Abstract:
A switchgear cabinet or rack comprises a mounting unit with vertical mounting profiles laterally delimiting an installation space. Flat fixing sections lie on a mounting plane to fix laterally projecting mounting sections of installed units and comprise components of a detection device for determining the presence of an installed unit in the installation space. A vertical antenna strip is attached to a mounting section and contains antenna elements. Code carriers designed as transponder elements are provided on the installed units. The front face of the antenna strip lies on or is set back by a maximum of 10 mm from said plane, with each transponder element in front of the front face of the antenna strip, fixed to a support section of a retaining element that overlaps the antenna strip, said retaining element being attached to the neighboring mounting section of the associated installed unit by a connection section.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a switchgear cabinet or rack comprising a mounting unit, the front of which has vertical mounting profiles that laterally delimit an installation space for installed user-side units, said profiles having flat fixing sections that lie on a front mounting plane and that are used to fix laterally projecting mounting sections of the installed units, and comprising components of a detection device for determining the presence of an installed unit in an installation position of the installation space, wherein the components of the detection device have a vertical antenna strip that is attached to a mounting profile and contains antenna elements arranged therein and code carriers that are designed as transponder elements and are provided on the installed units. 
     Such a switchgear cabinet or such a rack, respectively, is specified in DE 10 2007 034 437 A1. In this known switchgear cabinet, a device for detecting installation components inserted therein is equipped with a detection unit which is connected or may be connected to an evaluation and recording device. In one embodiment, the detection unit comprises a detector strip which is arranged on the mounting plane of installed units and is screwed or adhesively bonded to a frame leg or mounting part, said strip including antenna elements which are sensitive without contact and positioned within grid of one or more units of height, and transponders, in particular RFID tags, which are arranged at the installed units. The strip-shaped antenna array thereby can be combined from several antenna modules plugged by means of plug/coupling units which respectively comprise a narrow, longitudinal extending, strip-like plastic housing for covering several units of height. Said housing which may also extend over the total height of the accommodating region for the installed units possesses fixing features for mounting e.g. at a vertical mounting rail at which also the installed units are attached. Said transponders or RFID tags, respectively, are positioned in the front region of the installed units, in particular server units, at their housing adjacent to said detector strip, so that the antenna elements read information in a near field of the respectively associated transponders which is transmitted to the evaluation and recording device via a data line or, as an alternative, in a wireless manner. The respective RFID tag possesses a unique identification and characterizes the installed unit to be detected which is read via the relevant antenna element under control of a control unit and is transmitted to the evaluation unit together with the associated height position. Attachment of the RFID tags to the installed unit is made by adhesive bonding or screwing. Unique identification of the passive transponder or RFID tag built up in such a manner takes place already at the manufacturing plant. 
     Mounting the detector strip in the region of the mounting plane of the switchgear cabinet or rack results in beneficial mounting possibilities and a favorable signal detection in conjunction with the transponders. However, due to inaccurate mounting, interferences in signal detection and signal transmission and therefore unreliable position detection or allocation of identification may occur. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a switchgear cabinet or rack of the type mentioned in the introductory wherein inaccurate or incorrect mounting of the detection unit is excluded as far as possible. 
     This object is solved by the features of claim  1 . Herein it is provided that the front face of the antenna strip lies on the mounting plane or is set back by a maximum of 10 mm in relation thereto and that the relevant transponder element is provided in front of the front face of the antenna strip and fixed to a support section of a retaining element that overlaps the antenna strip, said retaining element being attached to the neighboring mounting section of the associated installed unit by a connecting section. 
     By means of these measures, unique accurate mounting of antenna strip and transponder elements and exact allocation of transponder elements to antenna elements present in the antenna strip is ensured. 
     A unique exact mounting of the antenna strip is favored by said mounting profile comprising a cavity which is at least partly adapted to the cross section of the antenna strip, said cavity including an abutment section which is set back at least by the cross section depth of the antenna strip with respect support unit at its face facing to the installation space. 
