Explosion-proof assembly for guiding through a stud, and method for producing same
11004580 · 2021-05-11
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01B17/58
ELECTRICITY
H02G3/22
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
The invention relates to an explosion-proof assembly (22) having an electrically conductive stud (23) made of a material which is not deformable radially. The stud (23) is coaxially surrounded in a central portion (23a) by an electrically insulating, electrically insulating sleeve (30). The sleeve (30) is in turn coaxially surrounded by a connecting portion (41) of a plastically deformable connecting body (40). Plastic deformation of the connecting portion (41) reduces the outer dimension thereof and the connecting portion (41) presses inwardly against the sleeve (30) to form a frictionally engaged form-fitting connection therebetween such that the connecting body (40), the sleeve (30) and the stud (23) form a structural unit with at least one stop surface (26) on the stud (23) resting against a counter stop surface of the sleeve (30).
Claims
1. An explosion-proof housing (20) comprising: a wall structure that defines a flame-proof encapsulated area an explosion-proof assembly (22) mounted within and extending through a wall (21) of said wall structure free of a flame ignition transmission gap between said explosion-proof assembly (22) and said wall (21), said explosion-proof assembly including a non-deformable rigid electrically conductive stud (23) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) having a circumferential surface (25) extending around the longitudinal axis (L) and including a plurality of circumferential surface portions (25a, 25b, 25c), at least one of said circumferential surface portions (25c) forming a non-deformable rigid first stop surface (26) extending at an incline to the longitudinal axis (L), an electrical insulating sleeve (30) made of an elastically deformable material having a sleeve inner surface (31) with a plurality of inner surface portions (31a, 31b, 31c), said sleeve inner surface (31) extending around the longitudinal axis (L) and resting against the circumferential surface (25) of the non-deformable rigid stud (23), at least one of the inner surface portions (31c) of the insulating sleeve (30) forming a first counter stop surface (32) which extends at an incline to the longitudinal axis (L) and which rests against said first non-deformable rigid stop surface (26), a connecting body (40) surrounding at least one portion of the length of the sleeve (30) made of a plastically deformable material and having a plastically deformed connecting portion (41) pressing radially inwardly against the sleeve (30) for forming a frictionally engaged connection between the connecting body (40) and the sleeve (30) and between the sleeve (30) and the non-deformable rigid stud (23), and said electrically conductive non-deformable rigid stud (23) being non-deformable under deformation forces on said connecting body (40) for pressing the connecting body (40) against the sleeve (30) for forming a frictionally engaged connection between the connecting body (40) and the sleeve (30) and between the sleeve (30) and non-deformable rigid stud (23) free of flame ignition transmission gaps.
2. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 1 in which said one first counter non-deformable rigid stop surface (32) is provided prior to the plastic deformation of the connecting portion (41).
3. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 1 in which said at least one first non-deformable rigid stop surface (26) is provided on an annular step of the non-deformable rigid stud (23).
4. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 1 in which said sleeve (30) has a sleeve outer surface (33) which rests against a passage surface (45) defined by a passage (44) extending through the connecting body (40) in the longitudinal direction (L).
5. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 4 in which said sleeve outer surface (33) has a plurality of outer surface portions (33a, 33b, 33c, 33d, 33e), and at least one of the outer surface portions (33d, 33e) forms a second stop surface (34) extending at an incline to the longitudinal axis (L).
6. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 5 in which said passage surface (45) has a plurality of passage surface portions (45a, 45b, 45c), and at least one of said passage surface portions (45c) forms a second counter stop surface (46) which extends at an incline to the longitudinal axis (L) and which rests against said second stop surface (34) of said sleeve.
7. The explosion-proof housing (20) of claim 6 in which at least one of said second stop surface (34) of said sleeve and second counter stop surface (46) of said passage surface (45) is provided prior to the plastic deformation of the connecting portion (41).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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(13) While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(14) Referring more particularly to
(15) The stud 23 is electrically conductive and is preferably made of metal or a metal alloy, for example of brass, copper or aluminium. The stud extends along a longitudinal axis L and is preferably rotationally symmetrical. The stud 23 is embodied as a solid body without cavities and in accordance with the example is formed in one piece, without seams or joints.
