Control apparatus for a sanitary device

Abstract

Control apparatus for a sanitary device, comprising: electronic components which are connected together by signalling and are configured to activate control tasks; a housing (10) which encompasses the electronic components and shields them from environmental influences; and a plurality of connection sockets which are arranged on the housing, are connected by signalling to the electronic components inside the housing and are designed outside the housing for connecting sanitary components. The invention is characterised in that the housing has a base wall (11) and fastening means (11a, 11b) for fastening the housing to a wall in a position in which the base wall faces the wall, a first and a second side wall (21, 22) extending from the base wall (11), and two end walls (12, 13) extending from the base wall (11), and the first side wall (21) is arranged with respect to the base wall (11) at an acute angle of less than 90° and has first socket openings, and a first socket board is arranged parallel to the first side wall (21) in the interior of the housing (10), which supports first connection sockets associated with the first socket openings of the first side wall (21).

Description

[0001] Control device for a sanitary facility

[0002] The invention relates to a control device for a sanitary facility, comprising electronic components that are connected to one another by signal technology and that are configured to control control tasks, a housing that encloses the electronic components and shields them against environmental influences, and a plurality of connection sockets arranged on the housing, which are connected to the electronic components by signal technology within the housing and which are designed to connect sanitary components outside the housing.

[0003] Control devices for sanitary facilities are generally known. Such control devices are characterized by the fact that they are designed to control one or more sanitary components. Sanitary components include, for example, a vacuum toilet, a urinal, a washbasin, but also devices installed in a sanitary cubicle, such as lighting components, automatically operated doors, background music systems, and the like. The control device achieves centralized and coordinated control of these sanitary components, which is advantageous for user-friendliness and the economic efficiency of the operation of the sanitary components.

[0004] Such control devices are typically installed concealed, in a shielded location, for example, as a rear-panel arrangement, in a control cabinet, or the like. The space available for and around such a control device is therefore generally limited, which presents a challenge for the design of the control device on the one hand and for the assembly processes on the other, particularly with regard to cable routing.

[0005] Control devices for sanitary facilities are often also required to be resistant to splash water. At the very least, the accumulation and subsequent slow infiltration of water at such a control device should be prevented.

[0006] The demands on control devices in this application increase with the increasing number of sanitary components to be connected. This is particularly challenging when such a control device is also to be designed for two adjacent sanitary cubicles and all the sanitary components that can be optionally installed therein, which then results in a multitude of necessary connection options.

[0007] Control devices for sanitary units are generally known and are based on common designs and requirements for control devices, which can be intended for different functions. Individually preconfigured solutions are already known, and modular designs may also be available. However, it has been shown that these previously used control devices have disadvantages for the specific requirements of installation and use in sanitary cubicles. A common problem with the control devices used to date is that the routing of the control cables and their connection to the control device is problematic due to the limited space.The long-standing practice of direct cabling within the housing using clamp connections or screwed terminals is too complex for the often diverse control cables, even though this advantageously allows for space-saving cable routing and cable arrangement around the control device. The preferred alternative method of connecting the control cables using sockets on the control device, into which corresponding plugs can be inserted, is advantageous during assembly, but it creates additional space requirements around the control device, which must allow space either at the front, to the side, or at the front for the cable routing itself and space for the plug-in movement for assembly and, if necessary, subsequent disassembly.This is particularly disadvantageous because the space available in sanitary cubicles around the control devices is often uneven, and the sanitary cubicle cannot be designed around the control device; instead, the control device often has to be integrated into existing space. A universal design of the control device for these requirements, which overcomes at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages, is therefore not provided in the prior art, and there is a need for such a design.

[0008] The problem is solved according to the invention with a control device of the type described at the outset, in which the housing o has a bottom wall and fastening means for fastening the housing to a wall in a position in which the bottom wall faces the wall, o a first and second side wall extending from the bottom wall, and o two end walls extending from the bottom wall, and o the first side wall is arranged at an acute angle of less than 90° to the bottom wall and has first socket openings, a first socket board is arranged parallel to the first side wall in the interior of the housing, which first socket board carries first connection sockets that are assigned to the first socket openings of the first side wall.

