DE102021108915A1 - Reusable transport container for one or more support rail assemblies and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

A transport container (100) for one or more mounting rail arrangements, the transport container (100) having a basic housing (101) into which a preassembled unit is inserted, which has at least one mounting rail arrangement (200) consisting of one or more mounting rails (201, 202). Fastening devices (300) and one or more mounting rail arrangements fastened thereon with the fastening devices (300), each with a mounting rail (401 - 403) and each with one or more stackable electrical devices (500) mounted on the respective mounting rail.

Description

The invention relates to a multiple reusable transport container for one or more support rail assemblies according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method according to claim 14.

Transport containers for support rail assemblies are known per se. According to the prior art, the mounting rails with the preassembled electrical devices are placed in the transport container, with the transport container then being filled with a filling material, if necessary, in order to protect the electrical devices from damage in transit. In this way, the transport containers are then sent, for example, from a manufacturer of electrical devices to a customer. The customer removes the mounting rails with the electrical devices from the transport containers and can assemble and install them at a location, which can be a switch cabinet, for example.

Against this background, the object of the invention is to create a reusable transport container that is optimized compared to the prior art and an effective method for using the transport container.

The invention solves this problem with regard to the transport container by the subject matter of claim 1.

Advantageous configurations of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

According to claim 1, a transport container for one or more mounting rail arrangements is created, the transport container having a basic housing into which a preassembled unit is inserted, which at least one mounting rail arrangement of one or more mounting rails with fastening devices and one or more mounted thereon with the fastening device or devices Has mounting rail assemblies, each with a mounting rail and each with one or more stackable electrical devices mounted thereon.

In contrast to the prior art, the mounting rail arrangements with the mounting rails and the electrical devices pre-assembled on them, in particular terminal blocks or electronics housings, are not simply placed separately in the transport container but are used pre-assembled together in the transport container for transport as a unit, for which purpose according to an idea of the invention, mounting rail arrangements made up of one or more mounting rails are particularly suitable, to which the support rail arrangement can then be fastened. In this way, the respective support rail arrangements can be transported in a particularly safe and clear manner, which simplifies both the transport process and handling during assembly at the place of use. It is or are preferably not only the transport container that can be reused several times, but also the assembly arrangement and its fastening devices.

According to a preferred embodiment, the basic housing can have a base and side walls that are perpendicular thereto, so that a trough-like receptacle is formed.

Provision can also preferably be made for a frame to be formed from several of the mounting rail arrangements and several of the mounting rails as a preassembled unit, which is preassembled and inserted into the transport container, with the electrical devices, for example active or passive terminal blocks, being mounted on the mounting rails can be mounted. In this way, a stable, preassembled unit is created in a simple manner, which is clearly designed, which is safe for transport and which is easy to handle.

It is preferred and simple if the mounting rail arrangement arranged in the basic housing has at least two mounting rails arranged parallel to one another.

The respective mounting rail can be designed as a C-shaped profile rail in a preferred - but not mandatory - configuration, which has an undercut receiving channel for one or more of the fastening devices, which makes it easy to attach the support rails to the mounting rails.

In addition, the respective mounting rail can be designed as a C-shaped profile rail, which has an undercut receiving channel for one or more of the fastening devices.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment, a locking bolt can be provided which has a locking head with one or more spring arms for lockingly reaching through and fixing a through-hole of a mounting rail and a threaded shank. These snap-in heads are particularly well suited for simple assembly and disassembly of the mounting rails on the mounting rails. Alternatively, however, the fastening devices can also be designed differently, in the manner of screws, which pass through both the nuts of the mounting rails and the support rails.

It can further be provided that the respective threaded shank can be screwed into a corresponding sliding block nut that can be adjusted axially in the receiving channel. Because such a sliding block nut allows axial positioning of the respective fastening device in the mounting rail at a suitable point for mounting the mounting rail in a simple manner.

It can also be expediently provided that a dowel pin is provided, which then ensures a defined axial fit of the respective fastening arrangement in the respective mounting rail in a simple manner.

It is preferred that the one or more support rails have a hat-like cross-section or a C-like cross-section. It is further preferred that the transport container is provided with an identification device, in particular a barcode, an RFID chip or another transmitting and/or receiving (and storage) unit, on which information is noted, in particular in the form of data, which characterize the respective preassembled unit, the information preferably including data on the number of electrical devices and/or the location of the respective mounting rail in the transport container and/or a link to an automatic ordering process and/or to a configuration program for reconfiguration of the order.

