Fixing structure for power lines in power equipment

Abstract

To provide technique for fixing an electric wire to power equipment, the electric wire to be wired to the power equipment, while making maintaining of beautiful appearance and prevention of reduction in working efficiency compatible with each other.SOLUTION: Fixing structure of an electric wire in power equipment is provided, including: an electric wire insertion port which is provided in a housing of the power equipment and is used for inserting the electric wire into the housing; and a wire fixing member which fixes the electric wire while the electric wire is inserted into the housing and which seals an electric wire insertion port. In the fixing structure of the electric wire in the power equipment, the electric wire is inserted into the housing and protrudes toward the inside of the housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing structure for an electric wire connected to an electric power device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when wiring an electric wire externally connected to an electric power device, means for fixing the electric wire and sealing the wiring connection part are generally provided (for example, Patent Document 1, etc.). Patent Document 1 discloses that in a device provided in a connection box of a photovoltaic power generation system, a cable wired from both side surfaces of a housing to input / output terminals inside the housing is fixed with a cable gland.

[0003] When wiring an electric wire as described in Patent Document 1, a member (nut part of a cable gland) through which the electric wire is inserted protrudes outside the device housing. However, if the structure is such that the member for fixing the electric wire protrudes outside the device housing, in some cases, there is an inconvenience such as impairing the aesthetic appearance of the device exterior.

[0004] Also, for the housing of a device installed outdoors and exposed to wind and rain, such as the wall surface of a building, etc., in order to prevent rainwater from entering, a structure may be adopted in which a wiring insertion port is provided on the bottom surface side of the device housing. In such a case, when trying to draw in the wiring from the bottom surface side of the device and fix it with a cable gland, the wiring work has to be carried out in a cramped posture such as bending, and it is also troublesome to visually check the working part. Furthermore, since the work is carried out from the bottom surface side of the device toward the inside (i.e., against gravity), there is also a problem that members may be dropped during the work.

[0005] Furthermore, for example, when routing electrical wires into the enclosure via an attachment such as a wiring box to conceal the wiring, if there are components protruding outwards from the enclosure, the wiring (securing the wires) work will have to be done inside the attachment. In such cases, the wiring work is forced to be done in the narrow workspace inside the attachment, which reduces work efficiency. On the other hand, if sufficient workspace is to be provided inside the attachment, the attachment will have to be made larger, which is a drawback. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-198484 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a technology for fixing electric wires connected to power equipment while maintaining aesthetics and preventing a decrease in work efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following configuration. That is, A fixing structure for electric wires in power equipment, The casing of the power equipment is provided with a wire insertion opening for inserting the wires into the interior of the casing, The housing includes a wire fixing member that secures the wire in the state where it is inserted into the housing and seals the wire insertion opening. The wire fixing member is such that the wire is inserted inside and protrudes toward the inside of the housing. This is a fixing structure for electric wires in power equipment, characterized by the following features.

[0009] Here, "power equipment" refers to devices that perform functions such as converting electricity to other forms of energy, storing electricity, converting electricity voltage and adjusting the power factor, and connecting and disconnecting electricity. This includes, for example, power conditioners and their peripheral equipment (e.g., transformer units, power measurement units, distribution boards, etc.). Furthermore, "wire fixing components" include components commonly referred to as cable glands, but regardless of the name, any component that performs the function of fixing wires and sealing openings as described above is included.

[0010] With the above configuration, the wire fixing member will protrude inward towards the inside of the power equipment casing. In other words, the protruding part is not visible from the outside of the equipment, so it does not detract from the overall aesthetic appearance of the equipment.

[0011] Furthermore, the power equipment may be installed on the wall of a building, and the wire insertion opening may be provided at the bottom of the housing. In this way, even if the wire insertion opening is formed at the bottom of the equipment installed on the wall, the cylindrical part through which the wire is inserted protrudes inward (i.e., upward) from the housing, so the wire fixing member can be accessed from the top of the equipment during wiring work.

