Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Insulating body having plural mutually insulated terminals...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-22
2001-07-10
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Insulating body having plural mutually insulated terminals...
C439S928000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257936
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
The present invention relates to a set of devices for transferring electric signals. Each device comprises a first unit having a bus and means for electrically and mechanically connecting the bus to a bus of another of the devices for connecting the devices to each. Each device further comprises a second unit having terminals for an external connection of the device to electrical arrangements for signal exchange with the electrical arrangements. Each device further comprises a signal adapting module electrically connected to the bus through a connection and to the terminals through a connection, and thereby electrically connecting the bus and the terminals.
Such devices may be of different types and are used for different types of signal transfer, both of numerical and analog character. Signals arriving to the bus of the device, for example from a central unit are after a signal adaptation in the signal adapting module, emitted through a terminal to different electrical arrangements for their control. Signals from the electrical arrangements also pass through signal adaptation in the signal adapting module. For example, analog signals arriving to the bus of the device through the terminals after conversion to numerical signals may be measuring signals from any pressure, temperature or flow sensor. The analog output signal may then be sent to an arrangement for controlling a regulator, for example a valve regulating a flow, or a means regulating the temperature of an oven. Signals arriving to the bus of the device may, in the case of numerical signals, derive from signal contacts or electrical components similar thereto, while signals from the signal adapting module to the terminals may control, for example, a motor through a contactor. The bus may also allow communication between different devices connected to each other and a central unit. The devices or the electrical arrangements connected thereto may also receive their power supply through the bus.
The space requirement for such a device of is strongly dependent upon how many terminals the device has to have. there are devices of two main types which demand much space for connection to a determined number of electrical arrangements.
The first main type is generally called “minimum termination device”, and it has substantially the same number of terminals as the number of electrical arrangements to be connected thereto, normally one terminal per signal, plus one or two terminals for power supply, which the arrangements have in common. Such a device may be compact and demands little space, but it has the disadvantage that a number of electrical components have to be arranged outside the device between the latter and the electrical arrangements. Further, an extended arrangement of cables will be necessary, since the electrical arrangements each require two or more terminals. Such electrical components may, for example, be different types of switching means, circuit breakers, components setting conditions, terminals and so on. It is not possible to connect more than a few arrangements, each requiring two or more terminal connections or connection interfaces, to such a device.
Devices according to the second type have more than one terminal for the same number of arrangements as devices according to the first type only have one terminal for, and They may also have electrical components incorporated into the signal path between the signal adapting module and the terminals. This has the advantage that no such electrical components have to be arranged outside between the device and the electrical arrangements, which results in a considerably simpler arrangement of cables. Such a device requires more space than devices of the first type, since it has more terminals, often three terminals per arrangement.
A disadvantage of sets of devices either of the first type or of the second type is being locked into a determined connection interface, which may mean that the connection interface for some devices is unnecessarily large, and the device in question thus requires more space than should be necessary. Or that the connection interface is too small to enable connection of the electrical arrangements desired to a given device in a desired way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide means for considerably reducing the disadvantages mentioned above.
This object, according to the invention is obtained by providing a set which comprises devices according to at least two different designs. The devices of different designs have terminal units with different sizes of spaces provided thereby for terminals, signal adapting components, and bus units having means allowing an optional mechanical connection of the respective bus to a bus of a device of the same or another design. Devices of different designs have members for establishing a connection to similar signal adapting modules.
Thus, through the invention it will be possible to combine devices adapted to exactly the demands of packing density and connection interface required in every special case. It will further be possible to select the connection interface desired for a certain signal adapting module. It will also be possible to combine devices having different connection interfaces to each other while connecting them to the same bus for utilizing space to an optimum. Thus, an optimum adjustment of the demand of space and of different properties may be obtained. However, it is of course possible to only use devices of one and the same design for connection to each other, should this in a given situation be most suitable. The devices having the larger space do not necessarily have a greater number of terminals than those according to the design with the smaller space. The extra space may instead be used, for example for arranging coarser terminals therein, or more signal adapting components therein.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the set comprises devices according to a first design having direct electric connection lines of the terminal unit between the signal adapting module and the terminals thereof and devices according to a second design having electrical components arranged on the terminal unit for processing signals deriving from the signal adapting module on their way to the terminals. Compact devices may thus be combined with advanced devices not requiring any external electrical components and complex arrangements of cables.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the devices have terminals at a first end thereof, which is opposite to a second end, at which the bus is arranged, and devices according to a design having more terminals than devices according to another design have a larger extension in the longitudinal direction of the bus, i.e. transversally to a line interconnecting the ends, than the design having fewer terminals. Such a design of the devices is advantageous, since devices having a greater number of terminals than other devices will not extend further in the direction away from the bus than the other devices. This will make it possible to arrange a cable channel comparatively closely under the row of devices interconnected.
In a preferred further development of the embodiment having more terminals, devices according to a design having fewer terminals have members for establishing a connection to the signal adapting module adapted to arrange this module with a longer side thereof extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of interconnection of devices and the extension of the bus. Devices according to the design having more terminals have members for establishing a connection to the signal adapting module adapted to arrange this module with a longer side thereof extending substantially in the direction of the interconnection of adjacent devices and the extension of the bus. Through such a mutual arrangement of terminals and signal adapting modules of the different designs of devices, these may be made very co
ABB AB
Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz
Sircus Brian
Webb Brian S.
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