US20100225214A1

US20100225214A1 - Arrangement of a housing with a cover

Info

Publication number: US20100225214A1
Application number: US12/712,320
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernd Werner; Juergen Gross
Original assignee: Hansgrohe SE
Current assignee: Hansgrohe SE
Priority date: 2009-03-05
Filing date: 2010-02-25
Publication date: 2010-09-09
Also published as: EP2226433A1; CN101824840A; CN101824840B; DE102009013145A1; EP2226433B1

Abstract

A cover is designed such that it can be fastened to and removed from a housing without a tool, wherein the cover can be plugged by a protruding engagement section into the housing to a variable depth. The engagement section has a retaining device which has a U-shaped retaining spring which is mounted on the cover in the plug-in direction and is intended for the supporting clamping bearing against an inner wall of the housing for fastening purposes. The retaining spring has a mounting section and an outwardly pointing retaining arm, with a free space in between in which the clamping section engages in order to press apart the retaining spring and to prevent a movement of the retaining spring away from the clamping bearing against the inner wall of the housing.

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to an arrangement of a housing with an associated cover. In particular, it should be made possible for a sanitary fitting to be arranged in the housing, advantageously in a corresponding wall niche in which the housing is arranged. The cover should be closed to the outside.
It is known in such an arrangement to form a type of latching connection between the cover or engagement section of the cover and the housing on an inner wall of the housing. For this purpose, it is possible in particular for the protruding engagement section to have provided on it retaining devices with protruding retaining springs or the like which, when the cover or engagement section is pressed into the housing, bear in their respective position against the inner wall under spring force and provide a certain fastening action. The cover can be removed by applying a slightly higher force, with the retaining spring then sliding, so to speak, along the inner wall with its retaining force.

PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

The problem to be solved by the invention is that of creating an arrangement as above by means of which the problems of the prior art can be solved, and in particular to create an advantageous facility for fastening a cover to a housing and also for removing said cover.
Said problem is solved by means of an arrangement having the features of claim 1. The further claims relate to advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention which are explained in more detail below. The wording of the claims is incorporated in the content of the description by express reference.
The cover has a protruding engagement section by means of which it can be inserted into the housing to a variable depth for the purpose of fastening without a tool. The engagement section has at least one retaining device for said support or fastening which can be released and produced without a tool. A plurality of retaining devices is advantageously provided on the cover or on the engagement section.
According to the invention, the retaining device has a U-shaped retaining spring which is mounted movably in the plug-in direction on the cover or the engagement section. Said retaining spring is intended for the supporting or supporting clamping bearing against an inner wall of the housing for fastening the cover thereto. Here, the retaining arm points obliquely counter to the plug-in direction such that it provides good support which prevents the cover from being pulled out or at least makes it difficult for the cover to be pulled out.
Here, the retaining spring has a mounting section, advantageously on a U limb. Said mounting section is precisely mounted with said mobility on the engagement section. A clamping section protrudes from the mounting section or from a base of the U-shaped retaining spring, with a free space being situated between the mounting section and clamping section. Said free space is advantageously formed by a base of the U-shape of the retaining spring. The engagement section of the cover has a protruding clamping section, in particular in the plug-in direction, with said clamping section engaging into said free space of the retaining spring in order to press the latter apart, that is to say in order to push the mounting section or the retaining arm away. The engagement of the engagement section into the free space at the base of the U-shaped retaining spring thus prevents a movement of the retaining spring or of the retaining arm away from the clamping bearing against the inner wall.
It is therefore possible by means of the invention for a retaining action of the retaining spring to be generated or maintained primarily by virtue of the clamping section of the engagement section of the cover pressing into the retaining spring and pressing the latter apart. As a result of the inclination of the retaining arm, which bears against the inner wall of the housing, counter to the plug-in direction, said retaining arm can be easily inserted and, in so doing, can slide, so to speak, along the inner wall, or scrape along said inner wall if the latter is roughened. In the other direction, the retaining arm jams against the inner wall and makes it difficult for the retaining spring to be pulled out.
The housing can, on the inner wall thereof, be free from movable parts which assist a possible fastening of the cover to the housing. In particular, the housing is at least substantially empty. An inner wall of the housing may, as stated, be roughened or have small projections in order to enable improved clamping bearing or spreading of the retaining spring to prevent the latter being pulled out. Here, it is also possible for certain steps or webs to be provided closely adjacent to one another so as to provide a fastening which can be plugged in in as fine or stepless a manner as possible.
As mentioned above, the retaining spring may advantageously be of approximately U-shaped design in side view. Said retaining spring may be bent from a thin spring metal plate in the conventional way. The said mounting section is situated at one end of a U limb, said mounting section advantageously being of sleeve-like design in order to fasten therein a spindle as a mounting of the retaining spring. Situated in the region of a base of the U shape of the retaining spring is the free space into which the clamping section of the cover can be plugged. The other U limb of the retaining spring is divided into a part which is designed as an outwardly protruding retaining arm and which then bears against the inner wall of the housing. The other part of the other U limb, advantageously divided in two to the left and right adjacent to the retaining arm, is bent inward. Said other part, as a covering arm, covers the free space and therefore, in a sense, the clamping section of the cover.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the clamping section can be designed to be wider or thicker at the end thereof, for example as a clamping thickened portion, and is situated therewith in the free space of the retaining spring or bears therewith against a base of the U-shaped retaining spring. Here, the clamping section with its widened portion may be approximately the same width as the free space at the base of the retaining spring, and thus actually press the latter apart. At the same time, said covering arm may project inward beyond the free space and serve, by means of its resilient action, to prevent the thickened end or the clamping thickened portion of the clamping section from being pulled out, or at least make it difficult for said thickened end or clamping thickened portion of the clamping section to be pulled out. In this way, it is possible firstly for the retaining spring to be fixed, and perform the retaining function, by bearing against the inner wall of the housing, and secondly for the clamping section to be movable in the plug-in direction in the retaining spring. Here, however, said clamping section is held by the covering arm of the retaining spring in a position in which it is plugged as far as possible into the retaining spring. Here, the clamping section with its thickened end simultaneously serves to improve the retaining force of the retaining spring.
Since firstly the retaining spring is mounted on the cover or the engagement section and secondly the clamping section should be movable in the plug-in direction relative to the retaining spring, the retaining spring should advantageously be mounted on an abovementioned spindle which is mounted, so as to be longitudinally movable in the plug-in direction, on the cover or the engagement section, that is to say on the retaining device. Here, the spindle runs perpendicular to the plug-in direction. Here, it is possible firstly for the spindle to be fastened to the retaining device at two mounting points and secondly for this to be provided simultaneously to a fastening of the retaining spring to said spindle, for example by means of the spindle being inserted simultaneously into a tubular, curved receptacle on the mounting section of the retaining spring.
A length of the clamping section on the cover may advantageously correspond approximately to the distance of the axial displaceability of the retaining spring on the retaining device or on the cover. For this purpose, the clamping section and the retaining spring may be designed in such a manner that, when the retaining spring is moved to the maximum extent towards the cover, the clamping section bears against the base of the U-shaped retaining spring. In this position, the cover is thus pressed together with the retaining spring into the housing.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the retaining spring and the clamping section are advantageously designed in such a manner that, as the clamping section and therefore the cover is removed or the clamping section begins to be pulled out of the retaining spring or out of the free space of the retaining spring, the inwardly pointing covering arm of the retaining spring is pressed away to the side. In this way, said covering arm presses the retaining arm, which is connected thereto, outwards and therefore more intensely against the inner wall of the housing. The retaining spring therefore cannot move out of the housing counter to the plug-in direction, and the spring force or resilient bearing of the covering arm against the thickened end of the clamping section holds the cover with a certain force. If said certain force is overcome, then the clamping section with its thickened end can be pulled fully out of the free space between the U limbs and therefore also can no longer press the covering arm outwards. Then, it is possible either for the retaining spring or the retaining arm to be pressed back, and therefore away from the inner wall of the housing, by its own spring force, such that the fastening has likewise been released without a tool. Alternatively, by pulling the cover out of the housing slightly further, the spindle on which the retaining spring is mounted can reach the end of its movement travel and pivot about its mounting, which has previously been prevented by the clamping section in the free space. In this way, the retaining arm can move away from the inner wall of the housing, and the fastening is therefore released.
These and further features emerge not only from the claims but also from the description and the drawings, wherein the individual features may in each case be realized individually or in combination in the form of sub-combinations in an embodiment of the invention, and may be realized in other fields and constitute embodiments which are worthy of protection in themselves and for which protection is claimed here. The division of the application under intermediate headings and into individual sections does not limit the general validity of the statements made therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in the drawings and is explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a retaining spring according to the invention in a greatly enlarged plan view,

