Title of Invention

"A BUS BAR SYSTEM"

Abstract

A bus bar system with an assembly unit (10) consisting of a base plate (11) with lateral legs (12, 13) and fastening elements (20) which are connected with the assembly unit (10) , wherein the assembly unit (10) constitutes a receiver for bus bar holders and bus bars, which are covered by means of covers (30) and/or adapters for devices to be connected, wherein the covers (30) and/or adapters are mechanically connected with the assembly unit (10) by means of plug-in or snap-in receivers (32, 34), and the adapters are additionally electrically connected with the bus bars, characterized in that, together with holding flanges (14, 15) and fastening flanges (16, 17) extending away from the exteriors of the lateral legs (12, 13) , the assembly unit (10) forms snap-in receivers, into which bow-shaped fastening elements (20) is be plugged and/or snapped, wherein the plug-in and/or snap- in receivers (32, 34) of the covers (30) and/or adapters receive.the holding flanges (14, 15) and the lateral legs (22) of the bow-shaped fastening elements (20) connected therewith.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a bus bar system. The invention relates to a bus bar system with an assembly unit consisting of a base plate with lateral legs and fastening elements which are connected with the assembly unit, wherein the assembly unit constitutes a receiver for bus bar holders and bus bars, which are covered by means covers and/or adapters for devices to be connected, wherein the covers and/or adapters are mechanically connected with the assembly unit by means of plug-in or snap-in receptacles, and the adapters are additionally electrically connected with the bus bars. Such bus bar systems are known from EP 0 926 790 A3, EP 0 926 791 A3 and DE 93 06 013 U1. Here, the manufacture of the assembly unit from the assembly plate with fastening elements decisively determines the costs of the bus bar system. For these reasons it has already been attempted to reduce costs in that the base plate was combined in one piece with the fastening elements. This requires complicated tools and, for reasons of cost, as a rule it prevents a production in the form of a cut-to-size section of a profiled continuous piece. Further attempts for cost reduction employ a base plate for the assembly unit which is designed to be simpler and can be connected with separately produced fastening elements. However, a considerable assembly outlay is still required for this, since the fastening elements must be connected with the base plate over the entire length of the bus bar system, and a fastening element must be attached to each longitudinal side of the base plate. It is the object of the invention to considerably reduce the manufacturing costs for the assembly unit of a bus bar system of the type mentioned at the outset in that the base plate and the fastening element are produced as simple elements, which can be connected with each other by means of the most simple assembly without interfering with the requirements made on the assembly unit in the course of this. In accordance with the invention this object is attained in that, together with holding flanges and fastening flanges extending away from the exteriors of the lateral legs, the assembly unit forms snap-in receivers, into which bow-shaped fastening elements can be plugged and/or snapped, wherein the plug-in and/or snap-in receivers of the covers and/or adapters receive the holding flanges and the lateral legs of the bow-shaped fastening elements connected therewith. A first advantage consists in that both parts - the base plate and the fastening element - can be produced in the form of simple profiled extruded elements and can be cut to the desired length. An identical fastening element can be used for both longitudinal sides of the base plate if it is mounted rotated by 180E. The covers and the device adapters can be used unchanged with the plug-in and/or snap-in receivers if the holding flanges of the base plate with the connected lateral legs of the fastening elements are designed as counter-elements for the plug-in and/or snap-in receivers of the covers and/or adapters. The snap-in connection between the base plate and the fastening element is formed in that the lateral legs of the fastening elements facing the fastening flanges of the assembly plate have a snap-in protrusion, which snaps into a snap-in receiver of the adjoining top of the fastening flange of the base plate. The fastening elements are temporarily fixed in place in the receiver of the base plate in that the holding flanges which are spaced apart; from the base plate have snap-in legs on the free ends, which are oriented toward the base plate and are provided on the sides facing the exteriors of the lateral legs with plug-in receivers for the ends of the lateral legs of the fastening elements embodied as plug-in tips. The snap-in connection can be easily achieved after the fixing in place if it is provided that the snap-in protrusion at the lateral leg of the fastening element has a thickness, which continuously increases in the plug-in and/or snap-in direction and snaps into a snap-in receiver of a depth which decreases in this direction in the facing top of the fastening flange of the base plate. In accordance with a further embodiment, the final snap-in position of the fastening elements in the receivers of the base plate is further fixed in place in that the lateral legs of the fastening elements facing the fastening flanges of the base plate have a contact section which, with the fastening element plugged or snapped in, makes contact with the front face of the fastening flange and terminates the plug-in and/or snap-in movement, and that the plugged-in arid/or snapped-in fastening elements rest with a contact leg