BRPI1105658A2 - electrical appliance bracket, and, electrical appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

ELECTRICAL SUPPORT, AND, ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. The invention relates to a switchgear bracket (1) comprising a switchgear (10) and means of attaching the switchgear to a switchgear of another switchgear carrier of the same type, which are arranged on one side of the outer peripheral edge (11). of the frame, a projecting male element (50) and, hollow, a male element receiving housing (60) of said other electrical apparatus holder. According to the invention, the housing is opened on one of the front (14) and rear (15) faces of the frame and closed on the opposite face.

Description

"ELECTRICAL SUPPORT AND ELECTRICAL SUPPORT"

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

The present invention relates generally to the brackets employed to equip any apparatus mechanism, such as for example a switch or socket mechanism, in an electrical box to be recessed into a wall or to be projected onto such a wall. wall.

It deals in particular with an electrical apparatus holder comprising, on the one hand,

- a frame delimited between an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, having a front face and an opposite rear face,

- means for attachment to an electrical box, and on the other hand,

means for joining the frame to a frame of another support

of the same type, having on one side of the outer peripheral edge of the frame a projecting male member and a hollow receiving housing of a male member of said other electrical apparatus holder.

It also deals with an electrical appliance

comprising such a mounting bracket and a mounting mechanism attached to this mounting bracket.

This invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the construction of apparatus holders for use in the Brazilian market.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Notably known from FR 2 880 209 is a switchgear bracket of the price type. In this document, the coupling means comprise, on either side of the outer peripheral edge of the frame, a dovetail (the male element) and a dovetail receiving housing of another carrier of the same type.

Thanks to these joining means, when the installer mounts two brackets in juxtaposed position, whether he inserts them against the front edge of an electrical box and if he screws one first of these brackets over the box, the other bracket is automatically held in position. juxtaposed, which facilitates its placement. Once the two brackets are screwed onto the electrical box, the joining means allow the set to be stiffened.

On the other hand, these joining means do not allow the two supports to be sufficiently rigidly juxtaposed when the two supports have not yet been inserted into the electrical box. They do not facilitate the handling of these two brackets before their installation on the electrical box.

It is further known from FR 2 909 810 that an electrical apparatus holder which comprises, on the four sides of its outer peripheral edge, first attachment means to another support of the same type with a first interaxial distance, belongs to the applicant.

This apparatus bracket additionally comprises, on two opposite branches of the frame, detachable portions which, when cut out, discover second means of attachment to another bracket of the same type, with a second interaxial distance strictly less than the first interaxial distance.

These second joining means are more precisely formed of a breakout projecting plate on the breakable portion of the frame, a receiving housing of such a predicted plate cast in this breakline, and locking means arranged to cooperate with means. of another holder of the same type.

The holder receiving housing is here only opened on one side, namely the break line side. In this way, the joining of the two supports is accomplished by sliding the plates of these supports in the corresponding receiving housings, until the locking means of these supports lock together.

Thanks to these second joining means, after having juxtaposed the two brackets, the installer can manipulate them without believing that they fall apart.

The major drawback of these second joining means is that since they are locked over those of another carrier of the same type, the decoupling of the two supports proves difficult or even impossible to accomplish.

It must in fact be carried out by exerting a particularly high tensile force on one of the two supports so as to disengage its locking means from those of the other support.

This operation also risks deteriorating or even breaking the engaging means of these brackets. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the state of the art, the present invention proposes a new electrical apparatus holder which, once associated with another holder of the same type, is solidly locked in translation over this other holder and which is nevertheless easy to dissociate from this other holder.

More particularly, it is proposed according to the invention an apparatus holder as defined in the introduction, wherein the housing is opened on one of the front and rear faces of the frame and closed on the opposite or rear face of the frame.

Classically, when two brackets are brought together, the housings retain the male elements such that the relative mobilities of the translational brackets in the middle plane of the frame are blocked.

As the housings are still closed on one side of the frames, these housings retain the male elements in such a way that the relative mobility of the translational supports along the front axis of the frame is blocked.

Finally, thanks to the invention, as the housings are opened on one side of the frames, these housings allow the male elements to be extracted by tilting the supports with respect to each other.

The two supports can thus more precisely swing relative to each other about an axis that is parallel to the median planes of the supports and which is contained in the contact plane of these two supports.

Thanks to the lever arm effect, this tilt allows you to easily decouple the two brackets by exerting reduced torque on one of the two brackets to make it tilt.

Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the electrical bracket according to the invention are as follows:

said housing is opened on the rear face of the frame and closed on the front face of the latter;

said male element has a cross section taken orthogonally to the front axis of the frame which is uniform over its entire thickness;

- said male element has a tab extending orthogonally to the front axis of the frame and carrying at its free end a hooking rib, and said housing having an axial section taken parallel to the front axis of the frame, which narrows locally to form a hard point of passage for the hooking rib;

said housing has a cross section taken orthogonally to the front axis of the frame which is uniform over all its depth;

- the board has means for subjecting it to an electrical box;

- the rear face of the frame having at least two support zones arranged to rest against the rim of said electrical box, said male element has a rear face extending in the plane of said support zones; and

- the outer peripheral edge side of the frame opposite said first side also comprises a male element and a housing.

The invention also proposes an electrical apparatus comprising such an apparatus holder and an apparatus mechanism fixed to this apparatus holder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT The following description in view of the accompanying drawings, given

By way of non-limiting examples, it will be well understood what the invention is and how it may be carried out.

In the attached drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views, shown from two different angles, of a switchgear bracket.

according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a detail view of zone II of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of two apparatus holders identical to that of Figure 1 in assembled position;

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the two

the mounting brackets of FIG. 4 shown in an electrical box inclined to one another;

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of two apparatus holders shown in an electrical box in position.

inclined relative to one another, and which are embodiments of the apparatus supports shown in FIG. 4;

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus holder of Figure 1, positioned in a single-pole electrical box; and

Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of the two switch brackets of Figure 4 positioned on a multi-type electrical box.

Firstly, it is noted that the identical or similar elements of the different embodiments of the invention represented in the different figures will, as far as possible, be referenced by the same reference signs and will not be described each time.

In Figures 1 and 2, an apparatus bracket 1 is shown which is intended to be fixed to an electrical box 100, 100 'and which serves to mount an apparatus mechanism 200 within this electrical box 100, 100'.

Two examples of such an electrical box 100, 100 'are shown schematically in figures 7 and 8.

In these two examples, the electrical box 100, 100 'can be either of the type to be recessed into any wall or the type to be projected onto such a wall. It has a bottom 103, 103 'contoured on the front face by a side wall 104, 104' whose front thickness forms a lip 101, 101 '.

In Fig. 7, the electrical box 100 is single-sided, although it is arranged to receive a single apparatus holder 1. Its rim 101 then extends here in a rectangular outline.

This electrical box 100 comprises two taper wells 102 which rise face to face from its bottom 103 to the level of its lip 101 along the inner face of the two smaller sides of its sidewall 104. These two taper wells 102 are thus arranged to accommodate fastening screws (not shown) of the mounting bracket 1 abutting the lip 101.

In Figure 8, the electrical box 100 'is double-pole, although it is arranged to receive two juxtaposed mounting brackets 1. Its edge 101 then extends here along a square outline. This electrical box 100 'holds four taper wells 102' which rise face to face in pairs from its bottom 103 'to the level of its lip 101' along the inner face of two opposite sides of its side wall 104 '. These four tapping wells 102 'are thus arranged to accommodate securing bolts (not shown) of two rigging brackets 1 juxtaposed on the lip 101'.

As shown in the figures, the switchgear 200 is a plug-in mechanism. Alternatively, this switchgear could of course be formed by a mechanism of another type, such as a switch, telephone jack, or circuit breaker mechanism.

This switchgear 200 comprises a motor (not shown in the figures) and a trim 201. Its motor is here formed by electrical connection terminals which are adapted to be connected to the local mains and which are arranged to accommodate the pins of a plug. in order to connect them to this network. Trim 201 is formed of a plate having a central sink that delimits a receptacle for an electric plug, the bottom of which is drilled from three pin-holes of this electric plug. The mounting bracket 1 shown in figures 1 and 2

then comprises a frame 10 which is arranged to attach to one or the other of said electrical boxes 100, 100 'and to accommodate said apparatus mechanism 200.

The mounting bracket 1 also has coupling means 50, 60 which allow its frame 10 to be joined with a frame 10 of another mounting bracket 1 of the same juxtaposed type (see Figure 4).

As shown in figures 1 and 2, table 10 has a rectangular shape here. It then comprises two opposite and parallel large branches 21, 22, joined by two opposite and parallel small branches 23, 24. Its small modifications 23, 24 have a significantly larger width than those of large branches 21, 22.

Frame 10 is defined between an outer peripheral edge 11 and an inner peripheral edge 12 delimiting a rectangular central opening 13 receiving apparatus 200.

