DE20211940U1 - Mounting rail for a busbar adapter and adapter system with such a mounting rail - Google Patents

Description

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

LAW FIRM

Boehmert & Bochmcrt · POB. 15 03 08 · D-80043 Munich

German Patent and Trademark Office Zweibrückenstrasse 12 80297 Munich

DR.-ING. KARL BOEHMERT, PAimw-mj)
DIPL-ING. ALBERT BOEHMERT ₁ &rgr;&agr;(19&Ogr;3.&igr;<»3)
WILHELM JH STAHLBERG, ha, &Bgr;«&trade;
DR.-ING. WALTER HOORMANN, pa·. &Bgr;«&trade;
DIPL.-PHYS. DR. HEINZ GODDAR, pa·. Munich
DR.-ING. ROLAND LIESEGANG, pa·, Munich
WOLF-DETER KUNTZE, ra Bmwn. Ahcww
DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER, pa(i933.is92)

DR. LUDWIG KOUKER, RA. Branen

DR. (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER, pa·. Bremen

MICHAELA HUTH-DIER1G, ra. Munich

DIPL.-PHYS. DR. MARION TÖNHARDT, pa·, Da^i

DR. ANDREAS EB ERT-WEIDEN FEL LER ₁ ra, Breme

DIPL-ING. EVA LIESEGANG, pa·. Some

DR. AXEL NORDEMANN, ra Bcrkn

DIPL.-PHYS. DR. DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS, pa

DIPL.-PHYS. DR. STEFAN SCHOHE, PA-.Mon.h",

DR.-ING. MATTHIAS PHILIPP, Pa-. B.ekfeui

DR. MARTIN WIRTZ, ra DOBeidorf

DR. DETMAR SCHAFER, RA, B _reB * _n

DR. JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM., RA tab»

DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCHOWSKI, ra Bm _1n

DR. CARL-RICHARD HAARMANN, Attorney at Law Munich

DIPL.-PHYS. CHRISTIAN W. APPELT, PA-.Munch=.

PA - Patent Attorney/Patent Altomey

RA - RechtsanwaH/Altomey at Law

&bull; - European Patent Attorney

^Q - Maitrc en Droil

° ■ Law License

AlU authorized to represent before the European Court of Human Rights, Alicante

Profinion»] RepresenUtion U the Community Trademark OfTiKe, Alicutte

PROF. DR. WILHELM NORDEMANN, r. P

DIPL.-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, PA·. Heh

DR.-ING. GERALD KLOPSCH, pa·. DüwUorf

DlPL-ING. HANS W. GROENING, pa·, Munich

DIPL-ING. SIEGFRIED SCHIRMER, pa·. Bielefeld

DIPL.-PHYS. LORENZ HANEWINKEL, P

DIPL-ING. ANTON FREIHERR RIEDERER V. PAAR, pa·. u

DIPL-ING. DR. JAN TÖNNIES, pa. ra Kiel

DIPL-PHYS. CHRISTIAN BIEHL, &rgr;&agr;·.&kgr;&idigr;«1

DIPL.-PHYS. DR.-ING. UWE MANASSE, pv.Bron«

DlPL PHYS. DR. TTiOMAS L. BlTTNER, pa·.Berlin

DR. VOLKER SCHMITZ, M. Juris (Oxford), lawyer Munich

DR. ANKE NORDEMANN-SCHIFFEL, ra-. Pond&trade;

DIPL-BlOL DR. JAN B. KRAUSS, PA, Berlin

DR. KLAUS TIM BRÖCKER, Attorney BoIm

DR. ANDREAS DUSTMANN, LLM.. RA Peud»

DIPL.-ING. NILS T. F. SCHMID, pa·. Mandw»

DR. FLORIAN SCHWAB, LLM., RA". Mündwn

DIPL.-BIOCHEM. DR. MARKUS ENGELHARD, pa. Munich

DIPL.-CHEM. DR. KARL-HEINZ METTEN, &rgr;a·. Frankfurt

DIPL.-ING. DR. STEFAN TARUTTIS, pa. D

PASCALDECKER ₁ RABE

DIPL-CHEM. DR. VOLKER SCHOLZ, pa B

In cooperation with DIPL-CHEM. DR. HAKS ULRICH MAY, p

Your sign
Your ref.

Your letter of

New registration

Our sign
Our ref.