(16) In
(17) The first circumferential surface portion 25a and the second circumferential surface portion 25b are each formed by a cylinder lateral surface and in accordance with the example by a circular cylinder lateral surface, which are arranged coaxially to the longitudinal axis L. The diameters of the first circumferential surface portion 25a and of the second circumferential surface portion 25b are differently sized, and in accordance with the example the diameter of the second circumferential surface portion 25b is smaller. An annular step is thus formed in the transition between the first and the second circumferential surface portion 25a, 25b, on which annular step the third circumferential surface portion 25c is provided. The third circumferential surface portion 25c surrounds the longitudinal axis L annularly in a coaxial manner and can be oriented as a flat annular surface at right angles to the longitudinal axis L (
(18) An end portion 23b can adjoin the central portion 23a of the stud 23 on both sides in the longitudinal direction R, whereby further circumferential surface portions can be formed.
(19) The explosion-proof assembly 22 additionally includes a sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 in the longitudinal direction R has a length corresponding to the length of the central portion 23a of the stud 23. The sleeve 30 has a sleeve inner surface 31, which is adapted approximately to the stud circumferential surface 23 or the circumferential surface portions 25a, 25b and 25c provided in the central portion 23a. Accordingly, the sleeve inner surface 31 in the exemplary embodiment has a plurality of inner surface portions, and in accordance with the example at least three inner surface portions. The inner surface portions arranged directly adjacently in the longitudinal direction R have normal vectors which point in different directions.
(20) In accordance with the example a first inner surface portion 31a, a second inner surface portion 31b, and a third inner surface portion 31c are provided. The first and the second inner surface portion 31a, 31b have the form of a cylinder lateral surface and in accordance with the example of a circular cylinder lateral surface, and surround the longitudinal axis L coaxially. The diameter of the first inner surface portion 31a is adapted to the diameter of the first circumferential surface portion 25a and in accordance with the example is slightly greater. Similarly hereto, the diameter of the second inner surface portion 31b is adapted to the diameter of the second circumferential surface portion 25b and in accordance with the example is slightly greater. The first and the second inner surface portion 31a, 31b are connected by the third inner surface portion 31c, which is oriented, correspondingly to the third circumferential surface portion 25c, as a circular ring surface radially to the longitudinal axis L or forms a truncated cone lateral surface. The third inner surface portion 31c forms a first counter stop surface 32, which cooperates with the first stop surface 26 of the stud 23.
(21) The sleeve 30 has a sleeve outer surface 33 with a plurality of outer surface portions. In the exemplary embodiment described here, five outer surface portion 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d and 33e are provided. The outer surface portions arranged directly adjacently in the longitudinal direction R have normal vectors which point in different directions.
(22) In the described exemplary embodiment according to
(23) The fourth outer surface portion 33d and in accordance with the example the additional fifth outer surface portion 33e each form a second stop surface 34.
(24) The sleeve 30 is made of resiliently deformable material. This is understood to mean material that deforms elastically under the deformation forces occurring. A plastic can be used as material for the sleeve 30, and in accordance with the example elastomer, polyamide or polytetrafluoroethylene is used.
(25) The explosion-proof assembly 22 additionally includes a connecting body 40. The connecting body 40 has a tubular or sleeve-shaped connecting portion 41. In addition to the connecting portion 41, further portions can optionally be provided. In accordance with the example, the connecting body 40 has a flange portion 42 with an annular flange 43, which protrudes beyond the connecting portion 41 radially to the longitudinal axis L.
(26) The connecting portion 41 and in accordance with the example also the flange portion 42 have an aperture or passage 44. The aperture 44 is delimited in the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis L by a passage surface 45, which has a plurality of passage surface portions, and in the exemplary embodiment at least three passage surface portions: a first passage surface portion 45a, a second passage surface portion 45b, and a third passage surface portion 45c connecting the first passage surface portion and the second passage surface portion 45a, 45b. The passage surface portions arranged directly adjacently in the longitudinal direction R have normal vectors which point in different directions.
(27) The first and the second passage surface portion 45a, 45b are each formed by cylinder lateral surfaces and in accordance with the example circular cylinder lateral surfaces and surround the longitudinal axis L coaxially. The first passage surface portion 45a has a larger diameter than the second passage surface portion 45b. The third passage surface portion 45c is provided at the annular step between said first and second passage surface portion and is arranged as a circular ring surface in a plane radially to the longitudinal axis L. Alternatively, the third passage surface portion 45c could also be embodied as a truncated cone lateral surface. It is adapted in particular to the fourth outer surface portion 33d or the second stop surface 34 formed thereby. The third passage surface portion 45c forms a second counter stop surface 46.
