AU715166B2

AU715166B2 - Device for creating an electrically conducting connection for an assembly panel fitted in a switch cabinet

Info

Publication number: AU715166B2
Application number: AU13048/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Udo Munch; Wolfgang Reuter
Original assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1996-01-17
Filing date: 1996-12-20
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-20
Also published as: EP0875085A1; WO1997026690A1; EP0875085B1; JPH11507498A; BR9612444A; AU1304897A; ES2135954T3

Description

DEVICE FOR CREATING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING CONNECTION FOR AN ASSEMBLY PANEL FITTED IN A SWITCH CABINET The present invention relates to an apparatus for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate, which is incorporated in a switchgear cabinet, framework or housing and has associated therewith, at least on one side, a frame member, a mounting rail or a frame-member-like bent-over portion of a lateral wall, the mounting plate being bent-over in a U-shaped manner at the facing edge or having a reinforcement, at least one multiply bent-over contact spring being used for contacting purposes, said spring being mounted, by means of U-shaped retaining portions which are connected to retaining claws, on the end portion of the edge or on the reinforcement of the mounting plate so as to establish an electrically conductive connection, said spring being supported by initial tension eo and retained on the mounting plate, and two contact eee portions communicating with the externally situated 20 retaining portion of the contact spring, said contact portions forming a contact edge, which is supported by initial tension on the frame member of the mounting rail or the bent-over portion, the frame member of the mounting rail or of the bent-over portion being provided with an 25 electrically conductive surface, or claws being provided in the region of the contact edge on the contact spring, said o claws being directed towards the frame member, the mounting oeee rail or the bent-over portion.

If in a switch cabinet a mounting plate needs be connected in an electrically conductive manner with the framework or the body of the cabinet, then on the mounting plate and on the framework or on the body of the cabinet connected positions need to be produced which are connected with each other via the earthing wire. For this purpose precautions have to be made especially on the mounting plate and the contacting can be completed only with the mounting plate having been inserted. To carry this out is not simple when the mounting plate is installed in the switch cabinet in the immediate vicinity of the rear wall.

In US-A 4,803,306 a device for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate, installed in a switch cabinet, framework or housing is shown with the folding of a further mounting plate. On the same occasion on a U-shaped folded free end section of one mounting plate, in a cut-out provided for this purpose, a contact spring having a V-shaped holding section and holding claws is fastened. On the U-shaped web an outward curved contact edge is present to contact a U-shaped web situated opposite to it on the other mounting plate.

In DE-C 41 10 800 a further device for electrically conductive connection of two housing parts by means of a contact spring is shown. On this occasion the contact spring having a U-shaped section is pushed on a o o longitudinal web of the rear side of a front mounting eea plate.

e It is desirable to provide a device of the type mentioned in the introduction which enables the automatic contacting of the framework or of the body of the cabinet of the switch cabinet during the insertion of the mounting SS.. Splate and the application of the contact spring is simple and stable.

:25 The present invention provides an apparatus for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate, which is incorporated in a switchgear cabinet, framework or housing and has associated therewith, at least on one side, a frame member, a mounting rail or a frame-member-like bent-over portion of a lateral wall, the mounting plate being bent-over in a U-shaped manner at the facing edge or having a reinforcement, at least one multiply bent-over contact spring being used for contacting purposes, said spring being mounted, by means of U-shaped retaining portions which are connected to retaining claws, on the end portion of the edge or on the reinforcement of the mounting plate so as to establish an electrically conductive connection, said spring being supported by initial tension and retained on the mounting plate, and two contact portions communicating with the externally situated retaining portion of the contact spring, said contact portions forming a contact edge, which is supported by initial tension on the frame member of the mounting rail or the bent-over portion, the frame member of the mounting rail or of the bent-over portion being provided with an electrically conductive surface, or claws being provided in the region of the contact edge on the contact spring, said claws being directed towards the frame member, the mounting rail or the bent-over portion, charactersied in that the edge of the mounting plate is bent-over in a U-shaped manner so that the end portion extends parallel to the rear wall and faces said wall, in that the contact spring is S:mounted on the end portion by means of the U-shaped 0retaining portions, and in that the contact portions 0000 .00" partially surround the edge of the mounting plate.

o With the aid of simple contact springs which are o 020 cheap to manufacture, which can be fastened on the edge of the mounting plate before its installation, numerous electrically conductive connections can be automatically *produced to the adjacent frame legs of the framework, t• ~assembly rails or folds of the side walls during the 0000 25 installation of the mounting plate at any position, since the contact sections of the contact springs are contacting 0000 these under bias and produce electrically conductive •i connections to these parts of the switch cabinet which have electrically conducting surfaces. On this occasion it does not matter whether the mounting plate has an electrically conducting surface or it is provided with an electrically non-conductive surface protection coating. During the mounting of the contact spring on the end section of the edge of the mounting plate the holding claws pierce through the surface protection coating and produce, under bias, Aelectrically conductive connections to the mounting plate.

