BE1005858A3 - ENCLOSURE FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, WITH OUTER COVERING HAVING AT LEAST ONE REMOVABLE PLATE. - Google Patents

Abstract

It is a case of the kind whose outer covering (11) has, on at least one face, a removable plate (20) suitable for allowing passage to at least one chute (21). According to the invention, this removable plate (20) is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering (11) from the outside thereof, without intervention from inside the box, for example by simple snap-on the transverse wall (17) concerned with this covering (11). Application, in particular, to distribution boxes for electrical appliances.

Description

"Box for electrical appliances, with external covering having at least one removable plate"

The present invention relates generally to boxes intended for housing electrical appliances, and it relates more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to those of these boxes which are commonly called distribution boxes.

More particularly, again, the present invention is aimed at .those of these boxes, the outer casing of which has, on at least one face, hereinafter called for convenience convenience, a removable plate, which, for example, to allow passage , to one or more ducts suitable for housing the electrical conductors to be connected to the electrical devices concerned, is to be cut to the profile of this or these ducts.

For example, this removable plate is knocked down for this purpose on at least a portion of its surface.

Anyway, once this removable plate thus cut to the profile of the chute (s) implemented, it is necessary to attach it to the rest of the covering.

To date, it is usually done to do a bolting or screwing.

In both cases, it is necessary to intervene from within the cabinet itself.

It follows that the establishment of this removable plate must occur from the start of the various operations to be executed, and that it can therefore be a discomfort during these.

In addition, in both cases, it is necessary to have specific tools.

The present invention generally relates to a provision making it possible to avoid these drawbacks.

More specifically, it relates to a box for an electrical appliance of the kind whose external covering has, on at least one face, here called the service face, a removable plate capable of allowing passage, if desired, to at least one chute, this box being generally characterized in that said removable plate, hereinafter called for convenience simple openwork plate, is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering from the outside thereof , without intervention from inside the cabinet.

Thus, while being capable, if desired, of being set up in the traditional way at the start of the operations to be executed, the openwork plate according to the invention can also be advantageously set up at the end of these operations when this is desirable.

Preferably, according to a first development of the invention, this openwork plate is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering by simple snap-fastening.

Advantageously, its installation does not require any particular tool.

On a portion of its surface, distinct from the portion, called below, for simple convenience, fixing portion, by which it is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering, the openwork plate according to the invention usually comprises at least one knockout, after elimination of which it is for example able to allow passage to one or more chutes.

According to a first embodiment, the knockout portion of the openwork plate according to the invention thus extends, also in the usual manner, in the plane of its fixing portion.

But, in accordance with a second embodiment, corresponding to another development of the invention, this knockout portion is offset with respect to the fixing portion, with, connecting one to the other said portions, a horn of adaptation comprising, according to a hoop profile, a front wall, and, each arranged respectively along the two transverse edges of this front wall, two side walls.

For example, the front wall of this adaptation horn has, transversely, from one to the other of the portions of the openwork plate, a curved profile with a concavity directed towards the outside.

Anyway, this adapter horn is advantageously able to continuously connect the casing of the box to the corresponding chute (s).

Participating thus advantageously in the aesthetics of the assembly, it also makes it possible, advantageously, to make up for a possible positioning defect, in length, of the chutes relative to the box, and / or to hide from view a possible defect cutting these chutes.

