Outdoor base station housing assembly

Abstract

A base station cabinet assembly ( 20 ) includes a first cabinet housing ( 22 ). A second cabinet housing ( 40 ) generally surrounds and covers over the first cabinet housing ( 22 ). In a disclosed example, the first cabinet housing ( 22 ) comprises a metal cabinet typically useful for interior base station installations. The second cabinet housing ( 40 ) in one example comprises plastic and protects the first cabinet portion ( 22 ) from environmental contamination such that the entire cabinet assembly may be used for exterior installations.

1 . A base station cabinet assembly, comprising: 
 a first cabinet housing comprising a first material, the first cabinet housing supporting a weight of operative base station components; and    a second cabinet housing comprising a second, different material, the second cabinet housing generally surrounding and covering over the first cabinet housing.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the first cabinet housing is unsealed; and    the second cabinet housing prevents environmental contaminants from entering an interior of the second cabinet housing such that the environmental contaminants are prevented from contacting the first cabinet housing or any components within the first cabinet housing.    
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the first cabinet housing comprises metal; and    the second cabinet housing comprises plastic.    
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second cabinet housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls and a base, one edge of the sidewalls being at least partially received in a groove in the base, the groove having a nominal depth adjacent an outer surface on at least one of the sidewalls and a second, greater depth adjacent an inner surface on the at least one of the sidewalls.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the base has at least one drain hole that allows fluid from within the groove to exit the groove toward an exterior of the assembly.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the edges of the sidewalls are maintained at least partially in the groove such that the sidewalls are at least partially moveable relative to the base.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second cabinet portion comprises 
 at least three sidewalls that are each at least partially generally planar, each of the three sidewalls being a portion of a monolithic, single piece of plastic.    
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the single piece of plastic has a groove extending along at least a portion of a length of the piece of plastic at locations corresponding to edges of adjacent one of the sidewalls.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each groove comprises a generally V-shaped cross section having sides oriented relative to each other at an angle within a range from about 90 degrees to about 150 degrees when two of the sidewalls adjacent a corresponding groove are at least partially coplanar.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the angle is approximately 120 degrees when two of the sidewalls adjacent a corresponding groove are at least partially coplanar.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the second cabinet portion includes a fourth sidewall comprising a frame that is secured to at least two of the three sidewalls and a door portion secured to the frame.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , comprising a seal between the door portion and a corresponding portion of the frame for sealing the second cabinet portion closed when the door portion is in a closed position.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an interior on the second cabinet portion is spaced away from an exterior on the first cabinet portion.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , comprising at least one layer between the first cabinet portion and the second cabinet portion, the at least one layer comprising a third material that is different than the first and second materials.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the third material comprises a plastic and includes carbon.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one layer establishes a plurality of flow channels between the first cabinet portion and the second cabinet portion for facilitating fluid flow along a spacing between the cabinet portions.  
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one layer is secured to the first cabinet portion and selectively abuts against the second cabinet portion.  
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first cabinet portion has an opening through at least one sidewall and the second cabinet portion has an opening through at least one sidewall and aligned with the opening through the at least one sidewall of the second cabinet portion, and comprising an operative component for facilitating wireless communications supported within the first cabinet portion such that a connector on the operative component is received at least partially through the openings of the first and second cabinet portions when the operative component is received adjacent the at least one sidewall of the first cabinet portion.  
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , comprising a seal received generally about the connector and against an exterior surface of the second cabinet portion for sealing off an interface between the connector and the opening in the at least one sidewall of the second cabinet portion.