AU2007341151B2

AU2007341151B2 - Electrical appliance holder with modular central opening

Info

Publication number: AU2007341151B2
Application number: AU2007341151A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jean-Luc Chaumeny; Laurent Petit
Original assignee: Legrand SNC; Legrand France SA
Current assignee: Legrand SNC; Legrand France SA
Priority date: 2006-12-20
Filing date: 2007-11-22
Publication date: 2011-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-22
Also published as: KR20090089900A; WO2008081088A1; CN101563822A; FR2910732A1; CN101563822B; FR2910732B1; KR101405289B1; AU2007341151A1; 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

AN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SUPPORT WITH A MODULAR CENTRAL OPENING TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES 5 The present invention relates in general to supports used for receiving any equipment mechanism, such as for example a switch mechanism or an electricity outlet, in a box for flush-mounting in any wall or in a box for surface-mounting on such a wall. 10 More particularly, the invention relates to an electrical equipment support in the form of a frame surrounding a central opening defining a plane for mounting electrical equipment mechanism bases. The invention also relates to electrical equipment 15 including such a support. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND At present, when the front face of the equipment mechanism base does not cover all of the central opening 20 in the support in which it is mounted, there remain zones of electrically live portions of the electrical apparatus, such as portions of the wiring of said mechanism, that are accessible to the user through the portion of the central opening of the support that is 25 left empty. This applies for example when a one-module base is mounted in a central opening of a standard support that is designed to receive a two-module base. Document FR 2 880 207 in that name of the Applicant, has already disclosed an equipment mechanism comprising a 30 base of insulating material carrying at least one fin that is cantilevered out from one of its longitudinal edges substantially in the plane of the front face of said base and that is designed to close a portion of the central opening of the equipment support that is left 35 empty after said base is mounted therein. In this way, when mounted on the support, the electrical equipment mechanism provides protection 2 against electric shock by preventing access to the electrically live portions of the electrical equipment via said central opening of the support. Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge 5 in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia on or before the priority date of the claims herein. 10 It would be desirable to provide an electrical equipment support that itself provides protection against electrical shocks by preventing access to the electrically live portions of the electrical equipment through its central opening. 15 In accordance with the present invention there is provided an electrical equipment support in the form of a frame surrounding a central opening defining a plane for mounting electrical equipment mechanism bases, the support including at least one closure wall connected via a hinge to 20 an edge of the central opening, said closure wall being adapted firstly to be cantilevered-out from said edge substantially in said mounting plane in order to close it in part, and secondly to be retracted below said mounting plane. 25 Advantageous and preferred features of the support are as follows: * each closure wall may be a wall that is unfoldable or extensible; * each closure wall may comprise at least two flaps 30 that are connected together by a hinge; * each hinge can be breakable; * each hinge can be a flexible connection of thickness that decreases from the middle of the corresponding 3 longitudinal edge of the flap (s) to which it is attached going towards the transverse end edges of said flap (s); e the frame may comprise a flat core made of metal and covered in a covering of insulating synthetic material, with 5 each closure wall being formed integrally with said covering; e the covering can be a skin of insulating material molded onto the metal core; e the insulating material skin may cover a major 10 portion of a front face and a rear face of the metal core; * the insulating material skin may cover outer and inner edge faces of the metal core of the frame; e the insulating material constituting the skin can be a plastics material such as a fibreglass-filled polymer or 15 an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or indeed propylene; and e said support can have two closure walls connected via hinges to two facing edges of said central opening. The invention also provides electrical equipment comprising at least one electrical equipment mechanism base 20 fitted in the central opening of an electrical equipment support as defined above. 'Comprises/comprising' when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the 25 presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT The following description with reference to the 30 accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, shows clearly what the invention consists in and how it can be reduced to practice.

