EP0670613B1 - Electrical apparatus, comprising a device mounted in a waterproof housing, having a cover and a lid - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical equipment has a flap seal (19) which extends on to the upper surface of the cover (16) and the seal (17) between the cover and the casing is supported on the cover. The cover has a passage (34) to allow the seals to be moulded in a single piece. The cover has a collar (24) around a well (25) at the bottom (26) of which is the mechanism. The seal extends in contact with the collar as far as its base. The cover and flap seals are connected by a bridge (40) which corresponds to the lower surface of the cover and by a skirt (38) along its inner side. Closure holes in the cover for screws or whatever are individually sealed.

Description

The present invention relates generally to electrical devices whose mechanism is housed in a sealed housing because they are normally intended to be implemented in a humid atmosphere.

It relates more particularly to those of these electrical appliances whose casing comprises, overall, a casing body, which contains their mechanism and in which the wiring thereof is carried out, a cover, which closes the casing body while leaving access to the mechanism, a first seal, said below for simple convenience cover seal, which is inserted between the cover and the housing body, a flap, which is articulated to the cover, to cover the part at least of the latter concerned by the mechanism, and a second seal, said below for simple convenience, flap seal, which intervenes between the flap and the cover when the flap is folded over the cover. Such an electrical device is known from DE-C-903357.

In the case of, for example, a socket outlet, the flap advantageously protects this socket, and therefore the underlying mechanism, when no socket plug is plugged in.

To date, the shutter seal is in itself a separate part, which, for its realization, requires a specific operation, and which must then be attached to the assembly.

For example, and this is the most frequent case, in particular when the cover projects on its upper surface a flange belonging to a well beyond the bottom of which the mechanism intervenes, the flap seal is attached by gluing to the flap , for cooperation with the edge of the cover flange.

Besides that, for its installation, this flap joint requires a non-negligible time prejudicial to the cost price of the assembly, its assembly with the flap is in practice frequently poorly controlled, in particular because the deposit of prior adhesive is always done more or less random.

This results in both poor performance of this flap seal on the flap and a more or less precarious seal. between it and the cover at rest.

Disadvantages of the same type are found substantially when, as a variant, the flap seal is attached to the cover instead of being attached to the flap.

The present invention generally relates to a provision which makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks and which also leads to other advantages.

More specifically, it relates to any electrical appliance of the kind comprising, for housing any mechanism, a housing body, a cover which closes the housing body while leaving access to the mechanism, a first gasket sealing, here called cover seal, which is inserted between the cover and the housing body, a flap, which is articulated to the cover, to cover at rest the at least part thereof concerned by the mechanism, and a second seal sealing, here called flap gasket, which intervenes between the flap and the cover when the flap is folded over the cover, this electrical device being generally characterized in that, jointly, on the one hand, the gasket flap extends to the upper surface of the cover and the cover seal is carried by the latter, and, on the other hand, the flap seal is integral with the cover seal, forming by molding one and the same part therewith, the cover being traversed right through by at least one passage through which the flap seal is in continuity with the cover seal.

In practice, and preferably, the cover, on the one hand, and the flap and cover seals that it carries, on the other hand, result jointly from a two-material molding.

Anyway, molded with the cover gasket, the flap gasket advantageously does not require any particular operation, either for its production or for its assembly.

