# US 2014/0156900 A1 · Modular control apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156900 A1 - Document ID: US20140156900A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/175,261 - Filed: 2014-02-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-09 - Assignees: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Winfried GRUBER; Hermann STADLER; Patrick HEWER; Markus WINKLER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156900A1 ## CPC - G06F 13/409: {Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438)} - G05B 19/0423: {Input/output} - H05K 7/1478: {including a segmented bus} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A control apparatus has a number of modules arranged next to one another in a longitudinal direction. The modules each comprise at least one module part having a housing. Furthermore, the module part comprises a first electrical bus connector on a first side of the housing for electrical connection to a first neighboring module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and a second electrical bus connector on a second side, opposite the first side, of the housing for electrical connection to a second neighboring module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction. The module part further comprises at least one movable element, movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the movable element provides an electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector and, in the second position, provides an insulation point between the first bus connector and the second bus connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus for automated control of a technical installation, comprising: a plurality of modules which are arranged next to one another in a longitudinal direction, wherein the modules each comprise a bus module part, and wherein a first module from the plurality of modules additionally comprises an electronics module part and a connection module part, wherein the electronics module part and the bus module part of said first module are mechanically and electrically combined to form a first combined arrangement, and wherein the electronics module part and the connection module part of said first module are mechanically and electrically combined to form a second combined arrangement, wherein each bus module part comprises a housing having a first side and a second side opposite from the first side in the longitudinal direction, and comprises a first bus connector on the first side for electrical connection to a first neighboring bus module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and comprises a second bus connector on the second side for electrical connection to a second neighboring bus module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction, the first and second bus connectors establishing a supply voltage bus, wherein the connection module part comprises a first electrical contact and the electronics module part comprises a first electrical mating contact, which, in the second combined arrangement, makes contact with the first electrical contact for electrical connection between the electronics module part and the connection module part, wherein the electronics module part comprises a further electrical contact and the bus module part of said first module comprises a further electrical mating contact, which, in the first combined arrangement, makes contact with the further electrical contact for electrical connection between the electronics module part and the bus module part of said first module, wherein the bus module part of said first module further comprises at least one movable element, which is selectively movable between a first position and a second position, the movable element, in the first position, providing an electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector and, in the second position, providing an insulation point between the first bus connector and the second bus connector, wherein the connection module part further comprises an external connector for applying an external supply voltage, and wherein the electronics module part feeds the external supply voltage from the connection module part to the bus module part using the further electrical contact and the further electrical mating contact, while the movable element is in the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bus module part has a first contact point electrically connected to the first bus connector and a second contact point electrically connected to the second bus connector, wherein the insulation point is defined between the first contact point and the second contact point when the movable element is in the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the further electrical mating contact forms the second contact point. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second module from the plurality of modules comprises a second electronics module part and a second connection module part, said second electronics module part being an I/O module part configured for receiving external sensor signals and for outputting actuator signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the bus module part of the second module comprises a further movable element for selectively connecting through or disconnecting the supply voltage bus, the further movable element being in a position to connect through the supply voltage bus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics module part has a basic width in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the base module part of said first module has a width in the longitudinal direction which is an integer multiple of the basic width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bus module part of said first module has a width in the longitudinal direction which is four times the basic width. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bus module part of said first module has a number of said movable elements which number corresponds to the integer multiple. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one movable element comprises a conductive area providing an electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector when said at least one movable element is moved into the first position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulation point is an air filled gap when said at least one movable element is in the second position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one movable element is a sliding element guided on a guide so as to be capable of shifting between the first and second positions. ### Claim 12 A control apparatus for the automated control of a technical installation, comprising a plurality of modules which are arranged next to one another in a longitudinal direction, wherein the modules each comprise a bus module part, said bus module part comprising a housing, wherein said bus module part further comprises at least one first electrical bus connector on a first side of the housing for electrical connection to a first neighboring bus module part which is adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and wherein said bus module part further comprises at least one second electrical bus connector on a second side of the housing, opposite the first side, for electrical connection to a second neighboring bus module part which is adjacent in the longitudinal direction, said first and second bus connectors thereby establishing a supply voltage bus for carrying a supply voltage, wherein said bus module part comprises at least one movable element, which is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the at least one movable element, in the first position, provides an electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector in order to connect through the supply voltage and, in the second position, provides an insulation point between the first bus connector and the second bus connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein a first module from the plurality of modules further comprises a first electronics module part having a first design, and wherein a second module from the plurality of modules further comprises a second electronics module part having a second design, wherein the first design has a first electrical contact arranged in such a manner that the electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector of the respective bus module part is connected, and wherein the second design has a second electrical contact arranged in such a manner that the electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector of the respective bus module part is disconnected.