Finally, its internal volume advantageously complements that of the box, for the benefit, in particular, of the wiring.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box to which is likely to apply the invention; Figure 2 is, on the scale of Figure 1, an exploded perspective view, with the removable plates that includes this box away from the rest of its covering; Figure 3 is, on a larger scale, a perspective view of one of these removable plates, seen from the side of its internal surface, according to arrow III of Figure 2; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are, on a still larger scale, partial sectional views, along, each respectively, the lines IV-IV, V-V and VI-VI of Figure 3? Figure 7 shows, on a still larger scale, the detail of Figure 4 identified by an insert VII in this Figure 4; Figure 8 is, substantially on the scale of Figure 3, a partial perspective view of the outer covering of the box according to the invention, according to arrow VIII of Figure 2, after removal of the corresponding removable plate; Figure 9 is, on the same scale as Figure 6, a partial sectional view along the line IX-IX of Figure 8; Figures 10A, 10B, 10C are perspective views which, similar to that of Figure 1, each respectively illustrate various successive phases of the establishment of the removable plate according to the invention; Figure 11 is, on the scale of Figures 6 and 9, a cross-sectional view of the assembly, after this establishment; Figures 12, 13 are perspective views similar to that of Figure 10C, for other embodiments of the invention; Figure 14 is a perspective view similar to that of Figures 12 and 13, for another embodiment of the invention; Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view, along the line XV-XV of Figure 14, of the openwork plate, with adaptation horn, corresponding to this form of implementation; Figure 16 is, according to arrow XVI of Figure 15, an elevational view of this perforated plate, seen from the side of its internal surface.

As illustrated in these figures, and in a usual manner, the box 10 according to the invention is of generally generally parallelepipedal shape.

Only its outer covering 11, which precisely defines its shape, is concerned here.

This covering 11 has two longitudinal faces 12, and, alternately with these, two transverse faces 13.

In the embodiment shown, the longitudinal faces 12 are constituted by solid walls 14, and these belong jointly, in one piece, to a single piece 15, called frame, on which is articulated, on the front , a door 16.

In addition to these longitudinal walls 14, the frame 15 has, connecting them to one another, in one piece, along the transverse faces 13, two transverse walls 17, which, at their base, that is to say say on the side opposite door 16, and on at least a portion of their surface, are each largely openwork, in a hoop, by a notch 18.

On at least one of its transverse faces 13, and in practice on each of these, the covering 11 has, for closing the corresponding transverse wall 17 of the frame 15, a removable plate 20, here called a day plate , clean, as will appear below, to allow passage, if desired, to at least one chute 21.

The transverse faces 13 of the covering 11 therefore constitute, for the box 10, serving faces, that is to say faces capable of allowing them to open internally, by being for example housed in one or more chutes 21, 21 ', the electrical conductors, not shown, necessary for serving electrical devices, also not shown, present in its interior volume.

Initially, at least, and as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, an openwork plate 20 extends over the entire surface of the corresponding transverse face 13 of the covering 11.

Its outline is generally rectangular.

According to the invention, this openwork plate 20 is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering 11 from the outside thereof, without intervention from inside the box 10.

In practice, this openwork plate 20 is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering 11 by simple snap-fastening.

In the embodiment shown, there is provided, to do this, between this aperture plate 20 and the corresponding transverse wall 17 of the frame 15, latching means comprising, projecting from the internal surface of the plate at day 20, at least one elastically deformable retaining hook 22, and, on the transverse wall 17, at least one retaining notch 23, FIG. 9, with which is capable of engaging this retaining hook 22.

In the embodiment shown, the retaining notch 23 is formed by the edge of a bore 25 affecting the transverse wall 17, and for · such a bore 25, the perforated plate 20 comprises, arranged at a distance one on the other, and -turned back to back, two retaining hooks 22.

In practice, it is thus provided, distributed over a first portion 2OA, hereinafter called the fixing portion, of the perforated plate 20, a plurality of pairs of retaining hooks 22, and, it is provided, corresponding to the transverse wall 17, an equal number of holes 25. '

In the embodiment shown, the number of pairs of retaining hooks 22 and holes 25 is four.

In practice, the two retaining hooks 22 of the same pair come from the same tab 27.

They each have, according to a profile which is generally trapezoid, FIG. 6, an inlet chamfer 28, which is able to facilitate their penetration into a bore 25, a flat part -29, and a retaining chamfer 30, which is of opposite slope from that of the previous one, and by which they are able to cooperate in retention with the retaining notch 23 formed by the corresponding edge of the bore 25, FIG. 11.

