FR2719736A1 - Moulded panel for front of electrical equipment cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

The front plate (10) is intended to be fitted to a pair of parallel uprights (11) in order to form one panel of a cabinet for electrical equipment. Each upright includes a circular section rib (23) on the inward facing edge.The panel itself includes curved elastic edges (16) which clip over the circular ribs of the two supports. Holes are provided in the curved sections, allowing the blade of a screwdriver to be inserted to unclip the sections when required. The panel may be fitted at any vertical level, and a number may be used as necessary.

Description

"Mounting device for front plate to be brought in two
uprights, especially for a cabinet or other cabinet
electric, and corresponding plastron and box "
The present invention relates generally to boxes, cupboards or other furniture of this type, which, such as distribution boxes for example, are intended for housing electrical appliances.

 It relates more particularly to the front plates which it is customary to attach to two uprights in the front part of such a box to make the live part of the electrical devices concerned inaccessible, only the front part being accessible through a window of these front plates. of these electrical devices.

 More specifically, again, the present invention relates to a mounting device for such a faceplate and the faceplates and boxes specific to the implementation of such a mounting device.

 The mounting device according to the invention is generally characterized in that it comprises, on at least one of the two uprights to be fitted, a support column, which, parallel to this amount, runs on a part at less than the height thereof, and, on the faceplate, a hooking lip, by which the faceplate is able to snap resiliently onto this support column.

 Thus, all screws are advantageously avoided.

 Preferably, the support column has, on the outside, in cross section, a generally circular outline.

 It can thus advantageously serve as a hinge for the faceplate, the yeast for attachment thereof having itself in cross section a complementary circular contour.

 In other words, it is advantageously possible to pivot the front plate according to the invention on a support column, in the manner of a door, which, if necessary, advantageously allows access to the rear part of the cabinet. without a complete disassembly of this plastron.

 Preferably, also, if the mounting of the faceplate on a support column is advantageously done without tools, by simple snap-fastening on the latter, it is not the same with its dismantling.

 On the contrary, and in accordance with the normative provisions in this area, it requires a tool.

 For example, it is the simple blade of a screwdriver whose implementation is done by means of a hole which, provided locally for this purpose on the hooking lip of the faceplate, gives access to the baluster support, to support it in the manner of a lever, and, preferably, to facilitate this implementation, the support column is, parallel to its generator, locally truncated by a flat on at least part of his height.

 Preferably, one and the other of the two uprights to be fitted carries a support column, and, as a corollary, the faceplate has a hooking lip along each of its lateral edges, over the entire height of these.

 The faceplate is thus completely symmetrical, which, by reversing 180 in its plane, advantageously allows it to be implemented either on one side or the other.

 At the same time, it can advantageously be opened either to the right or to the left, by pivoting on one or the other of its support columns.

 According to a possible embodiment, the support column equipping an upright extends over the entire height of the latter.

 Alternatively, it extends only over a fraction of this height.

 According to a development of this alternative embodiment, the support column is divided into at least two sections, which are staggered in height along the upright, and which, each comprising, in correspondence with one another, a bore of circular cross section, form two knuckles for a pivot element fitted with complementary hinges and carrying a faceplate of another type.

 Thus, it can advantageously be envisaged the use of faceplates of two different types, either individually or jointly.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plastron according to the invention in place on the two uprights which it must equip;
Figure 2 is, on a larger scale, a partial cross-sectional view of the assembly, along the line Il-Il of Figure 1
Figure 3 is, on a different scale, and with local cutaway, a longitudinal sectional view of the plastron according to the invention, along the line III-III of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is, on the scale of Figure 2, a partial plan view, along arrow IV of Figure 1
Figure 5 is, on the scale of Figure 1, a perspective view illustrating the opening of the faceplate according to the invention in the manner of a door
Figure 6 is a different scale, with local cutaway, a perspective view which, similar to that of Figure 1, relates to an alternative embodiment;
Figure 7 is, on a larger scale, an exploded perspective view partly taking that of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is, on the scale of Figure 7, an exploded perspective view of one of the uprights used in this embodiment;
Figure 9 is, on a still larger scale, and with a cutaway, a partial plan view of this alternative embodiment, according to arrow IX of Figure 6, one of the two faceplates which it comprises being shown in position and the other in the open position.

 As illustrated in these figures, it is a question, overall, of fitting a faceplate 10 on two parallel uprights 11, from one to the other of these uprights 11.

 In practice, the uprights 11 equip the interior volume of any box 12, or any other electrical cabinet of this type.

 Such a box 12 not pertaining to the present invention, and being well known in itself, it has not been shown otherwise in the figures, and it will not be described here.

lCl.

 It will suffice to indicate that, in a manner known per se, the uprights 11 extend vertically in the front part of its interior volume, at the edge of its corresponding side walls.

