Ventilated electronic apparatus for heated appliances

Claim 2

In an apparatus having a source of substantial heat, electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor comprising: a first housing wall portion having inlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be admitted, a second housing wall portion having outlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be discharged, an electronic assembly comprising a plurality of parallel spaced-apart plates of which at least one of each adjacent pair of plates has electronic circuitry mounted thereon, said electronic assembly comprising: a first plate, a second plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said first plate, a third plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said second plate on the side of said second plate opposite said first plate, a plurality of first support elements interposed between said first and second plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said first and second plates, a plurality of second support elements interposed between said second and third plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said second and third plates, each of said second support elements being aligned with a respective one of said first support elements, and a plurality of securing means each associated with and extending through at least a portion of a respective pair of said first and second support elements to interconnect said first, second and third plates into an integrated assembly, and mounting means for mounting said electronic assembly intermediate said inlet opening means and said outlet opening means such that electronic circuitry mounted on said plates may be cooled by air flowing between said parallel plates from said inlet opening means to said outlet opening means, the size and configuration of said inlet and outlet opening means and the spacing between adjacent plates being sufficient for the flow of adequate ventilating air for the cooling of electronic circuitry mounted on said plates.

Claim 3

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 1 in which said first support elements are integrally fixed to said first plate and said securing means extend through second and third plates and said second support means into engagement with the respective ones of said first support elements.

Claim 4

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 2 in which at least the aligned ones of said first support elements comprise bosses projecting from said first plate, each of said bosses having a shoulder portion thereon abutting the side of said second plate facing said first plate to establish the spacing between said first and second plates, said second plate having an opening therein adjacent each said shoulder portion and the respective boss further having a locating portion projecting through said opening so as to laterally locate said second plate relative to said first plate.

Claim 5

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 3 in which said second support elements include shoulder portions abutting the facing sides of said second and third plates to establish the spacing therebetween, each of said support elements including means engaging said locating portion of the respective one of said bosses such that said second support element is laterally located relative to said first and second plates.

Claim 6

In an apparatus having a source of substantial heat, electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor comprising: a first housing wall portion having inlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be admitted, a second housing wall portion having outlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be discharged, an electronic assembly comprising a plurality of parallel spaced-apart plates of which at least one of each adjacent pair of plates has electronic circuitry mounted thereon and securing means interconnecting said plurality of plates into an integrated assembly, and mounting means for mounting said electronic assembly intermediate said inlet opening means and said outlet opening means such that electronic circuitry mounted on said plates may be cooled by air flowing between said parallel plates from said inlet opening means to said outlet opening means, said mounting means comprising securing means for fastening a first one only of said plates to a selected one of said first and second housing wall portions, the other of said wall portions having guide means cooperating with said first plate only for locating said electronic assembly in a fixed position relative thereto, the size and configuration of said inlet and outlet opening means and the spacing between adjacent plates being sufficient for the flow of adequate ventilating air for the cooling of electronic circuitry mounted on said plates.

Claim 7

In an apparatus having a source of substantial heat, electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor comprising: a first housing wall portion having inlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be admitted, a second housing wall portion having outlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be discharged, an electronic assembly comprising a plurality of parallel spaced-apart plates of which at least one of each adjacent pair of plates has electronic circuitry mounted thereon and securing means interconnecting said plurality of plates into an integrated assembly, and mounting means for mounting said electronic assembly intermediate said inlet opening means and said outlet opening means such that electronic circuitry mounted on said plates may be cooled by air flowing between said parallel plates from said inlet opening means to said outlet opening means, said mounting means comprising securing means for fastening a first one only of said plates to a selected one of said first and second housing wall portions, the other of said wall portions having guide means cooperating with said first plate only for locating said electronic assembly in a fixed position relative thereto, the size and configuration of said inlet and outlet opening means and the spacing between adjacent plates being sufficient for the flow of adequate ventilating air for the cooling of electronic circuitry mounted on said plates.

Claim 8

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 5 in which said first plate is fastened to said second housing wall portion by said securing means and in which said guide means engage said first plate to guide said first plate into a fixed position relative to said first housing wall portion.

