Space-saving multi-socket module for electrical systems

Description

Ref.: 24AP24I Description of the industrial invention entitled “Multi-socket module with reduced footprint for electrical systems” in the name of 4 BOX SRL with headquarters in Via Brunelleschi 16, 20146 Milan ***** The present invention relates to a space-saving multi-socket module reduced for electrical systems and intended to be inserted into boxes for electrical systems. In electrical system technology, system modules are known which for example, they are assembled on frames for their fixing in special flush-mounted boxes. The boxes are generally standard in size and are chosen and installed to accommodate a predetermined number of modular elements of the electrical system. For example, among the most commonly used standard boxes in electrical systems there are the boxes usually defined as “503 boxes”, which have measurements fronts of approximately 108x74 mm, with a depth of around 50 mm. These boxes are usually used to accommodate 3 standard electrical modules, each module chosen for example from a standard electrical socket Italian (single or double) and an electrical control, such as a switch, a diverter, etc. In case you wish to accommodate Schuko or multistandard P40, which have a size of two standard modules, only one of these sockets can be accommodated in box 503. In case they are If you want more sockets of this type it becomes necessary to use boxes of greater width. However, often the 503 boxes, being the most used in systems, they are already installed (for example built into walls Ref.: 24AP24I properly finished) and it becomes very difficult to replace one of them such boxes with a larger box, being necessary masonry and finishing works not always possible and in any case long and which cause inconveniences (such as noise, dust, production of debris from eliminate, etc.) in the environments where they are to be performed. If the electrical system has already been created with a 503 box, for example for example, to have a Schuko socket, one often gives up a expansion with two or more Schuko sockets, which would entail the disadvantage mentioned above. The same situation occurs with boxes of different sizes but still with dimensions not suitable for accommodating multiple modular Schuko sockets side by side and / or overlapping, or even with seats (for example in panels or cabinets electric) provided for example for only three standard modules on the frame. The general purpose of the present invention is to obviate at least the above mentioned problems by providing a multi-socket module for a plurality of Schuko plugs and that can still be accommodated in a location small size. In view of this aim, it was thought to create, according to the invention, a multi-socket module for electrical systems, including a front plate with an essentially flat development and a protruding box-shaped casing behind said front plate, the front plate having a front face, opposite to the box-like casing, which comprises a plurality of areas of coupling, each intended to accommodate the end of coupling of an electrical plug of at least the Schuko type, each area of coupling including: two holes which are intended Ref.: 24AP24I to the axial insertion into them of the two pins of an electrical plug at least of the “Schuko” type, behind said holes being present in said casing box corresponding electrical contacts intended for the electrical connection, inside the box casing between pins inserted in the two holes and a first and a second electrical terminal that protrude from the casing box-shaped and which are intended for the connection of conductor wires of a electrical system; two elastic earth contact elements that are placed near the edge of each mating area and that They are intended for electrical connection between corresponding lateral terminals of the Schuko type plugs' earthing and a respective third electrical terminal which looks out from the box casing and which is intended for the connection of ground conductors of an electrical system. The multi-socket module is characterised by the fact that the said plate has a perimeter area that protrudes laterally from the box-shaped casing and which is intended to face a wall with its own rear face when the box-like casing (13) is housed in a seat that faces the wall, the said mating areas being partially within said perimeter area to have in that perimeter area one of the two mentioned elastic elements of electrical earth contact, such elastic element of electrical ground contact present in the perimeter area extending along the back face of the plate and into the box casing. To clarify the explanation of the innovative principles of this The invention and its advantages over the known art will be described below. followed, with the help of the attached drawings, exemplary realizations applying these principles. In the drawings: Ref.: 24AP24I -figure 1 represents a schematic front perspective view of a module according to the invention; -figure 2 represents a schematic rear perspective view of a module according to the invention; -figure 3 represents a schematic view in front perspective similar to the one in figure 1 but with the module equipped with a framed front plate; -figure 4 represents a schematic rear elevation view of a module according to the invention; -figure 5 represents a partial schematic and perspective view of a module according to the invention sectioned along the line VV of figure 4; -Figure 6 represents a schematic perspective view similar to Figure 5 of the module inserted in an electrical system box that overlooks a wall; -figure 7 represents a schematic rear elevation