 According to the invention, in order to attach the front plate 10 to the uprights 11, a mounting device 14 is used which generally comprises, on at least one of the uprights 11, a support column 15, which , parallel to this upright 11, runs over at least part of the height thereof, and, on the faceplate 10, a hooking lip 16, by which the faceplate 10 is capable of snap-fastening onto the baluster support 15.

 In practice, in the embodiment shown, a mounting device 14 is used along each of the side edges of the faceplate 10.

 In other words, and symmetrically with respect to the median plane of the faceplate 10 which is parallel to them, both of the uprights 11 of the box 12 carry a support column 15.

 In the embodiment more particularly shown in Figures 1 to 5, the support column 15 fitted to an upright 11 runs continuously over the entire height thereof, and it is massive.

 As a corollary, the faceplate 10 has a hooking lip 16 along each of its lateral edges, and, in practice, this hooking lip 16 runs continuously over the entire height thereof.

 In practice, in the embodiment shown, each upright 11 is itself massive, having, for example, externally, in cross section, and as shown, a generally trapezoidal outline.

 In the embodiments shown, the support column 15 of an upright 11 has, externally, in cross section, a generally circular outline.

 Overall detached from the upright 11 which carries it, this support column 15 is locally connected to this upright 11 by a tongue 18.

 For each upright 11, the support column 15 extends in the overall outline of the thickness of this upright 11, between the latter and the other upright 11.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, the tongue 18 connecting the support column 15 to the upright 11 which carries it has a square outline.

 It comprises, thus, at 90 relative to each other, on the one hand, a pan 19, by which it is connected to the upright 11, in practice according to the plan of the uprights 11, and, more precisely, according to the plane of their rear face, which, in cross section, in practice forms the largest base of their outline, and, on the other hand, a panel 20, by which it is connected to the support column 15, and which, perpendicular to the previous pan 19, protrudes forward relative thereto.

 In the embodiment shown, the panel 20 of the tongue 18 is connected to the support column 15 along a generatrix thereof which, clockwise, is located in the fourth quadrant relative to its axis A for the upright 11 on the right, and in the first quadrant for upright 11 on the left.

 Thus, the support column 15 is separated from the upright 11 which carries it by a wide groove 22.

 In the embodiment shown, the support post 15 is in one piece with the upright 11 which carries it, this post 11, this support post 15, and the tongue 18 which connects this support post 15 to this post 11 jointly forming a single piece, produced for example by molding or by extrusion, for example of synthetic material.

 In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the support column 15 of each of the uprights 11 is, parallel to its generatrix, locally truncated by a flat 23 over at least part of its height, and, for example, over the whole of it, as shown.

 In practice, this flat 23 is located in the second quadrant with respect to the axis A clockwise.

 The hooking lip 16 that the faceplate 10 has along each of its lateral edges has, in cross section, an open contour, which, generally complementary to that of the external cross section of a support column 15, s' extends at an angle-to-center Al greater than 180g.

 In the embodiment shown, this hooking lip 16 has locally at least one bore 25 which gives access to the flat 23 of the corresponding support column 15.

 In practice, two holes 25 are thus provided, at a distance from each other, on the attachment yeast 16, and they each have a quadrangular contour, and for example square.

 In the embodiments shown, the yeasts for attachment 16 that the faceplate 10 comprises are both integral with it, forming with this faceplate 10 a single piece, produced for example by molding, for example of synthetic material.

 In a manner known per se, the faceplate 10 has, moreover, in its central region, a window 26, which, elongated in a rectangle, extends between its lateral edges.

 In the embodiment shown, it has, for its stiffening, along each of its longitudinal edges, a return square 27, directed towards the rear.

 For mounting the faceplate 10 on the uprights 11, it is sufficient to snap it in with its hooking yeasts 16 onto the support posts 15 fitted to these uprights 11, as shown diagrammatically by an arrow F1 in FIG. 4 for one of these attachment lips 16.

 As is easy to understand, the maintenance of the faceplate 10 on the support columns 15 is done by simply pinching them.

 This maintenance is also confirmed, from one plastron 10 to another, by the other plastrons 10, when, for example, several plastrons 10 are attached one above the other on the same uprights 11, and, for each plastron 10, by the passage, through the window 26, of the front part of the electrical devices arranged at the rear.

 If, according to the locking process explained above, the mounting of the faceplate 10 on the uprights 11 does not require any tool, its dismantling requires on the contrary the aid of a tool, and, for example, that of the blade 28 a screwdriver 29.

 This blade 28, inserted by means of a bore 25 of a hooking lip 16 and of the flat 23 of the corresponding support column 15, makes it possible to act from the inside on this hooking lip 16, and , levering it, according to arrow F2 in FIG. 5, to release it from the support column 15.

 As illustrated in FIG. 5, the disassembly of the faceplate 10 may be only partial, bearing only on one of the uprights 11.

