Electrical device
The electrical device addresses assembly complexity and safety concerns in distribution boxes by using a housing with bushings and sealing elements, allowing external contact element insertion, and meeting protection class requirements, thus simplifying assembly and enhancing safety.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102023212415
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-08
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing distribution boxes and switch cabinets face challenges in assembly complexity, increased weight and cost due to the need for stable doors with circumferential sealing elements, and time-consuming installation processes, especially when requiring protection classes like IP 65 or IP 67.
The electrical device features a housing with a functional component, where the housing is partially made of plastic or metallic materials for protection. It includes bushings with sealing elements and an opening for external contact element insertion, simplifying assembly and enhancing safety while meeting protection class requirements.
The solution simplifies assembly, increases robustness, and enhances safety by allowing external electrical contacting through bushings with sealing elements, while maintaining protection class compliance, thus reducing weight and manufacturing costs.
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Abstract
Description
The invention relates to an electrical device comprising a housing and a functional component arranged therein. The invention further relates to an assembly having two electrical devices.Distribution boxes or switch cabinets are usually used for interconnecting a wide variety of actuators. In this, a feed module or power supply unit is usually arranged, which is connected to a main line which is led into the distribution box. In turn, a plurality of electrical devices are electrically contacted with the feed module. For this purpose, the distribution box (distribution cabinet) usually contains a plurality of busbars, with which the corresponding electrical devices, such as circuit breakers, switches or fuses, are electrically contacted. By way of the electrical devices, secondary circuits are electrically connected to the main line, wherein the secondary circuits are assigned to the actuators. By means of the electrical devices, a control of the electric current carried by the respective secondary circuit is made possible. The distribution cabinet usually comprises a door, which can be closed and by means of which it is possible to mount and / or operate the individual electrical devices arranged within the distribution cabinet. The door prevents unauthorized access, and also prevents touch protection. Thus, a demand for touch protection or the like of the individual electric devices is comparatively small.If the interconnection takes place in a comparatively unprotected environment, such as in an outdoor area, it is necessary for it to meet a specific protection class, usually IP 65 or IP 67. In this case, the distribution box is usually designed in accordance with the protection class, especially since the elements arranged inside, such as the busbars, are comparatively unprotected. It is thus necessary, on the one hand, to configure the individual apertures for the main connection and for the secondary circuits in accordance with the respectively desired protection class. It is also necessary to design the door according to the protection classes, for which usually circumferential sealing elements are provided. In order that the door in this case bears in a force-fitting manner against the sealing elements, it is in turn necessary for the door to be of comparatively stable configuration, which leads to increased costs and an increased weight. The installation of the individual electrical devices within the junction box is also comparatively time-consuming. Also, after opening the door, for example as part of maintenance and / or reconfiguration of the interconnection, it is always necessary to ensure that the tightness is achieved again.The object of the invention is to specify a particularly suitable electrical device and a particularly suitable assembly, wherein assembly is advantageously simplified and safety is expediently increased.With regard to the electrical device, this object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 and with regard to the assembly by the features of claim 10. Advantageous refinements and refinements are the subject matter of the dependent claims.The electrical device has a housing and a functional component which is arranged in the housing. The housing is here expediently made at least partially from a plastic or a metallic material, and by means of which protection of the functional component is preferably realized. In this case, at least one or all functions of the electrical device are provided in particular by means of the functional component. The function component is in particular configured such that the corresponding function is realized during operation. The electrical device, in particular the functional component, expediently has one or more electrical / electronic components for this purpose. The functional component suitably comprises one or more printed circuit boards to which the corresponding components are fastened, preferably soldered. Assembly is thus simplified and robustness is increased.In summary, an electrical function is preferably carried out during operation by means of the electrical device. For this