Attached housing

Abstract

The present invention relates to an attachment housing (1) having a frame-like basic shape (2) that surrounds a receiving area (3) for receiving contact inserts or a holding frame equipped with a plug connector module, wherein at least two fixing surfaces (5) with fixing openings (6) are formed on the outside of the frame-like basic shape (2), and wherein the attachment housing (1) has snap-fixing members (9) that pass through the fixing openings for mechanically fixing the attachment housing (1) to a wall opening in a device wall (10). The present invention also relates to a method for fixing the attachment housing (1) to a wall opening in a device wall (10), wherein the attachment housing (1) has fixing openings (6) that are aligned with corresponding fixing openings in the device wall (10), and wherein a snap-fixing member (9) is inserted into the mutually aligned fixing openings (6) of the attachment flange and the device wall, the snap-fixing member (9) having a box-shaped base body and having elastically mounted feet (11) that project laterally from the box-shaped base body and are opposite each other, and wherein, when inserted into the fixing openings (6), the feet (11) are first pressed into the box-shaped base body and then the feet rest on the device wall (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is based on an attachment housing of the type according to independent claim 1. The present invention also relates to a method of installing an attachment frame according to independent claim 9.

[0002] Such an attachment housing is used in an industrial environment. The attachment housing includes a contact insert or a holding frame equipped with a plug connector module, and the holding frame supplies electrical energy and / or signals to associated equipment. Background Art

[0003] DE 10 2015 106 963 B4 shows an attachment housing fixed to an equipment wall. This attachment housing has fixing surfaces at its narrow sides, and each of these fixing surfaces has two screw holes for fixing the attachment housing to the equipment wall. Such screw fixing is difficult to handle during both installation and maintenance of the equipment. Nevertheless, this screw fixing has been used for decades.

[0004] The German Patent and Trademark Office investigated the following prior art in the prior application of this application: DE 4228 531 C2, US 6,319,022 B1, DE 34 06 741 A1, and DE 10 2015 106 963 B4. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an attachment flange that is easy to install and maintain.

[0006] The above object of the present invention is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0007] Advantageous technical solutions of the present invention are detailed in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0008] The attachment housing according to the present invention has a frame-shaped basic shape with a rectangular cross-section. The circumferentially protruding frame walls extend substantially perpendicular to the equipment wall.

[0009] The attachment housing has a receiving area for receiving a contact insert or a holding frame equipped with a plug connector module. This receiving area is surrounded or protected by the aforementioned frame walls. In the case where the plug connector is not connected, this receiving area can be closed by means of a housing cover.

[0010] The attachment housing may have a locking hoop, and the connected plug connector can be reversibly fixed by this locking hoop.

[0011] At least two fixing surfaces with fixing openings are formed on the frame-shaped basic shape of the attachment housing. The fixing surfaces are preferably arranged on the narrow sides of the attachment housing.

[0012] The attached housing has snap - fixing members that pass through the fixing openings for mechanically fixing the attached housing to the wall openings in the device wall. With these snap - fixing members, these attached housings can be installed on the device wall without using tools. For maintenance purposes, these attached housings can be easily removed from the device wall again and can then be simply reinstalled on the device wall.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the snap - fixing members each have a box - shaped base body with a rectangular cross - section. Elastically mounted feet project from the opposite narrow sides of the box - shaped base body. When the snap - fixing members are fully inserted into the fixing openings, these feet are supported on the inside against the device wall, and thus the attached housing is fixed to the device wall.

[0014] The elastic force is directed in such a way as to continuously press these feet out of the box - shaped base body. If the feet are pressed into the box - shaped base body of these snap - fixing members against the elastic force, the attached housing can be removed from the device wall again.

[0015] The snap - fixing members preferably have a mechanism that can be accessed through their outward - facing surface, by which the feet are guided inwards (back into the box - shaped base body) against the elastic force. In this way, the attached housing can be removed from the device wall again without having to access the interior of the device. This makes the attached housing according to the present invention easier to maintain.

