Use and arrangement including one with a flush-mounted box

Abstract

Insert for a flush-mounted box (D) with an electromechanical contact interface (S) for connection to a building's power supply system providing an input voltage, in particular a mains voltage, via input voltage-carrying contact means (K), wherein the contact interface (S) is arranged on the front (V) of the insert (1) and is connected to the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) on the rear (R), wherein the insert (1) is geometrically designed such that it effectively prevents mechanical access to the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) located in the flush-mounted box (D), wherein the contact interface (S) enables the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) to be contacted on the rear (R) in a defined manner, for example via a terminal that contacts the contact means (K).and wherein the contact interface (S) on the front (V) has a receptacle (A) which enables the connection of an attachment in a defined manner, for example via a plug engaging in a plug receptacle, characterized in that the insert (1) has a control unit (C) and / or a connectable control unit (C) arranged in the attachment, which detects whether an approved consumer, i.e., one that complies with its electronic specifications, is connected to the electromechanical contact interface (S) and only if so provides the output voltage and / or output current, wherein the control unit (C) comprises a mechanical communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the attachment and the mechanical communication interface communicating with each other,in particular wherein the attachment features a mechanical coding with respect to the permissible output voltage and / or the permissible output current.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an insert for a flush-mounted box with an electromechanical contact interface for connection to a building's power supply system, which provides an input voltage, in particular a mains voltage, via input-voltage-carrying contact means. The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising a flush-mounted box and such an insert.

[0002] Flush-mounted boxes, such as those known from DE 19 609 709 A1, are used in building installation technology to house electrical devices such as sockets, switches, or dimmers. For this purpose, a cylindrical recess is created in the wall into which the flush-mounted box, which has a cylindrical cross-section, can be inserted. Contact elements located in the wall, in particular cables, typically consisting of a live conductor, a protective conductor, and a neutral conductor, which are partially live or carry the mains voltage – usually 230 V – and are partially insulated, are routed into the flush-mounted box to connect the aforementioned electrical devices. Additional components, such as push-in terminals or similar devices, are regularly used within the flush-mounted box if cables need to be looped through.

[0003] Therefore, the flush-mounted box contains a multitude of live cables, possibly partially stripped, which are generally accessible to a user when looking inside, for example, to install an actuator or replace an electrical device, especially in case of a defect. The partially stripped cables sometimes pose a safety risk, as they carry input voltage, even if they are not accessible during proper installation. Furthermore, the large number of cables and any contact points (such as terminals) creates a confusing situation for the non-professional user, discouraging them from making what should be a simple connection to the contact point themselves.

[0004] Based on this discussed state of the art, the invention aims to provide an insert for a flush-mounted box that effectively prevents access to input voltage-carrying contact elements such as cable components and which makes it possible to simplify the self-assembly of electrical devices in the flush-mounted box.

[0005] This problem is solved by a generic insert as described above, wherein the contact interface is arranged on the front of the insert and is connected to the input voltage-carrying contact means on the back, wherein the insert is geometrically designed in such a way as to effectively prevent mechanical access to the input voltage-carrying contact means located in the flush-mounted box, wherein the contact interface enables the contacting of the input voltage-carrying contact means on the back in a defined manner, for example via a terminal that receives the contact means, and wherein the contact interface on the front has a receptacle that enables the connection of an attachment in a defined manner, for example via a plug engaging in a plug receptacle.In the context of the invention, the front side is understood to be the side of the insert that faces a user, while the back side is understood to be the side of the insert that faces the bottom of the flush-mounted box located in the recess of the wall.

[0006] The core idea of ​​the invention is, on the one hand, to provide a contact interface on the front of the insert, wherein all cable components and any contact elements are surrounded by the enclosed space formed by the base of the flush-mounted box and the insert. The insert is geometrically designed in such a way that it effectively prevents mechanical access to live contact elements located within a flush-mounted box.Only the user-accessible contact interface is available; this creates a defined starting point for the user, which on the one hand relocates potentially stripped cable and terminals to an installation level within the flush-mounted box for an electrician to work on, and on the other hand enables the defined tapping of the input voltage at a receptacle on the contact interface, for example, using a plug-to-plug connection. This is done via a receptacle on the front of the contact interface.