3a In the accompanying drawings: e Figure 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view in front perspective of a piece of electrical equipment of the invention with its equipment support -arranged in a first open configuration; * Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view in front perspective of the electrical equipment of Figure 1 having a single equipment mechanism base mounted on said equipment support; * Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view in rear perspective of the Figure 2 equipment support; * Figure 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view in front perspective of the Figure 1 electrical equipment, with its equipment support arranged in a second open configuration; * Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view in front perspective of the Figure 4 electrical equipment having two equipment mechanism bases mounted on said equipment support; 4 - Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view in rear perspective of the Figure 5 equipment support; - Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view in front perspective of the equipment support of the invention 5 arranged in a third open configuration; - Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view in front perspective of the Figure 7 support supporting three equipment mechanism bases; and - Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view in rear 10 perspective of the Figure 8 equipment support. In Figures 1 to'9, there are shown three different open configurations of an electric equipment support 100 for fastening to a box 10 for a piece of electrical equipment 1, such as a box for flush-mounting in any 15 wall, e.g. a cellular wall, or a box for surface-mounting on such a wall. The support 100 serves to mount, in the inside 11 of the box 10, one or more bases 20 of an equipment mechanism, such as a switch mechanism, an electricity 20 outlet, a telephone outlet, a trip switch (see Figures 2, 5, 8). The support 100 is in the form of a flat frame 110, here of rectangular shape. The frame 110 is defined between an outer peripheral 25 edge 101 and an inner peripheral edge 102, and it defines a central opening 103 that is likewise of rectangular shape. The central opening 103 defines a plane for mounting electrical equipment mechanism bases. It is designed to receive one or more equipment mechanism bases 30 20. Here it may receive as many as three one-module equipment mechanism bases (see Figures 8 and 9) or else one two-module base and one one-module base. For mounting equipment mechanism bases 20, the central opening 103 of the frame 110 is surrounded on its 35 two facing longitudinal sides with mounting means, here snap-fastener means, that comprise, on each of the sides, 5 a fastener rim 104 forming a dropped edge that is dropped from the front face 110A of the frame 110. These fastener rims 104 are designed to engage snap fastener teeth 24 that project from two opposite faces of 5 equipment mechanism bases 20 (see Figures 3, 6, 9). Advantageously, the frame 110 is here provided with a core 111 made of metal (e.g. steel) that is covered in a covering 112 of insulating synthetic material. The metal core 111 is rigid, thereby providing the 10 frame 110 with strength. The fastener rims 104 also have respective metal strength members formed by cutting and folding the metal core 111. In the preferred example shown in the figures, the 15 covering is a skin 112 of insulating synthetic material that is molded onto the metal core 111 of the frame 110. Advantageously, said skin 112 obtained by molding is of small thickness, being only a few millimeters thick. It serves to provide the frame 110 with electrical 20 insulation. The skin 112 of insulating synthetic material covers the major portion of the front and rear faces of the metal core 111 of the frame 110. It also covers the outer and inner edge faces of the core 111 and the 25 strength members of the fastener rims 104. Associating a flat core 111 made of metal with the skin 112 molded onto the core 111 enables an insulating support 100 to be obtained that complies with the IP20 standard, that is of small thickness, that is of pleasing 30 appearance, and that presents considerable mechanical strength. The thickness of the support 100 is about 3 millimeters (mm). In a preferred embodiment of the support 100, the insulating material constituting the skin 112 is 35 polypropylene or a fiberglass-filled polymer or indeed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