B 20-41 Gbm

Munich,

02 August 2002 C/30/kh

Klaus Bruchmann
Am Ölberg 7a
96403 Coburg

Support rail for a S ammei rail adapter
and adapter system with such a mounting rail

The present invention relates to a support rail for a busbar adapter for mounting and fastening installation devices, in particular electrical installation devices, wherein the support rail can be fastened to the busbar adapter in different positions. The invention further relates to an adapter system which comprises at least one such support rail and at least one busbar adapter. Such a support rail or such an adapter system is particularly suitable for electrical busbar systems, in particular for three-phase busbar systems.

Pettenkoferstrasse 20-22 ■ D-80336 Munich -RCB ₄ J 5 03.08 · D-8,0043,Münclj<yi &bull;.Telephun _> +49-«9-S596S0· Telefax+49-89-347010

MUNICH - BREMEN - BERLIN -&Rgr;&Ogr;&phgr;&eacgr;-tJÖRF - FRAtiKiURj·- BIBCeFELEJ- POTSDAM*-·»^·-*£aD£ RBl)RN -J-A^SHtJT - HOHENKIRCHEN - ALICANTE

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BOEHMERT & BOEIiMERiS

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me and in particular for fastening security systems, switch fuse units, etc. but also for all other electrical installation devices.

For example, DE 42 42 704 C2 discloses a device for fastening electrical installation devices, which discloses a support rail for a busbar adapter and a corresponding busbar adapter, wherein the busbar adapter has two perforated strips arranged on the side that serve to accommodate screws. To fasten the support rail, screws are inserted through the openings in the support rail and then screwed into the corresponding positions of the respective holes in the perforated strip of the busbar adapter.

Such a system has the particular disadvantage that it is not possible to position the mounting rail on the busbar adapter in a continuously variable manner. Furthermore, the mounting rail cannot be removed, attached or moved if an installation device has already been placed on the mounting rail. Therefore, if the position of the mounting rail is to be changed if an installation device has already been placed or mounted, it must first be removed, which may also require electrical connections to be disconnected. Furthermore, the screws must be completely unscrewed from the corresponding holes in the perforated strip, which is difficult to handle and may also lead to the screws being lost.

From the German utility model DE 295 21 986 Ul, another busbar adapter with support rails is also known, in which the support rails are provided with a pre-stressed, spring-loaded locking lever which has a locking projection for engaging in locking teeth which are arranged in a guide rail within the adapter.

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The disadvantage of such a system is that positioning and in particular securing the positioning of the support rail on the bus adapter by means of a pre-tensioned spring-loaded locking lever is not very reliable, because the locking of the locking lever can be accidentally released. The force with which the support rail is held on the bus adapter is also relatively low, which also makes it easier for the locking to be accidentally released. This is associated with high risks, particularly in the electrical applications relevant here, because electrical connecting cables can be destroyed or damaged by an accidental slipping of the support rail. There is also a particular risk that destroyed cables come into contact with other conductive parts, which can cause short circuits or even endanger people. Such spring-loaded locking levers are also subject to severe fatigue due to frequent or improper use, which further exacerbates the disadvantages mentioned above.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a support rail and an adapter system which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art described above and in particular enables a secure and variable fastening of a support rail to a busbar adapter, which is user-friendly and yet safe, in particular with regard to the operation and positioning of the support rail.

This object is achieved by a support rail for a busbar adapter according to claim 1 and an adapter system according to claim 17. Claims 2 to 16 relate to particularly advantageous embodiments of the support rail according to the invention, claims 18 and 19 relate to particularly advantageous embodiments of the adapter system according to the invention according to claim 17.

According to the invention, the support rail comprises at least one clamping device with at least one adjustable or movable actuating element. The position of the beta

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The actuating element can be set or fixed between at least two positions relative to an associated fastening element provided on the support rail, whereby the positions can be set essentially independently of the associated adapter, i.e. in particular no special device has to be provided on the adapter itself which enables the actuating element to be set or fastened in the first place. The invention avoids in particular that a fastening element or a fastening device, such as a perforated strip, is provided on the busbar adapter, thereby avoiding the disadvantages described above. According to the invention, in at least one locking position of the actuating element, in order to produce a clamping effect, at least one element or even just a partial area of the element of the clamping device, which is part of the support rail, is pressed against at least a partial area of the adapter, so that the clamping effect or friction effect achieved prevents a relative movement between the support rail and the busbar adapter in the locking position of the actuating element.