purpose, the electrical device comprises, for example, one or more electronic components, or it expediently comprises only electrical components. In summary, the electrical device serves for carrying out an electrical function, in particular for influencing an electrical current and / or an electrical voltage, for which the functional component is correspondingly designed.In particular, the electrical device is a circuit breaker or another protective element. In this case, the electrical device, in particular the functional component, comprises a switching element which is actuated as a function of specific conditions, such as a fault current, an overcurrent and / or an overvoltage. The circuit breaker is configured here, for example, merely mechanically or electrically. In particular, the switching element is either designed as a relay or semiconductor switch. In a development, the circuit breaker is configured as a combination of a mechanical circuit breaker and an electrical circuit breaker.In a further alternative, the electrical device serves to provide functional safety and is thus in particular a so-called "safety component". In a further alternative, the electrical device is, for example, a feed module, a feed module, a switched-mode power supply, a relay, a protection element, a switching device, a bus system / communication system component, a buffer component, a potential distributor, a current distributor, an automatic fuse or an I / O module. Depending on the configuration of the electrical device, the functional component is adapted in this case, so that the desired mode of operation is realized.For example, the electrical device is an individual device which is configured, for example, in one-pole or multipolar fashion, in particular when embodied as a circuit breaker. In an alternative, the electrical device is designed as a series device, which is, for example, single-pole or multipolar. The electrical device is expediently a series-connectable electrical switching device or series-installation device.The functional component has a bushing. Thus, the socket is disposed within the housing. The socket is in particular electrically conductive and suitably electrically contacted with further components of the functional component, expediently the possible electrical component and / or the possible printed circuit board, preferably a conductor track of the printed circuit board. In particular, the bushing is made of a metal, for example a copper, brass or aluminum. The bushing is in particular hollow-cylindrical.The housing has an opening that covers the bushing. In this case, the bushing is expediently of round configuration. In particular, the opening is concentric with an axis of the bushing, or at least the axis of the bushing passes through the opening. The opening and the bushing are expediently offset with respect to one another parallel to the axis. For example, the size of the opening is equal to the size of the bushing, or one of them is larger. In summary, the socket and the opening are arranged in such a way that an insertion of a contact element through the opening into the housing is possible from outside the housing, wherein the contact element is inserted into the socket during a further movement along the axis of the socket.The opening is lined with a sealing element. In particular, the sealing element is designed in the manner of an O-ring and expediently formed by means of an O-ring or at least comprises the latter. For example, the sealing element has one or more sealing lips. Suitably, the sealing element is made of a rubber or elastomer, and the sealing element is in particular round. Expediently, the sealing element is configured to be circumferential and it bears, for example, mechanically directly against the housing.Due to the opening, contacting of the socket and thus of the functional component from outside the housing is made possible, wherein due to the arrangement it is possible to insert the contact element through the opening so that it reaches the socket. Assembly is thus comparatively simple. Because of the sealing element, a tightness is provided in this case, so that penetration of foreign particles and / or a liquid via the opening is prevented in the assembled state. Safety is thus increased. In addition, it is possible to change the connection of the electrical device to further components by means of corresponding replacement of the contact element, so that maintenance and reconfiguration is facilitated. Furthermore, a size of the sealing element is comparatively small, and it can be designed to be comparatively small and weight-saving, so that a weight and manufacturing costs are reduced. Suitably, the electrical device in the assembled state, in particular when the possible contact element is assembled, meets the requirements according to IP 65 or IP 67. For this purpose, this is equipped in particular with the housing, the sealing element and / or the possible contact element.In particular, the electrical device has a plurality of such bushings and corresponding openings, each of the openings being lined with a corresponding sealing element. In particular, the openings, bushings and / or sealing elements are structurally identical to one another, so that manufacturing costs are reduced. Due to the plurality of openings, it is possible to perform various functions by means of the electrical device. In particular, the different sockets / openings are assigned electrical potentials at least partially and / or, for example, electrical