WO2001061814A1

WO2001061814A1 - Flange for enclosure

Info

Publication number: WO2001061814A1
Application number: PCT/FI2001/000131
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kenneth Weber
Original assignee: Fibox Oy Ab
Priority date: 2000-02-17
Filing date: 2001-02-13
Publication date: 2001-08-23
Also published as: AU2001235526A1; FI107572B; DE20180336U1; FI20000357A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a flange comprising a flange part (5) for receiving an enclosure, and a tube section (6) for receiving a tube end, and the flange comprising a passage (11) for leading a cable from the tube section (6) into the enclosure. To provide a multipurpose flange allowing the enclosure to be alternatively fastened to a wall, with the cable sealably positioned inside the enclosure, the passage (11) comprises a space (13) for receiving a seal (14), and the flange comprises fastening means (15, 33) for keeping the seal in its place in the space (13) so that it seals a cable fitted into the passage (11). The invention also relates to an enclosure comprising a flange-like member for fastening the enclosure to a tube end.

Description

FLANGE FOR ENCLOSURE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a flange to be used in connection with an enclosure for fastening the enclosure to a tube end, the flange com- prising a flange part and a tube section, whereby the flange part is for receiving and fastening the enclosure and the tube section is for receiving the tube end so that the tube section and the tube end are interlocked, and the flange comprising a passage extending from the tube section into a flange space of the flange part in order to lead a cable from the tube section to the flange space and into the enclosure. In this context, the term "cable" refers to all kinds of electrical conductors. Such flanges are used, for example, in connection with electrical enclosures fastened to an end of a pole, the enclosures serving as electric power supplies. The flange of the invention is typically used when an enclosure is mounted at vertical, and sometimes horizontal, tubes. [0002] The invention also relates to an enclosure according to the preamble of the attached claim 14, comprising a flange-like member.

[0003] Known flanges and enclosures enable an enclosure to be fastened to a tube such that a cable in the tube is led through the flange into the enclosure. Instead of said mounting at the tube, they do not, however, al- low the enclosure to be alternatively mounted to a wall such that a cable, which is not inside a tube, is sealably inserted through the flange into the enclosure. Because of this, a different flange must be used in a case where the enclosure is fastened to a pole end than in a case where the enclosure is fixed to a wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a multipurpose flange allowing an enclosure to be easily fastened to a tube or alternatively to a wall. In both cases, a cable led through the flange is sealed so that moisture etc. does not enter the enclosure through the cable passage. The technical implementation of the flange is simple. This object is achieved by a flange, which is characterized in that the passage comprises a space for receiving a seal, and the flange comprises fastening means for keeping the seal in its place in the space so that it seals a cable fitted into the passage.

[0005] The space is preferably a cylindrical space for receiving an annular seal, and the fastening means comprise at least one stopping shoul- der very close to the cylindrical space, the stopping shoulder being arranged to prevent the seal from moving towards the tube section. Such a structure is simple also in view of the seal and enables the seal to be easily fitted.

[0006] The seal seals the cable at the through hole for the cable. [0007] The flange space preferably comprises pull-off means, which are preferably in the form of a clamping band.

[0008] Preferred embodiments of the flange of the invention are disclosed in the attached claims 2 to 13.

[0009] The major advantages of the flange of the invention are that it allows the enclosure to be easily fastened to a tube end or a wall and also that the cable led through the flange is sealed.

[0010] It is another object of the invention to provide an enclosure having a multipurpose flange-like member by which the enclosure can be easily fastened to a tube and which alternatively enables the enclosure to be fas- tened onto a wall, whereby in both cases a cable led through the flange-like member is sealed so that moisture etc. does not enter the enclosure. To achieve this, the enclosure of the invention is characterized by what is said in the characterizing part of the attached claim 14.

[0011] The major advantages of the enclosure of the invention are that it can be easily fastened to a tube end or a wall and that the cable led through the flange-like member is sealed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In the following the invention will be described in greater detail by means of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the attached drawing, in which

[0013] Figure 1 shows an application of a flange according to the invention,

[0014] Figure 2 illustrates how to implement the structure of Figure

1 , [0015] Figure 3 is a cross-section of the flange of Figure 2,

[0016] Figures 4 to 6 show the flange of Figure 3 from the side, from above and from below, and

[0017] Figure 7 is a top view of the flange of Figure 3, and its pull- off means mounted around a cable inserted into the flange. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Figure 1 shows a typical application of a flange 1 of the invention. The flange 1 connects an electrical enclosure 2 to a tube 3. Below a lid 4 inside the enclosure 2, there is a socket outlet for supplying electricity through an electric wire, for instance, to heat a car motor in winter.

[0019] Figure 2 shows that the flange comprises a rectangular flange part 5 and a tube section 6. The enclosure 2 is fastened with screws or the like from its bottom to holes 7 at the corners of the flange part 5. The flange 1 is fastened to the tube 3 by means of the tube section 6 such that the tube section 6 and the tube 3 are telescopically interlocked. Alternatively the tube 3 could surround the lower part of the tube section 6. The upper end of the tube 3 enters a cylindrical space 16 of the tube section 6 and rests against a shoulder 8, cf. Figure 3. The tube section 6 is provided with holes 9 for screws 10 (cf. Figure 1 ) or the like, which are radially tightened to the upper end of the tube 3, and thus the flange 1 is firmly fastened to the tube.