Such a support rail has the particular advantage that, by providing both the actuating element and a fastening element on the support rail itself, the busbar adapter does not require corresponding fastening elements, such as the perforated strips according to the prior art described above. On the one hand, this means that the position of the support rail on the busbar adapter can be continuously adjusted, in contrast to the prior art in which the fastening element provided on the busbar adapter only allows discrete positions of the support rail to be adjusted, namely the distance between the individual holes in the perforated strips mentioned above.

Furthermore, in the case of the support rail according to the invention, it is not necessary to completely detach the actuating element from the support rail in order to adjust or move the support rail, since it is sufficient to simply loosen the actuating element, i.e. to move it from a locking position, with the actuating element still being connected to the support rail.

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ne and can be moved continuously to a new position together with the support rail. This avoids the need to reinsert an actuating element or losing it when moving or repositioning the support rail.

The invention thus provides a support rail which is on the one hand very user-friendly, and on the other hand can be adjusted very variably and continuously, so that it can be used for a variety of applications.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a screw is provided as the actuating element in at least one clamping device, whereby commercially available screws can be used, while the fastening element preferably comprises a bore whose wall area interacts with a thread of the screw. It is possible here for only a smooth bore to be provided on the fastening element, whereby the diameter of the bore and the diameter of the screw or the size of the screw are coordinated in such a way that the screw cuts its own thread in the preferably partially flexible material, such as a plastic material.

In another embodiment, however, it is also possible for the hole in the fastening element to already be provided with an internal thread that interacts with an external thread of a screw that is used as an actuating element. This solution is particularly intended when the material of the busbar adapter is a relatively hard material into which a screw or similar actuating element can only cut a thread with difficulty.

In a further preferred embodiment, at least one clamping device is designed such that in a locking position a portion of the busbar adapter is located between a screw head of a screw used as an actuating element and a

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Counter surface or pressure surface of the fastening element can be clamped. Such clamping of a partial area of the busbar adapter provides a particularly secure fastening. In addition, the strength of the relative securing can be regulated depending on how tightly the screw, which is used as the actuating element, is tightened. Of course, it is also possible to provide, for example, a washer or another intermediate element, so that the screw head or the counter surface or pressure surface of the fastening element does not act directly on a partial area of the busbar adapter, but only indirectly via an intermediately mounted or arranged element, or via several elements.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fastening element comprises a spreading device. Preferably, for example, a screw element is screwed into the fastening element provided with a spreading device, wherein at least one side area of the spreading device or a spreading element is pressed outwards away from the screw by screwing in the screw serving as a fastening element, or possibly another actuating element. The outwardly pressed areas of the spreading element can then be pressed against a partial area of the busbar adapter, preferably against a wall area, in particular an inner wall area, whereby a relative position between the support rail and the busbar adapter is established due to the generated static friction and/or clamping effect and a relative movement of the two elements against each other is reliably avoided, at least up to a certain, fixed force.

Within the scope of the invention, there are various possibilities for arranging the clamping device and in particular the actuating element and the associated fastening element on the support rail and with respect to the busbar adapter. The actuating element is preferably arranged in such a way that it can be adjusted between a locking position and an unlocking position essentially in a straight line in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter. The term "longitudinal axis"

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The "se" of the busbar adapter is generally understood to mean the direction in which the support rail can be moved or offset and arranged between the different positions on the busbar adapter.

This design has the particular advantage that the actuating element can be accessed from the front or from the side, which is generally very easy for the user. In particular, in cases where a screw is used as the actuating element, the actuating element can be easily accessed from the front or from the side using an appropriate tool, such as a screwdriver.

In a further preferred embodiment, at least one actuating element is arranged such that it is adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position essentially in a direction that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter. In particular, the actuating element is designed and positioned such that the actuating element can be accessed from above or from below, for example using a tool. Such a design of an actuating element or such an arrangement of an actuating element has the particular advantage that the actuating element can be accessed or unlocked or locked even if an installation device, for example a switch fuse unit, is already attached to the support rail. An actuating element that is accessed from the front, on the other hand, would already be covered by such an installation device and could therefore not be released or locked without first dismantling the installation device.

