AFL Telecommunications LLC

A lid for a utility enclosure having a front end, a rear end, a right side, a left side, a top lid portion, and a bottom, defining an interior. Large reinforcement ribs are on an interior surface of the top lid portion and form a lattice-type structure. Small reinforcement ribs are mounted in spaces formed by the lattice type structure. The lid is made of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene and metal bars or rebar are embedded in the large reinforcement ribs. The metal bars are positioned near a bottom of the large reinforcement ribs and spaced above the bottom. The physical structure of the lid and the lid's composition, consisting essentially of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene, are constructed so that the lid withstands up to 33,750 pounds of force without breaking or being deformed.

A lid for a utility enclosure having a front end, a rear end, a right side, a left side, a top lid portion, and a bottom, defining an interior. Large reinforcement ribs are on an interior surface of the top lid portion and form a lattice-type structure. Small reinforcement ribs are mounted in spaces formed by the lattice type structure. The lid is made of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene and metal bars or rebar are embedded in the large reinforcement ribs. The metal bars are positioned near a bottom of the large reinforcement ribs and spaced above the bottom. The physical structure of the lid and the lid's composition, consisting essentially of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene, are constructed so that the lid withstands up to 33,750 pounds of force without breaking or being deformed.

A method of forming and assembling a foldable plastic utility enclosure using molds to form sides of the enclosure, preferably using glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The molds are constructed to form a central hole in hinge members which are formed on ends of the sides. The central hole of the hinge member is molded with two molding parts, wherein one or both of the molding parts have a solid central portion that forms the central hole. The sides are removed from the molds after curing and the sides are assembled to form the utility enclosure while the sides are still hot from the molding process. Hinge pins are inserted into the central holes of the hinge members to form hinges and to prevent the sides from warping during cooling. Assembling the sides and inserting hinge pins to form the utility enclosure is completed within approximately 10 minutes after removing the sides from the molds.

A lid for a utility enclosure having a front end, a rear end, a right side, a left side, a top lid portion, and a bottom, defining an interior. Large reinforcement ribs are on an interior surface of the top lid portion and form a lattice-type structure. Small reinforcement ribs are mounted in spaces formed by the lattice type structure. The lid is made of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene and metal bars or rebar are embedded in the large reinforcement ribs. The metal bars are positioned near a bottom of the large reinforcement ribs and spaced above the bottom. The physical structure of the lid and the lid's composition, consisting essentially of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene, are constructed so that the lid withstands up to 33,750 pounds of force without breaking or being deformed.

A foldable extension enclosure for a utility enclosure, each having first, second, third, and fourth sides connected by hinges and each folding only in one direction by means of detents on the sides. A first end of the first side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the third side and a first end of the second side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the fourth side. There is an internal top ledge on each side in an interior near a top end of the extension enclosure and the utility enclosure and an external bottom ledge on each side on an exterior near a bottom end of the extension enclosure, to mount the extension enclosure to the utility enclosure with concave and convex detents. Convex detents are at the top end of the utility and extension enclosures and concave detents are at the bottom end of the extension enclosure. The convex detents also reversibly lock a lid to the tops of the utility and extension enclosures.

A lid for a utility enclosure having a front end, a rear end, a right side, a left side, a top lid portion, and a bottom, defining an interior. Large reinforcement ribs are on an interior surface of the top lid portion and form a lattice-type structure. Small reinforcement ribs are mounted in spaces formed by the lattice type structure. The lid is made of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene and metal bars or rebar are embedded in the large reinforcement ribs. The metal bars are positioned near a bottom of the large reinforcement ribs and spaced above the bottom. The physical structure of the lid and the lid's composition, consisting essentially of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene, are constructed so that the lid withstands up to 33,750 pounds of force without breaking or being deformed.

A foldable extension enclosure for a utility enclosure, each having first, second, third, and fourth sides connected by hinges and each folding only in one direction by means of detents on the sides. A first end of the first side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the third side and a first end of the second side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the fourth side. There is an internal top ledge on each side in an interior near a top end of the extension enclosure and the utility enclosure and an external bottom ledge on each side on an exterior near a bottom end of the extension enclosure, to mount the extension enclosure to the utility enclosure with concave and convex detents. Convex detents are at the top end of the utility and extension enclosures and concave detents are at the bottom end of the extension enclosure. The convex detents also reversibly lock a lid to the tops of the utility and extension enclosures.

A lid for a utility enclosure having a front end, a rear end, a right side, a left side, a top lid portion, and a bottom, defining an interior. Large reinforcement ribs are on an interior surface of the top lid portion and form a lattice-type structure. Small reinforcement ribs are mounted in spaces formed by the lattice type structure. The lid is made of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene and metal bars or rebar are embedded in the large reinforcement ribs. The metal bars are positioned near a bottom of the large reinforcement ribs and spaced above the bottom. The physical structure of the lid and the lid's composition, consisting essentially of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene, are constructed so that the lid withstands up to 33,750 pounds of force without breaking or being deformed.

A method of forming and assembling a foldable plastic utility enclosure using molds to form sides of the enclosure, preferably using glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The molds are constructed to form a central hole in hinge members which are formed on ends of the sides. The central hole of the hinge member is molded with two molding parts, wherein one or both of the molding parts have a solid central portion that forms the central hole. The sides are removed from the molds after curing and the sides are assembled to form the utility enclosure while the sides are still hot from the molding process. Hinge pins are inserted into the central holes of the hinge members to form hinges and to prevent the sides from warping during cooling. Assembling the sides and inserting hinge pins to form the utility enclosure is completed within approximately 10 minutes after removing the sides from the molds.

A foldable extension enclosure for a utility enclosure, each having first, second, third, and fourth sides connected by hinges and each folding only in one direction by means of detents on the sides. A first end of the first side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the third side and a first end of the second side slidably overlaps a second opposite end of the fourth side. There is an internal top ledge on each side in an interior near a top end of the extension enclosure and the utility enclosure and an external bottom ledge on each side on an exterior near a bottom end of the extension enclosure, to mount the extension enclosure to the utility enclosure with concave and convex detents. Convex detents are at the top end of the utility and extension enclosures and concave detents are at the bottom end of the extension enclosure. The convex detents also reversibly lock a lid to the tops of the utility and extension enclosures.