GB2428334A

GB2428334A - Housing for an electronic component

Info

Publication number: GB2428334A
Application number: GB0613706A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolgang Schlueter
Original assignee: POLYTRON VERTRIEB GmbH
Current assignee: POLYTRON VERTRIEB GmbH
Priority date: 2005-07-13
Filing date: 2006-07-11
Publication date: 2007-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2026-07-11
Also published as: FR2888710A1; FR2888710B1; GB2428334B; DE102005032626A1; DE102005032626B4; GB0613706D0

Abstract

A housing 10 for receiving an electronic component, such as a rotary potentiometer, has a housing cover that has an opening 18a for manual operation of the electronic component e.g. by means of a screwdriver. A detachable screen unit 22a is removably attached to the housing cover, the screen unit having a hole 24a which is aligned with the opening 18a. The screen unit 22a also includes one or more marking regions 19a, 21a, orientated towards the operator, on which markings or labels can be displayed. The detachable screen unit 22a allows the housing to be provided with appropriate labels according to the specification of the electronic components inside.

Description

Housing for receiving electronic components The invention relates to a

housing for receiving electronic components in a receiving space which is delimited by wall regions and a housing cover which is orientated towards the operator, the housing cover having at least one opening for manual operation of the electronic component. The component can thereby have for example a rotary potentiometer which can be operated with a screw driver.

Electronic housings of this type serve to accommodate electronic components in a protected manner. On the one hand, protection of the components against damage from the outside and, on the other hand, protection of persons from electric shocks are thereby paramount.

However conventional electronic housings also have the task of screening the accorrm-iodated electronics. in addition, housings of this* type are intended to be able to be configured attractively for design reasons.

Housings for electronics are known which comprise an essentially cuboid hollow body in which the electronic circuits are accommodated.

These can be adjusted or actuated for example in that rotary potentiometers which are connected to the electronics are actuated with a screwdriver through holes in the housing. For this purpose, the holes can be labelled in order to fmd the correct switches easily or be characterised in another manner, stickers or printed panels of markings being used. Stickers thereby have the disadvantage that they generally do not adhere on a long term basis and, upon a possible exchange of the label, can only be removed again from the housing with difficulty.

Printed labels can generally not be removed at all from the housing or only with considerable difficulty.

The side walls of a housing of this type are generally produced from a metal sheet, the known housing in addition being able to be closed with a base sheet and a cover sheet. The outer configuration of a housing of this type is restricted substantially to the application of paint or stickers. In addition, the cuboid configuration which is economical for manufacturing reasons does not allow a change in the outer shape. In addition, sharp edges and corners on the housing present the risk of injury.

It is therefore the object of the invention to indicate a housing for receiving electronic components, the outer configuration of which can be adapted in a simple manner to design specifications and/or labelling specifications Furthermore, the housing according to the invention is intended to ensure safe handling and to minimise the risk of injury.

This object of the invention is achieved by a housing for receiving electronic components according to the features of claim 1.

Advantageous developments are described respectively in the sub- claims.

Accordingly, at least one screen unit can be attached detachably to the housing cover so that the outer configuration can be altered corresponding to the configuration of the screen unit. The screen unit thereby has at least one hole which is aligned with the at least one opening in the housing cover, through which hole the electronic component cai-j be operated or adjusted. In order in addition to ensure safe operation, a labelling region orientated towards the operator is associated with each hole.

In order to attach the screen unit in a simple manner to the housing and if necessary also to remove it again simply, the screen unit can have, on a side- or edge region, at least one hook-shaped extension which extends in the direction of the housing cover. This hook-shaped extension engages in a corresponding recess in the housing cover and forms at least together with the housing recess a part of a pivot hinge.

In order to place the screen unit on the housing cover, the screen unit is lowered at the region of the hook-shaped extension. In this tilted state, the hook-shaped extension is introduced into the corresponding recess in the housing cover. Subsequendy, the screen unit is moved into a position parallel to the housing cover so that the hook-shaped extension engages on the housing cover from the rear at the underside thereof. Direct removal of the screen unit perpendicular to the housing Cover and displacement of the screen unit parallel to the housing cover is prevented in the case of this pivot hinge connection.

