DE102011011368A1 - Apparatus for loading and venting closed housing, such as cabinet or control box, has mounting base which is designed for fixed attachment to housing, and cover that is rigidly mounted on mounting base - Google Patents

Abstract

The loading and venting apparatus (1) has a mounting base (2) which is designed for fixed attachment to the housing, and a cover (3) that is rigidly mounted on a mounting base. A through passage (4) is formed for providing a fluid connection between an interior- and exterior sides of the housing. A filter is pre-stresses in the through passage such that a continuous annular sealing contact is formed between the filter and an inner wall surface of the through passage. An independent claim is also included for a housing with a through opening.

Description

The invention relates to a device for ventilating a closed housing, such as a control cabinet or control box, in particular a fluid-tight and / or dust-tight electrical cabinet for voltages in the range greater than or equal to 380 V, in particular an electrical control box, the requirements of IP protection classes higher met as IP 65.

In order to prevent damage or deterioration of the electrical circuits housed in such housings by dirt or moisture, high-voltage cabinets are usually made fluid-tight.

The opening of the door of a fluid-tight control box is often very difficult, since when moving the cabinet door from its closed position to an open position, a negative pressure in the interior of the cabinet arises, due to the sealing of the interior of the housing relative to the exterior of the housing first can not be compensated. In order to facilitate the opening of a fluid-tight housing and to provide for a balance of the different pressure conditions inside and outside the fluid-tight housing, a ventilation device may be provided in the housing. Ventilation devices are also used in control boxes to compensate for temperature differences between the inside and the outside of the electrical control box and thus to reduce the formation of condensation. However, since condensation can not be completely prevented in most cases, the ventilation and venting device must fulfill the task of possibly returning condensed water in the control box and, on the other hand, to reliably prevent the penetration of foreign bodies and / or fluids into the housing.

According to the varying depending on the place of use and leakage requirements, it is desirable to be able to use a variety of filters in a device for ventilation in order not to have to develop a suitable ventilation and ventilation device for each project. Because of the wear of the filter, the ventilation device should allow easy replacement of the filter. Such a device for venting is for example from the EP 0 975 077 A1 known, in which a prismatic body is provided with a passage in which a sieve or filter can be inserted. A likewise provided with a passage threaded counterpart is inserted through an opening in the housing to be ventilated and the prismatic body screwed onto the threaded counterpart. The wall of the housing is clamped between the threaded part and the prismatic body. The strainer allows gas exchange between the inside and outside of the housing and allows condensation to drain from the inside to the outside.

In the known ventilation device, however, there is the disadvantage that there is no sufficient watertightness against fluids penetrating from the outside, since the screen is inserted only in the prism body. Therefore, for example, when used outdoors or cleaning the housing splash or cleaning liquid penetrate into the control box, which can lead to a malfunction.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular to provide a device for loading and venting a closed housing in which arrive at low design effort, a fluid exclusively by means of flow through the filter from the housing interior to the housing exterior and vice versa can, where the filter should be readily interchangeable modular.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

Thereafter, an apparatus for ventilating a closed enclosure, such as a cabinet or switch box having a mounting base adapted for fixed attachment to the housing, a lid fixedly mounted to the mounting base, a passageway for providing a flow connection between an interior and outside of the housing and a filter positioned in the passageway. The filter is biased in the passageway such that an uninterrupted annular seal contact is formed between the filter and at least one inner wall surface of the passageway. Due to the measure according to the invention, a fluid can only penetrate through the filter out of the housing to the outside and vice versa in a closed housing.

The flow can be in accordance with a filter characteristic of the filter or membrane of the filter, for example, gas permeable and both sides liquid-tight or liquid-permeable in one direction, designed.

The mounting base may be formed as a rotationally symmetrical body to an axial axis, have a cylindrical through hole and a prismatic flange. The through-hole is part of the through-channel, through an opening in the lid, in particular four or six, preferably symmetrically arranged openings, is continued to provide fluid communication between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the ventilation device.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting base and the cover mounted thereon define a filter receiving space in the passage of the passage whose axial and / or radial dimension is at least partially, in particular slightly smaller than the axial and / or radial dimension of the filter.

