JP2008136315A - Module type measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a module type measuring instrument capable of eliminating a fear that instable operation may occur, resulting from a connector. <P>SOLUTION: This module type measuring instrument receives and delivers electric power and signals between a main module and a measurement module with the main module and the measurement module connected through a back plate. The back plate is electrically connected with the measurement module through non-contact coupling means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a modular measuring instrument, and more particularly to transmission of power and signals to each module.

  As one type of measuring instrument, there is one in which a measuring module such as a main module and a plurality of input / output modules are connected via a back plate as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, the main module 10 is integrated with the back plate 20. The main module 10 includes an arithmetic device 11, a recording device 12, an external communication circuit 13 that communicates with an external device such as a PC (not shown), and an internal communication circuit 14 that communicates with an input / output module 30. A power supply device 15 for supplying driving power to each unit is provided.

  A power line 21 for supplying predetermined drive power from the main module 10 to each input / output module 30 that is a measurement module, and transmission / reception of signals between the main module 10 and each input / output module 30 are transmitted to the back plate 20. A communication line 22 and the like are provided, and a connector 23 is provided for electrically connecting the input / output modules 30 in a detachable manner.

  The input / output module 30 includes a measurement circuit or output circuit 31, an internal communication circuit 32 that communicates with the main module 10, a DC / DC converter 33 that supplies driving power of a predetermined voltage to each internal part, and a back plate 20. A connector 34 for connecting to the connector 23 is provided.

  The main module 10, the back plate 20, and the input / output module 30 are configured as one measuring device.

  In such a configuration, the power supply device 15 incorporated in the main module 10 supplies driving power to each part constituting the main module 10 and also to each input / output module 30 connected via the connectors 23 and 34. Supply drive power.

  The DC / DC converter 33 of the input / output module 30 converts the drive power supplied from the main module 10 into a necessary voltage and supplies it to each internal part constituting the input / output module 30.

  Based on the control of the main module 10, the input module of the input / output module 30 measures voltage and temperature and transmits measurement data to the main module 10.

  The output module of the input / output module 30 outputs a voltage / contact signal and the like based on the control of the main module 10.

JP2004-303880

  By the way, these input / output modules 30 are required to set the channel number by identifying the mounting position of each module on the back plate 20.

  Therefore, in the conventional module-type measuring instrument, as a method for identifying the module mounting position, as shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of switches 35 provided in the input / output module 30 are turned on / off to mount each module. Manual operation is set according to the position and the on / off setting state of the switch 35 is identified by the module position identification circuit 36, or between the pins of the connector 23 on the back plate 20 side as shown in FIG. The connection wiring is made different according to the mounting position of each module, and when the connector 34 of the input / output module 30 is connected to the connector 23 on the back plate 20 side, the connection wiring between the pins is identified by the module position identification circuit 37. The way to be done.

  However, the method of setting the mounting position of the input / output module 30 with the switch 35 requires an on / off change operation of the switch 35 every time the mounting position of the input / output module 30 is changed, and the on / off setting is duplicated. Then, there is a problem that malfunction occurs.

  Further, the method of making the connection wiring between pins in the connector 23 on the back plate 20 side different according to the mounting position of each module is, for example, when the connector pin is deformed by an operator's erroneous operation, the connector mounting position is identified. Since the connectors 23 and 34 are used for driving power supply and signal transmission / reception between the main module 10 and the input / output module 30, there is a risk that the measuring instrument may not operate stably. .

  The present invention pays attention to such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a module-type measuring instrument that does not cause unstable operation due to the connector.

The invention of claim 1 which achieves such a problem,
A module-type measuring instrument in which a main module and a measurement module are connected via a back plate, and power and signals are exchanged between the main module and the measurement module.
The back plate and the measurement module are electrically connected through non-contact coupling means.

The invention of claim 2 is the modular measuring instrument according to claim 1,
The non-contact coupling means is electromagnetic coupling using a coil.

The invention of claim 3 is the modular measuring instrument according to claim 1,
The non-contact one-touch coupling means is optical coupling.

The invention of claim 4 is the modular measuring instrument according to claim 1,
The non-contact coupling means is radio wave coupling.

The invention of claim 5 is the modular measuring instrument according to claim 1,
By differentiating the power transmission frequency and the signal transmission frequency, the power and the signal are multiplexed and transmitted using a common signal line.

The invention of claim 6 is the modular measuring instrument according to claim 1,
The main module and the measurement module perform 1: 1 individual communication.

The invention of claim 7
A module-type measuring instrument in which a main module and a measurement module are connected via a back plate, and power and signals are exchanged between the main module and the measurement module.
The back plate and the measurement module are electrically connected via electromagnetic coupling means using a coil,
The mounting position of the measurement module is identified based on the magnitude of the secondary induced voltage of the coil.

  As a result, it is possible to realize a module-type measuring instrument that does not have a risk of unstable operation due to the connector.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to portions common to FIG. That is, also in FIG. 1, the main module 10 is integrated with the back plate 20. The main module 10 includes an arithmetic device 11, a recording device 12, an external communication circuit 13 that communicates with an external device such as a PC (not shown), and an internal communication circuit 14 that communicates with an input / output module 30. A power supply device 15 for supplying driving power to each unit is provided.

  The back plate 20 has a power line 21 for supplying predetermined driving power from the main module 10 to each input / output module 30, and communication for exchanging signals between the main module 10 and each input / output module 30. A line 22 and the like are provided, and a power transmission coil 41 and a signal transmission coil 42 are provided for electrical connection with each input / output module 30 in a non-contact manner.

  The input / output module 30 includes a measurement circuit or output circuit 31, an internal communication circuit 32 that communicates with the main module 10, a DC / DC converter 33 that supplies driving power of a predetermined voltage to each internal part, and a back plate 20. There are provided a power transmission coil 51, a signal transmission coil 52, etc., which are arranged so as to be electromagnetically coupled to the coils 41 and 42, respectively.

  The main module 10, the back plate 20, and the input / output module 30 are configured as one measuring device.

  In such a configuration, the power supply device 15 incorporated in the main module 10 supplies driving power to the respective parts constituting the main module 10 and each input / output connected via the electromagnetically coupled coils 41 and 51. Drive power is also supplied to the module 30.

  The DC / DC converter 33 of the input / output module 30 converts the driving power supplied from the power supply device 15 of the main module 10 through the power line 21 and the power transmission coils 41 and 51 into a necessary voltage, and the input / output module It supplies to each internal part which comprises 30.

  The main module 10 performs setting, measurement start or signal output instruction, measurement value reception, recording, etc. to the input / output module 30 connected via the communication coils 42 and 52 provided to be electromagnetically coupled. Do.

  Based on the control of the main module 10, the input module of the input / output module 30 measures voltage and temperature and transmits measurement data to the main module 10.

  The output module of the input / output module 30 outputs a voltage / contact signal and the like based on the control of the main module 10.

  The input / output module 30 detects the module mounting position and sets the channel number. The non-contact and automatically settable identification of the module mounting position in the configuration of FIG. 1 can be realized by changing the voltage generated in the coil on the input / output module 30 side according to the module position.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2A, the current flowing in the position identification coil 43 on the back plate 20 side is changed by, for example, a resistor 44, or on the back plate 20 side as shown in FIG. The number of turns of the position identification coil 45 is changed.

  As a result, the module position identification circuit 37 of each input / output module 30 determines the mounting position of each input / output module 30 from the secondary side voltage induced by electromagnetic coupling in the position identification coil 53 provided in each input / output module 30. Based on the difference, it can be automatically identified without contact.

  As shown in FIG. 3, by increasing the power transmission coil 46 and the signal transmission coil 47 on the back plate 20 side, a set of coils 46 on the back plate 20 side with respect to the plurality of input / output modules 30; 47 can transmit power and signals. In addition, you may enlarge a core instead of a coil.