In order to fix the screen unit securely and nevertheless detachably, it can project beyond the housing cover at a side- or edge region which is at a spacing from the pivot hinge and preferably opposite the pivot hinge. A safety tab which extends substantially perpendicular to the screen unit and parallel to the associated wail region is moulded on the projecting part of the screen unit. Said safety tab engages into a corresponding recess in the wall region for detachable fixing with a locking catch which projects in the direction of the wall region. In addition, the projecting screen unit together with the safety tab covers an edge region of the housing which is likely to cause injury.

In a simple manner with respect to production, the screen unit can be produced with the at least one hook-shaped extension and/or with the safety tab which has the locking catch in one piece from plastic material. The wall regions and/or the housing cover can thereby be produced from metal sheet.

For secure and positionaflyaccurate fixing at least of one electronic component, a plurality of receiving devices for mounting and adjusting the at least one component can be disposed in the receiving space.

According to the number of electronic components to be accommodated in the housing, a separate screen unit can be associated with each of the components. A marking or label which corresponds to the associated electronic component can thereby be attached to the respective screen unit. The screen unit respectively attached to the housing can also be configured with a different design according to the electronic component which is used.

In a particular advantageous manner, the housing cover can be colmected securely to the wall regions so that the attached screen units can be connected securely to the housing. In order however to facilitate fitting of the housing with electronic components, the side of the receiving space Opposite the housing cover is open and can be closed with a cover after being fitted out.

In order to actuate or adjust the electronic components, these can have at least one manually operable adjustment device. The electronic components can thereby be filter units for the separation of individual, predetermined channels when receiving terrestrial television signals via an antenna unit, each electronic component being able to have at least one manually operable adjustment device for level adjustment of television signals.

In an advantageous manner, the manually operable adjustment device can have an adjustment screw which is adjustable with a screwdriver which can be introduced through the at least one hole provided in the Screen unit.

Additionally or alternatively, the manually operable adjustment device can have an adjustment screw which is adjustable with a screw driver and extends at least partially through the at least one hole provided in the screen unit in the direction of the operator.

In order to attach the housing securely on a building wall or carrier element of that type, at least one mounting bracket can be attached to at least one of the wall regions of the housing in order to mount the housing.

The invention is explained subsequently in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings.

There are shown: Figure 1 in perspective plan view, a housing with three screen units attached next to each other on the upper housing cover; Figure 2. a schematic view of the housing according to Figure 1 in the direction of the underside, no cover being placed thereon; and Figure 3 the housing according to Figure 1 in schematic side view and in section according to the section line III - III in Figure 1, the interior layout of the housing not being shown.

In perspective plan view, Figure 1 shows a housing 10 having three adjacent screen units 22a, 22b and 22c which are attached detachably on the Upper housing cover 16 orientated towards the operator. The housing has four wall regions which together with the housing cover 16 encompass a cuboid hollow body. In Figure 1, only the wall regions 14a and 14d are visible. On the wall region 14d, a mounting bracket 54 is attached. By means of a mounting screw which engages on the mounting bracket 54, the housing can be mounted for example on a building wall.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the housing 10 according to Figure I in the direction of the underside thereof, no cover being placed thereon. The wall regions 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d and the housing cover 16, connected securely thereto, which are produced from metal sheet, define the receiving space 12 for receiving three (not shown) electronic components. For this purpose, a plurality of receiving devices 46 is disposed in the receiving space 12 in order to mount and adjust the electronic components On the wall regions 14b and 14d, the mounting brackets 54 and 56 for mounting the housing on a building wall are

detectable

The electronic components to be accommodated in the housing 10 are configured as filter units for the separation of individual predetermined channels when receiving terrestrial television signals via an antenna unit. A screen unit 22a, 22b or 22c is associated with each of the three electronic components The housing cover 16 which can be seen from below in Figure 2 has six openings 18a, 181,, 18c and 20a, 20b, 20c, through which the electronic components to be received can be operated by means of a screwdriver.

The screen units 22a, 22b and 22c have six openings or holes Or throughborings 24a, 24b, 24c, 26a, 26b and 26c which, in the mounted state of the screen units 22a, 22b and 22c, cover the six openings 18a, 18b 18c and 20a, 20b, 20c in the housing cover 16 or they are aligned with these. Respectively one pair of rotary switches or adjustment screws 50a and 52a, 50b and 52b or 50c and 52c for level adjustment of the television Signals is thereby associated with the three (not shown) electronic components, as shown in Figure 1. A screwdriver can be introduced through the holes 24a, 24b, 24c and 26a, 26b, 26c, provided in the screen unit 22a, 22b, 22c, and the six openings 18a, 18b, 18c and 20a, 20b, 20c in the housing cover 16 in order to actuate the adjustment screws 50a and 52a, 50b and 52b or 50c and 52c. A common marking region 19a, 19b and 19c is associated with each pair of adjustment screws 50a and 52a, 50b and 52b or 50c and 52c on the side of the screen units 22a, 22b and 22c orientated towards the operator, on which marking region for example the functions of the respective adjustment screws are made recognisable by symbols or other labelling. It can be detected in Figure 1 that the marking regions 19a, 19b and 19c are disposed adjacent to the adjustment screws 50a and 52a, SOb and 52b or 50c and 52c. In addition, each screen unit 22a, 22b and 22c still has respectively one wide marking region 2 la, 21 b or 2 ic which serves for further labels, for example for marking the electronic component associated with each screen unit, 22a, 22b and 22c.

Figure 3 shows the housing 10 in schematic side view and in section according to the section line III - III in Figure 1, the inner layout of the housing 10 or the accommodated electronic components not being illustrated.

On the side region 28 on the right in Figure 3, the screen unit 22a has a hook-shaped extension 30a which extends in direction A towards the housing cover 16, said extension engaging in a corresponding recess 34a in the housing cover 16.

As is clear from Figure 2, a further hook-shaped extension 32a is attached to the screen unit 22a parallel to the hook-shaped extension 30a, said extension 32a engaging in a corresponding recess 36a in the housing cover 16. The screen unit 22b likewise has two hook-shaped extensions 30b and 32b which extend at the side region 28 in the direction of the arrow A towards the housing cover 16 and are disposed parallel to each other, said extensions 30b and 32b engaging in Corresponding recesses 34b and 36b in the housing cover 16. The screen unit 22c has two hook-shaped extensions 30c and 32c which extend at the side region 28 in the direction A towards the housing Cover 16 and are disposed parallel to each other, said extensions 30c and 32c engaging in corresponding recesses 34c and 36c in the housing cover 16. The hook- shaped extensions 30a and 32a, 30b and 32b or 30c and 32c are shaped such that the hook ends respectively point in the direction of the right edge- or side region 28 and, in the mounted state of the screen units 22a, 22b, 22c, engage on the housing cover 16 from the rear through the recesses 34a and 36a, 34b and 36b or 34c and 36c.

The screen unit 22a projects beyond the housing cover in the direction of the arrow B16 at the side- or edge region 38 which is at a spacing from and opposite the pivot hinge. At the projecting part of the screen unit 22a, a safety tab 40a which extends substantially perpendicularly to the screen unit 22a and parallel to the associated wall region 14a is moulded on. The safety tab 40a has, at its lower end, a locking catch 42a which projects in the direction of the wall region 14a and engages in a corresponding recess 44a in the wall region 14a. Safety tabs 40b and 40c are likewise moujded on the screen units 22b and 22c and, at their lower ends, respectively have a locking catch 42b or 42c which projects in the direction of the wall region 14a and with which they engage in corresponding recesses 44b or 44c in the wall region 14a.

As is clear with reference to Figure 3, both the screen unit 22a in the region 23 of the hole 24a and of the associated marking region 1 9a opposite the upper side of the screen unit 22a is configured sunk or recessed. The marking region 19a and the upper side of the hole 24a are situated in the same region with a sunk configuration. Also the marking region 21 a is configured sunk relative to the upper side of the screen unit 22a.

The screen unit 22a shown in Figure 3 is produced with the two hookshaped extensions 30a and 32a and with the safety tab 40a which has the locking catch 42a in one piece from plastic material. The housing cover 16 is connected securely to the wall regions 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d.

The side of the receiving space 12 situated opposite the housing cover 16 can be closed with a removable cover 48.

Claims

Claims Housing (10) for receiving electronic components in a receiving

space (12) which is delimited by wall regions (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) and a housing cover (16) which is orientated towards the operator, the housing cover (16) having at least one opening (1 8a, 18b, 18c, 20a, 20b, 20c) for manual operation of the electronic Component, characterised in that at least one screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) can be attached detachably to the housing cover (16) and has at least one hole (24a, 24b, 24c, 26a, 26b, 26c) which is aligned with the at least one opening (18a, 18b, 18c, 20a, 20b, 20c), and with which a marking region (19a, 19b, 19c) orientated towards the operator is associated.
2. Housing according to claim 1, characterjsed in that the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) has, on a side- or edge region (28), at least one hookshaped extension (30a, 30b, 30c, 32a, 32b, 32c) which extends in the direction (A) of the housing cover (16), engages in a corresponding recess (34a, 34b, 34c, 36a, 36b, 36c) in the housing cover (16) and forms at least a part of a pivot hinge.
3. Housing according to claim 2, characterjsed in that the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) projects (direction B) beyond the housing cover (16) at a side- or edge region (38) which is at a spacing from the pivot hinge, and a safety tab (40a, 40b, 40c) which extends substantially perpendicular to the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) and parallel to the associated wall region (14a) is rnoulded on and engages into a corresponding recess (44a, 44b, 44c) in the wall region (14a) with a locking catch (42a, 42b, 42c) which projects in the direction of the wall region.
4. Housing according to claim 3, charactej-jsed in that the safety tab (40a, 40b, 40c) is disposed on the side- or edge region (38) of the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) which is at a spacing from and opposite the pivot hinge.
5. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterjsed in that the screen unit (22a) is produced with the at least one hook- shaped extension (30a, 32a) and/or with the safety tab (40a) which has the locking catch (42a) in one piece from plastic material.
6. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterjsed in that the wall regions (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) and/or the housing cover (16) are produced from metal sheet.
7. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterjsed in that a plurality of receiving devices (46) for mounting and adjusting at least one electronic component is disposed in the receiving space (12).
8. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterjsed in that a plurality of electronic components can be received in the receiving space (12) and a separate screen unit (22a, 22b or 22c) is associated with each of the components.
9. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the housing cover (16) is connected securely to the wall regions (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) and the side of the receiving space (12) opposite the housing cover (16) can be closed with a cover (48).
10. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterjsed in that the electronic components have at least one manually operable adjustment device (50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, 52c).
11. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterjsed in that the electronic components are filter units for the separation of individual, predetermined channels when receiving terrestrial television signals via an antenna unit.
12. Housing according to claim 11, characterised in that each electronic component has at least one manually operable adjustment device (50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, 52c) for level adjustment of the television signals.
13. Housing according to one of the claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the manually operable adjustment device (50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, 52c) has an adjustment screw which is adjustable with a screw driver which can be introduced through the at least one hole (24a, 24b, 24c, 26a, 26b, 26c) provided in the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c).
14. Housing according to one of the claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the manually operable adjustment device (50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, 52c) has an adjustment screw which is adjustable with a screwdriver and extends at least partially through the at least one hole (24a, 24b, 24c, 26a, 26b, 26c) provided in the screen unit (22a, 22b, 22c) in the direction of the operator.
15. Housing according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterjsed in that at least one mounting bracket (54, 56) for mounting the housing on a carrier element is attached to at least one of the wall regions (14b, 14c1).
16. Housing for receiving electronic components in a receiving space substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.