[0012] This offers several advantages compared to accessing components protruding from the bottom of the enclosure from below (the bottom side): it allows for a more comfortable working posture, makes it easier to visually inspect the work area, and reduces the risk of dropping components during the process.

[0013] Furthermore, the power equipment may be configured to allow attachments with a smaller internal space than the power equipment itself to be attached, and the electric wires may be routed into the housing via the attachments.

[0014] The above-mentioned "attachment" does not necessarily need to house power equipment; it includes, for example, wiring boxes that house electrical wires. In addition to electrical wires, it may also house items other than equipment, such as tools.

[0015] In configurations where wiring is performed via such attachments, if the wire fixing member protrudes from the outside of the housing, the wiring work has to be performed inside the attachment, which reduces work efficiency. On the other hand, the wire fixing structure according to the present invention is suitable for such configurations because the work can be performed inside the housing of the power equipment, which has a larger space than the attachment. Furthermore, since the wire fixing member does not protrude into the inside of the attachment, it becomes possible to reduce the size of the attachment in the height direction.

[0016] Furthermore, the power equipment may be a power conditioner in a solar power generation system, and the wire may be a power wire connected to other power equipment. Power wires intended for power transmission, for example, use three-core wires and have a larger outer diameter than signal wires, so a large space is required when bending the wire. For this reason, when routing a power wire that has been wired from the back side (i.e., from inside the building) of a power equipment installed on a wall into the power equipment from the bottom side, if the wire fixing member protrudes outside the casing, it becomes necessary to bend the wire, requiring an even larger space.

[0017] In this regard, in the case of the wire fixing structure according to the present invention, the fixing member does not protrude to the outside of the housing, so the power line can be bent at a position closer to the power equipment, and if such a wire is concealed with an attachment such as a wiring box, the size of the attachment can be reduced.

[0018] Furthermore, each of the above components can be combined with one another to constitute the present invention, provided that no technical inconsistencies arise. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology for fixing electric wires connected to power equipment while simultaneously maintaining aesthetics and preventing a decrease in work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a power conditioner according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of a power conditioner according to an embodiment, showing the state of the power conditioner attached to a wall surface with the front cover removed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a wiring box according to an embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments according to one aspect of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the components described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those, unless otherwise specified.

[0022] <APPLICATION EXAMPLE> First, based on FIGS. 1 and 2, an application example of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a power conditioner 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the state of the power conditioner 10 attached to a wall surface with the front cover removed. In FIG. 2, some members are shown with cutouts.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the power conditioner 10 includes a substantially rectangular main body 11, a wiring box 20 attached to the front half of the lower side of the main body 11, and a wire duct 3 provided on the lower side of the main body 11 and on the left rear side of the wiring box 20.

[0024] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of wire insertion openings 12 for drawing the wire 4 into the main body 11 are provided on the lower (bottom) side of the main body 11, and a cable ground 15 is attached to each wire insertion opening 12.

[0025] The cable gland 15 is a component that secures the electric wire 4 in the state where it is inserted into the main body 11, preventing the electric wire 4 from coming out due to vibration or pulling, and also seals the electric wire insertion opening 12 to prevent dust and water from entering the main body 11. The cable gland 15 generally comprises a base portion 152 that is fixed to the housing of the main body 11, and an electric wire fixing portion 151 through which the electric wire 4 is inserted and which is screwed into the base portion 152. The electric wire fixing portion 151 has a roughly cylindrical shape that protrudes inward toward the main body 11.

[0026] Thus, with the wire fixing portion 151 of the cable gland 15 protruding toward the inside of the main body 11, the worker can access the wire insertion opening 12 and the cable gland 15 from above during wiring work. This eliminates the inconveniences that occur when working from below the main body 11, such as being forced to work in an awkward posture, poor visibility of the work area, and the risk of dropping parts, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0027] Furthermore, as in this application example, when wiring is concealed using an attachment such as the wiring box 20, the wire fixing part 151 does not protrude into the wiring box 20, making it possible to miniaturize the wiring box 20.

