INSTALLATIONSDOSE

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to an installation box for electrical purposes, in particular for accommodating electrical parts such as switches, sockets, lamps or the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Installation boxes, among other things, are used to install electrical switches, sockets, lamps, appliances, etc., at the designated locations in a building. Such installation boxes include, for example, flush-mounted boxes, inlet boxes, flush-mounted junction boxes, distribution boxes, and the like. Installation boxes typically have a cylindrical or cuboid-shaped box body with a box base and an adjoining box wall, and include an installation space accessible via an installation opening. Along the perimeter of the box wall and / or the box base, or in a transition area between the box base and the box wall, the box body also has several conduit entries, which include an opening (conduit opening) for inserting an electrical conduit.In the installation boxes under discussion here, the conduit openings are covered by a membrane made of flexible material when delivered, which seals the conduit opening. During installation, one or more membranes are opened or punctured with a tool to insert an electrical conduit into the installation space.

[0003] Below, some prior art documents showing such cans are briefly explained: US5125527A , Published on June 30, 1992, by Legrand SA, this device enclosure includes at least one access panel with a temporary ejection element. The ejection element is defined by a thin line. A pull element is attached to the device to apply a pulling force. US4961511 ,Published on October 9, 1991, by Kerlund and Rausing AB, it discloses a closure manufactured by injection molding and comprising an opening device with a tear strip and a peel ring. The tear strip forms and defines a concave region. EP1842271 , Published on October 10, 2007 by Legrand SNC, this relates to a wall element for a sealed cable entry, particularly suitable for use as a wall element for a sealed switchgear enclosure or conduit. The wall element comprises a rigid cover with a drilled hole and a flexible cover. The flexible cover further comprises an inner zone bordered by an annular fragility line and provided with a gripping element. The gripping element allows the cover to be removed along the fragility line. The gripping element is formed by a tongue firmly connected to a rigid ring adhered to the inner zone of the flexible cover. FR3011139 ,Published on March 27, 2015, by Legrand SNC, it discloses an installation box with flexible membranes on a box base and a box wall for inserting electrical cables. The membranes also each have an opening aid, which serves to remove part of the membrane. EP2940815 , Published on November 4, 2015, by Legrand SNC, this regulation concerns an electrical box for wall mounting, comprising a side panel and a base, with at least one through-hole for electrical conductors. The through-holes are closed with covers and have a peripheral seal molded onto an outer surface of the side panel. DE202012005863 ,Published on August 30, 2012, by the same applicant as the present application, discloses a plastic installation box for electrical installations. The installation box has a box body with a base and a circumferential wall projecting therefrom, with multiple openings. An elastomeric plastic layer is applied to the wall and / or the base, sealing all openings hermetically and being pierceable in the area thereof using a tool, a cable, or a connecting device. US Pat. No. 6,025,557 A discloses an insertable plate with a series of perforations defining a plurality of non-concentric circles and radial lines.

[0004] State-of-the-art installation boxes often have the disadvantage that the membranes lack an opening mechanism or are often difficult to open. Furthermore, the membranes known from the state of the art tend to tear uncontrollably after opening when the electrical conduit is pushed through, leading to leaky installations. This is particularly undesirable for energy-saving reasons, as drafts can escape through the conduits. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the invention is to provide an improved installation box for drywall construction with a tight and easy-to-handle pipe entry.

[0006] Particularly in drywall construction, pipe entries of installation boxes require properties that include easy handling, reliable support of connected electrical conduits or cable protection hoses, and good sealing of the installation space of the installation box.

[0007] As already mentioned in the introduction, installation boxes are known from the prior art which comprise conduit entries with a membrane. These installation boxes generally consist of two different material components, namely a box body made of hard plastic with one or more conduit openings for inserting cable conduits, etc. into the installation space through the box wall and / or the box base, or the transition area between the box wall and the box base. The conduit openings are generally larger than the diameter of the cable conduits and are covered with a membrane made of another, soft-elastic material. These membranes are designed to be pierced or opened with a tool in order to insert an electrical conduit through, so that the membrane then forms a seal against the electrical conduit.