against the exteriors of the lateral legs of the base plate, and that the contact leg connects the lateral legs of the fastening element with each other. If in accordance with a further development it has been provided that the contact sections of the fastening elements make a transition into extended sections which adjoin the fastening flanges of the base plate and terminate flush with the outer fastening side of the latter, the extended sections of the fastening elements can be used for fastening the assembly unit on a fastening surface. The invention will be explained in greater detail by means of an exemplary embodiment represented in the drawings. Shown are in: Fig. 1, an assembly unit put together from the base plate and two fastening elements and covered with a cover, in a cross-sectional view, Fig. 2, the connection between the base plate and the fastening element on the left longitudinal side of the assembly unit in accordance with Fig. I in an enlarged partial cross section, wherein the application of the cover is also represented, and Fig. 3, the connection between the base plate and the fastening element on the right longitudinal side of the assembly unit in accordance with Fig. I in an enlarged partial cross section, together with the application of the cover or of an adapter. As the cross-sectional view in Fig. 1 shows, the base plate 11 with the two upward oriented lateral legs 12 and 13 constitutes a receiver 40 in a known manner, which extends over a defined length. This base plate 11 with the lateral legs 12 and 13, as well as holding flanges 14 and 15 projecting away from the exteriors of the lateral legs 12 and 13, as well as fastening flanges 16 and 17, is cut to the desired size from a profiled continuous piece. Two-piece bus bar holders 40, in which bus bars are fixed in place, are inserted into the receiver 40. This unit consisting of bus bars and bus bar holders is placed in a known manner into the receiver 40 of the assembly unit 10 and is fixed in place therein. It is therefore not necessary to address the details of the fixation in place within the framework of the present invention. New in connection with the assembly unit 20 is the application of the two fastening elements 20 on the two longitudinal sides of the base plate 10, which will be explained in detail in the course of describing the partial cross sections in accordance with Figs. 2 and 3, It should also be mentioned in connection with Fig. 1 that the fastening elements 20 connected with the lateral legs 12 and 13 extend fastening flanges 16 and 17 of the base plate 11 by means of extension sections 26 and can be used for fastening the assembly unit 10 on a fastening surface. Therefore these extension sections 26 of the fastening elements 20 also terminate flush with the underside of the base plate 11. As the partial cross section in accordance with Fig. 2 shows, the holding flange 14 and the fastening flange 16 at the lateral leg 12 of the base plate 11 form a rectangular receiver on the exterior of the lateral leg 12. A bow-shaped fastening element 20 is pushed into this receiver and snapped in. At the end, the holding flange 14 is provided with a snap-in leg 18, which is oriented toward the fastening flange 16 and is provided with a plug-in receiver 19 on the inside facing the lateral leg 12. The plug-in tip 27 formed on the end of the lateral leg 22 of the fastening element 20 is inserted into this plug-in receiver 19. Then the lateral leg 23 is pivoted more and more into the receiver of the base plate 10, wherein the lateral leg 23 of the fastening element 20 slides on the top of the fastening flange 16 until the snap-in protrusion 24 formed on the lateral leg 23 snaps into the snap-in receiver 16' of the fastening flange 16 and finally fixes the prelocated fastening element 20 in place. The snap-in protrusion 24 increases in thickness in the plug- in and snap-in direction, while the depth of the snap-in receiver 16' is reduced in the same direction. These embodiments of the snap-in protrusion 24 and the snap-in receiver 16' assure the unequivocal holding of the fastening element 20 on the base plate 11. Added to this is that the plug-in or snap-in movement is limited by means of a contact section 25 on the lateral leg 23 of the fastening element 20 when it comes into contact with the front face of the fastening flange 16. Simultaneously the contact leg 21 comes to rest against the exterior of the lateral leg 12, as made clear by the end position in accordance with Fig. 2. The lateral leg of a cover 30 is indicated by 31 and terminates in a plug-in receiver 32. The entry opening of this plug-in receiver 32 is matched to the dimension of the holding flange 14 with the lateral leg 22 of the fastening element 20 with the lateral leg 22 inserted. If the plug-in receiver 32 is preselected, the holding flange 14 with the lateral leg 22 is matched to the plug-in receiver 32. The novel assembly unit 10 can then be matched to existing bus bar systems with covers and adapters. An identical fastening element 20 can be fastened in the same way on the right longitudinal side of the base plate 11 with the lateral leg 13. The holding flange 15 of the lateral leg 13 is provided on the end with the snap-in leg 18, which in turn supports the plug-in receiver 19 and receives the snap-in tip 27 on the end of the lateral leg 22 of the fastening element 20 and fixes it in place. The snap- in protrusion 24 of the fastening element 20 snaps into a snap-in receiver 17' of the fastening flange 17 of the base plate 11. The contact section 25, the contact leg 21 and the extension section 26 of the fastening element 20 take on the same functions as in the connection on the left side of the assembly unit 10. The lateral leg 33 of the cover 30, or the corresponding side of the adapter, terminate in