[0007] The encapsulation described above, combined with the relocation of all input voltage-carrying cables and any contact elements to a single installation level within the flush-mounted box, serves to significantly simplify the self-installation of an electrical device at the contact interface on the front of the insert. This is achieved by separating the electrical installation into a more complex, potentially more complicated (encapsulated) area and a simpler, easily accessible (manageable) area within the insert. Therefore, a non-professional user can easily perform the self-installation in a standardized environment.

[0008] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the inventive insert, the insert comprises a control unit and / or a connectable control unit arranged in the attachment, which detects whether an approved device, i.e., one that complies with its electronic specifications, is connected to the electromechanical contact interface and only provides the output voltage and / or output current if this is the case. This further improves protection against electric shock.

[0009] Particularly preferably, in this further development of the invention, the control unit comprises a parameterization resistor, depending on which a permissible output voltage and / or a permissible output current is provided. This allows the output voltage and / or a permissible output current to be set particularly cost-effectively and easily.

[0010] According to an alternative embodiment of this particularly preferred embodiment of the inventive device, the control unit comprises a wireless communication interface, for example based on Bluetooth, Thread, WLAN or Zigbee, or Matter, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the device or a consumer communicating with the communication interface. In this way, wireless and simple communication with a device is made possible, so that the required output voltage and / or an approved output current are automatically provided by the inventive device.

[0011] According to an alternative embodiment of this particularly preferred embodiment of the application according to the invention, the control unit comprises a wireless RFID communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the attachment and the RFID communication interface communicating with each other. An advantage of this is that the communication is possible without requiring any energy.

[0012] According to an alternative embodiment of this particularly preferred embodiment of the application according to the invention, the control unit comprises an optical communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the attachment and the optical communication interface communicating with each other. This can be implemented, for example, by an LED and a photodiode or an optical fiber.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment of this particularly preferred embodiment of the application according to the invention, the control unit comprises a mechanical communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the attachment and the mechanical communication interface communicating with each other, in particular wherein the attachment has a mechanical encoding with respect to the approved output voltage and / or the approved output current. For example, a mechanical slider can be used to adjust the output voltage and / or the approved output current, so that the adjustment is particularly easy for the user.

[0014] According to an alternative embodiment of this particularly preferred embodiment of the application according to the invention, the control unit comprises a magnetic communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current as well as a bi- or unidirectional data signal is provided by the attachment and the magnetic communication interface communicating with each other.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the insert according to the invention, the insert is designed so that it can be used in place of a flush-mounted box. This implies that the insert also takes over the function of the flush-mounted box. This ensures optimal fit.

[0016] The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising a flush-mounted box and an insert according to the invention, wherein the insert is inserted into the flush-mounted box. Retrofitting is particularly easy with this arrangement, since the insert can be used in existing boxes.

[0017] A particularly preferred arrangement is characterized in that the flush-mounted box has screw bosses, wherein the insert has at least one retaining element connected to the screw bosses, the retaining elements being, for example, column-like and at least partially surrounding the screw bosses. This allows for particularly simple and secure fixing of the insert according to the invention in the flush-mounted box. Preferably, for the easy grouping of several adjacent flush-mounted boxes (above or next to each other), the flush-mounted boxes have mechanical features (tabs, recesses, and serrations).

[0018] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures and an exemplary embodiment. The figures show: Fig. 1: a schematic representation of a flush-mounted box without an insert according to the invention, Fig. 2: a schematic representation of a flush-mounted box with an inserted insert according to the invention and Fig. 3: A schematic cross-sectional view of a flush-mounted box installed in a building wall with an insert according to the invention.