[0028] <Embodiment 1> Next, the power conditioner 10 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

[0029] The power conditioner in this embodiment is a power conditioner (Power Conditioning System) used in a grid-connected system utilizing solar power generation.

[0030] A grid-connected system consists of multiple solar panels installed on the roof of a house, etc., and a power conditioner that converts the DC power generated by each solar panel into AC power. This grid-connected system supplies AC power to loads connected between the power conditioner and the commercial power grid by switching between grid-connected operation and standalone operation. Here, grid-connected operation means operating the power conditioner in conjunction with the commercial power grid. Standalone operation means operating only the power conditioner, for example, when the commercial power grid is experiencing a power outage.

[0031] Incidentally, when a power conditioner is installed on a wall, the wiring exposed from the wall may be routed from the bottom of the power conditioner unit and connected to various connection terminals on the input side switch, output side terminal block, etc., of the power conditioner unit. In this case, the wiring routed into the power conditioner unit will be exposed, which is undesirable from the standpoint of protecting the wiring and aesthetics. For this reason, the power conditioner according to this embodiment is configured to have a wiring box that houses the wiring inside.

[0032] (Overall configuration of the power conditioner) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the power conditioner 10. The power conditioner 10 is equipped with a front cover 13 on its front side, and the front cover 13 can be attached to the main body 11 from the front with screws. In this specification, the front side of the power conditioner 10 may be referred to as the front side, and the rear side may be referred to as the rear side.

[0033] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the power conditioner 10, and is a front view showing the configuration of the power conditioner 10 mounted on a wall with the front cover 13 removed.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the power conditioner 10 includes a wiring box 20 that can be attached to the bottom surface of the main body 11 through which multiple wires 4 are drawn in from the bottom, and a wire duct 3 provided on the lower side of the main body 11 and on the left rear side of the wiring box 20. Although not shown, the main body of the power conditioner 10 contains an input-side switch for connecting wiring for inputting power generated externally, and an output-side terminal block for connecting wiring for outputting power to external devices (e.g., distribution board, battery unit, etc.). Power wires with a thicker outer diameter than communication wires are used for the wires 4 connected to these.

[0035] The wiring box 20 is provided to conceal the wires 4 that are drawn into the main body 11 through the wire insertion opening 12, and has an opening that extends from the top to the back. This opening includes a top opening 24 through which multiple wires 4 pass from the inside to the main body 11, and a rear wall opening 25 (rear opening) through which at least some of the multiple wires 4 pass from the outside on the rear side to the inside. Furthermore, a bottom opening 214 is provided on the bottom side of the wiring box 20 for connecting a conduit (PF pipe) or the like in which the wiring is housed.

[0036] The wire duct 3 is provided to conceal the wires 4 exposed from a wall surface (not shown). In other words, the main body 11 is usually provided with various electrical equipment, connection terminals, etc. on the front side, and on the rear side. A fan, heat sink, etc. are provided on the side (none of which are shown). The wiring box 20 is located on the front half of the underside of the power conditioner 10. As a result, there is a distance between the wall surface (not shown) and the rear wall opening 25 of the wiring box 20, and the electric wires 4 are exposed in this space. Therefore, in this embodiment, an electric wire duct 3 is provided to conceal the electric wires 4 that are exposed between the wall surface (not shown) and the rear wall opening 25 of the wiring box 20.

[0037] (Configuration of the wire fixing section) Next, the structure for securing the wires 4 in the power conditioner 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the lower (bottom) side of the main body 11 is provided with multiple wire insertion openings 12 for drawing the wires 4 into the main body 11, and a cable gland 15 is attached to each wire insertion opening 12.

[0038] The cable gland 15 is a component that secures the electric wire 4 in the state in which it has been inserted (wired) into the main body 11, preventing the electric wire 4 from coming out due to vibration or pulling, and also seals the electric wire insertion opening 12 to prevent dust and water from entering the main body 11.

[0039] The cable gland 15 generally comprises a base portion 152 fixed to the housing of the main body 11 and a wire fixing portion 151 that is screwed into the base portion 152, with the wire fixing portion 151 having a roughly cylindrical shape that protrudes inward from the main body 11. Furthermore, the cable gland 15 is equipped with a sealing insert housed in the wire fixing portion 151 for inserting the wire 4, and an O-ring (neither of which are shown) for improving sealing performance.

[0040] (Securing electrical wires during wiring) When connecting the electric wire 4 to the power conditioner 10, the base portion 152 of the cable gland 15 is attached to the wire insertion opening 12, and the electric wire 4, which has passed through the wire insertion opening 12 with the base portion 152 attached, is further inserted into the opening of the sealing insert in the wire fixing portion 151 and connected to the target terminal in the main body 11. After that, the wire fixing portion 151 and the base portion 152 are screwed together and the sealing insert is tightened with a screw, eliminating the gap between the electric wire 4 and the sealing insert, fixing the wire insertion opening 12 and the cable gland 15, and the electric wire fixing portion 151 and the electric wire 4, and sealing the wire insertion opening 12.

[0041] If the sealing insert has more openings than the number of wires 4 that will actually be inserted, these openings should be sealed with hole-filling pins or the like. In addition, cable glands 15 through which no wires 4 will be inserted can be fitted with caps 153 to close the openings.

[0042] Because the cable gland 15 protrudes inward (i.e., upward) toward the main body 11, the fixing work of the electric wire 4 is performed in the space inside the main body 11. This allows the worker to approach the work area in a natural posture and provides more space to handle tools such as wrenches compared to working inside the wiring box 20.

[0043] (Structure of the wiring box) Next, the wiring box 20 according to this embodiment will be described based on Figure 3. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the wiring box 20.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the wiring box 20 has a bottomed box shape, generally composed of a main member 21, a rear guide member 22, and a front cover 23, with a top opening 24. In addition, two symmetrical rear wall openings 25 are formed on the rear side of the main member 21. Yes, they are.

[0045] The two rear wall openings 25 are used to allow electrical wires 4 to be routed through one of the rear wall openings 25 to the wiring box 20 via the electrical duct 3. In this case, the other rear wall opening 25 needs to be sealed to prevent rainwater from entering. For this reason, the other rear wall opening 25 is sealed by a slideable and removable guide cover 26.

[0046] In other words, the two rear wall openings 25 are the same size so that the guide cover 26 can slide regardless of which rear wall opening 25 it is inserted into. Therefore, it can accommodate the position of the electrical wire duct 3 on either the left or right side, depending on where the electrical wire 4 is exposed from the wall surface. As a result, the power conditioner 10 can be installed at various positions on the wall surface.

[0047] The wiring box 20 is constructed by connecting a main member 21, a rear guide member 22, and a front cover 23, which are separate components. Each component can be connected by a desired method, such as fixing with screws or engaging with engaging hooks (claws).

[0048] The main component 21 of the wiring box 20 is formed from a single metal plate by bending, drawing, etc., into a shape that generally includes a bottom surface, both side surfaces, and a back surface. In addition to the back wall opening 25, it has multiple openings in the bottom surface, such as a bottom opening 214 and drainage holes (not shown).

[0049] As described above, the bottom opening 214 is an opening for connecting a conduit (PF pipe) or the like in which wiring is housed. A grommet may be installed in the bottom opening 214, or unused bottom openings 214 may be covered and sealed.

[0050] (Effects specific to this embodiment) As described above, with the power conditioner 10 of this embodiment, even when wiring is performed with the wiring box 20 attached, the fixing work of the electric wires 4 can be performed inside the housing of the main unit 11, so sufficient space for working can be secured. In addition, since the electric wire insertion port 12 and cable gland 15 can be accessed from above, work can be performed in a natural posture and the work area can be easily visually inspected. Therefore, the work efficiency when fixing electric wires can be improved.