Preferably, the filter receiving space is limited in the axial direction on the one hand by a radial inner surface of the lid on the other hand by a radial shoulder surface of a rotationally symmetrical passage in the mounting base. Preferably, the filter receiving space is limited in the radial direction by a rotationally symmetrical, circumferential inner wall.

By an axial and / or radial oversize of the filter relative to the filter receiving space, the filter is axially and / or radially compressed and biased during assembly in the filter receiving space. If the filter has only an axial oversize, the result of the transverse expansion of the filter is also a radial prestress in the filter receiving space. The axial and / or radial oversize of the filter is in particular less than or equal to 5 millimeters, preferably less than or equal to 1 millimeter, preferably 0.2 millimeters. The shoulder forms an axial stop to prevent displacement of the filter in the axial direction when the filter is biased in the passageway. Due to the axial and / or radial prestressing, at least one completely circumferential fluid-tight surface contact between the outer peripheral surface of the filter and the inner wall of the filter holder can also be formed. Due to the axial prestressing, a completely circumferential fluid-tight surface contact between the axial stop surface of the filter and the radial shoulder surface can also be formed.

In a preferred embodiment, the radial shoulder surface on a heel point on a circumferential annular nose. The annular nose is in cross-section through the axial axis in particular triangular, polygonal, or preferably rectangular. The annular nose penetrates into the prestressed filter to form at least one peripheral sealing edge, in particular corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the annular nose of a plurality of sealing edges, preferably a pair of parallel adjacent circumferential sealing edges.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter extends axially beyond the limiting radial shoulder surface to form a sealing annular surface contact between at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the filter and the wall of a passageway portion located beyond the shoulder. The filter can be in the form of two superimposed solid cylinders of different radii.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotationally symmetrical circumferential inner wall has a conically increasing and a conically decreasing section, which open into a common peripheral vertex of the smallest radial dimension of the passage, so that a circumferential sealing edge is formed at the apex. In particular, the conicity of the increasing and decreasing sections is defined by an angle less than or equal to 10 °, preferably less than or equal to 5 °, preferably about 2.6 ° relative to the axial axis.

Preferably, a transition from the rotationally symmetrical circumferential inner wall to the radial shoulder surface is formed by a circumferential groove, which provides a decompression space for the prestressed filter. The filter may partially relax penetrating into the decompression space, so that a circumferential annular sealing edge is formed on at least one outer edge of the circumferential groove. The conically increasing section represents a particularly slight widening of the filter receptacle, so that the filter, which is oversized in comparison to the passage channel in the axial and / or radial dimension, can be used more easily when mounting the ventilation device, but nevertheless in the mounted state at least one completely circumferential fluid-tight annular sealing contact between the outer peripheral surface of the filter and the inner wall surface of the filter holder is made.

In a preferred embodiment, the lid is attached to the mounting base via a latching mechanism. Preferably, the latching mechanism is designed as a circumferential cover flange, preferably as a plurality of cover flange sections which engage in a recessed into the mounting base, in particular annular groove. The groove can be embedded in the prismatic flange of the mounting base, in particular in the axial direction and is preferably undercut. The cover flange has a nose or bead shaped in particular in a complementary manner to the undercut, wherein in particular the dimensions of the cover flange and / or the nose relative to an inlet opening of the groove and the undercut are adapted such that a holding force between the cover and the mounting base, in particular due to Friction and / or positive connection between at least one inner wall surface of the groove, preferably the undercut forming inner wall surface, and the cover flange, preferably the nose consists. Preferably, the axial and / or radial compressive bias is applied and held by snapping the lid into the mounting base. By frictional and / or positive connection between the Nutinnenfläche and the cover flange high, in particular in the radial direction away from the axial axis directed closing forces of up to 1000 N in particular can be realized. Thus filters with particularly high axial stiffnesses, in particular filters made of sintered metals in the axial direction can be biased. In addition, the lid can not accidentally be opened, for example, during transport of the housing because of the high closing forces. Furthermore, the lid by the closing forces and from falling down during operation, for example, the cabinet z. B. due to stone chipping, cleaning with high-pressure cleaner, etc. protected.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover, preferably the cover flange, has at least one material recess, which serves as a deformation space for cover flange sections formed by the at least one material recess when snapping into the groove. The nose of the cover flange has in particular with respect to the inlet region of the circumferential groove of the latching mechanism on a radial oversize. Preferably, the material recess is dimensioned such that the radially inwardly deforming during engagement lid flange sections, do not touch or hinder each other. The material recesses in particular reduce the bending stiffness of the cover flange, so that the cover can also be made of materials of high flexural rigidity, such as metal or metal alloys.

