FRAME FOR ELECTRICAL AND / OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention as expressed in the title of this specification, refers to a frame for electrical and / or electronic devices, which contributes, to the function for which it is intended, several advantages and characteristics of novelty, which will be explained in detail below, being an improvement on the current state of the art.

The object of the present invention focuses specifically on a frame of the type used to fit electrical and / or electronic devices incorporated into boxes, such as flush-mounting and wall boxes. SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

The scope of the present invention falls within the Industry sector dedicated to the manufacture of equipment, mechanisms, devices and accessories for electrical and electronic material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, electric and electronic devices that are installed in a box, are usually fitted by means of a frame which, consisting of a single body provided with a plurality of holes, is fastened by screws. This frame has a shape and dimensions matching the shape and dimensions of the box to fit snugly over it and such that the aforementioned holes, usually one on each side, coincide with the holes provided in the box to thread the corresponding screw.

Furthermore, to facilitate the fitting operations, the fastening holes of the frame are slotted and have a wider end to allow the passage of the screw head which has previously been threaded into the box, so that, after placing the frame and passing the screw heads, these slide to the narrow area and then the screw is tightened.

Also, this configuration of the fastening holes, in some types of frame is curved such that placement of the frame is facilitated.

Finally it should be noted that some frames include additional or complementary fasteners, such as claws that fit onto coinciding protuberances provided in the boxes for this purpose.

In any case, the problem that the present invention intends to solve is that which is given by the fact that, when two or more electrical or electronic devices are installed forming a group where the boxes of each device are incorporated attached to each other and, typically, the devices of said group are externally united by a common cover frame, the fitting of the mechanisms of these devices is accomplished by incorporating an individual frame fastened and screwed on each of said flush-mounting boxes, whereby the complexity of the installation is increased, and the number of components and consequently the cost thereof, both in material and labour.

Moreover, as it is known, the walls onto which such devices are installed are often not completely flat, therefore as different devices are referenced to different boxes and the aim is to unify them into a single frame, one may encounter the problem of having the devices installed at different heights, with the logical problems of properly fitting them.

It would therefore be desirable to have a common frame for all flush- mounting boxes to be installed in each case, lowering the cost and simplifying the installation by reducing the number of elements and fastening manoeuvres to be performed, and thus achieving that all devices are secured to the single common element to avoid differences in height for reasons beyond the assembly such as the walls not being completely flat, the objective of the present invention being to develop a multi-frame to provide the market with a solution to these problems.

With reference to the current state of the art, it is noteworthy that, although different types and models of frames for flush-mounting boxes are known, none is known with technical and structural characteristics similar to those claimed herein.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION The frame for flush-mounting box groups proposed by the invention is therefore configured as a remarkable novelty in its scope and in the light of whose implementation the target previously identified as ideal is successfully reached, the characterizing details for implementation and distinguishing the said frame being conveniently listed in the final claims that accompany the present specification.

Specifically, the invention proposes a frame for fitting electrical and / or electronic devices in flush-mounting boxes, which presents a structural configuration that instead of being coupled to be individually fitted on a single box, innovatively, it is coupled to the boxes conforming a group of at least two attached boxes and ideally linkable to each other, forming a frame which advantageously allows simultaneous fitting to all and each of the mentioned boxes which constitute the group.

For this purpose the frame of the invention is configured as a single body whose peripheral edge has the shape and dimensions of the set of flush-mounting boxes constituting the group, and in which there are as many recesses as boxes in that group, arranged logically in same position so that they coincide.

Likewise, said frame has at least two holes which, once the box is installed, coincide with two holes of at least two boxes in order to fit the single body by screws to the group of boxes where installation takes place. Preferably, the holes of the frame type can be slots and with a wider end in order to install the frame by sliding without the need of fully unscrewing the screws of the boxes.

Also preferably, four holes are contemplated for each recess, arranged two on each side of said recesses.

All in all, the installation of the groups of devices is greatly simplified since, for example, in the case where four devices consecutively aligned are installed, after incorporation of the unitary flush-mounting boxes attached one after another in the corresponding recess, it is enough to simply incorporate two screws partially screwed per box, for example, located above and below each recess, and attach them to the frame so that the heads of screws go through the widest part of the corresponding holes and then perform a sliding movement of the frame so that the body of the screws fit into the slot part of the holes and, after that, finish threading the screws to secure the frame.

Therefore, instead of fitting four frames with four screws each, which would imply fitting sixteen screws besides the adjusting and shifting to couple holes of each frame to each screw, only one frame is fitted, performing only one coupling and sliding movement, and screwing only eight screws. Most optimally, the frame group can be installed in the 4 boxes with only two holes in the plate and two screws in two boxes of the group.

Another advantage provided by the frame of the invention is that the surface which is installed in contact with the boxes is flat, thus the installation is facilitated by translation of the frame itself and, therefore, it is not necessary to have additional elements which increase its manufacturing complexity.

Finally, being a single frame for the various boxes, and all devices being fitted in the frame, the perfect fitting of the devices in the frame is always achieved regardless of the status of the elements external to the installation that could affect the correct operation, such as sagging walls, rough walls, and even the improper installation of boxes themselves.