In addition, this shutter seal being in a way trapped in the cover in the manner of an insert, its assembly with this cover is perfectly controlled, for the benefit of its behavior and the desired tightness.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un appareil électrique suivant l'invention, pour la position rabattue, de repos, du volet qu'il comporte ;
• la figure 2 en est une vue en perspective, pour la position ouverte, de service, de ce volet ;
• la figure 3 est, à échelle supérieure, une vue en plan du couvercle sur lequel est articulé ce volet, suivant la flèche III de la figure 2 ;
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en coupe transversale de ce couvercle, suivant chacune respectivement les lignes IV-IV, qui est une ligne droite, et V-V, qui est une ligne brisée, de la figure 3 ;
• les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues partielles en coupe transversale de ce couvercle qui reprennent, chacune respectivement, à échelle supérieure, les détails de la figure 4 repérés par des encarts VI et VII sur cette figure 4 ;
• la figure 8 est, à l'échelle des figures 6 et 7, une autre vue partielle en coupe transversale du couvercle, suivant la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 9 est une vue de dessous de ce couvercle, suivant la flèche IX de la figure 4 ;
• la figure 10 en est une vue en coupe transversale, suivant la ligne X-X de la figure 9 ;
• les figures 11 et 12 en sont des vues partielles en coupe transversale, suivant, chacune respectivement, les lignes XI-XI et XII-XII de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 13 est une vue en plan qui, analogue à celle de la figure 3, concerne le couvercle d'un autre appareil électrique suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 14 est une vue partielle en coupe transversale de ce couvercle, suivant la ligne XIV-XIV de la figure 13.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrical device according to the invention, for the folded position, at rest, of the flap which it comprises;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view, for the open position, service, this component;
• Figure 3 is, on a larger scale, a plan view of the cover on which this flap is articulated, along arrow III of Figure 2;
• Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of this cover, each respectively along lines IV-IV, which is a straight line, and VV, which is a broken line, of Figure 3;
• Figures 6 and 7 are partial cross-sectional views of this cover which each take up, respectively, on a larger scale, the details of Figure 4 identified by inserts VI and VII in this Figure 4;
• Figure 8 is, on the scale of Figures 6 and 7, another partial view in cross section of the cover, along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 3;
• Figure 9 is a bottom view of this cover, according to arrow IX of Figure 4;
• Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line XX of Figure 9;
• Figures 11 and 12 are partial views in cross section, each along lines XI-XI and XII-XII respectively of Figure 3;
• Figure 13 is a plan view which, similar to that of Figure 3, relates to the cover of another electrical device according to the invention;
• FIG. 14 is a partial view in cross section of this cover, along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

As illustrated in these figures, an electrical device 10 according to the invention has its mechanism 11 housed in a sealed housing 12.

In Figures 1 to 12, it is, by way of example, a socket outlet.

The mechanism 11 of such an electrical device being well known in itself, and not per se falling under the present invention, it will not be described here.

It is also only schematically partially, and in broken lines, in Figure 4, with, in solid line in Figure 2, the pin 13 forming its earth member in the embodiment envisaged.

For example, and as shown, the housing 12 is generally parallelepipedic, with, in plan, a generally square contour.

In a manner known per se, this housing 12 comprises a housing body 15, which allows the housing of the mechanism 11 and the connection to the latter of the electrical conductors, not shown, necessary for its service, a cover 16, which closes the body housing 15 while leaving access to the mechanism 11, a first seal 17, said here for convenience, cover seal, which, according to arrangements described in more detail later, is inserted between the cover 16 and the housing body 15, a flap 18, which is articulated to the cover 16, to cover, at rest, at least the part of it concerned by the mechanism 11, and a second seal 19, said here for simple convenience flap seal , which, according to methods also described in more detail later, intervenes between the shutter 18 and the cover 16 when, as shown in FIG. 1, the shutter 18 is folded over the cover 16.

In the embodiment shown, the cover 16 closes the housing body 15 at full section, and, on the contrary, the flap 18 only corresponds to a portion of the corresponding section, the cover 16 forming, in front of this flap 18, a step 20 facilitating the gripping thereof when it is in the folded position.

In the embodiment shown, the cover 16 has, laterally, projecting from its upper surface, two flanges 22, which extend perpendicular to the step 20, starting from the latter, and which, at their end opposite to this step 20, each respectively forms two openings 23 for which the flap 18 is articulated.

It further has, projecting from its upper surface, in the central region thereof, a flange 24 belonging to a well 25 beyond the bottom 26 of which the mechanism 11 intervenes, this bottom 26 comprising, on the one hand , holes 27 giving access to the cells of this mechanism 11, and, on the other hand, a bore 28 specific to the passage of the pin 13 forming the earth member thereof.

In practice, this flange 24 has, in plan, a circular outline.

In the embodiment shown, the cover 16 further comprises, at its periphery, a dropped edge 30, which extends over its entire perimeter, and with which the preceding flanges 22 are each respectively locally in continuity.

The cover 16 comprises, finally, at least one bore 31, which passes right through it, for the passage of any closure member, such as screw 32, Figure 2, or the like.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, two holes 31 are provided, in positions diagonally opposite one with respect to the other on either side of the well 25.

The foregoing provisions being well known in themselves, and not directly pertaining to the present invention, they will not be described in more detail here.

According to the invention, and jointly, on the one hand, the flap seal 19 extends to the upper surface of the cover 16 and the cover seal 17 is carried by the latter, and, on the other hand, the seal flap 19 is in one piece with the cover gasket 17, forming by molding a single and same part with the latter, the cover 16 being traversed right through by at least one passage 34, FIG. 6, through which the flap seal 19 is in continuity with the cover seal 17.

