# US 10,122,114 B1 · Automation component keying system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,114 B1 - Document ID: US10122114B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/692,774 - Filed: 2017-08-31 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-31 - Assignees: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center Pte. Ltd. - Inventors: Soon Seng Kang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122114B1 ## CPC - H01R 13/4364: {Insertion of locking piece from the front} - H01R 13/4367: {Insertion of locking piece from the rear} - H01R 13/506: assembled by snap action of the parts - H01R 13/508: assembled by {a separate} clip or spring - H01R 13/62922: {Pair of camming plates} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract This disclosure regards a self-keying system for an input/output (I/O) device. An I/O module mountable on a terminal base exchanges I/O signals with external devices via the terminal base. The I/O module comprises a key, and the terminal base comprises a locking assembly to allow insertion of only compatible I/O modules into the terminal base. The locking assembly comprises parallel slots containing a plurality of lock pins movable in the slots between a biased position and a second position. A blocking member is actuated by the key to block each of the lock pins in their respective position to key the base. A maintaining member maintains the blocking member in the keyed position. After keying, a non-compatible key would be rejected from the locking assembly due to the blocked lock pins. A reset to the unkeyed configuration may be accomplished without the use of tools by actuating the maintaining member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A keying system for an automation device, comprising: an input/output (I/O) terminal base; an I/O module mountable on the terminal base and that, in operation, exchanges I/O signals with external devices via the terminal base, the I/O module comprising a key; a locking assembly on the terminal base and comprising: a housing having parallel slots, a plurality of lock pins movable in the slots between a first, biased position and a second position and each having a locking structure, a blocking member that, in operation, is actuated to interface with the locking structures to block each of the lock pins in the respective first or second position; and a maintaining member that, in operation, contacts the blocking member to maintain the blocking member in a blocking position in which each of the lock pins is blocked in the respective first or second position; wherein each lock pins can be displaced between the respective first and second positions by a key having engaging surfaces that contact the lock pins to define keyed positions of the lock pins, and wherein the blocking member blocks the lock pins in their keyed positions and the maintaining member maintains the blocking member in blocking position and thereby blocking mounting of other I/O modules not having the key. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lock pins are disposed on opposite sides of the slots, and wherein the system comprises first and second blocking members to block the lock pins on either side. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, comprising first and second maintaining members to maintain the first and second blocking members in their relative blocking position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the lock pins are symmetrically disposed on the opposite sides of the slots. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the locking structure of each lock pin is configured to provide only two blocked positions of each lock pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lock pins are biased by a compression spring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lock pins are manually resettable to the biased positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the lock pins are manually resettable to the biased positions by manual movement of the maintaining member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking member is configured to toggle between an unkeyed position and a keyed position in which the lock pins are maintained in their keyed positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the terminal base is hard-wired to I/O devices and the I/O module is configured to process signals from the hard-wired I/O devices uniquely based upon how the hard-wired I/O devices are connected to the terminal base. ### Claim 11 A keying system for an automation device, comprising: a base configured to perform an automation operation; a modular automation device mountable on the base and that, in operation, exchanges signals with the base, the modular automation device comprising a key; a locking assembly on the base and comprising: a housing having parallel slots, a plurality of lock pins movable in the slots between a first, biased position and a second position and each having a locking structure, a blocking member that, in operation, is actuated to interface with the locking structures to block each of the lock pins in the respective first or second position; and a maintaining member that, in operation, contacts the blocking member to maintain the blocking member in a blocking position in which each of the lock pins is blocked in the respective first or second position; wherein each lock pins can be displaced between the respective first and second positions by a key having engaging surfaces that contact the lock pins to define keyed positions of the lock pins, and wherein the blocking member blocks the lock pins in their keyed positions and the maintaining member maintains the blocking member in blocking position and thereby blocking mounting of other modular automation devices not having the key. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the lock pins are manually resettable to the biased positions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the lock pins are manually resettable to the biased positions by manual movement of the maintaining member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the lock pins are disposed on opposite sides of the slots, and wherein the system comprises first and second blocking members to block the lock pins on either side. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the locking structure of each lock pin is configured to provide only two blocked positions of each lock pin. ### Claim 16 A keying method for an automation device, comprising: in a system that comprises an input/output (I/O) terminal base and an I/O module mountable on the terminal base and that, in operation, exchanges I/O signals with external devices via the terminal base, the I/O module comprising a key, biasing a plurality of lock pins each movable between a first, biased position and a second position; actuating a blocking member to interface with locking structures of the lock pins to block each of the lock pins in the respective first or second position; and contacting the blocking member with a maintaining member to maintain the blocking member in a blocking position in which each of the lock pins is blocked in the respective first or second position; wherein each lock pins can be displaced between the respective first and second positions by a key having engaging surfaces that contact the lock pins to define keyed positions of the lock pins, and wherein the blocking member blocks the lock pins in their keyed positions and the maintaining member maintains the blocking member in blocking position and thereby blocking mounting of other I/O modules not having the key. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, comprising resetting the lock pins to the biased positions by movement of the maintaining member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the lock pins are manually resettable to the biased positions by manual movement of the maintaining member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the blocking member is configured to toggle between an unkeyed position and a keyed position in which the lock pins are maintained in their keyed positions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the locking structure of each lock pin is configured to provide only two blocked positions of each lock pin.