[0016] The fixing openings of the attached housing are preferably rectangular, similar to the cross - section of the snap - fixing members. In this case, the fixing openings are only designed to be slightly larger than the cross - section of the snap - fixing members. Such fixing openings are easy to implement in manufacturing technology, for example by stamping.

[0017] Advantageously, the fixing openings each have a surrounding seal so that unwanted media such as dust and water do not penetrate into the interior of the device.

[0018] The feet preferably each have a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. Thus, the cross - section of the externally visible part of these feet is substantially triangular. In the fully inserted and locked state, the second inclined surface is supported on the inside against the device wall. In this case, the second inclined surface forms an acute angle with the device wall. Through the above - mentioned operative connection of the feet with the spring, the feet permanently apply a force directed substantially outwards (perpendicular to the device wall) to the device wall, thus ensuring reliable fixation of the attached housing.

[0019] When inserting the snap - fixing members into the fixing openings, the feet are pressed into the box - shaped base body by the first inclined surface. Therefore, advantageously, the first inclined surface forms a more obtuse angle with the device wall than the second inclined surface.

[0020] The attached housing is mounted on the device wall in the following manner: First, align the fixing openings of the attached housing with the corresponding fixing openings in the device wall. Subsequently, insert the snap-fixing member into the aligned fixing openings.

[0021] During insertion, the first inclined surface of the corresponding leg first slides along the corresponding edge of the fixing opening. In this case, the corresponding leg is pressed into the box-shaped housing body of the snap-fixing member against the action of the elastic force. After the snap-fixing member is completely inserted into the fixing opening, the corresponding leg springs back. In this case, the second inclined surface abuts against the device wall.

[0022] These legs can be pressed into the interior of the box-shaped base manually or by means of a mechanism. Then, the snap-fixing member can be removed from the fixing opening and the attached housing can be detached from the device wall. Description of the Drawings

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail below. Among them:

[0024] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an attached housing according to the present invention,

[0025] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the snap-fixing member,

[0026] Figure 3 is a simplified side view of the snap-fixing member,

[0027] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the attached housing in the fixing area, and

[0028] Figure 5 is a perspective sectional view of the attached housing without the snap-fixing member in the fixing area.

[0029] These drawings include partially simplified schematic diagrams. Identical but possibly not completely identical elements are partially denoted by the same reference numerals. Different views of the same element may be shown at different scales. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0030] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an attached housing 1 according to the present invention. The attached housing 1 has a frame-shaped basic shape 2 including a receiving area 3. A contact insert or a holding frame equipped with a plug connector module is fixed to the receiving area 3. For this purpose, screw openings 4 are provided in the corner areas of the receiving area 3. For illustrative purposes, the contact insert or the assembled holding frame is not shown in the figure.

[0031] Two fixing surfaces 5 are formed on the frame-shaped basic shape 2. A rectangular fixing opening 6 is provided in each of these fixing surfaces 5. The fixing surfaces 5 project from the outside of the frame-shaped basic shape 2 and are arranged substantially perpendicular to the frame-shaped basic shape.

[0032] In the upper region of the narrow side of the frame-shaped basic shape, a clamp 7 is pivotally supported on a pin 8 formed at the wide side.

[0033] In Figure 2 and Figure 3 a snap-fastening member 9 is shown, by means of which the attachment housing 1 can be reversibly fixed to the equipment wall 10. The outer surface of the box-shaped base has a tool opening 17. By inserting a tool 15 into this tool opening 17, the feet 11 can be guided back into the base interior in the directions of the arrows 16, 16' by a mechanism (not shown). Subsequently, the attachment housing 1 can be removed from the equipment wall 10. For example, a commercially available screwdriver or an Allen key can be used as the tool, and most industrial mechanics always keep these tools at hand.

[0034] Figure 4 It is a sectional view of the attachment housing 1 in the fixed area. If the attachment housing 1 is fixed to the equipment wall 10, the snap-fastening member 9 is arranged in the fixing opening 6. Seals are provided in the fixing opening 6, and these seals prevent the penetration of media into the equipment housing.

