Electrical appliance having a housing part

Abstract

An electrical appliance having a housing part, wherein: the outer surface of the housing part has a recess into which a through-hole runs; a labeling is arranged in the recess; a plastics body is arranged in the recess and fills the through-hole and the recess with plastics material.

Description

[0001] Electrical device with a housing part

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to an electrical device with a housing part.

[0004] It is well known that recesses in a housing part can contain areas that are difficult to clean.

[0005] From DE 103 41 141 A1, a housing for an electrical device is known as the closest prior art.

[0006] A housing for a labelable push-button device is known from DE 202006 006 216 U1.

[0007] A housing part is known from CN 2 16 873 234 U.

[0008] A housing for accommodating a measuring device is known from DE 100 61 893 A1.

[0009] The invention is therefore based on the object of developing an electrical device for the hygiene sector, such as systems for the production of beverages or food.

[0010] According to the invention, the object is achieved in the electrical device according to the features specified in claim 1.

[0011] Important features of the invention in the electrical device, which is provided with a housing part, wherein the housing part has a recess on its outer surface into which a through-hole, in particular a recess which extends through the wall of the housing part, opens, in particular wherein the through-hole leads through the housing part, wherein an inscription is formed and / or arranged in the recess, in particular on the base of the recess, wherein a plastic body is arranged in the recess and / or the recess is filled by a plastic body, wherein the plastic body fills the through-hole and the recess, in particular fills it with plastic of the plastic body.

[0012] The advantage here is that light introduced into the plastic body floods the entire plastic body through scattering and thus also illuminates the lettering surrounded by the plastic body. This makes the lettering visible through the at least partially transparent or translucent plastic body. Furthermore, the

[0013] Plastic body the lettering and thus also the recesses of the lettering. This prevents dirt from settling in such recesses. This makes cleaning easy and efficient. In particular, the plastic body fills the recess up to the uppermost edge and fits as smoothly as possible with the surface area of ​​the housing part that directly surrounds the recess. This enables the electrical device to be used in hygienic areas and yet the lettering, which is encapsulated for hygiene reasons, remains clearly visible. In particular, for example, the status of a fieldbus to which the electrical device is connected for data transmission can be displayed by illuminating the lettering assigned to the status. This means that the electrical device can be used as a field device, i.e. for use in a plant for the production of food or beverages.Preferably, the electrical device is a fieldbus distributor or the electrical device is an inverter with a fieldbus connection.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic body is formed from plastic injected into the recess and the through-hole. This is advantageous in that production can be carried out quickly and easily by injecting the plastic into the recess and / or the through-hole.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic body protrudes from the through-hole into the interior of the electrical device. The advantage here is that the light generated by a lamp can be introduced as directly as possible into the plastic body and can thus then be guided through the through-hole to the recess, so that the lettering is illuminated. In an advantageous embodiment, the area of ​​the plastic body protruding into the interior of the electrical device is dome-shaped, in particular as a light guide dome. The advantage here is that this area is shaped like a light guide and thus efficiently guides the light from the lamp to the through-hole, where the plastic body also acts as a light guide and guides the light through the through-hole into the recess.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, a circuit board equipped with a light source is arranged in the interior of the electrical device, with the light generated by the light source being at least partially guided into the recesses by the plastic body. This is advantageous in that the electronic circuit that supplies and controls the light source can be arranged on the circuit board, and the plastic body mechanically decouples the circuit board from the housing part, since the plastic body has a tolerance towards the light source. Vibrations of the circuit board are thus not transmitted directly to the housing part via the plastic body.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the smallest distance between the illuminant and the plastic body is smaller than the largest diameter of the conductor cross-section of the portion of the plastic body that protrudes into the interior and functions as a light guide. This is advantageous in that the light generated by the illuminant can be utilized as efficiently as possible. Preferably, the end region of the dome-shaped portion of the plastic body that protrudes into the interior surrounds the plastic body in such a way that the light emitted by the illuminant in many directions is introduced into the plastic body. To this end, the end region covers at least half of all spatial directions, in particular the light emitted by the illuminant.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the lettering is embossed, particularly made of the same material as the housing part. This is advantageous because the housing part, including the lettering, can be manufactured in a single step.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the housing part is a cast part, in particular a metal cast part or a plastic injection-molded part. This is advantageous because the inscription can be provided by means of the mold during the primary forming process, in particular during casting. In particular, the housing part is a metal cast part, and the inscription is already provided in the mold for producing the metal cast part.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the lettering is preformed in the housing part, in particular, the original form of the housing part contains the lettering. This is advantageous because no separate manufacturing step is required to produce the lettering; instead, the lettering can be produced together with the housing part in a single operation.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic is translucent. This is advantageous because the light introduced into the plastic body is scattered throughout the plastic body in such a way that the entire plastic body is illuminated.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic body is made of translucent material, in particular of translucent plastic. This is advantageous because the light introduced into the plastic body is scattered throughout the plastic body in such a way that the entire plastic body is illuminated.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic body is flush and / or smoothly, in particular continuously and distinctly, adjacent to the outer surface of the housing part and / or is connected to it accordingly. This is advantageous because the electrical device can be used in hygienic areas, particularly in industrial production facilities in the food or beverage industry. This prevents the accumulation of dirt residues, thus enabling simple and easy cleaning. In particular, the plastic body is flush with the housing part, so that no dirt residues can settle in the area surrounding the contact area.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the outer surface of the plastic body and the surface area of ​​the housing part surrounding the recess are ground flat, in particular by surface grinding. This is advantageous because no dirt residue can accumulate in the boundary area between the plastic body and the preferably metallic housing part.In an advantageous embodiment, the outer surface of the plastic body is contained in a plane, in particular a mathematically imaginary plane, which also contains the surface area of ​​the housing part surrounding the recess, in particular wherein the outer surface of the plastic body and the surface area of ​​the housing part surrounding the recess are finely machined, in particular ground, such that the outer surface of the plastic body is contained in a plane, in particular a mathematically imaginary plane, which also contains the surface area of ​​the housing part surrounding the recess. This has the advantage that no dirt residues can accumulate in the boundary area between the plastic body and the preferably metallic housing part.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, the plastic body covers, surrounds, and / or encloses the inscription. This is advantageous because the scattered light flowing within the plastic body spreads over the entire, integrally connected plastic body. Covering, surrounding, and / or enclosing the inscription ensures that it is illuminated with scattered light from all accessible sides, making it easily recognizable.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, the inscription is covered by such a thick region of the plastic body towards the external environment that not only the surface regions of the inscription facing the through-hole but also the surface regions of the inscription facing away from the through-hole are illuminated with scattered light of the translucent material, in particular plastic, of the plastic body, in particular for optical recognition by a viewer positioned and / or arranged in the external environment of the housing part.

