FR2589259A1 - DEVICE FOR MODULAR CONNECTION OF THE ORGANS OF AN INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATION TO A PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL UNIT - Google Patents

Abstract

The device is comprised of a support (13, 14) comprising means for its implantation on a line (10) for the circulation of data issued from a programmable automatic machine, of a module (15, 16) containing electronic and/or adaptation means to control a transmission line connected to a member (11, 12) set to the support, and of an encoding device (17, 18) to assign to said electronic means a coded address by which the member (11, 12) is identified in the programm of the automatic machine.

Description

 The present invention relates to electrical connection means; electronic and informational information established between a programmable control unit and the components of a machine or an industrial installation managed by this control unit.

 More specifically, in these connections, the invention relates to a device allowing a simple and rational connection of each of these members to the control unit.

 An industrial installation, such as, for example a production machine managed by a programmable control unit, is an installation in which the functions performed by power devices (jacks, motors ...) are controlled in sequences and according to cycles which result from the programming of the control unit which "dialogues" with essentially two types of organs associated with the power devices. These are the preactuators (solenoid contactors, etc.) which receive orders from the control unit. consequently controls and controls the power devices (or actuators) and sensors or detectors which transmit information towards the control unit to inform it of the state in which the power devices are at a given instant or more generally on the existence or non-existence of a cause (physical quantity, event, presence of an object, etc.) whose knowledge by the control unit is required in the program, and constitutes a stage in its development. By physical quantity is meant not only the quantity in itself (current, voltage, pressure, flow, temperature, length, time, etc.) but also its variation.

 This dialogue between the control unit and the organs thus defined is carried out by means of links, each of which generally comprises, a first part along which information circulates (electronic signals at low power level) usable by the control unit, a second part along which signals circulate at an energy level called "industrial control power" significantly higher than the low level mentioned above, but generally lower than the energy level required by the devices of power, these signals being usable (in transmission or in reception) by said organs, and means of interfacing and adaptation to match signals of the informational type and signals at the level of industrial control power.

 Furthermore, the aforementioned connection part in which the information circulates is generally a collective line for the successive circulation of this information (called a bus in known devices) on which the interfacing and adaptation means are connected. It is therefore understood that each item of information circulating on this collective line must be identified by the control unit or by the member as coming from such or such member or intended for such particular member. To do this, the information is coded, that is to say that it comprises a datum and an address and the interfacing means comprise electronic circuits able to recognize the addresses, either to derive an output datum specific to an address, or to introduce input data to the address interrogated by the control unit.

 In the current technological realizations, said interfacing and / or adaptation means are carried by Input / Output cards in which the address is a code depending on the geographic position of each card and the geographic position on the card. connection terminals of the bodies to which it is connected. In other words, the central unit can recognize the organ only by the coded geographical position of its connection terminals to the card. A large number of disadvantages arise from this general provision.

 The first relates to the need to establish a machine file by which a correspondence is established between the different terminals of the plurality of connection terminal blocks of the input-output cards and the members which are to be connected to these terminals. Indeed, the program of the control unit being written using the aforementioned geographic addressing, it is necessary to draw up a document making it possible, on the one hand to the cable operator who has to connect the individual components to the terminals and on the other hand hand, to the user of the machine to authorize him to carry out the maintenance and the desired modifications, to replace The above-mentioned coded geographical address with the name of the body.

 The second lies in the source of numerous errors in the wiring and difficulties in terms of maintenance, which is this type of connection. It will easily be understood that the wiring must be carried out in an extremely careful manner, by a skilled workforce to r often reunite two to three hundred organs to the control unit, with a minimum of errors. This results in a cost of the wiring alone which is far from negligible compared to the total price of the installation.

 The wiring that escapes from the programmable unit is often difficult to contain in cable guides and although most of the time assembled in bundles, detracts from the aesthetics of the installation while remaining exposed to the open air to all kinds of shocks or blows that can damage it.

In addition, it is extremely complicated to introduce modifications to an installation thus wired, since they require destroying the cable bundles in order to find the wires concerned by the member or members to be modified.

Recently, at least in part, attempts have been made to overcome these drawbacks by so-called card technology.
Decentralized inputs / outputs. It is essentially a question of extracting from the control unit, one or more cards to place them more in the vicinity of the members to be served, avoiding a large length of wires between the terminal blocks and the members, a single wire (or multiple conductor ) connecting this or these cards, carried by a separate box, to the central unit. These provisions, however, retain the major drawback of geographic addressing and consequently of the lack of flexibility of connection that such addressing has due to the program which assigns to each terminal or group of terminals a single organ.

 Other drawbacks are encountered in currently known link technologies. It will be mentioned that in many cases, the member needs a power supply, separate from its connection to the control unit, in adequate power level. It is indeed hardly possible or at least disadvantageous to put at proximity of electrical conductors to each other at different voltage levels. In addition, the wiring of these separate power supplies requires bulky and expensive connections. Finally, Input / Output cards are elements with a high level of modularity (8.12 or 20 inputs and / or outputs) and whose range offered is not satisfactory to adapt properly to needs and variety situations encountered on machines.

 All these drawbacks show that the current technological achievements of automatic machines managed by programmable systems, the advantages of which lie in great flexibility of use, modification and evolution, have serious limits to what one could expect from such sophisticated machines.

 The present invention intends to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a connection technology allowing great freedom in the design, construction, maintenance and modifications of an industrial installation controlled by a programmable control unit.

 It also makes it possible to obtain an aesthetic installation, easy to maintain and above all not requiring extremely qualified labor both at the stage of its construction and at the stage of its use. Etie finally constitutes a simple system for a builder of Archins, to integrate into this an automation technique using a programmable control unit, able to overcome the feeling of incompetence that some of these manufacturers and / or their customers using machines face these advanced techniques.

For this purpose, in a connection of the organs of an industrial installation with a programmable control unit of llinstalLation, which includes:
a line for the collective circulation of coded information exchanged between the installation and the programmable unit, each of this information consisting of data associated with an address, and for each member,
- electronic means able to derive from the aforementioned circulation line, the data intended for the organ or to introduce into this circulation line data coming from the organ,
- adaptation means associated with said electronic means for consequently controlling a transmission line of a physical quantity connected to the organ.

The subject of the invention is a modular connection device for any of the above-mentioned members
Said collective line constituted by
- a support comprising means for its establishment on said collective line,
a unitary module connected to said member, containing at least the aforementioned adaptation means, and attached to said support,
- an encoding device making it possible to assign to the aforementioned electronic means contained in said support or in said module, among a plurality of possible addresses, the coded address by which the organ in question is identified in the program of the programmable control unit.

 In an advantageous embodiment, at least the connection between the adaptation module and said support is produced by disconnectable plugging.

In order to facilitate the design, programming, construction, maintenance and making of subsequent modifications to the machine, the said encoding device comprises means cooperating with the internal circuits of the above-mentioned electronic means and means for displaying a alphanumeric transcription of the code produced, an automatic and permanent correspondence being established between these means, in the encoding device itself, so that, from the design stage of the installation, then at the programming stage of L '' prograusable control unit, and up to the stage of its operation therefore of its maintenance,
The aforementioned alphanumeric transcription constitutes the only reference of the organ arbitrarily chosen at the time of the design of the installation.

 The invention, consisting of the combination of these electronic means, adaptation and coding-tracking can be carried out in several different ways depending on the place in the support or in the module, where these means are installed.

 In one of these embodiments, the aforesaid support contains said electronic means, the encoding device being carried by said support so that the above display means remain visible from said laughter of the support.

In another embodiment, the aforesaid nodule contains said electronic means, the encoding device being carried by said module so that the aforementioned display means remain visible from outside the module when it is connected to the support.
In addition, the coded information circulating on the aforementioned collective Line can be of two large distinct types: either they consist of the instantaneous state of n parallel conductors which constitute the Line
of the above collective circulation, in which case they are
directly usable by said electronic means
encoded "in parallel", or they consist of
signals flowing on a single line (electrical or optical)
which should be converted into an instantaneous state of tension
of n conductors. In the latter case, the electrical means
that contain an electronic transformation circuit
coded information of the serial type on the collective line
in parallel coded information to make them
exploitable by the said electronic means encoded in parallel.

This electronic circuit can be, whatever
the previously mentioned embodiment, either contained in
said support, be contained in said module, the difference
being that the number of withdrawable connections between modules
and support is clearly more important When the circuit
electronics is placed in the holder.

We recalled above that there were two major
types of organ, one grouping the recipient organs of a
data translated into physical quantity (preactuators), The other
grouping the bodies emitting a physical quantity
converted into data for the programmable control unit (detectors, sensors, etc.).

 Thus, in the case where the aforesaid member receives a physical quantity, the module is an output module in which the adaptation means consist of a switch of a supply line of a signal generator in the said transmission line, said supply line being connected to an electrical power source at an industrial control level by means of the connection of said module to said support.

 There are several specific cases of application depending on the various physical quantities capable of being received by the organ.

 Thus, in the case where this physical quantity is electrical (for example a voltage) the signal generator is constituted by the switch itself, said supply line and the above transmission line being combined.

The invention also applies to the case where the signal generator is constituted by a pneumatic solenoid valve, the supply line being constituted by the electric circuit for excitation of the solenoid valve, the aforementioned transmission line being constituted by a conduit pneumatic connecting the organ to a pressure source via said solenoid valve. It will then be advantageous if
Said solenoid valve is carried by said module.

 In another case, the signal generator is constituted by an opto-electric sensor, said supply line being constituted by an electric circuit for excitation of said sensor, said transmission line being constituted by an optical fiber connecting L ′ member to said coupler, the coupler can advantageously be carried by said module.

 In the case now where the organ is an organ emitting a physical quantity in the form of a signal, the module is an input module in which the adaptation means are constituted by a reader of said signal.

 Several variants are then to be considered.

 First, the organ is a contact sensor and the signal it emits, an electric current in a Line closed by said sensor and connected to a source of electrical energy at an industrial control level, by means of the connection of said module to said support. Then, the member can be a three-wire detector supplied with electrical energy at an industrial control level by a supply line connected to an energy source by means of the connection of the module or support.

 In another variant, the above-mentioned member is a control bypass of a pressure conduit, the signal being a positive or negative pressure signal, the adaptation means comprising an electrical circuit, one element of which is controlled by pressure prevailing in the above-mentioned conduit, closed on an energy source by the connection of the module to the support.

 In another variant, the aforementioned member is an optical sensor, which is connected by a first optical fiber to a shot their optoelectric forming a signal reader, and which is supplied with optical energy by a second optical fiber from a electro-optical coupler, the excitation of which is ensured by an electric line closed on an energy source at an appropriate level, by the connection of the module to the support.

 According to another aspect of the invention, while the module is always unitary for each member to be connected, the aforementioned support can be constituted by a box inside which means are provided for deriving the aforementioned collective line and which comprises multiple connection means for receiving a plurality of modules parallel to each other.

 It will be advantageous, in the case of a plurality of modules installed on a shoemaker, that all of the boxes and associated modules form a parallelepiped volume whose front face preferably includes, towards one of its edges, the means of display of the encoding device, the remaining surface of this front face being equipped with signaling means relating to the nature (input or output) of each module and to its operation.

 It is also possible to have on this face means for displaying an adjustment of the adaptation means, adjustment which can be manual or by programming and relative in the case of input modules to the establishment of a triggering threshold and in the case of output modules, with the fine adjustment of the adaptation functions such as a law of passage of the physical quantity, a cut-off level for a fuse ...

An additional advantage can be drawn from the fact that one face of said volume perpendicular to said front face, in particular that adjacent to the abovementioned edge, is equipped with control or forcing means which can be actuated manually and acting on the circuits of electronic means to simulate a data sent by the unit in the case of an input module and to simulate data sent by the control unit in the case of an output module, said means being preferably arranged near the edge
common to both sides.

 The multiple connection means can be distributed on a laying plane, or can be constituted by a plurality of bases which can be combined by juxtaposition on either side of a bypass shoemaker.

 Finally, it should be noted that if, in the majority of the applications of the invention, the aforementioned collective line is constituted by a target forming a flexible bus running along the installation so that the boxes are located near the aforementioned organs, there are applications, in particular for small installations, where the module associated with each member can be directly installed on a communication card of the central unit itself, and this, in an easily withdrawable manner. In other applications, the module can be directly associated with the member and joined to a shunt for branching the collective cable by means of a disconnectable capacitor.

 The invention will be better understood during the description given below by way of purely indicative and non-limiting example which will make it possible to identify the advantages and the secondary characteristics thereof.

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which
- Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the prior art;
- Figure 2 schematically illustrates the general provisions of the invention;
FIG. 3 wants to illustrate, by a simplified and partial diagram of an industrial installation applying the invention, the advantage of the location-encoding arrangements illustrated by a first embodiment;
- Figures 4 and 5 illustrate by diagrams the principle of encoding a logic device;
- Figures 6 and 7 are the external iii and sectional illustration of a second locating-encoding means according to the invention;
- Figures 8A, 8B and 9 schematically illustrate the possible distribution of the different logic and adaptation circuits between the module and the support of the invention;
- Figures 10A to 10C are diagrams similar to those 8A, 8B and 9 above incorporating an electronic circuit for transforming serial information signals into parallel signals;
- Figures 11A, 11B, 12 and 13 show possible diagrams of adaptation modules intended for signal receiving members;
- Figures 14, 15, 16, 17A and 17B show diagrams of input adaptation modules intended to be connected to signal emitting members;
- Figures 18 and 19 illustrate two variants of an embodiment of a housing for supporting a plurality of modules;
- Figure 20 illustrates another embodiment of the support assembly and plurality of modules;
- Figure 21 is a sectional view of an assembly according to the invention provided with a protective cover; ;
- Figure 22 is another embodiment of a housing-connection module assembly according to the invention;
- Figures 23 and 24 are two schematic views of two other types of connection of a module with the information flow bus;
- Figure 25 is a schematic illustration of a particular module by which two members are connected to the control unit and are interconnected.

 It will be recalled that a programmable control unit generally called a programmable controller involves a processor making it possible to ensure, in a certain order defined by the program, the control of preactuators associated with power devices, as a function of the information supplied by sensors. or detectors.

The communication of the central unit with the outside takes place by means of Input / Output circuits connected to the Bus itself connected to the control unit.

 We see in Figure 1 the schematic illustration of a known arrangement in which the input / output circuits are formed on a plurality of printed circuit boards housed in a case 1, connected to the bus 2 above and having terminals 3 intended to ensure a disconnectable connection between connection pads which each card has and the conductors 4 connecting the automaton to said preactuators and detectors, as shown diagrammatically by the references Sa, 5b, 5c ... to each of these members 5a ... 5c, are assigned, by construction, one or more connection terminals carried by terminal block 3 itself identified by the card carrying it. The connection instructions are contained in a document (machine file) which establishes the correspondence of the terminals and members to be connected thereto via secondary terminal blocks 3a, 3b.

We can understand the complexity of such an operation when it is a question of one or more hundreds of members to be connected, often distant from each other. The cabling therefore requires very close attention and a lot of precautions along with a certain skill so that, in the end, the connections made are bundled together to avoid tangles of intertwined wires detrimental to the aesthetics and safety of the installation.

 This FIG. 1 also illustrates a partial solution to the problem of wiring an installation to the programmable controller, which is currently being developed by means of decentralized input / output cards, that is to say extracted from the box 1 to be compared. , as shown in the housing 6, members 7a, 7b to which they must be connected. The connection to the central unit of such cards is carried out by an appropriate extension 8 of the communication bus coming directly from the processor by means of connection and adaptation means produced in the housing 1.

 This solution effectively reduces the lengths of wires or cables connecting the organs to the terminal blocks associated with the Input / Output cards, while retaining the constraint of having to use a document to assign the organs their connection terminals. In other words, the control unit only knows the organs by the geographical position of the card and / or, in this card, by the geographical position of the connection terminals.

 In addition to the constraints imposed by wiring this type of means for connecting the organs to the control unit, their design itself is a technological restriction on the possibilities of adaptation and evolution of an installation controlled by a programmable controller. . Thus, it will be recalled that the grouped nature of the inputs, outputs or a combination of the two, freezes a certain configuration of the installation planned at the time of its design and the modification or evolution of which is hardly possible in a simple manner. '' Adding to the drawback due to this grouping, the range of input / output cards offered to machine builders is relatively narrow to take into account the variety of situations encountered, and each card in this range has inputs and / or Multiple outputs do not allow to correctly adjust the number of connection points offered to the number of those that are needed nor to respond in a strictly adapted manner, to the specificity of each connection.

 FIG. 2 is a very schematic view of the connection device according to the invention showing the general combination of means by which the connection of each member to the control unit is made rational and the manufacture of the components standardized and divided into an evolving range able to respond precisely to an increase in needs arising either from the evolution of technology, or from an improvement in facilities.

Thus in 10 there is shown a collective line of coded information flows exchanged between bodies such as those 11 and 12 of the installation and the programmable control unit which is not shown. This line can be constituted in several different ways depending on the nature of the optical or other electronic signals and the way in which the code is produced. An example is a multiple conductor comprising a plurality of wires whose voltage state of some of them at a given instant constitutes, in combination, an address, while the voltage state of one at least of the wires remaining at the same instant or at a specific instant relative to the aforementioned instant, constitutes the data item of information associated with said address. Another example of a collective line for circulating information can be constituted by a pair of twisted conductors in which the flow of information is in series made up of successive pulses whose spacing and duration constitute a certain language
coded processed according to a known procedure. It can also be an optical fiber (or a pair of optical fibers) along which, like the above twisted pair, optical pulses propagate.

 Each member 11, 12 is connected to this line 10 by a support 13 or 14 comprising means for its installation in any location on the Line, these means having the function of producing a connection capable of deriving the information circulating in the line to electronic means capable of recognizing among these that which is intended for the organ, whether it is for transmitting data to it or for interrogating it and receiving data from it, and by a module 15, 16 which cooperates with said support 13 or 14 to which it can be attached, either once and for all, or in a disconnectable manner. This module, as will be explained in more detail with reference to the following figures, comprises at least the means of adaptation, known in themselves which make it possible to correspond a data item belonging to the information to a physical quantity exploitable by the organ (electric current at a voltage level higher than that of the data item, optical flow, press ion by means of establishing a connection to a pressure source, etc.) or of transforming a physical quantity into data usable by the control unit (transformation of an electrical signal into a lower level signal compatible with interface electronics, transformation of an optical or pneumatic, or hydraulic signal into an electronic signal, transformation of a temperature, a flow variation, etc. also into an electronic signal).

This module can also contain all or part of the above electronic means. Thus in the case of module 15, we wanted to represent a module which only includes the part of the electronic means capable of processing only the data intended for the organ or emitted by the organ through said adaptation means, the derivation of this data among all those which circulate in the form of information coded in Line 10 having been produced by the other part of the electronic means integrated in the support 13 and "in contact" with all this information. On the other hand, in the case of the module 16, the latter also contains the electronic means making it possible to select, by coded address, the data exchanged. The support 14 only incorporates connection means capable of deriving all the information circulating in line 10 or, associated with these means, electronic means of processing the information in itself to essentially change Their procedure
coding (transforming for example a serial transmission Le
along a twisted pair or optical fibers in a so-called "parallel" transmission on a plurality of conductors).

Finally, in addition to the above support and module,
the third general means of the invention is an encoding device 17,18 which makes it possible to give the abovementioned electronic means an address which conforms to the address by which
the central unit knows the organ in question, as it was
identified and named in the program of this control unit. This encoding device 17, 18 consists of means for creating, in an electronic circuit, known per se, of address recognition, a set value consisting in carrying, in a predetermined combination representing the address, a a number of electrical conductors, among a pre-existing plurality of these, to a potential by making the appropriate contacts between these conductors and a voltage source. FIGS. 4 to 7B illustrate diagrammatically such a device and its cooperation with the electronic recognition circuit. The encoding device, such as 17, will cooperate with the housing 13 when the corresponding electronic circuit is integrated therein or such as 18, with the module 16, when the latter includes said electronic circuit.

 It can be seen, with regard to this FIG. 2, that the essential means of the invention, support, module containing at least the means of adaptation specific to the organ, and encoder device, have the advantage of offering a connection rational of each organ to the control unit.

The collective line 10 which can extend throughout the installation, passes close to each member or group of members. Therefore, the only wires connecting each member to this line are of reduced length and can be gathered in small bundles. In addition, the design of the connection means according to the invention lends itself to a rational grouping of connections on several collective supports in which can advantageously be grouped all or part of electronic means ensuring common functions for all the organs, the specific each unit is found at the level of the module containing the adaptation means which can be easily exchanged as shown in the following figures. This arrangement allows, for a manufacturer of components, to envisage a range of modules adapted to each of the types of sensors, detectors or preactuators existing on the market or to come. Furthermore, it is also possible to rationalize the power supplies required by the actuators or certain detectors at the level of industrial control power, by bringing these power supplies to each of the above collective supports, either separately or, in certain cases, along the line. collective in a common grommet adequately protected against any disturbance coming from outside and internally comprising an insulation of the collective line with respect to the supply line. In addition to these advantages which will appear in what follows, the the invention, by a particular and preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned encoding device, has a particularly interesting influence on the entire life of the installation, from its conception, through its construction, the programming of the central unit, its maintenance and subsequent modifications.

 FIG. 3 illustrates by a schematic drawing not only a particular embodiment of the encoding device, but also the consequences of its use for the entire installation.

 This figure shows in 20 a portion of any machine whose frame 21 carries a power device 22 such as a motor whose preactuator 23 can be a contactor. The latter is connected by a cable 24 to an adaptation module 25 which is itself plugged into a support 26. The support 26 cooperates as described above with a bus line 27 connected to a central control unit 28. At 29 we have wanted to represent a programming console of the central unit, on the screen of which appears the program phase relating to contactor 23.

 The module 25 is, in this figure, shown on a larger scale, to reveal an encoding device 30 pluggable into the module 25 by pins 31 cooperating with female terminals 32 carried by the module.

The terminals constitute connection elements of the aforementioned plurality of conducting wires of the electronic recognition circuit, and the pins 31 ensure connection of some of these with a source of potential. Inside the device 30 there is suitable electronics allowing the distribution on each of the pins concerned of the potential which could also come from a particular pin 31 when it is plugged into a corresponding terminal of the module. This electronics can be programmable to establish a particular distribution among the plurality of possible distributions.

 In addition, the device 30 has on its face visible from the outside of the module 25 when it is inserted therein, a mark 5A constituting the translation in plain language, for example alphanumeric, of the code produced by programming. This mark may appear on a display panel comprising liquid crystals connected to an electronic circuit ensuring automatic correspondence, and the maintenance of this correspondence and of this display, between the programmed code and the mark. One can also envisage a mechanical marking of this external face which would constitute a validation of the programmed code and a locking of the latter when the marked mark corresponds to the programmed code.

 By this simultaneous and automatic arrangement of encoding and marking, the invention allows a significant simplification of the construction and maintenance of the machine. Indeed, from its conception, the creator decides to name each of the preactuators and detectors he needs by an alphanumeric code, for example hexadecimal, which allows him to have 256 different references either for the preactuators, or for the detectors, the distinction between bodies sending information and bodies receiving data is also made in the general mode of exchanging information. He thus names SA the contactor 23.

 At the Programming stage of the programmable unit, the same components are identified by the same references (or their equivalent in machine language) in the program (see 5A on the screen of the console 29 displaying the program phase corresponding to the contactor 23 ). The construction of the machine having been completed from the structural point of view, the control unit is linked to the various members. The cabler, having set up the collective line 27 as well as the supports 26 in the vicinity of the members to be connected, connects by the cable 24 the contactor 23 to a module 25 of the type corresponding to the nature of the contactor and either program by means of '' a portable console, an encoding-marking device 30 by displaying the reference 5A, or choose a device already prepared and bearing this reference, then plug it into the module 25. It will know the reference 5A of the contactor 23, either by a direct mark previously made on the contactor, either by referring to the plan of the machine on which the contactor will be located 5A. Plugging the module 25 onto the support 26 will complete the connection operation. If necessary, by means of a self-adhesive label, the mark 5A may be raspele at the two ends of the cable 24 if these are disconnected.

 The identification, associated in this automatic way with the encoding, avoids any wiring error dn already considerably simplified due to the medu! Ary nature of the connection elements.

 With regard to the maintenance of the installation, or even its modification, the operations of rewiring and rewiring in a different configuration are also very simplified. The implantation of the module 25 as encoded and marked 5A can indeed be carried out at any point on the line 27.

 The description below relating to FIG. 4 of the drawings is a description of the principle of an electronic "circuit" for address recognition, well known to specialists, for example in the form of a cascade of logical AND function belonging to the electronic means of the connection device. This electronic circuit 40 receives the information coded on a plurality of conductors 41 as regards the addresses and is connected to an identical plurality of conductors 43 encoded by an encoding-marking device 44. When the address carried by the plurality of conductors 41 is identical to that encoded, the device 40 emits a write authorization signal in the direction of an electronic circuit 45 also known, by means of which the data which accompanies the address, present on the conductor 42, is - transformed into a signal transmitted to the adaptation means described with reference to FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12 and 13 and maintained as long as the datum, accompanying the address at each of its passages, has not changed.

 In FIG. 5 is shown in the same schematic manner an address comparison device 47 which acts as an output, when the address identity is established, on a read authorization device 48 which, activated, allows the transmission of the signal present on line 46 as it is emitted by the adaptation means described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17B, in the direction of the line for the collective circulation of coded information and thereby towards the control unit where it is used and stored. It will be recalled once again that the diagrams in FIGS. 4 and 5 are different from reality, the electronic devices used comprising in particular lines not shown necessary for the implementation of a serial data exchange protocol.

 It should be seen in Figures 6 and 7 a locating and encoding device which can be applied in the diagrams of Figures 4 and 5. This device is here constituted by two coding wheels 51,52 rotatably mounted inside either aforementioned support, either of the module, depending on the location of the electronic recognition circuit, and cooperating with a support panel 53 of the printed circuit (see in FIG. 7) on which the plurality of conductors 43 is engraved and which also supports the electronic 40 or 47. FIG. 7 which is a schematic sectional view of the preferred arrangement of the coding wheels 51, 52, shows that the latter are equipped with a radial bar 54 for the wheel 51 and 55 for the wheel 52 which rubs elastically against one face of the printed circuit 53. If the number of conductors of the above-mentioned plurality is 8, the printed circuit comprises two series of four concentric zones, conductive by sector only, separated by a common voltage 56 circular e, arranged between the two above-mentioned series. The conductive zones are connected through the support card 53 of the printed circuit, to output conductors 57, which may constitute the origin of the plurality of conductors 43.

 Without going into construction details, we see that each radial bar communicates to each conductive area that it "bars", the potential of the conductor 56 and consequently this potential to each of the conductors 57 connected to a conductive area overlapped by the bar . By turning each wheel, the bar is moved by an angular sector such that the arrangement of the conductive zones and their number has changed. The above potential is then communicated to other wires and in another arrangement: the code of the connection device has been changed. By way of example, it will be indicated that one can use wheels each having 16 characters on its periphery, which makes it possible to obtain 256 different combinations which being "exited" on 8 wires. The arrangement of the conductive zones may, for each area, present themselves according to a known scheme called GRAY code.

 It can be seen that, in this case too, there is an automatic correspondence between the code produced and the mark displayed, which will appear outside the support or the module, through a window 58 of its wall. This window allows, using a tool, such as a screwdriver, to encode the circuit by rotating each wheel. To this end, the edge of each wheel has reliefs or hollows for accommodating said screwdriver.

It is also possible to provide a code locking device produced so as to ensure that the code is maintained against any untimely and / or unauthorized manipulation.

 In the foregoing, the connection line between the support and the module has been left deliberately unspecified. FIGS. 8A to 10C illustrate several variants on this subject.

 In FIG. 8A, a support 60 is shown comprising an electronics 61 connected to the collective line 10. The support 60 carries the encoding device 62 and manual actuation means 63 which act on the electronic circuits. Finally, the support carries two types of connection pins, one symbolized at 64 for the exchange with the module 65 of electronic signals, and the other symbolized at 66 for supplying these adaptation means, see members which are connected to it, by a source of electrical energy of sufficient power to control the said organs or supply them.

 Consequently, the module 65 no longer comprises any more than adaptation means which are connected to the type of pins 64 for exchanging data and supplying low power power to the adaptation electronics when it exists, and on pin type 66 for power supplies at industrial control power level. The module 65 which is connected by a single sand 67 to the member, finally has an indicator light 68 and possibly a fuse 69 which, associated with the manual control member 63, the marking-encoding 62, constitute the dialogue members man-machine carried out in a decentralized manner near the organ.

 FIG. 8B is an alternative embodiment of FIG. 8A in which the same elements bear the same references, only their relative forms having changed.

Thus, it will be noted that the electronics 61 is still in the support, but in a wing thereof coming overhanging the connection plane carrying the pins and terminals 64, 66 and having a front surface 60a which carries the tracking and encoding device 62. This front surface 60a is substantially in the outermost plane of the module 65.

 In FIG. 9, the support 70 contains only one device 71 making it possible to derive each of the conductors of the collective line for the circulation of coded information on a series of terminals 72 IL also carries the terminals 73 for deriving a supply line in industrial control power which is brought to said support, either along said collective line, or separately.

The module 74 comprises all of the electronic means 75 cooperating with the manual actuation means 76, and the encoding device 77, and the adaptation means 78, respectively connected to the terminals 72 and 73 above by plugging in the module on the support, while the adaptation means are connected to the organ by a cable 79.

 FIG. 10A illustrates a variant embodiment of FIG. 8B in which the electronic means comprise a circuit 81 for transforming the information signal propagating in series in the collective line into a signal in parallel form in a plurality of conductors The other elements relate to This figure The same references as those of Figure 8B.

 FIG. 10B is a schematic representation of a first alternative embodiment of FIG. 9 in which the electronic circuit 91 of "series-parallel" transformation, similar to circuit 81 of the previous figure, is incorporated into the support 70, the module 74 , containing the rest of the electronic stage 75 and the adaptation means 78, being connected at the output of this circuit 91 and to the type 73 terminals.

 FIG. 10C illustrates a second variant of FIG. 9. The “series-parallel-parallel” transformation circuit 92 is in this case integrated in the module 74, the connection between support and module then being reduced, at the level of electronic signals to a few terminals 93 for The passage of signals and of the electronics supply of the module at low power level.

 It should be noted that the choice which will be made from any of the arrangements described in these six diagrams, will essentially depend on the cost of producing reliable and miniaturized electronics which, if it is low, will make it possible to place all of the electronics necessary in each module, or if it remains important, to provide as many electronic circuits as possible in common in the support, the latter being able to receive, as described below, a plurality of different modules by the adaptation means that 'they behave. Another selection criterion will reside in the reliability of plug-in connections, knowing that it may be preferable to reduce the number of terminals to be connected by plugging as much as possible, which is the case with the solutions in FIGS. 8B and 10C.

 In FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12 and 13, various adaptation means are shown, to illustrate a possible range of modules specific to certain preactuators.

These modules all relate to orders receiving bodies emitted by the control unit. These are therefore by analogy with the InputsOutput cards, output modules.

 FIG. 11A shows that the adaptation means here consist of a switch 100 which can be static (electronic) or dynamic (electromechanical) of a supply line 101 of a winding 102 of the preactuator which can be a solenoid valve, or a contactor whose winding 102 is that of its magnetic operating element. On this Line, the presence of a witness fuse 103 and an indicator 104 can be distinguished. The switch 100 is in turn controlled to close and / or open by a relay 105 excited by the output of the electronic means ( such as those shown in Figure 4). It will be noted that all of the switching means shown diagrammatically can be static or dynamic. The reference 106 symbolizes the connection terminals by which the line 101 is connected to a voltage source, when the module is plugged into the support.

In FIG. 11B we find most of the organs in FIG. 11A with the same references. The output module which is thus represented comprises more complex electronics which makes it possible to transmit to the programmable unit a signal or information in return relating to the execution of the order sent and / or to the state of the circuits controlled. Thus in this figure, we see an opto-coupled transistor 107, with a bypass of the line 101 at the terminals of the switch 100 which allows a signal to be
emitted when the switch is open testifying that
the controlled circuit does not have any abnormalities or breaks.

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates another output module in which a switch 110 controlled by the output of the electronic circuits can open or close the excitation circuit 111 of a micro-solenoid valve 112 allowing a pneumatic conduit 113 to be placed in communication with a pressure source not shown but leading to the solenoid valve 112 by a pipe 114. It is thus possible to generate a pneumatic control signal
------ able to control a recipient organ of the distributor or microverin type.

 FIG. 13 finally illustrates an output module in which the adaptation means consist of a switch 120 of a line 121 supplying a light-emitting diode 122 the light of which can be collected by an optical fiber 123 and led to an organ of the optoelectronic cutter type or simply at the other end of the fiber 123 serving as an indicator.

 It will be recalled that the connection of each of the above supply lines to a source is preferably carried out by connecting the module to the support.

 FIGS. 14, 15, 16, 17A and 178 relate to input modules, that is to say modules in which the adaptation means are able to collect a physical quantity emitted by a sensor or a detector and transform this physical quantity in an electronic signal which the aforementioned electronic means can introduce on the collective line for circulation of coded information, in the direction of the control unit. It will be noted that these bodies often need a permanent supply of energy at a sufficient power level (this is the case of optical sensors (FIG. 16) or 3-wire detectors (FIG. 15)) or that the means of adaptation themselves need this level of power to operate the above transformation. Also in these figures, have there been shown connection terminals 136 allowing the connection of said members or means of adaptation to a power source electric at the same time as the connection of the module to the support.

 In FIG. 14 The member, represented, is a contact sensor 130a or a proximity detector 130b two wires, known in themselves, which constitute the switches external to the module of a line 131 of excitation of a diode electroluminescent 132 opto-coupled to a transistor 133 emitting a signal to the electronic stage of the module or of the support when the line 131 is closed by the member 130a or 130b. An LED 134 indicates the status of the sensor.

 In FIG. 15 The member 140 is a 3-wire detector known in itself, the supply line 141 of which is integrated in a circuit allowing, by a diode 142 and a transistor 143, to detect a variation in the flux of power generated by a variation of the electromagnetic field at the level of the detector and to emit an electronic signal corresponding to this detection.

 In FIG. 16, the sensor is optical and constituted by an arrangement, not shown, ensuring the transmission of a light flux between two optical fibers 150, 151 in which an opaque body can be inserted, thus cutting off the optical communication previously established between these two ends. The adaptation module comprises a light-emitting diode 152, constantly excited by a supply line 153, closed on a power source by the terminals 136, emitting a luminous flux in the fiber 150 which is located in its proximity, and by a transistor 154 opto-coupled to the end 151b of the other fiber to receive the light in return and detect the interruption of its passage.

 FIG. 17A is an input module in which the adaptation means comprise a pressure "pressure" (hydraulic or pneumatic, positive or negative) 160, connected by a conduit 161 to a pipe to be checked and capable of constituting the movable element of a switch 162 of an excitation line 163 of a diode 164 opto-coupled to a transistor 165 emitting an electronic signal when the line 163 is closed. The movable element 162 can be associated with a device 166 (calibrated spring for example) for adjusting its triggering threshold making it possible to display to the module an adjustable set point value and displayed at 167 on an external wall of the module.

 Finally, FIG. 17B schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of the adaptation means of FIG. 17A in which the "pressure sensor" 160 'can be of the piezoelectric type or with a strain gauge. This sensor is supplied (line 161 ') by electrical energy at a low power level and its signal in return (or the variation of the latter) is operated by an electronic circuit with exceeding of threshold 162' which will emit by Line 163 ' an electronic signal indicating that the set threshold has been exceeded. The determination of the threshold can be carried out, adjusted and displayed in various ways by means of a device 166 ′, either with manual actuation, or by separate programming or teleprogramming by the control unit itself.

 We can, without departing from the scope of the invention, provide other means of adaptation in the above module.

As an indication, we will mention the temperature detection, the sensor being constituted by the welding of a thermocouple placed either outside the module and electrically connected to the latter, or in the module itself, this welding then being connected at the place of detection by a heat pipe, known in itself, made of a material which is a good conductor of heat which can, with suitable precision and an acceptable response time, transport calories over a certain distance.

 FIGS. 18 to 22 illustrate arrangements in which the support of the connection device according to the invention constitutes an installation box for a plurality of modules.

 First of all, in FIG. 18, it can be seen that the aforesaid collective line for the circulation of coded information is constituted by a multiple conductor in sheet 170 brought into the base 171 of a housing equipped with means allowing the spreading of these conductors in a central area 171a of this base. In addition, in a compartment 172 of this base, isolated from the compartment in which the collective line circulates, a supply line 173 of electrical energy of industrial control power has been arranged. A cover 174 is adapted to cover the base 171 and to be fixed there. This cover has, on its non-visible side in the figure, self-stripping electrical connection means, for example, which make it possible to create a bypass of the collective line and the supply line. In addition, the cover 174 is equipped with '' a printed circuit making it possible to distribute and multiply the connections on a front surface 175 which has, in the case of the figure, eight identical zones 175a forming a laying plane for eight modules, each of them having the configuration 74 shown in Figure 9. The base 171 of the housing thus formed will have means for its attachment to a fixed structure not shown, which may be an element of the frame of the installation, the cover 174 being screwed on this base. Provision will be made for screws such as 176 and corresponding tapped holes 177 in the vicinity of the central zone of the base and cover to constitute force multiplying elements, in order to assist in the establishment of the aforesaid self-stripping connections. The cover 174 and the base 171 will have means for sealing the interior volume which they delimit with respect to the exterior in order to protect the connections.

 FIG. 19 illustrates a variant of FIG. 18 in which the collective line for the flow of coded information consists of a pair of optical fibers 180 ending in a coupler 181 for converting serial optical signals ending in electronic circuits, into electronic signals of the same type, and serial electronic signals from said circuits into serial optical signals. An identical coupler 182 ensures this same double conversion for the pair of optical fibers 180 which leaves the housing. Between the two devices in the base 171 of the housing, electronic circuits 183 of series / parallel transformation of electronic signals have been placed, the low-level power supply of which is provided by conductors 184. The housing, as in the case of the previous figure, is closed by a cover 174 which ensures multiplication and distribution of the connection zones of the modules 74. The distribution between support and module of the various electronic circuits corresponds to the configuration of FIG. 10B.

Figure 20 illustrates by an external view
The installation of eight modules on a support which has the configuration of one of the two diagrams in FIGS. 8B or 10A. In this case, the electronic circuits are contained entirely in the support 190 affecting the shape, in section, of an L, and equipped with manual actuation or forcing means 191 and all the location-encoding devices 192. The modules are then of the type 65 of FIGS. 8B or 10A.

 FIG. 21 shows by a diagram in section of an arrangement identical to that of FIGS. 18 or 19, which can be fitted on the plurality of modules 74 plugged into the housing, a protective cover 193 which has a face frontal 194 transparent through which one can observe the state of the LED 68 and the fuse (if the module is an output module) and a face 195 perpendicular to this front face having a deformable section 196 allowing the actuation of the forcing means or manual control 63. The cover 193 has means 197 for sealing the modules 74 relative to the outside atmosphere.

In FIG. 22, we see a variant embodiment in the grouped implantation of modules on a support
In this case, the support comprises a box 200 inside of which the above described branches of the collective line and the supply line are operated. These derivations, in the illustrated case, are carried out without electronic processing of the signals which can be brought, for example, by means of a known conductor called twisted pair.

The housing 200 then has on each of its two lateral faces 201, 202, connection terminals for bases 203 which themselves are connectable to each other and to the housing along a connection plane parallel to the aforementioned faces and which have a branch leading to a face 204 perpendicular to the previous ones on which each module 205 can be installed. Each base 203 is mechanically locked on the previous one or on the case by fixing elements (screws, clips ...) not shown and each module , as moreover in the case of FIGS. 18, 19 and 20, is screwed onto the support, through its connection plane, by a fixing screw 206. In the case of FIG. 22, the connection of the module 205 the member which corresponds to it is withdrawable and is provided by means of the base 203 having for this purpose two opposite faces 207 which can be used as desired, perpendicular to the three other aforementioned connection faces. The end of the box 208, coming from the member and connected to said base by its face 257, may also include a fixing screw 209.

 In the case of the figure, the connection face 204 of the module to the base reveals two types of connection terminals, namely terminals 204a for the supply of control power and terminals 204b for the exchange of information coded series type and Power supply at low power level. The case 200 mainly contains only means for bypassing the circulation lines (twisted pair) and supply, the interface electronics being entirely contained in each module 205. However, it is possible to incorporate electronic regeneration means into this case. signals, known in themselves. This box can also contain the electronic parallel series transformation circuit of the coded information transfer protocol. In this case, the 204b type terminals would be more numerous, the exchange of information with the module being done in parallel mode. The module would then conform to the diagram in Figure 10B. It should also be noted that the bases 203 only contain members ensuring electrical continuity between the different connection faces without any processing electronics incorporated.

One can however imagine, within the framework of the invention, that a secondary box could be connected to a base and include a serial / parallel transformation electronics or vice versa, allowing the departure of a new branch of cable-bus to serve a subset of the installation. It can be seen that the design, according to FIG. 22, makes it possible to easily obtain a large number of possible configurations of the assembly Line for circulation of coded information (bus cable) and supply line at the power level for controlling the preactuators and the supply of detectors, which can be combined with installation boxes according to FIGS. 18, 19 and 20.

However, it will be noted that each of these implantations of modules on a common housing is in the form of a substantially parallelepipedal volume of which a front face (that in the plane of each figure) comprises the display of the reference carried by the device of marking-encoding and the means for displaying the state of the module (by the indicator light such as that 68 in FIGS. 8A to 10C)
and the state of fuse 69 in the case of an output module.

This face also has a sign - for example a
arrow 178, 198, 210 - which indicates the direction in which the
information flows through each module, allowing
at a glance to distinguish an input module from a
output module. A letter I or O near the marker
can also be used for this purpose (INPUT and OUTPUT).

Some special modules, with an adaptation function
with threshold like those of FIGS. 17A, 17B, also comprise
on this face a visualization of the threshold value which
will have been predetermined (see 179, 199 in Figures 18 and
20).

Said front face therefore groups all the elements
display or visualization that allow a techni
cien, at a glance, to check the proper functioning
or to locate the failures of such or such module or organ of the installation The aforesaid volume also includes a second
functional face, perpendicular to this front face,
which carries it, in an aligned manner, all the organs of
forcing command, therefore manual intervention which can
be accessible by an operator. These schematic organs
at 63 in FIGS. 8A to 10C, are constituted by
rocker buttons 211 in FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 22 to
central neutral position and automatic recall in this
position. Their depression on one side generates the simulation
a sensor status for the central unit or the control
forced from a pre-actuator, to bring it into a first
state, if they are input module or output respectively
tie, their depression on the other side generating the simula
another state of the sensor or the forced control of the
pre-actuator to bring it to take the other state that it
is likely to reach during normal operation.

We will have provided in the program itself, or by
any central device, the means not allowing
to access this manual control only to authorized persons and in specific circumstances in order to avoid inadvertent actuation of these.

 FIG. 21 summarizes by a diagram in section all the means of visual and manual dialogue that the invention allows with an operator and shows The easy access that the latter can have to these means thanks to the rationalization of their location.

FIG. 23 schematically shows that the invention allows direct and rational implantation of the modules 220 at the output of a programmable controller 221. The latter is1 for this purpose, equipped with data exchange cards 222 ensuring the connection of the modules with the bus
The automaton, comprising electronic circuits in greater or lesser number, depending on the electronics incorporated in each module, and constituting the retaining armature for a connection support 223 receiving each module 220 exchangeably. This arrangement is advantageous for Small installations. Of course, each module meets the general definition of the invention, namely that it includes the means of adaptation specific to the member that it intends to connect and that it cooperates either directly or by the electronic circuits integrated in the support with a locating-encoding device as described above.

FIG. 24 is simply intended to show that a module according to the invention, such as that shown 230, can be installed on a member 231 which is associated with it and connected by a cable 232 to a connection box 233 simply ensuring the diversion and multiplication of diversions of the collective circulation line 10 and the
Control power supply line, both enclosed in a cable guide 234. The connection of the cable at the box can be carried out indifferently in any of the zones 233a of the box, the address recognition is performing at module 235 level.

Finally, FIG. 25 illustrates the production of a particular module 240, installed on a housing 241 forming its support, by which communication is possible between the central control unit and a solenoid valve 242, between
The central unit and a sensor 243 but also a coupling is provided locally between the input information supplied by the sensor 243 and the output information intended for the solenoid valve 242. More precisely, the central unit program is such that the control of the cylinder rod output 250 must only intervene if the cylinder rod 251 is retracted to avoid telescoping We can very well ensure the dialogue of the central unit with the sensor 243 by means of a connection device having an adaptation function such as that illustrated in FIG. 14 and with the solenoid valve 242 by means of a module having an adaptation function in accordance with that shown diagrammatically in FIG. 11A. The module 240 will also have these two functions to which will be added an internal coupling of the supply line of the solenoid valve with that of the sensor, so that the sensor, in series on the supply of the solenoid valve , close this Line by being actuated by the cylinder rod 251 in the retracted position. Thus, if for any reason, the central unit controls the excitation of the solenoid valve before the cylinder rod 251 is retracted, this control will be effective only when this rod has actuated the sensor 243. We thus, by coupling, symbolized by the graphics 244 on the module 240, ensured operational safety at the local level which overcomes the quality of communications between the sensors and solenoid valve and the central unit.

 It is well understood that such a safety arrangement can be made in many other application cases by coupling the supply line of a preactuator, at the level of a module, which can be of double bulk, to celled 'A sensor or a detector, either at the level of physical quantities, or at the level of electronic signals (for example an AND logic function).

 The particular case of grouping or combining a detection function with an actuation function in a single module is only an example to illustrate many different possibilities. It may indeed prove useful to carry out Local couplings of one or more detection functions with one or more command or actuation functions making it possible to trigger actions in response to detections, outside the unit. control, thanks to multiple modules by which this coupling is achieved. Such an arrangement has many advantages such as decluttering the connection circuits with the central unit, shortening response times, improving the operational safety of the installation, etc.

while maintaining a link with the control unit which is then informed of the events which have occurred locally and which can thus take them into account in the general management of the installation.

 The invention finds an interesting application in the field of automation.

Claims (28)

 1. In a connection of the organs (5a, 5b ... 7a, 7b, 11, 12) of an industrial installation with a programmable installation control unit, which comprises  a collective circulation line (10) of coded information exchanged between the installation and the programmable unit, each of its information being constituted by data associated with an address, and for each member,  - electronic means able to derive from the aforementioned circulation line, the data intended for the organ or to introduce into this circulation line data originating from the organ,  - adaptation means associated with said electronic means for consequently controlling a transmission line of a physical quantity connected to the organ, a modular connection device of any of the aforementioned organs to said collective line, characterized in that that it is constituted by a support (13,14) comprising means for its implantation on said collective line (10) by a module (15,16) connected to said member (11,12) containing at least the adaptation means aforementioned and reported on said support, and by an encoding device (17,18) making it possible to assign to the aforementioned electronic means contained in said support or in said module, among a plurality of possible addresses, the coded address by which the organ in question is identified in the program of the programmable control unit.  2. Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the connection between the adaptation module (15,16) and said support (13,14) is produced by disconnectable plugging.  3. Connection device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the above encoding device comprises means (31, 54,55)  cooperating with the internal circuits of the abovementioned electronic means and display means (5A, 84) of an alphanumeric transcription of the code produced, an automatic and permanent correspondence being carried out between these means, in the encoding device itself, so that, from the design stage of the installation, then at the programming stage of the programmable control unit, and up to the stage of its operation therefore of its maintenance, the aforementioned alphanumeric transcription constitutes the only mark (5A) of the organ (23) chosen arbitrarily at the time of the design of the InstaLlation.  4. Connection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the above-mentioned support (60) contains said electronic means (61), the encoding device (62) being carried by said support so that the means said display remain visible from the outside of the support (60).  5. Connection device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the above-mentioned module (74) contains said electronic means, the encoding device (77) being carried by said module so that the said display means remain visible from outside the module when it is connected to the support.  6. Connection device according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the electronic means (61, 75) contain an electronic circuit (81, 91, 92) for transforming coded information of the serial type on the collective line into coded information of the parallel type to make them usable by said electronic means (61, 75) encoded in parallel.  7. Connection device according to Claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the said electronic circuit (81, 91) is contained in the said support (70).  8. Connection device according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that said electronic circuit (92) is contained in said module.  9 Connection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforementioned member receives said physical quantity, said module is an output module in which the adaptation means are constituted by a switch (100,110, 120) of a supply line (101, 111, 121) of a signal generator (112, 122) in the above-mentioned transmission line (113, 123), said supply line being connected (106) to a source of electrical energy - at an industrial control level by means of the connection of said module to said support.  10. A reassembly device according to claim 9, characterized in that the signal generator is constituted by the switch (100) itself, said supply line and the above transmission line being combined (101).  11. Connection device according to claim 9, characterized in that the signal generator is constituted by a pneumatic solenoid valve (112), the supply line being constituted by the electrical circuit (111) for excitation of the solenoid valve, the aforementioned transmission line being constituted by a pneumatic conduit (113) connecting the member to a pressure source via said solenoid valve (112).  12. Connection device according to claim 11, characterized in that said solenoid valve (112) is carried by said module.  13. Connection device according to claim 9, characterized in that the signal generator is constituted by an optoelectric coupler (122), said supply line being constituted by an electrical circuit (121) for exciting said coupler (122) , said transmission line being constituted by an optical fiber (123) connecting the member to said coupler.  14. Connection device according to claim 13, characterized in that said coupler (122) is carried by said module.  15. Connection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the aforesaid member transmits a signal, the module is an input module in lequeL the adaptation means are constituted by a reader of said signal (132, 133, 142, 143, 151b, 154, 164, 165).  16. Connection device according to claim 15, characterized in that the member is a contact sensor (130) and the signal that it emits, an electric current in a line (131) closed by said sensor and connected to a electric power source (136) at an industrial control level, by means of the connection of said module to said support.  17. Connection device according to claim 15, characterized in that the member is a three-wire detector (140) supplied with electrical energy at an industrial control level by a supply line <141) connected to a source of energy by means of the connection of the module to the support.  18. Connection device according to claim 15, characterized in that the aforesaid member is a bypass t161) for controlling a pressure conduit, the signal being a positive or negative pressure signal, the adaptation means comprising a threshold detector circuit (163, 161 ', 163') closed on a power supply source tors of the connection of the module to the support in which an element (160 ', 162) activated by said signal cooperates with a member ( 166, 166 ') for setting the threshold to send a signal when the threshold is exceeded.  19. Connection device according to claim 15, characterized in that the aforesaid member is an optical sensor, connected to said reader (154) which is constituted by an opto-electric coupler, by a first optical fiber (151) - and supplied in optical energy by a second optical fiber (150) from an electrooptic coupler (152) whose excitation is ensured by an electric line (153) closed on an energy source (136) by the connection of the module or support .  20. Connection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforesaid support consists of a housing (171,174, 190, 200) inside which means are provided for deriving the aforementioned collective line and which comprises multiple connection means (175a) for receiving a plurality of modules (74) parallel to each other.  21. Connection device according to claim 20, characterized in that all of the associated boxes and modules form a parallelepipedal volume, one front face of which comprises the display means of the encoding device (192) and the signaling means relating to the nature (input or output) of each module and how it works (68, 69, 178, 179, 198, 199, 210).  22. Device according to claim 21, characterized in that one face of said volume perpendicular to said front face is equipped with means (211) of control or forcing operable manually and acting on the circuits of electronic means to simulate a data transmitted by member in the case of an input module and to simulate a datum transmitted by the control unit in the case of an output module, said means being arranged in the vicinity of the edge common to the two faces.  23. Connection device according to - claim 22, characterized in that the aforesaid multiple connection means are carried by an outer surface (175) of the housing, a protective cover (193), cooperating sealingly with the housing and each transmission lines from the modules that it carries, being such that its wall parallel (194) to the above-mentioned front face is transparent, and whose wall parallel (195) to the other face, equipped with manual intervention means (63) has a deformable section (196), facing said means allowing their actuation through said cover.  24. Connection device according to claim 21, characterized in that the multiple connection means consist of a plurality of bases (203), capable of being connected one behind the other, on at least one side, of said housing (200), said bases each having a face (204) for connecting a module perpendicular to its face for connection to the adjacent base.  25. Connection device according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that said support consists of at least one card (222) of The programmable control unit (221).  26. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that the disconnectable connection between the support (233) and the module (230) is ensured by cable (232) of which at least its end connected to the support is  27. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 24 and 26, characterized in that the line for the collective circulation of coded information consists of a multiple conductor (170) running along the instant lation and on which a plurality abovementioned boxes are located as close as possible to said members.  28. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said module (240) is connected to at least two members (242, 243) of which one (242) at least is receiver, the other (243) being the transmitter of a physical quantity and in that a direct coupling through said adaptation means, or of said electronic means, is established between the quantity transmitted and those received.