In the embodiment shown, the cover gasket 17, which extends annularly around the axis of the assembly, and which, in cross section, can have any profile, is embedded in the cover 16 in favor a recess 35 cutting the edge 36 of its fallen edge 30 and its inner surface.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, this cover gasket 17, which will not be described in more detail here, is in one piece with a skirt 38 which internally lines the fallen edge 30 of the cover 16 over the entire height. from this fallen edge 30.

In practice, the flap seal 19 extends annularly around the flange 24 of the cover 16, away from the holes 31 of the latter, leaving these holes 31 outside its outer contour.

More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the flap seal 19 extends in contact with the flange 24, by encircling the latter from its base, that is to say from the upper surface of the cover 16.

Like the flange 24, it therefore has, in plan, a circular contour.

More precisely, again, in the embodiment shown, the flap gasket 19 extends over almost the entire height of the flange 24, by being fitted thereon by means of a recess 39 cutting into its edge and its outer surface.

In practice, the flap seal 19 is in continuity with the cover seal 17 by at least one bridge 40 which, in one piece with this flap seal 19, thanks to the corresponding passage 34 of the cover 16, s' extends to the lower surface of the cover 16 from this passage 34.

In the embodiment shown, a single passage 34 is provided, and, for this, a single bridge 40.

In practice, this bridge 40 extends radially with respect to the well 25, between the passage 34 and the skirt 38, and it is integral with it.

Independently of the passage 34 which connects the shutter seal 19 to the cover seal 17, and at a distance from this passage 34, the cover 16 is, in the embodiment shown, traversed right through by at least one other passage 34 ' by which the flap gasket 19 is in continuity with an anchoring stud 42 which, of larger dimensions, in plan, than those of this passage 34 ', extends to the lower surface of the cover 16, to strengthen the holding of this flap seal 19 thereon.

In practice, a single passage 34 'is provided in this embodiment, and, therefore, a single anchoring stud 42, flush with the well 25, and in a position diagonally opposite to that of the passage 34 relative to the latter. .

In the embodiment shown, each of the holes 31 of the cover 16 is individually surrounded by a specific seal 44, said below for simple convenience, seal, which, if desired, and as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9 , can also be in continuity with the cover gasket 17, being connected in one piece by a bridge 45 thereto.

Finally, independently of the flap seal 19, and at a distance from it, the cover 16 has, on its upper surface, in the embodiment shown, at least one braking block 50 which is intended to cooperate in friction with a fallen edge 51 of the flap 18, for retaining the latter in the folded-down position, and which, by a passage 34 "passing right through the cover 16, is in continuity with the cover gasket 17, by the intermediate of the skirt 38.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, two brake blocks 50 are thus provided, at the ends, each respectively, of the flanges 22 of the cover 16, on the side of the step 20 thereof, and each of them is protected by a hook-shaped lug 53 which, coming in one piece from the upper surface of the cover 16, leaves it released laterally for cooperation with the fallen edge 51 correspondent for section 18.

In practice, the cover 16, on the one hand, and the flap 19 and cover 17 seals that it carries, on the other hand, result jointly from a bi-material molding.

As an indication, in FIGS. 9 and 10, the injection point P1 of the material, relatively rigid, constituting the cover 16, and the injection point P2 of that, more flexible, constituting the flap seals, are identified. 19 and cover 17.

In practice, they operate on the back of the bottom 26 of the well 25, the injection point P2 being connected by a bridge 40 'to the skirt 38.

As indicated, the drilling joints 44 can also result from this two-material molding.

In the embodiment shown, the flap 18, meanwhile, has, projecting from its lower surface, for cooperation with the flap gasket 19 carried by the cover 16, a flange 55 whose outline, in plan, is the image of that of this flap seal 19.

In the embodiment shown, this collar 55 therefore has a circular outline in plan.

In practice, for cooperation with this flange 55, the flap seal 19 has, at the outer periphery of its edge, in the embodiment shown, a step 56.

As a variant of the above, FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate, by way of example, the application of the invention to an electrical appliance 10 other than a socket outlet.

It can for example be a switch, a back-and-forth or a push-button.

In the embodiment shown, the cover 16 comprises, in this case, instead of the well 25, a central recess 25 ′, for the implantation of the corresponding mechanism 11.

As before, the flap seal 19 extends annularly around this central recess 25 ', and, according to arrangements of the type described above, it is continuous with the corresponding cover seal, not visible on the figures.