ground. Alternatively or in combination therewith, the bushing or at least one of the bushings serves for signal connection to one or further additional components.Preferably, the contact element is present, which is inserted into the opening. The contact element thus extends into the housing from the outside. For example, the contact element is spaced apart from the sealing element or abuts the latter via a further component. Particularly preferably, however, the contact element bears mechanically directly against the sealing element, wherein, for example, the sealing element is at least partially elastically deformed, such that a sealing effect is improved. The contact element is suitably located in the socket, so that, for example, the socket is electrically contacted by means of the contact element, in particular if the contact element is at least partially electrically conductive. At least however, the contact element is thus additionally stabilized by means of the socket.For example, the contact element is a component of a blind plug, which is in particular electrically non-conductive, either completely or at least the part which is located outside the housing. Expediently, the blind plug is made in one piece and preferably from the plastic. The blind plug closes the opening, so that foreign particles are prevented from entering the housing via the opening, even if the bushing is not used. In an alternative, the contact element is, for example, a component of a plug-in bridge which is at least partially designed to be electrically conductive. In this case, the electrically conductive part is at least partially inserted into the socket and is led out of the housing via the opening, so that electrical contacting of the functional component from outside the housing is made possible. In this case, by means of replacement or adaptation of the plug bridge and / or replacement with the blind plug, it is possible to change an interconnection of the electrical device with further components without a comparatively extensive change of the device per se being required. In addition, in particular, additional production of passages through the housing is not necessary. It is also possible, for example within the scope of reconfiguration, to close an opening that is no longer (used) for the electrical contacting by means of the blind plug that comprises the correspondingly configured contact element or is formed by means of the latter, such that a tightness is realized again, which leads to a protection of the functional component. The invention further relates in particular to such a blind plug and to a corresponding plug bridge.For example, the contact element is embodied in multiple parts, and this has, for example, a base body which is surrounded on the circumference by means of a metal jacket, in particular in the region of the sealing element. Thus, robustness is increased. Preferably, however, the contact element comprises a plastic body which abuts the sealing element. Damage to the sealing element is thus prevented when the contact element is introduced into the opening. For example, the contact element is formed by means of the plastic body, in particular if it is designed as a blind plug or is part thereof. If the contact element is a component of the plug-in bridge, in particular a metallic pin is surrounded at least in sections by means of the plastic body, wherein a free end of the pin is inserted in the socket in the assembled state. Expediently, the pin is formed by means of one end of a U-shaped conductor, wherein the other end expediently likewise forms a pin of a further contact element. The plug bridge thus has two contact elements, wherein both are assigned a part of the conductor. The two free ends of the conductor, namely the respective pins, each lie in a socket of two different corresponding electrical devices, wherein the conductor is guided through one of the openings of the two electrical devices. In particular, the plastic bodies are assigned to the two contact elements of the plug bridge, which are preferably integrally formed on one another, and by means of which the part of the conductor arranged at least outside the two housings is surrounded. Expediently, the plastic body is electrically insulating, so that contact protection is realized. In an alternative embodiment, instead of the plastic body, a body is used which is made of a glass or a ceramic.For example, the outer diameter of the contact element, in particular outside the housing, is equal to the diameter of the opening. Thus, a weight is reduced. Particularly preferably, however, the contact element has a collar which projects beyond the opening and bears on the outside against the housing. In other words, the diameter of the contact element is greater than the diameter of the opening, at least in the region of the collar. By means of the collar, on the one hand, excessive introduction of the contact element into the opening is prevented, which could lead, for example, to destruction or damage of the functional component, such as detachment of the socket from the possible printed circuit board. On the other hand, due to direct contact with the housing, a type of labyrinth seal is provided, and therefore, tightness is further increased and a requirement for the sealing members is decreased. Thus, manufacturing cost is reduced. In particular, the collar is a component of the possible plastic body, so that construction and production are simplified.For example, the contact element only loosely fits