WO2008081088A1

WO2008081088A1 - Electrical appliance holder with modular central opening

Info

Publication number: WO2008081088A1
Application number: PCT/FR2007/001921
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Luc Chaumeny; Laurent Petit
Original assignee: Legrand France; Legrand Snc
Priority date: 2006-12-20
Filing date: 2007-11-22
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Also published as: FR2910732B1; AU2007341151B2; KR101405289B1; AU2007341151A1; FR2910732A1; KR20090089900A; CN101563822B; CN101563822A; ZA200903899B

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder (100) for electrical appliances in the form of a frame (110) comprising a central opening (103) that defines a mounting plane for the mechanism bases of electrical appliances. According to the invention, it comprises at least one blocking wall (130) connected by a hinge (133) to an edge (102A) of he central opening, the blocking wall being adapted, on the one hand, to overhang from said edge essentially into the mounting plane in order to block a portion thereof and, on the other hand, to be stowed under said mounting plane.

Description

"Electrical equipment rack with adjustable central opening"

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

The present invention generally relates to the supports used to report any equipment mechanism, such as for example a switch or socket mechanism, in a box to be installed in any wall or in a box to projecting from such a wall.

It relates more particularly to a support of electrical equipment in the form of a frame defining a central opening defining a mounting plane of electrical equipment mechanism bases.

It also relates to electrical equipment comprising such a support.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Currently, when the facade of the base of the fitting mechanism does not cover the entire central opening of the support on which it is mounted, there remain areas of electrically active parts, such as the wiring parts of said mechanism, of the apparatus electrical access to the user through the portion of the central opening of the support left free. This is the case when, for example, a base module 1 is mounted in a central opening of a standard support intended to accommodate a base 2 modules.

Document FR 2 880 207 belonging to the applicants is already known, an apparatus mechanism comprising a base of insulating material which carries at least one wing which extends cantilevered from one of its longitudinal edges substantially in the plane of the front of said base and which is intended to close a portion of the central opening of the equipment support left free after mounting said base therein.

In this way, the electrical equipment mechanism ensures during its mounting on the support, a protection against electric shock by prohibiting access to the electrically active parts of the electrical equipment via said central opening of the support.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Compared to the state of the art mentioned above, the present invention proposes a new equipment support which itself provides protection against electric shocks by prohibiting access to the electrically active parts of electrical equipment via its central opening.

More particularly, the invention provides an apparatus support as defined in the introduction, which comprises at least one closure wall attached by a hinge to an edge of its central opening, this closure wall being adapted, a on the other hand, to extend cantilevered from said edge, substantially in the mounting plane of the electrical equipment mechanism bases to close off part of it, and, secondly, to retract under said timeline. Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the support according to the invention are the following:

each closure wall is a foldable or extensible wall;

each shutter wall comprises at least two shutters connected to one another by a hinge; - each hinge is breakable;

each hinge is a flexible link whose thickness decreases from the middle of the corresponding longitudinal edge of the flap (s) to which it is attached towards the transverse end edges of said flap;

- The frame of said support comprises a flat core of metal material coated with a coating of insulating synthetic material and each closure wall is formed with said coating;

the coating of the support is a skin of insulating material overmolded on the metal core;

said skin made of insulating material covers most of the front and rear faces of the metal core;

said skin made of insulating material covers the outer and inner edges of the metal core of the frame;

the insulating material constituting said skin is a plastic material such as a polymer loaded with glass fibers or an ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or else polypropylene; and

said support comprises two closure walls attached by hinges with two edges facing said central opening. The invention also relates to electrical equipment comprising at least one base of electrical equipment mechanism reported in the central opening of a support of electrical equipment as defined above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be achieved.

In the accompanying drawings:

- Figure 1 is a partial schematic perspective view of an electrical apparatus according to the invention with its equipment support arranged in a first opening configuration;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic front perspective view of the electrical apparatus of FIG. 1 comprising a single equipment mechanism base mounted on said equipment support; FIG. 3 is a schematic rear perspective view of the apparatus support of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view in front perspective of the electrical equipment of FIG. 1 with its equipment support arranged in a second opening configuration; FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic front perspective view of the electrical equipment of FIG. 4 comprising two equipment mechanism bases mounted on said equipment support,

FIG. 6 is a schematic rear perspective view of the equipment support of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a schematic front perspective view of the equipment support according to the invention arranged in a third opening configuration;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view in front perspective of the support of FIG. 7 supporting three pedestals of equipment mechanism; and FIG. 9 is a schematic rear perspective view of the apparatus support of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 1 to 9 show, in three different opening configurations, a support 100 for electrical equipment intended to be fixed on a box 10 of an electrical apparatus 1 such as a box to be fitted in any wall, for example, a honeycomb wall or a housing to report projecting on such a wall.

