DE20117321U1 - Electrical installation element - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS
* EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Attorney file:

94 447/Ry/Bo

Graduate Physicist

* DR. WALTER ANDREJEWSKI (-1996) Graduate Engineer

* DR.-ING. MANFRED HONKE Graduate Physicist

* DR. KARL GERHARD MASCH Graduate Engineer

* DR.-ING. RAINER ALBRECHT Graduate Physicist

* DR. JÖRG NUNNENKAMP Graduate Chemist

* DR. MICHAEL ROHMANN Graduate Physicist

DR. ANDREAS VON DEM BORNE

D 45127 Essen, Theaterplatz 3 D 45002 Essen, P.O. Box IO 02 54

19 October 2 001

Utility model application

NIKO, nameplate manufacturer
Industrial Park West 40
St. Nicholas
- Belgium -

Electrical installation element

Description

This invention relates to an electrical installation element.

Its primary purpose is to provide a socket-outlet, more specifically a socket-outlet of the type comprising at least one base, two contact elements for the voltage poles and a base cover element.

A socket of this type is known, among other things, from European patent application No. 0.337.332. The base cover element used here is fastened to the base by means of a fastening element in the form of a rivet which engages a fastening lip located in the middle of a base cover element. Such a construction therefore requires the use of an additional fastening element in order to be able to fasten the base cover element to the base, which requires an additional machining operation in the production process.

The invention primarily aims at a socket, whereby the aforementioned additional processing is excluded, so that the production process can be further simplified, which of course results in cost savings.

To this end, the invention relates primarily to an electrical installation element consisting of a socket which comprises a number of components, including at least one base, two contact elements for the voltage poles and a base cover element, with the feature that at least the base cover element is connected exclusively by means of one piece with one or more of the

The locking parts made from the aforementioned components are attached to the other components of the socket.

Since the base cover element is fastened and held in place exclusively by means of locking parts made in one piece with one or more of the aforementioned components, the use of additional fastening elements is excluded, which enables particularly simple installation.

In a preferred embodiment, both the aforementioned cover element and the aforementioned two contact elements for the voltage poles are held in place exclusively by means of locking parts which are made in one piece with these components.

At the same time, it is preferred that, if the socket also comprises a contact element for an earthing pole, this component is also held in place by means of locking parts which are integral with one or more of the components in question.

By fixing, in addition to the base cover element, the contact elements for the voltage poles and the earthing pole in the base with locking means made integrally with the components to be locked, a whole is obtained which can be assembled with a minimum of operations and, moreover, operations which are easy to automate.

In the most preferred embodiment of the socket, the aforementioned locking parts for fastening the base cover element and/or for fastening the contact elements for the voltage poles consist of one or more locking parts in the form of elements which can be snapped into one another or one behind the other.

Preferably, the base cover element is held in place by means of several locking parts, which results in a good distribution of forces and allows each of the locking parts to be made relatively light.
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In the most preferred embodiment, the base cover element is provided with locking parts which are located in the areas where the above-mentioned two contact elements of the voltage poles are arranged.

This ensures that the locking parts are fairly spread over the surface covered by the base cover element. This provides good locking over the entire surface and also allows the cover element itself to be made relatively light.

According to the most preferred embodiment, the part of the base cover element located between the aforementioned two areas is preferably also free of locking parts, so that this part does not stand in the way of the possible passage of screws and the like, for example for fastening a cover plate of the socket.

The base cover element can be held in place in various ways by means of the locking parts mentioned above. Preferably, however, the socket is provided with locking parts which interact with the base itself and/or with the contact elements of the voltage poles.

According to a further preferred aspect of the invention, the base cover element preferably comprises two cover parts, each of which is provided with an opening for the passage of the pin of a plug, wherein between these two cover parts there is preferably a central

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opening, and wherein the aforementioned cover parts are connected to one another at least at two points, each on either side of the connecting line connecting the centers of the aforementioned two passages. Due to the fact that there are material connections between the aforementioned two cover parts on either side of the connecting line, the advantage is obtained that they are connected to one another relatively rigidly, whereby the base cover element is relatively rigid, which contributes to its general stability.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the socket is further characterized in that a support frame is fixed to the base; that this support frame is provided with coupling means that allow several support frames to be coupled together; that these coupling means comprise flanges with which the support frames can be partially pushed into one another, these flanges being provided with coupling parts that engage with one another; and that these coupling parts consist of deformations that fit into one another, these being provided with sharp hooking edges, either in the form of a material depression that engages in an opening or a material deformation with an inclination with respect to the plane of the flanges that is greater than 50 degrees, or even better greater than 75 degrees. In the designs known to date, such coupling parts are also formed by deformations that engage with one another, but these deformations only have weakly rounded edges, as a result of which they can easily come apart. By providing an actual material penetration instead of such weak rounded edges, whereby the material partially tears, or by providing a deformation with a large inclination, in contrast to the

known designs a good locking can be achieved.