into the socket or the opening, and this is stabilized, for example, only by means of the sealing element and held in the desired position. Particularly preferably, however, the contact element is held on the housing and is fastened there in particular in a detachable manner. In this way, the contact element itself is stabilized by means of the housing, not only by means of the sealing element, which increases robustness. In this way, a sealing effect is also improved, in particular if the collar or other structural measures are present. By means of the detachable fastening, in particular a frictional connection is realized between the contact element and the housing or at least further component of the electrical device, which increases a tightness. Due to the detachable fastening, a change in the connection of the electrical device with further components is always possible in the past.For example, the contact element is screwed to the housing. Particularly preferably, however, the contact element is latched to the housing. Thus, the production of the mechanical connection between them is facilitated and in particular possible without tools, which reduces an assembly time and facilitates the assembly. For example, the contact element has a plurality of latching elements. Particularly preferably, the housing comprises a latching tongue, by means of which the contact element is latched. When the contact element is guided through the opening, in particular is inserted in the socket, the latching tongue engages behind the contact element, preferably the possible plastic body, so that a frictional connection is realized between the contact element and the outer side of the housing. In this way, undesired detachment of the contact element is avoided. Because of the engagement behind, a construction of the contact element is facilitated. Also, a release of the latching connection is facilitated, since the latching tongue is substantially freely accessible. Since the housing has the latching tongue, a weight of the contact element is additionally reduced, so that assembly is facilitated. In addition, it is possible to configure the latching tongue to be comparatively robust and to configure it with a comparatively large undercut without a mechanical integrity of the contact element being reduced. In an alternative, the contact element has, for example, a groove or notch in which the latching tongue lies at the end.For example, the sealing element is injected into the housing, and during the production of the electrical device, a plastic is injected around the sealing element, by means of which plastic the housing is subsequently formed. Alternatively, for example, an inner wall of the opening has a groove or channel into which the sealing element is inserted during production. Particularly preferably, however, the housing comprises an upper housing part which comprises a depression. The sealing element is inserted into the depression, and the depression is filled in particular by means of the sealing element. In addition, the housing comprises a cover element which is expediently produced from a plastic, preferably from the material like the upper housing part. The sealing element is covered by the cover element, and the cover element is fastened to the upper housing part. The sealing element is thus located at least partially between the upper housing part and the cover element, and the opening is formed by means of said upper housing part. On account of the cover element, the sealing element is thus protected on the one hand, which increases robustness. On the other hand, there are substantially no restrictions on the design of the sealing element, and this can be designed to be comparatively inelastic and / or large, wherein nevertheless a comparatively simple assembly is made possible.For example, the cover element is welded or preferably glued to the upper housing part, which facilitates production. Preferably, the latching tongue or another latching element is present, by means of which the contact element is latched in the assembled state. The latching element is expediently fastened to the cover element, preferably integrally formed thereon and in one piece therewith. Thus, in the event of damage to the latching element, such as the latching tongue, for example, only replacement of the cover element is necessary, but not of the complete upper housing part. For example, the depression is located on a side of the upper housing part facing the environment, that is to say in particular on the outer side. In this way, production is facilitated, in particular the attachment of the sealing element and of the cover element. Alternatively, the depression and the cover element are arranged on the side of the upper housing part facing the interior, in particular on the inner side. These are thus protected by the housing shell, which increases robustness.For example, the cover element rests on the upper housing part and thus protrudes over the latter. Particularly preferably, however, the upper housing part has a depression into which the depression is introduced. In this case, the cover element lies in the depression. Thus, even when the housing abuts against further components, detachment of the cover element is avoided and the cover element is at least partially protected. Particularly preferably, the depression is filled by means of the cover element, which increases robustness and tightness. In particular, the cover element is flush with an upper side of the housing part, which is why