FR2963492A1 - Fixation panel i.e. S81 panel, for fixing e.g. smart electricity meter on wall, has intermediate zone defined such that connectors are located at equidistance from terminals with tolerance of specific value relative to position - Google Patents

Abstract

The panel has connectors (11) located in an intermediate zone between lower connection terminals of an electric meter when the meter fixed to the panel is an advanced meter management (AMM) or Linky(RTM: smart electricity meter) (13) and upper connection terminals of the meter when the meter fixed to the panel is a blue electronic meter(RTM: Not defined). The zone is defined so that the connectors are located at equidistance from lower/upper terminals with a tolerance of 20 mm with respect to position, where the distances are projected over a vertical plane.

Description

Fixing panel for electric meter.

The invention relates to the field of fastening panels for electric meters.

The electric meters are fixed to the wall or a partition by means of a fixing panel which constitutes a housing in which power cables coming from the installation arrive. Inside the panel, these cables are extended by known connection means such as "Insulation Perforated Connector Connection Tips" ® (EBCP) according to the standards of the company EDF ®, to ensure their connection with the meter's terminals.

We also know that the conventional electronic meters of the type "Electronic Blue Counter" ® (CBE) according to EDF standards, which are installed on a large scale, particularly in France, have connection terminals in an upper region of the meter. We have recently seen the development of new generation electric meters called "Advanced Meter Management" (AMM) "Linky" ® according to EDF standards. These new meters have connection terminals in a lower region. Therefore, the replacement of a conventional meter with a new generation of electric meter requires either the replacement of the fixing panel and / or "EBCP" tips which were adapted to the conventional meter but not to the new meter (the cables leaving not in the appropriate region for connection to the new meter), or the adaptation of an interface device mounted on the mounting panel and intended to extend the cables for connection to the new meter.

These technical solutions to accommodate one or the other of the counters on the same panel require specific and necessarily expensive parts ("EBCP" tips, panel, interface device). The intervention time for the implementation of these specific parts by an operator is also significant. 2963492 -2

The invention aims to overcome all or part of the above disadvantages.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a fixing panel for an electric meter, comprising a rear half-housing constituting the bottom of the panel and intended to be fixed to a support such as a wall or a partition, a half front casing forming a cover covering the rear half-casing, the rear half-casing having an opening for the passage of conductive cables coming from the electrical installation to respective connectors situated between the rear and front half-casings, the front half-housing having an opening for the passage of conductive cables connecting said respective connectors to the counter terminals fixed on the front face of the front half housing, characterized in that the connectors are located in an intermediate zone between the connection terminals 15 meters when the meter selectively attached to the panel is a meter of the type "AMM / Linky" the upper terminals of the meter lor if the meter selectively attached to the panel is a counter of the type "CBE", said intermediate zone being defined so that the connectors are located equidistant from the low or high connection terminals, with a tolerance of 20 mm with respect to this position equidistant, these distances being considered in projection on a vertical plane.

Such a counter mounting panel is therefore comprised of elements and parts used regardless of the type of meter mounted on the panel. No parts are to be replaced. It reduces the risk of parts loss, incorrect assembly, mishaps in the replacement of the meter. The replacement of the conventional meter by a new generation counter is done in a very short time. After releasing the cables connected to the upper connection terminals of the old counter of the type "CBE", the latter is deposited. The operator then opens a passage in the front half-box (by knocking a hatch access predetermined break zones) to allow the connection of the cables to the lower terminals of the new meter type "AMM / Linky". These cables 35 are the same as those used to connect the old meter. They are 2963492 -3

simply oriented no longer up but down from the panel connectors. The new meter is then attached to the front half-box of the panel via fastening means which can reuse those already provided on the panel (DIN rail or triangle with three standard fixing points). The cables emerging from the panel on its front face are then connected to the lower connection terminals of the new meter

According to other advantageous features of the invention, the intermediate zone is situated equidistant from the low and high connection terminals, with a tolerance of 10 mm with respect to this equidistant position.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, each connector consists of a section of metal section, in particular of aluminum.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, each connector has the general shape of a "C" or an "O" in a section transverse to the profiling direction.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, each connector comprises a clamping screw passing through a threaded bore shaped in one of the branches of the "C" or in a peripheral edge of the "O", the clamping screw being intended for ensure the tightness of one end of a conductor cable coming from the installation, this end being positioned in the hollow of the "C".

