Plastic enclosure for enclosing industrial components
The invention relates to a plastic enclosure ( 1 ) for enclosing industrial components. The enclosure comprising a case ( 2 ) made of plastics. The case comprises a rectangular rear wall ( 3 ) and four side walls ( 4, 5, 6, 7 ) delimiting an interior ( 8 ) having four corners ( 9, 10, 11, 12 ) at the junctures of side walls. The rear wall and the side walls together form a monolithic unitary box-like container which has a mouth opening ( 13 ) at one side enabling access to the interior. Each corner comprises fastening means for fastening of one or more panels (P; P 1 ) inside the interior in parallel and at a desired distance relative to the rear wall. The fastening means comprises a pair of rib members ( 14, 15 ) molded integrally as unitary monolithic structures with the side walls. The rib members extend along the side walls between the rear wall and the mouth opening. Each rib member comprises a plurality of equally spaced grooves ( 16 ) extending at right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the rib member. The grooves ( 16 ) in the pair of the rib members ( 14, 15 ) of each corner are arranged as pairs of grooves which are mutually aligned, mutually located at the same level and facing each other. A support block ( 17 ) made of plastics having at least one pair of tongues ( 18 ) is adapted to be inserted into the at least one pair of grooves ( 16 ) to form tongue-and-groove joints at the two sides of the support block for holding the support block when installed to the corner. The support block ( 17 ) has a fastening element ( 19 ) for fastening of the panel (P; P 1 ) to the support block.
1. A plastic enclosure for enclosing industrial components, the enclosure comprising a case made of plastics, the case comprising a rectangular rear wall and four side walls delimiting an interior having four corners at the junctures of side walls, the rear wall and the side walls together forming a monolithic unitary box-like container which has a mouth opening at one side enabling access to the interior, each corner comprising fastening means for fastening of one or more panels inside the interior in parallel and at a desired distance relative to the rear wall, wherein
the fastening means comprises
a pair of rib members molded integrally as unitary monolithic structures with the side walls, the rib members extending along the side walls between the rear wall and the mouth opening, each rib member comprising a plurality of equally spaced grooves extending at right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the rib member, and the grooves in the pair of the rib members of each corner are arranged as pairs of grooves which are mutually aligned, mutually located at the same level and facing each other, and
a support block made of plastics having at least one pair of tongues adapted to be inserted into the at least one pair of grooves to form tongue-and-groove joints on two sides of the support block for holding the support block when installed to the corner, the support block having a fastening element for fastening of the panel to the support block.
2. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the support block comprises an upper face onto which a corner region of the panel can be placed and fastened to the fastening element of the support block.
3. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element comprises a first hole into which a self-threading screw, such as a PT screw, can be screwed.
4. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the support block comprises at least one second hole into which a self-threading screw, such as a PT screw, can be screwed.
5. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element comprises a metal insert bushing mounted inside the support block, the metal insert bushing having an inner thread into which a fastening screw can be screwed.
6. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the tongues are wedge-shaped and the grooves have a corresponding wedge-shape.
7. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the support block comprises first snap-fit means for gripping to longitudinal edges of the rib members.
8. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the support block comprises second snap-fit means for gripping a snap-fit counterpart arranged on the rear wall.
9. A plastic enclosure according to claim 8 , wherein the rear wall comprises a protrusion at each corner of the case, the protrusion having a rigid clip thereon to form the snap-fit counterpart.
10. A plastic enclosure according to claim 9 , wherein the support block comprises a lower face facing to opposite direction relative to the upper face, the lower face comprising a recess to receive the protrusion therein, and a lip portion to cover the recess, the lower face having an indentation adapted to receive the clip therein to form the second snap-fit means when the support block is installed at the lowest position near to the rear wall in the interior of the case.
11. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the grooves in each pair of grooves are directed in directions which are at an angle (a) relative to each other, the angle being in the range of 0°-45°, and the tongues of the support block are arranged in a corresponding mutual angle.
12. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the side walls and/or the rib members comprise level markings to assist in installation of four support blocks at an equal level relative to the rear wall and/or relative to the mouth opening.
13. A plastic enclosure according to claim 12 , wherein the level markings are arranged at intervals along the rib members and/or along the side walls near to the rib members.
14. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the grooves are arranged along the rib members with a density of 5 grooves per inch.
15. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein, seen in the perpendicular direction of the upper face, the support block has a general shape of a right-angled isosceles triangle with a hypotenuse side facing the interior of the case when installed into the corner of the case, and catheti sides having the tongues formed into cutouts of the catheti sides, and the metal insert bushing is arranged at an imaginary altitude of the hypotenuse side, and the right angle of the isosceles triangle is flattened to allow a space between the corner of the case and the installed support block for inserting a tool therebetween for releasing the installed support block.
16. A plastic enclosure according to claim 15 , wherein the support block comprises two hook formations arranged at the catheti sides near to rounded corners between the catheti sides and the hypotenuse side, the hook formations being arranged to hook behind longitudinal edges of the rib members thereby forming the first snap-fit means.
17. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the support block comprises a hinge for hinging a swing-out panel attached to the support block.
18. A plastic enclosure according claim 17 , wherein the support block comprises a first support block member comprising the tongues and a second support block member which is hinged by the hinge to the first support block member, the second support block member having the fastening element for fastening of the swing-out panel to the second support block member.
19. A plastic enclosure according claim 18 , wherein the first support block member comprises a hinge pin and the second support block member comprises a pin seat to receive the hinge pin therein, so that the second support block member is rotatable around the hinge pin.
20. A plastic enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a lid molded from plastics for covering the case, the lid being hinged by one or more hinges.
21. A plastic enclosure according to claim 20 , wherein the enclosure comprises one or more a latch devices for locking the lid relative to the case.