JPH0287596A - Module mounting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to module mounting used in industrial control devices, and particularly to improvements that increase the degree of freedom in the number of modules.

<Prior Art> An industrial control device is known, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49321/1988 entitled "Process Control Device" proposed by the present applicant. Such devices employ a structure called a module, in which, for example, a controller and a recorder are provided as independent modules for each control loop, and these are housed in a housing. Even in a computer system, when used as a central processing unit for control, an input/output module or a DMA module is provided in order to send and receive data from each operating end or detection end.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional module mounting apparatus. In the figure, module 1 is an electronic device installed for each functional unit such as a controller, and basically consists of a printed circuit board and a front plate attached in a T-shape to the end of this board. A connector is provided at the end of the printed circuit board opposite to the front plate to enable operation. The mother board 2 has a bus disposed therein, and has a branch of this bus for each connector 3, making it possible to exchange signals with the module 1 connected to the connector 3.

The base plate fixing plate 4 is slightly larger than the base plate 2, and is used for attaching a large casing that accommodates a large number of modules 1.

<Problem that the invention seeks to solve> However, the conventional device has the following problems.

■ The degree of freedom regarding the number of modules is limited to the number of slots on the motherboard 2.

(2) If the number of modules increases and exceeds the capacity of one mother board, it is necessary to prepare a mother board with a larger number of slots or another mother board with the same number of slots, which increases the cost.

■ If you place too much emphasis on expandability and prepare a motherboard with more slots than necessary, small-scale products will have empty slots and incur unnecessary costs.

■ In this type of structural product, connectors and motherboards account for a large amount of cost, and cost reduction has been desired.

The present invention has solved these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a module mounting apparatus that can easily adjust the number of modules accommodated regardless of the number of slots on the motherboard.

Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention that achieves the above object comprises: a module that is successively attached to the rungs of a ladder; a connector that is provided to this module in the direction of the rungs; and a connector that is connected to the connector. A module mounting apparatus including a bus for interconnecting the modules has the following configuration.

That is, the bus includes a multicore flat cable and tap connectors that are tapped to the multicore cable at intervals that are substantially the same as or larger than the mounting intervals of the modules.

Then, the tap connectors are installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the connectors, and the multi-core flat cable is connected to the tap connector located at the end of at least one of the connectors in a one-to-one correspondence with the tap connectors. It is characterized by its short length.

A module mounting device comprising the module, the connector, the multicore flat cable, and the tap connector, the tap connector being in one-to-one correspondence with the connector;
The present invention may be characterized in that the multicore cable having an incompatible tap connector is cut out.

Preferably, the connector is provided on the front side of the module or on the side thereof.

Functions Each component of the present invention has the following functions. Since the multicore flat cable has low rigidity and high flexibility, it is easy to adjust when the spacing between tap connectors or the spacing between modules is larger, and it is also easy to cut. Therefore, a bus is constructed by connecting connectors with tap connectors corresponding to the number of modules, and the remaining multi-core flat cable including the tap connectors is cut off, and the length of the tap connector remaining at the endmost tap connector is is smaller than this tap connector spacing.

<Example> The present invention will be explained below using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals and their explanations will be omitted.

In the figure, a module 1 houses a printed circuit board inside a small casing shaped like, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-24672.24673 "Casing for electronic equipment" proposed by the present applicant. If you look at the board, it is attached continuously at regular intervals like the rungs of a ladder. If the width of the small casing is W, then the interval between the crossbars will be W or a value slightly larger than this. A connector 12 (not shown) is provided on the back side of the module 1 and is connected to an internal printed circuit board. For installation, the frame 5 is used to screw the module 1 and attach it to a large casing, etc., for example, as disclosed in Utility Application No. 17462/1983, ``Frames for Mounting Electronic Devices,'' proposed by the present applicant. Use what you have. The mounting holes provided in the frame 5 are spaced at regular intervals d, which determine the spacing between the crossbars of the module 1. The multicore flat cable 6 is made by arranging core wires made of a predetermined number of conductors in a single layer, and the periphery thereof is covered with an insulating layer. For example, it is preferable to use a muntin multicore cable or a flexible cable. The tap connector 7 is a tag connection to the multi-core flat cable 6 (originally, it refers to a connection made at a point other than the terminal to change the value of resistance etc. with a resistor, etc., but here the purpose is to branch the signal in the middle of the cable) The distance a between connectors is the same as or larger than the distance d between module 1 installations.

The assembly of the device thus constructed will now be described. Second
The figure is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the multicore flat cable 6 and the tap connector 7 are being processed. The tap connectors 7 are attached in one-to-one correspondence with the connectors 12. Normally, the modules 1 are attached in succession, so it is sufficient that the multi-core flat cable 6 has a corresponding length. It is conceivable that the modules 1 are installed intermittently (there is space at the position where the crossbars should be installed), but the multi-core cable 6 would also require an extra length, and the casing that accommodates the modules 1 would need to be installed. This is often avoided as it may mistakenly be determined to be full when adding modules even though there is still space in the body.

As a result, the length of the multi-core flat cable 6 is equal to the number n of installed modules 1 and the distance between the tap connectors! It is enough to have the product multiplied by . One end of the multicore flat cable 6 may be connected to a common bus, but the other end is connected to the tamp connector 7 located at the end and the extra Cut off the excess multicore flat cable 61 between the tap connectors 71. The length 11 of the multicore flat cable 6 derived from the tap connector 7 located at the end is short compared to the spacing between the tap connectors 7, and the length 11 of the multicore flat cable 6 derived from the tap connector 7 located at the end is short compared to the spacing between the tap connectors 7. May be cut off. Since the multicore flat cable 6 is soft, the cutting is performed using ordinary scissors or the like. The difference between the tap connector spacing 2 and the mounting spacing d is absorbed by bending the multicore flat cable 6. Furthermore, by attaching the multi-core flat cable 6 to the back side of the module 1, the entire front side of the module 1 can be used for display, etc., and there are fewer restrictions when designing various modules 1 in a unified manner.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the present invention.

When the connector 14 of the module 1 is provided on the front, the multicore flat cable 6 and tap connector 7 can also be attached on the front. In this way, installation of the multicore flat cable 6 becomes easier.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, the present invention has the following effects.

■ The length of the multi-core flat cable 6 can be prepared to match the number of modules regardless of the number of slots in the frame 5.

(2) It is cheaper to provide tap connectors 7 in accordance with the number of modules than in the case of preparing a predetermined number of slots in advance as in the conventional motherboard type.

■ The price of the bus itself is low for multicore flat cables with tap connectors.

■Wi construction is simplified and manufacturing becomes easier.

■ If you want to increase the number of modules, you just need to prepare a long multicore flat cable again, and the price is low.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the construction of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which a multi-core flat cable 6 and a tap connector 7 are being processed, and FIG. 3 is a modified embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional device. 1...Module, 12.14...Connector, 5.
...Installation Fig. 3 Fig. 4

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a module mounting device comprising: a module that is installed in succession in the form of a rung of a ladder; a connector that is provided on this module in the direction of the rung; and a bus that is connected to this connector and connects the modules to each other. , the bus has a multi-core flat cable and tap connectors that are tap-connected to the multi-core flat cable at intervals that are approximately the same as or larger than the mounting intervals of the modules, and the tap connectors are in one-to-one correspondence with the connectors. The module mounting device is characterized in that the multi-core flat cable exists in at least one of the tap connectors located at the farthest end with a length shorter than one of the installation intervals of the tap connectors. . (2) A module mounting device having the module, the connector, the multi-core flat cable, and a tap connector, wherein the tap connector is in one-to-one correspondence with the connector, and the multi-core flat cable has an uncorresponding tap connector. A module mounting device characterized by being cut out. (3) The module mounting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connector is provided on the front or mounting surface side of the module.