Serial cascade connector system, connector member included in the same, combination of connector member and relay connector member and safety component

A connector to be serially connected to one or more external connectors to form a serial cascade connector system for connecting at least two safety components in series to provide a safety signal to a downstream-side by sequentially combining respective safety state detected by the at least two safety components, a first external connector of the one or more external connectors including:

• a first component-side terminal group including a first information interface terminal through which a first information associated with a first safety component passes, the first component-side terminal group connected to the first safety component detecting a first safety state;
• a first upstream-side terminal group;
• and a first downstream-side terminal group including a first safety output terminal through which a first safety signal passes, the first signal generated on the basis of the first safety state detected by the first safety component;
• the connector comprising:
• a second component-side terminal group including a second information interface terminal through which a second information associated with a second safety component passes, the second component-side terminal group connected to the second safety component detecting a second safety state;
• a second upstream-side terminal group including a second safety input terminal through which the first safety signal passes, the second upstream-side terminal group connected to the first downstream-side terminal group;
• and
• a second downstream-side terminal group including
• a second safety output terminal through which a combined safety signal passes, the second safety signal generated on the basis of the first safety signal and the second safety state detected by the second safety component,
• a downstream-side main information terminal interconnected to the second information interface terminal in the second connector, providing the second information associated with the second safety component, and
• a first downstream-side other information terminal connected to the first information interface terminal internally through the external connector and the connector.

A safety component to be serially connected to one or more external connectors included in one or more external safety component respectively to form a serial cascade connector system for connecting at least two safety components in series to provide a safety signal to a downstream-side by sequentially combining respective safety state detected by the at least two safety components, a first external safety component of the one or more external safety components including:

• a first safety state detector configured to detect a first safety state, a signal generator configured to generate a first information associated with the first safety component and a first safety signal on the basis of the safety state detected by the first safety state detector;
• an upstream-side terminal group;
• and a first downstream-side terminal group including a first safety output terminal through which the first safety signal generated by the first signal generator;
• the safety component comprising:
• a second safety state detector configured to detect a second safety state;
• a second upstream-side terminal group including a second safety input terminal through which the first safety signal passes, the second upstream-side terminal group connected to the first downstream-side terminal group;
• a second signal generator configured to generate a second safety signal on the basis of the first safety signal and the second safety state detected by the second safety state detector;
• and
• a second downstream-side terminal group including
• a second safety output terminal through which a combined safety signal passes, the second safety signal generated by the second signal generator,
• a downstream-side main information terminal providing the second information associated with the safety component, and
• a first downstream-side other information terminal connected to the first information interface terminal internally through the first external safety component and the safety component.