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement according to the invention with the retaining springs from FIG. 1 before the insertion of the cover into the housing,

FIG. 3 shows a view of the retaining device with a retaining spring according to FIG. 1 in the cover according to FIG. 2 from below,

FIG. 4 shows the cover, inserted slightly into the housing, with a retaining spring bearing in supporting fashion against an inner wall of the housing,

FIG. 5 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 4 with the cover inserted to the maximum extent, and

FIG. 6 shows the arrangement corresponding to FIG. 4 with a cover which has been pulled slightly out of the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a retaining spring according to the invention which is of substantially U-shaped design in side view, see also FIG. 2. The retaining spring 11 has, in the left-hand region, a mounting section 13 with two sleeve-like bends 14 at the top end, with the mounting section 13 forming the left-hand U limb of the retaining spring 11. Provided in the lower region is a spring base 15 which merges to the right into the other U limb which is composed of two inwardly projecting covering arms 17 and an outwardly protruding retaining arm 18 arranged in between. Between the U limbs and above the spring base 15, the retaining spring 11 forms a free space 20. The latter can also be clearly seen, for example, in the illustration of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement 22 according to the invention with a housing 24 which is of substantially rectangular or box-like design and which has a free interior space 25 with an inner wall 27 illustrated in partial section. The arrangement 22 includes a cover 30 which leads towards and into the housing 24. Said cover 30 has a cover surface 31 (not illustrated in any more detail) and an encircling engagement section 33 which projects downwards from said cover surface 31 and which is matched in terms of shape to the housing 24. Said engagement section 33 serves to provide a fully encircling closure when the cover 30 is inserted into the housing 24 to different extents.
At the bottom of the engagement section 33, retaining devices 35 are provided in the region of each of the four corners of the rectangular cover 30. Said retaining devices 35 are integrally formed on the engagement section 33 and have a downwardly protruding clamping section 37 which, at its lower end, has a clamping thickened portion 38. Provided behind the clamping section 37 is a vertically running axial guide 40 whose other end is formed by a guide wall 41.
A retaining spring 11 is attached to the retaining device 35 in such a way that, firstly, the clamping section 37 engages between the U limbs and runs in the free space 20 in such a way that the clamping thickened portion 38 bears against the spring base 15. Here, it can be seen how the inwardly pointing covering arms 17 extend over the clamping thickened portion 38 and the clamping section 37 is thereby held in the retaining spring 11 with a certain spring force action.
A spindle 43 is guided through the sleeve-like bends 14 and is held therein by spring force or some other fastening means. As can be seen from the view from below in FIG. 3, the spindle 43 projects laterally beyond the channel-like axial guide 40 slightly such that said spindle 43 is movable therein along the insertion direction E indicated by the arrows at the side. However, said spindle 43 cannot fall out along said insertion direction E; specifically, the travel is limited. The spindle 43 is fastened to the retaining spring 11 when the latter is plugged, as per FIG. 2, onto the clamping section 37; specifically, said spindle 43 can be inserted from the side, that is to say along its longitudinal direction. With corresponding coordination of the length of the spindle and the lateral play of the retaining spring 11, the spindle may also be fastened to the retaining spring in advance. The entire structural unit can then nevertheless be mounted by means of a simple lateral tilting movement. The retaining spring 11 is thereby captively mounted on the retaining device 35 or on the cover 30. At the same time, said retaining spring is however mounted so as to be movable in the plug-in direction E along its mounting on the spindle 43.
It can be seen from FIG. 2 how the retaining arms 18 of the retaining springs 11 protrude outwards from the retaining devices 35. Here, said retaining arms 18 project upwards a considerable distance beyond the elongation of the inner wall 27 of the housing 24. This can also be seen from FIG. 3.
If the cover 30 is now inserted with its engagement section 33 into the housing 24 along the plug-in direction E, as per FIG. 4, the clamping section 37 or the clamping thickened portion 38 remains against the spring base 15 not only on account of the covering arms 17 but rather also because it bears directly against said spring base 15, possibly together with an abutment of the spindle 43 in the axial guide 40. Specifically, the retaining spring 11 bears with its inwardly bent retaining arm 18 against the inner wall 27 and travels along the latter, which produces a certain friction action and therefore brakes the retaining spring 11, so to speak. It can also be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4 how the retaining arm 18 bears against the inner wall 27 counter to the plug-in direction E, as is known for clamping or latching connections of said type.
