Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Peripheral monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-27
2004-08-03
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Peripheral monitoring
C710S001000, C710S015000, C710S019000, C710S062000, C710S073000, C710S305000, C700S001000, C700S007000, C700S019000, C700S020000, C700S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772235
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data input/output apparatus for the input/output of data with a sequence controller and a control apparatus of a die casting machine using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sequence controller sequentially controls an external apparatus according to a sequence program prepared in advance. This sequence controller is provided with an input/output unit for transferring signals with the external apparatus.
The input/output unit is provided with a predetermined number of terminals. For example, input terminals are electrically connected to input apparatuses such as switches, while output terminals are electrically connected to output apparatuses such as lamps or light emitting diodes (LED).
The sequence controller processes data comprised of level signals input from the input apparatus by a processor built in the sequence controller or outputs the data processed at the processor as level signals to the output apparatus.
Also, the sequence controller is used as a control apparatus of an automatically controlled machine, for example, a die casting machine or an numerical controlled machine tool. Data is input and output with the sequence controller as the control apparatus by a control panel provided with switches and lamps.
The above sequence controller, however, is limited in the number of the input/output terminals of the input/output unit.
For this reason, when the number of the input apparatuses and/or output apparatuses to be connected is larger than the number of the input/output terminals of the input/output unit, usually extension input/output units are added to the sequence controller.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 1
, a sequence controller
101
is provided with a processor
102
, a program memory
103
, and an input/output unit
104
. These processor
102
, program memory
103
, and input/output unit
104
are connected by buses.
The extension input/output units
105
and
106
are mounted in for example slots provided in the sequence controller
101
and directly connected to the buses.
A control panel
130
is provided with switches SW and lamps RP. These switches SW and lamps RP are electrically connected to input/output terminals
104
a
,
105
a
, and
106
a
of the input/output unit
104
and extension input/output units
105
and
106
by wires
120
,
121
, and
122
.
When the sequence controller
101
and the control panel
130
are connected by using the extension input/output units
105
and
106
as described above, the amount of wires becomes three times the case where only the input/output unit
104
is connected to the control panel
130
.
Also, when the switches SW and the lamps RP are increased, the number of the wires is increased accordingly. When the wires are increased, there are the disadvantages that a large space is taken up by the wires, the apparatus becomes large, and the cost rises.
Particularly, in a die casting machine, it is necessary to control the injection to fill a molten metal into the cavity of the die, control clamping for clamping the dies, and control apparatuses attached to the die casting machine such as a spray apparatus, conveyance apparatus, etc. In order to control these according to predetermined procedures, large number of various sensors are necessary. It is necessary to input detection signals of these sensors to the sequence controller or output them through the sequence controller to the control panel.
Accordingly, in a die casting machine as well, the number of the input/output signals of the sequence controller is very large, so the number of wires between the sequence controller
101
and the control panel
130
is increased.
In a die casting machine, molten metal is used. Therefore, the molten metal is scattered around the die casting machine creating a bad environment. For example, when the molten metal adhers to the wires for connecting the sequence controller and the control panel, there is a possibility of the wires breaking or of wires short-circuiting with each other. For this reason, the number of the wires for connecting the sequence controller and the control panel is preferably as small as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a data input/output apparatus capable of decreasing the number of wires with the sequence controller and not requiring a change of the number of the wires even if the number of the input/output points of the data is increased.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a control apparatus of a die casting machine with a decreased number of wires between the sequence controller and the control panel.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided A data input/output apparatus for the input/output of data with respect to a sequence controller provided with an input/output unit having a predetermined number of terminals for the input/output of data and a processing means for transferring data with the input/output unit and processing data, comprising a plurality of external input/output means for sending data to the sequence controller or receiving data from the sequence controller; a plurality of connecting wires electrically connected to buses for the transmission of data between the input/output unit and the processing means; a plurality of electronic switches electrically connected to the external input/output means, electrically and commonly connected to the connecting wires, and outputting signals responsive to levels of input signals to the external input/output means or the connecting wires in accordance with input of a selection signal; a selecting means electrically connected to the connecting wires and outputting the selection signal to the electronic switch connected to the external input/output means being selected by the processing means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for sequence control of a die casting machine for filling a molten metal in a die cavity and casting a product, comprising a machine controller for controlling the die casting machine; a sequence controller provided with an input/output unit having a predetermined number of terminals for the input/output of data and a processing means for transferring data with the input/output unit and processing data and processing the data and instructing the machine controller according to a sequence program predetermining procedures to be performed by the die casting machine; a plurality of connecting wires electrically connected to buses for the transmission of data between the input/output unit and the processing means; a plurality of external input/output means for sending data defining the operation of the die casting machine to the machine controller to the sequence controller or receiving data defining an operating state of the die casting machine from the sequence controller; a plurality of connecting wires electrically connected to the buses for the transmission of data between the input/output unit and the processing means; a plurality of electronic switches electrically connected to the external input/output means, electrically and commonly connected to the connecting wires, and outputting signals responsive to levels of input signals to the external input/output means or the connecting wires in accordance with input of a selection signal; a selecting means electrically connected to the connecting wires and outputting the selection signal to the electronic switch connected to the external input/output means being selected by the processing means.
In the present invention, when data is output from the sequence controller, the data is input through the buses and the connecting wires to the electronic switches.
Among the plurality of electronic switches, electronic switches selected by the processing means of the sequence controller output signals responsive to signal levels of the data input through the buses and the connecting wires to the external input/output means (c
Nakamoto Toshinori
Sawai Norihiko
Gaffin Jeffrey
Nguyen Tanh
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
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