JP7608282B2 - Equipment storage box - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a box for housing equipment, such as a cabinet for housing electrical equipment.

Conventionally, improving waterproofing has been one of the issues faced by equipment storage boxes. For example, in the equipment storage box described in Patent Document 1, the gap between the box body and the door is blocked with a packing to prevent water from entering the box body.

JP 2006-269877 A

However, the above-mentioned flood prevention structures cannot cope with situations where the water level rises due to heavy rain, etc.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a box for storing equipment that will prevent stored equipment from becoming submerged in water, even if a situation occurs in which the water level rises due to heavy rain, etc.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is a box body for storing equipment comprising a main body and a cover body assembled to the main body so as to cover the main body from above, wherein the main body comprises a base and an equipment installation section erected upward from the upper surface of the base, and only the space above the base is used as the installation space for the equipment , and the base has a peripheral portion extending downward from the outer periphery of the upper surface of the base, while the cover body is formed in a box shape that opens only downward, and a plurality of locking claws are provided on the inner surface of the cover body which protrude toward the inside of the cover body, and the peripheral portion of the base is provided with locking portions to which the locking claws can be engaged, and the cover body is assembled to the main body in a state where it covers the outside of the peripheral portion and the locking claws are engaged with the locking portions .
The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1 , the base is provided with a plurality of cylindrical portions extending in the vertical direction and opening downward, and at least one of the cylindrical portions is connected to the installation space.

According to the present invention, the main body includes a base and an equipment installation section erected upward from the upper surface of the base, and only the space above the base is used as the installation space for the equipment , and the base has a peripheral surface extending downward from the outer periphery of the upper surface of the base, while the cover body is formed in a box shape that opens only downward and is assembled to the main body while covering the outside of the peripheral surface. Therefore, even if the water level rises and exceeds the lower surface of the base, the air pressure inside the cover body prevents water from entering the inside of the cover body, particularly the equipment installation section located above the base, and a simple configuration that does not use a waterproof member such as a packing can be used to provide an equipment storage box that does not allow the equipment installed in the equipment installation section to become submerged in water.
In addition , since the inner surface of the cover is provided with multiple locking claws that protrude inward, and the peripheral surface of the base is provided with locking portions to which the locking claws can lock, when the water level rises and a load is applied to the surface of the cover in the inward direction of the cover due to water pressure, the locking claws and the locking portions are more firmly engaged, making it difficult for the cover to come off the main body. This makes it possible to provide an equipment storage box whose water ingress prevention effect does not decrease as the water level rises.
According to the invention described in claim 2 , since the base is provided with a plurality of tubular parts that extend in the vertical direction and open downward, when the water surface reaches the underside of the base, the openings of the tubular parts suppress the waves generated on the water surface, and water intrusion into the equipment installation part is more reliably prevented. In addition, since at least one of the tubular parts is connected to the installation space, the tubular part can be used as a wiring part through which a cable connecting the tubular part to the equipment can be wired, and the configuration can be rationalized.

FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing an equipment storage box. FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing the equipment storage box in a disassembled state. FIG. 2 is an explanatory perspective view showing the main body from above. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view showing the cover body from below. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the main body taken along the center in the front-rear direction. FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of area A in FIG. 6; 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the main body taken at the center in the left-right direction. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention, a box for storing equipment (hereinafter simply referred to as a storage box), with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an explanatory perspective view of the storage box 1. Figure 2 is an explanatory perspective view of the storage box 1 in a disassembled state. Figure 3 is an explanatory perspective view of the main body 2 from above. Figure 4 is an explanatory perspective view of the cover body 3 from below. Figure 5 is an explanatory perspective view of the main body 2 from below. Figure 6 is an explanatory view showing a cross section of the main body 2 cut at the center in the front-to-back direction. Figure 7 is an explanatory view showing an enlarged view of area A in Figure 6. Figure 8 is an explanatory view showing a cross section of the main body 2 cut at the center in the left-to-right direction.

The storage box 1 comprises a main body 2 in which a circuit breaker 50, which is an example of equipment, can be installed, and a cover body 3 which can be attached to the main body 2 so as to cover it from above. The main body 2 is integrally formed with a base 4 which is rectangular when viewed from above, and a wall which is U-shaped when viewed from above and protrudes upward from both the left and right side edges and the rear edge of the base 4. The portion of the wall along the rear edge of the base 4 functions as an equipment installation section 5 on the front of which the circuit breaker 50 is installed, and the portions along the left and right edges of the base 4 function as side walls 6 which surround the space above the base 4 (the installation space of the circuit breaker 50). 7 is an upper wall which extends forward from the upper end of the equipment installation section 5, and the upper walls 7, 7 are elastic and support the upper surface of the cover body 3 by pushing it up from below when the cover body 3 is assembled.