(28) The inner diameter of the first passage surface portion 45a is adapted to the outer diameter of the first outer surface portion 33a and in accordance with the example is slightly greater. Accordingly, the inner diameter of the second passage surface portion 45b is adapted to the outer diameter of the second outer surface portion 33b and in accordance with the example is slightly larger. The length in the longitudinal direction R of the first passage surface portion 45a corresponds to the total length in the longitudinal direction R of the first outer surface portion 33a, of the third outer surface portion 33c, and of the fifth outer surface portion 33e. The length of the second passage surface portion 45b in the longitudinal direction R corresponds to the length of the second outer surface portion 33b. In the exemplary embodiment the total length in the longitudinal direction R of the connecting body 40 is exactly the same size as the total length of the sleeve 30.
(29) The thickness of the connecting portion 41 is enlarged at a reinforced region 41a of the connecting portion 41 of the connecting body 40 arranged coaxially relative to the third outer surface portion 33c and the fifth outer surface portion 33e of the sleeve 30. In addition, the connecting portion 41 in the exemplary embodiment has a hollow-cylindrical starting form prior to the plastic deformation of the connecting portion 41. The enlargement of the thickness at the reinforced region 41a of the connecting portion 41—in accordance with the example at an axial end on the axial side opposite the annular flange 43—can correspond to the difference between the radii of the first outer surface portion 33a and the third outer surface portion 33c.
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(31) The sleeve 30 is firstly fitted onto the stud 23 in the radial direction R, so that the first inner surface portion 31a of the sleeve 30 surrounds the first circumferential surface portion 23a of the stud and the second inner surface portion 31b of the sleeve 30 surrounds the second circumferential surface portion 23b of the stud 23. Here, the first counter stop surface 32 of the sleeve comes into abutment with the stop surface 26 on the stud 23. An axial position of the sleeve 30 relative the stud 23 is thus defined.
(32) In addition, the connecting body 40 is fitted via its end opposite the annular flange 43 onto the sleeve 30, so that the first passage surface portion 45a surrounds the first outer surface portion 33a, the third outer surface portion 33c and the fifth outer surface portion 33e of the sleeve 30. The second passage surface portion 45b surrounds the second outer surface portion 33b of the sleeve 30. The second counter stop surface 46 formed on the inner side of the connecting body 40 comes into abutment with the second stop surface 34 on the circumferential side of the sleeve 30. The axial relative position in the longitudinal direction R between the sleeve 30 and the connecting body 40 is thus also defined. This situation is illustrated in
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(34) In addition to this frictionally engaged connection, a form-fitting connection can also be created between two of the three parts (connecting body 40, sleeve 30, stud 23) by means of the plastic deformation. It can be seen in
(35) It is thus provided that a further second counter stop surface 46 is produced by the plastic deformation of the connecting portion 41, whereas another second counter stop surface 46 is provided already prior to the plastic deformation and in accordance with the example is formed by the third passage surface portion 45c.
(36) The plastic deformation of the connecting portion 41 of the connecting body 40—as illustrated schematically in
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(38) A plastically deformed portion outer surface 52 of the connecting portion 41 can be embodied by a cylinder lateral surface without protrusions or indentations and as a flat surface so to speak. Alternatively, it is also possible to introduce a surface profiling by means of the roller tools 51 or—as illustrated schematically and in a dashed manner in
(39) The plastically deformed outer portion surface 52 of the connecting portion 41 constitutes a first delimiting surface 54. The structural unit formed of the connecting body 40, the sleeve 30 and the stud 23 is arranged in the bushing opening 24. The bushing inner surface 55 delimiting the bushing opening 24 in the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis L forms a second delimiting surface 56. An inner thread 57 can be formed on the second delimiting surface 56 (
(40) As depicted schematically in
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(42) At the time of plastic deformation of the connecting portion 41, a form-fitting engagement between the sleeve 30 and the connecting body 40 can also be achieved by a surface profiling 62 in addition to the resultant frictionally engaged connection. Depending on the form of the profiling, it is also possible to produce a form-fitting anti-twist means, which prevents a relative rotation between the connecting body 40 and the sleeve 30 under the forces usually occurring. To this end, indentations running parallel to the longitudinal axis L or at least at an incline to the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis L could be provided, for example. Similarly to a knurling, indentations of this kind can also be formed in intersecting directions.
(43) An alternative embodiment of the explosion-proof assembly 22 is depicted in
(44) The sleeve 30 is hollow-cylindrical in this exemplary embodiment. The passage surface 45 of the connecting body 40 is in the form of a cylinder lateral surface correspondingly to the sleeve outer surface 33.
(45) The reinforced region 41a of the connecting portion 41 with greater thickness can be increased at the point at which the connecting portion 41 surrounds the circumferential groove 63 in the stud 23. The reinforced region 41a can be thicker than the adjacent hollow-cylindrical connecting portion 41 by an amount corresponding to the depth of the circumferential groove 63.
(46) Similarly to the above-described exemplary embodiments, a deformation force F can act on the connecting portion 41 in order to plastically deform the connecting portion 41 so that said connecting portion presses radially inwardly against the sleeve 30. In so doing, the sleeve 30 deforms and is pressed radially inwardly into the circumferential groove 63 of the stud 23. First counter stop surfaces 32, which each rest against an associated first stop surface 26, these being formed by the groove flanks 64, are created on the sleeve inner surface as a result of this deformation. Equally, a circumferential indentation 65, which has an indentation flank 67 at each of its axial ends provided in the longitudinal direction R, which indentation flanks each form a second stop surface 34, is created in the region of the sleeve outer surface 33. A radial protrusion 68 of the connecting portion 41 created during the plastic deformation protrudes into this circumferential indentation 66 and rests against the indentation flanks 67 and forms second counter stop surfaces 46 each associated with one of the second stop surfaces 34 respectively.
(47) In the exemplary embodiment according to
(48) From the foregoing, it can be seen that an explosion-proof assembly 22 is provided that comprises an electrically conductive stud 23 made of a rigid material which is not deformable radially. The stud 23 is coaxially surrounded in a central portion 23a by an electrically insulating sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 is in turn coaxially surrounded by a connecting portion 41 of a connecting body 40. The connecting body 40 is made of plastically deformable material. The sleeve 30 is elastically deformable. Plastic deformation of the connecting portion 41 reduces the outer dimension thereof, and it presses inwardly against the sleeve 30, which is supported on the stud 23. A frictionally engaged and optionally additionally form-fitting connection is thus achieved, which forms a structural unit formed of the connecting body 40, the sleeve 30 and the stud 23. Once the structural unit has been produced, a first stop surface 26 provided on the stud 23 at an incline or radially to the longitudinal axis L of the stud 23 rests against a correspondingly associated first counter stop surface of the sleeve 30. In addition, a second stop surface can be provided on the sleeve 30, which second stop surface is oriented at an incline or radially to the longitudinal axis L, with an associated second counter stop surface 46 of the connecting body 40 resting on said second stop surface. The structural unit can be secured against undesirable relative movements in the longitudinal direction R parallel to the longitudinal axis L by means of the stop surfaces and counter stop surfaces. The structural unit is free from an ignition transmission gap and can be produced easily and quickly without an integrally bonded adhesive connection.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
(49) 20 housing 21 wall 22 explosion-proof assembly 23 stud 23a central portion of the stud 23b end portion of the stud 24 bushing opening 25 stud circumferential surface 25a first circumferential surface portion 25b second circumferential surface portion 25c third circumferential surface portion 26 first stop surface 30 sleeve 31 sleeve inner surface 31a first inner surface portion 31b second inner surface portion 31c third inner surface portion 32 first counter stop surface 33 sleeve outer surface 33a first outer surface portion 33b second outer surface portion 33c third outer surface portion 33d fourth outer surface portion 33e fifth outer surface portion 34 second stop surface 40 connecting body 41 connecting portion of the connecting body 41a reinforced region of the connecting portion 42 flange portion of the connecting body 43 annular flange 44 passage 45 passage surface 45a first passage surface portion 45b second passage surface portion 45c third passage surface portion 46 second counter stop surface 50 annular gap 51 rolling tool 52 portion outer surface 53 outer thread 54 first delimiting surface 55 bushing surface 56 second delimiting surface 57 inner thread 58 Ex gap 62 surface profiling 63 circumferential groove 64 groove flank 66 circumferential indentation 67 indentation flanks 68 radial protrusion D axis of rotation F deformation force L longitudinal axis R longitudinal direction