Abstract:
The invention relates to a wall outlet comprising a base part having at least one first opening which is used to receive an electric cable, and a cover. The cover or the base part comprise at least one second opening wherein an electric socket can be inserted. A cable guiding element is arranged in the base part, said cable guiding element enabling the electric cable to be guided in a defined manner from the first opening to the second opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   Wall outlets are used, for example, in production halls in the industrial field, and have a lower part and a cover. The lower part is mounted on the wall, with the cover being hinged, for example by means of a hinge on the lower part, and possibly being screwed to the lower part. The cover and/or the lower part have a first opening via which an electrical cable can be passed into the wall outlet. The cover and/or the lower part furthermore have/has a second opening, in which an electrical socket is arranged. In this case, the socket may be placed in front of the second opening, from the outside or from the inside. The electrical cable is then connected to the socket. An electrical appliance can then be connected to the cable by plugging a suitable plug into the socket, in order in this way to receive and/or to transmit data. It is also known for a protective cap to be provided in front of the socket, which protects the socket against dirt and/or moisture and/or water spray when no plug is inserted. The known wall outlet has the disadvantage that it is not suitable for data cables with very high transmission rates such as Category 5 or Category 6. 
   SUMMARY 
   The invention is based on the technical problem of providing a wall outlet which allows data cables for high transmission rates to be connected. 
   In one preferred embodiment, the cable routing element is detachably connected to the lower part. In addition to simple production as well as a further degree of freedom for the choice of different materials for the lower part and cable routing element, this, in conjunction with further features, also has a further advantage, which will be explained later. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, the lower part has two first openings and the cover has two second openings, so that two electrical cables can be connected by means of the wall connecting box. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, flaps which can pivot are arranged on the cover and can be used to close the second openings. This means that no dirt or moisture can enter the socket when no plug is inserted. The flap is preferably prestressed by means of a spring for this purpose. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, the flap has a latching trough, and the cover has a latching tab, so that the flap is also latched when it is folded closed. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, hinge-like shafts are arranged on both end surfaces on the lower part and, on the end surface opposite the second openings, the cover has attachment means which correspond to the hinge-like shafts. The cover can thus optionally be hinged on both end surface faces of the lower part, so that the first and second openings are optionally on the same or on the opposite end surface face. The detachable cable routing element is then preferably rotated through 180° in the lower part for this purpose. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, the cable routing element has elements in the form of springs. The elements in the form of springs result in the cable routing element, and the sockets which are connected to the cable routing element, being aligned in a defined manner with respect to the second opening. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, the cover has lead-sealing hooks. When the flaps are closed, that is to say when no plug is inserted, these lead-sealing hooks allow the wall outlet to be lead-sealed, thus making unauthorized access more difficult. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, a seal is arranged between the lower part and the cover, with holes for attachment screws preferably being arranged away from the seal. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, installation instructions are fitted on the lower face of the cover and/or on the upper face of the lower part. The purpose of this is, for example, to indicate to the technician the point at which the electrical cable must be cut off. 
   In a further preferred embodiment the cover has a lid, and the lid has a seal. By way of example, it is possible to arrange inscriptions under the lid, which is preferably transparent, which are then protected against water spraying and moisture, by means of the seal. 
   In a further preferred embodiment, at least one hinge-like shaft is arranged on at least one end surface of the lower part, and the cover has corresponding attachment means, with the hinge-like shaft having a latching depression and the corresponding attachment means having a latching tab, so that the cover latches in over a limit value when it is folded up. The limit value is preferably in the region of 160°. In particular, this simplifies retrospective installation work, since the cover can effectively be moved to a working position where it does not provide any disturbance but is still attached to the lower part in a captive manner. For example, this means that there is no need to place the cover on the floor, which may be damp. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to a third exemplary embodiment. In the figures: 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective plan view of a cover, 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the cover from underneath, 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective plan view of a lower part with a cable routing element inserted as well as sockets in a first operating mode, 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective plan view of the lower part with a cable routing element inserted as well as sockets in a second operating mode, 
       FIG. 5  shows a further perspective plan view of the lower part, 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective plan view of the cable routing element, and 
       FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the cable routing element from underneath. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows the cover  1  of the wall outlet. The cover  1  has two flaps  2 , by means of which second openings  3  in an end surface of the cover  1  can be closed. In this case, the right-hand flap  2  is shown in the closed state, and the left-hand flap  2  is shown in the open state. An attachment  4  is inserted in the second opening and is matched to a plug that can be inserted. A socket is then arranged behind this attachment  4 , as will be explained in more detail later. Sealing elements  5  are arranged on the inner face of the flap  2  and, in the closed state, protect the opening  3  with the attachment  4  hermetically against moisture and dirt. Two lead-sealing hooks  6  are arranged at the side on the end face and, when the flap  2  is in the closed state, project through openings in the flap  2 . A wire can then be passed through holes  7  within the lead-sealing hooks  6  and can be lead-sealed, thus making unauthorized access more difficult and making it evident. An inscription area with a lid  8  is arranged on the upper face of the cover  1 , as well as a hole  9  by means of which the cover can be screwed to the lower part. Troughs  10  are formed at the side on the cover  1  in the area of the flaps  2  and are used as intentional pressure points for opening the flap  2 . The flaps  2  are on the one hand prestressed by means of a spring and are latched by means of a latching tab, which is not illustrated, on the cover and a latching trough on the flap. This then simplifies the latching, since force is applied obliquely via the troughs  10 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a view of the cover from underneath. In this case, a groove  11  for sealing runs virtually over the entire circumference of the cover  1 , with the holes  12  for screws being arranged away from the groove  11 . Two attachment means  14  are arranged on the opposite end face  13  of the flaps  2 . On the lower face, the attachment means  14  each have a latching tab, whose function will be explained later. As can also be seen, the two attachments  4  project into the cover. The spring  15  which prestresses the flap  2  can be seen at the top, on the right. Installation aids  16  are also fitted to the lower face of the cover  1 , which, for example, make it possible to see how far an electrical cable must be cut off or stripped of insulation. 
     FIG. 3  shows the lower part  20  of the wall outlet box with an inserted cable routing element  21  as well as sockets  22 . Two hinge-like shafts  25  are arranged on the respective two end faces  23  and  24  (see  FIG. 5 ), and the cover  1  can be hinged by means of the attachment means  14  on the hinge-like shafts  25 . A groove  26  for the seal  40  is provided virtually around the entire circumference of the lower part  20  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). On the end face  23 , the lower part  20  has two first openings  27  for the electrical cables  28 , and the openings  27  with the cables  28  can be sealed hermetically by means of sealing elements  29 . The cable routing element  21  in each case has two U-shaped limbs  30 , which are used for holding and securing the sockets  22 . Clamping ribs  31  which point inwards are provided for this purpose on the upper face of the limbs  30  and slide over the upper face of the sockets  22 . In a first operating mode, the cable routing element  21  is inserted into the lower part  20  such that the U-shaped limbs  30  rest on the end face  24 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In this case, the cover  1  is hinged by means of the attachment means  14  on the hinge-like shafts  25  on the end face  23 . This means that, when the wall outlet box is mounted on the wall and the electrical cables  28  come from above, then the tapping by means of the plug, which is not illustrated, is produced from underneath. In order to route the electrical cable  28  in a defined manner within the wall outlet box, it is passed through the opening  27 , is passed via a first cable routing path  32  from the opening  27  to the socket  22 , where the electrical wires in the cable  28  are connected. The hinge-like shafts  25  each have a latching depression  39 , which is preferably arranged somewhat eccentrically. When the cover  1  is folded up through a limiting angle of, for example, 160°, the latching tab of the attachment means  14  slides into the latching depression, and locks the cover  1  in this position. 
   The cable routing path  32  is designed such that minimum bending radii of the electrical cable  28  for high data transmission rates are complied with, such as Category  6 . As can be seen well, particularly in  FIG. 6 , the configuration of the cable routing path  32  results in positive routing, so that the technician cannot bend the cable  28  at less than the minimum bending radii, and cannot kink it at all. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show a second operating mode, in which the cable routing element  21  is arranged rotated through 180° in the lower part  21 , so that the U-shaped limbs  30  are arranged on the end face  23 . In this case, the cover  1  is hinged by means of its attachment means  14  on the hinge-like shafts  25  on the end face  24 . However, this requires different cable routing within the wall outlet. For this purpose, the electrical cable  28  is first of all passed from the opening  27  via the cable routing path  33  (see  FIG. 6 ) from the end face  23  to the end face  24 , where it is bent up and is passed via the cable routing path  34  to the socket  22 . 
   The tapping by means of the plug can thus be provided optionally on the end face  23  or  24  by means of the detachable cable routing element  21  as well as the hinge-like shafts  25  which are arranged on the two end faces  23 ,  24 . If, by way of example, the wall connecting box is mounted on the wall and the electrical cable  28  comes from underneath, then the second operating mode as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  nevertheless makes it possible to ensure that the tapping by means of the plug is also feasible from underneath. 
   The cable routing element  21  is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In addition to the elements which have already been described, the preferably integral cable routing element  21  has a pair of spring elements  35  which press the cable routing element  21  in a sprung manner against the inner face of the lower part  20 . The cable routing element  21  also has a second spring element  36 , which supports the cable routing element  21  is a sprung manner against the lower face of the lower part. In this case, the spring element  36  provides height alignment for the sockets  22 , with the socket  22  being fixed in the longitudinal direction primarily by means of the stop edges  37 . In order to increase the stiffness, the cable routing element  21  also has also has reinforcing ribs  38  in the area of the cable routing path  34 . On the side opposite the spring elements  35 , the cable routing element  21  has projections  41 , which latch into corresponding recesses in the lower part  20 . 
   LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
   
       
         1  Cover 
         2  Flap 
         3  Opening 
         4  Attachment 
         5  Sealing element 
         6  Lead-sealing hook 
         7  Holes 
         8  Lid 
         9  Hole 
         10  Trough 
         11  Groove 
         12  Holes 
         13  End face 
         14  Attachment means 
         15  Spring 
         16  Installation aids 
         20  Lower part 
         21  Cable routing element 
         22  Sockets 
         23  End face 
         24  End face 
         25  Hinge-like shafts 
         26  Groove 
         27  Opening 
         28  Cable 
         29  Sealing element 
         30  U-shaped limb 
         31  Clamping ribs 
         32  Cable routing path 
         33  Cable routing path 
         34  Cable routing path 
         35  Spring element 
         36  Spring element 
         37  Stop edge 
         38  Reinforcing ribs 
         39  Latching depression 
         40  Seal 
         41  Projection