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EP-4289030-B1 - SOCKET HOUSING, METHOD FOR OPERATING A SOCKET HOUSING

EP4289030B1EP 4289030 B1EP4289030 B1EP 4289030B1EP-4289030-B1

Inventors

  • ELBERT, Patrick
  • BROMMER, STEFAN

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220128

Claims (20)

  1. A socket housing (1) - including an at least partially closed housing (2), said housing (2) having at least one interior space accommodating at least one plug socket (8) and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch, at least one side of the housing (2) having a cover (3) arranged thereon which covers an interior space and is provided with at least one opening (4) that may be closed by a closure (5), at least one opening (4) having a locking position in which said opening (4) is closed and a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible, and the cover (3) and/or at least one closure (5) for giving access to, or for closing off, at least one opening (4) being movably arranged on said side of the housing (2), - including at least one operating device (6) by means of which at least one closure (5) may be moved directly or indirectly from a closure position in which said opening (4) is closed into a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible or, vice versa, from a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible into a closure position in which said opening (4) is closed, characterised in that the cover (3) and/or a plug socket housing (47) for at least one plug socket (8) arranged in an interior space and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch, or said cover (3) and at least one closure (5) are arranged on said side of the housing (2) in such a manner as to be rotatable in at least one sense of rotation about a rotation axis that is oriented towards said interior space, and in that the socket housing (1) has at least one drive mechanism that assists the rotary movement of the cover (3) and/or the plug socket housing (47), or of the cover (3) and said at least one closure (5) in at least one sense of rotation during release and close-off operations of at least one opening (4).
  2. The socket housing (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least one drive mechanism is a spring mechanism or an electric drive.
  3. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the socket housing (1) is a multiple plug socket housing, a surface-mounted socket housing or a flush-mounted socket housing.
  4. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of rotation of the cover (3) and/or of at least one closure (5) is oriented perpendicularly with respect to the interior space.
  5. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (3) and/or at least one closure (5) may be rotated in one sense of rotation or in both senses of rotation by means of at least one drive mechanism.
  6. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (3) and/or at least one closure (5) may be manually rotated in one sense of rotation or in both senses of rotation.
  7. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the socket housing (1) is provided with at least one stop for the purpose of limiting the scope of rotation.
  8. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one drive mechanism is arranged on said side of the housing (2) in a central position or an out-of-centre position.
  9. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (3) is formed as a single piece and is connected to the housing (2) by means of at least one locking device (21) while the rotatability of said cover (3) is still maintained, and/or the cover (3) is in a multi-part design and at least one part of the cover (3) is connected to the housing (2) by means of at least one locking device (21) while the rotatability of the cover (3) is still maintained.
  10. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (3) has a cover disc (9) and/or a guide.
  11. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one plug socket (8) and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch are configured as changeable inserts.
  12. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one closure (5) of an opening (4) is arranged on the housing (2).
  13. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one closure (5) and/or at least one operating device (6) are provided with a spring.
  14. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one operating device (6) is arranged at least partially outside the housing (2) and/or in that at least one operating device (6) protrudes at least partially from a top surface of the cover (3) facing away from the interior space.
  15. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one interior space has a plug socket housing (47) for accommodating at least one plug socket (8) and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch arranged therein.
  16. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plug socket housing (47) is connected to at least one rotatable closure (5).
  17. The socket housing (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the socket housing (1) has a small installation depth, in particular an installation depth of 40 mm.
  18. A method of operating a socket housing (1) which has an at least partially closed housing (2) and at least one operating device (6), said housing (2) having at least one interior space accommodating at least one plug socket (8) and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch, at least one side of the housing (2) having a cover (3) arranged thereon which covers an interior space and is provided with at least one opening (4) that may be closed by a closure (5), at least one opening (4) having a locking position in which said opening (4) is closed and a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible, and the cover (3) and/or at least one closure (5) for giving access to, or for closing off, at least one opening (4) being movably arranged on said side of the housing (2), and an actuation of at least one operating device (6) will move at least one closure (5) directly or indirectly from a closure position in which said opening (4) is closed into a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible or, vice versa, from a release position in which said opening (4) is accessible into a closure position in which said opening (4) is closed, characterised in that the cover (3) and/or a plug socket housing (47) for at least one plug socket (8) arranged in an interior space and/or at least one information socket and/or at least one switch, or said cover (3) and at least one closure (5) are arranged on said side of the housing (2) in such a manner as to be rotatable in at least one sense of rotation about a rotation axis that is oriented towards said interior space, and in that the socket housing (1) has at least one drive mechanism that assists at least temporarily the rotary movement of the cover (3) and/or the plug socket housing (47), or of the cover (3) and said at least one closure (5) in at least one sense of rotation during release and close-off operations of at least one opening (4).
  19. The method as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that when the cover (3) and/or the plug socket housing (47) or said cover (3) and at least one closure (5) are moved, at least one drive mechanism is at least partially tensioned or at least partially untensioned.
  20. The method as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, characterised in that after the initial actuation of the operating device (6), by which the cover (3) and/or the plug socket housing (47) or said cover (3) and at least one closure (5) are moved in one sense of rotation, at least one renewed actuation of the operating device (6) will cause the cover (3) and/or the plug socket housing (47) or said cover (3) and at least one closure (5) to be moved in the same sense of rotation.

