Abstract:
An electric device assembly has a frame housing provided with electric connectors and an assembly housing containing electric and/or electronic components and adapted to be inserted into the frame housing. A plug connector that has at least one contact tube and at least one contact pin engaging the at least one contact tube is provided. A lock system acting on the plug connector has an actuator that is pivotable about a pivot axis. The actuator is non-detachably secured on the frame housing by a blocking device. The blocking device has a blocking member arranged on a support wall of the frame housing. The blocking member engages a blocking member receptacle that is disposed on the actuator. The actuator is pivotably connected to the support wall by a bearing part received in a bearing receptacle in the support wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to an electric device assembly with an assembly housing that contains electric and/or electronic components and is insertable into a frame housing. 
         [0002]    It is an object of the present invention to further develop an electric device assembly of the aforementioned kind in such a way that with simple means a risk-free and safe exchange of the assembly housing is possible without having to switch off beforehand the operating device, or parts thereof, or to separate electric connecting lines. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the electric device assembly comprises a frame housing that has electric connectors, an assembly housing that contains electric and/or electronic components and is insertable into the frame housing, a plug connector that is provided with at least one contact tube and at least one contact pin engaging the contact tube, and a lock system that acts on the plug connector and comprises an actuator that is pivotable about a pivot axis. 
         [0004]    In a preferred embodiment, the contact pin is correlated with a plug that is arranged on the bottom side of the assembly housing that is facing the frame housing. 
         [0005]    The contact pin is surrounded by a circumferential wall of the plug that is arranged at a spacing to the contact pin. 
         [0006]    The plug with the circumferential wall has an approximately rectangular shape in cross-section. 
         [0007]    The contact pin of the plug is correlated with the electric or electronic components of the assembly housing. 
         [0008]    The contact tube is correlated with a plug receptacle that is arranged on the topside of the frame housing that is facing the assembly housing. 
         [0009]    The contact tube of the plug receptacle is surrounded by a boundary wall. 
         [0010]    The plug receptacle with the boundary wall has in cross-section an approximately rectangular shape. 
         [0011]    The contact tube of the plug receptacle is correlated with electric supply lines and electric outgoing lines. 
         [0012]    The contact tube its arranged in an electrically non-conducting insulating body. 
         [0013]    The insulating body with the contact tube is floatingly supported in the plug receptacle. 
         [0014]    The insulating body comprises an insertion part that projects past the tube opening of the contact tube and has an insertion bore for the contact pin. 
         [0015]    The insertion bore in the insertion part of the insulating body has a diameter that is slightly greater than the diameter of the contact pin. 
         [0016]    Between the circumferential surface of the contact pin and the inner surface of the insertion bore a spark ignition-proof or flame-proof explosion protection gap is formed that fulfills the regulations of explosion protection. 
         [0017]    The circumferential wall of the plug engages a slot-shaped cutout of the plug receptacle. 
         [0018]    The frame housing has at least one support wall that rests against a sidewall of the assembly housing. 
         [0019]    On the sidewall of the assembly housing at least one stay is arranged that is guided within a longitudinal groove that extends in the insertion direction of the assembly housing and is formed within the support wall of the frame housing. 
         [0020]    The actuator of the lock system is secured on the frame housing by a blocking device in a non-releasable way, wherein the blocking device comprises a blocking member that is preferably formed on the support wall and engages a blocking member receptacle formed on the actuator. 
         [0021]    The actuator of the lock system is pivotably supported on the support wall of the frame housing. 
         [0022]    The pivotable connection of the actuator comprises at least one bearing part that is arranged in a bearing receptacle. 
         [0023]    The bearing part is provided on the actuator and the bearing receptacle is provided in the support wall of the frame housing. 
         [0024]    The lock system of the plug connector comprises at least one locking pin that engages an approximately semi-circular guide groove. 
         [0025]    The locking pin is provided on the sidewall of the assembly housing and the guide groove is formed in the bearing part of the actuator. 
         [0026]    The part-circular guide groove extends from an insertion opening that is provided on the circumferential rim of the bearing part approximately radially in the direction toward the pivot axis of the actuator. 
