Protective housing for a module and housing arrangement with the protective housing

Abstract

A protective housing 1 is proposed, comprising a housing body 2, which has a base plate section 6 that can be attached to a mounting surface and a wall section 7 surrounding the base plate section 6, wherein the base plate section 6 has at least one mounting interface 8 for mounting the housing body 2 to the mounting surface, at least one fastening interface 10 for fastening the interface module 5 in the protective housing 1 and at least one strain relief interface 12 for strain relief of at least one electrical cable leading into the protective housing 1, and with a housing cover 4, which seals against the wall section 7 and is detachably connected to the housing body 2, wherein the mounting interface 8 and / or the fastening interface 10 and / or the strain relief interface 12 each have an opening 15 arranged in the base plate section 6.wherein the protective housing 1 has at least one housing seal 19 arranged on a rear side of the base plate section 6 for sealing the at least one opening 15 against the mounting surface in an assembly state.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a protective housing for a module. Furthermore, the invention relates to a housing arrangement comprising the protective housing. State of the art

[0002] Protective enclosures for electrical components are known, consisting essentially of a base plate and a protective cover. Such enclosures can be designed as wall-mounted housings, with the base plate made of electrically insulating plastic and suitable for wall mounting. For example, such enclosures can be used in fire alarm systems.

[0003] For example, German patent application DE 44 18 978 A1 discloses a wall-mounted enclosure for a fire alarm control panel, consisting of a base plate and a protective cap. The base plate, made of electrically insulating plastic and suitable for wall mounting, has a wiring circuit board in its upper section that can be detachably attached to it. This circuit board is equipped with connectors for multiple circuit boards, each guided into its respective guide groove by lateral ribs. A power supply unit mounted on a circuit board is detachably attached next to the wiring circuit board. The wiring circuit board and the power supply unit's circuit board are parallel to the base of the base plate and the wall. A mounting device for one or more accumulators is provided in the lower section. Furthermore, one or more mounting devices for modules for auxiliary equipment are located between the upper and lower sections of the base plate. Disclosure of the invention

[0004] The invention proposes a protective housing with the features of claim 1 and a housing arrangement with the features of claim 15. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, the following description, and the accompanying figures.

[0005] The invention relates to a protective housing designed and / or suitable for a module, in particular an interface module of a fire alarm system. Specifically, the protective housing serves to contain the module in order to protect it, for example, from unauthorized access and / or from environmental influences such as dust, moisture, etc. A module is understood to be, in particular, an independent unit or component that fulfills a specific function within a higher-level system. Preferably, the module is designed to have standardized interfaces and to be able to perform certain signal processing or control tasks. Preferably, the module is designed as a hardware module. Alternatively or optionally, other electrical and / or electronic components, such as terminal blocks, circuit boards, etc., can also be housed in the protective housing.

[0006] The protective housing comprises a housing body with a base plate section that can be attached to a mounting surface and a wall section surrounding the base plate section. In particular, the base plate section and the wall section are made from a common material, preferably in one piece. The mounting surface can be, for example, a flat mounting surface, preferably a building wall, a mounting wall, a mounting plate, or the like. Preferably, the wall section has one or more entry openings for introducing at least one electrical conductor, e.g., a signal conductor, power conductor, etc., into the interior of the housing. For example, a cable entry made of an elastic material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, can be arranged in the at least one entry opening, through which at least one electrical conductor is guided, or can be guided, into the protective housing in a sealed and / or play-free manner.

[0007] The base plate section has at least one strain relief interface, which is designed and / or suitable for strain relief of the at least one electrical conductor. The at least one strain relief interface serves to reduce mechanical stress, in particular tensile forces, on the electrical conductor(s) routed through the entry opening. For this purpose, the electrical conductor can be fixed to the strain relief interface. The at least one strain relief interface is preferably located in the area downstream of the at least one entry opening within the protective housing. It is particularly preferred that each entry opening is assigned at least one strain relief interface.