On the same occasion it is provided that the edge of the mounting plate has a U-shaped fold in such a manner that the end section runs parallel to the rear wall and is facing the latter and that the contact sections surround partially the edge of the mounting plate. This will result in a better grip of the contact spring on the end section of the edge of the mounting plate. In addition, during the installation of the mounting plate no force components are exerted via the contact sections which would lead to the detachment of the contact spring from the edge of the mounting plate.

Alternatively, the contact springs may be fastened on the frame leg, the assembly or the frame leglike fold so that they pierce through a surface coating and produce a contact with the possibly raw edge region of the mounting plate without the necessity of additional operations.

The present invention also provides an apparatus for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting eo: e plate, which is incorporated in a switchgear cabinet, 20 framework or housing and has associated therewith, at least on one side, a frame member, a mounting rail of a frame- Ooao member-like bent-over portion of a lateral wall, at least one multiply bent-over contact spring being used to contact the edge of the mounting plate, said spring, on the one hand, being contactingly secured at a mounting location on a portion of the frame member, of the mounting rail or of *the frame-member-like bent-over portion parallel to the plane of the mounting plate and, on the other hand, being resiliently and contactingly supported on the edge of the o 30 incorporated mounting plate, and claws being provided for contacting in the region of the mounting location and/or of the supporting location of the mounting plate on the contact spring, abutment portions, which communicate with the mounting location, abutting against the parallel portion, and an additional abutment portion, which communicates with one abutment portion, abutting against a portion of the frame member, of the mounting rail or of the frame-member-like bent-over portion, which lies perpendicular to said portion and faces the facing edge of the mounting plate, and contact portions forming therebetween a U- or V-shaped contact edge, characterised in that the contact portions are bent in a U- or V-shaped manner on the additional abutment portion. This apparatus ensures a reliable operation as construction and attachment of the contact springs on the frame legs, the assembly rails or on the frame leg-like folding is simple and a stable support is provided.

The holding claws may be stamped out laterally from the inside holding section and bend towards the outside holding section.

If, according to a development it is provided that the contact sections are wider than the holding sections and that the holding claws are directed towards the end of the end section of the edge of the assembly panel, then the contact spring can be manufactured simply as a stamped/bent part from a coil of spring steel.

20 The contact sections of the contact spring can abut on the outside against the rounded transitions of the e :central section of the edge of the assembly panel. In this manner the contact sections improve also the grip of the contact spring on the edge of the assembly panel.

If necessary, the feasibility of connecting an earth wire can be produced so that the contact section of the contact spring, which is facing away from the rear wall, is lengthened as a connecting section, which has a connecting hole and/or terminates as plug-in contacts, as S: 30 well as it is folded in the direction of the contact edge.

The frame leg of the framework, of the assembly rail or of the folding of the side wall may also be provided with a surface protection coating.

