DE29905631U1 - Meter and distribution cabinet - Google Patents

Description

ABN-o2igDE :":·: :": : . :"::":

-1-

DESCRIPTION

Meter and distribution cabinet
TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a meter or distribution cabinet made of a metallic housing. For the introduction of
electrical cables with regularly different sizes

The housing has diameters in its ceiling, its
floor, its back wall or its side walls
Recesses. Through each of these recesses in the housing
several cables can be routed through. Due to
electrical protection regulations, the inside of the metal housing and the surrounding recesses for the cable entry must be covered with
lined with electrically non-conductive material.

STATE OF THE ART

There are various plate-like cable bushings made of plastic material with which the metallic
Housing recesses can be closed. The cables leading into the housing are routed through these so-called cable ducts.

DE 75 19 715 U provides a cable entry for
Telecommunication cable end distributor or end splitter. The cable feedthrough, designed as a plate, has several

Cable grommets connected to each other via webs, which are designed in a stepped pyramid shape. By separating in the
Cross-section of different sized pyramid truncated pyramids can have different sized cable passages
or grommet cross-sections are exposed.

31 March 1999 &idigr;&Idigr; J . &Sgr; II.I. · *..! ^# ··

Such a plate is clamped into the housing recess. Due to the relatively rigid design of the grommets and thus of the entire plate, the amount of work required to insert cables is relatively high. Careful work is also required during assembly, i.e. when inserting cables, as pyramid truncations that are too large in relation to the cable to be inserted must not be cut off, thus exposing grommet cross-sections that are too large.

A cable feedthrough for a housing wall of a meter or distribution cabinet is known from DE 39 15 007 C2. The cable feedthrough consists of a plate-shaped cover that is attached to the housing recess. The cover is made of such a soft material in its plate-like inner area that the cables to be inserted can be pushed through it. In the spatially clearly defined areas provided for this purpose, truncated cone-shaped bulges are also present. This cable feedthrough is also available as a separate component to the cabinet housing, which increases the storage of such barriers in an economically disadvantageous way. The two-part design of the housing and cable feedthrough also makes assembly more difficult, i.e. the assembly work for inserting cables into such barriers. It is advantageous, however, that the arrangement of the bulges in the cover specifies the places where the cables can be easily inserted. This makes it possible to insert cables in the area of each recess in a mutually aligned manner.

In the cable feedthrough known from EP 0 676 093 Bl, the entire area of the housing recess is covered with an easily pierceable, soft, elastic, elastomer-crosslinked material. This material has

ABN-021gDE
March 31, 1999

a Shore A hardness of 4 to 30, an elongation at break of 400 to 700% (percent) and a tear resistance of 9 to 14 N/mm. This cable duct can be injected into a plastic housing as a single piece and with a material bond, or the cable duct can be used as a separate cover part for the recess of a metal housing, as with the known cable ducts mentioned above. These cable ducts are intended to enable cables to be led through the cable duct and thus through the housing recess at any point and no longer in a predetermined mutual alignment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of specifying a cable feedthrough for recesses in a metallic housing of meter and distribution cabinets, which enables both an economical production of such a barrier and an economical assembly technique when introducing cables into such a barrier.

This invention is defined by the features of claim 1. Sensible further developments of the invention are the subject of subclaims.

According to the invention, the molded part in the meter and distribution cabinet, in which the cable feedthrough is integrated, represents on the one hand a part of the outer wall of the cabinet housing. On the other hand, this molded part also simultaneously forms the insulating layer required in the corner area of such a metal cabinet housing.

ABN-021gDE &Idigr; I *&idigr; III. I Il I

31 March 1999 III ·· I'".*' **l "I

-A-

Lining. The cable feedthrough is therefore not a separate part of the cabinet, but an integral part of the cabinet. At the same time, the internal insulation of the metal housing of this cabinet in the corresponding area of this "cable feedthrough", i.e. in the area of the molded part that this cable feedthrough has, can be dispensed with. In addition, the two-layer different thicknesses in the area of each of the areas provided for the cable feedthrough allow a certain tolerance when inserting the cables and still allow the cables to be aligned in such a way that the cables can be quickly and precisely inserted into the cabinet in the "correct" position and secured there. The inner, thin area of the film-like layer allows easy penetration. The ring-shaped area surrounding this inner area, which is thicker in comparison, enables the cables to be aligned so that the cables slide with their axis into the axis of the inner area. The larger ring-shaped area fits tightly against the outside of the cable sheath.