A similar advantage can also be achieved if the actuating element can be accessed from lateral directions.

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In cases where the clamping device and the actuating element are arranged in such a way that the actuating element can be accessed essentially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter or from lateral directions, it is therefore possible to first mount the installation devices on the support rail which is already arranged on the busbar adapter and then to bring the installation devices into the desired position by sliding the support rail on the busbar adapter and then to fix or lock them in this position without having to remove the installation devices by bringing the clamping devices into the locking position via the actuating element. This is particularly important, for example, in cases where, for example, two switch fuse units, each of which is to be mounted on a support rail, are to be connected to one another, these connections often being connected by a conductive, possibly rigid, connecting element provided between the switch fuse units, the contact being established precisely by the conductive connecting element being attached to one switch fuse unit and the second switch fuse unit then being moved towards the first switch fuse unit, whereby the contact is automatically established.

The directional indications "top", "bottom", "front" and "side" refer to a positioning of an adapter system as shown in Fig. 1, so that the directions "top" and "bottom" lie in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter, while the directions "front" and "side" run perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter. It should be understood that an adapter system can of course actually be positioned in space differently than shown in Fig. 1, without departing from the subject matter of the invention or changing the relative meaning of the directional indications with regard to the adapter system.

A particularly variable embodiment is achieved by providing at least two clamping devices, the directions in which the respective actuating elements can be moved between a locking position and an unlocking position

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are adjustable or the directions in which the actuating elements can be accessed for locking or unlocking do not run parallel to one another. Depending on the area of application and use and in particular depending on the type of installation device or devices mounted on the support rails, the probability is therefore very high that at least one of the actuating elements can be accessed without dismantling an installation device already mounted on the support rail, so that the desired positioning of the support rail can be set in a simple and reliable manner and the support rail can be reliably attached and secured to the busbar adapter.

This special design of a support rail also has the advantage that only one standardized support rail can be used for a wide variety of applications, so that different designs do not have to be provided for different applications, which makes the individual products very costly to manufacture, especially since different support rails require different tools for production, whereby, depending on the number of units, the tools cause a large part of the costs even in mass production.

It is particularly advantageous if the two directions from which at least two of the actuating elements can be accessed run essentially perpendicular to each other or the two actuating elements can each be adjusted in directions between a locking position and an unlocking position which run essentially perpendicular to each other, since in this way the clamping devices can be actuated from two completely different directions, which enables a large number of applications and the variable use of any installation devices to be attached.

In particular, an actuation direction that is provided essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of a busbar adapter can be advantageous, since an installation device in

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is usually placed on a support rail from the front, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter, so that access to the support rail from the front or access to the clamping device arranged on the support rail, in particular the actuating element, is not possible because the support rail and the actuating element are covered by the installed installation device. In addition to parallel mobility or parallel accessibility, lateral accessibility or mobility of the actuating element is also conceivable and preferred, i.e. from a direction essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter, but from a direction usually parallel to a longitudinal extension of the respective support rail.

To reinforce the fastening effect, it is provided in particularly advantageous embodiments that the support rail, and in particular the clamping device or the fastening element, is provided with a roughened surface or even with a structured surface at least in a partial area, so that a frictional effect or clamping effect is increased. A roughened surface increases the frictional resistance between a partial area of the support rail or the clamping device and a partial area of the busbar adapter, which, as described above, are pressed against one another by the clamping device, i.e. by the fastening element and the actuating element, so that relative mobility or displacement is avoided, while a structured surface can additionally provide a positive connection that supports and reinforces the clamping effect described above.

Preferably, a support rail is made of a plastic material, whereby a wide variety of plastic materials can be used, preferably polyamide, PA66 and/or PPS. In particular, non-conductive plastic materials and also glass fiber reinforced plastic materials are used as plastic materials.

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The invention further relates to an adapter system for mounting and fastening electrical installation devices with at least one busbar adapter and at least one support rail, as described above.