The mounting location of the frame member, of the 7 35 mounting rail or of the frame-member-like bent-over portion may be configured as an opening having a U- or V-shaped bent-over portion adapted thereto, and in that the claws engage behind the wall in their inserted position.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise, due to express language or necessary implication, the words "comprising", "comprises" or "comprise" are used in the sense of "including"; that is the feature specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 a partial section of an electrically conductive connection, produced by means of a contact spring according to the invention, between an assembly panel installed in the region of the rear frame of the framework of a switch cabinet having a surface protection coating with the framework, Figs. 2 and 3 the contact spring used for this purpose in two views offset at 900, Fig. 4 embodiments for the end of the connecting section of the contact spring, :Fig. 5 a further embodiment of a contact spring 20 according to the invention in a perspective view, Figs. 6, 7 and 8 examples of installations for the o e contact spring according to Fig. As this can be seen from Fig. i, in the region of the rear side of the switch cabinet the frame legs 20 form a frame, wherein a section of the framework 20, extended as a sealing web, forms a contact wall. The rear wall 25, having a folded edge 26, has on its inside a sealing element which lies against the sealing web and makes a tight sealing between the rear wall 25 and the frame leg 20 feasible. Instead of the frame leg 20 a frame leglike folding of the associated side wall could also form the contact wall 21. In addition, when the assembly panel 30 is installed offset from the rear wall an assembly rail may also form the contact wall 21. Contact positions, like the ones shown in Fig.l, can be formed on all four sides of the assembly panel 30. This depends only from the shape of the edge of the assembly panel 30 and the allocation of contact walls 21 to the contact spring 10. Preferably both vertical sides of the assembly panel 30 have a U-shaped folded edge 31. At the same time the side section 31 and the end section 34 are rounded to merge into the central section 33, which terminates the edge 31 to the outside. The end section 34 runs parallel to the rear wall 25 and is facing the latter.

The folded contact spring 10 which, according to Figs.l and 3 forms with the holding sections 11 and 12 a push-on mounting, which is pushed on the end of the end section 34. The end section 14 of the holding section 12 is bent away from the holding section 11, so that it would not make the pushing of the contact spring 10 onto the end section 34 of the edge 31 of the assembly panel 30 difficult and the pre-tensioning between the holding sections 11 and 12 is facilitated by deflecting same. On the holding section 12 lateral holding claws 13 are stamped out and bent in the direction of the holding section 11. In addition, the holding claws 13 are directed towards the end of the end section 34 to facilitate the gripping of the pushed-on contact spring 10. The outside holding section 11 merges into both contact sections 15 and 16, which surround the edge 31 of the assembly panel 30 and abut against the rounded transitions of the central section 33 of the edge 31. In addition, the two contact rails 15 and 16 form a contact edge 22, which abuts against the contact wall 21 under bias.

Simultaneously the contact sections 15 and 16 are biased against the edge 31 of the assembly panel 30 and improve the grasp of the contact spring 10 on the contact plate l0[sic].

When the assembly panel 30 is being inserted, the contact sections 15 and 16 of the contact spring 30[sic] are pushed in the direction of the central section 33 of the edge 31. This produces a bias for the contact edge 22. The contact section 16 carries out a small sliding movement on the edge 31 without terminating the hold on the edge 31 and without ceasing the pre-tensioned state between the two contact sections 15 and 16.

As this can be seen from Fig.2, at least the holding section 12 is narrower than the other sections of the contact spring, so that the contact spring 10 with the holding claws 13 on the holding section 12 are produced from a strip having a uniform width from a coil of spring steel as a stamped/bent part.

If the contact wall 21 has an electrically non-conducting surface protection coating, then the contact section 16 is lengthened as a connecting section 17 and at the same it is folded in the direction of the contact wall 21. As Fig.4 shows, in that case the end pf the connecting section 17 may have a connecting hole 18[sic] which facilitates the attachment of an earthing wire. In addition, the end may terminate as plug-in connectors which can be constructed as plug-in contacts 18. In this manner an electrically conductive connection of the er assembly panel 30 with the rest of the switch cabinet can be 2 5: produced.

Figs.5 to 8 show an alternative execution of the contact spring Fig.5 shows the contact spring 10 in a perspective view.

Fig.6 shows the manipulation required to fit the contact spring 10 in a cut-out 28 of the frame leg 20 by means of a simple tool 40, whereas Figs.7 and 8 show the contact spring 10 in an assembled state on a right and left, respectively, frame leg.

o S According to Figs.5 to 8 with a holding leg 2 and another holding leg 3 the contact spring 10 is bent to obtain an essentially F-shape and is inserted into the cut-out 28 under some tensioning, while the dimensions of the cut-out 28 are cRAL.i matched to suit the open side of the V and the holding claws 4 and 5 secure the contact spring 10 on the inside of the wall around the cut-out 28. The holding claws 4 and 5 have the additional task to scratch the possible surface coating during the insertion of the spring and to establish a contact with the metal.