damage, such as detachment of the cover element from the upper housing part, is substantially avoided even when the housing is used improperly.If a plurality of openings are present, a respective cover element is assigned to each of the openings, for example. Particularly preferably, however, all the openings and all the sealing elements are assigned the same cover element, wherein a plurality of openings are thus formed by means of the cover element. Thus, manufacturing is simplified. Preferably, the depression is present, and all depressions are introduced into the depression.For example, the housing is configured in one piece or at least circumferentially closed, and this is produced in particular after arrangement of the functional component. Particularly preferably, however, the housing comprises a housing shell which is in particular cup-shaped. The housing shell is in turn closed by means of a cover which is fastened to the housing shell. Thus, by removing the cover from the housing shell or at least before fastening the cover to the housing shells, an arrangement of the functional component is made possible, which facilitates production. For example, the cover is non-detachably connected, for example welded, to the housing shell, which improves a tightness. Particularly preferably, however, the cover is arranged detachably on the housing shell, so that a subsequent checking, an exchange and / or a repair of the functional component is made possible. Preferably, the cover is screwed to the housing shell, for which purpose in particular one, expediently a plurality of, screws are used.Suitably, a further sealing element, preferably an O-ring, is arranged between the cover and the housing shell, so that a seal is also achieved despite the detachable connection. In particular, the cover has a circumferential groove into which the O-ring is inserted, so that it is not displaced or detached during the mounting of the cover on the housing shells. For example, the upper housing part is present, which is formed by means of the cover, for example. Particularly preferably, however, the upper housing part is formed by means of the housing shell, and the upper housing part is formed by means of the bottom of the pot-shaped housing shell, or this comprises at least the bottom. For example, the opening is introduced into the base of the housing shell and / or a side of the housing shell opposite the cover. An arrangement of the functional component is thus simplified, in particular if it comprises a printed circuit board.Suitably, the housing shell comprises a power connection or the like which is introduced into a wall of the housing shell. The power connection comprises in particular a feedthrough into which a cable is inserted or at least inserted. The current connection is preferably electrically contacted with the functional component, so that here too an electrical contacting of the functional component is made possible.The assembly has two electrical devices, each of which has a housing with a functional component arranged therein. Each functional component comprises a respective bushing, and the respective housing has an opening which covers the respective associated bushing. Each opening is lined with a sealing element. For example, the functional components of the two electrical devices are the same or they differ.The functional components are electrically connected by means of a jumper which has two contact elements. Each contact element has a respective metallic pin which is guided through a respective one of the openings. In particular, one of the contact elements is a component of the respective electrical device, through the openings of which the electrical device is guided, wherein the contact element is here detachably connected to the further components of the respective electrical device. Each pin is inserted into the associated bushing at the end, and the two pins are electrically connected to one another outside the two housings. Preferably, the pins are formed by means of a common, substantially U-shaped conductor. Expediently, the conductor is surrounded by a plastic in the region arranged outside the housing, by means of which plastic preferably at least partially a respective plastic body of the respective contact element is formed. The plastic body is expediently electrically insulating, so that contact protection is realized. In an alternative, a glass or a ceramic is used instead of the plastic.Preferably, the two electrical devices abut each other and are more conveniently stabilized to each other, which increases robustness. Suitably, the electrical devices, preferably their housings, are structurally identical to one another, for which reason identical parts can be used. For example, however, each electrical device has only a single opening. Alternatively, for example, a plurality of corresponding openings are provided. In this case, a pair is expediently formed from one or more openings of one of the housings and in each case one opening of the other housing, with which a corresponding plug-in bridge is in each case associated. For example, one or more of the openings is closed by means of a blind plug in each case, such that the sockets of the electrical devices assigned to these openings are not electrically contacted with one another.For example, the assembly comprises only the two electrical devices or a plurality of electrical devices. In particular, the assembly can be flexibly expanded by further electrical devices. In order to change the interconnection, a contact element formed by a blind plug is replaced in particular by a contact element which is a component of a plug bridge, or vice versa. Preferably, the assembly forms, at least partially, a power distribution system.The developments and advantages explained in connection with the electrical device are also to be transferred analogously to the assembly / the blind plug / the plug-in bridge and to one another and vice versa.