Between an aperture plate 20 and the transverse wall 17 of the frame 15, there are also involved, in the embodiment shown, centering means.

In practice, these centering means comprise, projecting from the internal surface of the aperture plate 20, at least one centering stud 32, and, projecting from the external surface of the transverse wall 17 concerned, at least one well centering device 33 suitable for engaging such a centering pad 32.

In the embodiment shown, there are thus, projecting from the internal surface of the aperture plate 20, at a distance from each other, two centering studs 32, and, in correspondence, projecting from the external surface of the transverse wall 17 concerned of the frame 15, two centering wells 33.

The centering pads 32 have a cruciform section, with, to facilitate their introduction into the centering wells 33, a chamfer 34 on each of the ribs which constitute them, and, together, the centering wells 33 have a circular cross section .

In the embodiment shown, each openwork plate 20 is stiffened, all along its periphery, however excluding its free edge 40, that is to say excluding that of its edges longitudinal which is opposite the door 16, by a rib 35, and the latter has, from place to place, notches 36, suitable for allowing the insertion of any tool, for example the blade of a simple screwdriver , under this aperture plate 20, to facilitate if desired disengagement from the transverse wall 17 on which it is attached.

Jointly, in this embodiment, the fixing portion 20A of such an openwork plate 20 is reinforced by a quadrangular network of ribs 38 projecting from its internal surface.

This fixing portion 20A extends substantially over half of its surface.

Beyond a median strip 2 0C delimited by two ribs 38 parallel to its longitudinal edges, the perforated plate 20 moreover forms a second portion 20B, which, distinct from its fixing portion 20A, comprises at least one cover knockout.

In the embodiment more particularly shown in Figures 1 to 13, this knockout portion 20B extends in the plane of the fixing portion 20A.

It comprises, on the one hand, starting from the free edge 40, at least one line of least arcuate contour resistance 41 'suitable for detaching at least one knockable quadrangular cover 42' of which one side is formed by said free edge 40, and, on the other hand, at a distance from this free edge 40, at least one line of least resistance of closed contour -41 "suitable for detaching from the full surface at least one circular knockout 42" .

The lines of least resistance 41 ′, 41 ″ result in practice ~ from grooves affecting in hollow the internal surface of an openwork plate 20.

The lines of least resistance 41 'have in common the same groove flush with that of the ribs 38 which borders the median strip 2OC on the side of the knockout portion 20B.

They also each each have grooves perpendicular to this rib 38, respectively.

It is thus possible to detach from the knockout portion 20B of an openwork plate 20 one or more knockouts quadrangular knockouts 42 'of different widths but of the same height, this height corresponding to that of the troughs 21, 21' likely to be concerned.

As a variant, it is possible to detach from this knockout portion 20B one or more circular knockouts 24 ", for the passage, no longer of one or more chutes 21, 21 ', but of one or more sheaths, not shown, when such sheaths are used for housing the electrical conductors to be connected.

Furthermore, each of the transverse walls 17 of the frame 15 belonging to the covering 11 is generally set back relative to a flange 43 which, on three sides from the longitudinal edge of the assembly opposite the door 16, materializes, in hoop, in continuity with the longitudinal faces 12 of this covering 11, the outline of the corresponding transverse face 13 thereof.

The portion 17A of such a transverse wall 17 on which the holes 25 and the centering studs 33 which the latter intervenes is in practice isolated from its remaining portion 17B by ribs 44, 45, which also extend in an arch from the longitudinal edge of the assembly opposite to the door 16, at a distance from the flange 43, but substantially parallel to the latter, joining one another along their transverse edges, and which, of the same height, have their free edge set back relative to that of the rim 43 by an amount E substantially equal to the thickness of an openwork plate 20.

