FORM - 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE
Specification
(See section 10 and rule 13)
A PROTECTIVE CASING OR HOUSING FOR AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE
KIRLOSKAR OIL ENGINES LIMITED
an Indian Company
of Laxmanrao Kirloskar Road, Khadki, Pune 411 003,
Maharashtra, India
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.

Field of invention:
This invention relates to a protective casing or housing for an electrical device.
In particular, this invention envisages a canopy type casing or housing for a generator.
Background of the invention: Introduction:
An electrical generator is a device that produces electrical energy from a mechanical energy source. Electric Generators therefore, perform the task of producing electricity.
There are two main types of generators: synchronous generators and induction generators. Synchronous generators are capable of handling round-the-clock power needs if necessary; induction generators are only used for producing power above and beyond what a synchronous generator produces, usually to cover above-the-norm power needs or to cover baseline needs only.
Size of generators can be very small or quite huge. Generators can be extremely large, producing power for entire city blocks or very small, needed only as backup by a home or small office in case of a power cut. The age of a generator will also have a large impact in its design, since the technology of power generation is continually changing and developing in response to various factors, from efficiency to environmental friendliness and resource depletion.
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Generators nowadays are becoming household equipment in our lives. The use of a generator ranges as a small household appliance for power backup, to a large fest or function for supplying electricity. It is also used in farms and fields for agricultural purposes and in heavy industries for providing effective power supply in the case of major power cuts. Thus the usage area of generators is not restricted to a single field. The size of the generator and how regularly it will be used, will have an impact on what type of fuel it uses, whether it is hydroelectric, steam, solar, geothermal, or driven by wind, burning natural gas, fuel oils, or coal. Due to involvement of different kinds of fuel these generators also produce hazardous gases and chemicals, which may cause danger to the user as well as to the environment.
Due to the involvement of poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and the like, generators cannot be kept inside living spaces. To avoid hazardous effects of gases, as well as to minimize levels of noise, generators are kept in open spaces outside houses or on rooftops. It is therefore, essential to protect a generator from direct exposure to heat, rain, and wet climate. These external perils led to the development of protective casings or housings for generators.
Prior Art:
The use of cuboidal shape casing or housing incorporating side-hinged doors for protection of generators is known in the art. Traditionally a casing with a rigid structure of steel or iron frame is used. Due to side hinges an extra mechanical effort is required to pull and push the doors while opening and closing. These hinges corrode, due to which they either lose their alignment
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or get jammed resulting in creation of a gap through which rainwater, dust, insects and the like get into the casing or housing.
Further, due to heavy steel or metal body frames these casings are not portable and fixed at a single place. This reduces the utility of a generator, as it cannot be used at other places. In a way the heavy frames restrict the free movement of generators.
Furthermore, the shape of a traditional casing or housing is cuboidal or box shaped as a result of which in inclement weather a mechanic cannot get additional protection while repairing the generator. In addition, it is possible that when opened in inclement weather, rainwater or dust may enter in the internal components of the generator.
Objects of the invention:
A principal object of this invention is to provide a protective casing or housing having flap type doors which when opened provide protection to a mechanic in inclement weather such as rain, wind, sun and the like. At the same time the doors also protect the internal components of the generator.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a protective casing or housing which can be opened with minimum efforts to access the generator.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a protective casing or housing with a hinging mechanism, which is corrosion free and does not get jammed.
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Another object of this invention is to provide a protective casing or housing having an aesthetic design and structure, which is appealing to a user.
To meet with these and other objects, the invention provides a canopy type casing or housing which is easy to maintain and transport. In one embodiment of the invention the protective casing or housing may be dismantlable and have ventilators.
Summary of the invention:
In accordance with this invention there is provided a protective housing typically for a generator, said housing comprising:
(i) a substantially rectangular rigid base;
(ii) sidewalls extending operatively upwards from opposite sides of
said base;
(iii) a roof having substantially rectangular configuration adapted to be
fitted on said sidewalls, at least one of the other sides of said roof
being free;
(iv) at least one flap door swivably hinged to said roof, said at least one
flap door provided on at least one of the free sides of said roof; and (v) ventilation spaces provided in said sidewalls; said sidewalls and said at least one flap defining an enclosure space; said at least one flap door adapted to be displaced smoothly between an inoperative closed configuration to an operative open configuration by means of the hinges.
Typically, the housing is made from a material which is at least one selected from a group of materials consisting of fire resistant resin, synthetic
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polymeric material, fiber glass, plastic, wood, aluminium and plastic composite.
Typically, the sidewalls are lined with antivibration pads or liners.
Typically, the at least one flap door is provided with a latching mechanism adapted to maintain said housing in an inoperative closed configuration, said latching mechanism operated by means of a single or double release push button switches.
Typically, the at least one flap door is maintained in an operative closed configuration under spring loaded tension.
Typically, the at least one flap door is in the form of a canopy.
Typically, the at least one flap door has a plurality of foldable elements.
Brief description of the drawings:
The invention will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment. Reference to this embodiment does not limit the scope of the invention, and several other embodiments can be considered as a part of invention without departing from the basic principles of the invention.
Figure 1 illustrates the schematic lay out of the canopy type protective casing or housing in operative configuration in accordance with invention;
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Figure 2 illustrates an alternative view of the canopy type protective casing or housing configuration with doors in operative position;
Figure 3 illustrates a complete operative position of the canopy type protective casing or housing; and
Figure 4 illustrates a typical arrangement of a generator inside the protective casing or housing.