  Further, for example, by changing the power transmission frequency and the internal communication signal frequency, the power and the internal communication signal can be multiplexed and transmitted using a common signal line. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the main module 10 and the input / output module 30 are provided with mixing / separating circuits 16 and 38 for mixing and separating signals, respectively. Thereby, the signal line 23 of the back plate 20 can be shared for power transmission and signal transmission, and the power / signal transmission coil 48 on the back plate 20 side and the power / signal transmission coil 54 on the input / output module 30 side are transmitted. Can be shared for signal transmission and the number of coils can be reduced.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the internal communication circuit 14 of the main module 10 and the internal communication circuit 32 of each input / output module 30 are selectively connected, for example, 1: 1 via the switch 16 to perform communication. Thus, the position identification coil 43 on the back plate 20 side, the position identification coil 53 of each input / output module 30 and the module position identification circuit 37 as shown in FIG.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of internal communication according to the number of input / output modules 30 mounted so that individual communication can be performed 1: 1 with the internal communication circuit 32 of each input / output module 30 on the main module 10 side. By providing the circuit 14, the position identifying coil 43 on the back plate 20 side, the position identifying coil 53 of each input / output module 30 and the module position identifying circuit 37 as shown in FIG. 2 can be omitted.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, by providing the transmission / reception circuits 17 and 55 and the signal transmission / reception antennas 18 and 56 on the back plate 20 side and each input / output module 30 side, respectively, signal transmission by wireless communication can be performed. The signal transmission coil 42 on the back plate 20 side and the signal transmission coil 52 of each input / output module 30 can be omitted.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the communication line 22 of the back plate 20 and the internal communication circuit 32 of each input / output module 30 are connected via optical coupling elements 57 and 58 each combining a light emitting element and a light receiving element. Thus, signal transmission by optical communication can be performed, and the signal transmission coil 42 on the back plate 20 side and the signal transmission coil 52 of each input / output module 30 can be omitted.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the example in which the main module is integrated with the back plate has been described. However, the main module may be configured to be detachable from the back plate. By adopting a structure that allows the main module and the back plate to be separated, if the main module fails or needs to be inspected, an alternative main module can be installed. Becomes higher.

  Moreover, although the example of the input / output module was shown as a measurement module, the various modules according to the measurement use may be sufficient.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the connector is not used for the electrical connection between the main module and the input / output module, so that a failure of the measuring instrument due to the breakage of the connector does not occur.

  Further, since a switch is not used as the module mounting position identifying means, a special operation for identifying the module mounting position is not required, and it is not necessary to check whether there is an erroneous setting.

  Further, the non-contact coupling between the main module and the input / output module can increase the withstand voltage without being affected by the connector structure.

It is a block diagram which shows one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of a module mounting position identification in the structure of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the Example of the signal transmission in this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of the signal transmission in this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of the signal transmission in this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of the signal transmission in this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the prior art example of a module type measuring device. It is a block diagram which shows the example of conventional module mounting position identification.

Explanation of symbols

10 Main modules 16, 38 Mixing / separating circuit 20 Back plate 30 Input / output modules 41, 51 Power transmission coils 42, 52 Signal transmission coils 43, 45, 53 Position identification coils 48, 54 Power / signal transmission coils

Claims (7)

A module-type measuring instrument in which a main module and a measurement module are connected via a back plate, and power and signals are exchanged between the main module and the measurement module.
A modular measuring instrument characterized in that the back plate and the measuring module are electrically connected via non-contact coupling means.   2. The modular measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact coupling means is electromagnetic coupling using a coil.   2. The modular measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact coupling means is optical coupling.   2. The modular measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact coupling means is radio wave coupling.   2. The module-type measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein power and signal are multiplexed and transmitted using a common signal line by differentiating the power transmission frequency and the signal transmission frequency.   The module type measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the main module and the measurement module perform 1: 1 individual communication. A module-type measuring instrument in which a main module and a measurement module are connected via a back plate, and power and signals are exchanged between the main module and the measurement module.
The back plate and the measurement module are electrically connected via electromagnetic coupling means using a coil,
A module-type measuring instrument characterized in that the mounting position of the measuring module is identified based on the magnitude of the secondary induced voltage of the coil.

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