The base 4 has a substantially horizontal top plate 11, a front plate 12 extending downward from the front edge of the top plate 11, left and right side plates 13, 13 extending downward from both left and right edges of the top plate 11, and a back plate 14 (shown in FIG. 8) extending downward from the rear edge of the top plate 11, and the front plate 12, left and right side plates 13, 13, and back plate 14 are formed as a continuous peripheral plate. The outer surfaces of the left and right side plates 13, 13 are flush with the outer surfaces of the left and right side walls 6, 6, and the rear surface of the back plate 14 is flush with the rear surface of the equipment installation section 5. In addition, in the space surrounded by the peripheral plate below the top plate 11, a plurality of ribs 15, 15... extending in the left-right direction and a plurality of ribs 16, 16... extending in the front-rear direction are arranged in a lattice pattern. Therefore, in this space, multiple square tubes 17, 17... extending in the vertical direction are arranged side by side in a front-rear and left-right manner with their openings facing downward. Furthermore, the top plate 11 of the base 4 has wire holes 18, 18... that connect the interior of certain square tubes 17, 17... to the space above the base 4 and allow cables L, L... connected to the circuit breaker 50 to be pulled from the outside into the storage box 1 through the corresponding square tubes 17, 17....

In addition, the lower end of the front panel 12 in the left-right center and the lower end of the left and right side panels 13, 13 in the front-rear center are each provided with a locking step 19 that can lock with a locking claw 21 of the cover body 3 described below. A guide recess 20 is provided on the surface of the front panel 12, extending in the vertical direction from the locking step 19 of the front panel 12 to the upper end of the front panel 12, for guiding the locking claw 21 when the cover body 3 is assembled. Also, on the outer surfaces of each side panel 13 and each side wall 6, a guide recess 20 is provided in the vertical direction from the locking step 19 of each side panel 13 to the upper end of each side wall 6, for guiding the locking claw 21 when the cover body 3 is assembled.

On the other hand, the cover body 3 has a front, a top, both left and right sides, and a back, and is formed in a box shape that is open only on the bottom. The vertical length of the cover body 3 is approximately the same as the vertical length of the main body 2 (the vertical length from the bottom end of the peripheral plate of the base 4 to the upper walls 7, 7), and the bottom opening of the cover body 3 is approximately the same as the shape of the base 4 when viewed from above, making it possible to store the main body 2 with the peripheral plate of the base 4 covered from the outside. In addition, the bottom ends of the front and both left and right sides of the cover body 3 are provided with locking claws 21 that protrude inward of the cover body 3.

To assemble the storage box 1 as described above, the circuit breaker 50 is installed on the front of the equipment installation section 5, and then the cover body 3 is assembled from above the main body 2 while guiding the locking claws 21, 21 into the left and right guide recesses 20, 20, and all of the locking claws 21, 21... are locked into the locked steps 19, 19.... The assembly of the storage box 1 is then completed when the outside of the peripheral plate of the base 4 is covered by the cover body 3 and the lower end of the base 4 (the lower ends of the peripheral plate and ribs 15, 16) and the lower end of the cover body 3 are approximately flush with each other. The storage box 1 assembled in this manner is then installed on an installation surface such as a wall using metal fittings 30. The metal fitting 30 is equipped with a fixed plate 31 that is fixed to the installation surface, and a mounting plate 32 that protrudes forward from the lower end of the fixed plate 31 and on which the base 4 of the storage box 1 is placed. The fixed plate 31 can be fixed to the installation surface by screws, and the storage box 1 placed on the mounting plate 32 can be screwed.

In a storage box 1 thus installed, even if the water level rises and exceeds the underside of the base 4, the air pressure inside the cover body 3 prevents water from entering the storage box 1, particularly the installation space of the circuit breaker 50. Furthermore, as the water level rises, the load exerted on the surface of the cover body 3 by the water pressure in the inward direction of the cover body 3, particularly in the lower part of the cover body 3 in the direction pressing it against the peripheral plate of the base 4, increases, so that the engagement between the locking claws 21, 21... and the locked steps 19, 19... becomes stronger, making it difficult for the cover body 3 to come off. Therefore, the water ingress prevention effect of the storage box 1 does not decrease as the water level rises. Furthermore, on the underside of the base 4, multiple ribs 15, 16 are arranged in a lattice pattern, and multiple square tube sections 17, 17... that open downward are arranged side by side in the front, back, left and right directions. When the water surface reaches the underside of the base 4, the openings of the square tube sections 17, 17... suppress the waves that occur on the water surface, and water is more reliably prevented from entering the installation space of the circuit breaker 50.