[0051] Furthermore, since the cable gland 15 does not protrude into the wiring box 20, the space required for routing the electric wires 4 within the wiring box 20 can be reduced. In particular, the electric wires 4 routed through the electric wire duct 3 need to be bent from a horizontal to a vertical direction, but because the cable gland 15 does not protrude into the wiring box 20, the electric wires 4 can be bent towards the electric wire insertion opening 12 at a position close to the rear wall opening 25. As a result, the size of the wiring box 20 in the depth and height directions can be reduced.

[0052] <Variation> The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific forms. The present invention can be modified and combined in various ways within the scope of its technical concept. For example, in the above embodiments, the cable gland 15 was configured to include a base portion 152 for fixing to the main body 11 and a wire fixing portion 151, but it may also be configured such that a screw is cut into the inner circumference of the wire insertion opening 12 and the wire fixing portion 151 is directly screwed into the main body 11 for fixing (i.e., a configuration without a base portion 152).

[0053] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the electric wire is fixed by the cable gland 15, but the electric wire fixing member according to the present invention is not limited to a cable gland, and any member that performs the functions of fixing the electric wire and sealing the opening may be used.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the wiring box 20 was configured to have a front cover 23 as a separate component, but the component corresponding to the front cover may be integrally formed. Moreover, the present invention is also applicable to power equipment that does not have attachments such as a wiring box. Even when applied to such equipment, the wire fixing member does not protrude outwards from the housing of the equipment, thus maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the entire device.

[0055] Furthermore, although the above description concerns power conditioners used in solar power generation systems, the invention may also be applied to power conditioners used in standalone energy storage systems and power conditioners used in hybrid systems. Moreover, it may be applied not only to power conditioners but also to other power equipment such as batteries and distribution boards. The invention can also be applied to stationary equipment installed on the ground.

[0056] <Note> One aspect of the present invention is A fixing structure for electric wires (4) in power equipment (10), The housing (11) of the power equipment is provided with a wire insertion opening (12) for inserting the wires into the inside of the housing, The housing includes a wire fixing member (15) that secures the wire in the state where it is inserted into the housing and seals the wire insertion opening. The aforementioned wire fixing member is a wire fixing structure for power equipment, characterized in that the wire is inserted inside it and protrudes toward the inside of the housing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 10. Power conditioner 11. Main unit 12...Wire insertion opening 13. Front cover 15. Cable Gland 151...Wire fixing part 152...Base section 153... Cap 20...Wiring box 21... Main component 214...Bottom opening 22...Rear cover component 23...Front lid 24...Top opening 25... Rear wall opening 26... Guide cover 3. Electrical wiring duct 4...Electric wire

Claims

1. A fixing structure for electric wires in power equipment installed on the wall surface of a building, The aforementioned power equipment is The attachment, which has a smaller internal space than the aforementioned power equipment, is configured to be attachable to the bottom side of the power equipment's casing. The power equipment has a wire insertion opening provided at the bottom of the housing for inserting the electric wire into the housing, and a wire fixing member that fixes the electric wire in the state where it is inserted into the housing and seals the wire insertion opening. The aforementioned electric wire is routed from the wall side of the building through the electric wire insertion opening into the housing, and is concealed from the outside by the attachment when the attachment is installed. The wire fixing member is screwed into the housing at the wire insertion opening with the wire inserted inside, thereby fixing the wire in the state of being inserted into the housing, and protruding only toward the inside of the housing. A fixing structure for electric wires in power equipment, characterized by the above.

2. The aforementioned power equipment is a power conditioner in a solar power generation system. A wire fixing structure for power equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that

3. The aforementioned wire is a power line connected to other power equipment. A wire fixing structure for power equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that

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