Patent Publication Number: US-2012043870-A1

Title: Distribution cabinet

Description:
This application claims benefit of Serial No. 10 2010 034 620.9, filed 17 Aug. 2010 in Germany and which application is incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to the above disclosed application. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a distribution cabinet for communications and data technology, and to a baseplate for a distribution cabinet. 
     By way of example, one such distribution cabinet is known from DE 10 2008 056 062 B3. The distribution cabinet has a rack on which at least one roof module, side walls, at least one rear wall and at least one door are arranged. The rack has vertical struts and lower and upper horizontal struts, with the roof module being attached to the upper horizontal struts. A baseplate is attached to the lower lateral struts, through which baseplate cables can be passed, via seals, out of the bottom into the distribution cabinet. The baseplate is normally attached to the lateral struts by screw connections. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention is based on the technical problem of simplifying the assembly of a distribution cabinet, and of providing a baseplate which is suitable for this purpose. 
     For this purpose, the distribution cabinet for communications and data technology has lower horizontal lateral struts of a rack and at least one baseplate, wherein the baseplate is connected to at least one lower horizontal lateral strut, wherein the baseplate has at least one circumferential seal which is arranged on the lower face, and at least one latching lug which projects beyond the outer rim (or the faces), wherein the lower lateral struts have at least one rest which is directed into the distribution cabinet and has a sealing edge, wherein at least the lateral strut which is adjacent to the latching lug has a latching receptacle which the latching lug enters, wherein the latching lug exerts a force on the lateral strut such that the sealing edge is pressed against the circumferential seal of the baseplate. This enables the mounting of the baseplate without the use of tools, wherein the sealing requirements with reference to moisture can be adhered to. 
     The at least one seal on the lower face of the baseplate may in this case, for example, be connected to the baseplate by foam connection or adhesive bonding. It should also be noted that the seal need not completely cover the rest. 
     In one embodiment, the baseplate has at least one latching lug on each of at least two opposite faces. The seal is thus pressed on symmetrically. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a plurality of latching lugs on each face, and/or to provide at least one latching lug on each face such that the connection is made via all the lower lateral struts. 
     In a further embodiment, the baseplate has an upward bend, from which the latching lug is cut free, on the same face as the latching lug. In this case, the upward bend makes the baseplate more robust. In this case, it is also possible to provide upward bends without latching lugs on some or all of the faces, as well. 
     In a further embodiment, the latching receptacle is in the form of a continuous groove. This makes it easier to manufacture the lateral struts, for example as an extruded profile. 
     In a further embodiment, the sealing edge is cylindrical or at least partially cylindrical. The radial form results in a small contact-pressure edge, wherein the seal is not cut into by the rounded area. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to one preferred exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 1  shows a front view of a lower horizontal lateral strut, 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective side view of the lateral strut, 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective plan view of the upper face of a baseplate, and 
         FIG. 4  shows a plan view of the lower face of the baseplate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a lower horizontal lateral strut  1 . The lateral strut  1  has a center part  2  from which four limbs  3   a - d  project, each at an angle of 45°, and on each of which four corner pieces  4   a - d  are arranged. The lateral strut  1  is in this case designed to be light in weight and very robust. In this case, a groove  5   a - d  is respectively formed between each of two corner pieces  4   a - d . A rest  6  is arranged on the left-hand lower corner piece  4   d,  and a cylindrical sealing edge  7  is arranged on the end of the rest  6 . Starting from the corner piece  4   d,  the lower part of the rest  6  tapers such that the rest  6  has a smaller thickness d in the area of the sealing edge  7 . This allows a certain springing effect in the area of the sealing edge  7 . A stop edge  8  is arranged on the upper right-hand corner piece  4   b.  A rear wall, a side wall or a door can then be arranged in a defined manner on this stop edge  8 , defined on the basis of the installation location of the lateral strut  1 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show a baseplate  10 . The baseplate  10  has an upper face  11 , a lower face  12 , a front face  13 , a rear face  14 , a left-hand face  15  and a right-hand face  16 . An upward bend  17  is in each case arranged on the front face  13  and on the rear face  14 , and a latching lug  18  is cut free from each upward bend  17 . A circumferential seal  19  is arranged on the lower face  12  and is connected, for example, by foam to the baseplate  10 . 
     For assembly, the baseplate  10  is moved from above, with the lower face  12  pointing downward, in the direction of the lower horizontal lateral struts  1 . In the process, the latching lugs  18  are moved by the upper inner corner pieces  4   a  in the direction of the upward bend  17  in order to finally enter the groove  5   d,  which is formed between the upper inner corner piece  4   a  and the corner piece  4   d  with the rest  6 . At the same time, the seal  19  lies on the rest  6  and on the sealing edge  7 . In the process, the sealing edge  7  presses into the seal  19  and seals the internal area of the distribution cabinet. In the process, the latching lug  18  presses from the inside against the inner upper corner piece  4   a,  and thus exerts a force on the lateral strut  1  upward, which leads to the sealing edge  7  being pressed further against the seal  18 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
     
         
           1  Lateral strut 
           2  Center part 
           3   a - d  Limb 
           4   a - d  Corner piece 
           5   a - d  Groove 
           6  Rest 
           7  Sealing edge 
           8  Stop edge 
           10  Baseplate 
           11  Upper face 
           12  Lower face 
           13  Front face 
           14  Rear face 
           15  Left-hand face 
           16  Right-hand face 
           17  Upward bend 
           18  Latching lug 
           19  Seal