Installation and withdrawal apparatus

An installation and withdrawal apparatus (1) for the plugging in and withdrawal of a plug-in assembly into or out of an assembly support includes an installation and withdrawal handle (2) and a bearing element (3) about which the installation and withdrawal handle (2) can be rotated. The installation and withdrawal apparatus (1) further includes a holding element (4) to hold the installation and withdrawal handle (2) in a position suitable for plugging in the plug-in assembly, with the holding element (4) being arranged on the bearing element (3).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an installation and withdrawal apparatus for the plugging in and removal of a plug-in assembly into or out of an assembly support as well as to a plug-in assembly having such an installation and withdrawal apparatus and to an assembly support having such a plug-in assembly.

Plug-in assemblies introducible into assembly supports have multiple plug connections on the rear side whose plug-in and removal forces have to be overcome on the plugging in or removal of the plug-in assembly. Plug-in assemblies are therefore usually provided with a lower and/or an upper installation and withdrawal handle in order to facilitate the plugging in and the removal. The installation and withdrawal handles are arranged rotatably and are supported at a structure of the assembly support at the front side such that the installation and withdrawal handles act as levers on the plugging in and removal. The installation and withdrawal handles must be fully pivoted out for the plugging in of a plug-in assembly as they otherwise impede the plugging in of the plug-in assembly into the assembly support or make it absolutely impossible. The position of the installation and removal handles can change unintentionally on a direct contact or on a more powerful movement of the plug-in assembly without appropriate precautions. In particular the upper installation and withdrawal handle tends to tilt downwardly due to gravity so that it has to be held tight on the plugging in of the plug-in assembly. Efforts are currently being made to introduce narrow-shaped, elongate installation and withdrawal handles to the market which can be manufactured in a favorably-priced manner. The problem arises with such installation and withdrawal handles of unintended inward pivoting to a special degree.

A plug-in assembly is known from document DE 203 11 072 U1 in which a blocking lever is hinged to a lever pulling handle and locks the lever pulling handle in the outwardly pivoted position and blocks it against unintended pivoting. This design is relatively complex. The lever pulling handle can also only be inwardly pivoted by simultaneously actuating the blocking lever, which complicates the operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an installation and withdrawal apparatus for the plugging in and removing of a plug-in assembly into or out of an assembly support which is protected against unintended inward pivoting, has a simple operation and can be manufactured economically favorably in comparison with installation and withdrawal apparatuses of the prior art.

A further object of the invention consists of providing a plug-in assembly having such an installation and withdrawal apparatus and an assembly support having such a plug-in assembly.

The installation and withdrawal apparatus in accordance with the invention for the plugging in and removal of a plug-in assembly into or out of an assembly support includes an installation and withdrawal handle, a bearing element about which the installation and withdrawal handle is rotatable and a holding apparatus having at least one holding element in order to hold the installation and withdrawal handle in a position suitable for the plugging in of the plug-in assembly, preferably in a partly or completely outwardly pivoted position. In the installation and withdrawal apparatus in accordance with the invention, the holding element is arranged in the region of the bearing element, for example in that the holding element is arranged at, on or in the bearing element.

In a preferred embodiment, the holding element is made as a spring, in particular as a leg spring or as a spring ring or as an O ring.

In a further preferred embodiment, the bearing element is made as a fitting shoulder screw or as a screw with a sleeve, for example with a removal sleeve. In a preferred embodiment variant, the width of the shoulder or sleeve is dimensioned such that the installation and withdrawal handle can be pressed towards a component of the plug-in assembly by means of the screw. In a further preferred embodiment variant, the shoulder or sleeve is made for the reception of a holding element. A spring or an O ring is preferably arranged on the bearing element in addition to the installation and withdrawal handle.

In a further embodiment variant, the installation and withdrawal apparatus additionally includes a second holding apparatus having a second holding element to hold the installation and withdrawal handle in a latched position, in particular in an inwardly pivoted position, when the plug-in assembly is inserted. The second holding element is preferably made as a spring, for example as a cranked leaf spring, and the spring is arranged e.g. to the side of the installation and withdrawal handle.