[0008] The base plate section has at least one or exactly one mounting interface, which is designed and / or suitable for mounting the housing body to the mounting surface. This at least one mounting interface serves to secure the housing body, in particular the base plate section, to any mounting surface, preferably a flat one. In other words, the at least one mounting interface is universally usable. In principle, the protective housing can be mounted either decentrally as a single module near an associated device, system, control unit, etc., or centrally as several modules in a room, e.g., a technical room. Specifically, the base plate section can have more than two, preferably more than four, and in particular more than six mounting interfaces.

[0009] Furthermore, the base plate section has at least one or exactly one fastening interface, which is designed and / or suitable for fastening the module in the protective housing. The at least one fastening interface serves to secure the module within the protective housing in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner, preferably releasably. The module can be connected to the fastening interface, for example, via a snap-fit, screw, or similar connection. Specifically, the base plate section can have more than two, preferably more than three, fastening interfaces. For example, several modules can also be fastened together in the protective housing via multiple fastening interfaces.

[0010] The protective housing also features a housing cover which seals, preferably fluid-tight, against the wall section and is detachably connected to the housing base. In particular, the housing cover and the housing base form a receiving space for the module, preferably a closed one. In other words, the receiving space is shielded and / or closed from the environment by the housing cover and the housing base. The housing cover is preferably detachably and / or removablely mounted to the housing base. Preferably, for reasons of access control and electrical safety, the housing cover can only be removed with a key and / or a tool.

[0011] According to the invention, the strain relief interface and / or the mounting interface and / or the fastening interface each have an opening arranged in the base plate section, wherein the protective housing has at least one or exactly one housing seal arranged on a rear side of the base plate section for sealing the at least one opening against the mounting surface in an assembly state. The assembly state is understood here as a state of the protective housing in which it, or at least the housing base body, is mounted on the mounting surface via the at least one mounting interface. In particular, the openings are to be understood as manufacturing- and / or assembly-related openings on the rear side of the protective housing, which are open against the mounting surface in the assembly state.The housing seal is understood to be a seal arranged on the rear of the protective housing, which seals one or more openings against the mounting surface when assembled. In other words, the sealing effect of the housing seal occurs when the housing body is mounted to the mounting surface with the base plate section. Preferably, the housing seal is designed such that it surrounds and / or encloses the at least one opening. Put another way, when assembled, the housing seal rests against the rear of the base plate section and the mounting surface, sealing around the at least one opening. For example, the housing seal can be securely attached to the rear of the base plate section by means of a positive fit, a friction fit, and / or a material bond.

[0012] A protective housing is proposed that is optimized for mounting a module, particularly an interface module. In addition to protecting against contact, the housing also protects the module against the ingress of foreign particles, such as water and dust (protection class IP54). For example, the strain relief interface, the mounting interface, and / or the fastening interface can be manufactured much more easily by providing cutouts. Especially when installed, the housing seal ensures that all rear cutouts are sealed, thus preventing foreign particles from entering the housing. A protective housing, preferably for an interface module, is therefore proposed, characterized by its robust design and simple, cost-effective manufacturing.

[0013] In a specific embodiment, the housing seal is designed as a static elastomer seal. Specifically, a static elastomer seal is understood to be a housing seal made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber or another elastomer, which seals the housing base and the mounting surface against each other. The term "static" refers to the fact that the components between which the housing seal is installed are fixed (static) to one another and are not moved relative to each other during assembly. Preferably, the elastomer seal is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). For example, the elastomer seal can be directly injection-molded onto the back of the base plate section, e.g., by injection molding. Thus, a housing seal is proposed that offers a high sealing effect and can be manufactured simply and cost-effectively.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the housing seal is designed as a profile seal circumferentially around the at least one opening. In principle, the profile seal can have any shape and / or cross-sectional profile. Preferably, however, the profile seal is completely closed and / or essentially ring-shaped. Preferably, the profile seal has a circumferential sealing lip, which allows it to contact the base plate section and / or the mounting surface, preferably in a fluid-tight and / or gap-free manner. The profile seal can be mounted and / or secured in a receiving groove located on the rear side of the base plate section. Optionally, the profile seal can have a constant or varying profile cross-section and / or different, in particular separate, sealing areas.A housing seal is therefore proposed which can be easily mounted on the protective housing and at the same time has a continuous or uninterrupted contact area.