         [0027]    The bearing receptacle in the support wall of the frame housing has an inlet opening for the locking pin which inlet opening, when the actuator is pivoted into a release position, is aligned with the insertion opening of the guide groove. 
         [0028]    When the locking pin is inserted into the inlet opening and into the insertion opening of the guide groove, the assembly housing is moveable in the direction against the frame housing exclusively by pivoting the actuator. 
         [0029]    After insertion of the locking pin into the insertion opening and a minimal pivoting of the actuator in the direction toward the locked position, the locking pin is positive-lockingly secured in the guide groove to prevent the locking pin from sliding out of the insertion opening of the guide groove. 
         [0030]    After insertion of the locking pin into the insertion opening and minimal pivoting of the actuator in the direction toward the locked position, between the contact pin and the contact tube in the insulation body a minimum contact spacing is provided that fulfills the regulations of explosion protection. 
         [0031]    After insertion of the locking pin into the insertion opening and pivoting of the actuator into the locked position, the contact pin engages the contact tube. 
         [0032]    The actuator is secured in the locked position by an abutment that impacts on a locking cam to prevent accidental return pivoting into the release position. 
         [0033]    The frame housing is detachably secured by means of a movably supported locking device on a support rail in the form of a cap rail or top hat rail that is in cross-section approximately U-shaped. 
         [0034]    The locking device in the locked position of the actuator is secured against accidental movement by a locking edge resting against a locking edge of the actuator. 
         [0035]    The oppositely positioned sidewalls of the assembly housing each are provided with a locking pin and a stay and the frame housing has two parallel and spaced apart support walls that each have a bearing receptacle with an inlet opening as well as a locking cam, a longitudinal groove, and a blocking member. The two support walls are connected by means of an end wall. The actuator is provided with two legs and a grip part connecting the two legs so that the actuator is an approximately U-shaped bracket. The two legs each are provided with a bearing part with guide groove and insertion opening; an abutment; a looking edge; 
         [0036]    and a blocking member receptacle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the electric device assembly according to the invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 1  in a first mounting position, partially in section view. 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 2  in a section view. 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 1  in a second mounting position in a view similar to  FIG. 2 , partially in section view. 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 4  in a further mounting position, partially in section view. 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 5  in a section view. 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  shows a detail view of the plug connector according to the detail VII of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  shows the device assembly of  FIG. 4  in the completed assembled state, partially in section. 
           [0045]      FIG. 9  shows the device assembly according to  FIG. 8  in section illustration. 
           [0046]      FIG. 10  shows a detail view of the plug connector according to detail X of  FIG. 9  in an enlarged section illustration. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0047]    The electric device assembly  1  is provided for use in dangerous areas, in particular in explosion-hazardous areas, and comprises a frame housing  2 , an assembly housing  3 , and an actuator  4  that belongs to a releasable lock system for locking the assembly housing  3  that is insertable into the frame housing  2 . 
         [0048]    The frame housing  2  has a base member  5  releasably attached to a support rail (cap rail or top hat rail)  6  that is approximately U-shaped in cross-section. For providing the releasable connection of the frame housing  2  on the base member  5  a locking device  7  is provided that is supported on the base member  5  so as to be movably transversely to the longitudinal direction of the cap rail  6 . On the side of the rail  6  opposite the locking device  7  the base member  5  has a plug receptacle  8  with several contact tubes  9  that are spaced apart from one another. The contact tubes  9  are surrounded by a boundary wall  10  that is expediently formed of four walls with neighboring ones positioned at a right angle to one another so that the plug receptacle  8  in cross-section is substantially rectangular. 
