JP2015154279A - Communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication apparatus capable of improving workability.SOLUTION: A communication apparatus 10 includes a control board 16, a communication module 17 and a case 18. The control board 16 controls communications between devices. The communication module 17 includes: a communication substrate 33 of which the dimension at least in a width direction is smaller than a dimension of the control board 16 in a width direction; and a communication cable connection part 34 which is disposed in one end of the communication substrate 33 in the width direction. For the case 18, the control board 16 and the communication substrate 33 are disposed while being overlapped longitudinally in such a manner that one end side of the control board 16 protrudes from one end side of the communication substrate 33, and a connection space 47 for a communication cable 13 to be connected to the communication cable connection part 34 is formed at the one end side of the communication substrate 33.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a communication device that controls communication between devices.

  Conventionally, systems such as HEMS (Home Energy Management System) that connect home appliances and home gateways in a communicable manner, check the power consumption and status of the appliances through the home gateway, and operate the appliances are known. It has been.

  In such a system, a communication device called an adapter for communicably connecting a home appliance and a home gateway is used.

  The communication device is arranged in a switch box embedded in a wall and configured to be able to communicate with the home gateway through a wireless unit or a wired unit included in the communication device. The communication device is configured to be communicable with, for example, a wired connection with home appliances. Here, when the communication device is configured to be communicable with the home gateway through the wired unit, a communication cable drawn into the switch box from the wall is connected.

JP 2006-292297 A

  However, since the space in the switch box in which the communication device is arranged is limited, it is difficult to connect the communication cable to the communication device and arrange it in the switch box, and there is a problem that it is difficult to construct.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a communication device capable of improving workability.

  The communication apparatus according to the embodiment includes a control board, a communication module, and a case. The control board controls communication between devices. The communication module includes a communication board at least having a dimension in the width direction smaller than a dimension in the width direction of the control board, and a communication cable connecting portion disposed at one end in the width direction of the communication board. The case is arranged such that the control board and the communication board overlap each other so that one end side of the control board protrudes from one end side of the communication board, and the communication cable connected to the communication cable connecting portion is connected to one end side of the communication board. A connection space is formed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to connect the communication cable to the communication cable connection portion of the communication module using the connection space, and to place the connected communication cable in the connection space, and it can be expected that the workability is improved. .

It is sectional drawing of the wiring apparatus using the communication apparatus which shows one Embodiment. It is a rear view of the control board and communication board of a communication apparatus same as the above. It is a perspective view of the decomposition | disassembly state of a communication apparatus same as the above. It is a perspective view of the decomposition | disassembly state of a wiring apparatus same as the above.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

  1 and 4 show a wiring device 12 in which a communication device 10 as an adapter is embedded in a wall 11. The communication device 10 connects a home electrical appliance and a home gateway so that they can communicate with each other. The communication device 10 and the home gateway are connected by a communication cable 13 such as a LAN cable wired in the wall 11, and the communication device 10 and the home appliance are connected by wire or wirelessly.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the communication device 10 includes a control board 16 that controls communication between devices, a communication module 17 that performs communication with the device, a case 18 that accommodates the control board 16 and the communication module 17, a case It has a support 19 for attaching 18 front parts.

  The control board 16 is formed in a horizontally long rectangle, and is arranged in the case 18 so that the board surface faces in the front-rear direction. A power supply circuit unit 22 is provided on the lower back side of the control board 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply circuit unit 22 includes a power supply terminal unit 23 for connecting a power supply line for supplying power, a power supply conversion unit for converting the supplied power into a predetermined control power supply, and the like. Further, a wiring terminal block 25 constituting, for example, an HA terminal is provided on one end side of the control board 16 on the side of the power supply circuit section 22. The communication device 10 according to the present embodiment is configured to be connected to a home electric appliance via a wire and communicate. For example, AC power, which is a commercial power supply, is input from the power supply terminal unit 23 to supply necessary power to the communication device 10, and a control signal is transmitted to an electric wire connecting the wiring terminal block 25 and the home appliance. Further, when the communication device 10 is connected to a water heater or the like, the power supply and the control signal are superimposed on the electric wire connecting the power terminal unit 23 and the water heater without using the wiring terminal block 25. In this case, the power supply terminal unit 23 is supplied with necessary power from the water heater to the communication device 10 by, for example, direct current, and the communication device 10 and the water heater supply bidirectional control signals via the power supply terminal unit 23. Sent and received. In this way, the control board 16 is configured to be able to communicate with home appliances in any of the wiring terminal block 25 and the power supply terminal portion 23. Further, the power supply terminal unit 23 is configured to be able to supply power by either alternating current or direct current with a signal superimposed thereon. A control circuit unit 26 is provided on the upper side of the back surface of the control board 16. The control circuit unit 26 includes a dip switch 27 for performing setting and a connector 28 for external connection, which are arranged on one end side of the control board 16. As shown in FIG. 3, a power switch 29 for switching on / off the power of the communication device 10, a setting switch 30 for setting, and a monitor lamp 31 for displaying a communication state are provided on the periphery of the front surface of the control board 16. Etc. are implemented.

  The communication module 17 includes a communication board 33 and a communication cable connection unit 34.

  The communication board 33 is a horizontally long rectangle, and is smaller than the control board 16 in dimensions in the width direction and in the vertical direction of the board surface, and the board surface area is also small. The communication board 33 is disposed in the case 18 so that the board surface faces in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 2, a connector 35 and electronic components constituting a communication circuit are mounted on the back side of the communication board 33. A communication cable connection 34 is connected to one end of the communication board 33.

  As the communication cable connection unit 34, for example, a LAN modular jack or the like that can connect the plug 13a of the communication cable 13 is used. As shown in FIG. 3, the communication cable connecting portion 34 has a connection port 36 through which the communication cable 13 is inserted and connected. The connection port 36 is directed to the side along one end of the communication board 33, and therefore the connection direction of the communication cable 13 is from the horizontal direction (horizontal direction).

  Further, the case 18 is formed in a box shape having an open front surface. In the case 18, there is provided a communication board mounting portion 38 for arranging the communication board 33 on the back side (rear side) and the upper side in the case 18. The communication board mounting portion 38 is composed of a plurality of bosses 39 for fixing the communication board 33 with screws. Further, in the case 18, a control board mounting portion 40 for arranging the control board 16 on the front side in the case 18 is provided. The control board mounting portion 40 is composed of a plurality of bosses 41 for fixing the control board 16 with screws.

  The control board 16 and the communication board 33 arranged in the case 18 are arranged to overlap in the front-rear direction at a predetermined interval. The other end side of the control board 16 and the other end side of the communication board 33 are arranged at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction, and one end side of the control board 16 is arranged so as to protrude from one end side of the communication board 33. The upper end side of the control board 16 and the upper end side of the communication board 33 are arranged at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction, and the lower end side of the control board 16 is arranged so as to protrude from the lower end side of the communication board 33. Therefore, the communication board 33 is arranged so as not to overlap the power supply circuit unit 22 of the control board 16 in the front-rear direction but to overlap the control circuit unit 26 in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the communication cable connection unit 34 is connected in a direction in which the communication cable 13 is connected so that the communication cable 13 does not overlap the power supply circuit unit 22. In addition, the control board 16 and the communication board 33 are electrically connected to supply power from the control board 16 to the communication board 33 and to transmit and receive signals between the control board 16 and the communication board 33. Yes.

  On the back of the case 18, a recess 42 is formed at a corner on one end side. The recess 42 is formed in a step shape corresponding to the position of one end side of the control board 16 and one end side of the communication board 33. The case 18 is provided with a back surface portion 43 and a side surface portion 44 so as to form a recess 42. An opening 45 is formed in the back surface 43 so as to face the wiring terminal block 25, the dip switch 27, the connector 28, and the like of the control board 16. The side surface portion 44 is formed with an insertion port 46 on which the communication cable connection portion 34 is disposed or opposed.

  The connection port 36 of the communication cable connection portion 34 is opposed to the recess portion 42, and the region of the recess portion 42 is configured as a connection space 47 of the communication cable 13 connected to the communication cable connection portion 34.

  In the case 18, a terminal accommodating portion 48 in which the power supply terminal portion 23 of the control board 16 is disposed is formed. An electric wire insertion hole for inserting a power supply line connected to the power supply terminal portion 23 is formed on the back side of the terminal accommodating portion 48.

  The support 19 is formed in a flat plate shape and has a plurality of mounting holes 50 and 51 on the top and bottom. A window hole 52 is provided in the periphery of the support 19 so as to face the power switch 29, the setting switch 30, the monitor lamp 31 and the like of the control board 16. A communication unit attachment portion 53 for attaching the communication unit 20 is provided at the center of the front surface of the support 19.

  The communication device 10 of the present embodiment is configured so that the communication module 17 or the communication unit 20 can be selectively attached. When communication with the home gateway is performed by wire, the communication module 17 is attached, A communication unit 20 is attached when performing wireless communication. That is, the control board 16 is configured to be compatible with both the communication module 17 and the communication unit 20. When the communication unit 20 is attached to the communication device 10, the communication unit 20 is disposed on the front surface of the support 19 and attached to the communication unit attachment portion 53. The communication unit 20 may wirelessly communicate with the home gateway or home appliance by various wireless communication methods. Further, the communication unit 20 is electrically connected to the control board 16 and is configured to operate by receiving power supply from the control board 16 so that signals can be transmitted to and received from the control board 16.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the wiring device 12 using the communication device 10 is installed on the front surface of the switch box 56 embedded in the wall 11 and placed on the surface of the wall 11. A plate frame 57, a plate 58 attached to the plate frame 57, and a cover 59 attached to the plate 58.

