Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-03-06
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196878
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an arrangement for coded and uncoded plug-in modules as well as a device for connecting external lines using an arrangement of this type.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A device for connecting external lines to a programmable controller, which can be linked to the latter for transmitting signals and can be installed at any distance from the programmable controller, is described in German Patent Application No. 43 23 440 A1. The connecting device makes it possible to have a modular layout in which each actuator or sensor connection can be provided with one terminal, which, depending on the type of connection, can be provided with an electronic module for signal matching and conversion. Input and output modules can be mixed in any combination. This has an advantageous effect on project planning, installation, troubleshooting, and upgrading of the electronic device. The connecting device simultaneously functions as a support unit for the electronic modules, which are designed in the form of plug-in modules, and has a plurality of equidistant, adjacent receptacles of the same type for those modules. Supply and signal lines are routed to the electronic modules via a connector attached to the receptacle. Each electronic module contains a signal matching circuit for the signals of a signal channel supplied on the external lines. Connecting elements for connecting external lines are attached with the same spacing as the receptacles and are assigned to the latter.
SUMMARY
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for coded and uncoded plug-in modules which makes it possible, in the case of two types of plug-in modules that can be connected next to any plug-in module of the same type in equidistant, adjacent receptacles, to prevent a plug-in module of one type from being inserted into a directly adjacent receptacle on one side of a plug-in module of the other type. A second object is to provide a device for connecting external lines, achieving a higher packing density while simultaneously meeting the minimum creepage distance requirements.
The present invention has the advantage that it doubles the packing density when using electronic modules with low operating voltages. At the same time, electronic modules with a low operating voltage can be mixed with electronic modules having a higher operating voltage in the same support unit without exceeding the required minimum creepage distances in each case. For this purpose, the new plug-in module establishes a specific, mandatory mounting sequence which cannot be altered by the user. This makes the arrangement considerably more fail-safe.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3668605 (1972-06-01), Albert
patent: 4283796 (1981-08-01), Hughes
patent: 4401358 (1983-08-01), Daigaku
patent: 4738632 (1988-04-01), Schmidt et al.
patent: 4772227 (1988-09-01), Pelzl et al.
patent: 4790763 (1988-12-01), Weber et al.
patent: 4926149 (1990-05-01), Saens et al.
patent: 5253140 (1993-10-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5716241 (1998-02-01), Hennemann et al.
patent: 5737194 (1998-04-01), Hopkins et al.
patent: 607 542 (1978-12-01), None
patent: 25 11 135 (1976-09-01), None
patent: 271 606 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 43 23 440 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 0 113 795 (1984-07-01), None
patent: 0 392 629 (1990-10-01), None
Balzer Kurt
Morlock Siegfried
Kenyon & Kenyon
Le Thanh-Tam
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Sircus Brian
LandOfFree
Arrangement for coded and uncoded plug-in modules and device... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Arrangement for coded and uncoded plug-in modules and device..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Arrangement for coded and uncoded plug-in modules and device... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2530470