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US4738632A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical assembly with modular carriers for signal processing modules

Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 1987-01-29
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Granted: 1988-04-19
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Expires: 2007-01-29
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Abstract

Abstract An automating assembly for electrical installations comprises a plurality of input and output modules each detachably fastened to a respective modular module carrier removably attached to a support bar. The module carriers each include an integrated circuit connectable to the integrated circuits of adjacent module carriers by means of rigidly mounted plug strips and cooperating jack strips connected to the integrated circuits of the module carriers via flat flexible cables. Each modular module carrier is connected to a respective terminal block for the coupling of external wires to the automating assembly. The module carriers are designed to facilitate the removal of individual module carriers for applications in which a reduced number of input and output modules is required.

Inventors

  • 👤 Heinz Schmidt
  • 👤 Reinhard Schirbl
  • 👤 Otto Meusel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 12:12
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/14; H05K7/1462; H05K7/1465; H05K7/1438; H05K7/1439; H05K7/1441; H05K7/1475; H05K7/1478; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/928

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 173 words
An electrical automating assembly comprising: a support bar; a plurality of signal processing modules; a plurality of modular carriers removably attached to said support bar, said modules being detachably fastened to said module carries, each of said module carries being provided with a respective matching circuit; conductive means for electrically connecting each of said module carries to adjacent module carriers, said conductive means including on each of said module carriers a respective plug connector and a respective jack connector, one of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector being rigidly mounted to the respective module carrier and the other of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector being connected to the matching circuit of said respective module carrier via a respective flexible line, each of said module carriers being provided with means including a pocket for holding said respective flexible line and said other of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector in a disconnected state thereof; and coupling means for connecting external leads to said modules.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 173 words
An electrical automating assembly comprising: a support bar; a plurality of signal processing modules; a plurality of modular carriers removably attached to said support bar, said modules being detachably fastened to said module carries, each of said module carries being provided with a respective matching circuit; conductive means for electrically connecting each of said module carries to adjacent module carriers, said conductive means including on each of said module carriers a respective plug connector and a respective jack connector, one of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector being rigidly mounted to the respective module carrier and the other of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector being connected to the matching circuit of said respective module carrier via a respective flexible line, each of said module carriers being provided with means including a pocket for holding said respective flexible line and said other of said respective plug connector and said respective jack connector in a disconnected state thereof; and coupling means for connecting external leads to said modules.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said respective plug connector is rigidly mounted to said respective module carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 94 words
The assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said coupling means includes a plurality of terminal blocks having means for connecting to said external leads, said terminal blocks being equal in number to said module carriers, each of said terminal blocks being detachably fastened to a respective one of said module carries, said terminal blocks and said modules being provided with means including jack contacts and plug contacts for establishing electrical connection between said modules and respective ones of said terminal blocks upon attachment of said modules to said module carriers and said terminal blocks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
The assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said module carriers and said modules are provided with tilting means for facilitating attachment of said modules to said module carriers via a rotary motion
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
The assembly defined in claim 4 wherein said tilting means includes an eccentric pin on each of said modules and an insertion slot on each of said module carriers, the eccentric pins cooperating with respective insertion slots during application of said rotary motion to tighten the pins in the respective slots.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 44 words
The assembly defined in claim 5 wherein said module carriers are each provided with means including hooks engageable with adjacent module carriers for limiting motion of said module carriers in a direction parallel to said support bar upon attachment of said module carriers thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
The assembly defined in claim 6 wherein said module carriers are each provided with means including a spring element engageable with said support bar for automatically forming a ground connection upon attachment of the module carriers to said support bar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 37 words
The assembly defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of said module carriers is provided with means including a stepwise rotatable disc for indicating a code associated with said at least one of said module carriers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 39 words
The assembly defined in claim 8 wherein said modules are provided with projecting collars and partitions and said module carriers and said terminal blocks are provided with recesses, said collars and said partitions being matingly received in said recesses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 44 words
The assembly defined in claim 9, further comprising means including a distributor component removably attached to said support bar and operatively connected to at least one of said module carriers for operatively coupling said module carriers to additional module carriers on another support bar.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 22 words
The assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said terminal blocks each include a mounting frame tiltably fastened to the respective terminal block.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
The assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said mounting frame is provided with jack contacts in turn connected to lead wires.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
The assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said mounting frame is shiftable into a tilted position transversely to the plug-in direction of the jack contacts provided on said tilting frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said mounting frame is snapped onto the respective terminal block in the operating position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 94 words
The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a plurality of terminal blocks having means for connecting to said external leads, said terminal blocks being equal in number to said module carries, each of said terminal blocks being detachably fastened to a respective one of said module carriers, said terminal blocks and said modules being provided with means including jack contacts and plug contacts for establishing electrical connection between said modules and respective ones of said terminal blocks upon attachment of said modules to said module carriers and said terminal blocks.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 32 words
The assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said module carriers and said modules are provided with tilting means for facilitating attachment of said modules to said module carriers via a rotary motion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 51 words
The assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said tilting means includes an eccentric pin on each of said modules and an insertion slot on each of said module carriers, the eccentric pins cooperating with respective insertion slots during application of said rotary motion to tighten the pins in the respective slots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
The assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said modules are provided with projecting collars and partitions and said module carriers and said terminal blocks are provided with recesses, said collars and said partitions being matingly received in said recesses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said terminal blocks each include a mounting frame tiltably fastened to the respective terminal block.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
The assembly defined in claim 19 wherein said mounting frame is provided with jack contacts in turn connected to lead wires.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 30 words
The assembly defined in claim 20 wherein said mounting frame is shiftable into a tilted position transversely to the plug-in direction of the jack contacts provided on said tilting frame.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 21 words
The assembly defined in claim 21 wherein said mounting frame is snapped onto the respective terminal block in the operating position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 44 words
The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said module carriers are each provided with means including hooks engageable with adjacent module carriers for limiting motion of said module carriers in a direction parallel to said support bar upon attachment of said module carriers thereto.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 40 words
The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said module carriers are each provided with means including a spring element engageable with said support bar for automatically forming a ground connection upon attachment of the module carriers to said support bar.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 37 words
The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said module carriers is provided with means including a stepwise rotatable disc for indicating a code associated with said at least one of said module carriers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 44 words
The assembly defined in claim 1, further comprising means including a distributor component removably attachable to said support bar and operatively connectable to at least one of said module carriers for operatively coupling said module carriers to additional module carriers on another support bar.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-04-19 1991-10-19 1992-04-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-04-19 1995-10-19 1996-04-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-04-19 1999-10-19 2000-04-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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