[0015] In a further development, it is provided that the at least one housing seal surrounds and / or encloses several or all of the openings. In other words, several or all of the openings are arranged within the sealing area of ​​the housing seal. For example, the housing seal can have more than two sealing areas, with one or more of the openings located within each sealing area. In simplified terms, the at least one housing seal can be designed such that the openings are sealed individually or in groups. Optionally, the protective housing has at least one further housing seal that surrounds and / or encloses one or more of the openings, or seals them individually or in groups. Thus, a housing seal is proposed that easily seals any number of openings.

[0016] In a further specific implementation, it is envisaged that at least the housing base is designed as a plastic injection-molded part that can be demolded in one direction, with at least one opening in the demolding direction. In particular, the demolding direction is to be understood as the direction in which the finished housing base is removed and / or ejected from a mold. Preferably, the demolding direction is oriented perpendicular to the base plate section. Thus, a housing base is proposed that can be manufactured by injection molding and preferably demolded without a slide in the mold. By opening the openings in the demolding direction, the number of moving parts in the mold can be minimized, and new design possibilities can be created.

[0017] In a further development, the protective housing is provided with a lid seal, which is arranged circumferentially between the housing base and the housing lid to seal the protective housing. Specifically, the lid seal is understood to be a seal located on the front of the housing base or on the back of the protective lid, which seals the protective lid against the housing base in an assembled state. In other words, the sealing effect of the lid seal occurs when the protective lid is mounted on the housing base. Preferably, the lid seal is designed such that it rests against the wall section all the way around. For example, the lid seal can be attached to the wall section or the housing lid in a form-fit, force-fit, and / or material-fit manner to prevent loss.Preferably, the lid seal can be made of the same material as the housing seal, preferably TPE. This results in a protective housing characterized by a particularly high level of tightness.

[0018] In a further specific embodiment, it is provided that the at least one mounting interface has at least one screw-in opening in the base plate section for the passage of a screw, the screw-in opening being formed by the opening. In particular, the screw-in opening of the mounting interface is to be understood as a mounting-related opening that allows the passage of the screw. For example, the screw-in opening can be designed as a bore, a slot, or the like. Preferably, the housing base body can be subjected to a mounting force via the screw to press the housing seal against the mounting surface. Thus, a housing base body is proposed which is characterized by simple and cost-effective assembly.

[0019] In a further specific embodiment, the at least one fastening interface has at least one snap hook integrally formed with the base plate section to create a snap connection with the module, with a demolding opening for the snap hook being formed by the opening. In particular, the demolding opening is to be understood as a manufacturing-related opening that enables and / or facilitates demolding of the housing base body, especially the fastening interface, in the demolding direction. Preferably, a hook contour can be formed on the snap hook by the demolding opening. The hook contour results in an undercut, so that the housing base body and the mold can only be demolded relative to each other in the demolding direction, or demolding against the demolding direction is prevented by the hook contour.For this purpose, the mold can be removed from the housing base via the demolding opening after the housing base has hardened. By designing the openings as demolding ports, a hook contour can be easily created on the snap hook.

[0020] In a further specific embodiment, the at least one strain relief interface has at least one strain relief hook integrally molded onto the base plate section to relieve tensile forces on the electrical conductor, with a demolding opening for the strain relief hook being formed by the opening. In particular, the demolding opening is to be understood as a manufacturing-related opening that enables and / or facilitates demolding of the housing base body, especially the strain relief interface, in the demolding direction. Preferably, a hook contour can be formed on the strain relief hook through the demolding opening. For example, the strain relief hooks serve to fasten or mount a strain relief device, such as a cable tie, which can be securely mounted or fixed by means of the hook contour.In this case, the demolding opening is what makes the strain relief hooks possible, as the spatial conditions do not offer any space for slides in the mold.