6 As can be seen in the figures, the support 100 here includes connection means in two parallel branches of its frame 110 and suitable for enabling it to be fastened to the box. 5 These connection means comprise a hole 105, here of keyhole shape, that enables the threaded shank of a fastener screw to be passed through for screwing in a corresponding well 12 in the box 10. It should be observed that the skin 112 is of 10 greater thickness around each hole 105 and that in this location the metal core 111 is visible. Thus, to ensure that the electrical equipment 1 incorporating the support 100 complies with electrical insulation standard IP20, provision is made to fit covers 15 106 made of insulating synthetic material over the locations of said holes 105. As shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8, these covers 106 are molded integrally with the skin 111, and they are attached to the frame 110 of the support 100 by hinges 106A so as to be suitable 20 for pivoting and folding down onto the heads of the screws fastening the support to the box 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 9, in each corner of the frame 110 of the support 100, snap-fastener means 120 are provided for engaging a trim front plate 25 (not shown). Advantageously, said snap-fastener means comprise studs 120 of insulating synthetic material that are distinct from the frame 110 and that are fitted in holes passing through it. 30 Each stud 120 is made as a single piece by molding a plastics material, e.g. polycarbonate. Each stud 120 is adapted to snap in the corresponding opening of the frame 110. Here the through openings in the frame 110 are 35 circular, each stud 120 presenting a body in the form of a circular section sleeve having an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the through 7 opening in the frame 110 so that said body can be inserted through said through opening. The body of each stud 120 defines an internal through duct 121 of section that is small compared with 5 the section of the through opening in the frame 110. The body of each stud 120 carries, firstly at one of its two ends, at least one tooth 122 for snap-fastening against the front face 110A of the frame 110, and secondly at its other end, at least one fin 124 for 10 bearing against the rear face 110B of the frame 110 (see Figures 3, 6, and 9). In the example shown, at its head, each stud 120 has a plurality of teeth 122 for engaging against the front face 110A of the frame 110. At its base, it has two fins 15 124 carried by the outside face of its body. Each fin 124 extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the body of the stud 120 and here it forms an angular sector of about 900 around said body. Naturally, in a variant that is not shown, provision 20 could be made for the fins to surround the body of each stud completely. In addition, as shown in the figures, each stud 120 is split longitudinally by a plurality of parallel slots that separate said teeth 122 from one another. 25 In this way, the teeth 122 are provided at the ends of tabs (forming portions of the sleeve-shaped body) that present a certain amount of flexibility so as to make it easy for the teeth 122 to be snap-fastened against the front face 110A of the frame 110 of the support 100. 30 When each stud 120 is engaged in the through opening of the frame 110, its body forms an insulating through duct 121 for male fastener elements of the trim front plate (not shown). The teeth 122 of the stud 120 engaged against the 35 front face 110A of the frame 110 form projections that are adapted to co-operate with complementary engagement 8 means in the trim front plate so as to participate in fastening the trim plate to 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 5 the corresponding through opening of the frame 110. The fins 124 and the teeth 122 constitute wedge elements that exert opposite axial thrust on the frame 110 to hold the stud 120 in said through opening. Each stud 120 of insulating synthetic material 10 advantageously serves to insulate the support 100 electrically at the points where it is attached to the trim front plate. By virtue of the studs 120, the user thus has no access to the metal core 111 of the support 100, while 15 guaranteeing high-performance fastening between the trim front plate and said support 100. Such a support 100 satisfies the requirements of insulation standard IP20 and overcomes the need to have a ground connection as required by the British standard. 20 Furthermore, and advantageously, according to the invention the support 100 has 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 firstly to be 25 cantilevered out from the edge 102A of the central opening 103, substantially in the mounting plane of equipment mechanism bases so as to close a portion thereof (see Figures 1 to 6), and secondly to be retracted in part or in full below said assembly plane by 30 extending in a plane that is substantially perpendicular thereto (see Figures 4 to 9). In the example shown, the support 100 has two closure walls 130 that are attached by hinges 133 to two facing transverse edges 102A of said central opening 103. 35 Advantageously, these closure walls 130 are designed to close a portion of the central opening 103 in the support 100 that is left free after one or more bases 20 9 have been mounted therein so as to prevent access to electrically live portions of the electrical equipment 1 via said central opening 103 of the support 100. In this way, the electrical equipment support 100 5 provides protection against electric shocks and the electrical equipment 1 incorporating the support 100 complies with electrical insulation standard IP20. As shown in the figures, each closure wall 130 is a foldable or extensible wall. 10 Here each closure wall 130 comprises two flaps 131 and 132 that are connected to each other by a hinge 133. Naturally, depending on the width of the central opening 103 in the support 100, each closure wall 130 could have more than two flaps. 15 Here, each flap 131, 132 presents a width of half a module and a length corresponding to the height of said central opening 103. Thus, once unfolded, each flap extends lengthwise from one longitudinal edge to the other of the central opening 103 of the support (see 20 Figures 2 and 4) and, widthwise, over a fraction 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 25 central opening 103 of the support 100, while the other longitudinal edge of said flap 131 is connected via a hinge 133 to a longitudinal edge of the other flap 132 that presents a free longitudinal edge forming a bearing edge. 30 Here, each hinge 133 is advantageously breakable. For this purpose, each hinge 133 is constituted by a flexible link of thickness that tapers from the middle of the corresponding longitudinal edge of the flap(s) 131, 132 to which it is attached going towards the transverse 35 end edges of said flap 131, 132.