The front axis A1 of table 10 is then defined as the axis passing through the center of this central opening 13 and which is orthogonal to the middle plane of this central opening 13.

Table 10 has a rear face 15 visible in figure 2, which is intended to be applied to the rim 101, 101 'of the electrical box 100, 100' (or to the wall on which the box is recessed), and a front face 14 opposite, visible in figure 1.

As can be seen from figures 1 and 2, the frame 10 has in each of its two small branches 23, 24 of the fastening means 16 for allowing it to be fixed to the electrical box 100, 100 '.

These securing means herein comprise two holes 16 located in the centers of the two small branches 23, 24 of the frame 10 for the passage of two securing screws engaged in the tapping wells 102, 102 of the electrical box 100, 100 '. Each hole 16 has a straight or L shape with

a circular end 16A and an oblong portion 16B.

The circular end 16A of each hole 16 permits the passage of the corresponding set screw head when the latter has been screwed into one of the tapping wells 102, 102 'of the front electrical box 100, 100' that the mounting bracket 1 has not been inserted over this electrical box 100, 100 '.

As shown in Figure 1, the oblong portion 16B of hole 16 in turn has a reduced width, smaller than the diameter of the setscrew head, so as to allow only the threaded body of this setscrew to pass. The leading edge of the oblong portion 16B of this hole 16 then forms a flat face 16C for the set screw head. This flat face 16C is provided here for sinking of the front face 14 of the frame 10 such that once the bracket 1 is fixed to the electrical box 100, 100 ', the set screw head does not exceed the front face 14 of the frame 10 .

Frame 10 is made in one piece by molding an insulating plastic material, here polypropylene.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, due to the reduced mechanical strength of this material, the frame 10 is formed not only of a substantially flat front wall 10A, but also of stiffening ribs 10B extending to the rear of this front wall 10A. The rear thicknesses of these stiffening ribs 10B then together form the rear face 15 of the frame 10.

For the aesthetics of the apparatus support 1, in particular stiffening ribs 10B are provided on the outer and inner peripheral edges 12 of the front wall 10A of the frame 10 and on the edges of the holes 16.

As shown in Figure 2, the rear face 15 of the frame 10 has two end zones 17 arranged to engage and abut the lip 101, 101 'of the electrical box 100, 100' (or the wall into which the recess is Cashier).

The rear thicknesses of the stiffening ribs 10B located at these two end zones 17 then extend in the same bearing plane, so that their rear thicknesses can be perfectly applied to and abut the lip 101, 101 'of the electrical box 100, 100 '(or on the wall into which the box is embedded).

The connecting means 50, 60 of the frame 10 to a frame of another apparatus holder of the same type are clearly shown in figures I and 2.

These joining means 50, 60 are provided on at least one side of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10.

They thus allow to lock two frames 10 side by side so that they form and together a single rigid piece, in which the mobility of translation from one frame to another is blocked (see figure 4).

In this way, these two frames 10 can then be easily manipulated to be inserted and fixed over the rim 101 'of the electrical box 100' (see figure 8). Here, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, means of

The joints are provided on both opposite sides of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10. In this way each frame 10 can be mounted with two other frames 10.

The joining means provided on the two major sides of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10 are advantageously symmetrical with respect to the front axis A1 here. Thus, the frame 10 is reversible in that it can be mounted on a another frame 10 by one or the other of the two major sides of its outer peripheral edge 11, pivoting about a half-turn about the front axis A1.

cast on each of these two larger sides of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10, at least one male member 50 and at least one female member 60 correspondingly constituting a housing for receiving a male member 50 of another carrier. apparatus 1. Here, as shown in figures 1 and 2, they are more precisely

on each of the two major sides of the outer peripheral edge

II of Table 10, two male members 50 each adjacent a female member 60.

The four male members 50, and the four adjacent female elements 60, are located in the vicinity of the four corners of table 10.

One of these four male members 50 and the adjacent female member 60 are shown in rear view detailed in Figure 3.

According to a particularly advantageous feature of the invention, the female elements 60 are open not only on the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10, but also on one of the front 14 or rear faces 15 of the frame 10. These female elements 60 are in contrast closed on the other side of front 14 or rear 15 of frame 10.

Thanks to the openings of the female members 60 on the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10, the joining of two frames 10 is accomplished by positioning these two frames 10 side by side in the same plane, and then bringing these two frames 10 closer together. orthogonal direction to the larger sides of the outer peripheral edges 11 of these frames 10 until their male elements 10 fit into their female elements 60.