In the accompanying drawings the following reference numerals represent the items mentioned alongside:

Serial No Item Name
21 Base of protective casing or housing
22 Sidewalls of protective casing or housing
23 Roof of protective casing or housing
24 Air ventilation passage
25 Flap type opening doors
26 Pivoting hinge present over the roof
27 Monitoring Window
28 An Outlet for polluted air/gas
29 Partition in between the protective casing or housing
30 Shelf for Fuel tank.
Detailed description of the invention:
The Canopy type protective casing or housing will now be explained with reference to the figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
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Figure 1 illustrates the isometric view (operative configuration) of the canopy type protective casing or housing in accordance with this invention defined by a body having a base (21), two supporting sidewalls (22) and a roof (23). A hollow space is formed within the body wherein the generator is fitted (As shown in fig 4). The hollow space is openable on both sides of the body. The body of the protective casing or housing can be made of fire resistant resin, organic glass, plastic, wood, aluminum, plastic composite or any combination thereof.
In the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, sides of the protective casing or housing are hexagonal, wide towards the base and narrow towards the top. In the lower portion there exists an air ventilation passage (24) on both the sidewalls of the protective casing or housing (22) for free flow of air inside the hollow space, which will facilitate in lowering the increased temperature and proper heat dissipation when the generator is in use.
For better portability the complete device can be dismantled and can be erected with the help of nuts and bolts. In the dismantlable condition it can be moved from one place to another.
To cover the openings on both sides of the protective casing or housing, two flap type doors (25) are mounted, hinged to the roof. Hinges are provided to facilitate the user to pivotably lift the door with minimum investment of energy.
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In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the location of the pivoting hinge (26) is offset from the edge. This arrangement provides an extra height to the opening in order to facilitate the user for better operation as well as securing the generator from external perils such as rain, showers, dust etc (as shown in fig 2). The flap type doors (25) are provided with a hydraulic cylinder and piston type door closing means, for positive displacement of the doors without consumption of energy.
The sidewalls of the protective casing or housing (22) may be lined with antivibration pads or liners for absorbing the vibrations and noise produced while the generator is in use.
Furthermore a latching mechanism (not shown in figure) can be provided which can be operated by Push buttons. In a preferred embodiment, the latching mechanism can be operated with a single or double release pushbutton. While latching, the hydraulic cylinder and piston type door-closing type means remain in its tensed position and when unlatched, the flap type doors (25) automatically swing up by the normal action of the biasing door closing means. (Not shown in figure).
For better inspection of working, a monitoring window (27) can be provided with preferably an organic glass covering which can be used for inspection as well as for noise absorption.
An outlet for polluted gas/air (28) for harmful gases is provided at one end of the device, which will release the gases to the atmosphere at a certain height in order to minimize the effect of pollution in the surroundings.
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The flap type doors (25) of this invention can be rigid or made foldable with one or two folds in order to provide maximum space to the user while using the generator.
A partition (29) in between the protective casing or housing is provided, within which one part is used for the generator and other can be used for the fuel tank, input and output circuits, switches as well as for an outlet for polluted gas/air (28). In the other half of the partition a shelf (30) is provided which can be used for the fuel tank.
Advantages:
As a whole the protective casing or housing can be used with varied functions for better operation of the generator which will make it more user as well as environmental friendly.
As an advantage, this invention can be used as a portable protective casing or housing for generators with proper air ventilation system for suitable heat dissipation and temperature control.
Furthermore this invention can be used as a protective casing or housing with an aesthetic shape and structure, which in turn appeals to the eyes of user.
In addition, this invention can be used as a portable protective casing orhousing with a corrosion free hinging means with easy opening and closing mechanism.
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While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the structures and structural interrelationships between the component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principals of the invention. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as othermbodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.
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We Claim:
1. A protective housing typically for a generator, said housing
comprising:
(i) a substantially rectangular rigid base;
(ii) sidewalls extending operatively upwards from opposite sides of
said base;
(iii) a roof having substantially rectangular configuration adapted to be
fitted on said sidewalls, at least one of the other sides of said roof
being free;
(iv) at least one flap door swivably hinged to said roof, said at least one
flap door provided on at least one of the free sides of said roof; and (v) ventilation spaces provided in said sidewalls; said sidewalls and said at least one flap defining an enclosure space; said at least one flap door adapted to be displaced smoothly between an inoperative closed configuration to an operative open configuration by means of the hinges.
2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing is made from a material which is at least one selected from a group of materials consisting of fire resistant resin, synthetic polymeric material, fiber glass, plastic, wood, aluminium and plastic composite.
3. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sidewalls are lined with antivibration pads or liners.
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4. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one flap door is provided with a latching mechanism adapted to maintain said housing in an inoperative closed configuration, said latching mechanism operated by means of a single or double release push button switches.
5. A housing as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one flap door is maintained in an operative closed configuration under spring loaded tension.
6. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one flap door is in the form of a canopy.
7. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one flap door has a plurality of foldable elements.
8. A housing as claimed in claim 1, as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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ABSTRACT:
A protective housing typically for a generator is disclosed. The housing comprises a rigid base, sidewalls extending operatively upwards from opposite sides of the base, a roof fitted on the sidewalls, at least one flap door swivably hinged to the roof and ventilation spaces provided in the sidewalls. The sidewalls and the at least one flap define an enclosure space. The at least one flap door adapted to be displaced smoothly between an inoperative closed configuration to an operative open configuration by means of the hinges.