The support 100 is used for mounting inside the box or housing 10 of one or more pedestals 20 of equipment, such as a switch mechanism, socket, phone jack, circuit breaker (see Figures 2, 5, 8).

The support 100 is in the form of a rectangular frame 110 flat here.

The frame 110 is defined between an outer peripheral edge 101 and an inner peripheral edge 102 which delimits a central opening 103 also of rectangular shape. This central opening 103 defines a mounting plane of electrical equipment mechanism bases. It is intended to accommodate one or more pedestals 20 of equipment. Here it can accommodate up to three pedestals 1 module of equipment mechanism (see Figures 8 and 9) or a base 2 modules and 1 base 1 module.

For the mounting of the pedestals 20 of equipment, the central opening 103 of the frame 110 is bordered on its two longitudinal sides vis-à-vis mounting means, here latching means, which include, on each on these sides, a hooking rib 104 forming an edge falling from the front face 110A of the frame 110.

On these attachment ribs 104 are intended to hook snap teeth 24 provided projecting from two opposite faces of the bases 20 of equipment mechanism (see Figures 3, 6, 9).

Advantageously, the frame 110 here comprises a core 111 of metal material (steel for example) coated with a coating 112 of insulating synthetic material.

The core 111 of metal material is rigid, it then forms the frame of the frame 110.

Said hooking ribs 104 also comprise a metal frame which is formed by cutting and folding the metal core 111.

According to the preferred example shown in the figures, this coating is a skin 112 of insulating synthetic material, overmolded on the core 111 made of metallic material of the frame 110. Advantageously, this skin 112 obtained by overmolding has a very small thickness of only a few millimeters.

It makes it possible to confer electrical insulation to the frame 110.

The skin 112 of insulating synthetic material covers most of the front and rear faces of the core 111 made of metallic material of the frame 110. It also covers the outer and inner edges of the core 111 as well as the framework of the ribs. hanging 104.

The combination of the flat core 111 made of metallic material and the skin 112 molded onto this core 111 makes it possible to obtain an insulating support 100 compliant with the IP20 standard, aesthetic of small thickness and high mechanical strength. The thickness of the support 100 is of the order of 3 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the support 100, the insulating material constituting the skin 112 is polypropylene or a polymer loaded with glass fibers or an ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). As can be seen in the figures, the support 100 here comprises in two parallel branches of its frame 110, securing means adapted to allow its attachment to the box or the housing.

These securing means comprise a hole 105, here in the form of a keyhole, which allows the passage of the threaded body of a fixing screw intended to be screwed into a corresponding well 12 of the box or the housing 10.

Note that the skin 112 forms around each piercing 105 an extra thickness and that at this point, the core 111 of metal material is apparent.

Thus, for the electrical equipment 1 incorporating the support 100 is in accordance with the IP20 electrical insulation standard, it is then expected to bring to the location of said holes 105 covers 106 of insulating synthetic material.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8, these covers 106, molded with the skin 112, are attached to the frame 110 of the support 100 by hinges 106A so that they are foldable by pivoting on the screw heads securing the support to the box or housing 10.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 9, there is provided at each corner of the frame 110 of the support 100, clipping means 120 of a front plate embellisher not shown. Advantageously, said clipping means comprise pads 120 of insulating synthetic material, separate from the frame 110 and reported in through openings thereof.

Each pad 120 is made in one piece by molding a plastic material for example polycarbonate.

Each stud 120 is here adapted to snap into the corresponding opening of the frame 110.

The through apertures of the frame 110 being here circular, each stud 120 has a sleeve-shaped body with a circular cross section whose outside diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the through-opening of the frame 110 so that said body can be introduced through of said through opening.

The body of each stud 120 internally defines a passage duct 121 of reduced section relative to that of the through opening of the frame 110.

The body of each stud 120 carries, on the one hand, at one of its two ends at least one attachment tooth 122 on the front face 110A of the frame 110, and, on the other hand, at its other end at least one support fin 124 on the rear face 110B of the frame 110 (see FIGS. 3, 6 and 9). According to the example shown, each stud 120 has, at the head, a plurality of teeth 122 hooking on the front face 110A of the frame 110. In addition, it comprises at its base, two fins 124 carried by the outer face of its body .