10 Preferably, each closure wall 130 is formed together with the covering 112 that covers the metal core 111 of the frame 110 of the support 100. More particularly, the flaps 131 and 132 and the 5 hinges 133 of each closure wall 130 are formed when molding the skin 112 onto the metal core 111 of the support 100. They are then integral with said skin 112. To make the support 100, the metal core 111 is made first in conventional manner (by stamping, folding, and 10 cutting out), and then the core 111 is inserted in a mold and the mold is closed so that the core 111 is held therein around the holes 105, after which the synthetic material constituting the skin 112 is injected into the mold so as to cover all of the elements of the metal core 15 111 with the exception of the portions that are pinched by the mold, and so that it also forms the closure walls 130. On extraction from the mold, the closure walls 130 of the support 100 are folded out into the central opening 103 and the flaps 131, 132 of these walls are 20 attached to the facing longitudinal edges of said central opening 103 by breakable tongues forming the points where the insulating material was injected into the mold. To use the support 100, the user must therefore begin by breaking these tongues so as to release the flaps 131, 25 132. The studs 120 may be fitted to the frame 110 before or after molding the skin 112 onto the metal core 111. Advantageously, when the studs are fitted after the skin 112 has been molded on, and given the small amount of clearance that exists between the bodies of the studs and 30 the walls of the through openings 113 in the frame 110, the studs serve to accommodate possible errors in positioning or alignment between the trim front plate and the support. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the two closure 35 walls 130 are fully unfolded into the central opening 103 of the support 100, the opening presents a width f that allows a single one-module base 20 to be mounted. In 11 this configuration, the free edges of the flaps 132 of the closure walls 130 are positioned against said base 20 to make a sealed connection. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, in order to mount two 5 one-module bases or one two-module base in said central opening 103 of the support 100, it suffices to fold back a portion of each closure wall 130 so as to increase the width fl of said central opening 103. In this configuration, each closure wall 130 has a 10 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 closure wall 130 bears against the corresponding base via its hinge 133 that serves to connect the two flaps 131 and 132 together. 15 It is also possible to enlarge the width of the central opening 103 of the support 100 by cutting through the hinge interconnecting the two flaps of each closure wall so as to remove one flap from each of them. Under such circumstances, each closure wall, now reduced to one 20 flap 131, bears against a base via the free longitudinal edge of its remaining flap. Nevertheless, this operation of removing a flap is an operation that is irreversible. Finally, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, in order to mount three one-module bases or one one-module base and 25 one two-module base in said central opening 103 of the support 100, it suffices to fold back all of each closure wall 130 so as to release the entire width of the central opening 103. In this configuration, both flaps 131 and 132 of 30 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. It is also possible to decide to enlarge the width of the central opening of the support on a permanent 35 basis by cutting through the hinge 133 connecting each closure wall 130 to a transverse edge 102A of the central opening 103 so as to separate said closure wall 130 from 12 the frame 110 of the support 100. Nevertheless, such an operation is irreversible. The present invention is not limited in any way to the embodiment described and shown, and the person 5 skilled in the art knows how to make any variant in accordance with its spirit. In particular, in a variant that is not shown, each closure wall may be a flexible wall that can be unfolded concertina-like. It retracts under the mounting plane of 10 the equipment mechanism bases by sliding along the side walls of the equipment mechanism base(s).

Claims

1. An electrical equipment support in the form of a frame surrounding a central opening defining a plane for mounting electrical equipment mechanism bases, the support including at least one closure wall connected via a hinge to an edge of the central opening, said closure wall being adapted firstly to be cantilevered-out from said edge substantially in said mounting plane in order to close it in part, and secondly to be retracted below said mounting plane.

2. A support according to claim 1, wherein each closure wall is a wall that is unfoldable or extensible.

3. A support according either claim 1 or 2, wherein each closure wall includes at least two flaps that are connected together by a hinge.

4. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein each hinge is breakable.

5. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein each hinge is a flexible connection of thickness that decreases from the middle of the corresponding longitudinal edge of the flap(s) to which it is attached going towards the transverse end edges of said flap(s).

6. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame includes a flat core made of metal and covered in a covering of insulating synthetic material, with each closure wall being formed integrally with said covering. 14

7. A support according to claim 6, wherein the covering is a skin of insulating material molded onto the metal core.

8. A support according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the insulating material skin covers a major portion of a front face and a rear face of the metal core.

9. A support according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the insulating material skin covers outer and inner edge faces of the metal core of the frame.

10. A support according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the insulating material constituting the skin is a plastics material such as a fiberglass-filled polymer or an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

11. A support according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the insulating material constituting the skin is polypropylene.

12. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein it has two closure walls connected via hinges to two facing edges of said central opening.

13. Electrical equipment including at least one electrical equipment mechanism base fitted in the central opening of an electrical equipment support according to any preceding claim. 15

14. An electrical equipment support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. LEGRAND FRANCE AND LEGRAND SNC WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS P31827AU00