Cover plate for electrical and / or electronic equipment and equipment comprising such a cover plate

Abstract

The invention relates to a curved covering plate (500) for electrical and / or electronic equipment comprising a finishing plate (520) fixed to a sub-plate (510) carrying mounting means (513). According to the invention, the finishing plate has a curved solid shape obtained by pressure and heat molding of a sandwich of at least three superimposed sheets of wood of low thickness between 0.4 and 1 mm and of layers of glue inserted between the sheets of wood, said sheets of wood being oriented so that the wood fibers of two immediately superimposed sheets are oriented perpendicular to each other, and an inner edge (520B) delimiting at least one opening as well as a peripheral outer edge (520A) obtained by cutting operations. Figure for the abstract: Fig.1

Description

Title of the invention: Cover plate for electrical and / or electronic equipment and equipment comprising such a cover plate

[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to electrical and / or electronic equipment and in particular to the external covering of such equipment.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a curved covering plate for electrical and / or electronic equipment comprising a finishing plate fixed to a sub-plate carrying mounting means.

[0003] The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the production of a cladding plate with a wood finish.

[0004] The covering plate surrounds the functional part of the electrical and / or electronic equipment. When the equipment is mounted in a receiving wall, the covering plate rests on the front face of this receiving wall and hides the means for fixing the equipment to the receiving wall to perfect the aesthetics of the assembly. The covering plate also forms an electrical protection to prevent a user from accessing the elements of the equipment under electrical voltage as well as a waterproof protection for these elements under voltage.

[0005] The aesthetic finish of the device is ensured by the finishing plate of the covering plate fixed to the sub-plate which provides electrical protection and sealing.

[0006] Currently, there are several technical solutions for producing a wood finish for a cladding panel, but none of these solutions is entirely satisfactory.

[0007] One of the technical solutions consists of machining a wooden board from the mass. This machining does not allow a thin finishing plate to be obtained (i.e. a thickness less than or equal to 3 mm). In addition, the machined wooden finishing plate does not accept environmental constraints such as variations in temperature and humidity levels well. These environmental constraints can thus cause deformations of the finishing plate which impair its attachment to the sub-plate and the proper functioning of the equipment (the deformed finishing plate can block the trim that it surrounds and / or cause unsightly play).

[0008] Another technical solution consists of producing a veneer comprising several thin sheets of wood fixed directly onto the sub-plate using an adhesive. Such a veneer does not allow a curved shape to be obtained. The finishing plate thus produced is necessarily flat. By deforming the adhesive, it is possible to give any at most to this finishing plate a very slight curve following a single direction perpendicular to the orientation of the wood fibers.

[0009] Finally, another technical solution consists of decorating the front face of a finishing plate made of molded synthetic material. The decoration can be achieved by sticking a decorative film, by carrying out digital printing, by applying paint or by adding wood particles to the synthetic material before molding it. This technical solution does not allow a natural wood finish to be obtained.

[0010] In order to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned state of the art, the present invention proposes a new curved-shaped cladding plate having a multi-ply wood finish exhibiting good mechanical resistance regardless of the environmental constraints to which the cladding plate is subjected.

[0011] More particularly, according to the invention, there is provided a curved covering plate for electrical and / or electronic equipment comprising a finishing plate fixed on a sub-plate carrying mounting means, in which the finishing plate has a curved solid shape obtained by pressure and heat molding of a sandwich of at least three sheets of wood of low thickness between 0.4 and 1 mm, superimposed and of layers of glue inserted between the sheets of wood, said sheets of wood being oriented so that the wood fibers of two immediately superimposed sheets are oriented perpendicular to each other, and an inner edge delimiting at least one opening as well as a peripheral outer edge obtained by cutting operations.