According to the embodiments also shown in the drawing, the film-like layer is present in the area of all the intended openings and the areas in between, which consist of the relatively rigid plastic material of the molded part. Such a molded part can then be manufactured in a two-layer injection molding process. The two different layers, on the one hand the relatively rigid plastic material from which the molded part with the openings is made, and on the other hand the easily pierceable film-like layer material that covers the area of the openings and the area of the relatively rigid plastic material in the area of the housing recess

ABN-021gDE ;"· ·· j". · _# l";t"

31 March 1999 · · ; ^# · ·'··· · ·*: ··

-5-

can be thermoplastically bonded together sufficiently firmly during the manufacturing process.

If the film-like material has been pierced in too many places or in places that are later found to be incorrect, practically the entire area intended for the cable feedthrough can be removed from the molded part. For this purpose, predetermined breaking points can be provided in the area of the molded part intended for the cable feedthrough. These predetermined breaking points are then preferably present in both the relatively rigid material and the film-like material, one on top of the other, so that the corresponding molded part area can easily be broken off from the rest of the molded part, for example.

There may be further openings in the molded part that are not closed by a film-like layer. In addition, there may also be predetermined breaking points in the relatively rigid material in the molded part so that they can be used to separate out defined areas in the relatively rigid plastic material for passing through cables. Such predetermined breaking points can be designed as linear weakenings.

The molded part can be designed at an angle, as can be seen from the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. In order to facilitate the manufacture of such molded parts, parts of such molded parts that meet at an angle can be connected to one another in one piece using film hinges. It is then possible to manufacture the molded part in question "in the plane". The tool costs and thus the manufacturing costs for such molded parts can be reduced significantly as a result.

ABN-021gDE
March 31, 1999

In the molded part, which is an integral part of the cabinet housing, devices can be provided for attaching holders, by means of which cable assemblies or the like can be easily attached to the molded part later during assembly. These devices can contain guide rails along which appropriately shaped holders can be inserted and thus attached to the molded part. These guide rails can be angled or dovetail-shaped or similarly profiled in cross-section.

In order to enable an electrically tight connection of the molded part to the metal housing, linear bulges can be present in the edge area of the foil-like layer. The housing sheet can then be placed on these linear bulges, which are present in particular next to trench-like indentations. The elastically flexible foil-like layer then lies tightly against the housing sheet resting on it from the inside. The width of the trench-like indentation next to this bulge allows the housing sheet to rest on the indentation with tolerance. A tight frontal contact of this housing sheet with the molded part or with its elastic foil-like layer is not absolutely necessary. Despite manufacturing tolerances in the size of the molded part on the one hand and the housing sheet on the other, which cannot be reduced to zero in practice, a tight connection between the housing sheet and the molded part can be ensured.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the features listed in the claims and in the following exemplary embodiments. 35

31 March 1999 y y y · y y···· · *·"| *··|

-7-

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is described and explained in more detail below using the embodiments shown in the drawing. They show:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section through the corner area of a meter or distribution cabinet according to the invention, with the molded part present in the corner area being shown in its installed position and in its manufacturing position being shown in dash-dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the upper outside of the molded part according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 a cross-section through the molded part according to Fig. 1 in its manufacturing position,

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the molded part according to Fig. 3 with its lead-through areas for electrical cables,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of another molded part according to the invention,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section along the line VI - VI of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a holder that can be inserted into the molded part according to Fig. 5 and

Fig. 8 is a side view of the holder according to Fig. 7.

ABN-O 2 IgDE ··

March 31, 1999 ·

1 I \ ! &iacgr;

-8th-

WAYS TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

In a meter or distribution cabinet 10, the upper rear corner 14 and the upper front corner 16 of its metal housing 12 are shown in Fig. 1.