Thus, when an openwork plate 20 is in place on a transverse wall 17 of the frame 15, it fits, in practice as closely as possible, inside the volume delimited by the rim 43 of this transverse wall 17 and bears on its ribs 44, 45, the chamfer 30 of its retaining hooks 22 allowing the usual manufacturing tolerances to be made up.

It then advantageously closes the volume delimited by these ribs 44, 45.

The rib 44, the furthest from the rim 43, extends along the contour of the notch 18 of the transverse wall 17 concerned.

The rib 45, the closest to the rim 43, defines therewith, at the periphery of this transverse wall 17, on three sides of this periphery, a channel 46, the bottom of which is formed by the portion 17 B concerned of this transverse wall 17, and which is responsible for collecting the moisture which may eventually come to gain it by means of the gap inevitably remaining between the rim 43 and the perforating plate 20, and for channeling this humidity towards orifices of evacuation, which are arranged on the side opposite to the door 16, but which, not falling within the scope of the present invention, because they are made in the bottom 47 to which the covering 11 is attached, will not be described in detail here.

Thus, for each transverse wall 17, this possible humidity is systematically removed from the portion 17A affected with holes 25, to the benefit of the tightness of the assembly.

Finally, the bottom 47 having, in steps along each of its transverse edges, for reasons which, not pertaining to the present invention, will not be developed here, recesses from which it follows that the middle part of such a transverse edge is set back, with a certain difference in level, with respect to its ends, an openwork plate 20 according to the invention comprises, in the embodiment shown, projecting along its free edge 40, in the middle part of the latter, two tabs 52, the height of which corresponds to this difference in level, and by which it is thus able to also find support on the corresponding transverse edge of this bottom 47.

In the case where the housing of the electrical conductors to be connected is provided with the aid of a single trough 21, of width D, FIG. 10A, the cutting operations are carried out, using the quadrangular knock-off caps 42 ′, profile of this chute 21, the knockout portion 20B of the openwork plate 20 concerned.

The aperture plate 20 thus cut is then engaged on the chute 21, along the arrow F1 of FIG. 10A, at a distance from the transverse wall 17 on which it must be attached.

It is then slid over the trough 21 in the direction of this transverse wall 17, along arrow F2 in FIG. 10B, until, successively, on the one hand, its centering studs 32 engage with the wells of centering 33 of this transverse wall 17, and that, on the other hand, its retaining hooks 22 engage with the holes 25 thereof, FIGS. 10C and 11.

The openwork plate 20 is then suitably secured to the rest of the covering 11 of the box 10 concerned, by ensuring the closing of the corresponding serving face 13 thereof suitably, FIG. 10C.

As will be noted, the positioning thus made of a plate up to date 20 is advantageously done from the outside of the covering 11, without intervention from the inside of the box 10.

It can therefore intervene both at the start of all the operations to be performed and at the end of them.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the chute 21 'implemented has a width D' greater than the previous one.

However, the procedure is as above, ensuring consequently the cutting of the knockout portion 20B of the openwork plate 20 concerned.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, two troughs 21, of width D, are used side by side, and they then extend over the entire width of the serving face 13 concerned of the box 10.

It is then all of the knockout 20B of the corresponding perforated plate 20 which is eliminated, only remaining its fixing portion 20A.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the knockout portion 20B of an openwork plate 20 is offset relative to its fixing portion 20A, with, connecting these portions 20A to each other, 20B, no longer, as previously, a central strip 20C, but an adaptation horn 48 comprising, according to an arched profile, a front wall 49, which, transversely, from one to the other of the portions 20A, 20B of the aperture plate 20, has a curved profile with a concavity directed towards the outside, and, each disposed respectively along the two transverse edges of this front wall 49, two side walls 50, which are adapted to come in continuity with the longitudinal faces 12 of the box 10 concerned.

This adaptation horn 48 is thus able to ensure continuity between the covering 11 and the chute (s) 21, 21 'used.

For the rest, the provisions are of the same type as the previous ones: depending on the chute (s) 21, 21 ′ implemented, all or part of the knockout portion 20B of the openwork plate 20 concerned is eliminated.