If, for example in the only slightly inserted position of the cover 30 on the housing 24, the cover is to now be removed or pulled out again counter to the plug-in direction E, then the cover 30 is held by means of the clamping section 37 or the clamping thickened portion 38 and the covering arm 17 on the retaining spring 11. The latter in turn is supported, as can be easily seen from FIG. 4, by means of the retaining arm 18 against the inner wall 27, and therefore actually cannot be pulled out. The pulling-out process is explained in more detail below.
Firstly, the cover 30 thereby is held on the housing 24 in a slightly plugged-in position according to FIG. 4. Furthermore, the cover 30 may also, as per FIG. 5, be inserted fully into the housing 24 or into the interior space 25 thereof. Here, too, the retaining device 35 or the retaining spring 11 holds the cover on the housing. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the inner walls 27 are parallel to one another. As a result of the spring mobility of the retaining spring 11, it is duly possible for certain deviations from this to be compensated while contact is simultaneously maintained, but the inner walls are advantageously parallel.
The inner walls of the housing may fundamentally be smooth. The retaining arm 18 can easily dig into the wall, in particular in the case of a housing 24 composed of plastic. To improve the retaining action of the retaining spring 11 against the inner wall 27, however, said inner wall may be roughened slightly, as mentioned in the introduction, in the region in which the retaining arm 18 travels along it. Furthermore, very small and fine latching projections, indentations or ribs may be provided, with a stepless plug-in depth thereby again being divided slightly more into individual depth steps, such that a roughened inner wall 27 is fundamentally preferable.
The pulling of the cover 30 out of the housing 24 is explained on the basis of FIG. 6. Here, the position as per FIG. 4 is taken as a starting point. If the cover 30 is moved with a low force along the pull-out direction A, then the spring force of the covering arm 17 can suffice to hold the clamping section 37 with the lower clamping thickened portion 38 in the free space 20 and therefore against the retaining spring 11. This also takes place in a precisely defined position, specifically when the clamping thickened portion 38 bears with its lower end against the spring base 15. If the pulling-out force is now increased, then the clamping thickened portion 38 presses the covering arms 17 outwards, which at the same time increases the spring force with which the retaining arm 18 bears against the inner wall 27. This therefore generates a further improved retaining action of the retaining spring 11 on the inner wall 27 of the housing 24.
If a still greater force is applied to the cover 30 in the pulling-out direction A, then the clamping thickened portion 38 presses the covering arms 17 outwards to such an extent that said cover 30 is finally moved upwards out of the free space 20. On account of the bearing of the retaining arm 18 against the inner wall 27, the retaining spring 11 does not move along the pulling-out direction A. As a result of the mobility of the mounting of the spindle 43 with retaining spring 11 in the axial guide 40, the spindle 43 remains positionally fixed, so to speak, and moves downward only in a relative movement in the axial guide 40, as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 4 and 6. When the clamping thickened portion 38 is situated above the covering arms 17 as per FIG. 6, that is say has moved out of the free space 20, the covering arms 17 can bend inwards, and the additional spring loading on the retaining arm 18 in the outward direction is eliminated. Here, it is possible on the one hand for the retaining spring 11 to be designed such that the retaining arm 18 already then no longer bears with spring preload against the inner wall 27 and the retaining spring 11 rotates, under the force of gravity, clockwise about the spindle 43 which has reached the bottom end of the axial guide 40. In said rotated position, the retaining spring 11 then no longer bears against the inner wall 27 at all, and the cover 30 can then easily be removed completely.
Alternatively, after the clamping thickened portion 38 is pulled out of the free space 20, it is possible for a spring preload of the retaining arm 18 against the inner wall 27 to still be present, since the spindle 43 indeed cannot be pressed to the left, and the end of the retaining arm 18 experiences a considerable degree of friction against the inner wall 27. If the cover 30 however then continues to be pulled with a certain force in the pulling-out direction A, then the retaining arm 18 bears against the same point on the inner wall 27 while the retaining spring 11 is likewise rotated clockwise as a result of being pulled with mounting sections 13 upwards by the spindle 43. At the latest when the spindle 43 is situated a considerable distance above the point at which the retaining arm 18 bears against the inner wall 27, said bearing point is eliminated and the retaining spring 11 is situated again in the position illustrated in FIG. 6.
This therefore makes it clear that it is easily possible with the invention for the retaining springs 11 to be pre-mounted by means of spindles 43 on the retaining devices 35 of the cover 30 as per FIG. 2. For this purpose, the retaining springs 11 are plugged onto the clamping sections 37 and the spindles 43 are then inserted. The cover 30 is then fastened to the housing 24 with a desired plug-in depth and is secured or supported against being pulled out with a small force.