[0020] Figure 3 shows that the flange comprises a passage 11 for a cable, extending from the tube section 6 into the flange part 5, i.e. into a flange space 30. The diameter of the passage 1 1 is preferably 10 to 100 mm. Figure 7 shows the flange and a mounted cable 12 from above. [0021] The tube section 6 comprises a cylindrical space 13 on the circumference of which there is a seal 14, cf. Figure 4. For the sake of simplicity, only a part of the seal 14 is illustrated in Figure 4, whereas no seal is illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. In the space 13, the seal 14 is set sealably against the cable 12 (cf. Figure 7) by surrounding it. From below, it is also set against an annular continuous stopping shoulder 15. The stopping shoulder 15 prevents the seal 14 from moving towards the space 16 and provides for additional sealing.

[0022] Reference numbers 31 to 33 indicate three stopping hooks the shoulders 34 of which grip a shoulder 35 on the circumference of the seal 14. The stopping hooks 31 to 33 prevent the seal 14 from moving towards the flange space 30. Therefore, the stopping hooks 31 to 33 and the stopping shoulder 15 keep the seal 14 accurately in its place so that the seal seals the cable 12.

[0023] Due to the seal 14, the diameter of the cylindrical space 13 is made greater than the diameter of the cylindrical space 16 below the stop- ping shoulder 15 and tha shoulder 8, the cylindrical space being intended for receiving a tube.

[0024] The pull- off of the cable 12 inserted into the flange 1 is implemented by means of a clamping band 17 fitted in the flange space 30. The clamping band 17 comprises two semicircular clamp parts 18 and 19, which are connected to each other by clamping screws 20 and 21. The clamp part 18 comprises mounting lugs 22, 23 provided with elongated holes 24, 25, which are placed over pins 26, 27 in the flange space 30. The pins 26, 27 are provided with threaded bores, to which locking means, such as screws 28, 29 or the like, can be tightened such that the mounting lugs 22, 23 remain between the pins and the heads of the screws 28, 29.

[0025] With the arrangement described above, the clamping band 17 can be tightened around the cable 12 so that pull-off is provided and the cable cannot move in the axial direction. The elongated holes 24, 25 allow the mounting lugs 22, 23 and the clamp part 18 to move when the clamping screws 20, 21 are tightened.

[0026] The flange part 5 and the tube section 6 are made as one casting from plastic, such as polycarbonate, or a light alloy.

[0027] The invention is described above only by means of one ex- ample and therefore it is to be noted that in its details the invention may be implemented in a variety of ways within the scope of the attached claims. Consequently, the shape of the flange part, for example, may vary from what has been described and it may, for example, be round. The space 13 need not be cylindrical, in which case also the shape of the outer circumference of the seal 14 differs from the shape of the cylinder. Instead of the shoulders 15 and 8, other kinds of stopping means, for example projections like bulges, lugs and ears, can be used; and instead of stopping hooks, other types of fastening means can be used. The flange 7 need not be a member that is separate from the enclosure, but it may be a flange-like member integrated into the enclo- sure, in which case the external appearance of the enclosure, for example, corresponds to what is shown in Figure 1.

Claims

1. A flange to be used in connection with an enclosure for fastening the enclosure to a tube end, the flange comprising a flange part (5) and a tube section (6), whereby the flange part is for receiving and fastening the enclo- sure and the tube section is for receiving the tube end so that the tube section and the tube end are interlocked, and the flange comprising a passage (11) extending from the tube section (6) into a flange space (30) of the flange part in order to lead a cable from the tube section (6) to the flange space and into the enclosure, characterized in that the passage (11) comprises a space (13) for receiving a seal (14), and the flange comprises fastening means (15, 31 to 33) for keeping the seal in its place in the space (13) so that it seals a cable fitted into the passage (11).

2. A flange as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the space is a cylindrical space (13) and the seal is an annular seal (14), and the fastening means comprise at least one stopping shoulder (15) very close to the cylindrical space, the stopping shoulder being arranged to prevent the seal from moving towards the tube section (6).

3. A flange as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the stopping shoulder is an annular stopping shoulder (15).

4. A flange as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the fastening means comprise stopping means (31 to 33) which are arranged to prevent the seal (14) from moving towards the flange space (30).

5. A flange as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the stopping means comprise stopping hooks (31 to 33) which are fitted in the space (13) and comprise a shoulder (34) for gripping the seal (14).

6. A flange as claimed in claim 1, characterized by pull-off means (18 to 29) for radially clamping the circumference of the cable.

7. A flange as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pull-off means (18 to 29) are in the flange space (30) and comprise a clamping band (17).

8. A flange as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the clamping band (17) is arranged to be fastened such that it is substantially un- movable in the axial direction.

9. A flange as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the clamping band comprises a clamp part (18) which has a mounting lug (22, 23) comprising a hole (24, 25) to be placed onto a pin (26, 27) in the flange space, which clamp part is connected with a locking means (28, 29) to the pin for preventing the clamp part from moving in the axial direction.

10. A flange as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the pin (26, 27) is provided with a bore and that the locking means is a screw-like member (28, 29) which is to be tightened to the wall of the bore.

11. A flange as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tube section (6) comprises stopping means (8) for preventing the tube end from moving towards the flange space (30).

12. A flange as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the stopping means consist of an annular shoulder (8) arranged in the passage (11).

13. A flange as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a casting forms the flange part (5) and the tube section (6) so that they are inte- gral parts.

14. An enclosure comprising a flange-like member for fastening the enclosure to a tube end, the flange-like member comprising a tube section for receiving the tube end so that the tube section and the tube end are interlocked, and the flange-like member comprising a passage extending from the tube section into the enclosure in order to lead a cable into the enclosure, characterized in that the passage comprises a space for receiving a seal, and the flange-like member comprises fastening means for keeping the seal in its place so that it seals a cable fitted into the passage.