[0021] In a further specification, it is stipulated that the housing cover and the housing base are made of an opaque, i.e., non-transparent, plastic, with the housing cover featuring a translucent or transparent viewing window for displaying a status indicator and / or a module designation. In particular, the protective housing, in addition to accommodating the module, also provides storage space for the electrical cables and / or other electrical components, such as connectors, etc. The use of an opaque plastic conceals the internal components (module, connectors, cables with slack). For example, the housing cover and / or the housing base can be made of polycarbonate / acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers (PC+ABS) or polycarbonate (PC). Specifically, the module can accommodate one or more light sources, e.g.,The module comprises LEDs for status indication, with the viewing window in the housing cover positioned overlapping the module's light sources. Preferably, the viewing window for displaying the status indication can be translucent or transparent. Optionally, the module can display one or more characters for identification. For example, the status indication, and in particular the individual light sources, can be identified by the designation. Each light source can be assigned at least one character for this purpose. Preferably, the viewing window for displaying the designation can be transparent. The viewing window can be made of PC, preferably a transparent PC. Thus, the housing cover can be designed to be opaque, while the viewing window allows a view of the status indication or designation, which is advantageous for the service technician, especially in the event of a malfunction.

[0022] In a more detailed specification, the viewing window is designed as an insert that is integrated into the housing cover using multi-component injection molding. Specifically, multi-component injection molding refers to an injection-molded part (housing cover) made from two or more different plastics. In the simplest case, the plastics differ only in their light transmission, i.e., an opaque housing cover with a translucent viewing window. To carry out the manufacturing process, the viewing window, which is injection-molded, particularly in a separate mold, is placed as an insert in the mold for the housing cover and then overmolded with plastic. This is also known as overmolding, preferably insert molding.This results in a material-bonded and / or gap-free connection, thus preventing the ingress of moisture and dust.

[0023] Optionally, the invention comprises a method for manufacturing the protective housing as previously described or according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the housing body and / or the housing cover are manufactured by injection molding, in particular by plastic injection molding. In particular, the viewing window is integrated into the housing cover by means of multi-component injection molding. For this purpose, the viewing window, designed as an insert, is placed in the mold and then overmolded with plastic to manufacture the housing cover.

[0024] In a further specification, it is provided that the viewing window has a circumferential rim, via which the viewing window is in gap-free contact with a section of the housing cover and / or is overmolded. In particular, the rim serves to increase the contact surface between the housing cover and the viewing window. Preferably, the rim is designed as a circumferential flange, collar, shoulder, or the like. In particular, the rim provides not only a lateral contact surface but also an end-face contact surface. The rim thus significantly increases the contact surface between the cover and the window, thereby ensuring a particularly tight and robust integration of the viewing window into the housing cover. Furthermore, the rim prevents the window from being incorrectly inserted into the mold for the housing cover.

[0025] In a further specific implementation, the housing cover is provided with at least one receiving opening for a lever, through which a removal force can be applied to the housing cover during disassembly. In particular, the receiving opening is open transversely to the opening direction and / or the lever direction. Preferably, the lever is positively engaged within the receiving opening. The receiving opening thus preferably forms a counter-bearing in the opening or lever direction. A tool, such as a screwdriver, can be used as the lever. Since it can be assumed that—especially after prolonged use—the housing cover will adhere to or be attached to the housing seal, the lever facilitates removal of the cover. The receiving opening does not have any opening mechanism but merely provides a robust point of attachment for a lever.

[0026] In a further specification, the receiving opening is designed as a pocket that is closed off from the inside of the housing. Specifically, the pocket has a rectangular and / or slot-shaped opening cross-section. The pocket can, for example, be molded into or onto the housing cover using an injection molding process. In other words, the pocket has no opening to the inside of the housing, thus ensuring that the sealing of the housing cover or the protective housing is not compromised.

[0027] A further aspect of the invention relates to a housing arrangement with an interface module, also referred to as an interface module, for a fire alarm system and with the protective housing as previously described, wherein the interface module is attached within the protective housing to the base plate section via the mounting interface. Preferably, the interface module is designed as a coupler. In particular, the interface module designed as a coupler serves to integrate and / or control various devices, such as elevator controls, smoke dampers, etc., into the fire alarm system. The interface module preferably has a mounting interface, preferably a snap-in receptacle for receiving the snap hook, via which the interface module can be connected, preferably detachably, to the mounting interface of the housing base.Furthermore, the interface module has one or more connection terminals via which at least one electrical line can be connected and / or connected.

[0028] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective front view of a protective housing without a housing cover for an interface module as an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 a perspective rear view of the protective housing made of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a front view of a housing arrangement with the protective housing made of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a detailed view of a viewing window of a housing cover of the protective housing made of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a sectional view through the viewing window Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a perspective front view of the protective housing with a lever; Fig. 7 a sectional view of the protective housing with the lever.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a protective housing 1 with a housing base 2 and a lid seal 3 for a housing lid 4 (not shown here), such as this one in Fig. Figure 3 shows that the protective housing 1 is suitable in principle for any module, but preferably for an interface module 5, as shown in Figure 3. Fig. 3 indicated, designed as a fire alarm system, wherein the interface module 5 is protected within the protective housing 1 and can be accommodated.

[0030] The housing body 2 has a base plate section 6 and a wall section 7 surrounding the base plate section 6, wherein the base plate section 6 and the wall section 7 are made from a common material section, in particular an injection-molded plastic. The cover seal 3 is arranged around the wall section 7, so that the housing cover 4 seals against the housing body 2 in a circumferentially sealed manner when assembled.

[0031] The housing body 2 can be mounted to a flat mounting surface using the base plate section 6, the base plate section 6 having four mounting interfaces 8 for this purpose. The mounting interfaces 8 are each formed by a screw-in opening 9 provided in the base plate section 6, which serves to guide a screw. For example, the screw-in openings 9 can be designed as elongated holes with different orientations. Two mounting interfaces 8 or screw-in openings 9 are arranged in each of the lower and upper housing halves, particularly in the corner areas, of the base plate section 6.

[0032] The housing body 2 has four mounting interfaces 10, which serve to attach the interface module 5. The mounting interfaces 10 are each designed as a snap hook 11 integrally formed on the base plate section 6, which serves to form a releasable snap connection with the interface module 5. For example, the snap hooks 11 project perpendicularly to the base plate section 6 in order to fix the interface module 5 against a mounting direction 100 perpendicular to the base plate section 6. Here, two mounting interfaces 10 or snap hooks 11 are arranged opposite each other in the lower and upper halves of the housing on the base plate section 6.

[0033] The housing body 2 also has six strain relief interfaces 12, which serve to relieve the strain on one or more electrical cables leading into the protective housing 1 for connecting the interface module 5. Each strain relief interface 12 has two strain relief hooks 13 molded onto the base plate section 6, which serve to attach a strain relief device, such as a cable tie. Furthermore, the wall section 7 has several entry openings 14 on opposite sides, particularly in the area of ​​the strain relief interfaces 12, which serve to introduce the electrical cables into the interior of the housing. The entry openings 14 are each a through-hole provided in the wall section 7 to accommodate a cable gland 32, as shown in Fig. Figure 7 shows the design. In this case, three insertion openings 14 are arranged opposite each other in the lower and upper housing halves of the wall section 7, and three strain relief interfaces 12 and six strain relief hooks 13 are arranged opposite each other in the lower and upper housing halves of the base plate section 6 in the area of ​​the insertion openings 14.

[0034] The assembly interfaces 8, the fastening interfaces 10, and the strain relief interfaces 12 each have an opening 15 arranged in the base plate section, wherein the screw holes 9, the snap hooks 11, and the strain relief hooks 13 are formed by creating the opening 15. In other words, the screw holes 9 are formed directly by the opening 15, so that the openings 15 of the assembly interfaces 8 are designed as assembly-related openings. Furthermore, the snap hooks 11 and the strain relief hooks 13 are formed by creating a demolding opening 16 through the opening 15, so that the openings 15 of the fastening interfaces 10 and the strain relief interfaces 12 are designed as manufacturing-related openings.

[0035] Furthermore, the housing base 2 has at least one, preferably two, predefined cutouts 17 for cable glands on each side, which are arranged laterally to the entry openings 14 on the wall section 7. The housing base 2 is dimensioned such that, in an installed state of the interface module 5, sufficient space is provided for the electrical cables supplied via the entry openings 13 and / or via the cutouts 17 or the cable glands.

[0036] The housing body 2 has four further fastening interfaces 18 for attaching the housing cover 4, which are formed or molded onto the wall section 7 and the base plate section 6 in the corner areas. For example, the further fastening interfaces 18 are designed as screw bosses, each of which is designed to receive a fastening screw 22, as shown in Fig. 3 shown, serve.

[0037] The housing base body 2 is designed as a plastic injection-molded part that can be demolded in a demolding direction 101, wherein the demolding direction 101 is oriented perpendicular to the base plate section 6 and / or opposite to the assembly direction 100. For demolding the housing base body 2 in the demolding direction 101, the openings 15 are all open opposite the demolding direction 101, so that the finished housing base body 2 can be demolded or removed from a mold in the demolding direction 101 after the manufacturing process, in particular after injection molding. In this process, the openings 15, which are designed as demolding openings 16, form a hook contour on the snap hooks 11 and the strain relief hooks 13.

[0038] Fig. Figure 2 shows a rear view of the protective housing 1, which, in addition to the lid seal 3, has two housing seals 19. These seals, located on the rear side of the base plate section 6, serve to seal the openings 15 against a mounting surface (not shown) in a mounted state of the protective housing 1. The sealing effect of the housing seals 19 thus occurs when the protective housing 1, in particular the housing base 2, is mounted on a flat mounting surface, e.g., a wall (in the case of uneven walls, a flat mounting plate may need to be inserted). The housing seals 19 are each designed as a static elastomer seal, in particular made of TPE, which each surrounds or encloses all openings 15 of one housing half.

[0039] The two housing seals 19 are designed as profile seals, which have at least the same sealing profile or cross-section and are adapted to the position or orientation of the screw holes 9. The housing seals 19 can be injection-molded onto the base plate section 6 during injection molding, in particular multi-component injection molding. For this purpose, the liquid plastic, e.g., TPE, can be injected or distributed onto the back of the base plate section 6 via a injection point 20.

[0040] The advantage of the openings 15 is that structural details of the housing body 2, such as the snap hooks 11 and strain relief hooks 13, can be demolded during the injection molding process without slides in the mold. This minimizes the moving parts in the mold and makes the hook contours, or in this case the strain relief hooks 13, possible in the first place, since the available space does not allow for slides in the mold. Additionally, the housing seals 19 also prevent the ingress of water or dust through the openings 15 when the protective housing 1 is mounted on the mounting surface.

[0041] Fig. Figure 3 shows a housing arrangement 21 with the protective housing 1 and an interface module 5 housed within the protective housing 21. The protective housing 1 has a cover 4, which is attached to the housing base 2 by means of four fastening screws 22. For reasons of access protection and electrical safety, the fastening screws 22 cannot be loosened without a key or tool. Thus, the interface module 5 is protected against contact and, at the same time, protected against the ingress of water and dust by the cover seal 3 and the rear housing seals 19, giving the protective housing 1 a protection class of IP54.