According to the storage box 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, the main body 2 includes the base 4 and the equipment installation section 5 erected upward from the top surface of the base 4, and the base 4 has a peripheral panel consisting of a series of front panel 12, left and right side panels 13, 13, and a back panel 14 extending downward from the outer periphery of the top surface of the base 4, while the cover body 3 is formed in a box shape that opens only downward and is assembled to the main body 2 while covering the outside of the peripheral panel. Therefore, even if the water level rises and exceeds the bottom surface of the base 4, the air pressure inside the cover body 3 prevents water from entering the inside of the cover body 3, especially the equipment installation section 5 located above the base 4, so that the storage box 1 can be made with a simple configuration that does not use waterproof materials such as packing, and the equipment installed in the equipment installation section 5 will not get wet.

In addition, the front panel 12 and both left and right side panels 13 of the base 4 are provided with latching steps 19, while the inner surface of the cover body 3 is provided with latching claws 21 that protrude inward at the lower ends of the front and both left and right sides of the cover body 3. The cover body 3 can be assembled to the main body 2 by latching each latching claw 21 to the corresponding latching step 19. Therefore, when the water level rises and a load is applied to the surface of the cover body 3 in the inward direction of the cover body 3 due to water pressure, the latching claws 21, 21... and the latching step 19, 19... are more firmly engaged, making it difficult for the cover body 3 to come off the main body 2. This makes it possible to create a storage box 1 whose water ingress prevention effect does not decrease as the water level rises.

Furthermore, by arranging multiple ribs 15, 15... extending in the left-right direction and multiple ribs 16, 16... extending in the front-rear direction in a grid pattern in the space surrounded by the peripheral plate of the base 4, multiple square tube sections 17, 17... that extend in the up-down direction and open downward are arranged side by side in the front-rear and left-right directions. Therefore, when the water surface reaches the underside of the base 4, the openings of the square tube sections 17, 17... can suppress waves that occur on the water surface, and water can be more reliably prevented from entering the equipment installation section 5.

In addition, a wire passage hole 18 is provided at the upper end of a specific square tube portion 17 on the top plate 11 of the base 4 to connect the square tube portion 17 to the space above the base 4. This allows the square tube portion 17 to be used as a wire passage portion for passing the cable L connected to the circuit breaker 50, thereby streamlining the configuration of the storage box 1.

The configuration of the storage box of the present invention is not limited to the aspects described in the above embodiment, and the configuration of the main body and cover body can be modified as necessary without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, a top plate is provided as the base, but it is also possible to construct the base without a top plate (i.e., a base in which all of the tubular portions are open upward), and even with such a base, the effect of suppressing waves on the water surface and preventing water ingress can be achieved.
In addition, in the above embodiment, the engaging portions are provided at the front and both left and right sides of the peripheral surface of the base, but the engaging portions may be provided only on the left and right sides of the peripheral surface, or the engaging portions may be provided at the front and rear of the peripheral surface, and it goes without saying that the design can be modified as to where and how many engaging portions are provided.

Furthermore, there is no problem if the base is circular when viewed from above, and the shape of the base and the shape of the cover body that accompanies the shape of the base can be appropriately modified.
In addition, in the above embodiment, a box for storing electrical equipment such as a circuit breaker is described, but the present invention can also be suitably adopted as a box for storing equipment other than electrical equipment.

1. Storage box (equipment storage box), 2. Main body, 3. Cover body, 4. Base, 5. Equipment installation section, 11. Top plate, 12. Front plate (circumference). Surface part), 13... Side plate (peripheral part), 14... Back Face plate (peripheral surface part), 15, 16... Rib, 17... Square tube part (cylindrical part), 18... Wiring hole, 19... Locked step part (locked part), 20... Guide Recessed portion, 21...locking claw, 50...circuit breaker (equipment).

Claims (2)

A device storage box including a main body and a cover body attached to the main body so as to cover the main body from above,
The main body includes a base and an equipment installation section that is erected upward from an upper surface of the base, and only a space above the base is used as an installation space for equipment , and the base has a peripheral surface portion that extends downward from an outer periphery of the upper surface of the base,
the cover body is formed in a box shape that opens only downward , a plurality of locking claws are provided on an inner surface of the cover body, the locking claws protruding inward of the cover body are provided on the peripheral surface of the base, and a locking portion on which the locking claws can be locked is provided,
The cover body covers the outside of the peripheral portion and is assembled to the main body with the locking claws locked to the locked portions . The equipment storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that the base is provided with a plurality of cylindrical portions extending in the vertical direction and opening downward, and at least one of the cylindrical portions is connected to the installation space.

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