[0009] According to the invention, the housing of the control device is constructed from a base wall, two end walls, and two side walls. The side walls can either converge directly at the end opposite the base wall, resulting in a triangular cross-sectional contour, or there can be a front wall opposite the base plate, resulting in a trapezoidal cross-section; this is explained in more detail below. According to the invention, at least one of the two side walls is arranged at an acute angle to the base wall, i.e., forms an angle with the base wall that is less than 90°. Preferably, the angle is <80°, <70°, or <60°, and even smaller angles can be advantageous in certain configurations of the control device, for example an angle of 45° or <45°. This configuration results in an inclined arrangement of the side wall.In the control device according to the invention, the socket openings are formed in the inclined side wall, i.e. the plugs are plugged into sockets that are assigned to these socket openings. This results in a very favorable arrangement of the plugs in the mounted situation when the control device is mounted on a wall in such a way that the base wall is arranged adjacent to the wall. In this case, the plugs can be plugged into and removed from the sockets in an oblique direction of movement with respect to the wall and neither the plugs nor the cables on the plugs nor the cables to which these plugs are mounted at the ends need to protrude beyond the outline of the base wall of the control device in a plan view and this can be achieved without impermissible bending angles of the cables. According to the invention, the connection sockets of the control device are arranged on a first socket board.Such an arrangement enables efficient manufacturing and stable anchoring of the connection sockets on a circuit board, which simultaneously also provides the connection of the connection sockets via conductors formed on the circuit board (printed or etched circuit board construction). The socket board is arranged parallel to the side wall and located inside the housing. This enables, on the one hand, a geometrically secure assignment of the connection sockets to the socket openings in the side wall, and, on the other hand, a stable anchoring of the socket board relative to the side wall, so that when a plug is inserted or removed from a connection socket, the connection socket does not become tilted relative to this socket opening.At the same time, this geometrically clear assignment and precise manufacturing option of the positions of the connection socket and the positions of the socket openings enables a splash-proof design by allowing narrow gaps and, if necessary, seals to be provided in a simple manufacturing manner.

[0010] The inclined design of the socket board on the one hand and the side wall on the other, whose precise alignment with each other, allows for a very advantageous cable routing in the control device according to the invention for almost any conceivable installation situation and ensures the necessary space for the plugs and their assembly and disassembly. Thus, the control device according to the invention can be installed in a built-in cabinet whose width and height essentially correspond to the width and length of the base wall. In this case, the necessary space is achieved by the resulting space, triangular in cross-section, to the side of the inclined side wall. The control device according to the invention can equally well be installed in a cabinet whose depth corresponds approximately to the height of the control device.In this case, too, the inclined arrangement of the side wall provides sufficient space for the cables and for inserting the plugs into the connection sockets. It is not necessary for there to be sufficient space on the side of the control device opposite the base wall in the cabinet to route the cables and carry out the installation. It should be understood that the connection sockets can protrude through the socket openings, for example, flush with the outer surface of the side wall. In other embodiments, the connection sockets can only be accessed through the socket openings, i.e., they are recessed inward behind the socket openings.

[0011] According to a first preferred embodiment, it is provided that the second side wall is arranged to the bottom wall at an acute angle of less than 90°, preferably at a matching angle as the first side wall, and has second socket openings, and a second socket board is arranged parallel to the second side wall in the interior of the housing, which carries the second connection sockets that are assigned to the second socket openings of the second side wall.

[0012] According to this embodiment, both the first and the second side wall are arranged at an incline, and each of the two side walls is assigned a corresponding socket board, which is arranged parallel to the corresponding side wall in the interior and carries the connection sockets. With this embodiment, the advantages described above are achieved on both sides of the control device and consequently the number of connection sockets that can be arranged on the control device in a space-saving manner is doubled, which is particularly advantageous in sanitary cubicles with complex installations and many sanitary components, or when the control device is used to control two or more sanitary cubicles. It should be understood that the functions and advantages explained above for the first side wall also apply analogously to the second side wall in this case.