It can further be provided that the transport container is designed to be reusable and consists of plastic and/or metal and/or other materials.

It should also be noted that the transport container can be designed to be completely closed in the closed state, in which the cover and basic housing are assembled. However, it can also have openings. The terms transport container and basic housing should therefore not be interpreted too narrowly. They also include, for example, crates or crate-like pallet constructions in which there may be a gap between adjacent slats.

It should also be noted that it is also conceivable to arrange several levels of preassembled units of the type described in one of the claims in the transport container. These can then each be separated by inserts. However, it is also conceivable to create a mounting arrangement perpendicular to the first mounting rails, in which case this mounting arrangement should then be designed in such a way that the pre-assembled units can be arranged on them at different heights.

• Schritt I: es werden eine oder mehrere Tragschienen mit aneinander reihbaren elektrischen Geräten konfiguriert, insbesondere mit einem Konfigurationsprogramm;
• Schritt II; es werden die in Schritt I konfigurierten Tragschienen mit den darauf anzuordnenden aneinander reihbaren elektrischen Geräten bestellt;
• Schritt III: es werden die in Schritt I konfigurierten und in Schritt II bestellten Tragschienen mit den darauf anzuordnenden aneinander reihbaren elektrischen Geräten gefertigt, und dabei oder danach werden die Tragschienen mit den darauf anzuordnenden aneinander reihbaren elektrischen Geräten auf Montageschienen befestigt. Diese eine oder mehreren vormontierten Anordnungen aus den Montageschienen und den Tragschienen mit den darauf anzuordnenden aneinander reihbaren elektrischen Geräten werden in einem oder mehreren der Transportbehälter gesetzt, so dass einer oder mehrere Transportbehälter zumindest nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 14 geschaffen wird/werden, der oder die zudem mit dem Identifikationscode versehen wird/werden.
• Schritt IV: es wird der jeweilige Transportbehälter aus Schritt III an den Kunden ausgeliefert,
• Schritt V: es wird der jeweilige Transportbehälter aus Schritt IV mit den Montagsschienen, den Tragschienen und den elektrischen Geräten und dem Identifikationscode vom Kunden/Anwender entgegengenommen und geöffnet;
• Schritt VI: sodann werden nach dem Durchlaufen der Schritte I bis V die vormontierten Tragschienen unter Nutzung des Identifikationscodes erneut bestellt oder es wird in einem erneuten Schritt I eine neue Konfiguration gestartet, woraufhin jeweils die Schritte II bis V und ggf. VI erneut durchlaufen werden.

The invention also provides a method for configuring, ordering, manufacturing and delivering mounting rails with electrical devices, with the following steps:

• Step I: one or more mounting rails are configured with electrical devices that can be lined up next to one another, in particular with a configuration program;
• step II; the mounting rails configured in step I are ordered with the electrical devices to be arranged on them, which can be lined up next to one another;
• Step III: the mounting rails configured in step I and ordered in step II are manufactured with the electrical devices to be arranged on them that can be stacked next to one another, and the mounting rails with the electrical devices that are to be arranged on them that can be stacked next to one another are fastened to mounting rails. These one or more preassembled arrangements of the mounting rails and the support rails with the electrical devices to be arranged in a row on them are placed in one or more of the transport containers, so that one or more transport containers is/are created at least according to one of Claims 1 to 14, the or which is/are also provided with the identification code.
• Step IV: the respective transport container from step III is delivered to the customer,
• Step V: the respective transport container from step IV with the assembly rails, the support rails and the electrical devices and the identification code is accepted from the customer/user and opened;
• Step VI: After completing steps I to V, the pre-assembled mounting rails are then ordered again using the identification code, or a new configuration is started in a new step I, whereupon steps II to V and, if necessary, VI are repeated.

The transport container can preferably be sent back to the manufacturer together with the mounting rails and fastening devices and can be refilled or turned over again. Waste is avoided in this way and the ordering of the mounting rails for transport is made safer and, overall, particularly simple.