[0042] The interface module 5 can, for example, be configured as a coupler used within a fire alarm system to integrate various devices, such as elevator controls, smoke dampers, etc., into the fire alarm system. The housing assembly 21 can be mounted in a variety of ways for this purpose. A fundamental distinction is made between decentralized mounting of individual housing assemblies 21 near the respective device and centralized mounting of several housing assemblies 21, e.g., in a technical room.

[0043] The interface module 5 has a status indicator 23, which can, for example, visually indicate the status of the interface module 5, e.g., by means of one or more, in this case three, light sources 24. Optionally, the status indicator 23 can display one or more characters to identify the light sources 24.

[0044] The housing body 2 and the housing cover 4 are preferably made of an opaque plastic, e.g., PC+ABS or PC, wherein the housing cover 4 has a transparent viewing window 25 for displaying the status indicator 23 when the housing cover 4 is closed. The window is, for example, made of transparent PC. At the same time, the otherwise opaque housing cover 4 conceals the interface module 5 and the electrical lines or wiring located inside the protective housing 1, resulting in a neater, less conspicuous, and less technical appearance.

[0045] The viewing window 25 can be designed as an insert part, which is integrated into the housing cover 4 using a multi-component injection molding process, also known as overmolding. For this purpose, the viewing window is bonded to an opaque material section 26 of the housing cover 4. To achieve this, the viewing window 25, injection-molded in a separate mold, is placed as an insert part in the mold for the housing cover 4 and then overmolded with the opaque material section 26. This enables gap-free integration of the viewing window 25 into the housing cover 4, thus preventing the formation of a gap between the material section 26 and the viewing window 25 and consequently the ingress of moisture and dust. This is achieved through the choice of material, which results in a chemical or material bond between the viewing window 25 and the material section 26.

[0046] Fig. Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the back of the housing cover 4, where it can be seen that the viewing window 25 has a circumferential edge 27, via which the viewing window 25 is in contact with the material section 26 of the housing cover 4 without gaps or is overmolded.

[0047] Fig. Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the housing cover 4 in detail. The circumferential edge 27 is formed by a stepped shoulder, so that the material section 26 engages behind the viewing window 25 all around. The circumferential edge 27 allows the contact surface 28 between the material section 26 and the viewing window 25 to be enlarged, thus ensuring a high degree of sealing of the viewing window 25. In addition, the edge 27 prevents the viewing window 25 from being inserted upside down into the mold for the housing cover 4.

[0048] Fig. Figure 6 shows the protective housing 1 with a lever 29 designed as a tool, e.g., a screwdriver, in a perspective view. To allow the housing cover 4, which may adhere to the cover seal 3 after prolonged use, to be lifted off after loosening the fastening screws 22, the housing cover 4 has a receiving opening 30 for inserting the lever 29. The receiving opening 30 is located in the area of ​​the lower housing half, as well as in Fig. Figure 3 shows the lever 29 arranged and open outwards, allowing it to be inserted from below, transversely to the mounting direction 100, into the receiving opening 30. The receiving opening 30 does not include any opening mechanism but merely provides a robust point of attachment for the lever 29. This facilitates the removal of the housing cover 4 for a user, such as a service technician.

[0049] Fig. Figure 7 shows the protective housing 1 with the lever 29 in a detailed sectional view. As can be seen, the receiving opening 30 is designed as a pocket closed off from the interior of the housing. In other words, the receiving opening 30 has no spatial connection to the interior of the protective housing 1 in order to maintain its seal. The housing cover 4 is mounted on the housing base 2 in the mounting direction 100. A disassembly force 102 can be applied to the housing cover 4 by means of the lever 29 inserted into the receiving opening 30. This force is directed essentially opposite to the mounting direction 100 and causes the housing cover 4 to detach from the adhering cover seal 3.

