GB2243025A

GB2243025A - A housing such as an assembly carrier or a switchgear cabinet

Info

Publication number: GB2243025A
Application number: GB9102682A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Juergen Zachrai
Original assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1990-02-13
Filing date: 1991-02-08
Publication date: 1991-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-08
Also published as: GB2243025B; GB9102682D0; DE4004264C1

Abstract

A housing, such as an assembly carrier or a switchgear cabinet, includes a front panel 20 which is pivotable with either a horizontal or a vertical pivotal axis by means of two hinges 30. Each hinge 30 includes a first hinge portion 31 which is received in a rectangular recess 21 at the corner of the panel 20 and which has a threaded bore 37 to enable it to be connected to the housing by a first mounting screw 26. A second hinge portion 40 is connected to the panel 20 by a second mounting screw 25 which passes through a bore 24 in the panel 20 positioned adjacent the edge 22 of the recess 21 that is parallel to the pivotal axis. The second hinge portion 40 has a bearing lug 41 which is pivotally connected by a hinge pin 38 between two bearing flanges 32, 33 of the first hinge portion 31. The first and second hinge portions 31, 40 lie flush with the edges of the panel 20. <IMAGE>

Description

1 - HOUSING, SUCH AS AN ASSEMBLY CARRIER OR SWITCHGEAR CABINET The

invention relates to a housing, such as an assembly carrier or a switchgear cabinet, including an open front end, which is at least partially coverable by means of front panels, wherein each front panel is selectively pivotable with either a horizontal or a vertical pivotal axis by means of two hinges, wherein each hinge is formed from a first hinge portion, which is connectable to the housing, and a second hinge portion, which is connectable to the front panel and is pivotally connected to the first hinge portion by means of a hinge pin, wherein the open front end is provided, at least in the vertical edge regions, with mounting flanges having a number of square mounting holders which are provided in a_ prescribed distribution arrangement, wherein the front panel has a rectangular recess or cutaway portion, which is open towards the pivotal edge and accommodates the first hinge portion, for each hinge on the vertical or horizontal pivotal edge, wherein the first hinge portion has a mounting surface provided with a centering projection member, the crosssection of which is adapted to the cross-section of the mounting holders of the mounting flanges, wherein the first hinge portion is provided, in the centering projection member, with a threaded receiving means for accommodating a first mounting screw, by means of which the first hinge portion is non-rotatably securable on the mounting flange, and wherein the second hinge portion is secured to the f ront panel by means of a second mounting screw in association with the recess.

A housing of this type is known f rom German Gebrauchsmuster No. 89 10 768. In the configuration selected there for the hinges, the hinge portions partially protrude beyond the pivotal edge of the front panel, so that, when the front panel is pivoted upwardly, the associated opening of the cabinet compartment is not fully exposed. The protruding parts of the hinge portions extend into the opening of the cabinet compartment and make access to the cabinet compartment difficult, especially when such compartment accommodates a removable insert.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hinge configuration for a housing of the initially mentioned type, wherein no parts protrude beyond the pivotal edge of the front panel, and yet such configuration permits the hinges to be simply attached to the housing and the front panel.

According to the invention, this object is achieved, in that the front panel is provided, in the corner regions of the pivotal end, with rectangular or square recesses, in that bores are provided for the mounting screws or other securing means of the second hinge portions in the region of the edges of the recesses which extend parallel to the pivotal axis, in that the first hinge portions are provided with a means for accommodating a bearing lug of the second hinge portions between two bearing flanges, in that the bearing lugs of the second hinge portions are connected to the bearing flanges of the first hinge portions by means of pivot axles, and in that the first and second hinge portions terminate flush with the ends of the front panel which are orientated towards the associated corner regions of the front panel.

This configuration for the hinge portions permits such portions to terminate flush with the edges of the front panel. The pivotal movement of the two 1 hinge portions through the intermediary of bearing flanges and a bearing lug provides a compact configuration for the hinges, and a hinge pin is provided which may easily be inserted into the region of the pivotal edge of the front panel, and yet it is possible for each of the hinge portions to be mounted by means of only one single mounting screw. The hinge portions completely fill the recesses in the front panel, with the result that an optically and aesthetically pleasing configuration is also achieved.

If, according to one embodiment, the second hinge portions on the underside facing the front panel are provided with a shoulder portion, which extends from the free end of the second hinge portions and has a height which is adapted to the thickness of the front panel, the second hinge portion is also non-rotatably retained in the recess portion of the front panel. For this purpose, the cross-sections of the cutaway portions of the front panel are adapted to the crosssection of the first hinge portions plus the crosssection of a web of the second hinge portions, the webs communicating with the shoulder portions of the second hinge portions and extending to the bearing lugs of the second hinge portions.

1 In order that the second hinge portions do not show too much on the visible side of the f ront panel, according to a further embodiment, the second hinge portions are flattened towards the outside and taper towards the free end.

In order that tolerances in the thickness of the mounting flange and in the height of the centering projection member on the first hinge portion do not impair the attachment to the mounting flange, it is is additionally provided that the f irst hinge portion is connectable to the mounting flange by the interposition of a cover plate or washer, the washer having an indentation when facing the mounting f lange and being adapted to the cross-section of the centering projection member of the first hinge portion.

The invention will be described furhter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a partial, exploded perspective view, illustrating the pivotal mounting of a front panel, which is to be effected horizontally, on a switchgear cabinet frame; Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary exploded perspective view showing a vertically pivotable front panel; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge having the associated mounting means for attachment to the frame of the switchgear cabinet.

Only the upper, right-hand corner of a frame 10 of a switchgear cabinet is shown, the horizontal frame portion 10.1 being connected to the vertical frame portion 10.2 at said corner. The top wall of the switchgear cabinet is referenced 11, and a carrying eyelet 12 is connected to the frame 10. The vertical frame portion 10.2 communicates with the mounting flange 13, wherein square mounting holders 14 and 15 are provided, which are disposed with two different spacings. The mounting flange 13 defines open end 16 of the cabinet compartment, which is to be closed by the front panel 20. If the front panel 20 is to be i pivotally mounted in the region of the horizontal lower edge, rectangular or square cutaway portions 21 are introduced into the corner regions associated with the lower edge and they are provided for the attachment of hinges 30. The cutaway portions 21 are defined by the edge 22, which extends parallel to the pivotal edge, and by the edge 23, which extends vertically relative to the pivotal edge. A mounting bore 24 is provided in the region of the front panel 20 which communicates with the edge 22, and it accommodates mounting screw 25, by means of which second hinge portion 40 is connected to the front panel 20, as shown in detail in Fig. 3. Together with the washer 17, the mounting screw 26 serves to connect the first hinge portion 31 to the mounting flange 13, as also illustrated in Fig. 3. The hinge 30 is in block form and is so attached that it terminates, in the corner region, flush with the lateral edges of the front panel 20, which extend relative to each other.

Fig. 2 clearly shows that, for the vertical pivotal mounting of the front panel 20, the corner regions associated with the pivotal edge are again provided with the cutaway portions. Edges 22, which extend parallel to the pivotal edge, however, are vertically orientated, and the edges 23, which extend vertically relative to the pivotal edge, are horizontally orientated. The mounting pores 24 are again provided in the regions of the front panel 20 which communicate with the edges 22.

The hinge 30, which is illustrated in Fig. 3, is shown in the position in which it is used f or a vertical pivotal mounting of the f ront panel 20 shown in rig. 2. The first hinge portion 31, which is to be connected to the mounting f lange 13, forms with the spaced-apart bearing flanges 32 and 33, a bearing block with the bearing holder 34 for accommodating the bearing lug 41 of the second hinge portion 40, which is to be connected to the front panel 20. The hinge pin 38, which is introduced into the bearing bores 35 in the first hinge portion 31 and into the bearing bore 42 in the second hinge portion 40, joins the two hinge portions 31 and 40 together in a pivotal manner. In such case, the hinge pin extends with with only a small or minimal spacing from the facing or juxtaposed outer surfaces of the hinge portions 31 and 40, so that the hinge axis, if possible, coincides with the pivotal edge of the front panel 20 which, of course, terminates flush with the external surfaces of the hinge portions 31 and 40.

