US3566190A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Industrial control system with means for releasably securing a plurality of electronic modules
Assignee: Raven Industries Inc
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Filing: 1968-12-23
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Granted: 1971-02-23
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Expires: 1988-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Control apparatus for industrial control applications in which modular construction includes a plurality of rail systems each having means for releasably securing thereto a plurality of electronic logic circuit modules. Each of the rail systems includes a pair of spaced-apart side rails which carry a circuit board having a plurality of plug-in type electrical connectors secured thereto to form a mother board assembly for receiving respective ones of the electronic logic modules. All module wiring for input output and intermodule connections lie on the front side of the rail system circuit board. The spaced-apart rails of the rail system and module locking bars, which secure the modules to prevent mechanical shock and vibrations, together provide tunnels for the wiring which acts as a partial Faraday shield to prevent such wiring from acting as an antenna in the environment of industrial control applications wherein large amounts of uncontrolled electromagnetic radiation may occur, such as in the operation of large dynamoelectric equipment. The power distribution system of the control apparatus is provided by a plurality of printed conductors on the back side of a circuit board carried on each rail system and by a plurality of bus bars which interconnect the conductors of the individual rail systems to the power supply. The printed conductors of the circuit board and the bus bars are of exceptionally large dimensions so as to provide a low impedance path for noise in order to prevent the deleterious effects of noise in the electronic modules. The plurality of electronic logic modules are individually housed free from foreign matter in wedge-shaped containers which, when placed in a stacked vertical alignment form chimneys for cooling of the equipment and which provide an ample amount of room for the insertion and articulation of test probes to terminals located between the wedge-shaped housings.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgil J Huebner
- 👤 David L Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 19:24
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/14; H05K7/1462; H05K7/1475; H05K7/1477; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/516; H01R13/518; H05K7/1465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A logic control module comprising: a housing including first and second hollow shell portions; a light transmitting portion and means forming a slot in said housings: a hinge connecting said first and second shell portions; a circuit board including a terminal portion and an electrical circuit having contacts on said terminal portion; at least one lamp carried by said circuit board; and means for mounting said circuit board within said housing with said lamp adjacent said light transmitting portion of said housing and with said terminal portion of said circuit board extending through said slot for external connection to said contacts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A logic control module comprising: a housing including first and second hollow shell portions; a light transmitting portion and means forming a slot in said housings: a hinge connecting said first and second shell portions; a circuit board including a terminal portion and an electrical circuit having contacts on said terminal portion; at least one lamp carried by said circuit board; and means for mounting said circuit board within said housing with said lamp adjacent said light transmitting portion of said housing and with said terminal portion of said circuit board extending through said slot for external connection to said contacts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The module according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board carries a plurality of electrical components which are interconnected to form a logical control function and which includes an output connected to one of said contacts on said terminal portion for connection to a controlled device, and means serially connected between said output and the corresponding contact for making the controlled device appear as a capacitive load to the logic circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The module according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a plurality of ridges carRied by each of said shells for clamping said circuit board when said shells are hinged closed to form said housing, and means for securing said shells in their closed positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
Electrical control apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrical control modules which are operable to generate heat, each of said control modules comprising a shaped housing including a wedge-shaped portion and a mounting portion; means for mounting said plurality of modules in a spaced-apart array including aligned horizontal and vertical rows of said modules; and means forming air passageways for cooling said apparatus comprising the shaped housings of vertically aligned adjacent rows wherein horizontally adjacent housings define wedge-shaped air passages therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
Electrical control apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrical control modules which are operable to generate heat, each of said control modules comprising a shaped housing including a wedge-shaped portion and a mounting portion; means for mounting said plurality of modules in a spaced-apart array including aligned horizontal and vertical rows of said modules; and means forming air passageways for cooling said apparatus comprising the shaped housings of vertically aligned adjacent rows wherein horizontally adjacent housings define wedge-shaped air passages therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for mounting said modules comprises a plurality of spaced-apart mounting rail systems each of which includes means for releasably engaging the modules of at least one of said rows of the array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
184 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling the operation of a machine in an area of electrical magnetic radiation, comprising: a frame; a plurality of electrical control modules for controlling the operation of the machine; means for mounting said electrical control modules on said frame; including at least one pair of spaced-apart elongate rails for connection to said frame, and a plurality of electrical connector devices for mounting said modules, said connector devices carried in an insulated relationship between said rails; a plurality of electrical terminals connected to said electrical connector devices for the interconnection of said modules and the machine; a plurality of electrical conductors some of which are selectively connected between said terminals for the selective interconnection of said modules, and others of which are provided for connection to the machine; and a pair of spaced-apart elongate clamping bars mounted parallel to said rails and adjustable transversely thereof clamping said modules in said connectors, said electrical conductors disposed between said clamping bars and said rails, said bars and said rails forming at least a partial Faraday shield to protect said conductors from electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