• 1 in a) und b) zwei verschiedene perspektivische Darstellungen eines Grundgehäuses eines Transportbehälters mit einer darin angeordneten Montageschienenanordnung und darauf befestigten Tragschienen, auf denen aneinander gereihte elektrische Geräte festgelegt sind;
• 2 den Transportbehälter aus 1a, wobei schematisch dargestellt ist, dass dieser als Identifikationseinrichtung beispielsweise mit einem Barcode versehbar ist bzw. versehen ist;
• 3 die Montageschienenanordnung des Transportbehälters aus den 1a, 1b und 2 mit den darauf befestigten Tragschienen mit den darauf befestigten und aneinander gereihte elektrische Geräte festgelegt sind;
• 4 in a) eine perspektivische Ansicht der Montageschiene der Montageschienenanordnung aus 3 mit Befestigungseinrichtungen zum Befestigen der Tragschiene(n) an der Montageschiene, in b) eine perspektivische Ansicht der Montageschiene aus a) mit einer daneben dargestellten Sprengansicht einer der Befestigungseinrichtungen, und in c) eine Ausschnittsvergrößerung aus b), in d) eine andere perspektivische Ansicht die Montageschiene aus a) und b) mit der daneben dargestellten Sprengansicht einer der Befestigungseinrichtungen und in e) eine perspektivisch andere Ansicht des Bereichs, der in c) ausschnittsvergrößert dargestellt ist; und
• 5 ein Verfahren zur Durchführung eines Ordervorganges insbesondere mit der Verpackungsvorrichtung aus 2

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing and using exemplary embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments, but can also be different within the scope of the claims to be designed. In this respect, individual features of the following exemplary embodiments can be used not only in the respective exemplary embodiments, but also in combination with other features in other exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1 in a) and b) two different perspective representations of a basic housing of a transport container with a mounting rail arrangement arranged therein and mounting rails fastened thereon, on which electrical devices lined up are fixed;
• 2 the transport container 1a , wherein it is shown schematically that this can be provided or is provided with a barcode, for example, as an identification device;
• 3 the mounting rail assembly of the transport container from the 1a , 1b and 2 are fixed with the support rails attached thereto with the electrical devices attached thereto and lined up in a row;
• 4 in a) a perspective view of the mounting rail of the mounting rail arrangement 3 with fastening devices for fastening the mounting rail(s) to the mounting rail, in b) a perspective view of the mounting rail from a) with an exploded view of one of the fastening devices shown next to it, and in c) a detail enlargement from b), in d) another perspective view the mounting rail from a) and b) with the exploded view of one of the fastening devices shown next to it and in e) a different perspective view of the area that is shown in c) in enlarged detail; and
• 5 a method for carrying out an ordering process, in particular with the packaging device 2

1 in a) and b) show two different perspective representations of a basic housing 101 of a transport container 100 with a mounting rail arrangement 200 arranged therein consisting of a plurality of mounting rails 201, 202 with fastening devices 300 (see 3 and 4 ) and mounting rails 401-403 fastened thereon. One or more electrical devices 500, in particular stackable, such as, for example, a number of terminal blocks can be preassembled on the mounting rails 401, 402, 403. In this way, mounting rail arrangements are formed with the mounting rails and one or more devices.

The basic housing 101 has a base 102 and here four side walls 103, 104, 105, 106 at right angles to it, so that a trough-like receptacle is formed.

A cover or cover part, not shown here, can be used to close the basic housing 101 . Together with the cover, the basic housing 101 then forms the transport container 100 . The cover can be fixed with a lock on the basic housing (not fully visible here).

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting rail arrangement 200 arranged in the basic housing 101 comprises two mounting rails 201, 202. However, more than two mounting rails 201, 202 per mounting rail arrangement 200 can also be provided.

The two mounting rails 201, 202 are arranged parallel to one another and at a distance from one another on the floor 102 of the basic housing 101. This is an example in 2 to recognize.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting rails 201, 202 can be designed as profile rails which have a C-shaped or C-like cross section. They then each have a type of undercut fastening channel 203 for one or more of the fastening devices 300 . Two or more of the fastening devices 300 are preferably provided for each fastening channel 203 .

A locking bolt 301 can be provided for each fastening device 300 and can have a locking head 302 with one or more spring arms 303 and a threaded shaft 304 .

The threaded shaft 304 can be screwed into a sliding block nut 305 . The respective sliding block nut 305 can be inserted into the respective receiving channel 203 from one of the axial open ends. It can be displaced there axially or in the direction in which the receiving channel 203 extends. In the mounted state, the threaded shaft 304 of the respective locking bolt 301 screwed into the sliding block nut 305 engages in a gap in the C-shaped mounting rail 201, 202 and at least the locking head 302 protrudes outwards from the undercut fastening channel 203.

A spacer washer 306 and/or a spacer nut 306 can be arranged between the respective sliding block nut 305 and the respective locking head 302, which can bridge the height and/or the width of the gap of the respective c-shaped mounting rail 201, 202 in order to to optimize the fit of the fastening device 300.