According to still further advantageous features of the invention, each connector comprises at least one bore for the crimp connection of one end of a conductive cable to the meter.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, the piercing and the threaded bore are made in the same branch of the "C", - 4

the other branch of the "C" being adjacent and parallel to the bottom of the rear half-box of the panel.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, the connector comprises a second hole shaped in the edge of the "C" or "O" which is turned towards the lower connection terminals of the "AMM / Linky" type counter or to the upper connection terminals of the "CBE" type counter.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, the connector is housed in a protective envelope, in particular made of non-conductive material, fixed to the bottom of the rear half-housing.

According to still other advantageous features of the invention, the front half-housing comprises an access hatch having a predefined breaking zone, the routing of which opens a passage for the cables connecting the connectors to the lower connection terminals of the meter when the counter attached to the panel is of the type "AMM / Linky".

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of a non-limiting embodiment of the invention and in the light of the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a front view of a known fixing panel for an electrical meter, the latter not being shown, the illustrated panel being of the "S81" type corresponding to the EDF HN 62-S-81 specifications,

FIG. 2 shows a side view along the arrow F1 of the panel of FIG. 1, illustrating a counter of the CBE type with high terminals connected to the phase and neutral power cables via known means of the "EBCP" type,

FIG. 3 represents a front view of the rear half-box of the panel 35 according to the invention, comprising connectors for connecting

indifferently a panel of the type "CBE" ® with high terminals or a panel of the type AMM / Linky "with low terminals,

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show in perspective a connector of the panel of FIG. 3,

FIGS. 5 and 6 show side views along the arrow F2 of FIG. 3, of the panel respectively supporting a counter of the "CBE" type with high terminals and a counter of the "AMM / Linky" type with low terminals,

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the panel and of a counter of the AMM / Linky type according to the invention, and FIG. 8 represents an alternative embodiment of the connector equipping a panel according to the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional panel 1 for fixing an electric meter (not shown in FIG. 1). The panel comprising a rear half-housing 2, or bottom, intended to be fixed to a wall or a wall. The rear half-housing 2 is covered with a front half-housing 3 forming a closing hood on which the electric meter is held by known fastening means including a DIN rail 4. In FIG. 1, the rear half-housing 2 is visible through a window 5 formed in the front half-housing 3, for the passage of connection cables to the meter. The panel shown is of type "S81" that is to say in accordance with EDF specifications HN 62-S-81. This panel 1 is adapted to the connection of a conventional counter 6 of the type "CBE" having high connection terminals 7, as shown in Figure 2, in which the upper part is on the right and the lower part is on the left. The panel 1 defines between the rear half-housing 2 and the front half-housing 3 a space in which are located, in a known manner, end-fittings of the "EBCP" type 8. 9-phase and neutral incoming power cables having typically a section of between 6 and 50 mm 2, made of copper or aluminum, coming from - 6