If a pulling-out force of considerable magnitude is applied, then the clamping thickened portion 38 slides out of the free space 20 of the retaining spring 11 and the latter loses its clamping bearing against the inner wall 27 of the housing 24, but remains captively mounted on the cover 30 by means of the spindle 43. The cover may then be removed as desired. For renewed plugging in or placing on, the retaining springs 11 are again plugged onto the clamping sections 37 with the clamping thickened portions 38.
In a modification of the invention, the retaining spring 11 and the clamping section 37 may be designed such that the retaining arm 18 of the retaining spring 11 produces a clamping action against the inner wall of the housing only when the clamping section is plugged in. For this purpose, the covering arms 17 could be bent in over the free space 20 in a more pronounced fashion, with a starting point of the retaining arm 18 on the right-hand U limb being situated further away from the spring base 15. The retaining arm 18 then projects far enough to the right to bear against the inner wall 27 specifically only when the covering arms 17 are pressed outwards by the clamping section 37 or the clamping thickened portion 38 thereof.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a housing with an associated cover with a protruding engagement section, wherein said cover is designed in a manner such that the cover can be fastened to and removed from said housing without the use of a tool, wherein said cover is insertable with said protruding engagement section into said housing to a variable depth for fastening purposes, wherein said engagement section has at least one retaining device for supporting the engagement section in a manner to be releasable without a tool, wherein said retaining device has a U-shaped retaining spring which is mounted movably in a plug-in direction on one of said cover and said engagement section and is intended for a supporting clamping bearing against an inner wall of said housing for fastening purposes, said retaining spring having a mounting section and an outwardly pointing retaining arm protruding therefrom, with a free space in between the mounting section and the retaining arm, said engagement section having a protruding clamping section for engagement in said free space in order to press apart said retaining spring and to prevent a movement of said retaining spring away from said clamping bearing against said inner wall of said housing.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said cover is rectangular and the arrangement comprises four said retaining devices, respectively in a vicinity of corners of said rectangular cover.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said retaining devices are provided on relatively longer longitudinal sides of said rectangular cover.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said housing on said inner wall thereof is free from movable parts.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein an inner wall is formed on said housing without undercuts.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of said housing is roughened on its surface.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said retaining spring is of approximately U-shape design in side view with said mounting section at one end of a U limb and said free space in a region of a base of said U shape, an other U limb being divided in two with one part being designed as an outwardly protruding retaining arm and another part being designed as a covering arm covering said free space to an inside.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said clamping section of said cover is designed to be at least one of wider and thicker at an end thereof for bearing in the free space of said U-shaped retaining spring.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said clamping section is approximately a same width as said free space at a base of said retaining spring.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said retaining spring is mounted in an insertion direction on a spindle that is displaceable longitudinally over a certain distance.

11. Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said spindle is retained in a tubular receptacle on said mounting section of said retaining spring.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein said length of said clamping section corresponds approximately to said certain distance of said axial displaceability of said retaining spring, said clamping section and said retaining spring being designed in such a manner that, when said retaining spring is moved to a maximum extent towards said cover, said clamping section bears against a base of a U-shaped retaining spring.

13. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said retaining spring and said clamping section are designed in such a manner that, as said clamping section begins to be pulled back in said free space of said retaining spring, said inwardly pointing covering arm is pressed away to said side in order to reinforce a pre-stressed bearing of said outwardly protruding retaining arm against said inner wall of said housing.

14. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said clamping section of said cover is designed to be at least one of wider and thicker at an end thereof for bearing in the a free space of said U-shaped retaining spring against a base of said retaining spring.

15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said clamping section is approximately a same width as said free space at said base of said retaining spring.