Support apparatus usable with electrical enclosure

Abstract

A support apparatus is usable with an electrical enclosure to provide support to retain a cover portion of the electrical enclosure in proximity to a cabinet portion of the electrical enclosure. The support apparatus includes a shank having a hook-shaped retention element situated at an end thereof that is configured to provide vertical support to the cover portion. The support apparatus can further include a second hook-shaped retention element at an opposite end of the shank that is configured to rest upon an upturned lip of the cabinet portion, or the shank can potentially be affixed to the cabinet portion. Slots can additionally be provided in the cabinet portion, the cover portion, or both to additionally provide horizontal alignment of the cover portion with the cabinet portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A support apparatus structured to be cooperable with an electrical enclosure having a cabinet portion and a cover portion, the cabinet portion having a base panel, a number of walls extending from a periphery of the base panel, and a number of upturned lips, at least a first upturned lip of the number of upturned lips extending from at least a first wall of the number of walls and being disposed opposite the base panel, the support apparatus comprising:
 a shank;   a first retention element situated on the shank and being structured to be disposed on the at least first upturned lip; and   a second retention element disposed on the shank, the second retention element being structured to receive an edge of the cover portion and to provide vertical support to the cover portion.   
     
     
         2 . The support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first retention element is situated at a first end of the shank, and wherein the second retention element is situated at a second end of the shank opposite the first end. 
     
     
         3 . The support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the shank is a plate-like element having a width substantially greater than its thickness, wherein the first retention element extends away from a first face of the shank, and wherein the second retention element extends away from a second face of the shank in a direction opposite that in which the first retention element extends away from the first face. 
     
     
         4 . The support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first retention element has formed therein a hole that is structured to receive a projection disposed on the at least first upturned lip. 
     
     
         5 . The support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first retention element is structured to compressively engage the at least first upturned lip between the first retention element and the shank. 
     
     
         6 . An electrical enclosure apparatus comprising the support apparatus of  claim 1 , and further comprising an electrical enclosure having a cabinet portion and a cover portion, the cabinet portion having a base panel, a number of walls extending from a periphery of the base panel, and a number of upturned lips, at least a first upturned lip of the number of upturned lips extending from at least a first wall of the number of walls and being disposed opposite the base panel. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the at least first upturned lip and the cover portion has at least a first notch formed in an elongated edge thereof, the at least first notch being structured to receive therein at least a portion of the support apparatus and being structured to resist movement of the support apparatus in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the edge. 
     
     
         8 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the at least first upturned lip has a notch formed in an elongated edge thereof that is structured to receive therein at least a portion of the first retention element and to resist movement of the support apparatus in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the edge; 
 the cover portion has another notch formed in an elongated other edge thereof that is structured to receive therein at least another portion of the second retention element whereby the support apparatus is structured to position the cover portion in horizontal alignment with the cabinet portion and to resist movement of the cover portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the other edge. 
 
     
     
         9 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cover portion comprises a number of fasteners, wherein an upturned lip of the number of upturned lips has a number of first holes formed therein, and wherein the cover portion has a number of second holes formed therein, at least some of the number of first holes and at least some of the number of second holes being aligned and being structured to receive therein a fastener of the number of fasteners when the at least a portion of the first retention element is received in the notch and when the at least a portion of the second retention element is received in the another notch. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the cover portion comprises a number of fasteners, wherein an upturned lip of the number of upturned lips has a number of first holes formed therein, and wherein the cover portion has a number of second holes formed therein, at least some of the number of first holes and at least some of the number of second holes being vertically aligned when the first retention element is disposed on the at least first upturned lip and when the second retention element receives the edge of the cover portion. 
     
     
         11 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the edge of the cover portion received in the second retention element is slidably received in the second retention element, the cover portion being structured to be slidable on the second retention element along the longitudinal extent of the edge to horizontally align at least some of the number of first holes with at least some of the number of second holes to enable at least some of the number of fasteners to be receive therein. 
     
     
         12 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 11  wherein a periphery of the cover portion is structured to protrude beyond a periphery of the cabinet portion when the at least some of the number of first holes and the at least some of the number of second holes are horizontally aligned, and wherein at least a portion of the shank and at least a portion of the second retention element protrude beyond the periphery of the cabinet portion when the first retention element is disposed on the at least first upturned lip. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 6  wherein at least a portion of the shank is situated between the cover portion and the at least first upturned lip when the first retention element is disposed on the at least first upturned lip and when the second retention element receives the edge of the cover portion. 
     
     
         14 . The electrical enclosure apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the first retention element has formed therein a hole, and wherein the at least first upturned lip has a projection disposed thereon, the hole being structured to receive the projection when the first retention element is disposed on the at least first upturned lip, the projection received in the hole being structured to resist movement of the support apparatus with respect to the at least first upturned lip. 
     
     
         15 . An electrical enclosure comprising:
 a cabinet portion;   a cover portion structured to be situated on the cabinet portion;   the cabinet portion having a base panel, a number of walls extending from a periphery of the base panel, and a number of upturned lips, at least a first upturned lip of the number of upturned lips extending from at least a first wall of the number of walls and being disposed opposite the base panel;   the cabinet portion further comprising a support apparatus that comprises a retention element that is structured to receive an elongated edge of the cover portion and that is structured to provide vertical support to the cover portion, the support apparatus being co-formed with and extending away from at least one of a wall of the number of walls and an upturned lip of the number of upturned lips.   
     
     
         16 . The electrical enclosure of  claim 15  wherein a wall of the number of walls has a cutout formed therein, the support apparatus being situated adjacent the cutout. 
     
     
         17 . The electrical enclosure of  claim 16  wherein the wall of the number of walls has an elongated edge in which the cutout is formed, the support apparatus extending away from the at least one of a wall of the number of walls and an upturned lip of the number of upturned lips in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the edge. 
     
     
         18 . The electrical enclosure of  claim 17  wherein the cutout has a width along the longitudinal extent of the edge, the support apparatus having another width along the longitudinal extent of the edge, the width and the another width being substantially equal in size. 
     
     
         19 . The electrical enclosure of  claim 15  wherein the support apparatus comprises a shank that extends away from the at least one of a wall of the number of walls and an upturned lip of the number of upturned lips, the retention element being situated at a free end of the shank. 
     
     
         20 . The electrical enclosure of  claim 19  wherein a periphery of the cover portion is structured to protrude beyond a periphery of the cabinet portion when the cover portion is situated on the cabinet portion, and wherein at least a portion of the shank and at least a portion of the retention element protrude beyond the periphery of the cabinet portion.