An opening 26 is provided between the corners 14, 16 and the housing plates 22, 24 located there in the area of the ceiling of the housing 12. Electrical cables 28 can be introduced from the outside into the interior of the cabinet 10 through this opening 26. The cables 28 are indicated with their axes.

The upper flange 32 of a molded part 30 is inserted into the opening 26. In the present case, the molded part 30 is screwed to the housing 12 via screw connections 20 (Fig. 4). The molded part 30 has a rear flange 34 that closes an opening 36 that is recessed in the area of the housing plate 23 that forms the rear wall. Cables 28, of which again only the axis is indicated, can also be led from the outside into the interior of the cabinet 10 through this opening 36.

The rear flange 34 is attached to the upper flange 32 via a film hinge 38. This film hinge 38 represents the one-piece connection between the adjacent flanges 32, 34. The two flanges are made of relatively rigid plastic 40 in the area of the film hinge 38 and the adjoining areas. In the area of the cable ducts, this rigid material is present as a plate 42 or 44. In this plate 42, 44 there are circular openings 46, 46.1, 46.2 or 46.3 and 46.4.

ABN-021gDE · · ·· ··· · · · &igr;

March 31, 1999 · J \ *\ \**\* * ***2 ***!

-9-

A highly elastic layer 50 is applied to the plate 42 using a two-spray process. This highly elastic layer 50 is also present in the area of the openings 46. The highly elastic layer 50 thus covers the upper flange 32 and - in the present example - also the rear flange 34 from the outside.

Layer 50 has a Shore A hardness of greater than 50, especially between 60 and 65. Its elongation at break is over 700 percent, especially between about 705 and 720 percent. Its tear strength is about 15 to 20 N/mm, especially 17 and 18 N/mm.

In the area of the openings 46, the highly elastic layer 50 is stepped in two different thicknesses. Thus, in the area of each opening 46, there is an outer ring area 52 with a thickness 54 and a central area 56, which is framed by the outer ring area 52, with a smaller thickness 58. In the present example, a central area 56 with the same diameter is formed for all openings 46. The outer ring areas 52 are correspondingly different, depending on the diameter of the opening 46 in question. The underside of the highly elastic layer 50 in the area of each opening 46 is flush with the inside of the plate 42 or 44.

In the outer edge area of the upper flange 32, a linear predetermined breaking point 60, 62 is formed in the plate 42 and in the layer 50 above it. This allows the inner area of the plate 42 with the various openings 46 to be broken out from the remaining area of the upper flange 32. It could then be possible to 35

ABN-021gDE .*\ _m S .'\ I

March 31, 1999 ! *· &iacgr; · &idigr; J &idigr;·!· · *···*··!

-10-

A separate cable feedthrough plate can be placed, for example screwed, on the flange remainder that then encloses an opening like a frame. This could be necessary if too many or "wrong" openings are pierced by cables. This separate plate could be designed with comparable openings 46 and thus similar to the above plate 42. However, a cable feedthrough plate known in the prior art could also be used.

On the peripheral edge of the upper flange 32, an outwardly projecting longitudinal ridge 70 is formed in the upper layer 50. Towards the inside, a trench-like longitudinal groove 72 is formed next to the longitudinal ridge 70. The areas of the longitudinal groove 72 and the longitudinal ridge 70 are lowered so that a housing sheet 24 (Fig. 2) or 22 (left in Fig. 1) resting on the longitudinal ridge 70 does not protrude outward with its outer side 74 beyond the outer side of the highly elastic layer 50.

The formation of the longitudinal ridge 70 in the highly elastic layer 50 ensures that the housing sheets 22, 24 are securely seated on the upper layer 50. In this respect, the reveal of the housing sheet 22, 24, ie the front side of these sheets 22, 24 in the area of the opening 26, does not need to lie laterally against the highly elastic layer 50. A gap 76 can be present there, which takes manufacturing tolerances between the size of the opening 26 and the size of the upper flange 32 into account.

In the present case, 46 different steps 78 are formed in the area of the various openings. In general, a two-stage step 35 is used.

ABN-021gDE .". .: .".I .·*..".