[0012] Other characteristics of the covering plate according to the invention are as follows:

[0013] - each sheet of wood is a sheet of natural wood;

[0014] - each layer of glue is a layer of wood glue;

[0015] - wood glue is a glue for outdoor use;

[0016] - all the wooden sheets have an identical thickness;

[0017] - the thickness of each sheet of wood is of the order of 0.5 millimeters;

[0018] - the finishing plate has a thickness less than or equal to 3 millimeters;

[0019] - the finishing plate has a parallel, curved front face and rear face along two perpendicular, coplanar directions;

[0020] - the finishing plate is fixed to the sub-plate by means of double-sided adhesive;

[0021] - the sub-plate is made from a single piece of molded plastic.

[0022] The invention also proposes an electrical and / or electronic apparatus which comprises at least one apparatus mechanism attached to an apparatus support, a trim associated with the apparatus mechanism and a covering plate as mentioned above, mounted on the apparatus support by means of said means for mounting the sub-plate so that said trim emerges on the front face of said device through said opening in the finishing plate.

[0023] The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

[0024] In the attached drawings:

[0025] [Fig-1] is a schematic sectional view of an electrical apparatus according to the invention reported in two different types of receiving wall,

[0026] [Fig.2] is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus electric network according to the invention,

[0027] [Fig.3] is an exploded perspective view of the electrical and functional elements of the electrical apparatus of [Fig.2],

[0028] [Fig.4] is a front view of the electrical apparatus of [Fig.2],

[0029] [Fig.5] is a sectional view along plane BB of [Fig.4],

[0030] [Fig.6] is a magnifying glass view of detail A of [Fig.5],

[0031] [Fig.7] is a principle representation, before the molding step, of the different layers of the sandwich constituting the finishing plate of the covering plate according to the invention, and

[0032] [Fig.8] is a schematic representation of the molding step of the plate of finishing of the covering plate in accordance with the invention.

[0033] In [Fig. 1], the main structural, functional and decorative elements of an electrical and / or electronic device 1 mounted in a recessed opening made in a receiving wall are shown schematically.

[0034] Two different types of receiving wall are shown in [Fig.l]. On the right half of [Fig.l], the receiving wall is a masonry wall M and on the left half of [Fig.l], the receiving wall is a front panel C of a hollow or cellular partition wall.

[0035] The apparatus 1 is reported in an electrical box B1; B2 engaged in the embedding opening of the receiving wall C; M and secured to this wall. The electrical box B1 is hung on the front panel C of the partition, and the electrical box B2 is sealed with a coating or plaster in the embedding opening of the wall M.

[0036] The apparatus 1 essentially comprises an apparatus mechanism 200 whose base is engaged in the electrical box B1; B2, an apparatus support 100 fixed to the electrical box B1; B2 and on which the base of the apparatus mechanism 200 is mounted, a functional part 300 associated with the apparatus mechanism 200, which emerges outside the receiving wall, above the front face 100A of the apparatus support 100 and a covering plate 500 mounted on the support of apparatus 100 around the functional part 300.

[0037] The rear face 100B of the equipment support 100 is pressed against the external collar CB1; CB2 of the electrical box B1; B2 which rests on the front face of the receiving wall C; M, around the embedding opening.

[0038] The covering plate 500 and the functional part 300 form the front part of the device 1 accessible to the user on the receiving wall C; M.

[0039] The covering plate 500 has a curved or rounded shape (convex outwards) along two perpendicular directions belonging to the plane PI in which the front face 303A of the functional part 300 extends. It is curved so that its peripheral outer edge 501 rests on the front face of the receiving wall C; M.

[0040] Advantageously, due to the curved shape of the covering plate 500 and the way in which it is formed, as will be explained below in detail, the thickness d of the front part of the apparatus 1 (thickness measured between the parallel planes PI, P shown in [Fig.l]) is limited. Here this thickness d is of the order of 8 millimeters.

[0041] The apparatus 1 can be of any type. It can be a switch, a high or low current outlet, a telephone outlet, an information distribution apparatus or other.

[0042] Figures 2 to 6 show an electrical outlet which constitutes an example of an embodiment of the apparatus 1.

[0043] As shown more particularly in Figures 3 and 5, in the socket outlet 1 shown, the appliance support 100 is a flat frame of square shape. The frame is defined between an outer peripheral edge 101 and an inner peripheral edge 102 which delimits a central opening 103 also of square shape with center CL

[0044] The square central opening 103 of the appliance support 100 accommodates the base 210, two modules wide, of the appliance mechanism 200 whose square-shaped front fills the surface of the central opening 103.

[0045] This central opening 103 can also accommodate two bases of a module, each rectangular-shaped facade of which fills half of the surface of the central opening 103.

[0046] For mounting the base 210, the central opening 103 of the equipment support 100 is bordered on its four sides by mounting means, here snap-fastening means, which comprise a sidewalk 104B and a hooking rib 104A forming an edge falling from the sidewalk 104B.

[0047] Correspondingly, the base 210 of the fitting mechanism 200 comprises a collar 203 which projects from the external face of the side wall 211 of the base 210 and which runs along the edge 213 of the front opening of the base 210 as well as four teeth snap-fasteners 202 provided on the external face of two opposite panels 21 IA of the side wall 211 of the base 210. Each snap-fastener tooth 202 is provided on an elastic tab 21 IB cut out of the side wall 211 of the base 210. The root of each elastic tab 21 IB attached to the side wall 211, forms a pivot hinge of the elastic tab 21 IB to allow the hooking and unhooking of the corresponding snap-fastener tooth 202 on the hooking rib 104A of the equipment support 100.

[0048] The base 210 of the equipment mechanism 200 is engaged in the central opening 103 of the equipment support 100 so that its collar 203 bears on the sidewalk 104B of the equipment support 100 (see [Fig.5]) and that, concomitantly, its latching teeth 202 hook onto the free edge of the hooking rib 104A of the equipment support 100. The equipment support 100 is then sandwiched by the base 210 securely attached to the equipment support 100.

[0049] Advantageously here the equipment support 100 comprises a core 110 made of metallic material overmolded with a skin 120 made of insulating synthetic material (see [Fig.5]).

[0050] The skin 120 made of insulating synthetic material covers most of the front and rear faces of the metal core 110. It also covers the edge of this core.

[0051] The core 110 made of metallic material gives great rigidity to the equipment support 100 and the skin 120 made of insulating material gives the user a feeling of electrical safety by forming electrical insulation. The combination of the metallic core 110 and the skin 120 overmolded on this core 110 makes it possible to obtain an aesthetic equipment support 100 of low thickness (thickness measured between its front and rear faces 100A, 100B) and of high mechanical resistance.

[0052] Preferably, the synthetic material of the skin 120 is a polymer possibly loaded with glass fibers or an ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

[0053] As can be seen in [Fig.3], the equipment support 100 comprises in each of its four branches securing means suitable for allowing its attachment to the electrical box B1; B2. These securing means comprise a bore 105, in the form of a keyhole, which extends generally circularly, being centered on the center C1 of the central opening 103 of the equipment support 100. Each bore 105 allows the threaded body of a fixing screw (not shown) to pass through, intended to be screwed into a tapped barrel (not shown) of the electrical box.

[0054] Furthermore, there are provided in each of the four branches of the apparatus support 100, on either side of each drilling 105, accessible clipping means 108. on the front face 100A of said apparatus support for clipping or hanging the covering plate 500. These clipping means 108 will be detailed later in the description.

[0055] Finally, the equipment support 100 comprises on each of the four sides of its outer peripheral edge 101, means 107 for assembly to another support of the same type.

[0056] Here, said assembly means 107 comprise on each side, projecting from the outer peripheral edge 101, a male element 107A and a female element 107B. Said assembly means 107 are formed with the apparatus support 100.

[0057] More particularly, they comprise on each side of the outer peripheral edge 101, a lug 107A and, at a distance from this lug 107A, in correspondence with it, a notch 107B of complementary contour.

[0058] The base 210 of the appliance mechanism 200 of the electrical outlet is an insulating housing, of parallelepiped shape, open at the front. The front opening of the base 210 has a square outline. It is delimited by the free edge 213 of the base 210. The base 210 is closed at the rear by a bottom wall 212. The side wall 211 and the bottom wall 212 of the base 210 delimit an interior space at the bottom of which are housed three electrical connection terminals, including two female terminals 220 and one male terminal 230. The female terminals 220 are the phase and neutral terminals. They each comprise a socket 221 for connecting a pin of an electrical plug, not shown. The male terminal 230 is the earth terminal, here it carries the earth pin 231 of the Franco-Belgian standard. These three electrical connection terminals 220, 230 are here automatic terminals supplied with current by electrical conductors F (shown in [Fig.l]) coming from the electrical network.These electrical conductors F enter said electrical box B1; B2 by means of a sheath not shown and are introduced into the base 210 via openings (not visible in the figures) provided in one of the walls of the base to be connected to said terminals 220, 230.

[0059] The front opening of the base 210 is closed by a trim 300.

[0060] The trim 300 here forms the well of the electrical outlet 1 into which the body of an electrical plug (not shown) can be inserted. The trim 300 comprises a cylindrical wall 301 which laterally delimits the well and a bottom wall 304 pierced with three circular openings 320, 330. Two of the circular openings 320 are placed opposite the mouths of the sockets 221 of the female terminals 220. They allow the passage of the pins of an electrical plug inserted into the well to plug into the sockets 221 of said female terminals 220. The third opening 230 is crossed by the earth pin 231 of the earth terminal 230 which thus emerges in the well of the electrical outlet.

[0061] At the front, the trim 300 comprises an annular collar 303 which runs along the edge 302 of the circular front opening of the well. This collar 303 extends towards the outside of the well, projecting from the external face of the cylindrical wall 301. The front face 303A of this collar 303 forms the front face of the trim 300 (see figures 2 and 4). The collar 303 carries at the rear means for securing to the base 210 when the trim 300 is inserted therein to close the front opening of the base.

[0062] Finally, there is provided at the rear of the bottom wall 304 of the trim 300, a cassette 400 which encloses a flap 401 mounted to rotate freely in the cassette and ensuring the electrical safety of the socket 1 when the well is empty waiting to receive the body of an electrical plug. This cassette 400 is fixed to the base 210 of the appliance mechanism 200 by means of hooks 411 which hook onto complementary hooking elements provided on the collar 203. In the rest position, the blades 401A of the flap 401 (visible in [Fig.4]) are interposed between the circular openings 320 of the bottom wall 304 of the empty well of the trim 300 and the mouths of the cells 221 of the electrical connection terminals 220.When an electrical plug is inserted into the well of the trim 300, its pins pass through said circular openings 320 provided in the bottom wall 304 of the well and access the blades 401A of the flap 401 by passing through suitable openings 420 provided in the front cover 410 of the cassette 400. Said pins then cause the flap 401 to pivot towards an open position in which the blades 401A of the flap are offset and free the passage towards the cells 221 of the female terminals 220. This pivoting is carried out against the action of an elastic return means housed in the cassette 400 which acts permanently on the flap to return it to its rest position. Of course, an opening 430 is provided in the front cover 410 of the cassette 400 for the passage of the earth pin 431. The rear cover of the cassette 400 obviously includes openings corresponding to the openings 420, 430 provided in the front cover 410.

[0063] As shown more particularly in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the covering plate 500 is attached to the appliance support 100 around the trim 300 of the power outlet 1. The covering plate 500 here has a square external contour 501 and a circular central opening whose edge 502 runs along the circular external edge 305 of the collar 303 of the trim 300.

[0064] This 500 cladding plate is advantageously curved and has a natural wood finish.

[0065] More particularly, the covering plate 500 here comprises a finishing plate 520 fixed on a sub-plate 510 carrying mounting means 513, 514 adapted to cooperate with the clipping means 108 of the equipment support 100.