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a flush-mounted box D without the insert 1 according to the invention. Such a flush-mounted box D is used in building installation technology to install electrical devices, such as sockets, switches, or dimmers. For this purpose, a cylindrical recess is created in the wall into which the flush-mounted box D, which is essentially cylindrical in cross-section, can be inserted or secured. Contact elements K located in the wall W, typically formed by a live conductor, a protective conductor, and a neutral conductor, which is partially live or carries the mains voltage – usually 230 V – and is partially insulated, are led into the flush-mounted box D to connect the aforementioned electrical devices. Such a flush-mounted box D typically has screw bosses SD that extend in a column-like manner and whose longitudinal axis is parallel to the normal vector of the wall plane.Such screw bosses SD allow electrical devices such as sockets to be mechanically fixed to the flush-mounted box D using appropriate screws.

[0020] In Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a flush-mounted box D with an insert 1 according to the invention, wherein the insert 1 is geometrically designed such that it effectively prevents mechanical access to input voltage-carrying contact elements K, for example, cable bundles, located in a flush-mounted box D. The rear insertion of contact elements K in the form of cable bundles is visible. On the front side, there is a receptacle A through which the input voltage is enabled in a defined manner, for example, according to the plug-to-plug receptacle principle.

[0021] Therefore, in Fig.Figure 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a flush-mounted box D installed in a building wall W with an insert 1 according to the invention. It can be seen that, by way of example, a control unit C is also arranged on the back R of the insert 1 according to the invention. This control unit detects whether an approved device, i.e., one that complies with its electronic specifications, is connected to the electromechanical contact interface S and only provides the output voltage and / or output current if this is the case. It can be seen that the flush-mounted box D has screw bosses SD, and the insert 1 has at least one position retaining element H, here four, which are connected to the screw bosses SD. The position retaining elements H are column-shaped and at least partially surround the screw bosses SD. This allows the insert 1 to be positioned with particular accuracy and with minimal installation effort.

[0022] The invention is described with reference to exemplary embodiments. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, numerous further possibilities for its implementation would arise for a person skilled in the art, without the need to explain these in detail within the scope of these explanations. Reference symbol list 1 deployment A recording C Control unit D flush-mounted box H Position holding device K contact medium R rear contact interface S contact interface SD screw dome V Front W building wall

Claims

[1] Insert for a flush-mounted box (D) with an electromechanical contact interface (S) for connection to a building's power supply system providing an input voltage, in particular a mains voltage, via input voltage-carrying contact means (K), wherein the contact interface (S) is arranged on the front (V) of the insert (1) and is connected to the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) on the rear (R), wherein the insert (1) is geometrically designed in such a way as to effectively prevent mechanical access to the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) located in the flush-mounted box (D), wherein the contact interface (S) enables the input voltage-carrying contact means (K) to be contacted on the rear (R) in a defined manner, for example via a terminal that contacts the contact means (K),and wherein the contact interface (S) on the front side (V) has a receptacle (A) which enables the connection of an attachment in a defined manner, for example via a plug engaging in a plug receptacle, , characterized by, that the insert (1) comprises a control unit (C) and / or a connectable control unit (C) arranged in the attachment, which detects whether an approved consumer, i.e., one that complies with its electronic specifications, is connected to the electromechanical contact interface (S) and only if so provides the output voltage and / or output current, wherein the control unit (C) comprises a mechanical communication interface, wherein an approved output voltage and / or an approved output current is provided by the attachment and the mechanical communication interface communicating with each other, in particular wherein the attachment has a mechanical encoding with respect to the approved output voltage and / or the approved output current. [2] Use according to claim 1, characterized by, that the control unit (C) includes a parameterization resistor, depending on which an allowed output voltage and / or an allowed output current is provided. [3] Use according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that the insert (1) is designed in such a way that it can be used in place of a flush-mounted box (D). [4] Use according to one of claims 1 or 3, characterized by that the electromechanical contact interface (S) has a USB port or an RJ-45 socket. [5] Arrangement comprising a flush-mounted box (D) and an insert (1) according to claim 1, wherein the insert (1) is inserted into the flush-mounted box (D). [6] Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized by, that the flush-mounted box (D) has screw bosses (SD), wherein the insert (1) has at least one position retaining means (H) which is connected to the screw bosses (SD), wherein the position retaining means (H) are, for example, column-shaped and at least partially surround the screw bosses (SD).

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