Description

State of the art The invention relates to a can housing according to the preamble of claim 1, and a method for operating a can housing according to the preamble of claim 18. Electrical box housings come in a wide variety of designs. Known in the art are, in particular, multi-socket housings for wired multiple sockets, surface-mounted housings, and flush-mounted housings for installation in walls, floors, ceilings, and/or furniture, such as worktops, especially kitchen worktops. Electrical box housings can be equipped with various features, including at least one socket, at least one data connection, and/or at least one switch. Sockets also come in different designs, such as those with enhanced contact protection or with a plug insertion aid that facilitates insertion. This aid allows the correct insertion position to be determined by inserting the plug into the socket and twisting it within the socket until the plug's contact pins engage in the socket's contact openings. These socket housings, and especially the recessed housings, which are also called recessed sockets and are installed, for example, in a kitchen countertop, have the disadvantage that dirt, foreign objects or moisture could penetrate into the upward-facing socket housing if no plug is inserted in the socket. Therefore, the disclosure document states DE 10 2004 051 064 A1 and the utility model DE 20 2015 103 222 U1 A device has been proposed that serves to hold at least one socket insert and can be closed with a lid. A disadvantage is that the lid can be opened at any time and does not seal tightly. In the disclosure document DE 24 58 243 A1 This document describes a protective device for installation components, particularly electrical installation components such as sockets, switches, and the like. The protective device features a cover flap that conceals the installation components, rendering them inaccessible. A rotatable cover plate is attached to the cover flap, incorporating a safety latch that restricts the cover flap's opening to a specific position. A disadvantage is that the cover flap pivots upwards to open, and because it protrudes beyond the other components in the open position, it may obstruct access. In the patent specification DE 10 2007 063 585 B4 This describes a socket outlet featuring a locking mechanism integrated into a front panel, consisting of several locking elements. These locking elements are movably arranged via a fixed bearing, with the movement occurring radially inwards or outwards relative to the center of the front panel. The advantage of this design is that the front panel can be made very flat. However, the increased design complexity is a disadvantage. The designs described in the utility model specification are also structurally complex. DE 202 09 189 U1 , patent specification US 6 542 218 B1 and the utility model specification DE 93 15 394 U1 described lockable sockets. From the patent specification DE 10 2012 025 533 B4 A built-in housing for installation in a piece of furniture, a wall, a floor and/or a ceiling is known, which has at least one interior space bounded by a housing wall, in which at least one electrical outlet, at least one information connection and/or at least one The switch is housed within a cover enclosing the interior, which has at least one opening that can be closed by a latch. The cover is movably mounted on the housing wall so that, when the latch is unlocked, the cover can rotate about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the interior. A disadvantage of this design is that the user must possess a certain degree of manual dexterity to simultaneously rotate the cover while pressing the release button. From the disclosure document DE 10 2018 009 948 A1 A built-in housing is known which, for releasing sockets, has an operating button of a control device arranged centrally between the lockable sockets, by which a lock can be rotated. A disadvantage here is the risk of injury to the user associated with rotating the lock. The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a can housing that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and a method for operating a can housing that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The invention and its advantages The can housing according to the invention, with the features of claim 1, and the method according to the invention for operating a can housing, with the features of claim 18, have the advantage that the can housing according to the invention has an at least partially closed housing and at least one operating device, wherein the housing has at least one interior space in which at least one socket, at least one information connection and/or at least one switch is housed, wherein a cover is arranged on at least one side of the housing, which covers an interior space and which has at least one opening that can be closed by a closure, wherein at least one opening has a locking position and a release position, and where