It is clear that the use of the aforementioned coupling parts is not limited to built-in sockets, but can be used with all types of built-in electrical installation elements equipped with such a support frame, that is, not only sockets, but also switches and the like.

Other preferred features of the socket according to the

Invention should also be derived from the following

description as well as from the appended claims.

With the aim of better illustrating the characteristics of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described below, by way of example and without any limiting character, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a socket according to the invention in a partially disassembled state;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the base of the socket of Figure 1, on which base there is a base cover element;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but with the base cover element omitted and also showing a portion of the base in cross section;

Figure 4 shows, on a larger scale, a cross-section according to line IV-IV in Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows, on a larger scale, a cross-section according to line V-V in Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows the contact element indicated in Figure 3 with arrow F6 in a tilted state;

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Figures 7 and 8 show in perspective the top and bottom sides, respectively, of the base cover element indicated by arrow F7 in Figure 4;

Figure 9 shows, on a larger scale, a cross-section according to line IX-IX in Figure 3;

Figure 10 shows, on a larger scale, how the part indicated by arrow FlO in Figure 9 is deformed;

Figure 11 shows a variant of the invention; the
Figures 12 and 13 show the top and bottom of the base cover element of the socket of Figure 11, respectively;

Figure 14 is a view analogous to that of Figure 6, but for a contact element from the socket of Figure 11;

Figure 15 shows two sockets coupled together according to the invention;

Figure 16 shows, on a larger scale, a cross-section according to line XVI-XVI in Figure 15;
Figure 17 shows a variant of the part shown in Figure 16.

As shown in Figures 1 to 10, the invention relates to a socket 1 of the type comprising at least one base 2, two contact elements 3-4 for the voltage poles and a base cover element 5.

In addition to the aforementioned contact elements 3-4, the socket preferably also comprises, as usual, a contact element 6 for an earthing pole. In the example shown in Figures 1 to 10, the socket is provided with an earthing pin 7 which interacts with the contact element, but it is clear that, according to a variant, edge contact earthing can also be provided.

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The base 2 preferably consists of a body made of injection-moulded plastic material in which the necessary seats for fixing the various components are arranged, such as seats 8-9-10 for the contact elements 3-5-6, as well as seats for other accessories, including seats 11-12 for the clamping elements 13-14, the latter in the case of a built-in type socket, as shown in the example.

The base cover element 5 is also preferably made in one piece from plastic, as can be clearly seen in Figures 7 and 8.

The special feature of the invention is that at least the base cover element 5 is fastened to the other components exclusively by means of locking parts which are designed as one piece with one or more of the aforementioned components, special locking parts in the form of elements which can be snapped into one another or one behind the other.

As shown, for fastening the base cover element 5, preferably several locking parts are used, in this case four locking parts, 15-16-17-18 respectively, which in the example shown are formed by elastically bendable hook-shaped elements which are attached to the underside of the base cover element 5 and are designed as a single piece therewith.

The aforementioned locking parts 15-16-17-18 each engage behind an edge or seat of one of the underlying components, as will be described in more detail below.

As shown, the locking parts 15-16-17-18 are preferably located in the areas 19-20, where the

the aforementioned two contact elements 3 and 4 of the voltage poles are located, while the part 21 of the base cover element 5 located between the aforementioned two areas 19-20 is free of locking parts.
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In the example, the locking parts 15-16 interact with the base 2 itself, while the locking parts 17-18 interact with the aforementioned contact elements 3-4.

As usual, the contact elements 3-4 of the voltage poles each consist of a connection part 22 and a part 23 which forms a pin seat 24 for a pin 25 of a plug 26. In the example of Figures 1 to 10, use is made of connection parts 22 with screw terminals 27 for clamping the end of an electrical line, which screw terminals consist in the classic way of a clamping plate 29 which can be tightened against the actual contact element 3-4 by means of a screw 28 and is designed in the form of a nut. It is clear, however, that according to a variant, other embodiments of connection parts 22 can also be used, as will be explained below with reference to Figures 11 to 14.

