AU601557B2

AU601557B2 - Electronic module

Info

Publication number: AU601557B2
Application number: AU13297/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hans-Peter Latussek; Rolf Weber
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 1987-03-20
Filing date: 1988-03-18
Publication date: 1990-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-18
Also published as: JPS63250072A; EP0282867A1; BR8801233A; AU1329788A

Description

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AII 1 1 1 i, ask= I nil FORM 10 SPRUSON FERGUSON COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: 6015 7 Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: *r ft...

0 *9 Accepted: Published: Thhjn d mnt t prudin d jj gor.i .,LLi (7 riiing.Y Priority: Related Ar:: ft *9 Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Siemens Aktiengeselschaft Wittelsbacherplatz 2 D-8000 Munich 2 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY 4 ft ft. 4 ft5b r ft f Address for Service: Complete Specification Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia for the invention entitled: nic Module0 Electro The following statement is a full description of thts invention, including the best method of performing it known to ie/us 0o b I_ LUUt bl 6!IU 5845/2 I AIL OFCR, TEN DOLLARS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electronic module includes a circuit board with several signal inputs and/or outputs, at least one internal bus consisting of several signal lines and a front panel. The signal inputs and/or outputs can be connected to the corresponding signal lines of the internal bus via a multi-pole contact mechanism movable by a handling control. A handle of the handling control is arranged on a front side of a front panel of the module. Thus, the module disposed in a module carrier can be electrically separated from a bus that connects individual modules without the need to remove the module from its plug-in location in its module carrier.

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4 44 SBR/JS/11i9P uuillry il rcspcL ui ilt invention(-. the subject of the application.

Declared at Sydney this 15th day of March 1988 SFP4 To: The Commissioner of Patents Si are of Deciarant(s) SFP4 i/nale 0 n1/8 ELECTRONIC MODULE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an electronic module consisting of a circuit board having several signal inputs and/or outputs, at least one bus consisting of several signal lines and a front panel and more particularly to an improved module for facilitating separation of the module from a system bus.

Electronic modules are commercially available and can be inserted into a module carrier. Microcomputer and minicomputer systems are known to use such electronic modules. In such systems, the electronic modules are connected to a back wall circuit board of a module carrier. Multiple modules are connected to each other by means of signal lines extending beyond the modules connecting the back wall circuit boards of the individual modules.

These signal lines extending beyond the modules act as a connecting bus and are also known, for instance, as a VME bus. This VME bus is responsible for basic fast data traffic between the most important electronic modules of the bus system. The bus structures vary depending on the computer system components and the required performance. The data exchange may take place, for instance, in an 16- or 32-bit format, for instance, 8, 16 or 32 data signal lines in the connecting bus that interconnects the electronic modules of a bus system to each other.

In addition, for instance, the connecting bus contains, besides the data bus consisting of the data signal lines, an address bus and a control bus, each of which contain several bus lines. Thus, each electronic module contains 8, 16 or 32 signal inputs and/or outputs for connection to the connecting bus and 8, 16 or 32 signal lines which form an Internal module bus. The signal inputs and/or ouputs are part of a blade strip used in the electronic modules.

30 In such bus systems which utilize connecting buses that extend between electronic modules, a fault at one module can block the entire bus system. One type of fault is a short circuit of an output driver to the supply voltage of an electronic module that is a bus participant. With many types of faults, the defective electronic module can be localized by means of a diagnostic routine. However, some faults can be determined only by removing all modules from their respective module carriers sequentially until the defective module is found. The trouble is then corrected and the connecting bus, connected to the back wall circuit board of the electronic modules and extending between the modules, is no longer disturbed. When an $BR/JS/ 11i9P I S/ r -4 individual module is removed from a plug-in location in its respective module carrier, the entire function of the removed module is rendered inoperative. This method of diagnostics, the removal of an electronic module from its module carrier, limits the availability of the system.

Therefore, such a method of diagnostics is undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a solution to the diagnostics problem associated with commercially available electronic modules.

In accordance with the present invention there is disclosed an S'0,1 electrical module comprising: 9 a circuit board having at least one bus including several signal carrying conductors and connection means for connectibn of a plurality of .o signal inputs and/or outputs; connection means for connecting said signal carrying conductors of *15 said bus to a numoer of contact pads arranged linearly with respect to each other; spring contacts located adjacent to and corresponding to each said pad and electrically connected to a corresponding signal input and/or output; and P,*2b handling means operatively associated with a sliding member arranged parallel toAsaid pads and adapted to move said pads and said spring contacts into sliding engagement to electrically connect said bus conductors with said input and/or outputs.

'k,1 Since the multi-pole contacts connect the signal inputs and/or outputs, which are connected to the connecting bus, to the corresponding signal lines of the internal bus in an electrically conducting manner when such a connection Is desired, any desired module connected to the connecting bus that extends between the modules can be separated electrically from the connecting bus by disconnecting the Internal bus and the signal inputs and/or outputs without the need to remove the module from Its plug-in location rYn the module carrier. The handling means may include a haindle that is arranged Oi the front side of the front panel of each module. Thus, several signal lines of the Internal bus can be simultaneously spearated from the signal inputs and/or outputs by a

I

0: i U i Li i i 4Aseparating motion of the handle on the front side of the front panel so as to prevent an electrical connection. The separation occurs on the side of the electronic module opposite the front panel which is the plug-in side of the module. The separation occurs without the need to pull f module from its plug-in location in the module carrier.

09 0 4 00* 0 00 09 9 0 1:2; |9 9'4 1/0894o *-Li*l _li In one advantageous embodiment of the electronic module, the handling means can be introduced into the controllable contact means from the front side of the front panel and the circuit board disposed in the electronic module is provided with a means for guiding the handling means within the module, It is thereby assured than any desired module of a bus system having the configuration of the present invention can be separated electrically from the connecting bus that extends between the modules only when troubles arise, In addition, the multi-pole contacts are required only for those modules which may cause disturbances along the connecting bus. The modules may be isolated electrically from the connecting bus sequentially by the mutli-pole contacts associated with each module where it is determined, in conjunction with a suitable test routine, that the module may block the connecting bus if a fault exists. When only one module can block the bus, only one multi-pole contact mechanism is required and it is associated with j the module that can block the bus, In addition, the configuration of the Po modules can be such as to only allow separation from the connecting bus to .t be carried out by authorized persons, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig, 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through an electronic module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a means for controlling a coupling of the embodiment of Fig, 1; a' *t Fig, 3 shows a longitudinal section through an electronic module in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a cross section through the electronic module of Fig. 3; Fig, 5 shows a longitudinal section through an electronic module in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, and a, Fig, 6 shows a longitudinal section through an electronic module in *44*64 30 accordance with yet another embodiment of the present Invention, DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 shows an electronic module 2 which includes of a circuit board 4, a front panel 6 and a plug connector 8, In addition, the circuit board 4 of ti,e module 2 is provided with a movable multi-pole contact mechanism and a guiding mechanism 12. The contact mechanism 10 contains a row of Input contact means 14, a row of output contacts 16, and a movable bridge 18 with contact tabs 20 arranged In parallel on the bridge 18, These contact tabs 20, can electrically connect an input contact pin 14 to a respective output contact pin 16 by providing a conductive path between the SBR/JS/1119P II i input and output pins. The contact pins 14 and 16 of the contact mechanism and the contact tabs 20 of the bridge 18 are designed so that the contacts 14, 16 and 20 are self-cleaning. The contacts 14, 16 and 20 are cleaned by means of an opening motion of the bridge 18, a generated oxide layer is removed by means of scraping action resulting from the opening motion of the bridge.

One end of each of the contact pins 14 and 16 is connected to the circuit board, In order to facilitate the self cleaning operation, free ends of the contact pins 14 and 16 are designed as contact projections. It is particularly advantageous if the contact pins 14 and 16 are designed as springs between the ends fastened in the circuit board 4 and the contact projections so that the contact projections are pushed against the contact tabs 20 of the bridge 18. This results in small or low-valued contact rAsistance and it assures a connection of good electrical conductivity.

The bridge 18 of the contact mechanism 10 can be moved by means of handling mechanism 22. The handling mechanism 22 consists of a separator part 24, also called a shear or torsion rod, and of a handle 26. The separator part 24 is guided in the module by the guiding mechanism 12, One S erd of the separator part 24 is connected to the contact mechanism 10. The handle 26 of the handling mechanism 22 is connected to the other end of the separator 24 and is arranged to be on a front side 28 of the front panel t 6. In addition, the input contact pins 14 are connected to the signal inputs and/or outputs of the module 2 in an electrically conducting manner. The signal inputs and/or outputs of the module 2 are part of the plug connector 8.

A bus system may include a plurality of individual electronic modules 2 connected together by a connecting bus.

If a data exchange between the individual modules 2 of the bus system takes place, for instance, in a 16-bit format, a backplane circuit board of the module carrier connects the carrier to the connecting bus including a 16-line data bus which extends between the modules. Each electronic module 2 contains 16 signal inputs and/or outputs, sixteen plugs of the plug connector 8 which may contain, for instance, 96 PC)ls. These 16 signal Inputs and/or outputs are connected to 16 input contact pins 14 of the contact mechanism 10 in an electrically conducting manner. The sixteen output contact pins 16 of the contact mechanism 10 are connected to 16 signal lines of an internal bus of the electronic ir'dule 2 in an electrically conducting manner. If the bus system is of redundant design, each module 2 contains two contact mechanisms 10 each of which have, for SBR/JS/1119P instance, 16 input and output contact pins 14 and 16 respectively. In the operating state of a redundant system, all electronic modules 2 are plugged into a i.odule carrier and connected to a first connecting bus by the fact that for each first contact mechanism 10, the input contact pins 14 are connected to the output contact pins 16 by means of the contact tabs 20 of the bridge 18. The data traffic between the individual modules 2 of the bus system takes place on the first connecting bus extending between the modules.

If a fault occurs in this redundant system and it interferes with this first connecting bus, one can switch to the redundant bus by means of the second contact mechanism. Thereby, the system remains in operation in spite of a fault that has occurred.

After the fault has occurred, fault localization takes place on the f disturbed first connecting bus by sequentially separatiig the electronic modules 2 from the disturbed bus by means of the contact mechanism operable via the handling mechanism 22. In conjunction with a suitable test routine it is determined which electronic module 2 is responsible for the blocking of the bus and which if removed or replaced will bring an end to the blocking of the bus. The defective module 2 localized in this manner can now be replaced. By this indirect coupling of the modules 2 to the buses extending between modules by means of the movable contact mechanism, j individual modules 2 can be separated from a connecting bus at any time witchout having to remove modules from their plug-in location in a module carrier and without having to shut down the system. Also the configuration removes the necessity for any intervention on the wiring side of the back wall circuit board of the module carrier. Instead, by means of the handle 26 of the handling mechanism 22 on the front side 28 of the front panels 6 of each module 2, a defective module 2 can be electrically separated from a connecting bus, Thus, the availability of the system is not restricted, Fig. 2 shows a top view of a movable multi-pole contact mechanism according to rig. 1 having handling mechanism The bridge 18 of the contact mechanism 10 is guided into guides 30 and 32, In addition, the bridge 18 has, on a side which faces the contact projections of the input and output contact pins 14 and 16, several contact tabs 20 which are indicated by an Interrupted line. These contact tabs 20 are arranged parallel to each other on the surface of the bridge. At one end of the contact mechanism 10, an Intercepting device 34 is provided, The separator part 24 of the handling mechanism 22 can engage this Intercepting device 34 at the opening 36 of the intercepting device 34, The opening 36 Is located SBR/JS/ 119P :l:i on a long side 38 of the contact mechanism 10 that faces the front panel of the module. The edges of the opening are beveled. The end face 40 of the bridge 18 in the vicinity of the opening 36 of intercepting device 34 is likewise beveled in such a manner that the long side of the bridge 18 that faces the handling mechanism 22 is shorter than the long side of the bridge 18 facing away from the handling mechanism. In addition, the opening 36 of the intercepting device 34 of the contact mechanism 10 and the beveled end face 40 depend on the diameter of the separator part 24 of the handling mechanism 22. The inclination of the end face 40 of the bridge 18 determines the opening motion of the contacts 14, 16 and 20. According to the embodiment of the contact mechanism 10 illustrated in Fig, 2, a separating motion of the handle 26, parallel to the circuit board 4, characterized by a double arrow A, changes into an opening motion of the r bridge 18, characterized by a double arrow B parallel to the circuit board 4 and at right angles to the separating motion A. An end face 42 opposite the beveled end face 40 is provided with a spring 44. The spring 44 causes the bri je 18 to always be moved into the closed, operating state again as t soon a' the handling, mechanism 22 is pulled from a detent in the front panel 6 of the module 2 as this movement of the handling mechanism results In removal of the separator from the contact mechanism Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the contact mechanism 10 on a circuit board 4 of the electronic module 2, The contact mechanism includes several spring contacts 46 arranged side by side and which are connected on the one hand to the circuit board 4 in the vicinity of the plug connector 8 and on the other hand, are braced against corresponding segments 48 of a slide ring 50 and against contact tabs 52 on the circuit board 4. The slide ring 50 is guided by means of a gate 54, The contact tabs 52 are connected to the respective signal lines of the internal bus of the module 2, In addition, the ends of the spring contacts 46 are always connected in an electrically conducting manner to the signal inputs and/or outputs which are a subgroup of the plugs of the plug connector 8. The Q slide ring 50 can be moved by means of the handling mechanism 22. The separator part 24 of the handling mechanism 22 is Interlinked here with the sliding ring 50. The handle 26 Is arranged on the front side 28 of the front panel 6 of the module 2, In Fig. 4 a cross section of the module 2 along lines IV-IV of Flg, 3 is shown. The sliding ring 50 which Is guided in the gate 54 Is subdivided Into a Individual segments 48. The corresponding surfaces 56 of the segments 48 against which the spring contacts 46 are braced, are designed SBR/JS/I119P -8r so that the spring contacts 46 can dwell at two stable points a and b.

These two stable points have different levels and a ramp c is provided as a connection between these two stable points a and b. If a rotary motion is given to the handling means 22, as characterized by a double arrow C, then the sliding ring 50 moves within the gate 54 parallel to the front panel 6 of the module 2, as characterized by a double arrow D. Thereby, the spring contacts 46 move from the stable point a to the stable point b whereby the respective contact projections 58 of spring contacts 46 is lifted off or pulled away from the contact tabs 52, This lifting, pulling away motion of the contact projections 58 is indicated in Fig. 3 by a double arrow E. The result is that the handling mechanism can be used to selectively electrically disconnect the internal bus from ;he input, and/or outputs of the module thereby disconnecting the module from the connecting bus, Fig. 5 shows yet another embodiment for the contact mechanism The contact mechanism 10 includes several spring contacts 60 arranged side by side, These spring contacts are connected to the circuit board 4 of the module 2. Contact projections 62 of the spring contacts are braced against a respective contact tab 52 of the circuit board 4, All spring contacts are connected to a bridge 64 of insulating material. Also in this embodiment, contact tabs 52 are connected to the signal lines of an internal bus on the circuit board 4 in an electrically conducting manner and the ends of the spring contacts 60 connected to the circuit board 4 are connected with the signal inputs and/or outputs of the plug connector 8 in an electrical 1" conducting manner. A handling mechanism 22 is connected with a separat<, 24 to the bridge 64, A handle 26 of the handling mechanism Is being arranged on a front side 28 of the front panel 6 of the module 4, In addition, a portion of separator 24 is arranged on the front side 28 of the front panel 6 and is provided with a notch 66 so that the handling mechanism 22 can be locked at the front panel 6, This locking feature can be provided In any of the disclosed embodiments. The lock prevents unauthorized persons from electrially separating or disconnecting a module from the connecting bus, If the handle 26 Is moved In a motion corresponding t6 the double arrow A, this motion changes Into a motion whih lifts the contact projections 62, in a direction characterized by a double arrow Once again any m' lule 2 of this configuration can be separated electrically at iny time from a connecting bus of a system, extending between modules, wlthout the need to remove the module 2 from Its plug-in location In the module carrier.

SBR/JSlM9P 1 -9 In Fig. 6, still another embodiment of the contact mechanism 10 is illustrated. There, the multi-pole contact mechanism 10 is formed by several contacts 68 of the plug connector 8 arranged side by side and by several contacts 70 arranged side by side which are connected with the circuit board 4. The contacts 70 are connected to the internal bus of the I module. The contacts 68 are each provided with a contact projection 72, All of the spring contacts 70 are connected to each other by means of a cross piece 74. There, the cross piece 74 is provided with contact tabs 76 which are arranged parallel with one another, These tabs 76 connect the spring contacts 70 to the contact surfaces of the contact projections 72 in an electrically conducting manner. The handling means 22 once again includes a separator 24 and having the cross piece 74 disposed at one end and a handle 26 at the other end. If the handle 26 is moved in a direction V ttt characterized by the double arrow A, then the spring contacts 70 move In ~I relation to the cross piece in accordance with the double arrow F, Both motions A and F are in the same direction, there is no force t'ranslation here. As a result of the movement of the spring contacts, a connection between the spring contacts 70 and several contacts 68 can either be established or such a connection already established can be V 20 discontinued.

The present invention provides a novel improvvment to an electronic module whereby the module can be electrically disconnected from a system d bus without having to remove the module from its module carrier, The arrangement enhances the overall system's ability to diagnose and treat faults.

SBR/3S/1115P

Claims

1. An electrical module comprising: a circuit board having at least one bus Including several signal carrying conductors and connection means for connection of a plurality of signal Inputs and/or outputs; connection means for connecting said signal carrying conductors of said bus to a number of contact pads arranged linearly with respect to each other; spring contacts located adjacent to and corresponding to each said pad and electrically connected to a corresponding signal Input and/or output; and handling means operatively associated with a sliding member arranged parallel to\said pads and adapted to move said pads and said spring contacts into sliding engagement to electrically connect said bus conductors with said input and/or outputs.

2. An electrical module as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact pads are fixed to said circuit board and said spring contacts are moved Into engagement with said contact pads by said sliding member,

3. An electrical module as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact pads are arranged on said sliding member and said spring contacts are fixed in relation to said circuit board,

4. An electrical module as claimed in claim 2 wherein each spring contact has a first point connected to said circuit board, a second point fixed at said sliding member and third point adapted to engage one of said contact pads.

An electrical module as claimed in 4 wherein said first and third points are the ends of said spring contact and said sliding member is a sliding ring guided in a gate wherein each said spring contact is braced against a corresponding cam of said sliding ring, said cams being adapted to, upon the sliding of said ring, lift a centrally located second part of said spring contacts from engagement with said fixed contact pads,

6. An electrical module as claimed In claim 3 further comprising a bus spring contact connected to each said conductor and being associated with one of the spring contacts and contact pads wherein the motion of said sliding member provides electrical connection between each said bus IAD/08940 14 'pring contact and the corresponding contact pad which contacts the corresponding spring contact.

7. An electrical module as claimed in claim 6 wherein each spring contact directly connects said connection means.

8. An electrical module as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said handling means comprises a handle arranged on a front panel of said module and said circuit board comprises means for guiding an arm connecting said handle to said sliding member to operatively slide said sliding member. ,z

9. An electrical module as claimed in claim 8 wherein said handle S' is twisted to operatively slide said sliding member.

An electrical module as claimed in claim 8 wherein said handle ,o Is pulled/pushed out/in to operatively slide said sliding member.

11 An electrical module as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein said sliding membe z is fixed to said handle via said arm.

12. An electrical module as claimed in claim 10 wherein said sliding member is located within a guide comprising a spring to bias said member to one end of said guid, said arm operatively engaging said member, and against said spring bias, urging the sliding movement of said member.

13. An electrical module as claimed in any one of the preceding S claims wherein said handling means is arranged perpendicular to said sliding member.

14. An electrical module as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said arm and/or said handle is/are detachable and connectable from/to said sliding member, An electrical module substantially as described herein with references to Figs 1 and 2, or, Figs 3 and 4, or, Fig 5, or, Fig 6 of the drawlings. DATED this FIRST day of JUNE 1990 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON IAD/08940