         [0049]    Each individual contact tube  9  is located in an electrically non-conducting insulation body  11  that may be embodied as a cylinder of approximately circular cross-section. The insulation bodies  11  can be significantly longer than, preferably approximately twice as long as, the contact tubes  9  that are arranged expediently in the lower part of the insulation bodies  11  so that an insertion part  12  of the insulation bodies  11  projects significant past the tube opening  13  of the contact tubes  9 . The insertion part  12  of the insulation bodies  11  has an insertion bore  14  that is arranged coaxially to the contact tube  9  and into which a contact pin  15  is insertable. In order to facilitate introduction of the contact pin  15  into the insertion bore  14 , the insulation bodies  11  with the contact tubes  9  can be floatingly supported in the plug receptacle  8 . On the contact tubes  9  moreover a sleeve-shaped connecting part  16  can be formed which project from the plug receptacle  8  and to which electrical lines are connected, for example, by soldering or crimping. 
         [0050]    On the topside of the base member  5  support walls  17 ,  18  that are parallel to and spaced apart from one another are provided and connected to one another by means of transversely arranged end wall  19  so that a receiving space is provided that is delimited on three sides. On each of the two support walls  17 ,  18  there is a circular bearing receptacle  20 ; the bearing receptacles  20  are positioned opposite one another. Each bearing receptacle  20  comprises an inlet opening  21  that is formed in the support walls  17 ,  18  as a slot-shaped cutout. Moreover, the support walls  17 ,  18  are provided at their inner sides with oppositely positioned longitudinal grooves  22  that extends in the insertion direction of the assembly housing  3 . The exterior sides of the support walls  17 ,  18  each have oppositely positioned locking cams  23 . Moreover, the support walls  17 ,  18  each have a blocking member  51  that is arranged adjacent to the circumferential area of the bearing receptacles  20 . 
         [0051]    The assembly housing  3  is substantially embodied as a rectangular body and has at its bottom side facing the frame housing  2  a plug  24  mating with the plug receptacle  8  is provided. The plug  24  is delimited by a circumferential wall  25  that is formed of four wall parts with neighboring ones positioned at a right angle relative to one another, respectively. The plug  24  with the circumferential wall  25  is thus in cross-section substantially rectangular. The circumferential wall  25  surrounds the contact pins  15  that are positioned at a spacing to one another and are connected electrically conductingly with electric or electronic components arranged within the assembly housing  3 . The diameter of the contact pins  15  is selected such that it is minimally smaller than the diameter of the insertion bore  14  of the insulation bodies  11  in the frame part  2 . When the plug  24  is inserted into the plug receptacle  8 , between the circumferential surface of the contact pins  15  and the inner surface of the insertion bores  14  there is a flame-proof or spark ignition-proof gap  33  that is defined by DIN EN 50018 and DIN EN 60079. 
         [0052]    On spaced apart parallel sidewalls  26 ,  27  of the assembly housing  3  there is a locking pin  28 , respectively; these locking pins  28  are positioned opposite one another and project in opposite directions and outwardly. Moreover, on the exterior sides of the sidewalls  26 ,  27  a stay  29  is provided, respectively, and the stays  29  are positioned opposite one another. The wall section  30  of the sidewalls  26 ,  27  is somewhat inwardly recessed and delimited by an approximately wave-shaped edge contour  31 . In accordance with this edge contour  31  the outer rims of the support walls  17 ,  18  also have an approximately wave-shaped end face contour  32  that matches the edge contour  31  in the completely assembled state illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The depth of the recessed wall sections  30  corresponds approximately to the thickness of the support walls  17 ,  18  that rest against the wall sections  30 . 
         [0053]    The actuator  4  has two spaced apart, parallel legs  34 ,  35  and a grip part  36  that is slightly curved and connects the legs  34 ,  35  so that the actuator  4  is substantially embodied as a U-shaped bracket. The actuator  4  is arranged on the support walls  17 ,  18  of the frame housing  2  and is pivotably supported. For this purpose, a bearing part  37  is arranged on the inner faces of the legs  34 ,  35  at their free ends, respectively, and these bearings parts  37  are positioned mirror-symmetrically opposite one another and each have a guide groove  38 . The bearing parts  37  are embodied as circular disks and are positive-lockingly supported in the bearing receptacles  20  of the support walls  17 ,  18  wherein the center axes of the annular bearing parts  37  form the pivot axis of the actuator  4 . 