Preferably, the lid on the cover flange on, in particular with respect to the circumferential nose tapered centering collar. The radial dimensions of the centering collar are adapted in particular to the radial dimensions of the groove, in particular the inlet opening of the groove such that a centered engagement of the lid, in particular the lid and the pre-assembled on the lid filter, is ensured in the mounting base.

In a preferred embodiment, in the lid, in particular in the inner lid wall, a preassembly aid continuing the filter receiving space is provided for mounting the filter in the lid prior to mounting the lid on the mounting base. The pre-assembly is in particular formed by a preferably cylindrical or hollow cylindrical material recess or recess in the lid, in particular the radial dimensions of the recess, in particular the recess in the radial direction bounding annular circumferential cylinder wall surface are compared to the filter adapted such that the filter in the pre-assembled in Cover is held by a compression bias. Preferably, a groove is embedded in the cylinder wall surface, which provides a decompression space for the filter under pressure bias, so that there is a positive connection between the filter and groove in the region of at least one outer edge of the groove. If the material recess is formed on the basis of a hollow cylinder, then the non-recessed region in the passage of the imaginary hollow cylinder form can extend in the axial direction away from the cover in the direction of the radial shoulder and a projection in the radial inner surface of the cover. A hollow cylindrical filter can be radially supported or prestressed on the in particular cylindrical circumferential outer walls of the projection.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter is loosely biased in the receptacle. In particular, the uninterrupted ring-sealing contact is free of fastening or sealing adhesive means such as adhesives, free of welding and free of plastic extrusion realized only by compression bias. Due to the adhesive, welding and overflow-free arrangement of the filter in the passage, a simple replacement of the filter is possible at any time. The modular design allows the use of application-specific filters without having to completely redesign the ventilation device. In addition, by eliminating a bond, a thermal weld or plastic extrusion a raw material economic and energy-saving production possible. Also relative to the thermal expansion of the filter, the mounting base and the lid, in particular when the filter, the mounting base and / or the cover are made of materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, relative expansion of the components to each other or away from each other can be compensated by the bias, so that no leaks between filter and filter intake can occur.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter is in the form of a solid cylinder. In particular, the filter also has a membrane. In a further development, the filter is a hollow cylinder. The hollow cylinder filter has a passage. The inlet opening and / or the outlet opening of the passage is / are each completely covered by a membrane.

Preferably, the mounting base and lid are made of a metal such as brass, copper, iron, a metal alloy such as stainless steel, or a plastic. In a further development, the filter is made of in particular sintered polyethylene, a foam, such as a polyurethane foam, a microporous polyethylene, sintered metals, such as nickel, brass, stainless steel, or microglass.

The invention further relates to a housing with a device for ventilation in which the device for ventilation in a through-opening of the housing by means of a fastening portion attached to the mounting base, such as a thread or a clamping mechanism. In order to ensure fluid tightness between the mounting base and the housing, the mounting base may be sealingly biased against a border of the through opening of the housing when mounting. The preload can be done by screwing the thread into the housing or by the clamping forces of the clamping mechanism.