The invention further includes a plug-in assembly having at least one installation and withdrawal apparatus in accordance with the aforesaid description and an assembly support having such a plug-in assembly.

The installation and withdrawal apparatus has the advantage that it is held in the outwardly pivoted position by the first holding apparatus such that an unintentional inward pivoting is avoided on the movement of the plug-in assembly and the inward pivoting of the installation and withdrawal handles is only possible against noticeable resistance. If a leg spring is used as the holding element, its spring force has the effect that the installation and withdrawal apparatus is pivoted into the outwardly pivoted position as soon as the plug-in assembly is removed from the assembly support. The arrangement of the first holding element in the region of the bearing element permits a simple and space-saving design of the holding apparatus and a cost-favorable manufacture of the installation and withdrawal apparatus. A further advantage of the installation and withdrawal apparatus in accordance with the invention is the simple operation thereof. Only the resistance of the holding apparatus has to be overcome for the inward pivoting of the installation and withdrawing handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows an oblique view of a section of a plug-in assembly with an embodiment of an installation and withdrawal apparatus1in accordance with the present invention. The installation and withdrawal apparatus includes an installation and withdrawal handle2and a bearing element3about which the installation and withdrawal handle is rotatable and which can be made, for example, as a fitting shoulder screw or as a screw with a sleeve. The installation and withdrawal apparatus1further includes a holding apparatus having at least one holding element4which is formed as a leg spring in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the leg spring being arranged in the region of the bearing element3and surrounding it, for example.

Furthermore, in the section shown inFIG. 1, a front structure10and a printed-circuit board14of a plug-in assembly are shown as well as a front structure20of an assembly support into which the plug-in assembly has been inserted. The installation and withdrawal apparatus1is secured to the plug-in assembly in the lower region of the front structure10thereof such that the associated installation and withdrawal handle2can be pivoted forwardly or outwardly and, in the inwardly pivoted position thereof, the front structure20of the assembly support engages into a depression of the installation and withdrawal handle. On the outward pivoting of the installation and withdrawal handle2, it is supported at the front structure20of the assembly support, whereby the plug-in assembly is pulled out of the assembly support. Conversely, the plug-in assembly can be inserted into the assembly support in a corresponding manner by inwardly pivoting the installation and withdrawal handle2on the insertion of the plug-in assembly.

In an embodiment variant, the installation and withdrawal apparatus1additionally includes a second holding apparatus having a second holding element7to hold and/or to latch the installation and withdrawal handle2in an inwardly pivoted position, when the plug-in assembly is inserted. The second holding element can be made as a spring, for example as a cranked leaf spring as shown inFIG. 1, which is e.g. arranged to the side of the installation and withdrawal handle.

FIG. 2shows the section of a plug-in assembly shown inFIG. 1considered from the rear. The reference numerals ofFIG. 1have been retained. In particular the installation and withdrawal handle2, the bearing element3and the rear part of the second holding element7of the installation and withdrawal apparatus are visible inFIG. 2. Furthermore, the front structure10and a securing part12of the plug-in assembly are visible, the securing part being attached to the front structure in the embodiment and being able to be made, for example, as a latched tab of the front structure. The securing part advantageously has an opening, e.g. an opening with a collar, or a pressed-in sleeve into which the bearing element3can be inserted, pressed or screwed. InFIG. 2, the printed circuit board14shown inFIG. 1is not shown, since it would cover a larger part ofFIG. 2. On the other hand, the installation and withdrawal handle2is shown spaced apart from the securing part12inFIG. 2to indicate that a printed circuit board can be fitted at this position.

FIG. 3shows a detailed view of a section through a bearing element3with respect to the embodiment shown inFIG. 1. An opening (not actually present) is drawn at the appropriate position in the front structure10of the plug-in assembly to allow a view of the section. The installation and withdrawal apparatus1includes an installation and withdrawal handle2, a bearing element3, which can be formed, for example, as a fitting shoulder screw or as a screw with sleeve, and a holding element4which can e.g. be made as a spring, for example as a leg spring, a helical spring with legs or as a spring ring. The plug-in assembly further includes a securing part12having an opening12a, in particular having a threaded part to secure the bearing element3, and a printed circuit board14which is advantageously secured to the bearing element3at the securing part12, for example in that the bearing element is provided with a shoulder by means of which the printed circuit board is pressed towards the securing part12.