     Further, the measures that abutment section and inner boundary wall are arranged perpendicular to one another in cross section of the cavity, wherein the abutment section is aligned parallel to the mounting plane, contribute to a unique installation position of the antenna strip. 
     Thereby, the embodiment that said boundary wall merges perpendicularly into the fixing section, is preferred. 
     A preferred embodiment for arranging said detection unit and for configuring the mounting profile consists in that the abutment section merges perpendicularly into a side wall section oriented backwardly with respect to the mounting plane or merges perpendicularly into an outer boundary wall of the cavity directed forwardly to the mounting plane and projecting at most into the mounting plane. 
     Installation of the antenna strip is favored by the fact that a row of retaining holes having retaining holes arranged in a regular grid spacing is disposed in said abutment section. 
     Further benefits for mounting the antenna strip result from the fact that said retaining holes are formed as squares or rectangles having longitudinal sides which are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the mounting profile and that said antenna strip is provided with retaining hooks on its rear facing the abutment section, said retaining hooks being harmonized with the spacing of the retaining holes or a multiple thereof and comprising vertical hook sections which possess a length which is smaller than the clear opening width of the retaining holes in a vertical direction and which are spaced from the rear outer face of said antenna strip such that they engage behind a wall region of the abutment section surrounding the retaining holes with a specific clamping force. 
     A preferred configuration of the antenna strip consists in that the antenna strip possesses a square or rectangular cross section and is provided with a cover part fixedly or removably attached on its front in relation to the installed position. 
     Detecting of the installation position together with the possibility of an error signaling with respect to incorrect arrangement or incorrect function of the respective installed units is achieved by said cover part being transparent at least in sections and illuminating elements being disposed in said antenna strip which in a longitudinal direction of the antenna strip are arranged in regular grid spacing within grid of a unit of height HE or a multiple thereof or in regular partial spacing thereof, may be controlled individually and are in an illuminating state accurately visible through said transparent cover part. 
     A precise position detection is favored by the fact that antenna elements are arranged in the antenna strip within grid of a unit of height or a multiple thereof or in regular partial spacing thereof in longitudinal direction of the antenna unit. 
     Mounting of the installed units and a precise allocation to the antenna strip are favored by rows of holes being arranged in the fixing sections which comprise holes which are spaced within grid of a unit of height HE or in regular partial spacing in a vertical direction, by mounting holes being arranged in said mounting sections of said installed units, harmonized with the spacing of the fixing holes or an integer multiple thereof and in that openings are arranged in the fixings sections of the retaining elements which are harmonized with the mounting holes, wherein the spacing from the center of retaining holes to the outer edge of the antenna strip is equal to the dimensions of the retaining elements from the center of the openings to the outer edge of the support section. 