of the electrical installation are connected to these ends "EBCP" 8 from below, while flexible connection cables 10, having a section typically of 16 mm2 or 25 mm2 copper integrated in the end caps 8, extend the power cables 9 from the top and are connected at their opposite end to the upper connection terminals 7 of the counter "CBE", through the window 5 of the front half-housing 3. The ends "EBCP" are adapted to the connection of the incoming cables in aluminum at the meter terminals, among others counter "CBE" (the meter terminals receiving only cables 6 to 35 mm2 copper). In addition the flexible cable connection 16 mm2 or 25 mm2 facilitates the wiring of the meter and therefore provides better ergonomics implementation. The end caps "EBCP" consist of a main body housed between the demiboitiers and intended to be oriented so that the ends of the flexible connecting cables 10 come out from above, that is to say on the right side with respect to the connection terminals of the counter "CBE". In addition, the length of the connecting cables of the "EBCP" bits is specifically adapted to the connection of this type of meter, but without unnecessary length. Replacing an old "CBE" counter with a new "AMM / Linky" counter on the same panel and using the same DIN panel mounting rail 1 implies that the connection terminals move from a high position to a low position . We also note the following reasons leading to the replacement of the "EBCP" bits: - during the known implementation of the "EBCP" bits, the tightening until the rupture of the fuse head is done by holding in one hand the tip "EBCP" and shaking the life with the other hand, which causes the operator pain in the wrist; - after having connected the incoming cables in the "EBCP" and the cable ends in the meter, the operator sometimes has difficulty in closing the front half-case, given the random arrangement of the "EBCP" bits in the panel when closed; - Fixing the connector according to the invention described below can optimize the manufacturing cost, minimizing the length of the cables. 2963492 -7

Referring to Figure 3 there is shown the rear half-housing 2 of the panel 1 on which are mounted two connectors 11. According to the invention, the connectors 11 and their envelope 15 are located in an intermediate zone between the lower connection terminals 12 of the counter when the latter is a counter of the "AMM / Linky" type 13 (see FIG. 6) and the high connection terminals 7 of the counter when the counter fixed to the panel 1 is a counter of the "CBE" type 6 (FIG. see Figure 5). This intermediate zone is defined so that the connectors are located equidistant from the high connection terminals 7 of the "CBE" type counter (FIG. 6) and from the lower connection terminals 12 of the "AMM / Linky" type counter (FIG. 5), with a tolerance of 20 mm with respect to this equidistant position. A tighter tolerance of 10 mm from this equidistant position is still preferred. In other words, the intermediate zone is defined so that the connector 11 is located in a zone suitable for the configurations of these two types of counters. It is further noted that the points between which this distance is appreciated are located partly at the intersection of the neutral fiber of the cable 14 (connecting the connector to the meter connection terminals) and the outer face of the connector 11 by which end of the cable 14 is introduced into said connector 11, and for another part at the intersection of the neutral fiber of the cable 11 and the outer face of the connection terminal 7, 12 of the counter 6, 13 by which the end of the cable 14 is introduced into said terminal 7, 12. The evoked distances are also considered in projection on a vertical plane, insofar as the connectors are located inside the panel 1 while the counters and their terminals are located at the front of the front half-housing 3, including vertical planes offset from each other. It is noted that the distance between the upper connection terminals 7 of the "CBE" counter 6, and the lower connection terminals 12 of the "AMM / Linky" counter 13 is about 110 mm. Thus the intermediate zone defines a horizontal band in which the connectors are located and there is no need to change connector 11 when replacing an old counter "CBE" with a 2963492 -8

new "AMM / Linky" counter. Only the connection cable 14 to the meter is to walk downwards rather than upwards, and it is specified that it may be the same cable, so there is no connection to be made on the connectors 11 which are in the panel 1. It is also noted that the connectors 11 are located in a zone substantially aligned with the vertical position of the connection terminals 7, 12 of the counters of the two types 6 and 13. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the connectors are located in a half-left half of the panel when viewed from the front and substantially halfway up the latter. According to the invention, each connector 11 comprises a section of metal section, preferably of aluminum (FIGS. 4A and 4B). In not shown embodiments of the invention, it is possible for the section section to be replaced by an element made in another way. A particular embodiment of the invention will be presented hereinafter in which each section has the general shape of a "C" in a view parallel to the profiling direction. The C is inscribed in a parallelepiped as shown in FIG. 4. A first branch 16 of the C forms a base intended to be contiguous against a face of the rear half-box 2 via a sole and / or an envelope as will be seen here. -after. One end of an incoming cable 9 can be connected to the connector through the opening of C. A second branch 17 of the C comprises a threaded bore in which is threaded perpendicularly a clamping screw 18 for gripping the end of the arrival cable 9 against the first branch 16 and thus imprison it in the hollow of C. The first branch 16 has a flange 19 at its free end which rises towards the other branch 17, this flange ensuring a lateral blocking of the end of the cable 9 (not shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B). The first branch 16 also has on its internal face facing the other branch 17 ribs 20 extending parallel to the end of the arrival cable 9. With reference to FIG. 11 comprises a bore 21 machined in the section for the connection by crimping an end of a flexible connecting conductor cable 14 to either counter "CBE" 6 to 2963492 -9

