WO1999056364A1

WO1999056364A1 - Rail mounted device

Info

Publication number: WO1999056364A1
Application number: PCT/DE1999/001098
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wilfried Kliemt; Rudolf GRÄFENHAHN
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1998-04-23
Filing date: 1999-04-12
Publication date: 1999-11-04
Also published as: DE19818318C2; DE19818318A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a rail mounted device (1) which can be fixed on a holding rail (2) by being snapped on. A slide (8) serves as a catch. Said slide is mounted such that it can be displaced between a releasing and a fixing position and is spring-loaded in a direction toward the fixing position thereof. In the fixing position, said slide engages with the rear gripping nose (9) thereof underneath a side element (12) of the holding rail (2). The slide (8) can slightly swing out in a downward manner with the rear gripping nose thereof (9) when in a releasing position, said releasing position being pushed back against the pressure of the advance spring (18), and can be blocked on the device housing by the pressure of the advance spring (18) in order to prevent the slide from moving in a longitudinal direction toward the fixed position thereof. The blocking can be removed again by placing the device (1) on the holding rail (2) and by a backward sluing of the slide (8) which can be effected thereby. The advance spring (18) then effects the extent to which the device is fixed in a snapped on manner on the holding rail (2).

Description

description

Modular device

The invention relates to a modular device with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Modular devices are usually fastened by snap mounting on a holding rail, a so-called top-hat rail. These holding rails are, for example, usually horizontally positioned support elements on a housing wall or in a control cabinet, on which the modular devices are strung together in the longitudinal direction of the rail with a narrow side, usually with their housing base opposite the operating side, and fixed by the snap fastening. The holding rails are generally sheet metal stampings with the cross-sectional shape of a hat, which rests with its opening on the bottom of the built-in device and whose side brim forming the hat brim on both sides stands out as a counteracting surface on the one hand from a housing projection and on the other hand as a snap Snap connection effective, in the direction of its fixing position spring-loaded slide of the device under or behind. For this purpose, the device housing is generally provided on its narrow side wall which forms the housing base in the installed position with a recess which runs perpendicular to the housing plane and forms a through-channel for the holding rail and has an approximately trapezoidal or dovetail cross section. One narrow side of the Schwalbensc wanzquerschnittes is formed by the housing projection and the other by the rear grip nose of the slide spring-loaded in the direction of its fixing position. If one speaks here of a spring load, the presence of a restoring pressure that is permanently effective in the fixing direction is thus 2 means, which may also be generated differently than by a spring.

The bottom, ie inner or lower snap fixation of a modular device on a holding rail is in the

Usually only to be solved from the outer actuation side. For this purpose, in known modular installation devices, the slide forming the snap of the snap fixation is provided on the back with a handle end which projects beyond a narrow side wall of the housing and which, for example, can be gripped with a screwdriver, whereby the slide can be withdrawn from its fixing position. In the new state with empty distribution cabinets, the snap connection of the device with the holding rail can be easily released with the aid of a screwdriver. However, if the wiring is already attached to the devices or if busbars are already attached to the devices, the conventional snap connections are difficult to reach from the outside. If a single device is then to be removed from a busbar assembly without having to remove the busbar, problems arise with the conventional snap fastening which make it difficult or even impossible to release the device.

The invention has for its object to provide a modular device of the type mentioned in such a way that in particular a solution, but also the (re) manufacture of its snap fixation on a holding rail is simplified. This object is solved by claim 1.

The invention makes it possible to accomplish the solution of a modular installation device fixed on a busbar from the outside, usually from the operating side of the device, without the aid of a tool. The operator initially only needs the device in the direction of the device plane across 3 To move the longitudinal direction of the holding rail against the spring pressure acting on the slide relative to the holding rail. This initially causes the slide to be pushed back out of its fixing position in its release position, in which the housing projection, which is effectively opposite the slide, is released from its rear grip relative to the side web of the housing assigned to it. In this position, the slide can be deflected in the device level, ie about an axis running perpendicular to the device level, into a swivel position relative to the device housing, in which it is locked in a release position in relation to a longitudinal guide on the device housing. For this deflection, there is no need to attack a separate operating means. The locking of the slide in a release position is initiated by simply lifting off the device with its area opposite the slide, ie with its area of the device base assigned to the fixed housing projection, from the holding rail. As a result, the slide is deflected automatically and the feed spring presses the slide into a locking system on the housing when the device is released.

The operator knows the side of the device base on which the snap slide engages the holding rail. It is therefore ergonomically advisable for him to first move the device in the compression direction of the spring pressure relative to the holding rail in order to release the device from the holding rail and, in the release position of the slide achieved by compression of the spring, the device by approximately in the slide area parallel to the holding rail, ie to pivot the virtual axis running perpendicular to the housing level. With a subsequent release, the feed spring locks the slide in its deflected position. The device is now to be lifted off the holding rail and this is accomplished without the aid of any tools. 4 Another advantage is that after releasing the device, the slide remains locked in its release position on the device housing. This facilitates the reinstallation of the device, ie its return to a position on the holding rail in which a (renewed) snap fixation can be produced in a simple manner. To do this, only the locking needs to be released and this can in principle be accomplished simply without the aid of a tool in that the slide is automatically unlocked by reaching the desired position of the device relative to the holding rail, as is possible in a particularly advantageous manner according to claim 8 .

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. Show it:

1 shows a perspective view of the floor area of a modular installation device fixed to a holding rail. The slide that forms the snap of the snap connection is in its fixing position,

2 shows a side view analogous to FIG. 1,

3 shows a perspective side view similar to FIG. 1 with the slide pushed back into its extreme release position and already deflected to initiate its blocking,

4 shows a side view analogous to FIG. 3 with the side bar of the holding rail withdrawn from its rear grip position behind the slide nose and the slide which is blocked for the final release of the device; and FIG. 5 shows a side view of the relative position of the device relative to the holding rail according to FIG. 3.

The modular device 1 contains a housing similar to a flat uader. In the case of such modular installation devices, a flat design is sought in order to allow as many devices as possible to be 5 to be able to fix other rows on the holding rail 2. The narrow design means that the housing base 3 opposite the operating side of the device (not shown) and the housing side walls 4 and 5 rising from the housing base 3 to the operating side also have a narrow design. The housing plane runs in the direction of the drawing planes in FIGS. 2 and 5. It is spanned by the housing base 3 and the housing side walls 4, 5 and runs at an angle of 90 ° to the longitudinal direction 6 of the rail.

The housing base 3 is provided with a channel-like recess 7 which extends at right angles to the housing plane and in which the holding rail 2 lies. The holding rail 2 is flanked on one side by the snap slide 8 likewise lying in the recess 7. The snap-in slide 8 in the construction shown in FIG. 1 in particular as a slide carriage is equipped with two rear grip noses 9 arranged side by side and forming the slide sides.

The holding rail 2 is a so-called top hat rail. It can be mounted with its crosshead 10, for example on a housing wall 13 (FIG. 5). It contains two side webs 11, 12. The side webs 11, 12 of the holding rail 2 project in the snap-fixing position (FIG. 1, 2) in the direction of the narrow sides of the housing recess 7. In the installed position, the side bar 11 engages behind a housing projection 14. On the opposite side, the side bar 12 of the holding rail 2 is functionally assigned to the slide 8 or its rear grip nose 9. In the fixing position (FIG. 1, 2), in the area of the holding rail 2, the recess 7, through its narrow side with the housing projection 14, and the slider 8 through its rear grip lug 9 in cross-sectional shape effectively form the narrow sides of a trapezoid with the contact surface 15 for the side webs 11, 12 the holding rail 2 on the housing as a longer one 6 parallel side. Effectively, the cross-sectional shape of a dovetail is approximately present in the fixing position (FIG. 1, 2).

The slider 8 is guided in the direction of displacement 9 transversely to the longitudinal direction 6 of the rail on the device housing. Its immediate longitudinal guide 23, which is positioned on the right in the figures, contains a guide fit or slack, which enables a certain swiveling movement about a virtual axis running transversely to the housing plane. This pivoting mobility, which is ensured in addition to being displaceable in the longitudinal direction 16, is of essential importance for the pivotability of the slide 8 for blocking described in the release position described in detail below.