Once the frames 10 are in assembled position, the female elements 60 which are closed on one of the front 14 or rear faces 15 of the frame 10 prevent the male elements 50 of each apparatus holder 1 from moving in a direction parallel to the front axis A1. The two apparatus holders 1 are then axially locked relative to each other.

In this assembled position, thanks to their openings on the other of the front 14 or rear faces 15 of the frame 10, the female members 60 do not hinder the tilting of the two brackets 11 relative to each other about an axis A2, which is parallel to the larger sides of the outer peripheral edges 11 of the two frames 10 (see fig. 5).

Preferably, as this is moreover shown in Figures 1 to 5, 7 and 8, the female members 60 are open on the rear face of the frame 10 and are closed on the front face 14 of the frame 10.

In this way, as this appears in Figure 5, it is possible to tilt one of the switch holders 1 forward when the other switch holder is still attached to the electrical box 100 ', which allows these two mounting brackets to be joined and decoupled. switchgear 1 directly to the electrical box 100 '.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6, it could be envisaged that the female members 70 will be opened on the front face 14 of table 10 and closed on the rear face 15 of table 10.

In this embodiment, the two apparatus supports 1 will also be easily dissociated here as well. They may not, however, be mounted and decoupled directly to the electrical box 100.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the male 50 and female members 60 extend in length from the corresponding side of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10, orthogonally to the latter and in the middle plane of the frame 10.

Male elements 50 have uniform contours over their thicknesses and female elements 60 have uniform contours over their depths. In other words, these elements 50, 60 are profiled in the direction of the front axis A1.

As shown in detail in Figure 3, each male member 50 has a tab 51 and a hooking rib 52 extending at the free end of this tab 51.

Each flap 51 extends about a length of about 8 millimeters from the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10, and about a thickness of about 7 millimeters from the rear face 15 of the frame 10. This flap 51 has a further width. which grows linearly from its free end to its base, but remains much less than the length and thickness it prefers. Thanks to its shape, this tab 51 is able to slightly bend around an axis parallel to the front axis A1.

The hooking rib 52 located at the free end of this tab 51 here forms a U-strip extending projecting on one side of this tab 51 over the entire thickness of this tab 51.

As also shown in Figure 3, each female element 60 has a negative shape identical to that of the male element 50 to be housed.

Each female member 60 then has an R-shaped cross-section, with an outlet 61 open on the corresponding side of the outer peripheral edge 11 of frame 10, a section nip 62 defining a bearing edge on which the rib can be hooked. hook 52 of the corresponding male element 50, and a bottom 63.

Each male element 50 extends about a thickness equal to the depth of the corresponding female element 60. Thus, when two apparatus brackets 1 are assembled, the male members 50 of these two brackets are fully housed within the corresponding female members 60.

As further shown in Figure 3, each male member 50 additionally has a substantially flat rear face 53 extending in the same plane as the end regions 17 of the rear face 15. Thus, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the mounting bracket 1 is fixed by fixing screws on the lip 101, 101 'of the electrical box 100, 100', it comes to rest on this lip 101, 101 'not only at the end zones 17 of the rear face 15 of its frame 10, more equally at the level of the rear faces 53 of its male elements 50.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, tabs 18 whose rear faces extend in the plane of the end zones 17 of rear face 15 of frame 10 are projected on the smaller sides of the outer peripheral edge 11 of the frame 10. The tabs 18 thus allow to increase the total support surface of the frame 10 on the lip 101, 101 'of the electrical box 100, 100'.

These different bearing surfaces then allow the deformations of the frame 10 to be reduced when the mounting bracket 1 is subjected to a sinking effort in the electrical box 100, 100 '. Thanks to these bearing surfaces, it is then possible to reduce the amount of material required to manufacture a rigid mounting bracket 1, with the benefit of its cost price.

As now shown in Figure 2, for mounting the switchgear 200 on the switchgear bracket 1, the frame here carries a cradle 20 extending in the center of its central opening 13, between its two large branches 21, 22. This cradle 20 is integrally formed with frame 10 and extends at the rear of this frame 10.

It has a U-shaped section open forward to accommodate the electrical connection terminals of the switchgear 200. Its bottom 23 is perforated with rectangular openings 21 for access to the connection terminals, allowing the bare ends of the connector to fit there. electrical conductors connected to the local power grid. Its bottom 23 is equally perforated with circular openings 22 for access to connection screws, allowing to block the bare ends of the electrical conductors at the connection terminals. The sidewall 24 of this cradle 20 is in turn perforated with

windows (not shown in the figures) which allow snap fit the trim 201 of the rigging mechanism 200 over the front opening of the cradle 20.

