fixedly arranged on the inside wall 101 of the cabinet body 1 at different elevations within the accommodation chamber 10, and sensors 4 are respectively connected to the connection interfaces 3 to face toward different electronic machines, such as servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines that are accommodated in the accommodation chamber 10 at different elevations. These sensors 4 are adapted for monitoring temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control. Alternatively, the sensors 4 can be arranged to face toward the outside of the cabinet body 1 for monitoring the surrounding temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control outside the cabinet body 1. Thus, in case an unexpected disaster (flooding, fire or earthquake) or severe weather event occurs, the maintenance engineer in charge can then take all the necessary steps to maintain normal functioning of all the electronic machines in the cabinet body 1.
Further, the cabinet body 1 can be configured to provide hidden spaces 102 in the inside wall 101 around the accommodation chamber 10 for receiving the signal lines 21, enabling the connection interfaces 3 at the respective distal ends of the signal lines 21 to be disposed outside the hidden spaces 102 to hold the respective sensors 4 at different elevations in respective selected angles for monitoring the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control in the cabinet body 1 and the surrounding temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control outside the cabinet body 1. For example, the sensors 4 can be configured to provide an alarm signal if the ambient temperature is beyond a predetermined normal temperature range (for example, 20°˜25° C.) due to accumulation of waste heat discharged by the electronic machines in the cabinet, or the ambient humidity is beyond a predetermined normal humidity range (for example, 44˜55%) due to a significant weather change or the occurrence of an unexpected disaster (flooding, fire or earthquake), or a severe weather event (cold snap or typhoon induced airflow or air pressure instability) occurs, or a smoking occurs (due to a fire accident or electronic machine failure), or the contact closure of an access door is opened (due to an intrusion), assuring normal functioning of the electronic machines in the cabinet body 1. Thus, after establishment of the cabinet body 1, the arrangement of the signal lines 21 of the monitoring system main unit 2 is done and no further wiring work will be necessary. After installation of electronic machines in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the cabinet body 1, the connection interfaces 3 and the respective sensors 4 are kept in alignment with the respective installed electronic machines.
Through the sensors 4 and the signal lines 21, the monitoring system main unit 2 starts up a monitoring operation subject to the following steps:
Further, the monitoring system main unit 2 can be linked to a remote host (computer, monitor or surveillance system) by a cable or wireless technology, enabling the remote host to perform an auto monitoring and management operation through the cabinet 1 and its internal monitoring system main unit 2, reducing human error and the consumption of time and labor.
Further, the cabinet body 1 has at least one drain hole 103 cut through the inside wall 101 near a bottom side thereof for discharge of water. Further, one connection interface 3 is disposed adjacent to each drain hole 103. The sensor 4 installed in the connection interface 3 adjacent the drain hole 103 is capable of detecting moisture and humidity, and will produce an alarm signal if a flooding or water leakage occurs, enabling the person in charge to remove the cabinet to a safe place or to take the all the necessary steps.
Further, extension lead wires 31 can be used to electrically connect respective sensors 4 to the connection interfaces 3, enabling the sensors 4 to be disposed at locations relatively closer to respective electronic machines in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the cabinet body 1 and at respective optimal angles to enhance the sensing accuracy in monitoring the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control in and around the cabinet body 1.
As described above, the invention provides a cabinet having an environment monitoring function that comprises a cabinet body 1 that defines therein an accommodation chamber 10 adapted for accommodating various electronic machines such as servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines, a monitoring system main unit 2 having electrically connected thereto a plurality of signal lines 21 that are arranged along horizontal top surface and vertical lateral surfaces of an inside wall 101 of the cabinet body 1 and affixed thereto using an adhesive, wire pressing strips, cable holders, cable clips, a plurality of connection interfaces 3 respectively connected to the signal lines 21 remote from the monitoring system main unit 2 and fixedly arranged on the inside wall 101 of the cabinet body 1 at different elevations within the accommodation chamber 10, and different sensors 4 respectively connected to the connection interfaces 3 to face toward different electronic machines, such as servers, modems, switching systems, routers and/or other IT (information technology) equipment and machines that are accommodated in the accommodation chamber 10 at different elevations for monitoring temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control. After establishment of the cabinet body 1, the arrangement of the signal lines 21 of the monitoring system main unit 2 is done, and no further wiring work will be necessary. After installation of electronic machines in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the cabinet body 1, the connection interfaces 3 and the respective sensors 4 are kept in alignment with the respective installed electronic machines for monitoring the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control in and around the cabinet body 1. Further, extension lead wires 31 can be used to electrically connect respective sensors 4 to the connection interfaces 3, enabling the sensors 4 to be disposed at locations relatively closer to respective electronic machines in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the cabinet body 1 and at respective optimal angles to enhance the sensing accuracy in monitoring the temperature, humidity, smoke, airflow, air pressure, contact closure and/or access control in and around the cabinet body 1.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