[0050] Furthermore, the Fig.As can be seen from Figure 7, the lid seal 3 and the housing seal 19 are each received in a receiving groove 31 formed on the housing base 2. For example, the seals 3 and 19 can be securely mounted or injection-molded into their respective receiving grooves 31 by means of a force-fit and / or material-fit connection. Furthermore, a cable entry 32 made of an elastic material, such as TPE, is arranged in each of the entry openings 14, through which the electrical cables can be guided into the protective housing 1 in a sealed and / or play-free manner. For example, the seals 3 and 19 and / or the cable entry 32 can be made of the same material and / or injection-molded directly onto the housing base 2 during the injection molding process. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 44 18 978 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Protective housing (1) for a module (5), in particular for an interface module (5) of a fire alarm system, - with a housing base body (2), wherein the housing base body (2) has a base plate section (6) that can be attached to a mounting surface and a wall section (7) surrounding the base plate section (6), wherein the base plate section (6) has at least one mounting interface (8) for mounting the housing base body (2) to the mounting surface, at least one fastening interface (10) for fastening the module (5) in the protective housing (1) and / or at least one strain relief interface (12) for strain relief of at least one electrical conductor led into the protective housing (1), - with a housing cover (4), wherein the housing cover (4) is sealed against the wall section (7) and is detachably connected to the housing base body (2), characterized by, that the mounting interface (8) and / or the fastening interface (10) and / or the strain relief interface (12) each have a through-hole (15) arranged in the base plate section (6), wherein the protective housing (1) has at least one housing seal (19) arranged on a rear side of the base plate section (6) for sealing the at least one through-hole (15) against the mounting surface in a mounting state. [2] Protective housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the housing seal (19) is designed as a static elastomer seal. [3] Protective housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the housing seal (19) is designed as a profile seal circumferential around the at least one opening (15). [4] Protective housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the at least one housing seal (19) surrounds and / or encloses several of the openings (15) or all of the openings (15). [5] Protective housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least the housing base body (2) is designed as a plastic injection molded part that can be demolded in a demolding direction (101), wherein the at least one opening (15) is open in the opposite direction to the demolding direction (101) and / or is designed as a demolding opening (16). [6] Protective housing (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by a lid seal (3) which is arranged around the circumference between the housing base (2) and the housing lid (4) to seal the protective housing (1). [7] Protective housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the at least one mounting interface (8) has at least one screw opening (9) provided in the base plate section (6) for the insertion of a mounting means, wherein the screw opening (9) is formed by the opening (15). [8] Protective housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the at least one fastening interface (10) has at least one snap hook (11) molded onto the base plate section (6) to form a snap connection with the module (5), wherein a demolding opening (16) of the snap hook (11) is formed by the opening (15). [9] Protective housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the at least one strain relief interface (12) has at least one strain relief hook (13) molded onto the base plate section (6) for relieving tensile forces acting on the electrical conductor, wherein a demolding opening (16) of the strain relief hook (13) is formed by the opening (15). [10] Protective housing (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the housing cover (4) and the housing base body (2) are made of an opaque plastic, wherein the housing cover (4) has a translucent or transparent viewing window (25) for displaying a status indicator (23) and / or a label of the module (5). [11] Protective housing (1) according to claim 10, characterized by , that the viewing window (25) is designed as an insert which is integrated into the housing cover (3) by means of a multi-component injection molding process. [12] Protective housing (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by, that the viewing window (25) has a circumferential edge strip (27) via which the viewing window (25) is in gapless contact with a material section (26) of the housing cover (4) and / or is overmolded. [13] Protective housing (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the housing cover (4) has at least one receiving opening (30) for receiving a lever (29) via which a disassembly force (102) can be applied to the housing cover (4) when the housing cover (4) is disassembled. [14] Protective housing (1) according to claim 13, characterized by , that the receiving opening (29) is designed as a pocket closed to the inside of the housing. [15] Housing arrangement (21) with an interface module (5) for a fire alarm system and with the protective housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface module (5) is attached inside the protective housing (1) via the at least one fastening interface (10) to the base plate section (6).

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