Universal Fastener Enclosure for Electrical Installations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical enclosures require separate manufacturing of left- and right-handed bottom parts due to differing side walls, leading to high tooling costs and logistical challenges, as they need to accommodate left- or right-handed hinging and locking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The enclosure features similar fasteners on opposite top edges that allow for detachable hinge attachment and locking, enabling the cover to open and lock on any side wall, with a platform forming a cavity for the locking tongue, allowing for one-piece injection molding and reducing manufacturing issues like residual stress and distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If opposite side walls of the bottom part are made different to accommodate left- or right-handed hinging and locking, then the enclosure can be locked on any side wall, but at least two different bottom parts must be manufactured requiring multiple plastic moulds, increasing tooling costs and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple functions: it provides both hinging attachment and locking capability on any side wall of the bottom part. The identical fasteners are placed on all four top edges, allowing the same component to accommodate left-handed, right-handed, or bidirectional locking without requiring different bottom part variants.
Solution Approach 2:
While the fasteners themselves are identical and symmetrically placed on all top edges, the hinge means and locking means are configured asymmetrically relative to the fastener positions. This allows the same symmetric fastener design to support asymmetric hinging and locking configurations on different side walls.
2Adaptability or versatility
If at least two different bottom parts are manufactured for one enclosure type, then left- or right-handed hinging and locking requirements are met, but high tooling costs are incurred due to requiring at least two plastic moulds
Solution Approach 1:
A single bottom part design with identical fasteners on all top edges serves multiple handedness configurations. The universal fastener design eliminates the need for separate left-handed and right-handed bottom part variants, allowing one plastic mould to produce all required bottom parts for different enclosure configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static, configuration-specific bottom parts to a dynamic, reconfigurable system where the same bottom part can be configured for different handedness and locking directions by selectively attaching hinge means and locking means to different fastener positions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the platform of the fastener forms a cavity in the bottom part for receiving the locking tongue, then the locking mechanism can be implemented, but the platform may form a thick part that cools slower in the plastic mould, causing residual stress and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity for receiving the locking tongue is formed within the platform structure of the fastener, creating a nested configuration where the cavity is integrated into the platform's thickness rather than being a separate protruding feature. This nested design allows the platform to maintain sufficient thickness for structural integrity while enabling uniform heat distribution during injection molding.
4Ease of operation
If guiding pieces are fastened to the fastener, then the cover can be guided to settle in the correct position, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding function is merged with the existing fastener structure by providing a guiding surface on the platform of the fastener itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate guiding pieces, as the fastener's platform simultaneously provides both the structural support and the guiding surface for proper cover positioning during assembly.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an enclosure for electrical installations, the enclosure comprising a bottom part (1) and a cover hinged to the bottom part, the bottom part comprising a first top edge (2) with a first fastener (10a) comprising a first recess (8a) and a first platform (9a) for receiving a hinge means of the enclosure in a form-locked manner, and a second top edge (3) with a second fastener (10b) comprising a second recess (8b) and a second platform (9b) that permits the receipt of the hinge means of the enclosure in a form-locked manner, and the first fastener (10a) and second fastener (10b) are arranged on respective top edges (2 and 3) of the enclosure to be diametrically opposite each other. In order to hinge the cover on the desired top edge of the bottom part (1) of the enclosure and to provide the locking of the cover to the bottom part (1) with a turnable latch, the first platform (9a) forms a first cavity (19a) on a first inner wall (15) of the bottom part (1) of the enclosure for receiving the latch, and the second platform (9b) forms a second cavity (19b) on a second inner wall (16) of the bottom part (1) of the enclosure for receiving the latch.