The adapter system preferably comprises a busbar adapter which has a roughened surface and/or a structured surface at least in some areas, which leads to the advantages described above. It is particularly advantageous that both the support rail and the busbar adapter are provided with a roughened surface and/or a structured surface. The busbar adapter is preferably made from a plastic material, particularly preferably from the same or a similar material as the associated support rails. It is also preferred to provide a non-conductive plastic material for the busbar adapter, in particular to provide additional insulation for safety reasons, in particular in the event that a current-carrying element accidentally or in the event of damage to individual devices comes into contact with either a support rail or a busbar adapter and current is possibly passed on through these elements, which can lead to a short circuit or endanger people.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the drawings described below, which schematically illustrate particularly advantageous embodiments of the support rail according to the invention or the adapter system according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of a first embodiment of an adapter system according to the invention with a support rail according to the invention;

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Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of an adapter system according to the invention with a support rail according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows schematically a cross-section through the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 along the line III-III;

Fig. 4 shows schematically a partial cross-section through the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 along the line IV-IV;

Fig. 5 shows schematically a representation, comparable to Fig. 4, of a third embodiment of an adapter system according to the invention with a support rail according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows schematically and in perspective view a first embodiment of an adapter system 10 according to the invention, which comprises a support rail 100 and a busbar adapter 200. The busbar adapter 200 is essentially elongated and has a longitudinal axis 202, parallel to which the support rail 100 can be moved along the busbar adapter 200.

The busbar adapter 200 further includes fasteners 210 by means of which the busbar adapter 200 can be attached to a busbar system (not shown).

The embodiment of the busbar adapter 200 shown in Fig. 1 further comprises a plurality of structured surfaces 220, which contribute to increasing the security of the support rail 100 in the respective position, which will be discussed in more detail below (see in particular the description of Fig. 4).

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Furthermore, the embodiment of the busbar adapter 200 shown in Fig. 1 comprises an opening 240 through which in particular connecting cables etc. can be led, to which installation devices not shown, for example a switch fuse unit which can be fastened to the support rail 100, can be connected.

A support rail 100 is attached to the busbar adapter 200, which comprises a base plate 110, from the edge region of which first webs 120 extend (forward) essentially at a right angle, to which second webs 130 are in turn attached, which again extend essentially at a right angle to the first webs 120 (up and down) and thus run essentially parallel to the base plate 110. This explained structure of the support rail 100 with base plate 110, first webs 120 and second webs 130 serves to attach installation devices, as shown in particular schematically in Fig. 5 and briefly explained in connection with this figure.

The embodiment of the support rail 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a total of 3 clamping devices, two clamping devices being essentially identical and each comprising an opening 112 in the base plate 110 of the support rail 100 and a screw 140 and a fastening element (150, see Figure 3), while another clamping device comprises a screw 160 and a spreading device 170. The individual clamping devices and their functions are explained in particular in Figure 3 and in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of an adapter system 10 with a support rail 100 and a busbar adapter 200, which essentially corresponds to the embodiments shown in Figure 1. Identical or similar components have therefore been provided with identical reference numerals.

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Figure 2 particularly shows the positioning of the openings 112 in the base plate 110 of the support rail 100, which are arranged offset when viewed in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter 200.

The screws 140 are commercially available screws with a screw head 142 which is provided with a Phillips slot.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the embodiment of the busbar adapter 200 shown in Figure 2 is provided with a total of four clamping devices, two of which are identical to those of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and two further clamping devices each comprise a screw 160 and a spreading device 170. The embodiment shown in Figure 2 therefore comprises two different types of clamping devices, each of which is interchanged with respect to a longitudinal axis of the busbar adapter 200 or is arranged essentially point-symmetrically with respect to a point lying on the longitudinal axis between the clamping devices. The functions of the clamping devices are explained in detail in the following figures.

Figure 3 shows schematically a cross section along the line III-III of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, in particular for explaining the clamping device which comprises the screw 140 and the fastening element 150.

As can be clearly seen in Figure 3, the screw 140 comprises a screw head 142 and a screw neck 144 provided with a thread 146.

The fastening element 150 has a bore 152 into which the screw 140 is inserted. The screw 140 and the fastening element 150 or the bore 152 are dimensioned such that the outer diameter of the thread 146 of the screw 140 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the bore 152 in the fastening element 150, essentially the inner diameter of the bore 152 corresponds to the outer diameter of the

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Screw 140 without thread 146, so that when the screw 140 is inserted into the bore 152 of the fastening element 150, a thread is essentially cut into the bore 152.