Here, as shown in Figure 1, the two large branches 21, 22 of table 10 have in their centers sinks 19 hollowed over the front face 14 of table 10 to accommodate the ends of this trim 201.

In addition, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in each of the two small branches 23, 24 of Table 10, on either side of each hole 16, snap-fit means 25 of a facade plate are not provided. shown to cover the appliance bracket 1 aesthetically.

The mounting of two switch holders 1 according to the invention on the double pole electrical box 100 is as follows.

The two switch holders 1 are initially assembled.

They are positioned side by side in the same plane and then brought together so that their male elements 50 fit into their female elements 60.

During this engagement, the tabs 51 of the male members 50 deform slightly bending, allowing their hooking ribs 52 to pass beyond the section nips 62 of the female members 60 and to engage the support edges formed by these nipples. section 62.

The co-operation of the male elements 50 with the female elements 60 of the two apparatus brackets 1 thus enables these two brackets to be locked onto one another.

As shown in Figure 8, once assembled, the two switch holders 1 are then inserted over the lip 101 'of the electrical box 100'. They are then secured to this housing by means of four capscrews screwed into the tapping wells 102 'of the housing such that their heads rest against the flat faces 16C which surround holes 16 of the two supports.

Once the two mounting brackets are fixed to the electrical box 100 ', it may happen that the installer again needs to have access to the electrical connection terminals of one of the two mounting brackets 200 mounted on the mounting brackets 1. He proceeds to this as follows.

It begins by unscrewing and removing from the tapping wells 102 'of the housing, the two retaining screws fitted through the holes 16 of the bracket 1 to be extracted from the housing.

The installer then fits two of his fingers through the opening 13 of this mounting bracket 1 on either side of the cradle 20 so that it can firmly hold the mounting bracket I and make it swivel relative to the other mounting bracket. 1 (see figure 5).

This tilting allows the male members 50 to exit through the rear opening of the female members 60, and thus to decouple the two switch holders at the cost of reduced effort.

The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, but one skilled in the art will know how to introduce every variant according to his spirit.

In particular, the switchgear frame could have a square shape. It could then have means for securing the electrical box in each of its four branches so that it can be inserted horizontally and vertically over this box.

In another embodiment, it could be envisaged that the male and female members lock the two supports together not by locking, but rather by shape cooperation.

These male and female elements could in particular have forms of swallow tails, in which case the union of the two supports could no longer be accomplished by simply translating one support with respect to the other, but only by pivoting one with respect to the other. another, just as when the installer wants to dissociate them.

Claims (8)

1. Electrical apparatus support (1) comprising: - a frame (10) bounded by an outer peripheral edge (11) and having an opposite front face (14) and an opposite rear face (15), - securing means (16) ) to an electrical box (100), and - frame connecting means (10) to a frame (10) of another electrical apparatus holder (1) of the same type, bearing on one side of the outer peripheral edge (11). ) of the frame (10), a projecting male element (50) and, in pouring, a male element receiving housing (60) of said other electrical apparatus support (1), characterized in that said housing (60) is opened on one of the front (14) and rear (15) faces of the frame (10) and closed on the opposite (15) or front (14) face of the frame (10). Electrical apparatus holder (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said housing (60) is opened on the rear face (15) of the frame (10) and closed on the front face (14). of the latter. Electrical apparatus support (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said male element (50) has a cross section taken orthogonally to the front axis (Al) of the frame (10), which is uniform over its entire thickness. Electrical apparatus support (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said male element (50) has a flap (51) extending orthogonally to the front axis (Al) of the frame (1). 10) and carrying at its free end a hooking rib (52) and wherein said housing (60) has an axial section taken parallel to the front axis (Al) of the frame (10), which narrows locally to form a hard point of passage for the hooking rib (52). Electrical apparatus support (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing (60) has a cross-section taken orthogonally to the front axis (Al) of the frame (10) which is uniform. over all its depth. Electrical apparatus support (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear face (15) of the frame (10) has at least two support zones (17) arranged to rest on the abutment (101) of said electrical box (100), said male element (50) has a rear face extending in the plane of said support zones (17). Electrical apparatus holder (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer peripheral edge side (11) of the frame (10) opposite to said side also comprises a male element (50). and a housing (60). Electrical apparatus characterized in that it comprises an electrical apparatus holder (1) according to one of the preceding claims, and an apparatus mechanism (200) fixed in an opening (13) of the frame (10) of this apparatus holder. electric (1).