     Further, those measures contribute to an advantageous mounting of said antenna strip that the vertical mounting profiles extend between an upper and a lower horizontal mounting leg of frame leg or the switchgear cabinet or rack and that in extension of the antenna strip in its installation position an extension is formed in said upper and/or lower horizontal mounting leg of frame leg which is larger than the cross section of the antenna strip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be explained below with the aid of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. It is shown in: 
         FIG. 1  a front mounting plane of a switchgear cabinet or rack, 
         FIG. 2  a detail of an installation space of a switchgear cabinet or rack with front side mounting plane and vertical mounting profiles in a perspective view, 
         FIG. 3  a detail of the mounting plane in the region of a mounting section, 
         FIG. 4  a detailed view of the switchgear cabinet or rack in an upper front corner region of the installation space and of the mounting plane with several inserted installed units, 
         FIG. 5  a detail of the switchgear cabinet or rack in an upper front corner region with inserted antenna strip and a retaining element with transponder in a perspective view, 
         FIG. 6  a detail of the fixing plane in the region of a mounting section with vertical mounting profile, inserted antenna strip and attached retaining element with transponder, 
         FIGS. 7A to 7C  a perspective view, a front view and a view of the rear end face of a retaining element with transponder element, 
         FIG. 8  a perspective detail representation of the front upper corner region of the switchgear cabinet or rack with an antenna strip prior to its mounting, 
         Figs. 9A to 9D  in  FIG. 9A  a perspective view of a section of the antenna strip at an angle to the rear, in partial images a), b) and c) of  FIG. 9B  the antenna strip in a front view, in a side view and in a rear view; in  FIG. 9C  a longitudinal section of the antenna strip taken along line C-C of image c) of  FIG. 9B  and in  FIG. 9D  a cross section of the antenna strip taken along line B-B of image a) of  FIG. 9B , 
         FIG. 10  various views of the front mounting frame of the switchgear cabinet or rack having lateral vertical mounting profiles and a lower and an upper frame leg, shown in view A-A taken along , as well as enlarged detail representations, 
         FIG. 11  the front mounting frame of the switchgear cabinet or rack in a perspective view, 
         FIG. 12  a detail of the mounting frame of  FIG. 11  in a connecting region of two strip modules that are pushed apart from another and 
         FIG. 13  an example of a screen representation of a mounting plane of a switchgear cabinet or rack having inserted installed units in form of server units. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a front view of a mounting plane  5  of a framework  1  of a switchgear cabinet or rack comprising several inserted installed units  20 , such as e.g. server units, their height being for example one HE. Mounting plane  5  is laterally bound by front mounting faces of two vertical mounting profiles  10 ,  10 ′ and at the bottom by a lower frame leg  2  and at the top by an upper frame leg  3 . Fixing sections  11  of said mounting profiles having rows of holes  11 . 1  adjoin on both sides at the edges of mounting profiles  10 ,  10 ′ delimiting the clear installation opening, said rows of holes possessing a narrow hole grid spacing of presently three fixing holes per unit of height HE. Mounting profiles  10 ,  10 ′ can be formed by lateral frame profiles of the framework and/or by separate mounting profiles. 
     Installed units  20  comprise laterally projecting flat mounting sections  21  which extend along the height of housings of installed units  20  and protrude beyond fixing sections  11  on both sides. In mounting sections  21 , e.g. respectively two mounting holes  21 . 1  (cp. e. g. also  FIG. 4 ), for example, are presently introduced in a double spacing of fixing holes  11 . 2  of row of holes  11 . 1  so that mounting holes  21 . 1  respectively skip one fixing hole  11 . 2 . 
     In a region of a lateral mounting section, presently right hand mounting section  21  in front view, respective retaining elements  40  are arranged, for example adhesively bonded to mounting section  21  or at least clamped therebetween and fixing section  11 , wherein a tongue-like support section  41  protrudes laterally and an antenna strip  30  inserted into said mounting profile  10  overlaps at the front, as can be clearer seen in the detailed illustration of  FIG. 2  and in further illustrations of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  in a perspective illustration, retaining elements  40  made of flat leaflet-shaped material for example of metal or plastic, are clamped via a connecting section  42  between the flat rear of the relevant mounting section  21  and the flat front of fixing section  11 , wherein they were previously advantageously fixed to mounting section  21 , for example by means of an adhesive layer applied thereto which is covered by a releasable protection sheet in a non-applied state. Mounting holes  21 . 1  harmonized with openings  43  regarding position and dimension, are introduced into connecting section  42  so that installed units  20  inserted into installation space  6  and abutting with their mounting sections  21  at fixing section  11  can be unhinderedly fastened to fixing sections  11  by means of screws as shown in  FIG. 3 . As can be further seen in  FIG. 5 , also openings  43  are aligned with respective fixing holes  11 . 2  of rows of holes  11 . 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and in particular in the enlarged detailed illustration of  FIG. 4  as well as also in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  8 , at least that mounting profile on the right hand side in a front view, to which antenna strip  30  is allocated, is provided with an inner boundary wall  13  of a cavity  14  for antenna strip  30  neighboring exteriorly the respective fixing section  11 . Inner boundary walls  13  merges perpendicularly from its rear end remote from the front into an outwardly facing abutment section  12  in depth of cavity  14 , to which antenna strip  30  is brought in abutment when inserted. Thereby, front of abutment section  12  is set back such a distance from the front mounting plane or the plane of fixing section  11 , respectively, that antenna strip  30  does not protrude beyond front plane of fixing section  11  with its front face and is preferably flush therewith or is set back only a little bit. In particular in a flush arrangement of the front of antenna strip  30  on the front mounting plane, support section  41  carrying a transponder element  44  on its rear which is formed in particular as a RFID tag, is arranged at a distance to antenna strip  30  and antenna elements contained therein which distance is as small as possible so that a small transmission distance for transmission of information between transponder element  44  and the relevant antenna element will result. 
     As further seen in  FIG. 8 , a row of retaining holes  12 . 1  with at least two retaining holes  12 . 2  is formed in abutment section  12  which comprise a regular hole grid spacing in a vertical direction, for example in intervals of one or more units of height. Retaining holes  12 . 2  are rectangular or square and are aligned horizontally or vertically, respectively, with respect to the longitudinal direction of mounting profile  10  or  10 ′, respectively, with their whole boundary sides. Antenna strip  30  is provided with hook elements  33  on its rear which are for example produced by partly punching and bending the rear wall, wherein downwardly directed hook noses are formed which are spaced from the rear wall plane of antenna strip  30  by somewhat less than the wall thickness of the abutment section  12  around retaining holes  12 . 2 , wherein said downwardly directly section is outwardly bent away from the rear wall plane of antenna strip  30  at its lower end section, so that easy engagement is achieved. Thereby, downwardly directed hook section is shorter than vertical opening clearance of retaining holes  12 . 2 . Several such hooked elements are arranged along the length of antenna strip  30  which are harmonized with the hole grid spacing of retaining holes  12 . 2  or a multiple thereof. Further, the width of the hooks is harmonized with the width of retaining holes  12 . 2  such that they fit into retaining holes  12 . 2  with lateral slack which is as small as possible. Having these measures, antenna strip  30  can be inserted easily and precisely into cavity  14  and can engaged to the front of abutment section  12  by its rear and subsequently be fixed by downward pushing, wherein retaining hooks  33  lead to a slight clamping effect. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 8 , a recess  4  is formed in upper horizontal frame leg  3  which also may be a mounting leg, flush with respect to the inserted antenna strip  30 , which recess is at least as large as the outer cross section of antenna strip  30 , so that it can unhinderedly be inserted even if it extends in an inserted state into the region of the upper end of vertical mounting profiles  10  or  10 ′, respectively, to use also the upper installation position of installation space  6 . Thus, antenna strip  30  can be inserted protruding beyond vertical frame profile  10  or  10 ′, respectively, and then pushed downwardly for fixing. 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5  and  8 , abutment section  12  merges at its outer edge into an outer side wall section  15  of mounting profile  10  or  10 ′, respectively, which is oriented backwards and in which a further vertical row of holes  15 . 1  with holes for mounting purposes is arranged. Cavity  14  could even be provided on its outer side with a further wall parallel to inner boundary wall  13  which protrudes with its front at most to the front mounting plane. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8  and furthermore in  FIGS. 9A to 9D , antenna strip  30  possesses a housing having a U-shaped, e.g. square or rectangular section having a base leg  34  and two lateral legs  35 . A cover part  32  is inserted, for example snapped or engaged, into the front face, which is in a mounted state oriented to the front face of the switchgear cabinet or rack, respectively. Longitudinally running retaining grooves  36  for holding cover part  32  are formed near the free edge of lateral legs  35  on their inner side which overlap the free edges of preferably flat cover part  32  on its front and rear. Cover part  32  may also or in addition be glued. Furthermore, opposing holding ribs  37  are formed on the inside of lateral legs  35  which are offset inside with respect to retaining grooves  36 , so that inside the U-shaped housing of antenna strip  30  further elements can be fixed, for example by means of fixed platelets, such as e.g. said antenna elements and supply lines as well as illuminating elements  31  (c.p.  FIG. 6 ) to be described below. Preferably, cover part  32  is made permeable to light in a translucent or transparent manner, so that light of illuminating elements  31  penetrates and illuminating elements are clearly recognizable in their position, the interior of antenna strip  30 , however, is preferably non visible. Appropriate is a correspondingly clouded glass having a light attenuation which is as small as possible and e.g. without selective spectral filter characteristics. 