It should be noted, however, that the location of the retaining hooks 22 is then no longer exactly the same, and that, consequently, the transverse walls 17 of the frame 15 have, according to an appropriate location, a sufficient number of holes. 25.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but encompasses any variant and / or combination of their various elements.

Claims (17)

1. Box for electrical appliances of the kind whose outer casing (11) has, on at least one face (13), hereinafter called for convenience, serving side, a removable plate (20) suitable for allowing passage example, with at least one chute (21, 21 '), characterized in that said removable plate (20), hereinafter called for simple convenience d1ajour plate, is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering (11) from the outside of it, without intervention from inside the box. 2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the openwork plate (20) is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering (11) by simple snap-fastening. 3. Box according to claim 2, characterized in that, the covering (11) comprising, on its serving face (13), a wall (17) which, on at least a portion of its surface, is perforated, it is provided, between this wall (17) and the aperture plate (20), latching means. 4. Box according to claim 3, characterized in that said latching means comprise, projecting from the internal surface of the openwork plate (20), at least one retaining hook (22) elastically deformable, and, on the corresponding wall (17), at least one retaining notch (23) with which is adapted to engage said retaining hook (22). 5. Box according to claim 4, characterized in that said retaining notch (23) is formed by the edge of a bore (25) affecting the wall (17) concerned. 6. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that, for a bore (25) of the wall concerned, the openwork plate (20) comprises, arranged at a distance from each other, and turned back to back , two retaining hooks (22). 7. Box according to any one of claims 5, 6, characterized in that the wall (17) concerned with the covering (11) comprises several holes (25). 8. Box according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the portion (17A) of the wall (17) concerned with the covering (11) on which a drilling takes place (25) is isolated from its remaining portion (17B) by two ribs (44, 45), which extend away from a flange (43) embodying the outline of the face (13) corresponding to this covering (11), and on which the plate bears openwork (20) when in place. 9. Box according to claim 8, characterized in that the rib (45) closest to the rim (43) defines therewith, at the periphery of the wall (17), a channel (46). 10. Box according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that, between the aperture plate (20) and the wall (17) of the covering (11), intervene centering means. 11. Box according to claim 10, characterized in that said centering means comprise, projecting from the internal surface of the aperture plate (20), at least one centering stud (32), and, projecting from the external surface of the wall (17) concerned with the covering (11), at least one centering well (33) suitable for the engagement of such a centering stud (32). 12. Box according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, on a portion (20B) of its surface, distinct from the portion (20A), said below for simple convenience fixing portion, by which it is adapted to be attached to the rest of the covering (11), the openwork plate (20) comprises at least one knock-out cover (42 ', 42 "). 13. Box according to claim 12, characterized in that, the knockout portion (20B) of the openwork plate (20) comprises, from its free edge (40) at least one line of least hoop contour resistance ( 41 ') suitable for detaching at least one knockout (42'), one side of which is formed by said free edge (40). 14. Box according to any one of claims 12, 13, characterized in that the knockout portion (20B) of the openwork plate (20) comprises, at a distance from its free edge (40), at least one line of lower resistance of closed contour (41 ") capable of detaching from the full surface at least one knockout (42"). 15. Box according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the knockout portion (20B) of the openwork plate (20) extends in the plane of its fixing portion (2OA). 16. Box according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the knockout portion (20B) of the openwork plate (20) is offset relative to its fixing portion (20A), with, connecting the 'to each other said portions (2OA, 20B), an adaptation horn (48) comprising, in a hoop profile, a front wall (49), and, each arranged respectively along the two transverse edges of this front wall (-49), two side walls (50). 17. Box according to claim 16, characterized in that the front wall (49) of the adapter horn (48) has, transversely, from one to the other of the portions (20A, 20B) of the plate d aperture (20), a curved profile with a concavity directed towards the outside.