[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment, the housing has a triangular cross-section in which the bottom wall forms the base and the first and second side walls form the legs. Such a triangular cross-section enables a compact housing contour with a favorable arrangement of the connection sockets on the two legs of the triangle with a base plate that is formed by the base of the triangle. The triangle can be isosceles to achieve a symmetrical design or can be provided with legs of different lengths for certain space conditions. In an alternative embodiment, the housing has a trapezoidal cross-section in which the bottom wall forms the base and the first and second side walls form the trapezoidal legs, further comprising a front wall that connects the edges of the first and second side walls facing away from the bottom wall.Such a trapezoidal cross-section design of the enclosure achieves a space-efficient design in the area of ​​the connector sockets and creates sufficient space inside for the electronic components and connector sockets, as well as any necessary heat dissipation. The trapezoidal cross-section can be designed with equally long trapezoidal legs; in alternative designs, the trapezoidal legs can also be of different lengths and angled differently to the base plate to adapt the enclosure geometry to specific geometric space requirements. The front panel can run parallel to the base panel or at an angle to the base panel.

[0014] It is particularly preferred if the front wall and the first and second side walls are formed integrally from a single plate by double folding. Such an integral design of the front wall and the two side walls by forming them from a single plate results in a structurally stable housing design that is easy to assemble. The three-sided structure consisting of the front wall and side walls is attached with a few fasteners, for example, screwed or dipped, thus allowing quick and easy access to the interior of the housing for assembly and maintenance.

[0015] It is even further preferred if the front wall has a user interface which is signal-connected to the electronic components and which comprises an output interface which is designed to display status information about programming of the electronic components and / or about sanitary components connected to the first or second connection sockets, and / or an input interface which is designed to input programming or query instructions for programming or status query to the electronic components and / or to sanitary components connected to the first or second connection sockets.

[0016] According to this embodiment, the space available in the front wall is used to arrange a user interface designed for outputting and / or inputting information, for example in the form of a touchscreen or a display with function keys or the like. The user interface can also be implemented as a data interface designed for wireless or wired communication with an external computing unit. In this way, the front wall, which is generally easily accessible and visible in the mounted position of the control device, is used for the input and output of information related to the function, programming, and error analysis of the control device. For this purpose, a corresponding user interface board containing the user interface can be mounted on the front wall.

[0017] It is even more preferred if the front wall has a user interface which is signal-connected to the electronic components and which comprises an output interface which is designed to display status information about programming of the electronic components and / or about sanitary components connected to the first or second connection sockets, wherein the output interface comprises a graphic display and a display control unit, and the display control unit is designed to generate a graphic display on the display and to display the orientation of the graphic display in at least two mutually different orientations, preferably in exactly four orientations pivoted by 90° to one another.According to this embodiment, the control device according to the invention can be mounted in at least two different, and preferably three, four, or more different installation positions on a wall, a frame, or the like, while the display can be switched to an orientation that enables reading in a correctly aligned manner, i.e., not overhead. For example, the control device can be installed vertically or horizontally, rotated by 180°, both vertically and horizontally, resulting in good readability of the display. In particular, with a preferred off-center arrangement of the user interface, all functionalities with regard to connection options and output or input options can be guaranteed via the user interface, even in difficult installation situations with a partially concealed position of the control device.Switching between the orientations can preferably be performed by input commands via the user interface, thereby achieving a stable display orientation, even in installation situations in mobile vehicles, in contrast to gravity-actuated switching via an acceleration sensor. It is even further preferred to develop the control device by a base plate arranged adjacent to the floor wall and supporting the electronic components. Such a base plate can contain electronic circuits, logic components, and the like required for controlling plumbing components connected to the connection sockets. It should be understood that the base plate is connected to the first and, if applicable, second connection socket plate by means of corresponding data lines to achieve data transfer.These data lines can be achieved, for example, through plug-in connectors permanently installed on the circuit boards, which are plugged together during assembly of the control device, for example, when the side panels are mounted to the base panel. It is preferred to establish the data connection between the connection socket boards and the base panel using cables. Similarly, a user interface board, if provided, can also be connected to the base panel or one of the connection socket boards using appropriate cables.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment, third or fourth openings for connection sockets are formed in one or both end walls, and corresponding third or fourth connection sockets are arranged on one or both end walls. Configuring one or both end walls with such connection sockets and corresponding connection socket openings allows additional space for further connection sockets, which can be used either for programming the control device or for connecting additional sanitary units to the control device.Furthermore, such connections in the end faces can be used to connect the control device to another, identically constructed control device or to another, complementary control device, for example, by directly inserting a plug in a corresponding end wall of another control device into such a connection socket, thereby expanding the control device for applications requiring expanded functionality. This allows multiple control devices of identical or different types to be serially coupled together, enabling data exchange via such socket-plug connections.