The fastening element 150 further comprises a counter surface 154, also referred to as a pressure surface or clamping surface, wherein in the locking state of the adapter system 10 shown in Figure 3, the screw head 142 of the screw 140, more precisely a part of the lower surface of the screw head 142, clamps with the counter surface 154 of the fastening element 150 a web 260 of the busbar adapter 200, which runs essentially parallel to the base plate 110 of the support rail 100 and extends essentially at a 90° angle from a web 250, so that the support rail 100 is firmly clamped to the busbar adapter 200, so that a relative displacement of the support rail 100 with respect to the busbar adapter 200 is not possible.

It should be pointed out at this point that a similar fastening is possible on the opposite side, on the right in Fig. 3, but this is not shown in Fig. 3 due to the sectional shape of the illustration. It should also be pointed out, however, that additional fastening using a further clamping device is possible, but not absolutely necessary, since the clamping device shown in Fig. 3 with the screw 140 on the fastening element 150 already ensures sufficient securing of the support rail 100 to the busbar adapter 200. It should also be pointed out that the strength of the clamping effect of the screw 140 and the fastening element 150 is adjustable, depending on how far the screw 140 is screwed into the fastening element 150, so that the strength of the clamping effect can be adjusted by the user and depending on the application.

Fig. 4 shows schematically a cross section along the line IV-IV of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, wherein in Fig. 4 in particular the second clamping device with a screw 160 and a spreading device 170 is shown, so that their functioning is clear.

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With regard to the screw 140 and the fastening element 150 and their functioning, reference is made to the above description with regard to Fig. 3.

The second type of clamping device, which is used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 and 4, comprises a screw 160 and a spreading device 170, which also takes on the tasks of the fastening element 150 shown in Fig. 3 in such a way that the screw 160 is inserted into a bore 176 of the spreading device 170. For the dimensioning of the bore 176 and the screw 162, reference is made to the corresponding explanations for Fig. 3. However, it should be pointed out at this point that it is also possible in principle for the bore 176 to already be provided with an internal thread which is designed in such a way that an external thread 166 of the screw 160 engages in this internal thread, so that a secure fastening of the screw 160 in the spreading device 170 is ensured.

As can be clearly seen in Fig. 4, the screw 160 comprises a screw head 162 which is provided with conical side surfaces 164. If the screw 160 is now screwed into the bore 176, the conical side surfaces 164 press against inclined counter surfaces of an expansion element 172 of the expansion device 170, so that the expansion element 172 is pressed outwards with respect to a longitudinal axis of the screw 160.

In Fig. 4, the clamping device is in an unlocking position in which the spreading element 172 is not pressed against a clamping surface, here a structured surface 220 of the busbar adapter 200, so that the clamping device shown in Fig. 4 with screw 160 and spreading device 170 would enable the support rail 100 to be moved.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, the expansion element 172 is also provided with a structured surface 174 which engages in the structured surface 220 of the busbar adapter 200 when the expansion element 172 is pressed against the structured surface 220 when the screw 160 is further screwed in, so that the teeth of the structured surfaces

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74, 220 interlock and thus increase the clamping or locking effect of the clamping device.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of an adapter system and a representation that is comparable to the representation in Fig. 4. Identical or similar elements have been provided with identical reference numerals and reference is made to the description of Fig. 4.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 corresponds to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 with the exception that a spreading element 172' is not provided with a structured surface but with a substantially smooth, unstructured surface 178. The same applies to the busbar adapter 200, which also has only an unstructured surface 230 or clamping surface.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the clamping device is in a locking state in which the screw 160 is screwed so far into the bore 170 that the conical side surfaces 164 press the expansion element 172' outwards with respect to a longitudinal axis of the screw and against the unstructured surface 230 of the busbar adapter 200, so that a clamping effect and a locking is achieved. The clamping effect is ensured here only by the pressure and the resulting friction and possibly also partial deformation of the slightly flexible plastic material from which the device is made. The strength of the clamping effect can also be varied in this clamping device and depends on how far the screw 160 is screwed into the bore 176.

In addition, Fig. 5 shows in schematic form an installation device 300 which is placed on the support rail 100, wherein the installation device 300 is designed such that it engages behind the webs 130 of the support rail 100, so that a secure fastening of the installation device 300 is ensured.

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The support rails 100 and busbar adapters 200 shown in Fig. 1 to 5 are made of glass fiber reinforced PA66. However, other materials can also be used for the support rails 100 and the busbar adapters 200, for example PPS. Preferably, matching support rails 100 and busbar adapters 200 are made of an identical material, but it is also possible to select different materials for the support rail 100 and busbar adapter 200.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments both individually and in any combination.