March 31, 1999 · j · · · j···· · *··'*··;

-li ve, as shown in the area of the upper flange 32. Multi-stage steps 78.2 in the area of the rear flange 34 are also possible. In addition, the rear flange 34 can also be made only from the relatively rigid plastic material 40. The options then available for passing cables through can be designed with different sized, for example concentrically formed circular weakening lines in this material 40, as is known in the prior art.

The molded part 30 is manufactured in the position shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rear flange 34 is thus formed parallel to the upper flange 32. This is possible due to the formation of the film hinge 38.

In addition, at the right end of the upper flange 32 in Fig. 1 there is a cover part 90 which, when inserted into the housing 12, is folded inwards by 90° (degrees). The cover part 90 closes off a gap 92 at the top which is present between the outer housing sheet 24 and an inner plastic covering. The inner plastic covering 94 delimits the interior towards the front of the housing 12, into which cables 28 can be fed from above through the upper flange 32 of the molded part 30. A film hinge 38 is also formed between the cover part 90 and the upper flange 32.

The rear flange 34 of the molded part 30 has a longitudinal groove 96 at its lower end, into which the housing plate 23 forming the rear wall of the housing 12 is inserted from below.

ABN-O2IgDE 31 March 1999

-12-

On the front wall 80 connecting the two flanges 32, 34, which is practically only present in the edge area of these two flanges, a spring tongue 84 is formed on a wall stub 82 located there at a distance from the upper flange 32.

This spring tongue can be pivoted clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1. This movement occurs when a fastening device, in this case in the form of a C-rail 85, is inserted, from right to left in the drawing. When the C-rail 85 is inserted into the molded part 3 0, the rail 85 pivots the spring tongue 84 clockwise. As soon as the C-rail 85 has reached its position shown in Fig. 1, the spring tongue 84 snaps back anti-clockwise and lies from above into the free interior of the C-rail 85. A comparable holder can be provided in the lower area of the C-rail 85.

On the side 88 of the C-rail 85 containing the longitudinal slot, which faces to the right in Fig. 1, electrical assemblies or similar components can then be screwed into the screw holes provided next to the longitudinal slot of the C-rail 85.

The molded part 30.2 shown in Fig. 5 and 6 corresponds essentially to the molded part 30 described above. Therefore, the inner area 42.2 of the upper flange 32.2, which has the openings 46, is not shown again. A rear flange 34.2 is connected to this upper flange 32.2 via a film hinge 38. The rear flange 34.2 consists entirely of the relatively rigid plastic material 40. The cable feedthroughs provided in the rear flange 34.2, which are not shown in the drawing, are marked by circular weakening lines in this material 40. By breaking out the

ABN-O2IgDE 31 March 1999

-13-

05

Internal fields of different cross-sections, framed by these circular weakening lines, allow cables of different thicknesses to be led through the rear flange 34.2 into the interior of the cabinet 10.2. This design option for a rear flange 34 has already been mentioned above for the cabinet 10.

Fastening devices are provided in the frame area 42.3 delimiting the inner area 42.2, for example to fasten holders 100 to the molded part 30.2. By means of such holders 100, electrical components or other parts to be arranged in the interior of the relevant cabinet 10.2, such as the aforementioned C-rail 85, can be easily and without problems fastened, in particular screwed on.

The fastening devices in the upper frame area 42.4 in Fig. 5 consist of profiled grooves 106, 108 formed in the webs 102 present there. Appropriately shaped cantilever walls of holders can be inserted into these grooves and these holders can thus be fastened in the area of these grooves 106, 108.

25

35

In the frame area 42.3 on the right in Fig. 5 (and in the same way in the opposite left) there are also longitudinal grooves 110 and adjacent T-grooves 112 at two points 114, 116. A holder 100 can be inserted into each of these points 114, 116 from the direction of the inner area 42.2. For this purpose, this holder 100 has cantilever walls 118, 120 projecting downwards. These cantilever walls 118, 120 engage in the T-groove 112, as shown in the area of point 114 in Fig. 6. When inserted, a

ABN-021gDE ,«. .t .".J ^ .". .".