 The faceplate 10 then pivots like a door on the support column 15 of the other upright 11.

 As will be noted in FIG. 2, when the faceplate 10 is in place on the support posts 15, the free edge 30 of its hooking lips 16 is angularly distant from the bottom 31 of the groove 22 of the corresponding upright 11 an angle-to-center A2 substantially equal to 90 '.

 I1 follows that, as shown schematically in broken lines in this Figure 2, the opening of the front plate 10 by pivoting around such a support column 15 can advantageously be done on substantially 90X.

 In the foregoing, the uprights 11 are assumed to run continuously over the entire height of the box 12, on one and the other of the sides thereof.

 In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, the box 12 comprises, on at least one side, and, in practice, on each of its sides, at least two uprights 11, which, of reduced height, are vertically placed end to end over at least part of its height.

 For example, a plurality of such uprights 11 operate end to end on either side of the box 12.

 In the embodiment shown, each of the uprights 11 has a slot 33 by which it can be attached, and fixed, on any support tab 34 belonging to the frame of the box 12.

 In practice, this slot 33 runs over the entire height of the upright 11, and, instead of being massive, as before, this upright 11 is reduced to two lips 35 defining, in a U-shaped cross section, the slot 33.

 At mid-height, the upright 11 has a bore 36, which continues with a well 37 projecting from the back of its rear lip 35, for the implementation of a fixing screw 38 suitable for its subjection to the tongue of associated support 34.

 Furthermore, in this alternative embodiment, the support column 15 fitted to an upright 11 extends only over a fraction of the height thereof.

 More specifically, this support column 15 is divided into at least two sections 40, which are staggered in height along the upright 11, and which, each comprising, in correspondence with one another, on at least part of their height, a bore 41 of circular cross section, form two knuckles for a pivoting element 42 team of complementary hinges 43 and carrying a faceplate 10 'of another type.

 In practice, the two sections 40 of the support column 15 are each respectively arranged at the ends of the upright 11, and, of height substantially equal to one third of the height thereof, they provide between them a space 44 of equal height å their own height.

 The bore 36 advantageously intervenes in favor of this space 44.

 In the embodiment shown, the bore 41 extends only over a fraction of the height of the two sections 40 of the support post 15, from the space 44 which separates them.

 Over the rest of their height, these two sections 40 are massive.

 As before, they have, externally, a flat 23.

 Over at least part of its height, and in practice over the whole thereof, the bore 41 of at least one of the sections 40 of the support column 15, and, in practice, this is so for each of these sections 40, is open laterally by a slot 45 of width less than its diameter, along a generatrix of this support column 15, for a positioning of the pivoting element 42 by simple snap-fastening.

 In the embodiment shown, the pivoting element 42 comprises, over at least part of its height, a bar 46, for fixing the faceplate 10 '.

 In other words, in this embodiment, the pivoting element 42 forms a separate part from the faceplate 10 '.

 Thus, the pivoting element 42 and the faceplate 10 'can advantageously be made of different materials.

 For example, the pivoting element 42 can be made of synthetic material, like the faceplate 10, while the faceplate 10 'can be made of sheet metal.

 In the embodiment shown, the bar 46 extends over the entire height of the pivoting element 42, and, for the passage of fixing screws 48 suitable for securing the faceplate 10 ', it has, at a distance one from the other, two holes 49 which, on its back, each continue with a well 50.

 In practice, in the embodiment shown, the pivoting element 42 has, at an angle, two bars 46, 51, namely, in addition to the preceding bar 46, a bar 51 which, at mid-height, carries, laterally, in one piece, a barrel 52 itself carrying the associated hinges 43.

 As before, and this is the case in the upper part of FIG. 6, it can be implemented, from one to the other of two uprights 11, a faceplate 10.

 In such a case, these uprights 11 are not equipped with a pivoting element 42.

 However, as a variant, and this is the case in the lower part of FIG. 6, it can be implemented, from one to the other of two uprights 11, a faceplate 10 '.

 In such a case, each of the uprights 11 is equipped with a pivoting element 42.

 Firstly, in FIG. 8, this pivoting element 42 is moved laterally, along arrow F3 in FIG. 8, to the upright 11 which it must equip, with its bar 46 substantially perpendicular to the lips 35 of the latter, up to 'by clipping its hinges 43 into the sections 40 of the support column 15 carried by this upright 11.

 The barrel 52 carrying the hinges 43 is inserted jointly into the space 44 separating one from the other these two sections 40 of the support column 15.

 Secondly, in FIG. 7, the pivoting element 42 is pivoted by a quarter of a turn on the upright 11, along the arrow F4 in FIG. 7, until its bar 46 extends substantially in the extension of the yeasts 35 thereof, back to back vis-à-vis these drunks 35.