     As it is shown in  FIG. 6 , illuminating elements  31  are also arranged in uniform grid spacing along the length of antenna strip  30 , wherein e.g. three illuminating elements  31  per unit of height HE are inserted. Two of these illuminating elements  31  are exposed aside mounting section  21  or connecting section  42  of retaining element  40  and are in a driven illuminating state when installed unit  20  is inserted, while a third illuminating element  31  per unit of height is covered by support section  41  of retaining element  40  when installed unit  20  is inserted which retaining element extends in vertical direction only along one third of a unit of height HE. Thus, installation positions are displayed to a viewer which can be visually well recognized, wherein occupied installation positions can be easily perceived. Illuminating elements  31  can be driven by a control unit (not shown), as for example described in DE 10 2007 034 437 A1 mentioned in the introductory, wherein different driving modes are possible, e.g. in various colors by using light emitting diodes which can be driven to emit different colors or in various flash modes or in a continuous light operation, respectively. Illuminating elements  31  are thereby driven dependent on information received from transponder elements  44  and transferred to the control unit via the antenna elements. Antenna element&#39;s can be arranged with same grid spacing and closely adjacent to illuminating elements  31 , so that unique detection of information and positional allocation can be achieved. Further signaling can be controlled dependent on the operating state of the installed units, characteristics which are e.g. programmed on the manufacturing side into transponder elements  44  and their installation position, wherein the control unit may also cooperate with a superordinate evaluation units and with register units. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , a recess  4 ′ for downwardly displacing antenna strip  30  may also be formed into lower frame leg  2 . Both vertical mounting profiles  10 ,  10 ′ may comprise the same or a different construction, as shown in enlarged detail views B and C. 
     As it is shown in  FIG. 11  and in the enlarged detailed illustration of  FIG. 12 , strip module  30  can be composed of several strip modules  30 . 1 ,  30 . 2 , which can be plugged together in an electrically conducting manner via a plug/coupling unit  38 , whereby also a mechanical connection is achieved which, however, may additionally be completed by means of engagement elements or other plug elements. Strip modules  30 . 1 ,  30 . 2  preferably extend over a number of units of height and comprise a length which is harmonized with different common heights of switchgear cabinets, so that the smallest module fits into a switchgear cabinet of smallest height and an antenna strip  30  for a higher switchgear cabinet is obtained by plugging a number of strip modules  30 . 1 ,  30 . 2  together. 
       FIG. 13  shows an example of a display on a screen of a remote display station, wherein the mounting plane of a switchgear cabinet or rack together with its units of height HE 1  to HE 42  with occupied installation positions is represented on a display screen  50 . Further to the mounting plane additional information with respect to the individual installed units, for example server units, is faded in which reproduces the current status and characteristics of the installed units  20 . Such information can be partly stored, on the other hand produced in transponder elements  44 , in particular RFID tags and transferred via the antenna elements and the control unit. Further, the information contained in the RFID tags and transferred to the control unit, register means or superordinate monitoring means can be supplemented with further information with respect to installed units  20 , such as e.g. technical data, which is stored therein.