Supports: cabinet structure – Knockdown or setup type – Skeletal frame
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-05-15
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Knockdown or setup type
Skeletal frame
C312S265100, C312S296000, C211S189000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231142
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a switch cabinet comprising a frame structure consisting of a plurality of interconnected frame profiles and cover elements attached thereto, such as side, door, top, rear wall or bottom elements, each frame profile comprising two spaced-apart sealing edges or surfaces which can each be pressed onto an associated cover element, the two sealing edges or surfaces dividing the outer surfaces of the frame profiles into a first side surface area assigned to the interior of the switch cabinet and into a second side surface area facing away from the interior of the switch cabinet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a switch cabinet structure is e.g. known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,319. It concerns a frame structure for a switch cabinet which consists of at least twelve interconnected frame legs of the same hollow profile. The hollow profile is here provided with rows of holes and has a substantially square cross-section. A straight leg is arranged in extension of the one side edge of the hollow profile and presses against a seal, for instance, of a door. An L-shaped leg is arranged in extension of the other side surface of the hollow profile, which is arranged perpendicular to the first surface, with the one L-leg pressing against a side cover element with a seal being interposed. The various outwardly arranged elements are mounted on the hollow profile by means of screws which are inserted through openings on the inside of the hollow profile and are arranged with their heads in the interior of the hollow profile. The L-leg comprises recesses at specific places in order to position connection sleeves of the cover elements. However, the openings for putting screws therethrough are fixedly predetermined only at specific places because a respective sealing must be provided for at said places. The flexibility as to the mounting of outer elements is thereby influenced considerably.
A frame structure consisting of profile bars, in particular, for a switch cabinet is described in DE 4036664 A1. The tubularly closed hollow profiles comprise an L-shaped wall section oriented towards the interior of the switch cabinet and an outwardly oriented wall section stepped in the form of a W. Flanges are provided at the points of intersection of the two wall sections. One of the flanges is supplemented by a double-folded web. Both on its inner wall portion and on its outer wall portion, the hollow profile comprises penetrations or holes which are used for the most different elements to be fastened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,115 discloses a frame leg for a frame structure of a switch cabinet. Said frame leg is made from two interconnected profile sheets. The hollow profile has a substantially triangular shape, with a bent web being formed at the point of connection of the two sheets. The one wall of the hollow profile is completely closed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a switch cabinet of the abovementioned type which is flexible as to the arrangement of outwardly mounted cover elements.
According to the invention this object is achieved in that the second side surface area at least of the vertical frame profiles is completely closed towards the interior of the switch cabinet and comprises at least one laterally projecting fastening web which longitudinally extends between the sealing edges or surfaces and is provided with a row of holes and which is arranged on the outside of the second side surface area which faces away from the interior of the switch cabinet, the cover elements being fastened to the fastening web outside the interior of the switch cabinet without any penetration of the wall of the frame profiles towards the interior of the switch cabinet.
To fasten the cover elements, there are fastening webs which are specifically provided for said purpose and assigned to the second side surface area. This also means that a predetermined row of holes which are e.g. arranged at a predetermined constant distance can be arranged therein without any sealing problems. The provision of a great number of fastening possibilities is of particular advantage to a flexible mounting of cover elements because of the fact that a sealing is no longer required. The openings which have so far been used for mounting purposes were partly produced during assembly so that a passage to the interior of the switch cabinet only existed at said places and the sealing action was simplified. The arrangement of the fastening web between the sealing edges or surfaces also simplifies the mounting process because the sealing edges or surfaces themselves are not penetrated by a fastening element, as is e.g. the case with the L-leg of DE 33 44 598 C1. Although it may happen that by reason of special models or for the mounting of corner connectors some penetrations are arranged in isolated fashion in the frame profile, it is preferred when the second side surface area is completely closed towards the interior of the switch cabinet.
It is of particular importance that the fastening means for the cover elements do not extend through the second side surface area towards the interior of the switch cabinet but are mounted by means of the row of holes on the fastening web.
The fastening web may be arranged substantially in parallel with the associated cover element attached thereto so that the fastening web can also serve as a large contact surface.
To be able to mount cover elements arranged perpendicular to one another in an identical manner over a surface which is as large as possible, two fastening webs are preferably arranged on the second side surface area at a distance from and a right angle to each other. When the entire frame structure is viewed, the fastening legs can form a large-surface fastening frame at each side, the frame considerably simplifying a mounting of the cover elements. Since a sealing is not needed at said fastening points, an exactly defined contact of the cover elements is established with the fastening webs so that a sealing operation can be performed at another place with an exactly predetermined preload and thus with a predeterminable pressing operation against a seal.
Since the frame profiles are made accessible from one side in a particularly satisfactory manner, two fastening webs can be arranged on the side surface area at a distance from and in parallel with each other. Such a configuration is in particular suited for switch cabinets which are arranged in alcoves, as the accces for mounting the fastening means from the access side is thereby made easier.
In a very compact constructional form of the frame profiles, the fastening web has an L-shape when viewed in cross section, the first L-leg being substantially arranged at a right angle relative to a second L-leg. Each L-leg can then be provided with a row of holes of its own, so that a single fastening web is sufficient for a fastening in two planes.
In a further embodiment, the fastening web is arranged at a distance from a closed wall section of the second side surface area in such a manner that an insertion groove in which the row of holes terminates laterally is formed at the side of the fastening web which faces away from a mountable cover element. The insertion groove may be used for receiving a screw head or a nut or any other specifically formed fastening element, so that the cover elements can easily be mounted from the outside of the frame structure without any access from the interior of the switch cabinet being required. Although the use of standard nuts is of course preferred, the insertion groove may have arranged therein a nut element which is arranged in a special manner and held in the insertion groove such that it cannot be rotated, and which can be accessed via a hole of the row of holes. A tight screwing can then be performed from the outside without an access to the nut element being required.
For reasons of stability and low weight, it is preferred when at least one frame profile is formed from a hollow tubular profile and when the at least one faste
Hansen James O.
Skeppner Hans
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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