US 2025/0026005 A1Published application

Connector for Modular Components

AssigneeXTEND AI Inc.

InventorsHarry Fox, David Fabian Rubli, Boris Zlotnikov, Andrew C. Gorelick, David Azoulay

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Abstract

A physical connector includes an intelligent locking system (which may further include a mechanical locking system) that operates to connect modules of a modular system that further contains data and power connectors along at least one bus system wherein the internal connectors may be modularized (and broken down into subsets as the data and power connecting lines propagate through the system), wherein the connector includes a transponder capable of communicating with another transponder of a different connector, wherein the transponder holds basic data on the connecting module and connecting modules down the connection line and that basic data is interpreted by a core module with use of a data library.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A connector for components comprising:

a first sleeve associated with a first component;
a locking mechanism external to the first sleeve and having a plunger that is operable to protrude through an opening in a sidewall of the first sleeve and extend into the interior of the first sleeve;
a second sleeve associated with a second component and dimensioned to fit inside the first sleeve, a sidewall of the second sleeve having an opening in alignment with the sidewall opening of the first sleeve and the plunger of the locking mechanism when the second sleeve is fully inserted into the first sleeve;
and
a first cable block with electrical connectors in the first sleeve and a second cable block with corresponding mating electrical connectors in the second sleeve,
wherein, when the second sleeve is fully inserted into the first sleeve, the locking mechanism is operable to cause the plunger to move into the second sleeve sidewall opening to lock the first and second sleeves together, and the electrical connectors of the first sleeve and the mating electrical connectors of the second sleeve form an electrical connection through which power and data may flow between the first and second components.

3 more elements

A modular robot having a plurality of interchangeable modules, the robot comprising:

a first module having an internal sleeve;
a locking mechanism external to the internal sleeve of the first module, and a plunger of the locking mechanism passing through an opening in the sidewall of the internal sleeve;
a second module having an externally extending sleeve dimensioned to fit inside the first sleeve, a sidewall of the externally extending sleeve having an opening aligned with the sidewall of the first sleeve and the plunger of the locking mechanism when the externally extending sleeve is fully inserted into the internal sleeve of the first module;
and
a first cable block with electrical connectors in the internal sleeve of the first module and a second cable block with corresponding mating electrical connectors in the externally extending sleeve of the second module,
wherein, when the externally extending sleeve of the second module is fully inserted into the internal sleeve of the first module, the locking mechanism is operable to cause the plunger to move into the sidewall openings of the internal and external sleeves and to hold the sleeves together, and the electrical connectors of the sleeves form an electrical connection through which power and data may flow between the modules.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.