[0008] An installation box according to the invention comprises a box body made of a hard plastic, which encloses an installation space for accommodating electrical components such as switches, sockets, lamps, or the like. The box body has a box base and an adjoining box wall, as well as an installation opening opposite the box base, which ensures access to the installation space of the box body. In certain embodiments, the box body can further comprise a rounded and / or flattened transition region arranged between the box base and the box wall. The box body further comprises at least one conduit opening for inserting an electrical conduit or cable hose into the installation space. In the closed state, this opening is spanned by a membrane according to the invention made of elastic material.

[0009] The membrane has a (radially) inner zone and an outer zone oriented radially outward to this, which at least partially surrounds the inner zone. The inner zone is designed to be removed by mechanical action. The outer zone is generally larger than the maximum diameter of the pipe or hose through which it is to be inserted, thus achieving a certain degree of directional flexibility with regard to the orientation of the pipe to be inserted. The membrane is advantageously attached to one edge of the pipe opening all the way around using multi-component injection molding. By separating the inner zone of the membrane from the outer zone, a flexible, expandable insertion opening is created for inserting electrical conduit or cable protection conduit of different diameters into the installation box. The insertion opening can be flexibly adapted to different pipe diameters.Due to the outer zone surrounding it, it is directionally flexible if necessary, meaning that pipes arriving from different directions can be inserted. Furthermore, it can also compensate for lateral offset if necessary.

[0010] To make it easier to separate the inner zone, a thin section is provided at least in some areas along an outer edge of the inner zone, between the inner and outer zones. The thin section can be designed, for example, as a notch or depression with a V or U shape, or as a material-related weakening which is influenced, for example, by parameters of the manufacturing process. The membrane in the region of the thin section can have a constant and / or variable thickness in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the thin section and / or an area adjacent to it can be designed such that, during separation, a concentration of the applied forces occurs at one or more points, which assists the tearing of the membrane. This can be achieved, for example, by one or more additional notches or other elements which serve to concentrate stress.

[0011] To prevent accidental tearing of the outer zone when inserting an electrical conduit after opening, the outer zone comprises at least one bead or local thickening surrounding the inner zone. This bead can be positioned directly along the thin area or at a certain distance from it to form a sealing lip that seals against the electrical conduit. Furthermore, the outer zone of the membrane can have different material thicknesses.

[0012] A membrane according to the invention advantageously has, on the outside of the can, a tear-off tab formed on the inner zone and projecting outwards, which serves to separate the inner zone. While the tear-off tab is attached to the outside of the can, the thin part of the membrane is preferably arranged on an inside of the membrane. This has the advantage that the dimensioning of the thin part can be carried out independently of the tear-off tab formed on the outside and is thus significantly easier to adjust. At least one circumferential bead is arranged on the outside of the membrane and / or on the inside of the membrane. Furthermore, the inner zone of the membrane can have stiffening ribs arranged on the inside and / or outside, which are coupled to the tear-off tab if necessary and distribute the forces introduced via the tear-off tab to separate the inner zone so that the inner zone can be separated as intended.

[0013] By locating the thin section on the inside of the can, it can be easily positioned in the demolding direction of the inside of the can, while the tear-off tab on the outside can face a different direction. This avoids disadvantageous undercuts, which are also difficult or even impossible to demold.

[0014] The tear-off tab is advantageously molded onto the inner zone and is made of the same flexible material as the membrane. In addition to simplifying production, this also results in advantageous force transmission onto the membrane. To give the tab greater stability than the membrane, it can be dimensioned with a greater strength, or thickness, than the membrane. In one embodiment, the tear-off tab can further comprise a special gripping element, which makes it easier for a user to correctly grip the tear-off tab in order to separate the inner zone from the outer zone. The gripping element can, for example, be an eyelet, or elements such as molded-on slats, grid structures or similar, which improve grip. Depending on the area of ​​application, however, the inner zone of the membrane, or the tear-off tab in particular, can be made, at least in part, of the same material component as the can body.