Further characteristics, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 a perspective view of the loading and venting device according to the invention;

2 a cross-sectional view along the section line I-II of the ventilation device according to the invention when mounted in a closed housing;

3 a cross-sectional view along the section line I-II of the ventilation device according to the invention before mounting the lid to the mounting base;

4 a cross-sectional view along the section line I-II of the lid;

5 a detailed view of the area III of the mounting base;

6 a detailed view of the area III of the mounting base, the filter and the lid, in particular the locking mechanism in the assembled state of the aeration and deaeration device;

7 a cross-sectional view taken along section line I-II of a second embodiment of the inventive device for venting;

8th a cross-sectional view taken along section line I-II of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention for venting;

9 a cross-sectional view along the section line I-II of a fourth embodiment of the inventive device for venting; and

10 a cross-sectional view along the section line I-II of a fifth embodiment of the device according to the invention for aeration and venting.

In the 1 to 10 is the device according to the invention for venting a housing generally with the reference numeral 1 . 101 . 201 . 301 or 401 Mistake.

The ventilation device 1 has a mounting base as main components 2 , a lid 3 and a filter 7 , The mounting base 2 and the lid 3 are formed substantially rotationally symmetrical to the axial axis A. In the lid 3 are several openings 5 recessed into a cylindrical through-hole extending through the mounting base, and together form a through-channel 4 form a fluid exchange between the inside and the outside of a fluid-tight closed housing 97 to enable. The mounting base has a substantially cylindrical basic shape, so that it into a through hole 98 through a housing wall 99 can be used. A prismatic shaped mounting flange 6 the mounting base 2 Can with respect to a housing wall 99 be tense. As in the 2 and 3 is seen, is a filter 7 between the lid 3 and the mounting base 2 in the passageway 4 used. The filter is partially in a depression 8th in the radial inner surface 88 of the lid 3 and partially received in the passageway. The filter is with a membrane 71 fitted.

The filter receiving space 45 is through the depression 8th in the lid 3 , the circulating paragraph 9 and through the inner walls 44 of the passageway 4 the mounting base 2 limited. The filter 7 when the lid is mounted, it fills the entire space intended for filter intake 45 out.

The mounting base has a threaded portion 10 on, which allows the ventilation device 1 in the housing wall 99 to screw. Between the mounting flange 6 and the threaded portion 10 the mounting base 2 there is a circumferential groove 11 , on the one hand as an undercut with respect to the thread 10 a plan screwing the mounting base with the housing wall allows and in the other hand, for further sealing a non-illustrated sealing ring, such as an elastomeric O-ring can be added. The lid 3 is by means of a cover flange 12 and a groove 13 of the mounting flange 6 the mounting base 2 engaged.

5 shows a detailed representation of the designated III area of the mounting base 2 , The passageway 4 is in the lid side Filter inlet area flared conically. In particular, the expansion facilitates the insertion of the filter, which has a radial oversize relative to the filter receiving space 45 having the mounting part. The lid-side inlet area is through a conically increasing portion 14 the rotationally symmetrical inner wall of the passage formed. At the conically increasing section 14 closes a conically decreasing section 15 at. The two conical sections 14 . 15 meet in a common circumferential parting 16 at which the filter receiving space is tapered to form a ring seal line of maximum filter compression. At the decreasing conical section 15 closes a groove 17 at. Due to the axial and radial bias of the filter in the filter holder forms at the transition between the conically decreasing surface 15 and the groove 17 a circumferential ring sealing edge 27 out. A sales area 9 is substantially perpendicular to the axial axis of the mounting base 2 and thus forms an axial stop which limits the filter receptacle. At the radial inner edge of the radial shoulder 9 is a ring nose 18 educated. If the filter in the axial direction against the radial shoulder surface 9 Pressed, so penetrates the ring nose 18 into the filter and forms two adjacent circumferential sealing edges 19 . 20 out.

In the mounting base 2 is in the mounting flange 6 a groove 13 taken in, which has an undercut area 21 having.

As 6 shows, the locking mechanism is through the cover flange 12 who has a nose 22 complementary to the undercut 21 trained, realized. The cover flange 12 flows into a centering collar 23 , the insertion of the lid 3 in the groove 13 facilitated.

