GB2545917A

GB2545917A - Consumer unit

Info

Publication number: GB2545917A
Application number: GB1523077.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Walker Paul
Original assignee: R Hamilton & Co Ltd
Current assignee: R Hamilton & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-12-30
Filing date: 2015-12-30
Publication date: 2017-07-05
Also published as: GB201523077D0

Abstract

A gland adaptor for a consumer unit housing comprises a plate member adapted for fitting to an aperture (4, Fig 1) of a housing of a consumer unit, and an opening dimensioned to permit one or more electrical cables to pass through. The gland adaptor is at least partially formed from an intumescent material, such as a sleeve 17. The adaptor may be used with a metal-bodied consumer unit.

Description

Consumer Unit

This invention relates to a gland adaptor for a consumer unit housing, a consumer unit and a kit of parts.

Consumer units (sometimes also known as consumer control units) are well-known as distribution boards that enable the control of electricity. Domestic premises for example are usually provided with a consumer unit that houses a plurality of fuses or circuit breakers for example. Typically, such units include casings constructed from a plastics material, which is suitable since it is inexpensive, lightweight, easily mouldable and an electrically insulative material.

However, plastics consumer units have a disadvantage in that they are easily damaged in the event of raised temperatures, for example occurring as a result of a fire.

One proposed solution is to use a consumer unit made from metal, but since these are more difficult to manufacture, it is difficult to ensure adequate fire-proofing, especially at the openings on the unit casing necessary to permit external wiring to enter the unit. One recent product attempts to overcome this problem by providing a metal consumer unit casing which is simply placed over a conventional plastics case. However, the resulting unit is bulky, and not universally applicable, i.e. different outer casings may be required for different units.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome these problems. This aim is achieved by providing an intumescent gland adaptor at each opening of the consumer unit housing. In the event of a raised temperature, the intumescent material swells and seals off the interior of the consumer unit, preventing damage thereto.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a gland adaptor for a consumer unit housing, comprising: a plate member adapted for fitting to an aperture of a housing of a consumer unit, and an opening being dimensioned to permit an electrical cable to pass through in use; the gland adaptor being at least partially formed from an intumescent material.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a consumer unit, comprising a housing body and a gland adaptor according to the first aspect, the housing body comprising an aperture being dimensioned to permit an electrical cable to pass through in use, and the gland adaptor being adapted for fitting to the aperture.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts comprising a housing body dimensioned to house an electrical distribution board of a consumer unit, the housing body comprising an aperture, and a gland adaptor at least partially formed from an intumescent material, adapted for fixing to the aperture.

As is well known, an intumescent / intumescent material is a substance that swells as a result of heat exposure, thus increasing in volume and decreasing in density. These are generally classified as being either of the “soft char” or “hard char” type. It will be understood that either type may be used with success as the intumescent material of the present invention, though hard char types are preferred. It has been found that an intumescent loaded with around 31% graphite is particularly suitable, though the present invention is not so limited. In a preferred embodiment, the intumescent material comprises graphite-impregnated organic polymer, e.g. a graphite-loaded PVC injection-moulded unit. Preferably, the graphite-impregnated organic polymer is located in a steel sleeve, for example a powder-coated steel sleeve.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a consumer unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 schematically shows a blank plate for use with the consumer unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 schematically shows the consumer unit housing body of Fig. 1 with two blank plates attached;

Fig. 4 schematically shows a gland adaptor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 schematically shows a gland adaptor with internal intumescent cylinder In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 schematically shows a gland adaptor in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 schematically shows the consumer unit of Fig. 1 with two gland adaptors attached. A first embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in Fig. 1. A consumer unit is generally shown at 1. This comprises a housing body 2 of generally cuboidal form, designed in use to enclose an electrical distribution board (not shown), as is well-known in the art per se. Preferably, the body 2 is formed from a metal material, such as steel or aluminium. This may be powder-coated, as in known in the art. A hinged lid 3 is provided to allow access to the switches / fuses of the consumer unit once installed. The hinged lid also comprises a metal material. Fig. 1 shows an end of the body 2, which is designed to permit electrical cables to access the interior of the housing, and hence the distribution board. To enable this access, two apertures 4, 5 are provided in this end, which are dimensioned to permit at least one electrical cable, preferably more than one electrical cable, to pass through each aperture as required for the premises / unit as installed in use. Means are provided to enable plates to be removably fixed to the apertures 4, 5, here comprising screw holes 6, with two screw holes provided for each aperture. It should be noted that the number of apertures provided will depend upon the installation, and could comprise any number from one upwards.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a blank plate 7 for fitting to an aperture of the consumer unit 1. This has a simple rectangular form, including screw holes 9 for alignment with respective screw holes 6. The blank plate 7 is intended to cover apertures 4, 5 if they are not in use (e.g. if the installation does not require many cables to be connected to the distribution unit in use, or during transit). The blank plate may be formed form metal, or from an intumescent material as required.

Fig. 3 schematically shows the consumer unit 1 with blank plates 7, 8 fixed over apertures 4, 5 via screwing, aligning screw holes 6, 9 (screws not shown). It will be seen that the apertures 4, 5 are not accessible in this state.

Fig. 4 schematically shows a gland adaptor 10 for fitting to an aperture of the consumer unit 1. This includes a rectangular back-plate 12 which is held against the body 2 in use rectangular form, including attachment means in the form of screw holes 9 for alignment with respective screw holes 6. Gland adaptor 10 includes a rectangular cylindrical flange 11 projecting from the back-plate 12 and defining an opening 13, dimensioned to permit an electrical cable to pass through in use. Advantageously, opening 13 is dimensioned to permit a plurality of electrical cables to pass through in use. Gland adaptor 10 includes screw holes 14 for alignment with respective screw holes 6. Gland adaptor 10 is at least partially formed from an intumescent material, and may be entirely formed from said intumescent material. In a preferred embodiment, the flange 11 is provided within an internal covering, i.e. a layer, of intumescent material. In such an embodiment, the remainder of the gland adaptor may be formed from a non-intumescent material, such as metal, for example powder-coated steel.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, shown in Fig. 5, the main body of the gland adaptor 10 is formed from a unitary piece of powder-coated steel of approximately 1mm thickness, with the flange 11 projecting around 18mm from the back-plate 12. The corners and edges have been rounded, to avoid damage to cabling passing therethrough. A cylinder or sleeve 17 of 31% graphite-loaded hard char intumescent material having walls approximately 4mm thick is used to line the interior of the flange 11. The cylinder 17 may be fastened to the flange 11 using adhesive for example, or retained within the flange by friction. As shown, the cylinder 17 projects outwardly beyond the edge of the flange 11 distal to the back-plate 12.

Flange 11 may be dimensioned to match the trunking which ordinarily receives the electrical cables.

Fig. 6 schematically shows a gland adaptor 15 for fitting to an aperture of the consumer unit 1. This is generally similar to gland adaptor 10 of Fig. 4, however here a flange 16 is provided which only projects around a portion of the opening, the lower edge of the opening having no associated flange projection. This type of gland adaptor may be preferred for installations where cabling is to be channelled into a wall proximate the consumer unit for example.

While the gland adaptors of Figs. 4 and 6 are shown as having generally rectangular cross-section flanges for simplicity, in alternative embodiments all corners and edges may be softened and rounded, to avoid damage to internal cabling in use, such as shown in Fig. 5. The positioning of the flanges with respect to the back-plates may be selected according to the desired implementation, as may the positioning and arrangement of the crew-holes or other attachment means.

Fig. 7 schematically shows the consumer unit 1 with gland adaptors 10, 15 fixed over respective apertures 4, 5 via screwing, aligning screw holes 6, 14 (screws not shown). It will be seen that the openings 13 at least partially align with respective apertures 4, 5, permitting electrical cables (not shown) to pass through both opening 13 and aperture 4, 5 to reach the distribution board inside the consumer unit housing in use.

It will be noted that in the event of a raised temperature, for example a fire, the intumescent material of gland adaptors 10, 15 will swell up. The projecting flange acts, when thus expanded, to securely surround the received cable or cables and prevent access through the respective aperture. In a preferred embodiment, the intumescent material reacts to a raised heat of around 100 degrees C, and expands within the gland adaptor sealing off the cables, which in turn stops the spread of fire on the cables.

The above-described embodiments are exemplary only, and other possibilities and alternatives within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A gland adaptor for a consumer unit housing, comprising: a plate member adapted for fitting to an aperture of a housing of a consumer unit, and an opening being dimensioned to permit an electrical cable to pass through in use; the gland adaptor being at least partially formed from an intumescent material.

2. A gland adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the opening is dimensioned to permit a plurality of electrical cables to pass through in use.

3. A gland adaptor according to either of claims 1 and 2, comprising a flange projecting around at least a portion of the opening.

4. A gland adaptor according to claim 3, wherein the flange projects around the entirety of the opening.

5. A gland adaptor according to any preceding claim, wherein the plate member comprises at least one screw hole for fitting to the housing.

6. A gland adaptor according to any preceding claim, wherein the gland adaptor is entirely formed from an intumescent material.

7. A gland adaptor according to any preceding claim, wherein the intumescent material comprises graphite-impregnated organic polymer.

8. A gland adaptor according to claim 7, wherein the graphite-impregnated organic polymer is located in a steel sleeve.

9. A consumer unit, comprising a housing body and a gland adaptor according to any of claims 1 to 8, the housing body comprising an aperture being dimensioned to permit an electrical cable to pass through in use, and the gland adaptor being adapted for fitting to the aperture.

10. A consumer unit according to claim 9, wherein the housing body is at least partially formed from a metal material.

11. A consumer unit according to either of claims 9 and 10, comprising a plurality of apertures and respective gland adaptors.

12. A consumer unit according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the housing body comprises attachment means associated with the or each aperture for enabling fixing of the respective gland adaptor to the aperture.

13. A consumer unit according to any of claims 9 to 12 further comprising an electrical distribution board within the housing body.

14. A kit of parts comprising a housing body dimensioned to house an electrical distribution board of a consumer unit, the housing body comprising an aperture, and a gland adaptor at least partially formed from an intumescent material, adapted for fixing to the aperture.

15. A kit according to claim 14, further comprises a blank plate for fixing to said aperture.

16. A gland adaptor substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.

17. A housing for a consumer unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.

18. A consumer unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.

19. A kit of parts substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.