The connecting parts 22 of the contact elements 3-4 comprise an upper wall 30 and two side walls 31-32.

On the base 2, the aforementioned locking parts 15-16 engage behind edges 33 provided for this purpose in the seats 8 and 9, which are arranged at the level of the free end of the parts 23 of the contact elements 3-4, while the locking parts 17-18 engage behind the contact elements 3-4, more specifically under the upper wall 30 or behind a bent collar 34 formed thereon, as can be seen in Figure 4.

It is noted that there are thus two hook-shaped elements in each region 19-20. As further shown, these are preferably directed with their hook-shaped parts away from each other.

The contact elements 3-4 are also preferably held in place exclusively by means of locking parts which are made in one piece with the components of the socket, in this case in the form of parts 35-36 and 37-38 which can be snapped into place one behind the other on these contact elements 3-4 or on the base 2.

More specifically, the engageable parts 35-36 consist of elastically bendable lips bent outwards formed in the side walls 31-32, while the parts 37-38 consist of edges arranged in the inner sides of the respective seats 8-9.

Since the contact elements 3-4 are prevented from coming out of their seats by means of the snap-in connections described above, on the one hand, and rest on a base part 39 of the base 2, on the other hand, they assume a certain position. In addition, these contact elements, as shown in Figure 4, are preferably also held in place at their front end 40, since this end 40 is located between two base parts 41-42 in the assembled state and is possibly additionally pressed on by means of one of the contact elements of the base cover element 5.

In the example shown, the contact element 6 of the earthing pole is also fastened exclusively by means of locking parts that are part of the actual components themselves, in other words, without the use of separate fastening elements. As shown in Figure 9, the contact element 6 consists of

a base 43, an earthing contact, in this case the earthing pin 7, and a connection part 44, and this contact element 6 is attached to the base 2, on the one hand by means of parts 45-46 which can be snapped into place one behind the other on both sides of the connection part 44, and on the other hand by means of at least one part 48 which engages through an opening 47 in the base 2 and is locked by deformation. The parts 45-46 are comparable to the parts 35-37 and 36-38 of the contact elements 3-4. The part 48 has a shape as shown in Figure 10, such that it results in a locking by twisting.

As can be seen in Figures 4 and 7, the base cover element 5 is provided at the level of each screw terminal 27 with a passage 49 which is at least partially delimited on the circumference by a raised edge 50, which is preferably formed by a first part 51 extending along almost the entire circumference and a second part 52 extending along a part of the circumference, up to a higher level than the first part 51. This provides good shielding around the passages 49 and at the same time forms a guide for a screwdriver.

As mentioned in the introduction, the base cover element 5 has two cover parts 53-54, respectively at the aforementioned areas 19-20, and these cover parts 53-54 are materially connected at least on both sides of the connecting line 55 which connects the centers of the passages 49 to each other, which contributes to the general stability. The material connections on both sides of the connecting line 55 are in this case formed by material parts 56 and 57, between which a central opening 58 is formed. However, it is clear that according to a variant such a central opening 58 can also be omitted.

In the case where the socket 1 is of the built-in type, as shown in Figure 1, it is provided with a support frame 59 which is intended, inter alia, to form a stop against the outside of the wall in which the socket 1 is built in. This support frame 59 is also preferably fastened to the base 2 without additional fastening means, for example by means of support pins 60 which project with their free ends through the openings 61 and are locked at the bottom, for example in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 10.

Of course, a one- or multi-part cover plate 62 is attached over the whole thing.

It is clear that the socket 1 described above can be assembled with a minimum of machining operations. The contact elements 3-4 can be simply snapped into the base 2. The same applies to the contact element 6, which is also locked to the part 48 by rotating the latter. The base cover element 3 can then be snapped onto the base 2. The other components, such as the support frame 59 and the clamping elements 13-14, can also be easily assembled, before, between or after the aforementioned production steps.

Figures 11 to 14 show a variant of the invention for a so-called screwless design, which means that the socket comprises connection parts 22 and 44 with self-clamping wire clamps 63 or other clamping means that can be deactivated by means of bendable pressure lips 64. The wire clamp 63 can be of any type.

These are well known in the art. Preferably, however, a folded

Leaf spring 65 is used, which is shown schematically in Figure 12 and which is actually locked in a seat 66 in the relevant connecting part 22 or 44, which seat 66, as shown in Figure 14, can be formed by the various walls of this connecting part and by locking parts 67 formed thereon. As a result, no additional fastening elements are required in the design of these connecting parts 22 and 44. It is sufficient to simply lock the leaf spring 65 in the relevant seat 66 during assembly.

As is known, the aforementioned support frame 59 is also provided with coupling means which allow several sockets 1 to be coupled together by means of their support frames 59, these coupling means consisting on the one hand of flanges 68-69-70-71-72-73, with which the support frames 59 can be partially pushed into one another, as shown in Figure 15, and on the other hand of coupling parts 74-75 which consist of deformations which fit into one another. More specifically, these coupling parts 74-75 each consist of an opening or a deformed wall part of the support frame 59. According to a particular aspect of the invention, these coupling parts, in particular the coupling parts 75, are provided with sharp hooking edges 76. According to a first possibility, such a sharp hooking edge 76 is realized by a material pressing through at the location of the deformed wall part, as shown in Figure 16. By causing a tear in the material, a sharp edge is automatically created. According to a second possibility, only a material deformation is provided, without real penetration, but in such a way that during deformation a hooking edge 76 is formed with an inclination H in relation to the plane of the flanges 68 to 73, which has an angle that is greater than 50 degrees, or even better, greater than 75 degrees.

As indicated in Figure 16 with reference 77, the penetration can of course also be made so deep that the hooking edge 76 at its front end completely engages in the opening of the flange below.

In contrast to the known designs, this results in coupling parts 74-75 that engage strongly with each other.

As explained in the introduction, the above-mentioned

Coupling parts 74-75 according to the invention also in other

electrical installation elements such as sockets.

The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described as examples and shown in the figures; rather, such an electrical installation element can be made in all kinds of shapes and dimensions without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to built-in sockets. However, it is not inconceivable to use a base cover element in surface-mounted versions that is fitted under the normal housing and that is attached to the base of the socket in accordance with the inventive concept described above.

It is also clear that all partial features described with reference to one and the same embodiment do not necessarily have to be combined with one another according to variants of the invention.

It is also clear that the design of Figures 1 to 10 can be designed with edge earthing instead of pin earthing, while the design

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of Figures 11 to 14 can also be designed with pin earthing instead of edge earthing. At the same time, designs without earthing contact are not excluded.

Claims (16)

1. Electrical installation element, consisting of a socket ( 1 ) which comprises a number of components, including at least one base ( 2 ), two contact elements ( 3-4 ) for the voltage poles and a base cover element ( 5 ), characterized in that at least the base cover element ( 5 ) is attached to the other components of the socket ( 1 ) exclusively by means of locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) designed as a single piece with one or more of the aforementioned components. 2. Electrical installation element according to claim 1, characterized in that both the aforementioned base cover element ( 5 ) and the aforementioned two contact elements ( 3-4 ) for the voltage poles are held in place exclusively by means of locking parts (15-16-17-18; 35-36-37-38) which are made in one piece with these components. 3. Electrical installation element according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises a contact element ( 6 ) for an earthing pole and that this component is also held in place by means of locking parts which are made in one piece with one or more of the components in question. 4. Electrical installation element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base cover element ( 5 ) and/or the contact elements (3-4) for the voltage poles are fastened or locked by means of one or more locking elements ( 15-16-17-18 ; 35-36-37-38 ) in the form of elements which can be snapped into one another or one behind the other. 5. Electrical installation element according to claim 4, characterized in that the fastening of the base cover element ( 5 ) to the underlying components takes place by means of a locking device having one or more of the following features: 1. that it comprises several locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) distributed over the surface covered by the base cover element ( 5 ); - that it comprises locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) located in the areas ( 19-20 ) in which the aforementioned two contact elements ( 3-4 ) of the voltage poles are located; - that, as mentioned above, it comprises locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) located in the regions ( 19-20 ) in which the aforementioned two contact elements ( 3-4 ) of the voltage poles are located, while the part ( 21 ) of the base cover element ( 5 ) located between the aforementioned two regions ( 19-20 ) is free of locking parts. 6. Electrical installation element according to claim 5, characterized in that the base cover element ( 5 ) is held in place by locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) which cooperate with the base ( 2 ) itself and/or with the contact elements ( 3-4 ) of the voltage poles. 7. Electrical installation element according to claim 6, characterized in that the base covering element ( 5 ) comprises at least four locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ); in that the contact elements ( 3-4 ) of the voltage poles each consist of a connection part ( 22 ) and a part ( 23 ) forming a pin seat ( 24 ); and in that two of the locking parts ( 15-16 ) each cooperate with one of the connection parts ( 22 ), while the other two locking parts ( 17-18 ) cooperate with the base ( 2 ), at the level of the free end ( 40 ) of the aforementioned part ( 23 ) forming the pin seat ( 24 ). 8. Electrical installation element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking parts ( 15-16-17-18 ) with which the base cover element ( 5 ) is held in place consist of elastically bendable hook-shaped elements which are attached to the underside of the base cover element ( 5 ) and which can engage behind an edge or seat of one of the underlying components. 9. Electrical installation element according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that in each area ( 19-20 ) there are two hook-shaped elements ( 15-17 ; 16-18 ) where the aforementioned two contact elements ( 3-4 ) of the voltage poles are located; that the hook-shaped elements ( 15-17 ; 16-18 ) of each area ( 19-20 ) are directed with their hook-shaped parts away from each other; that per area ( 19-20 ) one hook-shaped element ( 15-17 ) engages under an edge of the base ( 2 ); and that per area ( 19-20 ) one hook-shaped element engages under an edge of the relevant connection element ( 22 ). 10. Electrical installation element according to claim 9, characterized in that the connection parts ( 22 ) of the contact elements ( 3-4 ) comprise an upper wall ( 30 ) and two side walls ( 31-32 ) and that the hook-shaped elements which cooperate with the contact elements ( 3-4 ) each engage under the upper wall ( 30 ) and/or a bent-over collar ( 34 ) on this upper wall ( 30 ). 11. Electrical installation element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact elements ( 3-4 ) comprise connection parts ( 22 ) which are provided with a screw terminal ( 27 ) and that the base cover element ( 5 ) is provided at the level of each screw terminal ( 27 ) with a passage ( 49 ) which is at least partially delimited on the circumference by a raised edge ( 50 ). 12. Electrical installation element according to claim 11, characterized in that the raised edge ( 50 ) comprises a first part ( 51 ) extending along the entire or almost the entire circumference and a second part ( 52 ) extending along a part of the circumference, up to a higher level than the first part ( 51 ). 13. Electrical installation element according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises contact elements ( 3-4 ) with a screwless connection part ( 22 ), with clamping means whose clamping effect can be canceled by exerting a compressive force thereon, and that the base cover element ( 5 ) is provided with bendable pressure lips ( 64 ), with which the aforementioned compressive force can be exerted. 14. Electrical installation element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base cover element ( 5 ) comprises two cover parts ( 53-54 ), each provided with an opening, or a passage ( 49 ), for the pin ( 25 ) of a plug ( 26 ), wherein the aforementioned cover parts ( 53-54 ) are connected to one another at least in two places, each on either side of the connecting line ( 55 ) which connects the centers of the aforementioned two passages ( 49 ) to one another. 15. Electrical installation element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a support frame ( 59 ) is fastened to the base ( 2 ); that this support frame ( 59 ) is provided with coupling means which allow the coupling of several support frames ( 59 ) to one another; that these coupling means comprise flanges (68-69-70-71- 72-73) with which the support frames ( 59 ) can be partially pushed into one another, these flanges ( 68-69-70-71-72-73 ) being provided with coupling parts ( 74-75 ) which engage with one another; and in that these coupling parts ( 74-75 ) consist of interfitting deformations, which are provided with sharp hooking edges ( 76 ), either in the form of a material depression which engages in an opening, or a material deformation with an inclination with respect to the plane of the flanges (68-69-70-71-72-73) whose angle (H) is greater than 50 degrees, or even better greater than 75 degrees. 16. Electrical installation element, of the built-in type, comprising a base ( 2 ) on which a support frame ( 59 ) is fixed, said support frame ( 59 ) being provided with coupling means which allow several electrical installation elements having a support frame ( 59 ) to be coupled to one another, and said coupling means comprising flanges ( 68-69-70-71-72-73 ) with which the support frames ( 59 ) can be partially pushed into one another, said flanges ( 68-69-70-71-72-73 ) being provided with interlocking coupling parts ( 74-75 ) consisting of interlocking deformations, characterized in that said coupling parts ( 74-75 ) are provided with sharp hooking edges ( 76 ), either in the form of a material perforation which engages in an opening, or of a Material deformation with an inclination whose angle (H) with respect to the plane of the flanges ( 68-69-70-71-72-73 ) is greater than 50 degrees, or even better greater than 75 degrees.