Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Reinhard Schirbl

Gunther Deinhardt

Otto Meusel

Heinz Schmidt

Josef Burger

Hermann Kasowski

Martin Bergmann

Heribert Rester

Guenther Deinhardt

Werner Meiler

Modular peripheral unit expandable by modules and having an

An enclosed input/output module comprising an enclosure (1), at least one printed circuit board (2) arranged along one of the interior surfaces of the enclosure, a cover (3) having an essentially U-shaped receiving channel (4) including a pair of hollow legs, and a process connector (5) that fits within the receiving channel of the cover, wherein the module comprises a second printed circuit board such that the two printed circuit boards fit into the legs of the cover to frame the receiving channel on both sides and both printed circuit boards are free of mounted components, apart from light-emitting diodes, in the portions that frame the receiving channel. The module may additionally include light-emitting diodes (6) on the circuit boards (2), optical waveguides (7), latching elements and recesses (25, 26) for retaining the process connector (5) with respect to the cover (3) in a preliminary position, and/or threaded means (17, 18) for fully joining the process connector (5) to the cover (3). The process connector (5) includes contacts (12) for engagement with blades (9) on the printed circuit boards (2) and screw terminals (14) for connection to wires. The module may additionally include encoding and counter-encoding elements (19, 20) for ensuring a proper match between the process connector (5) and cover (3) and guide bars and grooves (23, 24) asymmetrically designed and/or arranged for ensuring the proper orientation and for guidance of the process connector (5) into the cover (3).

Enclosed input/output module

In the case of a modular electrical installation, for instance a modular programmable controller, the bus is modularly configured on the modules, so that the bus is automatically propagated when the installation is assembled.

Self-mounting bus

A box-shaped module has a design whereby the automated manufacture and assembly of these modules and their components is possible in simple, sequential steps. For this purpose, a housing shell is provided with conical spigots for positioning a printed circuit board and a ground terminal. The latter is able to be locked into place via a projection in a depression of the housing shell. Plug and socket connections and holes which are used for positioning are provided on the printed circuit board at a fixed distance to each other, which serves to guarantee a meeting of the plug and socket connections with the mating terminals while the module is being inserted into a mounting rack.

Rack mountable box shaped module with conical positioning elements

An electrical installation is composed of individual subassemblies with a subrack, and the relative positional accuracy needed to unite the plug-in and mating connections. Furthermore, a plastic holder featuring a hole to accommodate the plug-in connections is provided on the subrack, and a spring part is provided at a defined distance to this hole. Positioning holes are available on a bus board belonging to the subrack at a defined distance from the plug-in connections. At least two projections adapted in position and shape to the positioning holes are provided on the side of the plastic holder turned away from the subassemblies. In the joined state of the bus board and the plastic holder, the plug-in connections extend into the holes. The subassembliles are brought by the spring part over a support part into a position suited for sliding the mating connections on to the plug-in connections.

Electrical installation composed of individual subassemblies

An electronic module includes a front fin, a printed circuit board having connected terminals, a status display including a plurality of fiber optic guides which lead into the fin and serve as light-emitting elements, a front panel connector, and a front door attached to the front panel connector. The fin may include a bar on a housing shell which projects to the front side and of a counterpart bar on a housing cover. The plurality of fiber optic guides may be combined into one fiber optic comb. A swivel may be used to connect the front panel connector to the module. Flexible hinges may be used to connect the front door to the front panel connector and to mount the light-emitting elements to the printed circuit board.

Electronic modules

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.

Growing community of inventors

Schwandorf, Germany

Reinhard Schirbl