184 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling the operation of a machine in an area of electrical magnetic radiation, comprising: a frame; a plurality of electrical control modules for controlling the operation of the machine; means for mounting said electrical control modules on said frame; including at least one pair of spaced-apart elongate rails for connection to said frame, and a plurality of electrical connector devices for mounting said modules, said connector devices carried in an insulated relationship between said rails; a plurality of electrical terminals connected to said electrical connector devices for the interconnection of said modules and the machine; a plurality of electrical conductors some of which are selectively connected between said terminals for the selective interconnection of said modules, and others of which are provided for connection to the machine; and a pair of spaced-apart elongate clamping bars mounted parallel to said rails and adjustable transversely thereof clamping said modules in said connectors, said electrical conductors disposed between said clamping bars and said rails, said bars and said rails forming at least a partial Faraday shield to protect said conductors from electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said control modules comprises: a circuit board including a connecting portion for releasable engagement with a corresponding one of said electrical connector devices; an electrical circuit carried on said circuit board including contact portions on said connecting portions; and a housing, said circuit board being secured within said housing and said housing including means for releasably engaging the corresponding electrical connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said mounting means comprises: a plurality of pairs of said spaced-apart elongate rails secured to said frame; a plurality of nonconductive substrates each of which carry separate ones of said electrical connector devices and each of which is secured to a separate pair of said rails; and wherein said control apparatus further includes a power distribution system comprising, electrical power conductors carried on each said substrate and connected to the corresponding control modules; and a plurality of power distribution connecting means carried by each of said substrates and connected to the electrical power conductors carried thereby; and a plurality of power buses extending transversely of the spaced-apart rails for connection to the power supply, each of said power buses being connected to a separate power connecting means of each said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
238 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling a machine in an area of electromagnetic radiation comprising: a frame; terminal means including first terminals for connection to said machine and second terminals to be selectively interconnected amoNg themselves and with said first terminals; a plurality of electrical control modules each of which includes an electrical circuit board having an electrical circuit thereon and a connecting portion, a housing, said circuit board secured within said housing, said housing including locking portions; means for mounting said plurality of control modules on said frame including a pair of spaced-apart elongate rails secured to said frame and a plurality of electrical connector devices connected to said terminal means and carried between said rails for releasable engagement with said connecting portions of said electrical circuit boards; and a plurality of electrical conductors selectively interconnecting said first terminals and said second terminals, and second conductors selectively interconnecting said second terminals; and means cooperating with said pair of elongate rails for embracing said electrical conductors and providing an electromagnetic shield therefore including a pair of spaced-apart elongate bars comprising mutually facing portions including a plurality of notches aligned across the spacing therebetween, said notch portions embracing said plurality of control modules and bearing on said locking portions of said housings to secure said control modules in engagement with said electrical connector devices, and support means connecting said pair of bars and said pair of rails in spaced-apart relation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
238 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling a machine in an area of electromagnetic radiation comprising: a frame; terminal means including first terminals for connection to said machine and second terminals to be selectively interconnected amoNg themselves and with said first terminals; a plurality of electrical control modules each of which includes an electrical circuit board having an electrical circuit thereon and a connecting portion, a housing, said circuit board secured within said housing, said housing including locking portions; means for mounting said plurality of control modules on said frame including a pair of spaced-apart elongate rails secured to said frame and a plurality of electrical connector devices connected to said terminal means and carried between said rails for releasable engagement with said connecting portions of said electrical circuit boards; and a plurality of electrical conductors selectively interconnecting said first terminals and said second terminals, and second conductors selectively interconnecting said second terminals; and means cooperating with said pair of elongate rails for embracing said electrical conductors and providing an electromagnetic shield therefore including a pair of spaced-apart elongate bars comprising mutually facing portions including a plurality of notches aligned across the spacing therebetween, said notch portions embracing said plurality of control modules and bearing on said locking portions of said housings to secure said control modules in engagement with said electrical connector devices, and support means connecting said pair of bars and said pair of rails in spaced-apart relation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
226 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling a machine in an area of electromagnetic radiation comprising: a frame; terminal means for connection to said machine; a plurality of electrical control modules; first electrical conductors for connecting certain ones of said plurality of control modules to said terminal means; means for mounting said plurality of control modules on said frame including: a pair of elongate spaced-apart rails secured to said frame; a plurality of electrical connector devices for releasably engaging said plurality of control modules; a substrate connected to said elongate rails, said substrate having electrical terminals thereon connected to said first electrical conductors; second electrical conductors selectively interconnecting said terminals, circuit means carried on said substrate electrically connecting each of said connector devices with respective ones of said terminals, and said plurality of connector devices carried on said substrate; a plurality of resilient clamping means secured to said substrate adjacent said electrical connector devices, each of said modules including a boss portion releasably received by the resilient clamping means; and means cooperating with said mounting means for embracing said first electrical conductors and said second electrical conductors and providing an electromagnetic shield therefore including a pair of spaced-apart locking bars secured parallel to said pair of rails and adjustable transversely thereto engaging said electrical control modules and cooperating with said rails to provide electromagnetic shielding for said conductors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
226 words
Modular control apparatus for controlling a machine in an area of electromagnetic radiation comprising: a frame; terminal means for connection to said machine; a plurality of electrical control modules; first electrical conductors for connecting certain ones of said plurality of control modules to said terminal means; means for mounting said plurality of control modules on said frame including: a pair of elongate spaced-apart rails secured to said frame; a plurality of electrical connector devices for releasably engaging said plurality of control modules; a substrate connected to said elongate rails, said substrate having electrical terminals thereon connected to said first electrical conductors; second electrical conductors selectively interconnecting said terminals, circuit means carried on said substrate electrically connecting each of said connector devices with respective ones of said terminals, and said plurality of connector devices carried on said substrate; a plurality of resilient clamping means secured to said substrate adjacent said electrical connector devices, each of said modules including a boss portion releasably received by the resilient clamping means; and means cooperating with said mounting means for embracing said first electrical conductors and said second electrical conductors and providing an electromagnetic shield therefore including a pair of spaced-apart locking bars secured parallel to said pair of rails and adjustable transversely thereto engaging said electrical control modules and cooperating with said rails to provide electromagnetic shielding for said conductors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-22 | 1974-08-24 | 1975-02-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-22 | 1978-08-24 | 1979-02-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-22 | 1982-08-24 | 1983-02-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |