US 6,081,048 AGranted

Modular peripheral unit expandable by modules and having an automatically establishing electrical connection

AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft

InventorsMartin Bergmann, Heribert Rester, Reinhard Schirbl

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Abstract

A modular peripheral unit, which monitoring a technical process, includes a base module to which at least one expansion module can be attached in series, the modules each having a module upper part and a module lower part, as well as having at least one profile permitting serial attachments. The module lower parts have a multiplicity of essentially U-shaped contact elements in the region of the profile with which they can be attached in series. One limb of the contact elements extends into the interior of the module lower part, such that the multiplicity of these limbs form an internal male contact strip and the multiplicity of remaining limbs of the contact elements form an external male contact strip. When an expansion module is attached in series, the external male contact strip engages in the expansion module such that the external male contact strip is opposite the internal male contact strip of the expansion module which is attached in series. The desired connection between the internal and external male contact strips can be achieved within the module with suitable measures.

A modular peripheral unit for at least one of controlling and monitoring a technical process, comprising:

a plurality of modules connectable to at least one of actuators and sensors for at least one of controlling and monitoring the technical process, the plurality of modules including a base module receiving a supply voltage, and at least one expansion module connectable in series to the base module, each respective module of the plurality of modules including a respective module upper part and a respective module lower part, each respective module lower part including substantially U-shaped contact elements for connecting each respective module lower part to another respective module lower part in series, each of the substantially U-shaped contact elements having a first limb and second limb, the first limb of each of the substantially U-shaped contact elements being positioned within the respective module when the respective module upper part is mounted on the respective module lower part, the first limb of each of the substantially U-shaped contact elements of the respective module lower part together forming a respective internal contact arrangement, the second limb of each of the substantially U-shaped contact elements of the respective module lower part being positioned outside the respective module when the respective module upper part is mounted on the respective module lower part, the second limb of each of the substantially U-shaped contact elements of the respective module lower part together forming a respective external contact arrangement, the respective external contact arrangement of one of the plurality of modules engaging in one of the at least one expansion modules when the one of the at least one expansion modules is connected in series such that the respective external contact arrangement of the one of the plurality of modules is opposite the respective internal contact arrangement of the one of the at least one expansion modules.

Facts

Application

09/171,643Filed 22 Oct 1998

Priority

DE 296 07 525 U25 Apr 1996

Granted

27 Jun 2000

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H05K 7/1472
Mechanical features of input/output modules: bus coupling modules, e.g. bus distribution modules
H05K 7/1477
Bus assemblies for establishing communication between PLC modules: including backplanes
H05K 7/1478
Bus assemblies for establishing communication between PLC modules: including a segmented bus
Y10S 439/928
Electrical connectors: modular electrically interengaging parts, e.g. stove with replaceable heating elements formed on coupling parts

Abstract

Claims6