Each fin 124 extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the body of the stud 120 and here forms an angular sector of about 90 ° around said body.

Of course according to a variant not shown, it can be provided that the fins completely surround the body of each stud.

In addition, as shown in the figures, each pad 120 is slotted longitudinally of a plurality of parallel slots which separate said teeth 122 from each other.

In this way, the teeth 122 are provided at the end of tabs (which are parts of the sleeve-shaped body) having a certain flexibility to allow easy snapping of the teeth 122 on the front face 110A of the frame 110 of the support 100. When each stud 120 is engaged in the through opening of the frame 110, its body forms an insulating passage duct 121 for male fasteners of the trim plate (not shown).

The teeth 122 of the stud 120 hooked on the front face 110A of the frame 110 form projections adapted to cooperate with complementary engagement means of the front plate hubcap to participate in the fixing of the latter on the frame 110.

The fins 124 of the stud 120 bear against the rear face 110B of the frame 110 to stabilize the stud 120 in the corresponding through opening of the frame 110.

Indeed, the fins 124 and the teeth 122 constitute wedging elements which exert opposite axial supports on the frame 110 to maintain the stud 120 in said through opening.

Each pad 120 made of insulating synthetic material advantageously allows the support 100 to be electrically insulated at its points of attachment to the trim plate.

Thanks to the studs 120, the user does not have access to the metal core 111 of the support 100 while ensuring a high-performance fastening between the hubcap front plate and said support 100. Such a support 100 meets the requirements of the standard IP20 insulation and eliminates the earth connection required by the British Standard.

In addition, advantageously, according to the invention, the support 100 comprises at least one closure wall 130 attached by a hinge 133 to an edge 102A of the central opening 103. This closure wall 130 is adapted, of a on the other hand, to extend cantilevered from the edge 102A of the central opening 103, substantially in the assembly plane of the bases of equipment mechanisms for closing off part of it (see FIGS. 1 to 6), and, on the other hand, retract partially or completely under said mounting plane extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the latter (see Figures 4 to 9).

According to the example shown, the support 100 comprises two closure walls 130 attached by hinges 133 with two transverse edges 102A transverse vis-à-vis said central opening 103. Advantageously, these closure walls 130 are intended to close a portion of the central opening 103 of the support 100 left free after mounting or pedestals 20 therein to prevent access to the electrically active parts of the electrical apparatus 1 via said central opening 103 of the support 100.

In this way, the support 100 of electrical equipment provides protection against electric shocks and the electrical equipment 1 incorporating the support 100 complies with the electrical insulation standard IP20.

As shown in the figures, each closure wall 130 is a foldable or expandable wall.

Here, each closure wall 130 comprises two flaps 131, 132 connected to one another by a hinge 133.

Of course depending on the width of the central opening 103 of the support 100 each closure wall 130 may comprise more than two flaps. Each flap 131, 132 here has a width of half a module and a length corresponding to the height of said central opening 103. Thus, once unfolded, each flap extends, in length, from a longitudinal edge to the other of the central opening 103 of the support (see Figures 2 and 4) and, in width, on a portion of said width of the central opening 103. One of the longitudinal edges of one of the flaps 131 of each closure wall 130 is connected by said hinge 133 to the corresponding transverse edge 102A of said central opening 103 of the support 100 while the other longitudinal edge of said flap 131 is connected by a hinge 133 to a longitudinal edge of the other flap 132 which has an edge free longitudinal forming a support edge.

Here, each hinge 133 is advantageously breakable.

For this, each hinge 133 is constituted by a flexible link whose thickness is decreasing from the middle of the corresponding longitudinal edge of the flaps 131, 132 to which it is attached to the transverse end edges of said flap 131, 132.