  The switch box 56 is opened at the front surface, and the communication device 10 is inserted and disposed from the front surface side. A boss 61 for screwing the support 19 through the mounting hole 50 is provided in the switch box 56. On the back surface of the switch box 56, an insertion hole 62 through which the communication cable 13 is inserted, an insertion hole through which the power supply line is inserted, and the like are formed.

  The plate frame 57 is fixed to the mounting hole 51 of the support 19 with screws.

  The plate 58 is detachably attached to the plate frame 57 by a claw structure. In the center of the plate 58, an opening 64 in which the communication unit 20 is disposed is formed.

  The cover 59 is detachably attached to the edge of the opening 64 of the plate 58 by a claw structure. The communication unit 20 is covered with the cover 59.

  Next, installation of the communication device 10 will be described.

  A power line and a communication cable 13 wired in advance from the wall 11 to the switch box 56 are connected to the communication device 10. That is, the power supply line is inserted and connected to the power supply terminal portion 23 from the electric wire insertion hole of the case 18. The communication cable 13 is connected by plugging the plug 13a from the insertion port 46 of the case 18 to the communication cable connecting portion 34.

  Subsequently, the communication device 10 is inserted into the switch box 56 and the support 19 is screwed to the switch box 56. In a state where the communication device 10 is disposed in the switch box 56, a connection space 47 is formed between the recessed portion 42 on the back of the case 18 and the inner surface of the switch box 56. In this connection space 47, the communication cable 13 connected to the communication cable connection unit 34 is arranged. Therefore, when the communication device 10 is inserted into the switch box 56, the communication device 10 is easily inserted into the switch box 56 without the communication cable 13 being caught in the switch box 56 or being caught between the switch box 56. Can be arranged.

  Subsequently, the plate frame 57 is screwed to the support 19, the plate 58 is attached to the plate frame 57, and the cover 59 is attached to the plate 58.

  Thus, according to the communication device 10, the width direction dimension of the communication board 33 is smaller than the width direction dimension of the control board 16, the communication cable connecting portion 34 is disposed at one end of the width direction of the communication board 33, By connecting the control board 16 and the communication board 33 so that one end side of the control board 16 protrudes from one end side of the communication board 33, the communication board 33 is connected to the communication cable connecting part 34 on one end side of the communication board 33. A connection space 47 of the communication cable 13 can be formed. Using this connection space 47, the communication cable 13 can be connected to the communication cable connection portion 34 of the communication module 17, and the connected communication cable 13 can be arranged in the connection space 47. As a result, the communication device 10 can be easily inserted and arranged in the switch box 56, and workability can be improved.

  Further, in the communication device 10, the communication board 33 and the power supply circuit unit 22 of the control board 16 are arranged so as not to overlap in the front-rear direction, so that the communication board 33 and the power supply circuit unit 22 can be separated from each other. The influence of noise from the circuit unit 22 on the communication board 33 can be reduced.

  Furthermore, since the communication cable connecting section 34 is connected to the communication cable 13 so that the communication cable 13 does not overlap the power circuit section 22, the communication cable 13 and the power circuit section 22 can be separated. Thus, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise from the power supply circuit unit 22 on the communication cable 13.

  In addition, either the wireless communication unit as the communication unit 20 or the wired communication unit as the communication module 17 can be selected and attached to the communication device 10, and other than the communication unit 20 and the communication module 17 can be shared. Furthermore, when the communication unit 20 is disposed on the indoor side, which is the front side of the communication device 10, good communication performance of the wireless communication unit can be obtained.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

10 Communication equipment
13 Communication cable
16 Control board
17 Communication module
18 cases
22 Power supply circuit
33 Communication board
34 Communication cable connection
47 Connection space

Claims (3)

A control board for controlling communication between devices;
A communication module having at least a communication board having a dimension in the width direction smaller than a dimension in the width direction of the control board, and a communication cable connecting portion disposed at one end in the width direction of the communication board;
The control board and the communication board are arranged so that one end side of the control board protrudes from one end side of the communication board, and the communication board is connected to the communication cable connecting portion at one end side of the communication board. A case forming a cable connection space;
A communication apparatus comprising: The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the control board includes a power supply circuit unit disposed at a position not overlapping the communication board. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the communication cable connection unit is configured such that a connection direction to which the communication cable is connected is a direction in which the communication cable does not overlap the power supply circuit unit.

Images