[0015] Depending on the application and design, the circumferential thin section can have a varying depth around the circumference of the inner zone. Preferably, the deepest point of the circumferential thin section also serves as the tear point, where the inner zone first separates from the outer zone. The tear point is advantageously oriented from a point where the tear tab is attached to the membrane in a preferred tear direction.

[0016] For ergonomic reasons, such a preferred tear-off direction is suggested to the user by the design of the tear-off tab.

[0017] Depending on the design, it may also be useful for the outer and / or inner zone to have at least one stiffening rib. In the outer zone, this helps prevent tearing as much as possible and also reinforces the hold of the electrical conduit being inserted. In the inner zone, the at least one stiffening rib can make it easier to separate the inner zone. The stiffening rib can be molded onto the membrane and made of the same material. Furthermore, the stiffening rib can be arranged on the inside and / or outside of the membrane and, if necessary, coupled to the tear-off tab or the bead. In addition or alternatively, the stiffening rib can also be connected to the edge of the pipe opening. The stiffening can be created by a local thickening of the flexible material of the membrane.Alternatively or additionally, the stiffening rib can also be made of the hard plastic material described above, which is attached to the membrane. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

[0018] Aspects of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures and the associated description. They show: Fig. 1A first variant of an installation box according to the invention in a perspective view from below; Fig. 2the first variant of the installation box according to Figure 1 in a perspective view from above; Fig. 3 the first variant of the installation box according to Figure 1 in a view from below; Fig. 4 the first variant of the installation box in a sectional view (FF) according to Figure 3; Fig. 5 a detailed section of the first variant of the installation box according to Figure 4; Fig. 6 a second variant of the installation box according to the invention in a perspective view from below; Fig. 7 a detailed section D of the second variant of the installation box according to Figure 6 . DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Figure 1 to Figure 5 show a first variant of an installation box 1 according to the invention for electrical purposes. The installation box 1 comprises a box body 2 with a box base 3 and an adjoining box wall 4, which surround an installation space 19 accessible via an installation opening 5 opposite the box base 3. In the variant shown, the box body 2 further has a transition region 15 formed between the box base 3 and the box wall 4.

[0020] The box body 2 has two diametrically opposed pipe openings 6 for inserting electrical conduits into the installation space 19. In the variant shown, these pipe openings 6 extend from the box base 3 across the transition area 15 into the box wall 4 (other designs are possible). The pipe openings 6 are covered by an elastic membrane 7. For easier manufacturing, the membranes 7 can be connected to one another via webs 17 made of the same elastic material, as shown, which enables joint production by injection molding. The webs 17 run superficially over the outer side 10 of the box.

[0021] As particularly in the Figures 5 and 7As can be seen, the membranes 7 have an outer and an inner zone 8, 9. The outer zone 8 surrounds the inner zone 9. Between the outer and inner zones 8, 9 there is a circumferential thin area 12 surrounding the inner zone 9. From the detailed view in Figure 5it can be seen that the thin spot 12 is arranged on an inner side 13 of the can body 2. The thin spot is designed as a U-shaped depression, but other shapes are also conceivable. Furthermore, it can be seen that the outer zone 8 comprises a bead 14 which surrounds the inner zone 9 and runs along the thin spot 12. The circumferential bead 14 of the outer zone 8 is also arranged on the inner side 13 of the membrane, or rather of the can body 2. In this case, the thin spot 12, for better demoldability after production by injection molding, has, if possible, no undercut in the demolding direction 18 (direction towards the installation opening 5). This means that the thin spot 12 advantageously extends in the demolding direction 18. On the outer side 10 of the can, a tear-off tab 11 is further formed on the inner zone 9.The tear-off tab 11 has a rectangular cross-section, extends from the can's outer side 10, and is advantageously arranged at an angle to the demolding direction. The design is selected such that the tear-off tab 11 can be easily grasped between two fingers of a user. Furthermore, a gripping element 16 in the form of slats is attached to the surface of the tear-off tab 11 to provide a better grip.

[0022] Figure 6shows a second variant of an installation box 1 according to the invention in a perspective view from below. The installation box 1 shown differs from the previously described first variant of the installation box 1 in the shape of the box body 2 and in the arrangement of the pipe openings 6 over the box body 2. The wider shape of the box body 2 of the second variant allows for a larger number of pipe openings 6, which are distributed over the circumference of the installation box 1. In the case shown, the pipe openings have different sizes and are distributed in the region of the transition area between the box base 3 and the box wall. The larger pipe openings 6 are covered with a membrane 7 with an outer and an inner zone 8, 9, as previously described. All membranes 7 are also connected to one another by at least one web 17, identical to the first variant.

[0023] A separated inner zone 9a with a tear-off tab 11 arranged thereon is shown, which was separated from the outer zone 8a of the membrane 7 along the circumferential thin section 12. On the inner side 13 of the installation box 1, the insertion opening 20 thus formed in the outer zone 8 is surrounded and reinforced by a circumferential bead 14, as described above (not visible here). Figure 7 shows a detail of the inner and outer zone 8, 9 according to Figure 6 . The representation of the hidden lines shows that the thin point 12 and the bead 14 are arranged on the inner side 13 of the membrane 7 (inner zone 8), while the tear-off tab 11 is positioned on the outer side 10. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 Installation box 12 Thin spot 2 Can body 13 Inside (can) 3 Can bottom 14 bead 4 Can wall 15 Transition area 5 Installation opening 16 gripping organ 6 Pipe opening 17 Footbridges 7 membrane 18 Demolding direction 8 Outer Zone 19 Installation room 9 Inner Zone 20 Insertion opening 10 Outside (can) 11 Tear-off tab

Claims

1. Installation box (1) for electrotechnical purposes, having a box body (2) including a box base (3) and a box wall (4) adjacent to said box base, as well as an installation opening (5) arranged opposite the box base (3), wherein a. the box body (2) includes at least one conduit opening (6) for inserting an electrical conduit, which conduit opening is closed by an elastic membrane (7), wherein b. the elastic membrane (7) includes at least one outer zone (8) and a detachable inner zone (9) which is surrounded by the outer zone (8), c. at least in some regions, a thin portion (12) is provided along an outer edge of the inner zone (9), between the inner and outer zones (9, 8), for separating the inner zone (9) characterized in that d. the outer zone (8) includes a bead (14) surrounding the inner zone (9), which is in the form of a local thickening of the membrane on an outer side of the membrane and / or an inner side of the membrane.

2. Installation box (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a region adjacent to the thin portion (12) is designed such that, when tearing out at one or more locations, a concentration of the bearing forces occurs which supports the tearing of the membrane (7).

3. Installation box (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the area adjacent to the thin portion (12) has one or more additional notches or elements which are used for stress concentration and support the tearing of the membrane (7).

4. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bead (14) is arranged directly along the thin portion (12) or at a certain distance therefrom to form a sealing lip which seals against the electrical tube.

5. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner zone (8) of the membrane (7) has at least one reinforcing rib which is moulded onto the membrane (7) and is made of the same material.

6. Installation box (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that a local thickening of the soft elastic material produces a stiffening of the membrane (7).

7. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the reinforcing rib is arranged on the inside and / or outside of the membrane (7).

8. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the reinforcing rib is coupled to the bead (14).

9. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box body (2) has a rounded and / or flattened transition region (15) arranged between the box base (3) and the box wall (4).

10. Installation box (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the inner zone (9) of the membrane (7) is arranged in the transition region (15).

11. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane (7) has a constant and / or variable thickness in the circumferential direction in the region of the thin portion (12).

12. Installation box (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that a lowest point of the circumferential thin portion (12) is simultaneously provided as a tear point at which the inner zone (9) first separates from the outer zone (8).

13. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic membrane (7) has a tear-off tab (11) projecting outwards on the outside of the box (10) and the outer zone (8) and the inner zone (9) are separated by a thin portion (12)14. Installation box (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer zone (8) has different material thicknesses.