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Shown therein are: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an assembly with a plurality of electrical devices, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one of the electrical devices, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a blind plug forming a contact element, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plug-in bridge having two modified contact elements; and FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the subassembly in a detail.Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an assembly 2 which has a total of six electrical devices 4. One of the electrical devices 4 is a feed module 6, and the remaining electrical devices 4 are circuit breakers 8. The assembly 2 forms a current distribution system.The electrical devices 4 are substantially of the same construction and in FIG. 2 one of the electrical devices 4, namely one of the circuit breakers 8, is shown in an exploded illustration. The electrical device 4 has a substantially cuboidal housing 10 which has a pot-shaped housing shell 12. This is made of a plastic, and the opening of the housing shell 12 is closed by means of a cover 14. The cover 14 is made of the same plastic and has a circumferential groove 16 on the side facing the housing shell 12. Inserted into the groove 16 is a further sealing element 18, namely an O-ring, which is substantially rectangular and which bears against the end face of the opening of the housing shell 12. In an alternative embodiment, the further sealing element 18 is injected into the housing 10. The fastening of the cover 14 to the housing shell 12 is effected by means of a plurality of screws 20. In summary, the housing 10 thus has the housing shell 12 which is of pot-shaped configuration and thus comprises the opening. In other words, the housing shell 12 has the opening which, in the assembled state, is closed by means of the cover 14, which is fastened to the housing shell 12 by means of the screws 20.An aperture 22 is made in a wall of the housing shell 12 adjacent to the cover 14, into which aperture a power connection 24 is inserted. The power connection 24 serves for connecting a functional component 26 arranged within the housing 10 to an electrical cable, not shown in more detail. In the case of the circuit breakers 8, the cable is connected to a secondary circuit which is secured by means of the respectively assigned circuit breaker 8. In the case of the feed module 6, the cable represents a main current connection, by means of which the secondary circuits are energized.In the example shown, the functional component 26 has two printed circuit boards 28 to which a plurality of electrical and / or electronic components, not shown in more detail, are fastened and by means of which they are connected. The two printed circuit boards 28 are in electrical contact with the power connection 24. By means of the functional component 26, in particular the interconnections realized by means of the printed circuit boards 28, the respective function of the electrical device 4 is provided. In the case of the circuit breaker 8, the printed circuit boards 28 have a switching element which is actuated when a specific electric current, in particular an overcurrent or a short-circuit current, is exceeded, with the result that the power connection 24 is electrically disconnected from further components of the printed circuit board 28. In the case of the feed module 6, a current distribution is provided by means of the printed circuit boards 28.The side of the housing shell 12 opposite the cover 14, namely the bottom of the housing shell 12, represents an upper housing part 29 which is integrally formed on the further walls of the housing shell 12. A further opening 30 is introduced into the upper housing part 29, into which an indicator element 32 is inserted. During operation, a status of the functional component 26 is signaled to a user by means of the display element 32, so that the status of the functional component can be queried from outside the housing 10. In a variant not shown in detail, the display element 32 has an actuating element, such as a button, alternatively or in combination with the status displays, so that an (integrated) functional element is formed.Furthermore, a substantially rectangular depression 34 is introduced into the upper housing part 29 on the outer side, said depression representing a reduction in the wall thickness. In turn, a total of eight depressions 36 are introduced into the depression 34, which depressions run in two rows. The depressions 36 are annular and represent a further reduction in the wall thickness. The depressions 36 of identical construction surround in each case an opening 38 which are in each case circular. A sealing element 40, namely an O-ring, is inserted into each of the depressions 36. Due to the depressions 36, the upper side of the sealing elements 40 is flush with the bottom of the depression 34.Inserted into the depression 34 is a cover element 42 which is manufactured from the same plastic as the upper housing part 29 and by means of which all sealing elements 40 are covered. The complete depression 34 is filled by means of the cover element 40, and this is flush on the outside with the upper housing part 29. One of the sealing elements 40 is inserted into each recess 36 and these are covered by the covering element 42 which is inserted into the depression 34. The cover element 42 is in turn fastened to the upper housing part 29 by means of adhesive. Recesses are also present in the cover element 42, so that the openings 38 are formed by means of which, and which are congruent with the corresponding parts of the upper housing part 29.Each of the openings 38 covers a bushing 44 of the functional component 26. In this case, four of the sockets 4 are each fastened to one of the printed circuit boards 28 and electrically connected to the electrical / electronic components arranged thereon. The bushings 44 are substantially hollow cylindrical and have an axis which, in the assembled state, projects through in each case one of the openings 38 which is concentric with the axis. In summary, each of the openings 38 covers one of the bushings 44, and the openings 38 are each lined by means of one of the sealing elements 40.FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a blind plug 46 which is formed by means of a contact element 48. The contact element 48 here consists of a plastic body 50 and is a plastic injection-molded part.FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a jumper 52, which has two metallic pins 54 which are parallel to one another and which are each a component of a correspondingly configured contact element 48. In other words, the plug bridges 52 have two contact elements 48, which each comprise one of the pins 54, and also each the plastic body 50, which are however integral with one another. The two pins 54 are formed by means of a conductor 56 which is U-shaped and which is partly embedded in the plastic bodies 50In FIG. 5, the subassembly 2 is shown in enlarged detail in a sectional illustration, namely a detail of two of the electrical devices 4 arranged alongside one another on the edge. The printed circuit boards 28 of the two electrical devices 4 are arranged parallel to one another, and also the rows of depressions 36 or openings 38.One of the pins 54 of the same jumper 52 is respectively inserted into the two openings 38 directly adjacent to one another of the respective electrical devices 4 adjacent to one another and inserted into the respectively associated socket 44. Consequently, these sockets 44 of the two electrical devices 4, and thus the two different functional components 26, are electrically connected by means of the respective jumper 52, wherein a total of four such jumpers 52 are present.In summary, one of the pins 54 is thus guided into each of the four openings 38 of the rows facing one another and inserted at the end into the respectively associated bushing 44. Adjacent electrical devices 4 are electrically connected to a total of four plug-in bridges 52. For this purpose, each plug bridge 52 comprises the U-shaped conductor 56, which is surrounded outside the housings 10 by the plastic bodies 50 of the two contact elements 48, respectively. The plastic bodies 50 are configured such that they also enter within the respective opening 38 so that each plastic body 50 abuts the respectively associated sealing element 40.The plastic bodies 50 are widened on the outside of the housing 10 and each have a protruding collar 58 which bears on the outside on the housing 10, namely the cover element 42. In the example shown, the electrical devices 4 and thus also the complete module 2 meet a protection classification corresponding to IP 65 or IP 67, wherein the power connections 24 are designed accordingly.Each opening 38 is assigned a latching tongue 60 which is integrally formed on the cover element 42. The latching tongues 60 extend perpendicular to the upper housing part 29 and are directed away from the latter. The respective contact element 48 is engaged behind by means of the latching tongues 60, with the result that the respective contact element 48 is latched to the housing 10. Thus, the plug bridge 52 is locked overall to two different housings 10, and the contact elements 48 are each releasably held on the associated housing 10.In the example shown, adjacent electrical devices are each connected by means of four plug bridges 52, wherein a different electrical potential is carried by means of each of the plug bridges 52. During operation, the electrical potentials are provided by means of the feed module 6 and are conducted from the latter to the respectively adjacent circuit breakers 8 via the plug-in bridges 52. The electric potential of these circuit breakers 8 is conducted to the respective further adjacent circuit breakers 8, for which purpose in each case one of the sockets 44 of each printed circuit board 28 of the same circuit breaker 8 is electrically connected to one another in a low-impedance manner.In each case one of the total of eight blind plugs 46 is inserted into the openings 38 of the two outer circuit breakers 8, which are located on the outside and to which no further electrical device 4 is assigned. Thus, one of the contact elements 48 is also inserted into each of these openings 38, but these are formed here only by means of the plastic body 50. These likewise bear against the associated sealing element 40 in each case and are inserted into the associated bushing 44, with the result that each blind plug 