Control apparatus with control panel

• US 6,106,181 A
• Filed: 04/28/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rittal-Werk Rudolf Loh Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Rittal-Werk Rudolf Loh Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Neuhof, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOCHNA, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/068,063
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 403/84, 403/87, 403/97, 403/93, 403/94, 403/103, 16/264, 16/254, 16/382, 16/330, 16/329, 361/680, 361/681, 361/686, 361/724, 361/732, 361/733, 361/752, 364/708
• US Class Current: 403/84
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1007 with positive locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/10 Arrangements for locking
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1631 Panel PC, e.g. single housing hosting PC and display panel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32262 At selected angle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32286 Clamping screw traverses sliding complementary arcuate bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32368 including radial interengaging tongue and slot or serrations

Abstract

A connection device allows for mounting a control panel in a manner such that the panel projects from the front lower edge of a control apparatus. According to the invention, optimum adjustment of the control panel relative to the front of the control apparatus is achieved in that the connection devices take the form of angle plates which are assembled from two leg parts and can be set and secured in a plurality of angular positions about an axis aligned parallel with the lower edge of the control apparatus.

Claims

1. In a connecting arrangement for attaching a control apparatus having a front panel with a control panel having an upper panel the improvement wherein:

the front panel of the control apparatus has an upper and a lower edge;

the connecting arrangement includes at least one angle piece;

the angle piece has a first leg part and a second leg part;

the first leg part and the second leg part are joined together around a shaft aligned parallel to the lower edge of the control apparatus in such a manner as to allow the leg parts to be adjusted and fixed in any one of a number of angular settings around the shaft;

each of the leg parts has a first, free end and a second end;

the free end of the first leg part is connected to the front panel of the control apparatus;

the free end of the second leg part is connected to the upper panel of the control panel;

the front panel of the control apparatus and the upper panel of the control panel are each surrounded by a contoured frame;

the free ends of the first and second leg parts are adapted to fit snugly with the contour of the frames;

the frames each have at least four frame members and four corner connectors;

the corner connectors each have at least one screw receptacle; and

fastening screws are secured in the screw receptacles in the corner connectors.

2. In a connecting arrangement for attaching a control apparatus having a front panel with a control panel having an upper panel, the improvement wherein:

the front panel of the control apparatus has an upper and a lower edge;

the connecting arrangement includes at least one angle piece;

the angle piece has a first leg part and a second leg part;

the first leg part and the second leg part are joined together around a shaft aligned parallel to the lower edge of the control apparatus in such a manner as to allow the leg parts to be adjusted and fixed in any one of a number of angular settings around the shaft;

a second end of the first leg part is formed as a first bearing flange;

a second end of the second leg part is formed as a second bearing flange;

the first bearing flange and the second bearing flange are positioned so as to face opposite of each other;

the first bearing flange includes a threaded bore;

the second bearing flange has a connection receptacle; and

a connecting screw passes through the connection receptacle and the threaded bore, thereby joining the first bearing flange with the second bearing flange.

3. The connecting arrangement of claim 2 wherein:

the first bearing flange has an inner side and an outer side;

the second bearing flange has an inner side and an outer side;

the inner side of the first bearing flange includes a series of teeth arranged around the threaded bore;

the inner side of the second bearing flange includes a series of teeth arranged around the connection receptacle; and

the teeth on the first bearing flange mate with the teeth on the second bearing flange in such a manner as to allow for step-wise changes in the angular setting between the leg parts.

4. The connecting arrangement of claim 3 wherein:

gaps are located between the teeth; and

the teeth and the gaps between the teeth are annularly formed and aligned radial to the shaft so as to widen in a radially-outward direction.

5. The connecting arrangement of claim 2 wherein:

the leg parts each have a first dimension in the direction of the shaft;

the corner connectors have a second dimension that corresponds to the first dimension of the leg parts; and

the first bearing flange and the second bearing flange, joined together, have a third dimension in the direction of the shaft that corresponds to the first dimension of the leg parts.

6. The connecting arrangement of claim 2 wherein the connecting screw is lodged in the first leg part with countersunk screw heads and the connecting screw is covered by a covering cap.