Explosion-proof housing for a power electronics device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12356574-B2
Application number	US-202318160422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 27, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a housing for a power electronics device, including a tray for receiving power electronics components and a cover for placing on the tray so that a closed housing is formed. The cover is fixed on the tray by a plurality of fixing screws. At least one opening element is provided that is made of one of the fixing screws, each of which is guided through a sleeve with deformation structures. The sleeve is arranged between the screw head of the fixing screw and the housing such that a pressing force is exerted by the screw head between the cover and the tray via the sleeve. The deformation structures are designed such that under the effect of the force of an explosion that exceeds the pressing force, the sleeve is compressed in a manner defined by the deformation structures such that a gap with a specified width is formed between the cover and the tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for a power electronics device, comprising,
a tray configured to receive power electronics components;
a cover configured to fit on the tray to form a closed housing,
wherein the cover is fixed on the tray through a plurality of fixing screws,
at least one opening element formed by a fixing screw of at least one of the plurality of fixing screws,
wherein each at least one opening element is guided via a sleeve with deformation structures, the sleeve being arranged between a screw head of a respective fixing screw and the housing such that a pressing force is exerted through the screw head of the fixing screw between the cover and the tray via the sleeve, wherein the fixing screw and the sleeve comprise a braking element of the opening element,
wherein the deformation structures are configured such that, under an effect of an explosion force exceeding the pressing force, the sleeve is compressed in a manner defined through the deformation structures such that a gap of a predefined width is formed between the cover and the tray,
wherein the tray has a shaping structure on which the sleeve is fitted and which is configured to determine a deformation of the sleeve under an action of the explosion force.

2. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional braking element of an additional opening element,
wherein the at least one additional braking element comprises another fixing screw and a further sleeve with deformation structures, wherein the another fixing screw is guided through the further sleeve,
wherein the further sleeve is arranged between the screw head of the another fixing screw and the housing in such a way that the further sleeve is compressible in a manner defined through the deformation structures only from a predefined minimum width of the gap.

3. The housing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the screw head and the sleeve of the additional braking element are arranged at a distance from one another, and wherein this distance is selected as a function of the predefined minimum width.

4. The housing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the fixing screw of the braking element and the another fixing screw of the additional braking element are arranged on a side of the tray opposite the cover.

5. The housing as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the fixing screw of the braking element and the another fixing screw of the additional braking element are each screwed into the cover.

6. The housing as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the fixing screw of the braking element and the another fixing screw of the additional braking element are each arranged in a guide channel of the tray.

7. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each fixing screw of the plurality of fixing screws is guided in each case through a sleeve with deformation structures.

8. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sleeves are formed as press-fit sleeves on the tray before screwing.

9. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the deformation structures comprise slots.

10. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has at least three longitudinally running slots.

11. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the deformation structures comprise holes.

12. The housing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the deformation structures comprise embossed structures.

13. The housing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the opening element comprises multiple opening elements comprising braking elements, and the additional opening element comprises multiple additional opening elements comprising additional braking elements provided in alternating sequence along a periphery of the housing to fix and secure the cover on the tray.

14. The housing as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the housing has a rectangular basic shape, and wherein the opening elements comprising the braking elements are arranged centrally on longitudinal sides thereof, and the additional opening elements comprising the additional braking elements are arranged in corner regions of the housing.

15. The housing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a deformation structure of the sleeve of the additional braking element is configured to be more ductile in a starting region thereof facing the screw head than in a remaining region of the sleeve.

16. The housing as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fixing screws comprises a centering element configured to press the sleeve or the further sleeve in a centered manner against the respective screw head.

Assignees

• Sma Solar Technology Ag

Inventors

• Müller Steffen
• Tello Waissi

Classifications

• A47F7/00

  Show stands, hangers, or shelves, adapted for particular articles or materials {(A47F5/0006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H05K7/1432 Primary

  specially adapted for power drive units or power converters · CPC title

• G09F5/00 Primary

  Means for displaying samples (packaging per se B65) · CPC title