high terminals, either on the counter "AMM / Linky" 13 with lower terminals, depending on the type of meter attached to the panel 1. The hole 21 is made in the base 25 of the C, that is to say in the part or adjacent to the portion of C which connects the two free branches 5 of C. The bore 21 extends substantially parallel to the screw 18 for clamping and holding the incoming cable 9. The hole 21 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the branches of C. Thus when the connector 11 is in place on the rear half-housing 2, the bore 21 opens out towards the front half-housing 3. In other words, the axis of this 21 is perpendicular to the support plane of the panel 1. This bore 21 is intended to receive the free end of a flexible connecting cable 14, for example 16 mm2 or 25 mm2, which provides the connection with the meter terminals. 6, 13. The end of the cable 14 is held by crimping in the hole 21. The exit direction of the small section cable 14 outside the "C" is thus also perpendicular to the support plane of the panel 1. The frontal position of the bore 21 allows this cable to be indifferently oriented upwards ( figure 5) or downwards (figure 6), without one direction being privileged or penalized with respect to the other. Note that these two configurations of the cable 14 are substantially symmetrical in relation to each other. Therefore, and taking into account the position of the connector 11 in the intermediate zone between the upper terminals 7 of the "CBE" counter and the lower terminals 12 of the "AMM / Linky" counter, the length of the flexible connection cable 14 can be The adapted length of flexible connecting cables 14 is for example of the order of 160 mm (compared to cables or cables of "EBCP" tips which have a length of 260 mm). As can be seen in FIGS. 4A and AB, the portion of the connector 11 comprises a perforated zone 26 in the base of C. This perforated zone 26 forms a return angle on the side of the base of C which is adjacent to the second branch 17 C. This open area 26 allows a cable 14 crimped into the bore 21 to have a clearance (or bulk) in the direction perpendicular to the support plane of the panel 1, when it is curved and is connected to the terminals of connection 7, 12 of a 2963492 -10-

counters 6, 13. It can therefore be envisaged that the thickness of the panel "S81" is of the order of 45 mm. According to the invention, two identical connectors 11 are provided for connecting the two high phase and neutral 9 section cables to the counter 6, 13, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 7. These connectors 11 are arranged back to back, that is, the branches of the two Cs extend in opposite directions, just as the openings of the C's are turned in opposite directions. Thus the connectors do not interfere with each other for the connection of the feed cables 9 and flexible connection 14. The holes 21 of each connector are substantially located in the same plane and directed towards the front of the panel.

According to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4C, the connector 11 'is made in a profile section having an "O" closed section. What has been described above concerning a C-connector remains valid considering that the branches of the C join at their end to form an O in which will be introduced an end of an incoming cable 9. The clamping screw of the cable arrival is not shown in Figure 4C. The connectors are housed in an envelope 15 formed on the one hand of a base or sole 22, on which the connector is mounted and wedged, and which is fixed on one face of the rear half-housing 2, and secondly a cover 23 covering the connector 11 and fitting on the base 22. The base 22 and the cover 23 are made of non-conductive material having a degree of protection "IP2X" (standard). Fixing the base 22 on the rear half-housing 2 can be achieved by screwing, clipping or any equivalent means. The base 22 comprises a plate contiguous against the rear half-housing 2 and walls rising perpendicularly to this plate and between which the connector is wedged and maintained. The cover 23 has side walls, possibly perforated, falling down to the base 22. Notches are provided to allow access to the connection terminals of the connectors 11, that is to say in the hollow of C or O, and drilling 21 of each connector. 2963492 -11-

The base 22 and the cover 23 may be common to the two connectors 11 as shown in Figure 7. Of course, the base has a partition wall between the two connectors 11 so as to isolate them electrically from each other. Advantageously, the cover 23 is reversible and therefore comprises apertures or tunnels adaptable to incoming cables 9 coming from the bottom, top or side of the panel. The cover 23 has a single opening or tunnel connector C or O, for level protection purposes "IP2X", but this opening can indifferently be turned downwards or upwards, depending on the position of incoming cables 9 arriving at the connector 11.