Claim 9

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 6 in which said first plate forms a housing wall portion interconnecting said first and second housing wall portions whereby electronic circuitry mounted on said first plate may be accessed from outside of the ventilated housing.

Claim 10

In an apparatus having a source of substantial heat, electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor comprising: a first housing wall portion having inlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be admitted, a second housing wall portion having outlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be discharged, an electronic assembly comprising a plurality of parallel spaced-apart plates of which at least one of each adjacent pair of plates has electronic circuitry mounted thereon, said electronic assembly comprising: a first plate, a second plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said first plate, a third plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said second plate on the side of said second plate opposite said first plate, a plurality of first support elements interposed between said first and second plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said first and second plates, a plurality of second support elements interposed between said second and third plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said second and third plates, each of said second support elements being aligned with a respective one of said first support elements, and a plurality of securing means each associated with and extending through at least a portion of a respective pair of said first and second support elements to interconnect said first, second and third plates into an integrated assembly, and mounting means for mounting said electronic assembly intermediate said inlet opening means and said outlet opening means such that electronic circuitry mounted on said plates may be cooled by air flowing between said parallel plates from said inlet opening means to said outlet opening means, said mounting means comprising securing means for fastening a first one of said plates to a selected one of said first and second housing wall portions, the other of said wall portions having guide means for locating said electronic assembly in a fixed position relative thereto when said electronic assembly is fastened to said selected wall portion by said securing means, the size and configuration of said inlet and outlet opening means and the spacing between adjacent plates being sufficient for the flow of adequate ventilating air for the cooling of electronic circuitry mounted on said plates.

Claim 11

In an apparatus having a source of substantial heat, electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor comprising: a first housing wall portion having inlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be admitted, a second housing wall portion having outlet opening means therein through which ventilating air may be discharged, an electronic assembly comprising a plurality of parallel spaced-apart plates of which at least one of each adjacent pair of plates has electronic circuitry mounted thereon, said electronic assembly comprising: a first plate, a second plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said first plate, a third plate spaced from and substantially parallel to said second plate on the side of said second plate opposite said first plate, a plurality of first support elements interposed between said first and second plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said first and second plates, a plurality of second support elements interposed between said second and third plates in abutment therewith to establish the spacing between said second and third plates, each of said second support elements being aligned with a respective one of said first support elements, and a plurality of securing means each associated with and extending through at least a portion of a respective pair of said first and second support elements to interconnect said first, second and third plates into an integrated assembly, and mounting means for mounting said electronic assembly intermediate said inlet opening means and said outlet opening means such that electronic circuitry mounted on said plates may be cooled by air flowing between said parallel plates from said inlet opening means to said outlet opening means, said mounting means comprising securing means for fastening a first one of said plates to a selected one of said first and second housing wall portions, the other of said wall portions having guide means for locating said electronic assembly in a fixed position relative thereto when said electronic assembly is fastened to said selected wall portion by said securing means, the size and configuration of said inlet and outlet opening means and the spacing between adjacent plates being sufficient for the flow of adequate ventilating air for the cooling of electronic circuitry mounted on said plates.

Claim 12

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefor as defined by claim 8 in which at least the aligned ones of said first support elements comprise bosses projecting from said first plate, each of said bosses having a shoulder portion thereon abutting the side of said second plate facing said first plate to establish the spacing between said first and second plates, said second plate having an opening therein adjacent each said shoulder portion and the respective boss further having a locating portion projecting through said opening so as to laterally locate said second plate relative to said first plate.

Claim 13

Electronic apparatus and ventilating housing therefor as defined by claim 9 in which said second support elements include shoulder portions abutting the facing sides of said second and third plates to establish the spacing therebetween, each of said second support elements including means engaging said locating portions of the respective ones of said bosses such that said second support element is laterally located relative to said first and second plates.

Claim 14

Electronic apparatus and a venilated housing therefore as defined by claim 10 in which said first plate is fastened to said second housing wall portion by said securing means and in which said guide means engage said first plate to guide said first plate into a fixed position relative to said first housing wall portion.

Claim 15

Electronic apparatus and a ventilated housing therefore as defined by claim 11 in which said first plate forms a housing wall portion interconnecting said first and second housing wall portions, whereby electronic circuitry mounted on said first plate may be accessed from outside of the ventilated housing.