         [0054]    Adjacent to the circumferential area of the bearing parts  37  on the legs  34 ,  35  of the actuator  4  a blocking member receptacle  52  is formed, respectively. The blocking members  51  of the support walls  17 ,  18  engage positive-lockingly these receptacles  32  in such a way that the actuator  4  is secured captively in its end positions as well as during its pivot movement and cannot be removed from the support walls. 
         [0055]    The guide grooves  38  are embodied approximately radially in the bearing parts  37  and extend from an insertion opening  39  formed at the circumferential rim of the bearing parts  37  approximately semi-circularly in the direction toward the center axis of the bearing part  37 . The width of the guide grooves  38  is sized such that they are approximately identical or only slightly greater than the diameter of the locking pins  28  so that the latter are guided substantially without play in the guide grooves  38 . Moreover, on the inner sides of the two legs  34 ,  35  of the actuator  4  there are two abutments  40  that are mirror-symmetrically positioned opposite one another and rest against a stop  41  of the locking cam  23 . A ramp  42  for the locking cam  23  is arranged in front of the abutments  40  and a recess  43  is arranged behind the abutments  40 , respectively. Moreover, the actuator  4  has on its legs  34 ,  35  nose-shaped projections  44  that have on their inner sides mirror-symmetrically arranged opposed locking edges  45 . In the locked position of the actuator  4  the projections  44  engage across a wall part  46  formed on the oppositely positioned sides of the locking device  7 . The wall parts  46  have a locking edge  47  resting against the locking edge  45  of the projection  44  so that an accidental displacement or movement of the locking device  7  into a release position is prevented. 
         [0056]    In  FIGS. 2 and 3  the assembly housing  3  of the device assembly  1 , whose frame housing  2  is attached by means of the locking device  7  on the cap rail  6 , is in a first mounting position. The actuator  4  is pivoted in clockwise direction all the way to the rear into a limited release position wherein the inlet openings  21  of the support walls  17 ,  18  and the insertion openings  39  of the bearing parts  37  are congruently positioned. The assembly housing  3  is inserted into the receiving space of the frame housing  2  that is delimited on three sides by the support walls  17 ,  18  and the end wall  19  in such away that the stays  29  are positioned closely above the longitudinal grooves  22  and the locking pins  28  are positioned at a somewhat greater spacing above the inlet and insertion openings  21 ,  39 .  FIG. 3  shows that in this first mounting position the spacing of the assembly housing  3  above the frame housing  2  is so large that the plug  24  also has a definite spacing relative to the plug receptacle  8  of the frame housing  2 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 4  shows that the assembly housing  3  relative to the illustrations of  FIGS. 2 and 3  has been pressed or pushed farther in the downward direction into the receiving space of the frame housing  2  wherein the stays  29  are guided substantially without play in the longitudinal grooves  22  and in this way ensure a proper displacement into the illustrated second mounting position. The actuator  4  is still in its release position pivoted all the way to the rear and the locking pins  28  have passed through the inlet opening  21  and the insertion openings  39  and are now located at the beginning of the part-circular guide grooves  38  of the bearing parts  37 . Further downward pressing or downward pushing of the assembly housing  3  in the direction toward the frame housing  2  is no longer possible. The assembly housing  3  can be moved only by pivoting of the actuator  4  farther in the direction toward the frame housing  2 . 
         [0058]    The  FIGS. 5 and 6  disclose that the actuator  4  in comparison to the illustration of  FIG. 4  has been pivoted to some degree in the counterclockwise direction. According to  FIG. 5 , the insertion openings  39  of the bearing parts  37  are no longer congruently positioned with the inlet openings  21  of the support walls  17 ,  18  so that the locking pins  28  in the guide grooves  38  are now engaged from above. In this mounting position the assembly housing  3  is already secured by the positive-locking engagement of the locking pins  28  in such away that, for example, when an explosion-like counter pressure occurs, the assembly housing  3  can no longer be pushed upwardly away from the frame housing  2  in upward direction. 
         [0059]    As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , in this mounting position the plug  24  of the assembly housing  3  is already partially inserted into the plug receptacle  8  of the frame housing  2 . In this way, the circumferential wall  25  of the plug  24  is inserted approximately halfway into the slot-shaped cutout  48  that is preferably formed in the boundary wall  10  of the plug receptacle  8 . The enlarged illustration of  FIG. 7  shows that the contact pins  15  are located initially only in the insertion bores  14  of the insulation bodies  11  and are not yet interacting with the contact tubes  9 . Between the free ends of the contact pins  15  and the tube openings  13  of the contact tubes  9  there is an axial minimum contact spacing  49  that corresponds to the regulations according to DIN EN 50018 and DIN EN 60079. 
         [0060]    In  FIGS. 8 and 9  the final assembled position of the device assembly  1  is illustrated. The actuator  4  has been pivoted in counterclockwise direction and is now in its horizontal locked position. During pivoting, shortly before reaching the locked position, the ramps  42  of the actuator  4  glide across the locking cams  23  of the support walls  17 ,  18  until at the end of the pivot movement the locking cams  23  snap (click) into the recesses  43  of the actuator  4  so that the abutments  40  will rest against the stops  41  of the locking cams  23 . In this way, an accidental upward pivoting of the actuator  4  in the clockwise direction is reliably prevented and a stable fixation of the locked position is ensured. Moreover, the pivoting action of the actuator  4  causes the locking pins  28  that are secured in the semi-circular guide grooves  38  in a positive-locking way and are therefore subject to a forced guiding action are moved in downward direction toward the frame housing  2  and also toward the end of the guide grooves  38 . In this final position the locking pins  28  are preferably coaxial to the pivot axis of the actuator  4 . Since the locking pins  28  are stationarily arranged on the assembly housing  3 , the latter, of course, has also been moved in the downward direction against the frame housing  2  into its end position. In the illustrated locked position of the actuator  4  the projections  44  engage across the wall parts  46  of the locking device  7 . In this way, the locking edges  47  of the wall parts  46  rest against the locking edge  45  of the projections  44  and prevent thus the horizontal displacement of the locking device  7  in the plane of the base body  5 . 
         [0061]      FIG. 9  shows that the circumferential wall  25  of the plug  24  is now completely inserted to the bottom of the slot-shaped cutout  48  of the plug receptacle  8 . Moreover,  FIG. 9  and in particular also the enlarged illustration of  FIG. 10  show that the contact pins  15  of the plug  24  are inserted into the contact tubes  9  of the plug receptacle  8  across an axial minimum contact distance  50  so that a permanent reliable contact is ensured. 
         [0062]    When the assembly housing  3 , for example, in case of a defect during operation must be exchanged, the afore described mounting process is to be carried out in reverse. This means that first the securing action of the locked position of the actuator  4  must be released or canceled. Then the actuator  4  is to be pivoted in clockwise direction into the release position illustrated in  FIG. 2  wherein the assembly housing  3 , by means of the eccentric guiding action for the locking pins, is moved away from the frame housing  2  in the upward direction and the plug connector is decoupled. After reaching the release position of the actuator  4 , the assembly housing  3  can be pulled manually in the upward direction out of the receiving space of the frame housing  2  and a new one can be inserted. 
         [0063]    One advantage of the device assembly  1  according to the invention resides in that in critical explosion-hazardous environments the active assembly, i.e., the assembly housing  3  with the electric and/or electronic components, can be exchanged in the operating state without any risk or danger and without having to switch off the facility. Therefore, no connections that are fixedly realized by connecting lines must be interrupted; all connections remain intact within the base housing, i.e., the frame housing  2 . Neither during insertion nor during removal of the assembly housing  3 , sparks that are produced in the interior of the plug connector can cause ignition of an explosive surrounding atmosphere because of the described measures so that, as a whole, a great safety standard is provided. 
         [0064]    The specification incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of German priority document 10 2009 005 051.5 having a filing date of Jan. 15, 2009. 
         [0065]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.