46 is secured against tilting. These contact elements 48 and thus the blind plugs 46 are also each latched to one of the latching tongues 60, with the result that the contact element 48 is fastened to the housing 10. These plastic bodies 50 also each have the collar 58, which, due to the latching by means of the latching tongue 60, bears in a force-fitting manner against the cover element 42, so that the labyrinth seal is also present here. Consequently, the sealing is achieved even in the openings 38 not used for the further interconnection because of the blind plugs 46. In other words, despite the unused bushings 44, tightness of the assembly 2 is not impaired. If a further electrical device 4 is to be mounted, it is arranged next to one of the electrical devices 4 on the edge side up to now and its blind plugs 46 are removed and replaced by a respective contact element 48 of a further plug-in bridge 52.In summary, therefore, in the assembly 2, one of the contact elements 48, which is either a component of one of the blind plugs 46 or one of the plug bridges 52, is inserted into each of the openings 38. Each contact element 48, namely the respective plastic body 50, which is shaped differently depending on whether the contact element 48 is a component of the blind plug 46 or the plug bridge 52, abuts the respective sealing element 40. Each plastic body 50 also has the collar 58 which projects beyond the respective opening 38 which are structurally identical to one another and which bears on the outside against the respective housing 10. In the assembly 2, the functional components 26 of two adjacent electrical devices 4 are electrically connected by means of the respectively assigned four plug-in bridges 52, wherein each of the plug-in bridges 52 has two of the contact elements 48. The contact elements 48 of each plug-in bridge 52 each comprise one of the metallic pins 54 which, in the assembled state, is guided in each case into one of the openings 38 and is inserted at the end into the respectively associated socket 44. The pins 54 of the same jumper 52 are formed by means of the respective same conductor 56 and are thus electrically connected to one another outside the housing 10.The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can also be derived from this by the person skilled in the art without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all the individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment can also be combined with one another in another manner without departing from the subject matter of the invention.List of reference characters2 Assembly 4 Electrical device 6 Feed module 8 Circuit breaker 10 Housing 12 Housing shell 14 Cover 16 Groove 18 Further sealing element 20 Screw 22 Aperture 24 Power connection 26 Functional component 28 Printed circuit board 29 Upper housing part 30 Further opening 32 Display element 34 Depression 36 Depression 38 Opening 40 Sealing ring 42 Cover element 44 Bushing 46 Blind plug 48 Contact element 50 Plastic body 52 Plug-in bridge 54 Pin 56 Conductor 58 Collar 60 Latching tongue
Claims
Electrical device (4) having a housing (10) and a functional component (26) arranged therein, which functional component comprises a bushing (44), wherein the housing (10) has an opening (38) which covers the bushing (44), wherein the opening (38) is lined with a sealing element (40).Electrical device (4) according to Claim 1, characterized in that a contact element (48) is inserted into the opening (38), said contact element bearing against the sealing element (40).Electrical device (4) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the contact element (48) has a plastic body (50) which bears against the sealing element (40).Electrical device (4) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the contact element (48) has a collar (58) which projects beyond the opening (38) and bears on the outside against the housing (10).Electrical device (4) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the contact element (48) is held on the housing (10).Electrical device (4) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the contact element (48) is latched to the housing (10), wherein the housing (10) has a latching tongue (60), by means of which the contact element (48) is engaged behind.Electrical device (4) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sealing element (40) is inserted into a depression (36) in an upper housing part (29) and is covered with a covering element (42) which is fastened to the upper housing part (29).Electrical device (4) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the upper housing part (29) has a depression (34), into which the depression (36) is introduced, the covering element (42) lying in the depression (34).Electrical device (4) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the housing (10) has a housing shell (12) which comprises the opening and which is closed by means of a cover (14) which is fastened to the housing shell (12).Assembly (2) with two electrical devices (4) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two functional components (26) are electrically connected by means of a jumper (52) which has two contact elements (48) which each comprise a metallic pin (54) which is guided through in each case one of the openings (38) and is inserted at the end into the respectively associated socket (44), and which are electrically connected to one another outside the housings (10).
Citation Information
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