In short, the frame of the invention is configured especially for fitting electrical and / or electronic boxes arranged in groups of two or more boxes, consisting as an essential characteristic of a single body provided with holes in which all electrical and / or electronic devices of the boxes constituting the same group are fitted, thereby avoiding the use of one frame per box, which is what it is currently being used.

The described frame for groups of boxes thus consists in an innovative structure having characteristics unknown until now for the intended purpose, reasons which linked to its practical utility, give it sufficient grounds for obtaining the privilege of exclusivity requested.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive specification is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings wherein by way of example and without limiting the scope of the invention, the following is shown:

Figures 1 , 2, 3 and 4 show a perspective view of an embodiment of the frame object of the invention, together with a group of flush- mounting boxes linkable to each other for which it is intended, showing the steps of a possible fitting thereof by screws with the holes located above and below each recess; and

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show respective perspective views of the steps of fitting this same embodiment of a frame, according to the invention, represented in the preceding figures, in this case showing the possible fitting thereof by screws inserted into holes in the sides of each recess of the frame. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the mentioned figures and according to the adopted numbering, we can see an example of preferred embodiment, but not limited thereto, of the frame for groups of boxes of the invention, which comprises the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below.

Thus, as seen in said figures, the frame (1) in question consists of a single body provided with holes (12) for the fitting of various electrical and / or electronic devices (not shown) in boxes (21) in this case, unitary flush-mounting boxes (21) arranged in groups (2) of two or more boxes (21) and linked together, one for each device. Furthermore, the frame (1) preferably has a peripheral edge (1 1) having the shape and dimensions of the entire set of flush-mounting boxes (21) which form said group (2), and at least having as many holes (12) as flush-mounting boxes (21) in said group (2), said holes (12) being arranged in a position coinciding with each of said flush-mounting boxes (21) thereby making it possible to fit in each one, the corresponding electrical or electronic device.

As observed with regard to Figures 1 to 8, the fitting of the single body which constitutes the frame (1) to the flush-mounting boxes (21) takes place by screws (3) inserted in some second slot holes (13, 13') and having a wider end provided around each of the recesses (12) of said frame (1).

Preferably, around each recess (12) there are four of the second holes (13, 13') located at diametrically opposite points, two to two, to coincide with the four screw points (22), conventionally (usually 2 or 4) presented by the unitary flush- mounting boxes (21) on the edge unit in their walls, so that each hole (12) has two second holes (13) in the longitudinal axis (Α-Α') and two more second orifices (13') in the transverse axis (Β-Β').

It is also important to emphasize that said second holes (13, 13'), having a slot area with a wider end for the passage of the head of the corresponding screw (3), are arranged with the wider area always oriented the same direction in accordance with the axis of the hole (12). Thus, all the second holes (13) of the longitudinal axis (Α-Α'), the top and bottom ones of each hole (12) of the frame (1) are oriented with the wider area to the same side, for example towards the left according to the example shown in the figures, and all the second holes (13') of all the side transverse axes (Β-Β'), of each hole (12) of the frame (1) are oriented with the wider area to the same side, e.g. downwards according to the example of said figures. Thus, to fit the frame (1) to the group (2) of boxes (21), it is enough to use two screws (3) inserted into two second holes (13) of each hole (12) per flush- mounting box (21) with the only requirement that they all be second holes (13, 13') located on the same axis of each hole (12), as shown in Figures 1 to 4 for the second holes (13) of the longitudinal axis (Α-Α') or as shown in Figures 5 to 8 for the second holes (13') of the transverse axes (Β-Β').

Thus, in the first case (Figures 1-4), after passing the heads of the screws (3), screws partially threaded at the screw points (22), through the wider area of the second holes (13 ) of the longitudinal axis (Α-Α') provided around each hole (12) of the frame (1), the frame (1) is displaced laterally, or to be more exact, in the sense of the longitudinal axis (Α-Α'), so that the body of said screws (3) passes to the narrower slot area of said second holes (13) (Figure 3) and finally the screws (3) are fully screwed for the complete attachment of the frame (1) in the group (2) of flush- mounting boxes (21) (figure 4).

In contrast, in the second case (Figures 5 to 8), fitting is performed with screws (3) inserted into the second holes (13') of the transverse axes (Β-Β') placed on the sides of the holes (12) of the frame (1) so that displacement of the frame (1) is vertical or in the direction of the transverse axes (B-B '), to pass the body of the screws (3) in the narrower slot area of the second holes (13 '), for complete attachment of the frame (1) in the group (2) of flush-mounting boxes (21) (figure 8).

Finally, it should be noted that the surface of the frame (1) which is installed in contact with flush-mounting boxes (21) is flat facilitating, in this way, the sliding movement of the frame (1) for installation / removal, as shown in the examples of the above mentioned figures.

Having sufficiently described the nature of this invention, as well as how to implement, it is not considered necessary to extend its explanation for one skilled in the art to understand its scope and the advantages that result from it, being noteworthy that, in its essence, it may be implemented in other embodiments which differ in detail from that indicated by way of example, and which are also covered by the protection claimed provided that they do not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle .