# US 12,113,337 B2 · Cable inlet device for a switchgear cabinet and arrangement and method for operating same

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- Number: US 12,113,337 B2
- Document ID: US12113337B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/795,681
- Filed: 2021-02-12
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-26
- Assignees: HARTING Electric Stiftung & Co. KG
- Applicants: HARTING Electric Stiftung & Co. KG
- Inventors: Florian Hackemeier
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113337B2

## CPC

- H02B 1/305: {Cable entries}
- H02G 3/22: Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
- H02G 15/013: Sealing means for cable inlets (inlets for cables filled with, or surrounded by, gas or oil H02G15/32)
- H05K 5/0247: {Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring}
- H02G 3/083: {Inlets}
- H05K 5/069: {Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft}
- H02B: BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

A cable inlet device consists substantially of an open frame part and at least one sealing insert arranged therein. This cable inlet device is attached to a switchgear cabinet so that the sealing insert and the frame part of the cable inlet device terminate flush with the opening. When the switchgear cabinet is closed, for example by a switchgear cabinet door or switchgear cabinet wall or the like, this door or wall is sealingly pressed with a counterpart seal against the cable inlet device. For replacement of cables it is merely necessary for the switchgear cabinet door/switchgear cabinet wall to be opened and for the cable to be changed to be removed together with the corresponding sealing element, and for the new cable to be provided with a matching sealing element and to be inserted.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) for a switchgear cabinet (1), comprising:
a rigid frame part (23, 23′, 23″), which, in order to be fastened in or the switchgear cabinet (1), has a fastening device,
wherein the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) has a planar assembly face with an assembly seal (238) for sealing with respect to a switchgear cabinet wall (13) provided for this purpose as a flat assembly wall, and
wherein the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) has a side face opposite the planar assembly face, wherein the planar assembly face and the side face are connected to one another via a front face (233),
wherein the front face (233) runs level, in order, in an assembled state on a switchgear cabinet opening (10) of the switchgear cabinet (1), to terminate in a planar manner with a free edge of the flat assembly wall (13),
wherein the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) has at least one U-shaped seal recess (236) starting on the front face (233) and extending into the frame part (23, 23′, 23″),
wherein the cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) furthermore has at least one elastic sealing insert (22, 22′), insertable form fittingly and with frictional engagement into the corresponding seal recess (236) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) by its convex U shaped insert contour complementary to the seal recess,
wherein the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) has
at least one continuous, cylindrical bushing opening (220) having an axial extension perpendicular to the planar assembly face and
an insertion slot (227) for inserting a cable into the cable bushing opening (220),
wherein each sealing insert (22, 22′) furthermore has a level closing face (223), and
wherein this closing face (223) of the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′), in an inserted state thereof, terminates flush with the front face (233) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) has, arranged on each side of its closing face (223), a collar (229), which in the inserted state runs linearly along a first longitudinal side of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″), for engaging around a counterpart seal (113) form-fittingly and with frictional engagement on both sides.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) has at least two sealing inserts (22, 22′) that are identical to one another in respect of their outer contour, and wherein the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) has at least two seal recesses (236) that are identical to one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein at least two of the sealing inserts (22, 22′) differ by a number and/or a diameter of their cable bushing openings (220).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein at least one of the sealing inserts (22, 22′) has, at its at least one cable bushing opening (220), at least on one side, a peripheral holding collar (221) as well as an annular fixing element for increasing a holding force when fixing a cable guided through.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 5,
wherein an outer diameter of the peripheral holding collar (221) increases towards its free end region, in order to hold the annular fixing element captively on the holding collar (221).

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the annular fixing element is a screwable clamp or a cable tie.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the peripheral holding collar (221) has a funnel (222).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein a material of the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) has a Shore hardness of 30-40 Shore.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) has, within its at least one cylindrical cable bushing opening (220), at least one sealing rib (202), in order to ensure a maximum holding force with respect to the cable guided through, in spite of the elasticity of the sealing insert (22, 22′).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) has a plurality of screw passages (230) as forming the fastening device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the fastening device of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) comprises either
at least one detent window and at least one separate quick fastening device or
at least one quick fastening device fixedly connected to the frame part (23, 23′, 23″).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

An arrangement, comprising:
at least one cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1; and
a switchgear cabinet (1) having a switchgear cabinet opening (10) and a switchgear cabinet closing element (11), by which the switchgear cabinet opening (10) can be closed,
wherein the at least one cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) is attached in or on the switchgear cabinet (1) in a region of a wall aperture of an assembly wall (13) of the switchgear cabinet (1) and is pressed sealingly with its assembly seal (238) against this assembly wall (13),
wherein the assembly seal (238) surrounds the wall aperture at least on three sides,
wherein the front face (233) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) together with the closing face (223) of its sealing inserts (22, 22′) adjoin the switchgear cabinet opening (10) in a manner planar with a free edge of the assembly wall (13) and is therefore pressed and thus sealed by the switchgear cabinet closing element (11) in a closed state against a counterpart seal (113) fastened to the switchgear cabinet closing element and running in a straight line.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 13,
wherein the switchgear cabinet closing element is
a switchgear cabinet door that is attached to the switchgear cabinet opening (10) and can be closed shut and/or
a plate that can be screwed to the switchgear cabinet (1) at the switchgear cabinet opening (10), and/or
a switchgear cabinet wall (11) of the switchgear cabinet (1) that can be latched to the switchgear cabinet opening (10) or
a switchgear cabinet lid that can be latched to the switchgear cabinet opening (10).

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

A method for operating the arrangement as claimed in claim 13, comprising the following steps:
A. fastening the at least one cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) with its frame part (23, 23′, 23″) from inside or from outside to the assembly wall (13) of the switchgear cabinet (1) at the wall aperture and directly to the switchgear cabinet opening (10) of the switchgear cabinet (1), so that the front face (233) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″) terminates flush with the a free edge of the assembly wall (13) and thus also with the switchgear cabinet opening (10) of the switchgear cabinet (1);
B. inserting at least one cable into the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′);
C. inserting the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) form fittingly and with frictional engagement into a seal recess (236) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″), so that the closing face (223) of the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) terminates in a planar manner with the front face (233) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″); and
D. closing the switchgear cabinet opening (10) of the switchgear cabinet (1) by the switchgear cabinet closing element (11), wherein the counterpart seal (113), fastened thereto and running in a straight line, at the same time is pressed sealingly by the switchgear cabinet closing element (11) against the closing face (223) of the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) and against the front face (233) of the frame part (23, 23′, 23″).

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly seal (238) is of a U-shape.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The cable inlet device (2, 2′, 2″) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′) has at least one integrally molded positioning shaping tool (224, 224′), runs peripherally around insertion contour of the at least one sealing insert (22, 22′).