GB2566525A

GB2566525A - Safety device for providing an access to one or more electrical connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2566525A
Application number: GB1714974.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zanier Francois
Original assignee: Eaton Industries France SAS
Current assignee: Eaton Industries France SAS
Priority date: 2017-09-18
Filing date: 2017-09-18
Publication date: 2019-03-20
Also published as: GB201714974D0; GB2568152B; GB201815179D0; GB2568152A

Abstract

A safety device for providing access to one or more connectors including: a housing 12 in which connectors 10 can be placed; an opening 14 in the housing for providing an access to the connectors; a coverage (16, figure 2) for the opening; and a switch 18 provided between the connectors and one or more electrical cables 20 such that one or more electrical paths between the cables and connectors can be opened and closed; wherein the coverage is shaped to put the switch into a switch-off position, in which the electrical paths between the electrical cables and the connectors are opened, when the coverage is moved away from the opening to access connectors. The coverage may be a hinged door provided with a lock (19). The connectors may be connectors of a terminal block. The switch may be a rotary switch coupled to a pivot joint of the hinge, or a toggle switch with a handle mechanically coupled to the coverage.

Description

EATON INDUSTRIES (FRANCE) SAS DESCRIPTION

TITLE

Safety device for providing an access to one or more electrical connectors

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a safety device for providing an access to one or more electrical connectors to avoid hazardous electrical voltage on the one or more connectors.

BACKGROUND

US patent US8670221B2 discloses a terminal block that integrates a surge protection base, a disconnect and connection points to provide a Kelvin connection in which a surge protection element is in electrical communication with the ground and the connection points for incoming and outgoing wires. The terminal block includes a terminal body having a terminal body housing, a plurality of conductive elements arranged within the terminal body to create a continuous electrical path there through and a disconnect switch integral the terminal body, the switch arranged to open the continuous electrical path and expose a terminal. The terminal body is configured to receive a surge protection element and the surge protection element, when received in the terminal body, forms a portion of the continuous electrical path. According to an embodiment, the disconnect switch may be provided as an access door style knife switch that can be actuated between an operative, connected position and an open, disconnected position.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to propose a safety device for providing an access to a one or more electrical connectors.

This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further embodiments are shown by the dependent claims.

The present invention proposes a safety device for providing an access to one or more electrical connectors, which encloses the connectors and comprises an opening for providing an access to one or more connectors. The opening can be covered by a coverage, which is shaped to put a safety switch, which is switched between one or more connectors and electrical cables, into a switch-off position when moved away from the opening. Thus, when cables should be connected to one or more connectors accessible through the opening, the electrical path from the electrical cables to the one or more connectors is interrupted by the automatically switched-off safety switch so that the is no hazardous electrical voltage on the one or more connectors. The switch-off mode remains in function until the coverage is moved back in its closed position.

An embodiment of the invention relates to safety device for providing an access to one or more connectors comprising a housing, in which the one or more connectors can be placed, an opening in the housing for providing an access to the one or more connectors, a coverage of the opening, a switch provided to be switched between the one or more connectors and one or more electrical cables to be electrically connected to the one or more connectors such one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables and the one or more connectors can be opened and closed, wherein the coverage is shaped to put the switch into a switch-off position, in which the one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables and the one or more connectors are opened, when the coverage is moved away from the opening to access connectors.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the coverage may be a hinged access door located above the opening.

Locking means may be provided for locking the coverage to the housing. Thus, any accidental or unintentional switch-off action may be avoided. The locking means may be for example implemented by means of a unloosable screw, which may be attached to the coverage and screwed into an opening of the housing.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the switch may be a rotary switch having a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to a pivot joint of the hinged access door such that the opening of the hinged access door moves rotary switch into the switch-off position by means of the rotatable shaft.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the coverage may comprise a lever for putting the switch into the switch-off position when the coverage is moved away from the opening.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the lever may be adapted such that it puts the switch back into the switch-on position when the coverage is put onto the opening.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the switch may be a toggle switch having a handle mechanically coupled to the coverage such that the opening of the coverage moves the handle into the switch-off position.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the one or more connectors may be connectors of a terminal block, which comprises one or more one conductive elements each being arranged within a body of the terminal block to create a continuous electrical path there through from one or more first connectors to one or more second connectors, wherein the one or more first connectors are to be accessed through the opening.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the switch may be provided to be switched between the one or more second connectors of the terminal block and one or more electrical cables to be electrically connected to the one or more second connectors such one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables and the one or more second connectors can be opened and closed.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment described hereinafter.

The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the exemplary embodiment. However, the invention is not limited to this exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of the safety device for providing an access to one or more connectors of a terminal block according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the safety device of Fig. 1 with a covering in a closed state;

Fig. 3 and 4 show perspective views of the safety device of Fig. 1 with the covering in partly opened state; and

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the safety device of Fig. 1 with the covering in a completely opened state.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, functionally similar or identical elements may have the same reference numerals. Absolute values are shown below by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

Fig. 1, a safety device for providing an access to one or more connectors of a terminal block 10, which comprises a housing 12 in which the terminal block 10 is placed. The housing 12 may be for example the bottom plate of a server rack, in which the terminal block 10 serves for connecting electrical lines 20 of the mains to the internal power supply 22 of the server rack, which can be guided through a jacket 24 into the housing 12. The housing 12 must not be necessarily integrated in an electrical equipment such as a server rack, but can also be designed as a separate entity, which may be installed in a server rack or any other electrical entity.

The terminal block 10 may be a block known in the prior art having first connectors

10’, conductive elements 10” being arranged within an electrically isolating body 10”’ of the terminal block, and second connectors 10””. However, any other kind of terminal block may be used for the purpose of the invention as long as it comprises one or more connectors for electrical lines.

An opening 14 in the housing 12 is provided for providing an access to the one or more connectors 10’ of the terminal block 10. The opening 14 of the housing 12 shown in Fig. 1 is a nearly rectangular opening, which give access to nearly the entire terminal block 10. However, the opening may be any kind of opening and may also have a different shape compared to the one shown in Fig. 1 as long as it allows an access to the one or more connectors 10’ of the terminal block 10 so that electrical lines may be connected with the one or more connectors 10’.

The opening 14 can be covered by a hinged access door 16 (Figs. 2-5) in order to avoid an unintentional contact with the connectors of the terminal block 10, particularly the first connectors 10’. The hinged access door 16 can be locked to the housing 12 by the unlosable screw 19 (Figs 2-5).

A toggle switch 18 is fixed at the housing 12 besides the opening 14. The switch 18 is a double switch for opening and closing two separate electrical paths. Two electrical lines 20’ connect terminals of both switches of the toggle switch 18 with two of the second connectors 10”” of the terminal block 10. The other terminals of both switches of the toggle switch 18 are connected to current conducting electrical lines 20 of the mains.

The toggle switch 18 can be put into a switch-off position by a lever 17 (Figs. 2-5) attached to the hinged access door 16 when the hinged access door 16 is opened, as it is shown in Figs. 2 to 5.

Each one of the first connectors 10’ is provided to be connected with a single electrical line 22’ of the internal power supply 22 of the server rack. In order to avoid hazardous electrical voltage on the first connectors 10’ when connecting the electrical lines 22’, the combination of the hinged access door 16, the lever 17, and the toggle switch 18 open the electrical path from the current conducting electrical lines 20 of the mains to the first connectors 10’ via the switches of the toggle switch 18 by putting the switch 18 into a switch-off position with the lever 17 when the door 16 is opened.

The opening of the hinged access door 16 and the putting of the toggle switch 18 into the switch-off position is now explained with reference to Figs. 2 to 5:

In Fig. 2, the door 16 is completely closed, and the switch 18 is put into a switch-on position so that the electrical paths from the current conducting electrical lines 20 of the mains to the first connectors 10’ are closed and the mains voltage is connected to the first connectors 10’.

In order to access the first connectors 10’ for connecting the electrical lines 22’ of the internal power supply 22 of the server rack to the current conducting electrical lines 20 of the mains, the hinged access door 16 has to be opened by lifting its front. Figs. 3 and 4 show the safety device with partly opened hinged access door 16. In Fig. 3, the opening of the hinged access door 16 is such that the lever 17 attached to the door 16 is close to the handle of the switch 18, but the handle is still in the switchedon position so that the electrical paths of the switch 18 are closed. In Fig. 4, the door 16 is open so far that the first connectors 10’ of the terminal block 10 are already accessible and the lever 17 has put the handle of the switch 18 back into the switched-off position so that the electrical paths of the switch 18 are open. Thus, no hazardous electrical voltage from the mains is on the first connectors 10’. When the hinged access door 16 is completely opened as shown in Fig. 5, the terminal block 10 is completely accessible, particularly the first connectors 10’, and the handle of the switch 18 is in put in the switched-off position.

The lever 17 can be designed such that when the door 16 is closed again, the handle of the switch 18 remains in the switched-off position (and has to be manually put into the switched-on position as additional security measure) or it is put back into the switched-on position by the lever 17 (automatically switch-on feature).

Claims

1. A safety device for providing an access to one or more connectors (10) comprising

- a housing (12), in which the one or more connectors (10) can be placed,

- an opening (14) in the housing (12) for providing an access to the one or more connectors (10),

- a coverage (16) of the opening (14),

- a switch (18) provided to be switched between the one or more connectors (10) and one or more electrical cables (20) to be electrically connected to the one or more connectors (10) such one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables (20) and the one or more connectors (10) can be opened and closed, wherein

- the coverage (16) is shaped to put the switch into a switch-off position, in which the one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables (20) and the one or more connectors (10) are opened, when the coverage is moved away from the opening to access connectors.

2. The safety device of claim 1, wherein the coverage (16) is a hinged access door located above the opening

3. The safety device of claim 1or 2, wherein locking means are provided for locking the coverage (16) to the housing (12).

4. The safety device of claim 2, wherein the switch is a rotary switch having a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to a pivot joint of the hinged access door such that the opening of the hinged access door moves rotary switch into the switch-off position by means of the rotatable shaft.

5. The safety device of claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the coverage (16) comprises a lever (17) for putting the switch into the switch-off position when the coverage is moved away from the opening.

6. The safety device of claim 5, wherein the lever is adapted such that it puts the switch back into the switch-on position when the coverage is put onto the opening.

7. The safety device of claim 1,2, 3 or 4, wherein the switch is a toggle switch having a handle mechanically coupled to the coverage such that the opening of the coverage moves the handle into the switch-off position.

8. The safety device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more connectors are connectors (10’) of a terminal block (10), which comprises one or more one conductive elements (10”) each being arranged within a body (10”’) of the terminal block (10) to create a continuous electrical path there through from one or more first connectors (10’) to one or more second connectors (10””), wherein the one or more first connectors (10’) are to be accessed through the opening (14).

9. The safety device of claim 8, wherein the switch (18) is provided to be switched between the one or more second connectors (10””) of the terminal block (10) and one or more electrical cables (20) to be electrically connected to the one or more second connectors (10””) such one or more electrical paths between the one or more electrical cables (20) and the one or more second connectors (10””) can be opened and closed.