Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Insulating body having plural mutually insulated terminals...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-24
2004-02-17
Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Insulating body having plural mutually insulated terminals...
C439S218000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692311
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor system in which a plurality of sensor bodies of a number of head separation type sensors (for example, fiber type photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, proximity sensors and the like) are arranged aligned with each other by means of a DIN (Deutsche Institute Normenausschuss) rail or the like.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the technical field of FA (Factory Automation), for example, head separation type sensors (for example, fiber type photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, proximity sensors and the like) are widely used to detect presence/absence and positions of objects. When a fiber type photoelectric sensor is used, for example, a sensor head for emitting and receiving a detection beam (red light beam, infrared ray or the like) is placed in a narrow space near an object of detection, while a sensor body containing a light emitting element and a light receiving element is accommodated in a control panel placed away from the object of detection, with the sensor head and a sensor body coupled by an optical fiber. Generally, the outer shape of the sensor body casing is a thin rectangular cube. When a number of sensor bodies are to be accommodated in the control panel, the bodies are typically arranged in contact with each other to form a row, using the DIN rail.
FIG. 17
schematically shows an example of a sensor system in which sensor bodies of fiber type photoelectric sensors (hereinafter simply referred to as “sensor bodies”) are arranged in contact with each other to form a row. As can be seen from
FIG. 17
, a plurality of sensor bodies
402
for detecting different objects are arranged in a row in the transverse direction on a DIN rail
401
mounted in the control panel. From a front surface of each of the sensor bodies
402
, optical fibers
403
and
404
constituting outgoing and returning paths for the detection beam, respectively, are drawn out, and from the rear end surface of the case, an electric cord
405
including a power feed line
405
a
and a signal line
405
b
(see
FIG. 18
) is drawn out.
When a detection beam path
408
is opened for transmission or intercepted between sensor head portions
403
a
and
404
a
at the tip ends of optical fibers
403
and
404
, internal circuitry of the sensor body functions, and a detection signal (a switching signal or an analog signal corresponding to the amount of received light) is externally output through the signal line
405
b
in the electric cord
405
. The detection signal is supplied as a control
Further, as shown in
FIG. 18
, power supply from a power source
406
to each of the sensor bodies
402
is effected through the power feed line
405
a
. Power feed line
405
a
includes two, that is, positive and negative, lines.
In this manner, in the conventional photoelectric sensor systems in which a number of sensor bodies
402
are arranged aligned with each other and in contact with each other, it is necessary to supply power to each of the photoelectric sensor bodies
402
through power feed line
405
a
in the electric cord. Therefore, for the electric cord, a cord having a large number of core lines is necessary, and, in addition, it takes time and labor just to connect these lines.
A structure saving lines in this type of photoelectric sensor system has been known, as described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-64712. According to the technique described in this Laid-Open Application, the sensor system includes one main sensor (body) and a plurality of sub sensors (bodies) arranged in a row and in contact with the main sensor and with each other. An electric cord including both the signal line and the power feed line is main sensor, and an electric cord including the signal line only is connected to each sub sensor, by joining means that will fix the position such as solder. On the side surfaces of the cases of the main and sub sensors, there are a male junction and female junction to provide interface between neighboring sensors. When the main sensor is connected to a sub sensor and the neighboring sub sensors are connected to each other by connected to the these joints, the power supplied to the main sensor through the electric cord is successively passed through a conductor in each sensor case, to the series of sub sensors.
In the sensor system described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-64712, feeding and receiving of power through the conductors in the sensor cases through the male and female joints connecting the neighboring sensor bodies with each other is possible, whereby the reduction of lines can be achieved, as power supply to individual sub sensor through the electric cord is made unnecessary.
In such a sensor system, however, two different sensor bodies, that is, one having such a structure that receives external power through the electric cord, and one having such a structure that receives power through the male and female joints from the neighboring sensor body are necessary. This means that the number of parts and the steps of parts management increase, resulting in increased cost. Further, inventory management of the sensor bodies is troublesome, as there are two different types of the sensor bodies.
Further, when trouble occurs in any of the sensors (main or sub), it becomes necessary to change the electric cord connected to the defective sensor at the same time. This requires time consuming and troublesome work of disconnecting the bundle of electric cords and newly connecting substitute electric cords, and material waste increases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor system which can significantly reduce the number of power feed lines in the overall system, which enables a decrease in costs and simplified inventory management by adopting sensor bodies of common structure not distinguished for the main or sub sensor, and, in case any malfunction occurs in any of the sensor bodies, enables exchange of the defective sensor body only, while the electric cords that have been used so far can be maintained.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector system which can flexibly cope with increase/decrease of the number of sensors arranged, when a plurality of sensor bodies are to be arranged in a row, and which can maintain minimum number of power feed lines regardless of the number of sensors to be arranged.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a main connector suitable for implementing the above described power feed connector system.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sub connector suitable for implementing the above described power feed connector system.
The above described objects can be attained by the sensor system in accordance with the present invention, including a plurality of sensor bodies arranged aligned and adjacent to each other, and a plurality of connectors detachably coupled to the sensor bodies and detachably coupled to neighboring connectors.
Here, “sensor” includes head separation type sensors such as a fiber type photoelectric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a proximity sensor and the like. Generally, the sensor system of this type consists of the sensors of the same type. The present invention, however, is also applicable to a sensor system in which various sensors mentioned above are used mixed with each other.
The sensor body is provided with a joint for the connector enabling detachable coupling with the corresponding connector, and the connector is provided with a joint for the sensor body enabling detachable coupling with the corresponding sensor body.
The “joint for the connector” on the sensor body includes at least a power receiving terminal for receiving, from the connector, the power to be fed to the internal electric circuitry. Here, “at least” means that there may possibly be one, two or more signal terminals in addition to the power receiving terminal.
The “joint for the sensor body” on the connector includes at least a power
Imai Kiyoshi
Kamei Takashi
Miyoshi Kazuaki
Sato Toshinori
Shimokawa Satoru
Figueroa Felix O.
Luebke Renee
Omron Corporation
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