However, in the embodiment shown, this flap seal 19 bypasses by its internal contour the holes 31 that the cover 16 comprises.

There is thus no need to provide any specific drilling joints for these holes 31.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and / or to the applications described and shown, but encompasses any variant and / or combination of their various elements, within the limits set by the claims.

Claims (14)

1. Electrical apparatus of the kind comprising, for housing any mechanism (11), a casing body (15), a cover (16) which closes the casing body (15) while allowing access to the mechanism (11), a first seal (17), referred to hereinafter as the cover seal, which is inserted between the cover (16) and the casing body (15), a shutter flap (18) which is pivoted to the cover (16) to cover the part at least thereof which is affected by the mechanism (11), and a second seal (19), referred to hereinafter as the shutter flap seal, which is disposed between the flap (18) and the cover (16) when the shutter flap (18) is shut down on to the cover (16), characterised in that conjointly on the one hand the shutter flap seal (19) extends at the upper surface of the cover (16) and the cover seal (17) is carried by the latter and, on the other hand, the shutter flap seal (19) is in one piece with the cover seal (17), forming one and the same component therewith by moulding, at least one passage (34) extending through the cover (16) from one side thereof to the other, the shutter flap seal (19) being in a condition of continuity with the cover seal (17) by way of the passage.
2. Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that, the cover (16) comprising in projecting relationship on its upper surface a collar portion (24) belonging to a well (25), beyond the bottom (26) of which is disposed the mechanism (11), the shutter flap seal (19) extends annularly around said collar portion (24).
3. Electrical apparatus according to claim 2 characterised in that the shutter flap seal (19) extends in contact with the collar portion (24), surrounding same as from its base.
4. Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that, the cover (16) comprising a central opening (25' ) for installation of the mechanism (11), the shutter flap seal (19) extends annularly around said central opening (25').
5. Electrical apparatus according to either one of claims 2 and 4 characterised in that, the cover (16) comprising at least one aperture (31) which passes through it from one side to the other, the shutter flap seal (19) extends at a spacing from said aperture (31), leaving same on the outside of its external contour.
6. Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 characterised in that said aperture (31) is individually surrounded by a specific seal (44) or aperture seal.
7. Electrical apparatus according to either one of claims 2 and 4 characterised in that, the cover (16) comprising at least one aperture (31) which passes through it from one side thereof to the other, the shutter flap seal (19) passes around said aperture (31) by means of its internal contour.
8. Electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that the shutter flap seal (19) is in a condition of continuity with the cover seal (17) by means of at least one bridge (40) which, in one piece with said shutter flap seal (19), by virtue of the corresponding passage (34) of the cover (16), extends to the lower surface of said cover (16) from said passage (34).
9. Electrical apparatus according to claim 8 characterised in that, the cover (16) comprising a flanged edge (30) at its periphery, the cover seal (17) is in one piece with a skirt (38) which internally lines said flanged edge (30), and the bridge (40) which connects it to the shutter flap seal (19) extends between the passage (34) of the cover (16) and said skirt (38).
10. Electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterise din that, independently of the passage (34) which connects the shutter flap seal (19) to the cover seal (17) and at a spacing from said passage (34), at least one other passage (34') passes through the cover (16) from one side thereof to the other, by way of which other passage the shutter flap seal (19) is in a condition of continuity with an anchoring peg (42) which, of dimensions which are larger in plan than those of said passage (34'), extends at the lower surface of the cover (16).
11. Electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterised in that, for co-operating with the shutter flap seal (19) carried by the cover (16), the shutter flap (18) has in projecting relationship on its lower surface a collar portion (55) whose contour in plan is in the image of that of said shutter flap seal (19).
12. Electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 characterised in that, independently of the shutter flap seal (19) and at a spacing therefrom, the cover (16) is provided on its upper surface with at least one braking block (50) which is intended to co-operate in frictional engagement with a flanged edge (51) of the shutter flap (18) for retaining same and which by way of a passage (34") which passess through the cover (16) from one side thereof to the other is in a condition of continuity with the cover seal (17).
13. Electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterised in that the cover (16) on the one hand and the shutter flap and cover seals (19 and 17 respectively) which it carries on the other hand result conjointly from a two-material moulding procedure.
14. Electrical apparatus according to claim 6 characterised in that the aperture seal (44) is also in a condition of continuity with the cover seal (17), being connected in one piece by means of a bridge (45) thereto.

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