FIG. 4shows an oblique view of an embodiment variant of a leg spring4such as is used e.g. in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1. The leg spring4preferably includes at least one winding of a helical spring and two legs4a,4bwhich can be bent or cranked at their outer end. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the cranked end of the one leg is anchored to the lever2while the cranked end of the other leg is supported at the front structure10of the plug-in assembly.

In the embodiment variant of a fitting shoulder screw shown inFIG. 5, it includes a screw head3a, a shoulder3band a threaded part3cwhich are arranged coaxially to one another in a row, with the screw head having the largest diameter, the shoulder having a medium diameter and the threaded part having the smallest diameter. The shoulder is advantageously made to receive the holding element so that a holding element, for example a spring or an O ring, can be arranged on the shoulder in addition to the installation and withdrawal handle. In a preferred embodiment variant, the width of the shoulder is dimensioned such that the installation and withdrawal handle can be pressed towards a component, for example towards a securing part12or a printed circuit board14, of the plug-in assembly by means of the screw. In a further preferred embodiment variant, which can be used, for example, in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the winding of a helical spring4with legs and the installation and withdrawal handle2are arranged on the shoulder and the width of the shoulder is dimensioned such that the installation and withdrawal handle can be outwardly pivoted by means of the helical spring.

FIG. 6shows an oblique view of a preferred embodiment variant of a front structure with respect to the plug-in assembly shown inFIG. 1. The front structure10in this embodiment variant includes a securing part12which is connected to the front structure and serves for the securing of a bearing element, for example of a fitting shoulder screw of the installation and withdrawal apparatus described above. The securing part12can be made, for example, as a latched tab of the front structure10.

FIG. 7shows an oblique view of a section of a plug-in assembly with a second embodiment of an installation and withdrawal apparatus1in accordance with the present invention. The installation and withdrawal apparatus in the second embodiment includes an installation and withdrawal handle2and a bearing element3about which the installation and withdrawal handle is rotatable and which can be made, for example, as a fitting shoulder screw or as a screw with a sleeve. The installation and withdrawal apparatus1further includes a holding apparatus having at least one holding element5which is formed as an O ring arranged on the bearing element3in the second embodiment. As necessary, the installation and withdrawal apparatus1additionally includes a second holding apparatus having a second holding element7to hold and/or to latch the installation and withdrawal handle2in an inwardly pivoted position, when the plug-in assembly is inserted. A front structure10and a printed circuit board14of a plug-in assembly are further shown in the section shown inFIG. 7.

FIG. 8shows a detailed view of a section through a bearing element3with respect to the embodiment shown inFIG. 7. An opening (not actually present) is drawn at the appropriate position in the front structure10of the plug-in assembly to allow a view of the section. The installation and withdrawal apparatus1includes an installation and withdrawal handle2, a bearing element3, which can be formed, for example, as a fitting shoulder screw or as a screw with a sleeve, and a holding element5which is made as an O ring in this embodiment. The plug-in assembly further includes a securing part12having an opening12a, in particular having a threaded part to secure the bearing element3, and a printed circuit board14which is advantageously secured to the bearing element3at the securing part12, for example in that the bearing element is provided with a shoulder by means of which the printed circuit board is pressed towards the securing part12. The width of the shoulder is advantageously dimensioned such that the installation and withdrawal handle2can be pressed towards a component of the plug-in assembly by means of the screw.

The arrangement of the first holding element in the region of the bearing element has the advantage that the holding apparatus can be designed in a simple and space-saving manner and permits a cost-favorable manufacture of the installation and withdrawal apparatus. The circumstance that the bearing element can simultaneously satisfy a plurality of functions, e.g. as a bearing for the installation and withdrawal handle, as a securing element for a printed circuit board or as a pressing and/or centring part for the holding apparatus, also has a cost-reducing effect. A further advantage of the installation and withdrawal apparatus in accordance with the invention is the simple operation thereof in that only the resistance of the holding apparatus has to be overcome to inwardly pivot the installation and withdrawal handle.