[0027] In an advantageous embodiment, the marking is covered by a region of the plastic body that is at least 0.3 millimeters to a maximum of 2 millimeters thick, facing the outside environment. This is advantageous because the marking is also illuminated on the side facing the outside environment by sufficient scattered light from the plastic body, making it easily visible from the outside environment through this region.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the lettering, which is raised from the bottom of the recess, has a continuously ring-shaped region, in particular the letters B, D, Q, P, 0, O, A or Ä or b, d, q, p, ö, o, a or ä, in particular with the ring axis aligned parallel to the normal of the bottom plane of the recess. The advantage here is that the inside of the ring-shaped region of the lettering is also illuminated by scattered light if one or the area of ​​the plastic body covers the lettering and can thus direct the scattered light into the inside. In this way, the lettering is easily recognizable.

[0029] Further advantages emerge from the dependent claims. The invention is not limited to the combination of features in the claims. Further possible combinations of claims and / or individual claim features and / or features of the description and / or the figures will become apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly from the problem and / or the problem posed by comparison with the prior art.

[0030] The invention will now be explained in more detail using schematic illustrations:

[0031] Figure 1 shows a housing part 1 of an electrical device in an oblique view.

[0032] Figure 2 shows a cross section through the housing part 1.

[0033] Figure 3 shows a schematic oblique view of the internal structure of the electrical device.

[0034] As shown in the figures, the housing part 1 has a recess 2 on its outer surface into which a through hole 4 opens, which passes through the wall of the housing part 1.

[0035] At the bottom of the recess 2 there is a raised inscription 3, which, however, does not protrude from the recess 2.

[0036] The housing part 1 has further continuous recesses, each of which is designed as a through-hole 5 for receiving a respective cable gland.

[0037] The housing part 1 is preferably made of die-cast metal, such as die-cast aluminum or die-cast zinc.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the recess 2 is filled with a plastic that surrounds and / or covers the inscription 3. The recess 2 is covered by the plastic flush with the adjacent surface.

[0039] The electrical device comprises a housing comprising the housing part 1, which surrounds an interior space in which a circuit board 30 equipped with a lighting means 31 is arranged. The lighting means 31 is preferably designed as an LED, in particular a light-emitting diode.

[0040] The plastic extends through the through-hole 4 and protrudes into the interior as a light guide dome 33, so that a significant portion of the light generated by the illuminant 31 is guided via the light guide dome 33 into the recess 2, illuminating the lettering 3. The plastic acts as a light guide.

[0041] The plastic is injected during manufacture, using a seal 33 shown in Figure 3 to cover the recess 2, which is removed after the plastic has hardened.

[0042] After curing, the plastic forms a corresponding light-conducting body, which guides the light generated by the illuminant 31 through the through-hole 4, particularly toward the lettering 3. There, the light is reflected, and thus the lettering 3 appears illuminated to the observer even at night.

[0043] The seal has a flat surface area that covers the recess 2 and thus creates a correspondingly flat, in particular level, surface of the light guide body. This surface area of ​​the light guide body adjoins smoothly, in particular continuously and distinctly, the surface section of the housing part 1 containing the recess 2.

[0044] By activating the light source 4, information can be displayed, in particular information about a status of the electrical device.

[0045] The electrical device is a fieldbus distributor in which the illumination of label 3 indicates the status of a fieldbus, or the electrical device is an inverter supplying an electric motor, the status of which is indicated by the illumination 3 of label 3, wherein the inverter has a fieldbus connection and the illumination of label 3 indicates a fieldbus status.