The connector 11 may in a variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 include a second bore 24 made in the edge of the section, that is to say extending in a direction parallel to the profiling direction. In the example shown, the slice chosen is that which is facing downwards, that is, closer to the lower connection terminals 12 of the "AMM / Linky" counter. The flexible connecting cable 14 can be crimped into this second bore 24. Thus it can be provided that the flexible connecting cable 20 is crimped into this bore 24 of the connector.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the means that have just been described and includes all the technical equivalents.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Panel (1) for fixing an electric meter, comprising a rear half-housing (2) constituting the bottom of the panel and intended to be fixed to a support such as a wall or a partition, a front half-housing (3) forming a cover covering the rear half-housing (2), the rear half-housing (2) having an opening for the passage of conductive cables (9) from the electrical installation to respective connectors (11, 11 ') located between the rear (2) and front half-housings (3), the front half-housing (3) having an opening (5) for the passage of conductive cables (14) connecting said respective connectors (11, 11 ') to terminals (7, 12) of the counter (6, 13) fixed on the front face of the front half-housing (3), characterized in that the connectors (11, 11 ') are located in an intermediate zone between the connection terminals (12) of the meter when the counter selectively attached to the panel (1) is a counter of the type "AMM / Lin ky "(13) and the high connection terminals (7) of the meter when the counter selectively attached to the panel is a counter of the type" CBE "(6), said intermediate zone being defined so that the connectors (11, 11 ' ) are situated equidistant from the lower (12) or high (7) connection terminals, with a tolerance of 20 mm with respect to this equidistant position, these distances being considered in projection on a vertical plane. 2. Fixing panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate zone is located equidistant from the lower connection terminals (12) and high (7), with a tolerance of 10 mm from this equidistant position. 3. Fixing panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each connector (11, 11 ') consists of a section of metal profile, including aluminum. 4. Fastening panel according to claim 3, characterized in that each section has the general shape of a "C" (11) or an "O" (11 '), in a cross section to the profiling direction . 2963492 - 13 - 5. Fastening panel according to claim 4, characterized in that each connector (11, 11 ') comprises a clamping screw (18) passing through a threaded bore formed in one (17) of the branches of the C or in a peripheral edge of the "O", the clamping screw (18) being intended to hold a tight end of a conductive cable (9) coming from the installation, this end being positioned in the hollow of the "C" or "O" 10 6. Fastening panel according to claim 5, characterized in that each connector (11, 11 ') comprises at least one bore (21) for the connection by crimping an end of a conductive cable (14) to the meter ( 6, 13). 15 7. Fixing panel according to claim 6, characterized in that the bore (21) and the threaded bore are made in the same branch (17) of the "C", the other branch (16) of the "C" being adjacent and parallel to the bottom of the rear half-housing (2) of the panel (1). 20 8. Fixing panel according to claim 6, characterized in that the connector (11) comprises a second bore (24) formed in the edge of the "C" or "O" which is turned towards the lower connection terminals (12). ) of the "AMM / Linky" type counter (13) or to the upper connection terminals (7) of the "CBE" type counter (6). 9. Fastening panel according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that each connector (11, 11 ') is housed in a protective envelope (15, 22, 23), in particular made of non-conductive material fixed at the bottom of the rear half-housing (2). 10. Fastening panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the front half-housing (3) comprises an access door (27) having a predefined breaking zone whose routing opens a passage for the cables connecting the connectors (11, 11 ') to the lower connection terminals (12) of the meter when the counter attached to the panel is of the "AMM / Linky" type (13).