The groove 13 is dimensioned so wide that the cover flange can deform radially inwardly when snapped into the groove, without lying on the radial proximity to the axial axis A radial inner wall 24 the groove 13 to come across. As a result, the cover flange can deform radially inwardly, thereby facilitating engagement.

As in 4 is shown, the annular peripheral cover flange 12 of the lid 3 through material recesses 25 in several cover flange sections 26 be broken down. The cover flange sections 26 As a result, they can move radially inward during latching, so that the radial direction in comparison with the inlet region of the groove 13 oversized nose or bead 22 their outside diameter can be bent inward to pass through the inlet area 28 in the undercut area 21 to arrive and relax there locking.

In the radial inner surface 88 of the lid 3 is a depression 8th formed as a negative of a cylinder. At the transition from the circumferential cylindrical wall 29 the depression 8th and the radial inner edge of the recess 8th is a circumferential ring groove 30 educated. The circumferential cylindrical recess wall 29 has a smaller diameter than the filter 7 , Therefore, the filter in the lid can already be pre-tensioned prior to final assembly of the filter and lid on the mounting base. Part of the filter 7 can get in through the groove 30 Relaxed space, so that between the filter outer peripheral surface and the cylindrical wall 29 frictional flow forces also a positive connection at the outer edge of the groove 30 is provided to the filter 7 in its pre-assembly position in the lid 3 hold.

7 shows a ventilation device according to the invention, in which the filter over the Radialabsatzfläche 9 in a region of smaller diameter of the through-channel 4 protrudes. This will be on the inner wall surface 109 the tapered portion of the passageway 4 an annular sealing surface between the filter 107 and the inner wall of the mounting base 2 educated.

According to a in 8th illustrated embodiment, the filter 207 be designed as a hollow cylinder. The diameter of the inner cavity 217 of the hollow cylinder filter 207 , on whose hollow passage a membrane 271 can be stretched fluid-tight, is so to the dimensions of the radial shoulder surface 9 adapted that ring nose 218 the sales area 9 with the filter 207 forming a labyrinth seal.

As in 9 is shown, the pre-assembly on the radially inner surface 388 of the lid 303 be designed as a negative of a hollow cylinder. The recess in the radial inner surface 388 is accordingly an annular circumferential groove 387 , Part of the radial inner surface 388 extends partially from the lid 303 in the form of a cylinder 308 in the direction of the radial shoulder 9 , The diameter of the cylinder 308 is the dimension of the hollow cylinder filter 307 adjusted so that the outer wall surfaces 398 of the cylindrical projection 308 the filter 307 radially support and bias.

At the in 10 illustrated embodiment is the filter 407 designed as a short hollow cylinder in the mounting base 402 due to a radial oversize relative to the filter receiving space radially biased outwardly from the axial axis. The hollow cylinder is completely on the cover side by a membrane 471 spans. As a pre-assembly help is used in this Embodiment, the radial circumferential inner wall 474 of the cover flange 412 ,

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the figures and the claims may be of importance both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in the various embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 101, 201, 301, 401

Ventilation device

2, 402

mounting base

3, 303

cover

4

Through channel

5

openings

6

mounting flange

7, 107, 207

filter

8th

deepening

9

circumferential heel

10

threaded portion

11, 13, 17

groove

12, 412

cover flange

14

conically increasing section

15

conically decreasing section

16

vertex

18, 218

ring nose

19, 20

seal edges

21

undercut

22

nose

23

spigot

24

Radially inner wall

25

material recesses

26

Deckelflanschabschnitte

27

Ring seal edge

28

inlet area

29

pit wall

30

ring groove

44

interior walls

45

Filter housing space

71, 471

membrane

88, 388

radial detail inside surface

97

casing

98

Through Hole

99

housing wall

109

Inner wall surface

217

internal cavity

271

membrane

308

cylinder

387

annular circumferential groove

407

filter

474

inner wall

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 0975077 A1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Apparatus for venting a closed enclosure, such as a cabinet or control box, comprising a mounting base adapted for fixed attachment to the housing, a lid fixedly mounted to the mounting base, a passageway for providing flow communication between an inside and outside of the housing and a filter positioned in the passageway, characterized in that the filter is biased in the passageway such that a continuous annular sealing contact is formed between the filter and at least one inner wall surface of the passageway. Device for venting according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting base and the lid mounted thereon define a filter receiving space in the course of the passage whose axial and / or radial dimension at least partially, in particular slightly smaller than the axial and / or radial dimension of the Filter is, in particular, the filter receiving space in the axial direction is limited on the one hand by a radial inner surface of the lid on the other hand by a Radialabsatzfläche a rotationally symmetrical passage in the mounting base and / or the filter receiving space is limited in the radial direction by a rotationally symmetrical circumferential inner wall. Device for venting according to claim 2, characterized in that the radial shoulder surface, in particular at a heel point has a circumferential annular nose, which penetrates into the prestressed filter to form at least one circumferential sealing edge, preferably a pair of parallel juxtaposed circumferential sealing edges, and / or that the filter extends in the axial direction beyond the limiting Radialabsatzfläche out to form a circumferential sealing surface with a lying from the cover beyond the heel passage channel section. Device for venting according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the rotationally symmetrical circumferential inner wall has a conically increasing and a conically decreasing portion, which open in a common circumferential vertex smallest radial dimension of the passage, so that at the apex a circumferential sealing edge is formed and / or that a transition from the rotationally symmetrical circumferential inner wall to the Radialabsatzfläche is formed by a circumferential groove which provides a decompression space for the prestressed filter, so that at least one outer edge of the circumferential groove, a circumferential sealing edge is formed. Device for venting according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover is fastened to the mounting base via a latching mechanism, wherein in particular a circumferential cover flange, engages in a recessed in the mounting base in particular annular groove, wherein the groove preferably has an undercut In particular, the dimensions of the cover flange and / or the nose, the groove and / or the undercut are adapted such that a holding force between the cover and mounting base in particular due to frictional engagement and / or positive connection between at least one inner wall surface of the groove, preferably the inner wall surface forming the undercut, and the cover flange, preferably the nose. Device for venting according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover has at least one material recess which serves as a deformation space for formed by the at least one material recess Deckelflanschabschnitte snapping into the groove and / or the lid on the cover flange has a centering collar, said In particular, the radial dimensions of the centering collar are adapted to the radial dimensions of the groove such that a centered engagement of the lid is ensured in the mounting base. Device for ventilating and venting according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that in the cover a filter receiving space continuing preassembly is provided for mounting the filter in the lid prior to assembly of the lid to the mounting base, wherein the pre-assembly in particular by the radial inner surface the cover, preferably a cylindrical or hollow cylindrical recess in the radial inner surface of the lid is formed, wherein in particular the radial dimensions of the recess, in particular the recess bounding in the radial direction annular circumferential cylinder wall surface and the filter are adapted such that the filter in the pre-assembled in Lid is held by a compression bias, in particular a groove is recessed in the cylinder wall surface, which provides a decompression space for the under pressure biasing filter, so that a frictional and / or positive connection between the filter and groove in Be rich at least one outer edge of the groove results. Device for venting according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter is biased loosely in the receptacle, wherein in particular the uninterrupted Ring sealing contact, free of adhesion or welding is provided. Device for venting according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter has the shape of a solid cylinder, preferably a membrane and / or the filter is a hollow cylinder, wherein in particular an inlet opening and / or an outlet opening of the filter hollow cylinder , each passage is completely covered by a membrane and / or that the mounting base and the lid are made of a metal, such as brass, of a metal alloy, such as stainless steel, or of a plastic and / or that the filter of sintered polyethylene, a foam, such as a polyurethane foam, sintered metals, such as nickel, brass, stainless steel, or microglass is made. Housing with a device designed according to one of the preceding claims for venting, characterized in that the mounting base of the device for venting in a through-opening of the housing by means of a fastening portion, such as a thread, is fixed.

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