view of a module according to the invention with a rear box-like casing removed; -figure 8 represents a schematic rear elevation view of a front plate of the module according to the invention -figures 9 and 10 represent schematic perspective views of elements of internal electrical connection to a module according to the invention. Referring to the figures, in figures 1 and 2 a module is shown multi-socket for electrical systems made according to the invention and indicated generally with 10. Module 10 comprises a front plate 12 with development essentially flat and a box-like casing 13 protruding behind said front plate 12. As will be further clarified below, the casing Ref.: 24AP24I box 13 is intended to be housed in a location, such as for example an electrical system box, which faces a wall and with the front plate 12 arranged parallel and above the wall. As can always be seen in figure 1, the front plate 12 has one face front 14, opposite the box-like casing 13, which comprises a plurality of mating areas 11. Preferably, the mating areas 11 there can be four, arranged according to the vertices of a rectangle with sides parallel to the sides of plate 12, made square or, preferably, rectangular. The sides of the plate can be parallel to the sides of the casing box 13, also preferably rectangular. The long sides of the plate can be parallel to the long sides of the box casing 13. Advantageously, as shown for example in figure 3, on plate 12 a front frame plate 31 equipped with may be present or mountable one or more openings 32 for access to the said coupling areas 11. The plate 31 may have different shapes, finishes and colours depending on the specific aesthetic needs or desires. It will generally be grafted removable to plate 12 with attachment systems (e.g. fins perimeter and / or internal elastic bands) known in themselves. Each mating area 11 (e.g., preferably recessed in the thickness of the plate) is intended to accommodate and be at least partially covered by the mating end of a plug at least a Schuko type electrical socket to connect it electrically to the contacts electrical plugs of module 10. Schuko or other types of electrical plugs are well known to the technician and easily imaginable with the description that follows some sockets in the module according to the invention. They will therefore not be here Ref.: 24AP24I further described or shown. Each mating area includes a first and second hole 15 and 16 which are intended for the axial insertion of the two pins into them an electrical plug of at least the “Schuko” type. In addition to the Schuko plug, these holes can also advantageously accommodate the two pins of other types of plug, such as type “C” plugs (European two-pin), as easily imaginable by the technician. As can be clearly seen for example in figure 7, where for clarity it has been removed the box casing 13, behind each hole 15 and 16 are present within the box casing 13 corresponding electrical contacts 17 and, 18 intended for electrical connection, inside the box casing 13, between pins (not shown) of a plug that are inserted into the first and second holes 15, 16 and a corresponding first electrical terminal 19 (for contacts 17 behind the holes 15 of all mating areas 11) and a corresponding second electrical terminal 20 (for contacts 18 behind holes 16 of all areas of coupling 11). The electrical contacts 17, 18 are advantageously made with lamellae elastic metal. The first and second electrical terminals 19, 20 face the casing box 13 to be used for the connection of conductor wires of a electrical system. As shown for example in figure 2, the terminals are they can advantageously face the side of the box casing opposite to the plate, i.e. from the rear face of the casing box-shaped. The terminals can advantageously be of the screw type. Ref.: 24AP24I Module 10 also includes in each coupling area 11, a first elastic element 21 and a second elastic element 22 (for example, curved elastic metal plates) of electrical earth contact and which are placed near the edge 25 of each area of coupling 11. These blades, as required by the plug standard Schuko, they are in diametrically opposite positions to each other on a straight line virtual which is transversal to a virtual line joining the first and second hole 15, 16 of area 11. The elastic elements 21 and 22 are intended for the electrical connection between corresponding lateral earth terminals of Schuko type plugs and a respective third electrical terminal 23, common to all elastic elements 21 and 22 and which looks out from the box casing 13 for the connection of wires earth conductors of an electrical system. The edges 25 of the mating areas can also be formed in wholly or partly as walls protruding from the plate, as shown in figure 5. Such walls can be accommodated for example in or in the opening 32 of the possible plate 31. As can be clearly seen in the hatched lines in figure 1, and from the rear face for example in figures 2 and 4) plate 12 has a zone or band perimeter 24 which protrudes laterally around the box casing 13 and which, as is clear for example from figure 6, is destined to be faced with its rear face 26 to a wall 37 when the box-shaped casing 13 is housed in a location, such as an electrical system box 38, which is looks out from this wall. As is clear from the figures, the coupling areas 11 are partially Ref.: 24AP24I within said perimeter zone 24 to have in said perimeter zone 24 one of said first or second elastic element 21, 22 of electrical earth contact of all areas 11. With the rectangular shaped plate 12, each elastic element of electrical ground contact in perimeter zone 24 can be advantageously close to a