Preferably, each closure wall 130 is formed with the coating 112 which covers the metal core 111 of the frame 110 of the support 100. More particularly, the flaps 131, 132 and hinges 133 of each closure wall 130 are formed during overmolding of the skin 112 on the metal core 111 of the support 100. They then form a single portion with said skin 112. to make the support 100, is first made in a conventional manner (by stamping, folding and cutting) the metal core 111 then the core 111 is introduced into a mold and the mold is closed so that the core 111 is held in it around the holes 105 and then injected into the mold the synthetic material constituting the skin 112 so that it covers all the elements of the metal core 111 with the exception of the parts pinched by the mold and form the closure walls 130. At the outlet of the mold, the closure walls 130 of the support 100 are unfolded in the central opening 103 and the flaps 131, 132 of these walls are attached to the longitudinal edges opposite the said hundred opening 103 by breakable tabs which materialize the injection points of the insulating material in the mold. To use the support 100, the user must then break these tabs in order to release the flaps 131, 132. The pads 120 may be attached to the frame 110 before or after overmolding the skin 112 on the metal core 111. Advantageously, when they are reported after overmoulding of the skin 112, because of the slight clearance that exists between their body and the wall of the through openings 113 of the frame 110, they make it possible to make up for any differences in positioning or alignment between the front plate hubcap and support.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the two closure walls 130 are fully unfolded in the central opening 103 of the support 100, it has a width] which allows the mounting of a single base 1 module 20. In this configuration, the free edges of the shutters 132 of the closure walls 130 are positioned against said base 20 to establish a seal.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, to mount two bases 1 module or a base 2 modules in said central opening 103 of the support 100, simply fold a portion of each closure wall 130 to enlarge the width M. of said central opening 103.

In this configuration, each closure wall 130 comprises a flap 132 retracted under the mounting plane of the support 100 along the side wall 21 of a base 20 mounted in said central opening 103. Each wall shutter 130 bears against the corresponding base by its hinge 133 which links the two parts 131, 132 between them.

One can also choose to enlarge the width of the central opening 103 of the support 100 by cutting the hinge connecting the two flaps of each shutter wall to separate a flap. In this case, each closure wall reduced to a flap 131 is supported on a base by the free longitudinal edge of its remaining flap. However, this operation of disconnecting a component is an irreversible operation.

Finally, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, to mount three bases 1 module or a base 1 module and a base 2 modules in said central opening 103 of the support 100, it is sufficient to fold the whole of each closure wall 130 to release the full width of the central opening 103.

In this configuration, the two flaps 131, 132 of each closure wall 130 are retracted under the mounting plane of the support 100 along the side wall 21 of a base 20 mounted in said central opening 103.

One can also choose to permanently enlarge the width of the central opening of the support by cutting the hinge 133 connecting each closure wall 130 to the transverse edge 102A of the central opening 103 to disengage said closure wall 130 of the frame 110 However, such an operation is irreversible.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown, but the art can apply any variant within his mind.

In particular, according to a variant not shown, each closure wall may be a flexible wall, foldable accordion. It retracts under the mounting plane of the equipment mechanism bases by sliding along the side walls of the base or the bases of equipment mechanisms.

Claims

1. Support (100) of electrical equipment in the form of a frame (110) defining a central opening (103) defining a mounting plane of bases (20) of electrical equipment mechanism, characterized in that it comprises at least one closure wall (130) attached by a hinge (133) to an edge (102A) of the central opening (103), this closing wall (130) being adapted, on the one hand , extend cantilever from said edge (102A), substantially in said mounting plane for closing a portion thereof, and, secondly, to retract under said mounting plane.

2. Support (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each closure wall (130) is a foldable wall or extensible.

3. Support (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each closure wall (130) comprises at least two flaps (131, 132) connected to one another by a hinge (133).

4. Support (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each hinge (133) is breakable.

5. Support (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each hinge (133) is a flexible link whose thickness decreases from the middle of the corresponding longitudinal edge of the flaps (131, 132). to which it is attached to the transverse end edges of said flap (131, 132).

6. Support (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (110) comprises a core (111) flat metal material coated with a coating (112) of insulating synthetic material and each wall of shutter (130) is formed with said coating (112).

7. Support (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the coating (112) is a skin of insulating material overmolded on the core (111) metal.

8. Support (100) according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the skin (112) of insulating material covers most of the front and rear faces of the core (111) metal.

9. Support (100) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the skin (112) of insulating material covers the outer and inner edges of the core (111) of the metal frame (110).

10. Support (100) according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the insulating material constituting the skin (112) is a plastic such as a polymer filled with glass fibers or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ).

11. Support (100) according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the insulating material constituting the skin (112) is polypropylene.

12. Support (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two closure walls (130) attached by hinges (133) with two edges (102A) vis-à-vis said central opening (103).

13. Electrical equipment (1) comprising at least one electrical equipment mechanism base reported in the central opening of a support (100) of electrical equipment according to any one of the preceding claims.