31 March 1999 · · J · · j *···' · *···*···

-14-

A split projection 122 projecting downwards from cantilever walls 118, 120 fits into the longitudinal groove 110. This is also shown in the area of point 114. The holder 100 can thus be fastened to the molded part 305 in the frame area 42.3. The molded part 30.2 and thus the "cable duct" simultaneously represent an abutment and anchoring option for holders to be fastened to the cabinet 10.2.

Claims (1)

31 March 1999 · ' I . I Si··· · *··; "I EXPECTATIONS 01) Electrical meter and distribution cabinet (10) - with a metallic housing (12), - with at least one recess (26) in the wall or ceiling (22, 24) of the housing (12) for passing through several electrical cables (28), - with a molded part (30) made of relatively rigid plastic material (40) in the area of the recess (26), - with at least one opening (46) in the molded part (30) through which an electrical cable (28) can be passed, and - with a highly elastic film-like layer (50) closing this opening (46), which is thermoplastically connected to the rigid part (40) of the molded part (30), characterized in that - the foil-like layer (50) in the area of all these openings (46) and in the areas between them made of the relatively stiff plastic material (40) is present in one piece, - the molded part (30) is partially the outer wall of the housing (12) and at the same time is present as an inner, insulating lining in the corner area of the housing, - in the region of each opening (46), an inner region (56) of the film-like layer (50) with a small, first thickness (58) is surrounded by an annular region (52) of the film-like layer (50) with a larger, second thickness (54). 02) Cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that - several openings (46) of different sizes in the molded part, closed by the film-like layer (30) are present. ABN-o2igDE ... .: .··.: . &igr;"::": March 31, 1999 -2- 03) Cabinet according to claim 2, characterized in that - the existing openings (46) of different sizes have an equally large inner region (56) of the film-like layer (50). 04) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the film-like layer (50) has the following material properties: -- a Shore A hardness of >50, in particular from 60 to 65; -- an elongation at break of more than 7 00 % (percent), in particular of about 705 to 720 %; -- a tear resistance of 15 to 20 N/mm, in particular of about 17 or 18 N/mm. 05) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the molded part (30) is designed as a corner part such that the corner part simultaneously forms two partial areas of angularly abutting outer walls of the housing. 06) Cabinet according to claim 5, characterized in that - a plate-like region of the molded part, which has at least one opening closed by the film-like layer, has predetermined breaking points such that - this plate-like region can be easily removed from the remaining region of the molded part. ABN-o2igDE 31 March 1999 ; : I .1 !'..j·· ··; " -3- 07) Cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that - the predetermined breaking points (60, 62) are present one above the other in the rigid plastic material (40) and in the film-like layer (50). 08) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - there is at least one further opening in the molded part that is not closed by a film-like layer. 09) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in the relatively rigid plastic material of the molded part there are partial areas separated from one another by predetermined breaking points. 10) Cabinet according to claim 9, characterized in that - the predetermined breaking points represent linear weakenings of the material. 11) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - two parts (34, 32, 90) of the molded part (30) which abut one another at an angle are connected to one another in one piece via a film hinge (38). 12) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - Devices (110, 112) for attaching holders (100) for fastening cables and/or electrical assemblies to the molded part (30) are provided. ABN-021gDE
March 31, 1999 -4- 13) Cabinet according to claim 12, characterized in that - Spring tongues (84) and/or locking lugs are provided for fastening mounting rails (85). 14) Cabinet according to claim 13, characterized in that - a spring tongue (84) is provided for snapping into the free front surface of a C-rail (85). 15) Cabinet according to claim 12, characterized in that - Guide rails (106, 108, 110, 112) for inserting the holders (100) are present on the molded part (30). 16) Cabinet according to claim 15, characterized in that - the guide rails in cross-section are angled and/or dovetail-shaped or similar profiled recesses in the molded part. 17) Cabinet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a linear bulge (70) is present in the edge region of the film-like layer (50). 18) Cabinet according to claim 17, characterized in that - there is a bulge (70) which tapers conically towards the outside in cross-section. 19) Cabinet according to claim 17 and/or 18, characterized in that - a linear, trench-like indentation (72) is present next to the bulge (70).