Switch Cabinet Gas Connections Offset Planes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control cabinets for exhaust gas measuring systems are not compact enough and the components, such as valves and gas connections, are not easily accessible for maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The control cabinet design features gas connections arranged in horizontally and vertically offset planes, allowing easy access without disassembling other components, with a step-shaped ceiling or side walls enabling this configuration and using adapter elements for efficient gas connection management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the control cabinet is designed to be compact and space-saving, then the installation space is reduced, but the components (valves and gas connections) become inaccessible for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidaccessibility of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensional reorganization by arranging gas connections on multiple horizontal planes (first horizontal plane and second horizontal plane offset from the first) and multiple vertical planes within the cabinet. This multi-level spatial arrangement allows components to be accessed from different directions simultaneously, maintaining compact overall volume while ensuring maintenance accessibility without requiring complete disassembly of the cabinet structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cabinet interior is segmented into multiple accessible zones with gas connections distributed across different planes and levels. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access specific components (valves and gas connections) independently without dismantling the entire cabinet, as each plane and level provides independent access paths to its associated components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If components are arranged densely to save space, then the cabinet size is reduced, but maintenance requires dismantling multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecabinet structureVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By distributing components across multiple horizontal and vertical planes, the patent creates independent access zones that eliminate the need for sequential dismantling. Maintenance personnel can directly access target components from their respective planes without interfering with other components, significantly reducing maintenance time while maintaining a compact cabinet structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cabinet structure is pre-configured with multiple access planes and open fronts that provide direct pathways to all gas connections and valves. This preliminary spatial arrangement ensures that no dismantling is required during maintenance operations, as all components are positioned in预先 designed accessible locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3465128B1Switch cabinet for exhaust-gas measurement installations
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 AVL EMISSION TEST SYST GMBH
  • EP3465128B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3465128B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a switch cabinet for exhaust-gas measurement installations, comprising a cabinet body (12), which is composed of four laterally bounding walls (14, 16, 18, 20), of which one serves as a ceiling (20), one serves as a floor (18), and two serve as side walls (14, 16), and a back wall (22) and can be closed by a door (26) arranged on the front side (24), wherein measuring devices (28, 30, 32) and gas connections (40, 42) are arranged in the cabinet body (12), wherein the gas connections (40, 42) extend through the walls of the cabinet body (12) and each interact with at least one valve (62) arranged within the cabinet body (12). Such switch cabinets have the problem that the switch cabinets should be compact and require little installation space, but as a result the components arranged in the switch cabinet, such as the measuring devices, the valves, and the gas connections, are not sufficiently accessible in order to facilitate, in particular, the maintenance of the switch cabinet. Thus, according to the invention, at least one first gas connection (40) is arranged in a first horizontal plane and a first vertical plane and at least one second gas connection (42) is arranged in a second horizontal plane offset to the first horizontal plane and in a second vertical plane offset to the first vertical plane.