[0066] According to a remarkable characteristic, the finishing plate 520 has a curved solid shape obtained by pressure and heat molding of a sandwich of at least three sheets of wood 523, 525, 527 of low thickness between 0.4 and 1 mm, superimposed and of layers of glue 524, 526 inserted between the sheets of wood, said sheets of wood 523, 525, 527 being oriented so that the wood fibers of two immediately superimposed sheets are oriented perpendicular to each other.

[0067] The 90 degree crossed orientation of the wood fibers of the different superimposed wood sheets makes it possible to increase the mechanical resistance of the finishing plate 520.

[0068] The finishing plate 520 has an inner edge 520B here delimiting a central opening as well as a peripheral outer edge 520A (here following a square contour corresponding to the square contour 501 of the covering plate 500) obtained by cutting operations after molding (see figures 1 and 2). These cutting operations are carried out using cutting tools such as a milling cutter or a punch or by laser or even by water jet.

[0069] [Fig.7] schematically represents the sandwich of the wood sheets 523, 525, 527 and the glue layers 524, 526 before the molding step. Each wood sheet 523, 525, 527 is a natural wood sheet and, preferably, each glue layer 524, 526 is a layer of wood glue, preferably for outdoor use. Here, all the wood sheets 523, 525, 527 have an identical thickness, preferably of the order of 0.5 millimeters.

[0070] As shown in [Fig.8], the sandwich of the wooden sheets 523, 525, 527 and the layers of glue 524, 526 shown in [Fig.7], is hot pressed between the jaws 11, 12 of a mold 10 whose facing inner faces 11A, 12A have the appropriate curve to obtain the curved finishing plate 520, with a thickness e less than or equal to 3 millimeters, with a front face 521 and a rear face 522 parallel, curved in two perpendicular, coplanar directions (these two directions belong to the plane PI formed by the front face 303A of the trim 300).

[0071] During pressing, the action of heat accelerates the bonding of the wooden sheets together and allows the curvature imposed on the sandwich by the mold to be maintained.

[0072] Advantageously, the molding pressure is of the order of 8 to 10 Kg / cm2 and the molding temperature is between 110 and 150 degrees Celsius, preferably equal to 130 degrees Celsius.

[0073] The sub-plate 510 of the covering plate 500 is made from a single piece of molded plastic. It has the same curve as that of the finishing plate 520 and a thickness greater than the latter by around 5 millimeters. It thus comprises a front face 511 and a rear face 512 which are parallel and curved according to two coplanar perpendicular directions (these two directions belong to the plane PI formed by the front face 303A of the trim 300). The front and rear faces 511, 512 of the sub-plate 510 are parallel to those of the finishing plate 520. The sub-plate 510 has an inner edge 510B here delimiting a central opening as well as a peripheral outer edge 510A (here following a square contour corresponding to the square contour 501 of the covering plate 500).

[0074] The sub-plate 510 forms a rigid base on which the finishing plate 520 is fixed. The finishing plate 520 is fixed to the sub-plate 510 by means of a double-sided adhesive such as a modified acrylic.

[0075] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the rear face 522 of the finishing plate 520 completely and perfectly covers the front face 511 of the sub-plate 510 so that the sub-plate 510 disappears under the finishing plate 520. The peripheral outer edges 520A, 510A of the finishing plate 520 and of the sub-plate 510 extend in the extension of one another to form the peripheral outer edge 501 of the covering plate 500. The inner edges 520B, 510B of the finishing plate 520 and of the sub-plate 510 overlap to form the edge 502 of the central opening of the covering plate 500. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the inner edge 520B of the finishing plate 520 runs as close as possible to the circular outer edge 305 of the collar 303 of the trim 300.The curved front face 521 of the finishing plate 520 forms the front face of the covering plate 500 and the rear face 512 of the sub-plate 510 forms the rear face of the covering plate 500 which completely covers the appliance support 100. The surface area of ​​the sub-plate 510 of the covering plate 500 is greater than that of the appliance support 100 so that the latter is completely enclosed by it. The peripheral outer edge 510A of the sub-plate 510 is intended to bear against the front face of the receiving wall of the electrical outlet 1.

