The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 25, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2000
Keith Emery, San Diego, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A chainable I/O termination block system for connecting a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other controller to I/O signals such as sensors and control relays in an automatic tooling environment. A number of modular termination blocks ( ) can be conveniently chained together to provide the required number of I/O points ( ) at the appropriate location on the automated tool while simultaneously providing a single connection to the PLC ( ). Chainable termination blocks ( ) can be connected together directly or can be distributed over the required distance using block-to-block cabling ( ). An autoshifting arrangement within each chainable termination block ( ) determines the bit position at the controller ( ) of each I/O signal ( ). Each termination block ( ) has at least one termination connector ( ) for making the I/O connections to the automated tool, a PLC-side chaining connector ( ) for connecting to the PLC ( ) or to termination blocks ( ) closer in the chain to the PLC ( ), and an I/O-side chaining connector ( ) for connecting to additional termination blocks ( ) further down the chain away from the PLC ( ). In each chainable termination block ( ) remote signal lines are to be shifted and replaced by local signal lines while ground and power lines remain unshifted.