A clamping pin 307 can also be provided, which can engage in the threaded nut 306 from the side facing away from the locking bolt 301 and ensures a good axial fit of the respective fastening arrangement 300 in the respective mounting rail 200 .

The support rails 401-403 preferably have a hat-like cross section or a C-like cross section. However, their cross section can also be chosen differently. It should preferably be designed in such a way that one or more of the electrical devices 500 can be fixed on the respective support rail 401, 402 and/or 403, in particular can be fixed in a row next to one another.

In this way, the electrical devices 500, in particular active or passive terminal blocks, can be preassembled on the respective mounting rail 401, 402, 403, in particular preassembled in accordance with an ordering process.

For pre-assembly, the electrical devices 301, 302, 303 can have fastening feet, for example snap-in feet, that correspond to the cross-section of the support rails. Such fastening feet are known per se to a person skilled in the art and therefore do not have to be described in detail here.

In a preferred embodiment, the support rails 401 - 403 can be provided with one or more receiving holes 404 . These receiving holes 404 are preferably designed in such a way that one of the latching heads 302 can be inserted through them, with the spring arms 303 being moved somewhat towards one another. As soon as the latching head 302 completely penetrates the respective receiving hole 404 in the respective mounting rail, the spring arms 303 of the spring head 302 can relax and the mounting rail 401, 402, 403 can be safely and easily in this area and can preferably be detached again from the respective mounting rail 201, 202 - fastened - here by a latching.

If two of the mounting rails 201, 202 are arranged parallel to one another, each of the mounting rails 401, 402, 403 can, for example, be latched to each of the two mounting rails 401, 402, 403 with one of the fastening means 300, for which purpose the fastening means 300 are in the receiving rails 201, 202 only have to be pushed under the respective through holes 404 of the support rails 401, 402, 403.

In this way, a type of preassembled unit, in particular a stable frame, can be formed from several of the support rails 401, 402, 403 and one or more, i.e. two or more, of the mounting rails 201, 202, which can be used preassembled in the transport container 100 100, preferably inserted is, wherein in advance on the mounting rails 401, 402, 403 according to the customer's requirements, the electrical devices 500, which can be, for example, active or passive terminal blocks or electronic devices such as I / O modules, power supplies or the like., May have been preassembled.

Any remaining free space up to the cover part can be filled with an insert 107, e.g. a foam mat. It is also conceivable to place an insert (not shown) under the preassembled unit.

The cover part and the basic housing 101 are preferably connected to one another with a locking device (not shown here in detail).

In this way, the preassembled support rails 401, 402, 403 with the electrical devices are securely packaged for transport, with the customer being able to see at a glance which of the support rails 401, 402, 403 is arranged where in the transport container 100. The customer removes the preassembled unit from the transport container 100, detaches the mounting rails 401, 402, 403 with the electrical devices 501, 502, 502 from the mounting rails 201, 202 and sends the transport container 100, preferably with the mounting rails 201, 202, back to the seller. The transport container 100 is thus preferably reusable. For this purpose, it can preferably consist of plastic or metal or several materials.

It is particularly simple and advantageous if additional information, in particular in the form of data, is noted on an identification device 600 in, on or on the transport container 100, which identifies the respective order or delivery.

So this information and data on the type and number of electrical devices 500, ... and the location of the respective support rail 401, 402, 403 in the transport container 100 include.

The identification code can be in the form of a barcode. However, it can be designed in a different way, for example as a data memory in combination with a transmitter and/or receiver unit, for example as an RFID tag and/or transmitter and/or receiver unit of a different type.

A particular advantage of a transport container 100 according to the invention, in particular the transport container 100 described above, can be seen in the fact that this transport container can be used for a particularly advantageous method for reusing transport containers in a method for configuring, ordering, manufacturing and delivering mounting rails with electrical devices .

Such an exemplary method is described below with reference to FIG 5 described.

In a step I, a customer configures one or more mounting rails 401, 402, 403, . This can preferably be designed in such a way that a type of digital twin of the product to be ordered is configured.

In step II, the customer orders the mounting rails 401, 402, 403, ... configured in step I, with the electrical devices 500 that are to be arranged next to one another.

In a step III, the provider produces the mounting rails 401, 402, 403, . 403, are pre-assembled in one or more of the transport containers 100. Furthermore, the respective transport container 100 is preferably provided with the identification code 600 .

The respective transport container 100 is then delivered to the customer in a step IV.

In step V, the customer then opens the transport container with the assembly rails 201, 202, the support rails 401, 402, 403 and the electrical devices 500 and the identification code 600.

The customer or user can order this arrangement again in a step VI - step II - or else start a new, different configuration to create a different configuration - step I - whereupon steps II to V can be run through again.

The order according to step VI can take place more or less automatically in that the ID code is read out of the transport container 100, e.g. via a data path such as "NFC" with a terminal such as a mobile phone or PC and is sent to the manufacturer via data transmission.

Reference List

100

transport container

101

basic housing

102

floor

103, 104, 105, 106

side walls

107

inlay

200

mounting rail arrangement

201, 202

mounting rails

203

recording channel

300

fastening devices

301

detent bolt

302

locking head

303

spring arms

304

threaded shank

305

sliding nut

306

spacer

307

roll pin

401, 402, 403

mounting rails

500

electronical devices

600

identification device

I, II, III, IV, V, VI

steps

Claims (15)

Transport container (100) for one or more mounting rail arrangements, characterized in that the transport container (100) has a basic housing (101) into which a preassembled unit is inserted, which has at least one mounting rail arrangement (200) consisting of one or more mounting rails (201, 202 ) with fastening devices (300) and one or more mounting rail arrangements fastened thereon with the fastening devices (300), each with a mounting rail (401 - 403) and each with one or more stackable electrical devices (500) mounted on the respective mounting rail. Transport container (100) after claim 1 , characterized in that the basic housing (101) has a base (102) and side walls (103, 104, 105, 106) perpendicular thereto, so that a trough-like receptacle is formed. Transport container (100) after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a frame is formed from several of the support rail arrangements (401, 402, 403) and several of the mounting rails (201, 202) as a preassembled unit, which is preassembled in the transport container (100) used, in particular is inserted, wherein on the mounting rails (401, 402, 403) the electrical devices (500, ...), which can be active or passive terminal blocks, for example, are mounted. Transport container (100) after claim 1 , 2 or 3 , characterized in that the mounting rail arrangement (20) arranged in the base housing (101) has at least two mounting rails (201, 202) arranged parallel to one another. Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective mounting rail (201, 202) is designed as a C-shaped profile rail which has an undercut receiving channel for one or more of the fastening devices (301, 302, ...). . Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening device (300) is provided with a locking bolt (301) which has a locking head (302) with one or more spring arms (303) for lockingly reaching through and fixing a through hole of a Has support rail (401, 402, 403) and a threaded shaft (304). Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective threaded shaft (304) can be screwed into a corresponding sliding block nut (305) which can be displaced axially in the receiving channel. Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spacer (306) and/or a spacer nut (306) is arranged between the respective sliding block nut (305) and the respective locking head (302). Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a dowel pin (307) is also provided, which ensures that the respective fastening arrangement (300) is seated axially in the respective mounting rail (200). Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support rails (401, 402, 403) have a hat-like cross section or a C-like cross section. Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with an identification device, in particular a barcode, an RFID chip or another transmitting and/or receiving unit on which information is noted, in particular in the form of data. Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information contains data on the number of electrical devices (500, ...) and/or the location of the respective mounting rail (401, 402, 403) in the transport container (100) and/or include a link to an automated ordering process and/or to a configuration program to reconfigure the order. Transport container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed to be reusable and consists of plastic and/or metal and/or other materials. Method for configuring, ordering, producing and delivering mounting rails with electrical devices, with the following steps: I) one or more mounting rails (401, 402, 403, ...) are configured with electrical devices (500) that can be lined up next to one another, in particular with a configuration program; II) the mounting rails (401, 402, 403, . . . ) configured in step I are ordered with the electrical devices (500) to be arranged in a row; III) the mounting rails (401, 402, 403, ...) configured by the customer in step I and ordered in step II are manufactured with the electrical devices (500) to be arranged on them, which can be lined up next to each other, and at the same time or afterwards the mounting rails (401 , 402, 403, ...) with the electrical devices (500) that are to be arranged in a row on mounting rails (201, 202) and these preassembled units from the mounting rails (201, 202) and the mounting rails (401, 402, 403, ...) set with the electrical devices (500) to be arranged in a row in one or more of the reusable transport containers (100), so that a transport container (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 14 is created, which is also provided with the identification code (600); IV) the respective transport container (100) is delivered; V) the transport container (100) with the assembly rails (201, 202), the support rails (401, 402, 403) and the electrical devices (500) and the identification code (600) is opened. procedure after Claim 14 , characterized in that after going through steps I to V in a step VI, the pre-assembled support rails (401, 402, 403) are ordered again or that n a new step I creates a new configuration, whereupon steps II to V or II to VI are run through again.

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