[0046] Instead of a converter, in further embodiments the electrical device is an electrical device which has at least one inverter.

[0047] The plastic is preferably a translucent material. This is advantageous because the light emitted by the illuminant 31 is directed to the lettering, but is scattered along the way, so that the lettering is illuminated from many directions.

[0048] In particular, light is reflected by the lettering 3, making the lettering 3 clearly visible. For this purpose, the lettering rises from the bottom of the recess 2 only so high that the lettering 3 is still covered by plastic, in particular with a plastic layer thickness of at least 0.2 millimeters and at most 2 millimeters.

[0049] Preferably, the plastic body is machined, in particular ground, together with the outer surface area of ​​the housing part 1 surrounding the recess. This ensures that the plastic of the plastic body is perfectly aligned with the surface area. In particular, a smooth transition is achieved.

[0050] In further embodiments according to the invention, the inscription 3 extends to the uppermost edge of the plastic, i.e., the plastic body. During grinding, not only the plastic body and the outer surface area of ​​the housing part 1 containing the recess are ground flat, but also the areas of the inscription 3 protruding from the plastic body. It is advantageous that the inscription 3 is illuminated from the outside.

[0051] In further embodiments according to the invention, the electrical device is a feed which is supplied from the public alternating voltage network and injects a medium-frequency alternating current into a primary conductor, in particular the frequency of which is between 10 and 1000 kHz.

[0052] In further embodiments according to the invention, transparent plastic is used instead of translucent plastic, but then the lettering is illuminated less evenly.

[0053] List of reference symbols

[0054] 1 Housing part 2 Recess

[0055] 3 raised lettering

[0056] 4 through holes

[0057] 5 Through hole for a cable gland

[0058] 30 Printed circuit board 31 Lighting device, in particular light-emitting diode, in particular LED

[0059] 32 Fiber optic dome

[0060] 33 Sealing, especially for sealing during plastic injection

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Electrical device with a housing part, characterized in that the housing part has a recess on its outer surface into which a through-hole, in particular a recess, in particular through the wall of the housing part, opens, in particular wherein the through-hole leads through the housing part, wherein an inscription is formed and / or arranged in the recess, in particular on the bottom of the recess, wherein a plastic body is arranged in the recess and / or the recess is filled by a plastic body, wherein the plastic body fills the through-hole and the recess, in particular fills it with plastic of the plastic body, in particular wherein the clear inner diameter of the through-hole is smaller than the clear inner diameter of the recess.

2. Electrical device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plastic body is formed from plastic injected into the recess and into the through-hole, in particular wherein the through-hole is a bore, in particular a through-bore.

3. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic body protrudes from the through-hole into the interior of the electrical device.

4. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region of the plastic body projecting into the interior of the electrical device is shaped like a dome, in particular as a light guide dome.

5. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a printed circuit board equipped with a lighting means is arranged in the interior of the electrical device, wherein the light generated by the lighting means is at least partially guided by the plastic body through the, in particular respective, through-hole into the, in particular respective,.

6. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smallest distance between the illuminant and the plastic body is smaller than the largest diameter of the cable cross-section of the region of the plastic body protruding into the interior and functioning as a light guide.

7. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inscription is raised, in particular from the material of the housing part.

8. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing part is a cast part, in particular a cast metal part or a plastic injection-molded part.

9. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inscription is molded into the housing part, in particular the original form of the housing part has the inscription.

10. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic is translucent and / or that the plastic body is formed from translucent material, in particular from translucent plastic.

11. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic body is flush and / or smoothly, in particular continuously and differentiated, adjacent to and / or connected to the outer surface of the housing part.

12. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer surface of the plastic body and the surface area of the housing part surrounding the recess are ground flat, in particular machined by means of surface grinding, and / or that the outer surface of the plastic body is contained in a plane, in particular a mathematically imaginary plane, which also contains the surface area of the housing part surrounding the recess, in particular wherein the outer surface of the plastic body and the surface area of the housing part surrounding the recess are finely machined, in particular ground, in such a way that the outer surface of the plastic body is contained in a plane, in particular a mathematically imaginary plane, which also contains the surface area of the housing part surrounding the recess.

13. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic body covers, surrounds and / or encloses the inscription.

14. Electrical device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inscription is covered towards the external environment by a region of the plastic body which is so thick that not only the surface regions of the inscription facing the through-hole but also the surface regions of the inscription facing away from the through-hole are illuminated with scattered light from the translucent material, in particular plastic, of the plastic body, in particular for optical recognition by a viewer positioned and / or arranged in the external environment of the housing part. and / or that the inscription is covered towards the external environment by a region of the plastic body which is at least 0.3 millimeters thick.

15. Electrical appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lettering formed in relief from the bottom of the recess has a continuously annular region, in particular the letters B, D, Q, P, Ö, O, A or Ä or b, d, q, p, ö, o, a or ä, in particular wherein the ring axis is aligned parallel to the normal of the bottom plane of the recess.

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