[0019] Finally, according to a further preferred embodiment, the side walls are mechanically supported on the end walls. Such support of the side walls on the base plate or on the end walls, for example, by resting a corresponding edge of the side walls on the base plate or by resting a corresponding edge of the end walls on the side walls or the front wall, or by resting a corresponding surface of the side walls or the front wall on an angled tab of the end walls, achieves efficient and geometrically precise positioning of the side walls, the front wall, the end walls, and the base wall relative to one another.

[0020] In principle, the housing can be constructed in a particularly economical way such that the base plate and one of the two end walls, or both, are made from a first sheet metal by single or double folding. In this case, two tabs arranged diametrically in the corners with openings for screwing the base plate to a wall are provided on the base plate. In the same way, the two side walls and the front wall can be made from a single sheet metal by double folding. In this case, again in two diametrically opposite corners and offset from the two tabs of the base plate on the lower edges of the side walls, two tabs with holes for screwing to a wall are provided. In this case, the side-front wall structure, with the connection socket boards mounted, can be placed on the base wall-end wall structure, with the base board optionally mounted therein.Precise positioning can be achieved using appropriate support edges, for example, by creating an additional bevel on the long edges of the base plate for two vertical webs, against which the two side walls rest positively on both sides and are thus centered. By screwing the assembled housing structure to the four tabs on a wall, a secure fastening and simultaneous fixation of the side walls plus front wall to the base wall plus end walls is achieved. The assembled structure can be easily opened by loosening two screws, allowing the side walls plus front wall to be lifted off while the base wall plus end walls remain fixed to the wall.

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying figures. They show:

[0022] Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the housing construction of a control device according to the invention,

[0023] Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front view of the embodiment of Fig. 1,

[0024] Fig. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1,

[0025] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a control device with assembled circuit boards in a housing according to the embodiment of Fig. 1,

[0026] Fig. 6 is a view of a one-piece, bevelled structure of a front wall and two side walls in a view obliquely from below, and

[0027] Fig. 7 a plan view of a base plate.

[0028] Referring to Figs. 1-4, a housing comprises a first housing part 10, which includes a base plate 11 and a first end wall 12 bent at a right angle as wall structures. Two tabs 11a, 11b with openings for attaching the housing to a wall are arranged on the base plate at diametrically opposite corners.

[0029] A second end wall 13 is attached to the bottom wall 11 on the side opposite the first end wall 12, which is screwed or riveted to a bent bottom plate section 13a as a lateral end wall 13b. It should be understood that the second end wall 13 can also be formed integrally with the bottom plate by bent-over.

[0030] Openings for sockets or plugs are formed in the first and second end walls 12, 13.

[0031] The housing comprises a third structure 20, which has side walls 21, 22 made from sheet metal by folding, and a front wall 23. A plurality of socket openings are provided in each of the two side walls 21, 22, through which sockets or plugs can protrude or be reached. A large opening for a user interface, which enables information input and output, is arranged in the front wall 23.

[0032] On the side wall 21, a tab 21a with an opening for attaching the housing to a wall is arranged, and on the side wall 22, diametrically opposite this tab 21a, a tab 22a with an opening for screwing the housing to a wall is arranged. When the side walls and front wall are placed on the base plate with the end walls, the tabs 21a, 22a are aligned with the tabs 11a, 11b of the base plate and enable four-point fastening of the housing to a wall.

[0033] A foil structure 24 is glued onto the front wall 23, which can contain labels and instructions in written or graphic form.

[0034] As can be clearly seen in particular in Figs. 3 and 5, the bottom wall 11, the side walls 21, 22, and the front wall 23 form a trapezoidal shape in cross-section, whereby the two side walls 21, 22 are inclined and each form an acute angle with the base plate. This allows easy access to the socket openings in the side walls 21, 22, and the connectors and cables on these connectors occupy a conveniently located installation space.

[0035] Fig. 5 shows the control device in an assembled, cross-sectional view. As can be seen, a base plate 11' is arranged parallel to the base plate in the interior of the housing. A first socket board 22' is arranged in the interior parallel to the side wall 22, and a second socket board 2T is arranged in the interior of the housing parallel to the first side wall 21. Furthermore, a user interface board 23' is arranged parallel to the front wall in the interior of the housing.

[0036] The socket boards 21', 22' are attached to the side walls 21 and 22, respectively, by means of several fastening elements and support the sockets that protrude through the socket openings in these side walls. This allows the sockets to be mechanically loaded, allowing safe insertion and removal.

[0037] Similarly, the base board is attached to the floor using several fasteners, and the user interface board is attached to the front panel using several fasteners. For data communication between the boards, plugs or sockets are arranged on the respective boards. These are connected to each other by ribbon cables, thus establishing a signal connection between the boards.

[0038] Figures 6 and 7 show the side walls and front wall as a one-piece structure, on the one hand, and the bottom wall with the first end wall as a one-piece structure, on the other. These two one-piece structures can be joined together, with the front and side walls interlocking positively to the bottom wall and the end walls, which is achieved by narrow, beveled webs 14a, b on the long sides of the bottom wall.

[0039] On the one hand, the front wall and the two side walls are connected to the base wall and the two end walls by screwing through the first and second end walls into threaded holes in two folded tabs 25, 26 on the front wall 24. Alternatively or additionally, the connection is also achieved by fastening the housing using screw connections through the tabs 11a, 11b, 21a, 22a. The housing is also assembled and simultaneously fastened to a wall using these four screw connections. In this case, the screw connections through the tabs 21a, 22a can be removed for maintenance purposes. In this case, if the screw connection through the tabs 25, 26 has not been made or has already been loosened, the front wall and the two side walls can be lifted off, thereby making the interior of the housing accessible for maintenance purposes.

Claims

1. Control device for a sanitary installation, comprising: electronic components that are interconnected by means of signals and configured to perform control tasks, a housing that encloses the electronic components and shields them against environmental influences, and several connection sockets arranged on the housing, which are interconnected by means of signals within the housing and which are designed to extend outside the housing for connecting sanitary components, characterized in that the housing has: a bottom wall and fastening means for attaching the housing to a wall in a position in which the bottom wall faces the wall; a first and second side wall extending from the bottom wall; and two end walls extending from the bottom wall; and the first side wall is arranged at an acute angle of less than 90° to the bottom wall and has first socket openings.A first socket board is arranged parallel to the first side wall inside the housing, which carries first connection sockets that correspond to the first socket openings of the first side wall.

2. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second side wall is arranged at an acute angle less than 90° to the bottom wall, preferably at an angle corresponding to the first side wall, and has second socket openings, a second socket board is arranged parallel to the second side wall in the interior of the housing, which carries the second connection sockets that are associated with the second socket openings of the second side wall.

3. Control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing has a triangular cross-section in which the bottom wall forms the base and the first and second side walls form the legs.

4. Control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing has a trapezoidal cross-section in which the bottom wall forms the base and the first and second side walls form the trapezoidal legs, further comprising a front wall which connects the edges of the first and second side walls facing away from the bottom wall.

5. Control device according to claim 4, characterized in that the front wall and the first and second side walls are formed in one piece from a plate by double bending.

6. Control device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the front panel has a user interface which is connected to the electronic components via a signal connection, and which includes an output interface which is configured to display status information about a programming of the electronic components and / or about sanitary components connected to the first or second connection sockets, and / or includes an input interface which is configured to input programming or query instructions for a programming or status query of the electronic components and / or sanitary components which are connected to the first or second connection sockets.

7. Control device according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the front panel has a user interface which is connected to the electronic components via a signal connection, and which includes an output interface which is configured to display status information about a programming of the electronic components and / or about sanitary components connected to the first or second connection sockets, wherein the output interface includes a graphic display and a display control unit, and the display control unit is configured to generate a graphic display on the display and to indicate the orientation of the graphic display in at least two different orientations, preferably in exactly four orientations pivoted 90° relative to each other.

8. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a base plate that is located adjacent to the base wall and carries the electronic components.

9. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that third or fourth openings for connection sockets are formed in one or both end walls and corresponding third or fourth Connection sockets are arranged on one or both end walls.

10. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side walls are mechanically supported on the end walls.

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