[0076] Advantageously, as shown in [Fig.5], the thickness d of the covering plate 500 taken between the front plane PI and the rear plane P of said plate, is of the order of 8 millimeters (plus or minus 1 millimeter).

[0077] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the means for mounting the sub-plate 510 on the equipment support 100 comprise two tabs 513 which extend rearwardly from the rear face 512 of the sub-plate 510 and which are provided with a series of notches 514. Correspondingly, the equipment support 100 comprises clipping means consisting of openings 108 provided on one edge with a complementary notch 108A. Each tab 513 of the sub-plate 510 is engaged in an opening 108 of the equipment support 100 so that the complementary notch 108A of said opening 108 engages in a notch 514 of the corresponding tab 513 of the sub-plate 510 and blocks the latter on the equipment support 100. Advantageously, the series of notches 514 provided on each leg 513 makes it possible to best adjust the relative positions of the sub-plate 510 and the equipment support 100.

[0078] The invention is not limited to the detailed description and various other modifications may be made thereto.

[0079] Of course, various other modifications may also be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

[0080] In particular, the covering plate may be a multi-station plate comprising several openings intended to accommodate the trims of several electrical and / or electronic devices or comprising a large rectangular or oblong opening intended to accommodate said trims. The external contour of the covering plate may vary. It may be rectangular or circular. The contour of the central opening or of the internal openings of the covering plate may be square, rectangular, oblong. The curve of the covering plate is more or less pronounced. The wood fibers of the first sheet forming the front face of the finishing plate of the covering plate are oriented horizontally or vertically relative to the orientation of use of the trim of the device.

Claims

Claims

1. Curved covering plate (500) for electrical and / or electronic equipment comprising a finishing plate (520) fixed on a sub-plate (510) carrying mounting means (513,514), in which the finishing plate (520) has a curved solid shape obtained by pressure and heat molding of a sandwich of at least three superimposed sheets of wood (523,525,527) of low thickness between 0.4 and 1 mm and of layers of glue (524,526) inserted between the sheets of wood, said sheets of wood (523,525,527) being oriented so that the wood fibers of two immediately superimposed sheets are oriented perpendicular to each other, and an inner edge (520B) delimiting at least one opening as well as a peripheral outer edge (520A) obtained by cutting operations.

2. The cladding plate (500) of claim 1, wherein each wood sheet (523,525,527) is a natural wood sheet.

3. A cladding plate (500) according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein each layer of glue (524,526) is a layer of wood glue.

4. A cladding plate (500) according to claim 3, wherein the wood glue is an outdoor glue.

5. A cladding plate (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein all the wooden sheets (523,525,527) have an identical thickness.

6. Cover plate (500) according to the preceding claim, in which the thickness of each sheet of wood (523,525,527) is of the order of 0.5 millimeters.

7. Cover plate (500) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the finishing plate (520) has a thickness less than or equal to 3 millimeters.

8. Cover plate (500) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the finishing plate (520) has a front face (521) and a rear face (522) which are parallel, curved in two coplanar, perpendicular directions.

9. A trim plate (500) according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim plate (520) is attached to the sub-plate (510) by means of a double-sided adhesive.

10. Cover plate (500) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sub-plate (510) is made from a single piece of molded plastic material.

11. Electrical and / or electronic apparatus (1) which comprises at least one apparatus mechanism (200) attached to an apparatus support (100), a trim (300) associated with the apparatus mechanism (200) and a covering plate (500) according to one of claims 1 to 10, mounted on the apparatus support (100) by means of said mounting means (513, 514) of the sub-plate (510) so that said trim (300) emerges on the front face of said apparatus (1) through said opening of the finishing plate (520).

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