The cut-out 28 is situated in a leg of the frame leg 20 which faces towards the interior of the switch cabinet and runs parallel to the plane of the assembly panel 30. One holding leg 2 of the contact spring 10 is joined by an end section 1 directed towards the adjacent side wall of the switch cabinet, which end section abuts flat against the frame leg 20, while the other holding leg 3 of the contact spring 10, which faces away from the side wall, merges into a contact section 6 which also abuts flat against the frame leg 20, this contact section continuing in a further contact section 7 which is at a right angle to it and directed towards the rear wall 25. The contact section 7 also abuts flat against the outside of the frame leg on that leg section which faces the interior of the switch cabinet and runs at right angle to the rear wall 25. At that end, which is directed towards the rear wall 25, the further contact section 7 has an essentially V- or U-shaped bend, while S. the sections situated opposite to the further contact section 7 form the contact sections 8 and 9. The contact sections 8 and 9

A*S

form together a contact edge 22' which abuts against the edge S 33 of the assembly panel 30 in its mounted state, biased by the spring.

The contact section 9 at the end, which is bent at an angle towards the further contact section 7, provides on this occasion a resilient feed-in bevel for the assembly panel 30 to be inserted, so that a reliable operation is assured.

If the edge of the assembly panel 30 also has a surface coating, then claw-like projections may also be provided on the contact sections 8 and 9, particularly in the region of the contact edge 22', which would scratch the surface protection ,coating.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate, which is incorporated in a switchgear cabinet, framework or housing and has associated therewith, at least on one side, a frame member, a mounting rail or a frame-member-like bent-over portion of a lateral wall, the mounting plate being bent-over in a U-shaped manner at the facing edge or having a reinforcement, at least one multiply bent-over contact spring being used for contacting purposes, said spring being mounted, by means of U-shaped retaining portions which are connected to retaining claws, on the end portion of the edge or on the reinforcement of the mounting plate so as to establish an electrically conductive connection, said spring being supported by initial tension and retained on the mounting plate, and two contact portions communicating with the externally situated retaining portion of the contact spring, said contact portions forming a contact edge, which 20 is supported by initial tension on the frame member of the mounting rail or the bent-over portion, the frame member of the mounting rail or of the bent-over portion being provided with an electrically conductive surface, or claws being provided in the region of the contact edge on the contact spring, said claws being directed towards the frame member, the mounting rail or the bent-over portion, characterised in that the edge of the mounting plate is bent-over in a U-shaped manner so that the end portion extends parallel to the rear wall and faces said wall, in 30 that the contact spring is mounted on the end portion by W*4. i means of the U-shaped retaining portions, and in that the contact portions partially surround the edge of the mounting plate.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the retaining claws on the internally situated retaining portion are laterally punched-out and bent inwardly in the direction towards the externally situated retaining portion.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the contact portions are wider than the retaining portions, and in that the retaining claws are directed towards the end of the end portion of the edge of the mounting plate.

4. An apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the contact portions of the contact spring abut externally against the rounded-off transitional regions of the central portion of the edge of the mounting plate.

An apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the contact portion of the contact spring remote from the rear wall is extended as connection portion, which has a connection bore and/or terminates in mounting contacts, and said contact portion is bent-over in the direction towards the contact edge.

6. An apparatus for the electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate, which is incorporated in a r 20 switchgear cabinet, framework or housing and has associated therewith, at least on one side, a frame member, a mounting 9* rail or a frame-member-like bent-over portion of a lateral wall, at least one multiply bent-over contact spring being used to contact the edge of the mounting plate, said spring, on the one hand, being contactingly secured at a mounting location on a portion of the frame member, of the mounting rail or of the frame-member-like bent-over portion parallel to the plane of the mounting plate and, on the other hand, being resiliently and contactingly supported on 30 the edge of the incorporated mounting plate, and claws ":'9i9 being provided for contacting in the region of the mounting location and/or of the supporting location of the mounting plate on the contact spring, abutment portions, which communicate with the mounting location, abutting against the parallel portion, and an additional abutment portion, which communicates with one abutment portion, abutting against a portion of the frame member, of the mounting rail I or of the frame-member-like bent-over portion, which lies perpendicular to said portion and faces the facing edge of the mounting plate, and contact portions forming therebetween a U- or V-shaped contact edge, characterised in that the contact portions are bent in a U- or V-shaped manner on the additional abutment portion.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the mounting location of the frame member, of the mounting rail or of the frame-member-like bent-over portion is configured as opening having a U- or V-shaped bent-over portion adapted thereto, and in that the claws engage behind the wall in their inserted position.

8. An apparatus for electrically conductive connection of a mounting plate substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. a 9* a