 It then suffices to attach the faceplate 10 ′, by fixing it by fixing screws 48 to each of the pivoting elements 42.

 In the embodiment shown, the faceplate 10 'has, at its back, a U-shaped fold 54 on each of the transverse edges by which it can thus be attached to such a pivoting element 42, however, along each of its longitudinal edges, it has a backward angled return 55 for its stiffening.

 It is therefore by such a U-shaped fold 54 that it becomes subject to a pivoting element 42, after passage of the fixing screws 48 through its front panel 56 by means of holes 57 provided for this purpose therein. this.

 Like the front plate 10, the front plate 10 'can be pivoted like a door.

 For this, it suffices to separate it from one of the uprights 11 between which it extends, or, more precisely, from the pivoting element 42 equipping the latter, and to make it pivot around the other upright. 11, as shown diagrammatically by the arrow F5 in FIG. 9.

 As shown in FIG. 6, a front plate 10 and a front plate 10 ′ can be used concurrently, one above the other.

 Their possible opening is then done independently of each other.

 However, as a variant, only faceplates 10, or only faceplates 10 ', can be provided.

 The present invention is moreover not limited to the embodiments shown, but encompasses any variant embodiment and / or combination of their various elements.

Claims (22)

 1. Mounting device for faceplate to be attached to two uprights, in particular for a cabinet or other electrical cabinet, characterized in that it comprises, on at least one of the uprights (11), a support column (15), which , parallel to this upright (11), runs over at least part of the height thereof, and, on the faceplate (10), a hooking lip (16), by which the faceplate (10) is adapted to snap elastically onto said support post (15).  2. Mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support column (15) has, externally, in cross section, a generally circular outline.  3. Mounting device according to any one of claims 1, 2, characterized in that, parallel to its generator, the support column (15) is locally truncated by a flat (23) over at least part of its height .  4. Mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, globally detached from the upright (11) which carries it, the support column (15) is locally connected to the latter by a tongue ( 18).  5. Mounting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the tongue (18) is connected to the support column (15) according to a generator thereof which, clockwise, is located in the fourth quadrant by relative to its axis (A) for the upright (11) on the right, and in the first quadrant for the upright (11) on the left.  6. Mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support column (15) is in one piece with the upright (11) which carries it.  7. A mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the support column (15) fitted to an upright (11) extends over the entire height thereof.  8. Mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support column (15) fitted to an upright (11) extends only over a fraction of the height thereof.  9. Mounting device according to claim 8, characterized in that the support column (15) is divided into at least two sections (40), which are staggered in height along the upright (11), and which, comprising, each, in correspondence with each other, over at least part of their height from the space (44) which separates them, a bore (41) of circular cross section, form two knuckles for an element of pivot (42) equipped with complementary hinges (43) and carrying a faceplate (10 ') of another type.  10. A mounting device according to claim 9, characterized in that, over at least part of its height, the bore (41) of at least one of the sections (40) of the support column (15) is laterally open by a slot (45) of width less than its diameter, along a generatrix of said support column (15), for a positioning of the pivoting element (42) by simple snap-fastening.  11. Mounting device according to any one of claims 9, 10, characterized in that the pivoting element (42) forms a separate part of the faceplate (10 ') of another type.  12. Mounting device according to claim 11, characterized in that, on at least part of its height, the pivoting element (42) comprises a bar (46), for fixing the faceplate (10 ') of another type.  13. A mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the hooking lip (16) of the faceplate (10) has in cross section an open outline, which, generally complementary to that of the section external transverse of the support column (15), extends at an angle-to-center (Al) greater than 180-.  14. Mounting device according to claim 3, characterized in that the hooking lip (16) of the faceplate (10) locally has at least one bore (25) which gives access to the flat (23) of the support column ( 15).  15. Mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the hooking lip (16) of the faceplate (10) is in one piece with the latter.  16. A mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the hooking lip (16) of the faceplate (10) extends along one of the side edges thereof.  17. A mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the hooking lip (16) of the faceplate (10) extends over the entire height thereof.  18. Front plate for a cabinet or other electrical cabinet, characterized in that, for the implementation of a mounting device (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, it comprises at least locally a yeast of hooking (16) suitable for snapping onto a support post (15).  19. Front plate according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises a hooking lip (16) along each of its lateral edges, over the entire height of these.  20. Enclosure or other electrical cabinet, of the type comprising two uprights (11) and at least one faceplate (10) attached to them, characterized in that, for the implementation of a mounting device (14) conforms to any one of claims 1 to 19, it comprises, on at least one side, at least one upright (11) carrying a support column (15) over at least part of its height.  21. Box according to claim 20, characterized in that the upright (11) has a slot (33) by which it can be attached, and fixed, on a support tongue (34).  22. Box according to any one of claims 20, 21, characterized in that it comprises, on at least one side, at least two uprights (11) placed end to end.