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List of reference symbols

10 Adapter system

100 mounting rail

110 Base plate (support rail)

112 openings (base plate)

120 first webs (support rail)

130 second webs (support rail)

140 Screw (actuating element)

142 screw head

144 Screw neck

146 thread · ·
· ··
· ·
· !
· ·
·· ··· 150 Fastener 152 Hole (fastening element) 154 Counter surface (fastening element) 160 Screw (actuating element) 162 Screw head 164 conical side surface (screw head) 166 thread 170 Spreading device 172, 172' Spreader element 174 structured surface (spreading element) 176 Bore (spreading device) .··. .··. .**. ·&diams; ·· :*'::. :"*.
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178 unstructured surface (spreading element)

200 busbar adapters

202 Longitudinal axis (busbar adapter)

210 Fastening (busbar adapter)

220 structured surface (busbar adapter)

230 unstructured surface (busbar adapter)

240 Breakthrough

250 Steg (busbar adapter)

260 Bridge (busbar adapter)

300 Installation device

EN 202 119M

Claims (19)

1. Support rail ( 100 ) for a busbar adapter ( 200 ) for placing and fastening electrical installation devices ( 300 ), wherein the support rail ( 100 ) can be fastened in different positions to the busbar adapter ( 200 ), characterized in that the support rail ( 100 ) comprises at least one clamping device with at least one adjustable actuating element ( 140 , 160 ) which can be adjusted between at least two positions relative to an associated fastening element ( 150 , 170 ) provided on the support rail ( 100 ), wherein in at least one locking position to produce a clamping effect, at least one element ( 142 , 172 , 172 ') of the clamping device provided on the support rail ( 100 ) or a partial area of this element ( 142 , 172 , 172 ') is pressed against a partial area ( 220 , 230 , 260 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ) so that a relative movement between the support rail ( 100 ) and the busbar adapter ( 200 ) is prevented. 2. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one actuating element is a screw ( 140 , 160 ). 3. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the associated fastening element comprises a bore ( 152 , 176 ) whose wall region interacts with a thread ( 146 , 166 ) of the screw ( 140 , 160 ). 4. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the bore is provided with an internal thread. 5. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one clamping device is designed such that in a locking position a partial area ( 260 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ) can be clamped between a screw head ( 142 ) of a screw ( 140 ) serving as an actuating element and a counter surface ( 154 ) of the fastening element ( 150 ). 6. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one clamping device is designed such that a fastening element comprises a spreading device ( 170 ). 7. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an actuating element ( 140 , 160 ) of at least one clamping device is adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position essentially in a straight line in a direction which runs essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis ( 202 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ). 8. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an actuating element ( 140 , 160 ) of at least one clamping device is adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position essentially in a straight line in a direction which runs essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis ( 202 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ). 9. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that at least two clamping devices are provided, wherein the direction in which a fastening element ( 140 ) is adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position is not parallel to a direction in which a second fastening element ( 160 ) is adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position. 10. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that the two directions in which the respective fastening elements ( 140 , 160 ) are adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position run substantially perpendicular to each other. 11. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one actuating element ( 140 ) can be actuated from a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ( 202 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ). 12. Support rail ( 100 ) according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one actuating element ( 140 ) can be actuated through an opening in the support rail ( 100 ). 13. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one actuating element ( 160 ) can be actuated from a direction which runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ( 202 ) of the busbar adapter ( 200 ). 14. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support rail has a roughened surface at least in a partial area to reinforce the clamping effect. 15. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support rail has, at least in a partial area, a structured surface ( 174 ) to reinforce the clamping effect. 16. Support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support rail ( 100 ) is made of a plastic material. 17. Adapter system ( 10 ) for mounting and fastening electrical installation devices ( 300 ) with at least one busbar adapter ( 200 ) and at least one support rail ( 100 ) according to one of the preceding claims. 18. Adapter system ( 10 ) according to claim 17, characterized in that the busbar adapter ( 200 ) and/or the support rail ( 100 ) have a roughened surface at least in a partial area. 19. Adapter system ( 10 ) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the busbar adapter ( 200 ) and/or the support rail ( 100 ) have a structured surface ( 220 ; 174 ) at least in a partial area.