The centering projection member 36 is moulded to fit on the underside of the first hinge portion 31, and the threaded bore 37 is provided in said projection member. The cross-section of this centering projection member 36 is adapted to the cross-section of the mounting holders 14 and 15 in the mounting f lange 13, so that the first hinge portion 31 is nonrotatably securable on the mounting flange 13. The mounting screw 26 is inserted through the bore 19 of the washer 17 and screw-connected into the threaded bore 37 of the first hinge portion 31.

flange 13, the washer indentation or recess 18, When facing the mounting 17 is provided with an which is adapted to the cross-section of the centering projection member 36 of the first hinge portion 31. This arrangement ensures that, even if the centering projection member 36 on the rear end of the mounting flange 13 protrudes partially f rom the mounting holder 14 or 15, the washer 17 is substantially supported on the mounting f lange 13 and permits a play- free connection between the first hinge 1 1 portion 31 and the mounting flange 13. The second hinge portion 40, remote from the pivotal end, protrudes beyond the first hinge portion 31 and is provided, in its underside, with the threaded bore 45 for accommodating the mounting screw 25. On its underside, the second hinge portion 40 is provided with the shoulder portion 46, which protrudes from the free end of the second hinge portion 40 and extends to the web 44, which abuts against the first hinge portion 31 when the hinge 30 is in its closed position. The height of the shoulder portion 46 is adapted to the thickness of the front panel 20. The cross-section of the cutaway portions 21 of the f ront panel 20 is so selected that the first hinge portion 31 and the web 44 of the second hinge portion 40 completely f ill the respective cutaway portion 21. The front end of the second hinge portion 40 is so flattened that it tapers towards the free end. The hinge 30 may also be used in a position which is rotated through 900 relative to the horizontal pivotal mounting of the front plate 20. For this purpose, only the cutaway portions 21 are to be inserted into the corner regions of the front plate 20, facing the pivotal edge, when likewise rotated through 900. When large dimensions are involved, and when the front panel 20 has an appropriate cutaway portion, the hinge 30 may also be placed at any desired location along the pivotal edge.

Claims

1. A housing, such as an assembly carrier or a switchgear cabinet, including an open front side, which is at least partially coverable by means of front panels, wherein each front panel is selectively pivotable with either a horizontal or a vertical pivotal axis by means of two hinges, wherein each hinge is formed from a first hinge portion, which is connectable to the housing, and a second hinge portion, which is connectable to the front panel and is pivotally connected to the first hinge portion by means of a hinge pin, wherein the open front side is provided, at least in the vertical edge regions, with mounting flanges having a number of square mounting holders which are provided in a prescribed distribution arrangement, wherein the front panel has a rectangular or right angled recess portion, which is open towards the pivotal edge and accommodates the first hinge portion, for each hinge on the vertical or horizontal pivotal edge, wherein the first hinge portion has a mounting surface provided with a centering projection member, the cross-section of which is adapted to the cross-section of the mounting holders of the mounting flanges, wherein the first hinge portion is provided, in the centering projection member, with a threaded receiving means for accommodating a first mounting screw, by means of which the first hinge portion is non-rotatably securable on the mounting flange, and wherein the second hinge portion is secured to the front panel by means of a second mounting screw in association with the recess, characterised in that the front panel (20) is provided, in the corner regions of the pivotal end, with rectangular or square or right angled recesses or cutaway portions (21), in that bores (24) are provided for the mounting screws (25) of the second hinge portions in the region of the edges (22) of the recesses (21) which extend parallel to the pivotal axis, in that the first hinge portions (31) are provided with a means for accommodating a bearing lug (41) of the second hinge portions (40) between two bearing flanges (32, 33), in that the bearing lugs (41) of the second hinge portions (40) are connected to the bearing flanges (32, 33) of the first hinge portions (31) by means of pivot axles (38), and in that the first and second hinge portions (31,40) terminate flush with the ends of the front panel (20) which are orientated towards the associated corner regions of the front panel (20).

2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second hinge portions (40) on the underside facing the front panel (20) are provided with a shoulder portion (46), which extends from the free end of the second hinge portions (40) and has a height which is adapted to the thickness of the front panel (20).

3. A housing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sections of the recess or cutaway portions (21) of the front panel (20) are adapted to the cross-section of the first hinge portions (31) plus the cross-section of a web (44) of the second hinge portions (40), the webs (44) communicating with the shoulder portions (46) of the second hinge portion (40) and extending to the bearing lugs (32, 33) of the second hinge portions (40).

4. A housing as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second hinge portions (40) are flattened towards the outside and taper towards the free end.

5. A housing as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first hinge portion (31) is connectable to the mounting f lange (16) by the interposition of a cover plate (17), the washer (17) having an indentation (18) when facing the mounting f lange (16) and being adapted to the cross-section of the centering projection member (36) of the first hinge portion (31).

6. A housing substantially as hereinbefor described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1993 at The Paten! Office. Concept House. Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. 17urther copies maybe obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. Cixmfelinfa,.b. cross Keys. Newport. NP I 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques'ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent.