EP0418152B1 - Modular, especially electrical, device with a protective cover for reference marks - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to modular devices, that is to say devices intended to be arranged contiguously side by side on the same support.

This is the case, in particular, of certain electrical devices to be aligned along a rail within any protective envelope, such as, for example, a cabinet, a box or a case.

To prevent, as a safety measure, that access to the wired parts of these electrical devices is possible by chance, it is usual to cover them with a plastron from which only the only one emerges through a window. part of the front of their housing, with the various members, an operating member for example, which it is necessary to leave accessible to the user.

This front part, at least, of the housing of such modular devices has two main parallel faces, by which these modular devices are successively joined, and which, in practice, most often extend continuously over their entire height.

One of the problems to be overcome in the implementation of modular devices of this type is due to the need to ensure their proper and reliable location.

In the case of electrical devices, this problem is all the more difficult since the front face of the front part of their casing, which is the only visible after fitting of the faceplate, is of reduced extension, and that, this front face being cluttered with the member or members available to the user, the available space is measured there.

Many tracking devices, however, have been proposed for these modular devices.

In general, they use a marker carrier and a label or marker to slide therein.

For some, the marker carrier is to be attached to the faceplate.

This marker carrier is thus not directly linked to the housing of the corresponding modular device, it can result in many errors, if, for a maintenance operation for example, the faceplate is removed.

In other marking devices, however, the marker carrier is to be attached, for example by snap-fastening, to the housing of the modular device to be identified.

For the most part, it is not originally fitted to this case.

It is therefore necessary to supply them separately, which increases the cost.

Others, however, originally fitted the case.

But, usually involving disassembly, the establishment of a label or a marker, or the removal of this label or this marker, are then difficult.

All of them, finally, most often only offer a reduced surface area for the label or the marker to be implemented.

In German patent application No. 3 015 288, however, there is described a marker protection cover which, to be attached to a portion of the device concerned, is capable of defining therewith a housing suitable for the reception of 'a landmark.

But the positioning of this marker protection cover is done from the top, from the front, and it intervenes by snap-fastening.

The implementation of this marker protection cover is therefore relatively difficult.

In particular, the removal of the marker concerned requires the removal of this marker protection cover, at the risk of losing it.

The present invention generally subject to a provision to remedy these drawbacks.

More specifically, it firstly relates to a modular device, in particular an electrical device, of the type whose front part, at least, of the housing has two main parallel faces, and to one of the portions of which, hereinafter referred to as a simple marking portion convenience, it is associated locally, a marker protection cover capable of defining with this marking portion a housing suitable for receiving a mark, for example a simple label, characterized in that the marker protection cover is suitable for being placed laterally on its marking portion, by sliding parallel to the main faces of its housing; it also relates to the corresponding marker protection cover.

For example, the tracking portion of this modular device belongs to its housing, and, more precisely, to the front face thereof.

Alternatively, it may, if desired, belong to any operating member present on this front face, and for example to a possible control handle.

Anyway, once in place on the corresponding marking portion, the marker protection cover according to the invention is flush, in practice, flush with the main faces of the housing.

It thus advantageously offers a maximum surface area for the label which it is responsible for covering, and all the more so since, its engagement being made laterally, it in no way encroaches, in the direction of this engagement, on the area available on the relevant tracking portion.

In addition, the marker protection cover according to the invention advantageously integrates with the very outline of the housing, or of the operating member, which it equips, for the benefit of the aesthetics of the assembly.

In addition, it is advantageously susceptible an automatic installation, in the workshop, on this box or on this operating member, even during the assembly of the modular device concerned, without there being the risk that it would then escape this one.

Finally, it lends itself very easily to the placement of a label, for example a simple piece of cardboard, or, if necessary, to the removal of this label.

This withdrawal does not in fact imply the use of any tool.

You just have to slide the marker protection cover, without removing it.

It is thus advantageously possible to provide, if desired, the installation, from the outset, of a provisional label on each modular device to be mounted in a protective envelope, to facilitate identification during this mounting, then , after this assembly, the replacement of this temporary label by a final label.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un appareil modulaire suivant l'invention et du capot protège-repère qui lui est associé ;
• la figure 2 reprend, à échelle supérieure, le détail de la figure 1 repéré par un encart II sur cette figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est, à échelle encore supérieure, une vue partielle en élévation de l'appareil modulaire suivant l'invention, suivant la flèche III de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 en est une vue partielle en plan, suivant la flèche IV de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est, à l'échelle de la figure 3, une vue en élévation du capot protège-repère associé suivant l'invention à cet appareil modulaire, suivant la flèche V de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessous de ce capot protège-repère, suivant la flèche VI de la figure 5 ;
• les figures 7 et 8 en sont des vues en coupe transversale suivant, chacune respectivement, les lignes VII-VII et VIII-VIII de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 9 en est une vue en coupe longitudinale, suivant la ligne IX-IX de la figure 6 ;
• la figure 10 est une vue partielle en plan analogue à celle de la figure 4, une fois le capot protège-repère en place sur l'appareil modulaire concerné, pour la position avancée, de fermeture, de ce capot protège-repère ;
• la figure 11 est une vue partielle en coupe longitudinale de l'ensemble, suivant la ligne XI-XI de la figure 10 ;
• la figure 12 en est une vue partielle en coupe transversale, suivant la ligne XII-XII de la figure 11 ;
• la figure 13 est une vue partielle en coupe longitudinale analogue à celle de la figure 10, pour la position reculée, d'ouverture, du capot protège-repère suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 14 est, à échelle réduite, une vue partielle en plan analogue à celle de la figure 10, pour une variante de mise en oeuvre de ce capot protège-repère ;
• la figure 15 est une vue en perspective éclatée analogue à celle de la figure 1, pour un autre appareil modulaire suivant l'invention.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a modular device according to the invention and the marker protection cover associated therewith;
• Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of Figure 1 identified by an insert II in this Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is, on a still larger scale, a partial elevational view of the modular apparatus according to the invention, according to arrow III of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a partial plan view, along arrow IV of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is, on the scale of Figure 3, an elevational view of the marker protection cover associated according to the invention with this modular device, according to arrow V in Figure 2;
• FIG. 6 is a view from below of this reference protection cover, along arrow VI of FIG. 5;
• Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views along each, respectively, lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII of Figure 5;
• Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view along the line IX-IX of Figure 6;
• FIG. 10 is a partial plan view similar to that of FIG. 4, once the marker protection cover is in place on the modular device concerned, for the advanced, closed position, of this marker protection cover;
• Figure 11 is a partial view in longitudinal section of the assembly, along the line XI-XI of Figure 10;
• Figure 12 is a partial view in cross section along the line XII-XII of Figure 11;
• FIG. 13 is a partial view in longitudinal section similar to that of FIG. 10, for the retracted, open position, of the marker-protection cover according to the invention;
• FIG. 14 is, on a reduced scale, a partial plan view similar to that of FIG. 10, for an alternative embodiment of this marker protection cover;
• Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view similar to that of Figure 1, for another modular device according to the invention.

These figures illustrate, by way of example, the application of the invention to electrical devices.

In Figures 1 to 13 it is a circuit breaker.

As such a circuit breaker is well known in itself, and not per se falling within the scope of the present invention, it will not be described in all its details here.

Only the elements necessary for understanding the invention will be described therein.

In this regard, it will suffice to indicate that the device modular 10 which it constitutes comprises a housing 11, which is in the general form of a generally rectangular plate, with, projecting on its front face, in the median zone thereof, a front part 12 through which it is intended to protrude from a plastron, by means of a window of such a plastron, when it is in place on any support, for example in an electrical cabinet, and that, on the front face 13 of this housing 11, which is the front face of the front portion 12 thereof, it comprises the members to be left accessible to the user.

In this case, in the case of a circuit breaker, there is thus, projecting from the front face 13 of the housing 11, by means of an opening 14 thereof, in the median zone of this front face 13, a joystick 15.

Regarding the housing of a modular device, the housing 11 comprises, in its front portion 12, at least, and in practice, continuously over its entire height, two parallel main faces 16A, 16B whose relative distance D relative to each other is equal to the pitch of the module to which such a modular device belongs.

Usually, the housing 11 is made of two shells 17A, 17B duly facing one another, in its thickness, along a joint plane 18.

With a portion 20, said here for the sake of convenience of locating portion, of the modular apparatus thus constituted, there is locally associated, according to the invention, a marker protection cover 21, which is suitable for being placed laterally on said marking portion 20, by sliding parallel to the main faces 16A, 16B, and which is capable of defining with it a housing 22, Figures 11 and 12, suitable for receiving a mark, in practice a label 23, made of cardboard for example, or in any other sheet material such as for example that sold under the trade name "RHODOID".

In the form of implementation of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, the marking portion 20 of the modular device 10 concerned by this marker protection cover 21 belongs to its housing 11.

More specifically, it belongs to the front face 13 of this housing 11, by affecting one of the ends of the latter.

In the embodiment shown, this locating portion 20 is slightly set back, by a distance d1, relative to the current part of the front face 13 which it affects, and it extends parallel to this front face 13 from a transverse shoulder 24 thereof

It comprises, laterally, parallel to the main faces 16A, 16B of the housing 11, set back a distance d2 from them, two grooves 25 open towards these main faces 16A, 16B and suitable for receiving the protective cover reference 21.

Between the grooves 25, the marking portion 20 of the housing 11 forms, on the front, delimited by the shoulder 24, a facet 26, and it has, projecting therefrom, on the one hand, longitudinally, a rib 28 , of which, longitudinally, the profile is trapezoidal, and, on the other hand, transversely, at the end of this rib 28 opposite the shoulder 24 and therefore corresponding to the engagement of the protective cover mark 21, a boss 29, the profile of which is longitudinally in the form of a ratchet tooth, with its steep side facing the side of the shoulder 24, and therefore of the rib 28, and its gently sloping side facing the side opposite this shoulder 24.

In practice, the rib 28 affects only the middle part of the facet 26, while the boss 29 extends over the entire width of the latter.

Both are formed half on the shell 17A of the housing 11 and half on its shell 17B, on either side of the joint plane 18.

In practice, the height H1 of the boss 29 relative to the facet 26 is greater than that, H2, of the running part of the rib 28.

Anyway, the rib 28 forms, with the boss 29, a recess 30, and, with the shoulder 24, a recess 32.

In the embodiment shown, the shoulder 24 continues, laterally, on either side of the facet 26, until it reaches, by connection fillets 33 largely rounded, the floor 34 of the grooves 25.

Let d3 be the distance from this floor 34 with respect to the current portion of the front face 13.

As a corollary, the marker protection cover 21, which is made of transparent material, comprises two sills 35 by which it is adapted to engage, by sliding, on the marking portion 20 of the modular device 10, parallel to the main faces 16A, 16B of the housing 11 thereof.

In practice, these sills 35 each have a projecting angle 36 towards the other, for cooperation, in sliding, with the grooves 25 of this locating portion 20.

Be that as it may, the height e1 of these stringers 35, FIG. 5, is made at most equal to the distance d3 specified above, while in practice being slightly less than this distance d3.

Likewise, the thickness, e2, of the stringers 35, FIG. 7, is made at most equal to the preceding distance d2, while in practice being slightly less than this distance d2.

Thus, once in place on the marking portion 20 of the modular device 10, the marker protection cover 21 according to the invention is entirely contained both in the overall volume defined by the front face 13 of its housing 11 as in the overall volume defined by the main faces 16A, 16B of this housing 11.

More precisely, it is then almost flush with this front face 13 and these main faces 16A, 16B, thus fully integrating into the outline of the housing 11.

To accentuate this integration, the lateral end edge of the sills 35 corresponding to the shoulder 24 of this housing 11 is rounded, like the connection fillets 33 extending this shoulder 24.

In the embodiment shown, the other lateral end edge of the sills 35 is further rounded in the opposite direction.

On its front wall 38, which connects these sills 35 to one another, the marker protection cover 21 has, projecting from the underside of this front wall 38, at its transverse end corresponding to its engagement on the locating portion 20 of the modular device 10 to be fitted, a boss 39 whose profile, longitudinally, is in ratchet tooth, in reverse, and therefore complementary, to that of the boss 29 present on this locating portion 20.

In the embodiment shown, this boss 39 extends only over a portion of the width of the marker protection cover 21, in the median zone thereof, and this marker protection cover 21 also has a projection on the underside of its front wall 38, two pins 40, which, each disposed respectively on either side of this boss 39, at a spacing greater than the width of the rib 28 of the marking portion 20 concerned, are level with him.

Of course, the thickness e3 of the front wall 38 is slightly less than the distance d1 specified above, however, that that of the boss 39 and the pins 40, counted from the upper surface of this front wall 38, is substantially equal. at this distance d1 while being slightly less.

In addition, in the embodiment shown, the marker protection cover 21 has, projecting from the underside of its front wall 38, in the central region thereof, a boss 42, which is largely rounded into a portion of a sphere, and whose thickness is much less than that of the boss 39 and the pins 40.

Finally, in this embodiment, it has a recess 43 on the upper face of its front wall 38.

In practice, this clearance 43 extends at the edge of its transverse engagement end, in line with its boss 39.

As illustrated by the arrow F1 in FIGS. 1 and 13, the positioning of the marker protection cover 21 according to the invention is done laterally, by simple engagement, by sliding, of the return to square 36 of its sills 35 in the grooves 25 of the locating portion 20 of the modular device 10 to be fitted.

By virtue of a temporary deformation, its boss 39 elastically crosses the boss 29 of this locating portion 20, this crossing being facilitated by the gently sloping side of one and the other of these bosses 29 and 39.

The engagement of the marker protection cover 21 is continued until, by elastic crossing of the rib 28, its boss 39 reaches the recess 32 of the marking portion 20.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, it then finds its housing there, while ensuring in a stable manner the advanced, closed position, which is then that of the marker protection cover 21.

As is easy to understand, the positioning thus made of the marker protection cover 21 can advantageously be mechanized if desired.

Anyway, the housing 22 formed by the marker protection cover 21 with the marking portion 20 which it equips opens outwards, through a slot 45, on the corresponding lateral face of the housing 11, on the side of this marker protection cover 21 opposite the shoulder 24 of this housing 11.

The hopper profile of this slot 45, due to the gently sloping side of the boss 29 of the locating portion 20, facilitates the introduction of a label 23 into the housing 22.

The boss 42 of the marker protection cover 21 then prints on the label 23 a slight curve, which, having regard to the boss 29 of the marking portion 20, is favorable for maintaining it.

For the removal of the label 23, it suffices to bring the protective cover mark 21 back, by simple sliding, along the arrow F′1 in FIG. 13, by taking advantage for example of the clearance 43 provided for this purpose. on him.

This withdrawal movement is continued until, the boss 39 of the marker protection cover 21 reaching the recess 30 of the marking portion 20, jointly, on the one hand, it abuts against the boss 29 thereof , which prohibits the continuation of the movement, and, on the other hand, it finds its housing in this recess 30, which ensures the stability of the retracted position, of opening, then reached by the protective cover marker 21.

During the movement of withdrawal of the marker protection cover 21, the lugs 40 of the latter ensure the drive of the label 23.

Indeed, the boss 39 of this marker protection cover 21 then sliding on the rib 28 of the marking portion 20, the resulting deformation for this marker protection cover 21 leads its lugs 40 to reach a level lower than that of its boss 39, which allows them to effectively drive, with certainty, the label 23.

At the same time, the rib 28 advantageously maintains the label 23 in the high position, which further favors its support by the pins 40.

Due to the gently sloping side of the boss 29 of the locating portion 20, and as shown in FIG. 13, this label 23 switches itself towards the down when the marker protection cover 21 reaches its retracted opening position, which advantageously facilitates recovery.

According to the variant of implementation illustrated by FIG. 14, instead of being associated individually, as previously, with a single modular device 10, the same marker protection cover 21 is associated with several modular devices 10 arranged side by side, in this case two, the assembly corresponding for example to a bipolar assembly.

Of course, the same marker protection cover 21 can be associated with a number of modular devices 10 greater than two.

According to the variant of implementation illustrated by FIG. 15, the modular electrical appliance 10 concerned is a circuit breaker, having, on the front, on the front face 13 of its housing 11, an operating member 15 ′ forming a handle of ordered.

The locating portion 20 on which the locating cover 21 must be attached then belongs to this operating member 15 ′.

For the rest, the provisions are of the same type as those described above.

The present invention is moreover not limited to the embodiments or embodiments described and shown, but encompasses any variant embodiment and / or combination of their various elements.

In particular, although the fact that the housing that forms with the marking portion the marker protection cover opens outwards through a slot is preferable, because it is likely to facilitate the establishment of a mark in this housing when this establishment is carried out after that of the cover marker cover, it would obviously not depart from the scope of the invention by disregarding this slot, the establishment of the mark can in any case be do with that of the marker protection cover.

The field of application of the invention is not limited to that of only electrical devices but extends on the contrary as well to any modular devices.

Claims (19)

1. A modular device, in particular an electrical device, of the kind where the front part (12), at least, of the housing (11) comprises two parallel main faces (16A, 16B), and associated locally with one of the portions (20) of the housing, called the reference mark portion hereinafter, is a protective cover (21) for reference marks, which, together with the reference mark portion, is capable of defining a seat (22) for receiving a reference mark (23), characterised in that the protective cover (21) for reference marks is capable of being placed laterally on its reference mark portion (20) by sliding parallel to the main faces (16A, 16B) of its housing (11).
2. A modular device according to Claim 1, characterised in that its reference mark portion (20) comprises laterally, parallel to the main faces (16A, 16B) of its housing (11), two grooves (25) which are open towards these main faces (16A, 16B) and which are capable of receiving said protective cover (21) for reference marks.
3. A modular device according to Claim 2, characterised in that its reference mark portion (20) forms a face (26), at the front between said grooves (25), and projecting from this face (26) is a longitudinal rib (28), on the one hand, the profile of which is trapezoidal longitudinally, and, on the other hand, transversely at the end of said rib (28), for engagement of the protective cover (21) for reference marks, there is a boss (29), the profile of which longitudinally forms a tooth of a ratchet mechanism.
4. A modular device according to Claim 3, characterised in that said boss (29) is greater in height than the linear part of said rib (28).
5. A modular device according to any one of Claims 3, 4, characterised in that at the end of said rib (28) opposite said boss (29), said face (26) is delimited by a shoulder (24).
6. A modular device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the seat (22) which the protective cover (21) for reference marks forms with its reference mark portion (20) opens outwardly through a slot (45).
7. A modular device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that once in place on its reference mark portion (20) the protective cover (21) for reference marks which is associated with it is completely contained within the overall volume defined by the main faces (16A, 16B) of its housing (11).
8. A modular device according to Claim 7, characterised in that once in place on its reference mark portion (20) the protective cover (21) for reference marks is flush with the main faces (16A, 16B) of its housing (11).
9. A modular device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that its reference mark portion (20) is part of its housing (11).
10. A modular device according to Claim 9, characterised in that said reference mark portion (20) is part of the front face (13) of its housing (11).
11. A modular device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, and comprising a control member (15′), characterised in that its reference mark portion (20) is part of said control member (15′).
12. A protective cover for reference marks, characterised in that it is made of a transparent material and comprises two longitudinal bars (35) by means of which it is capable of engaging, by sliding, over a reference mark portion (20) of a modular device (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, parallel to the main faces (16A, 16B) of the housing (11) thereof.
13. A protective cover for reference marks according to Claim 12, characterised in that said longitudinal bars (35) each have a right-angled return portion (36) projecting towards the other.
14. A protective cover for reference marks according to any one of Claims 12, 13, characterised in that its front wall (38) has a boss (39) which projects from its bottom face at its transverse end which engages over the reference mark portion (20) of the modular device (10) to be fitted with it, the profile of which boss longitudinally forms a tooth of a ratchet mechanism.
15. A protective cover for reference marks according to Claim 14, characterised in that it has two lugs (40) projecting from the bottom face of its front wall (38), which lugs are each arranged on either side of said boss (39), level therewith.
16. A protective cover for reference marks according to any one of Claims 12 to 15, characterised in that it has a rounded boss (42) which projects over the bottom face of its front wall (38), in the central zone of that wall.
17. A protective cover for reference marks according to any one of Claims 12 to 16, characterised in that it has a recess (43) which is hollowed out in the upper face of the front wall (38).
18. A protective cover for reference marks according to any one of Claims 12 to 17, characterised in that it is associated individually with one single modular device (10).
19. A protective cover for reference marks according to any one of Claims 12 to 17, characterised in that it is conjointly associated with a plurality of modular devices (10).

Images