long side of plate 12. This elastic element of electrical earth contact within the perimeter zone 24 extends with its extension 39 along the rear face 26 of the plate 12 up to inside the box casing 13, such as you can see it well in figure 2. Thanks to the module structure according to the invention, the box-like casing 13 can have dimensions such as to be accommodated in a location, such as for example an electrical box, which has smaller dimensions than those necessary to accommodate at least four Schuko-type sockets. for example, the box-like casing 13 can advantageously have dimensions suitable for being housed in a 503 type electrical system box, which It can normally only accommodate a single Schuko socket. Advantageously, two holes can also be provided in plate 12 side passages 29, 30, which are intended for the passage of fixing screws in placed, for example, in an electrical system box, according to a system known in itself. Preferably, the sockets made in the mating areas 11 they can be of the multi-standard type, that is to say that in addition to being able can also accommodate a Schuko socket alternatively a socket of other standard formats. For example, they can be made Ref.: 24AP24I to accommodate (as well as a European socket (type C) as above also mentioned a type “L” socket (i.e. Italian two-pin plus earth central). In this case, the coupling areas 11 can be made for also include a third hole 27, placed centrally between the first hole 15 and second hole 16 and with a corresponding earth contact 28 (also advantageously made with elastic metal slats) connected to the elastic earth contact elements 21 and 22 and therefore also to ground terminal 23. The 11 mating areas, to be further multistandard, they can also have the first and second holes 15, 16 each composed of two circular holes (possibly of different diameters) that intersect one with the other to form a socket of the well-known two-pass type, as is well known see for example always in figure 1. The electrical contacts behind the holes will be in this case suitable to come into contact with pins that enter indifferently in one or the other circular hole of a hole 15 or 16. As can be clearly seen for example in figures 2 and 8, the box-shaped casing 13 can be formed like a tub, that is, with a shape generally parallelepiped with the face towards the missing plate 12 to cover the contacts. Furthermore, plate 12 may have fins on the back elastic 40 that protrude to engage corresponding seats or projections 41 in the side walls of the box casing and thus fix the casing box in position on the plate. Figure 9 shows in more detail a possible structure of the electrical contacts 17 and 18 and their connections to the respective terminals 19 and 20. Ref.: 24AP24I contacts 17 and their connections to terminal 19 may be part of a first rigid metal assembly 33 which is extended in the casing 13 between the electrical contacts 17 and the first electrical terminal 19. The contacts 18 and their connections to terminal 20 may be part of a second assembly rigid metal 34 which is extended in the casing 13 between the electrical contacts 18 and the second electrical terminal 20. Figure 10 shows in more detail a possible structure of the earth contacts 21, 22 and, if present, 28 and their connections to the ground terminal 23. As can be seen in figure 10, the electrical contacts of earth and their connections to the electrical earth terminal may be part of a third rigid metal assembly 35 which is extended between said electrical contacts of earth and the corresponding electrical terminal 23. Each assembly 33, 34, 35 can be machined in one piece from a metal sheet cut and shaped or made up of several parts cut and shaped and joined (for example through suitable rivets) to form the assembly, including contacts and fixed part of the terminals. Preferably, the box casing 13 and / or the plate 12 comprise advantageously shaped seats for support and passage of the first, second or third rigid metal assembly 33, 34, 35. At this point it is clear how the intended goals were achieved, providing a module can accommodate multiple sockets of at least the Schuko type or even others types, but which can easily be accommodated in small wall boxes. Of course, the above description made of embodiments applying the principles innovative features of the present invention are reported as an example of such innovative principles and should therefore not be taken as a limitation of the scope Ref.: 24AP24I of the patent claimed here. For example, the sockets made in the module may include other elements known in themselves for normal sockets electric. For example, between the holes of each mating area 11 and the related electrical contacts can be provided with a safety device known in itself internal or “shutter”. As is known, an internal or “shutter” safety device “shutter” may have a septum that is elastically movable from one position closing to an opening position of the pin passage holes a plug, with the movement towards the open position which is controlled by the simultaneous introduction of the pins of a plug into both holes. One of these safety devices is shown as a example in figure 8, indicated with 42, for the contacts of one of the areas 11. If desired, opening protective covers can also be provided. arranged on the mating areas or on the cover plate. The wall in which to insert the form can of course be any surface with the appropriate opening to accommodate the box casing of the module (e.g. a panel wall or electrical cabinet) and not necessarily or exclusively a building wall. The Mandatory Eng. Marco Lampis Della Dragotti & Associates Srl (Registration no. 564)

Claims

1. A multi-socket module (10) for electrical systems comprising a front plate (12) with an essentially flat development and a box-like casing (13) protruding behind said front plate (12), the front plate (12) having a front face (14), opposite to the box-like casing (13), which comprises a plurality of coupling areas (11), each intended to accommodate the coupling end of an electrical plug of at least the Schuko type, each coupling area (11) comprising: - two holes (15,16) which are intended for the axial insertion into them of the two pins of an electrical plug of at least the “Schuko” type, behind said holes there being present in said box-like casing (13) corresponding electrical contacts (17, 18) intended for the electrical connection, internally to the box-like casing (13) between pins inserted in the two holes (15, 16) and a first and a second electrical terminal (19, 20);20) which protrude from the box casing (13) and which are intended for the connection of conductive wires of an electrical system; - two elastic elements (21,22) of earth electrical contact which are placed near the edge (25) of each coupling area (11) and which are intended for the electrical connection between corresponding lateral earth terminals of the Schuko type plugs and a respective third electrical terminal (23) which protrudes from the box casing (13) and which is intended for the connection of conductive wires of an electrical system; the multi-socket module (10) being characterised by the fact that the said plate (12) has a perimeter area (24) which protrudes laterally Ref.: 24AP24I from the box casing (13) and which is intended to face with its own rear face (26) against a wall when the box casing (13) is housed in a seat which protrudes from the wall,the said coupling areas (11) being partially within said perimeter area (24) to have in said perimeter area (24) one of said two elastic elements (21, 22) of electrical earth contact, said elastic element of electrical earth contact present in the perimeter area (24) extending along the rear face (26) of the plate (12) up to inside the box casing (13)., 2. The multi-socket module (10) according to the previous claim, characterised in that the coupling areas (11) also comprise a third hole (27) arranged centrally between the first hole (15) and the second hole (16) and with a corresponding electrical earth contact (28) connected to the elastic electrical earth contact elements (21, 22).

3. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two holes (15, 16) are each composed of two circular holes which intersect with each other to form a two-way socket.

4. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the box-shaped casing (13) has dimensions suitable for being housed in a seat formed by a type 503 electrical system box.

5. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling areas (11) are four arranged according to the vertices of a rectangle with sides parallel to the sides Ref.: 24AP24I of the plate (12).

6. The multi-socket module (10) according to the previous claim, characterised in that the plate (12) is rectangular and each elastic earth contact element present in the perimeter area (24) is close to a long side of the plate (12).

7. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling areas (11) are recessed into the thickness of the plate (12).

8. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plate (12) has two lateral through holes (29, 30) intended for the passage of fixing screws in place.

9. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that on the plate (12) there is a front frame plate (31) removablely inserted into the plate (12) and equipped with one or more openings (32) for access to the said coupling areas (11).

10. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the electrical contacts (17) intended for the electrical connection between pins inserted in one of the two holes (15 or 16) and the first electrical terminal (19) are part of a first rigid metal assembly (33) extended in the casing between said electrical contacts (17) and the first electrical terminal (19), and in that the electrical contacts (18) intended for the electrical connection between pins inserted in the other of the two holes (15 or 16) and the second electrical terminal (20) are part of a second rigid metal assembly (34) extended between said electrical contacts (18) and the second electrical terminal (20).

11. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the elastic earth contact elements (21, 22) are part of a third rigid metal assembly (35) extended between said elastic earth contact elements (21,22) and the third electrical terminal (23).

12. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of claims 9, 10, 11, characterised in that the box-like casing (13) and / or the rear face of the plate (12) comprise shaped seats (36) for supporting and passing the first, second or third rigid metal assembly (33, 34, 35).

13. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first, second and third terminals (19, 20, 23) are screw terminals.

14. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first, second and third terminals (19, 20, 23) face one side of the casing (13) which is opposite to the said plate (12).

15. The multi-socket module (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that between the holes (15, 16) of each coupling area (11) and the corresponding contacts (17, 18) there is a safety device (42) which is movable from a closed position to an open position of such holes (15, 16) upon the simultaneous introduction of pins of a plug into such holes.