a snap-in receiver 34, whose embodiment is known. A part formed on the snap-in receiver 34 constitutes a snap-in incline 35, so that, following the completion of the left plug-in connection, the cover 30, or the adapter, can be snapped with the plug-in receiver 32 on the right side from above on the holding flange 22 with the inserted lateral leg 22 of the fastening element 20 on the right side. We claim: 1. A bus bar system with an assembly unit (10) consisting of a base plate (11) with lateral legs (12, 13) and fastening elements (20) which are connected with the assembly unit (10) , wherein the assembly unit (10) constitutes a receiver for bus bar holders and bus bars, which are covered by means of covers (30) and/or adapters for devices to be connected, wherein the covers (30) and/or adapters are mechanically connected with the assembly unit (10) by means of plug-in or snap-in receivers (32, 34), and the adapters are additionally electrically connected with the bus bars, characterized in that, together with holding flanges (14, 15) and fastening flanges (16, 17) extending away from the exteriors of the lateral legs (12, 13) , the assembly unit (10) forms snap-in receivers, into which bow-shaped fastening elements (20) is to be plugged and/or snapped, wherein the plug-in and/or snap- in receivers (32, 34) of the covers (30) and/or adapters receive the holding flanges (14, 15) and the lateral legs (22) of the bow-shaped fastening elements (20) connected therewith. 2. The bus bar system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral legs (23) of the fastening elements (20) facing the fastening flanges (16, 17) of the assembly plate (11) have a snap-in protrusion (24), which snaps into a snap- in receiver (16', 17') of the adjoining top of the fastening flange (16, 17) of the base plate (11). 3. The bus bar system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the snap-in protrusion (24) at the lateral leg (23) of the fastening element (20) has a thickness, which continuously increases in the plug-in and/or snap-in direction, and snaps into a snap-in receiver (16', 17') of a depth, which decreases in this direction, in the facing top of the fastening flange (16, 17) of the base plate (11). 4. The bus bar system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding flanges (14, 15) which are spaced apart from the base plate (11) have snap-in legs (18) on the free ends, which are oriented toward the base plate (11) and are provided on the sides facing the exteriors of the lateral legs (12, 13) with plug-in receivers (19) for the ends of the lateral legs (22) of the fastening elements (20) embodied as plug-in tips (27). 5. The bus bar system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lateral legs (24) of the fastening elements (20) facing the fastening flanges (16, 17) of the base plate (11) have a contact section (25) which, with the fastening element (20) plugged or snapped in, makes contact with the front face of the fastening flange (16, 17) and terminates the plug-in and/or snap-in movement. 6. The bus bar system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plugged-in and/or snapped-in fastening elements (20) rest with a contact leg (21) against the exteriors of the lateral legs (12, 13) of the base plate (11), and the contact leg (21) connects the lateral legs (22, 23) of the fastening element (20) with each other. 7. The bus bar system as claimed in claim 5 and 6, wherein the contact sections (25) of the fastening elements (20) make a transition into extended sections (26) which adjoin the fastening flanges (16, 17) of the base plate (ii) and terminate flush with the outer fastening side of the latter. 8. The bus bar system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the holding flanges (14, 15) of the base plate (11) with the connected lateral legs (22) of the fastening elements (20) are designed as counter-plug-in and or counter- snap-in elements for the plug-in and/or snap-in receivers (32, 34) of the covers (30) and/or adapters.

Documents:

4174-DELNP-2006-Abstract-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-abstract.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Claims-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-claims.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-Correspondence-Others (05-11-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-Correspondence-Others (20-11-2009).pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Correspondence-Others-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-correspondence-others.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Description (Complete)-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-description (complete).pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Drawings-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-drawings.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Form-1-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-form-1.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-form-18.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Form-2-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-form-2.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Form-3-(24-03-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-form-3.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-form-5.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-GPA (05-11-2009).pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-210.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-301.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-304.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-308.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-311.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-316.pdf

4174-delnp-2006-pct-318.pdf

4174-DELNP-2006-Petition-137-(24-03-2009).pdf