[0035] The snap-fastening member 9 has a box-shaped base, and feet 11 that are elastically mounted and supported on the equipment wall project from the opposite narrow faces of the box-shaped base. Each of the feet 11 has a first inclined surface 12 and a second inclined surface 13, and the second inclined surface 13 is supported on the equipment wall 10 in the fixed state.

[0036] In the fixed state, the equipment wall 10 and the second inclined surface 13 form an acute angle α with respect to each other. Due to the elastic mounting of the feet 11, these feet are continuously pressed outward in the direction of the arrow 14. Thereby, the second inclined surface 13 is permanently pressed against the equipment wall 10 by the force generated in the direction of the arrow F. Thus, it is ensured that the attachment housing 1 is firmly fixed to the equipment wall 10.

[0037] By changing the angle α or the inclined surface 13, the tolerance range of the pressing force can be increased or decreased. The contact pressure of the attachment housing on the housing wall or the equipment wall can also be changed by the pre-tension of the spring.

[0038] Even if different aspects or features of the present invention are shown in combination in the figures, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that - unless otherwise stated - the shown and discussed combinations are not the only possible combinations. In particular, the corresponding units or features of different embodiments can be combined and exchanged with each other.

[0039] List of Reference Numerals

[0040] 1 Mounting Housing

[0041] 2 Frame - shaped Substrate

[0042] 3 Accommodation Area

[0043] 4 Screw Opening

[0044] 5 Fixed Surface

[0045] 6 Fixing Opening

[0046] 7 Locking Band

[0047] 8 Pin

[0048] 9 Snap - fixing Member

[0049] 10 Equipment Wall

[0050] 11 Leg

[0051] 12 First Inclined Plane

[0052] 13 Second Inclined Plane

[0053] 14 Arrow

[0054] 15 Tool

[0055] 16 Arrow

[0056] 17 Tool Opening

[0057] α Angle

[0058] F Arrow

Claims

1. An attachment housing (1) having a frame-like basic shape (2) enclosing a receiving area (3) for receiving contact inserts or a holding frame equipped with a plug connector module, wherein at least two fixing surfaces (5) with fixing openings (6) are formed on the outside of the frame-like basic shape (2), and wherein the attachment housing (1) has snap-in fixing members (9) that pass through the fixing openings (6) for mechanically fixing the attachment housing (1) to a wall opening in a device wall (10), characterized in that The snap - fixing member (9) has a box - shaped base body, from the opposite narrow sides of which feet (11) that are elastically mounted and supported on the device wall (10) project.

2. The attachment housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, the fixing surface (5) is formed on the narrow side of the attachment housing (1).

3. The attachment housing according to the previous claim, characterized in that, the fixing opening (6) is rectangular in shape.

4. The attachment housing according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that, the fixing openings (6) each have a surrounding seal (15).

5. The attachment housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, the feet (11) each have a first inclined surface (12) and a second inclined surface (13), and the second inclined surface (13) is supported on the device wall (10).

6. The attachment housing according to the previous claim, characterized in that, the second inclined surface (13) forms an acute angle (α) with the device wall (10).

7. The attachment housing according to any one of the previous two claims, characterized in that, the snap - fixing member (9) has a mechanism that can be accessed through its outward - facing surface, and the feet (11) are guided into the box - shaped base body by means of the mechanism.

8. A method for fixing an attachment housing (1) to a wall opening in a device wall (10), wherein the attachment housing (1) has a fixing opening (6) that is aligned with a corresponding fixing opening in the device wall (10), wherein a snap - fixing member (9) is inserted into the aligned fixing openings (6) of the attachment flange and the device wall, the snap - fixing member having a box - shaped base body and having elastically mounted feet (11) that project laterally from the box - shaped base body and are opposite each other, wherein when inserting into the fixing opening (6), first the feet (11) are pressed into the box - shaped base body, and then the feet are supported on the device wall (10).

9. The method for fixing an attachment housing (1) to a wall opening in a device wall (10) according to the previous claim, wherein the feet (11) have a first inclined surface (12) and a second inclined surface (13), and wherein during insertion, the first inclined surface (12) first slides along the edge of the corresponding fixing opening (6), and subsequently the second inclined surface (13) is supported on the device wall (10).

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