The snap slide 8 is acted upon on its rear side 17 facing away from the holding rail 2 by a feed spring 18 in the sliding direction 16 facing the holding rail 2. The spring 18 thereby permanently pushes the snap slide 8 out of its release position (FIGS. 3 to 5) into its fixing position (FIGS. 1 and 2). The rear grip or contact side 19 of the rear grip nose 9 facing the side web 12 of the holding rail 2 forms an acute angle 20 with the side web 12 (FIG. 5). This acute angle 20 enables the device 1 to be pivoted about an axis running approximately through the angle apex 21 and approximately parallel to the holding rail 2. In the area of this axis, the slider 8 contains a contact edge 22 (FIG. 2) which projects upward beyond the rear grip nose 9 and which has a cutting edge bearing which is effective with respect to the opposite edge on the side web 12 of the holding rail 2, also for the deflection movement of the slider 8 within its longitudinal guide, which is described in more detail below 23 (direction of displacement 16) on the device housing. 7 The slider 8 extends with a locking tongue 24 arranged above its rear grip lug 9 and located in the longitudinal direction 16 within the housing plane and extending approximately parallel to the housing base 3 or to the lower housing wall to a retaining rail 2 located in the vicinity of the housing projection 14 the opposite flanking housing area. In the fixing position (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the slide 8, the latching tongue 24 is at its end 25, that is to say, with the tip of the tongue, into a counter-guide 26 on the housing side, from which it is pulled out in the retracted release position of the slide 8 (FIGS. 3 to 5) is. Outside of the release position (FIGS. 3 to 5), the counter-guide 26 forms a longitudinal guide which is effective in addition to the “loose” longitudinal guide 23 for the slide 8. The counter-guide 26 also has a large lateral offset compared to the

Longitudinal guide 23 a special direction-stabilizing effectiveness. It does not have a loose fit in relation to the latching tongue end 25 in the same way as the longitudinal guide 23 with respect to the slide 8, because outside of the release position (FIGS. 3 to 5) of the slide 8, its pivoting mobility with respect to the device housing is not functionally necessary or not is desired.

When the slider 8 is pushed back into its release position (FIGS. 3 to 5), the latching tongue 24 lies with its tongue end 25 outside the counter-guide 26. In this position, the latching tongue 24 can be deflected counterclockwise downward into a position in which the tongue end 25 can be moved with it forming end wall 27 outside of the counter-guide 26 rests on a housing wall region located below the mouth 28 of the counter-guide 26 as a latching position. This latching position is limited at the bottom by the housing projection 14. Due to the long lever arm, which the latching tongue 24 forms with respect to the slide 8, a slight pivoting movement of the slide 8 with respect to its longitudinal guide 23 is sufficient to 8 to provide sufficient freedom of movement for functionality without additional structural measures.

A particular advantage of the construction according to the invention lies in the ease of handling both when loosening and when fixing the device 1 to or from the holding rail 2. In order to release the device 1 from its fixing position (FIG How to proceed: The device 1 is shifted to the left relative to the holding rail 2 with reference to FIG. As a result, the slide 8 is moved to the right into its extreme release position while the compression spring 18 is under tension. With this displacement, the tongue end 25 of the latching tongue 24 emerges from the counter-guide 26. If, in the ascending position reached, the tongue end 25 or, in the release position of the slider 8, the device 1 is pivoted slightly about clockwise (arrow direction 29) about an axis forming the angle apex 21, that is to say practically about the contact edge 22 of the slider 8 , the latching tongue 24 pivots slightly relative to the device housing. The tongue end 25 loses its overlap with the counter-guide 26. It lies on the housing projection 14 as a limit stop. This slight pivoting movement is caused by the fact that when the device 1 is pivoted in the direction of the arrow 29, the acute angle 20 between the side bar 12 and the rear side 19 of the rear nose 9 of the slider 8 becomes increasingly smaller until the slider 8 with its rear nose 9 on the underside of the side bar 12 of the support rail 2 strikes. This is the latest when the latching tongue 24 is pivoted downward into the support position on the housing projection 14

(FIG 3 to 5). In many cases, however, this stop between the engagement lug 9 and the side web 12 is not required, because only the frictional relationships between the side web 12 and the slide 8 or its contact edge 22 make such a carry-along 9 effect that is made possible by the loose in the longitudinal guide 23 relative to the slide 8.

In the release position 8 reached (FIGS. 3 and 5), the slide 8 is pushed back by the compression spring 18 from its extreme release position into an end position in which the latching tongue 24 with the end wall 27 of its tongue end 25 on the side wall of the recess located above the housing projection 14 7 abuts (FIG 4 to 5). This locking end position is maintained by the permanent spring pressure 18.

The device 1 can be detached from the holding rail 2 without hindrance by the side web 12 of the holding rail 2 being guided out of the rear grip position (FIG. 5) relative to the rear grip nose 9 of the slide 8 into a position in which the device 1 can be lifted freely from the holding rail 2 can be (FIG 4).

Not only the described release process from the holding rail 2 but also the fixing of the device 1 on the holding rail 2 is made considerably easier by the subject matter of the invention. In the initial position prepared for the fixation, the slide 8 is in its locked fixing position (FIGS. 4 and 5), in which the device can be placed on the holding rail 2 without hindrance. As well as the latching tongue 24 with the tongue end 25 strikes the side bar 11 of the holding rail 2, the latching tongue 24 is pressed against the direction of arrow 29 on the holding rail 2 by the side bar 11 from its latching position (FIG Overlap position pressed in with the counter-guide 26. As soon as the overlap position is reached, the tongue end 25 snaps into the counter-guide 26 under the spring pressure 18. As a result, the locking of the slide 8 is released and the slide 8 is pressed by the compression spring 18 into its fixing position (FIG 10 pressed the grip position opposite the side web 12 of the holding rail 2. This completes the fixing process. The particular advantage of the subject matter of the invention consists in the dispensability of any tool for both fixing and releasing the device 1 on or from the holding rail 2. The necessary movements are logical and therefore easy for the operator to understand.

Claims

11 claims

1. Modular device (1) with a device arranged on the device housing for snap fixing on a holding rail (2), the side webs (11, 12) in the fixing position on the one hand by a housing projection (14) and on the other hand by one on the outside of the device between one Release and a fixing position slidably mounted and in the direction of its fixing position a feed spring (18) spring-loaded slide (8) is under or behind, characterized,

- That the slide (8) in the pushed-back and thus released from its grip position by lifting the device (1) from the holding rail (2) can be deflected and locked to cancel its longitudinal mobility by the feed spring (18) in the direction of its fixing position on the device housing and

- That the blocking by a by placing the device (1) on the holding rail (2) effectable pivoting back of the slide (8) can be released, whereby the longitudinal mobility of the slide (8) is released towards its fixing position.

2. Device according to claim 1, g e k e n n z e i c h n e t d u r c h the housing level as the deflection level of the slide (8).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slide (8) for blocking its feed mobility by the spring pressure (feed spring 18) held in contact with the device housing and is thereby prevented from longitudinal movement in its fixing position. 12

4. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, that the slide (8) engages under the holding rail (2) in the fixing position with a rear grip nose (9), the rear grip side or contact side (19) of which is approximately an acute angle with the

The grip side of a side web (12) of the holding rail (2) forms.

5. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slide (8) at the rear end of its rear grip nose (9) has a contact edge (22) which projects beyond the rear grip side (19) and which is opposite the opposite edge of the holding rail (2) effective cutting edge bearing for the deflection of the slide (8) forms.

6. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

- That the slider (8) with a above its rear grip nose (9) arranged in the longitudinal direction (16) approximately parallel to the lower housing wall (3) extending latching tongue (24) up to one in the vicinity of the housing projection (14) , The holding rail (2) on the opposite side flanking the housing area and - that the locking tongue (24) in the fixing position of the slide (8) with its end (25) protrudes into a housing-side counter-guide (26) from which it is in the retracted release position of the slide (8) is pulled out.

7. Device according to one or more of the preceding

Claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

- That the latching tongue (24) can be deflected by deflecting the slide (8) pushed back into its release position from its overlapping position with the counter-guide (26) and under the spring pressure into a system effective as a blocking position 13 can be transferred to a housing wall area located outside, in particular below, the mouth (28) of the counter-guide (26).

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, dadurchgeken nz calibrates that the latching tongue (24) by placing the device (1) on the holding rail (2) in its overlap position with the counter-guide (26) can be pivoted back, from which it is under the spring pressure for fixing positioning of the slide (8) is immersed in the opposite guide.

9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, that the locking tongue (24) rests on the housing projection (14) as a pivoting movement stop in the pivoted-out blocking position.