JPH07200011A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily change mutual connection constitution in respective controllers constituting a control equipment by being connected in multistage. CONSTITUTION:A base stand 15 is provided with locking pieces 19 and 25 at upper and lower ends and a circuit board 33 held by a locking pole 35. The circuit board 33 is provided with a connector 39 for a unit substrate and first and second inter-base connection connectors 41 and 43. The first inter-base connection connector 41 is provided with a projecting connection terminal 45 and the second inter-base connection connector 43 is provided with a connection hole 47 to which the connection terminal 45 of the adjacent base stand 15 is to be fit. The adjacent base stand 15 are mutually electrically connected by the first and second interbase connection connectors 41 and 43. A control unit 63 incorporates the unit substrate to be connected to the connector 39 for the unit substrate in a case 27 and is attached to the base stand 15 by the locking pieces 19 and 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device, and more particularly,
The present invention relates to improvements in individual control devices that are arranged in a plurality and constitute control devices such as programmable controllers and system controllers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a control device such as a programmable controller for controlling a manufacturing line by a computer, a plurality of box type control units 3a, 3b, 3c are arranged in a stack on a supporting base plate 1 as shown in FIG. Known configurations are made. These control units 3a-3c are
An input / output unit 3a that is formed by incorporating an electronic circuit (not shown) and that controls input / output or communication of digital signals and analog signals, a main control unit 3b such as a CPU unit that performs arithmetic processing, and a commercial power source It is a power supply unit 3c that supplies power to the unit. Each of the control units 3a to 3c is detachably connected to a plurality of support connectors 7 which are formed on the support base plate 1 at predetermined intervals and electrically connected to each other by the composite signal line 5. Mounted to form individual control devices,
A programmable controller or the like is configured by these control devices.

A display section 9 is formed on the upper front side of each of the control units 3a to 3c and lights up according to the operation of the unit. A connector 11 and a terminal block 13 are externally provided on the front side of the input / output unit 3a. Is arranged so that it can be connected to an external device (not shown). Then, on the manufacturer side that manufactures and supplies the control units 3a to 3c, a plurality of types of support base plates 1 having different numbers of arrays of the support connectors 7 are prepared in advance, and the user side controls the programmable controller etc. The support base plate 1 having the number of control units corresponding to the system scale can be selectively purchased to cope with the expansion or change of the system scale.

[0004]

However, in order to configure a programmable controller or the like using the control units 3a to 3c as described above, there are the following problems to be solved. That is, as a problem on the maker side, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of types of support base plates 1 in which the number of arrays of the support connectors 7 is different in advance in consideration of the user's request, which is troublesome in manufacturing and product management. .

On the other hand, as a problem on the user side, even though a plurality of types of support base plates 1 are prepared, the control unit 3 which can be connected by the user is provided for each support base plate 1.
There is a limit to the number of a to 3c, and if the system is to be expanded or changed, it is necessary to purchase a new support base plate 1, which has a low responsiveness to the expansion request of the system and causes a cost increase. Was becoming. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and does not require preparing a plurality of supporting base plates in which the number of connecting means such as supporting connectors is arranged differently in advance, and it is possible to configure a control device individually. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device that can easily change the connection configuration of the control device and can easily configure an arbitrary system scale.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, a control device of the present invention comprises an insulating base base,
Connector for connecting bases arranged on both sides of this base base, unit board connector formed on the base base, and mounted on the base base and connected to the unit board connector And a control unit having a built-in unit substrate therein, and adjacent base bases are formed with the inter-base connector so that they can be directly connected to each other in the lateral direction.

According to the present invention, the inter-base connector is provided with a connection terminal projecting to one side surface side of the base base and a connection hole into which a connection terminal projecting from an adjacent base base is inserted. It is better to form it on the side surface side. Further, according to the present invention, the control unit can be formed by detachably fitting the unit substrate in a case mounted on the base. Further, according to the present invention, a cutout portion for exposing the inter-base connector to the outside is formed in the control unit, or the control unit is formed by one case mounted on a plurality of connected base bases. can do.

[0008]

According to the present invention having such means, a plurality of base bases are arranged side by side, and if the base-to-base connecting connector of one base base is aligned with the base-to-base connecting connector of an adjacent base base, they are electrically connected to each other. The base board is separated by disconnecting the connection, and the unit board built in the control unit is detachably connected to the unit board connector of the base board. Then, if the connecting terminals are made to project to one side surface side of the base base and the opposite side surface side is provided with a connection hole into which the connecting terminal projecting from the adjacent base base is provided, ,
The plurality of base bases are connected to each other simply by inserting the connection terminals into the connection holes.

Further, in the structure in which the unit board is detachably fitted into the case mounted on the base base to form the control unit, the unit board can be easily separated from the base base and the control unit. further,
In the configuration in which the cutout portion for exposing the inter-base connection connector to the outside is formed in the control unit, the base bases can be connected and connected regardless of whether or not the control unit is mounted on the base bases. Furthermore, in the configuration in which one case is mounted on the plurality of connected base bases, the control unit can be mounted on the plurality of base bases even if the size is increased.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a control device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, an insulating base base 1
5 is an elongated plate shape, and the locking piece 19 is U-shaped between the two slits 17 cut from the upper end side in the vertically installed state.
It projects like a letter (see FIG. 5 described later). Locking piece 19
A locking projection 21 is provided on the upper end of the pair of support pieces 2 on both sides of the locking piece 19 with a slit 17 interposed therebetween.
3 is projected.

From the lower end of the base 15 is a locking piece 25.
And the tip is bent upward in a slightly L-shape, the support piece 23 and the locking piece 25 contact the inside of the case 27, and the tips of the locking projection 21 and the locking piece 25 lock the case. The holes 29 and 31 (31 is hidden and invisible in FIG. 1) are fitted. Details will be described later.
An elongated circuit board 33 is arranged between the locking pieces 19 and the locking pieces 25 on the base pedestal 15, and by the locking columns 35, 35 erected from the base pedestal 15 (the lower side cannot be seen). It is clamped in a slightly floating state.

On the circuit board 33, a unit board connector 39 connected to a unit board 37, which will be described later, housed in the case 27 and a pair of first base boards 15 for electrically connecting adjacent base bases 15. And second inter-base connecting connectors 41, 43 are arranged, and the connectors 39 to 43 are electrically connected to each other by the circuit board 33, and the first and second inter-base connecting connectors 41, 43 are The conventional composite signal line 5 described above is partially formed. In particular, the first inter-base connector 41 is formed such that the connection terminals 45 project from one long side of the vertically mounted base base 15 from the region of the base base 15, and the second inter-base connector 43. Is a first inter-base connector 41 of adjacent base bases 15.
It has a connection hole 47 into which the connection terminal 45 is inserted and is formed in the region of the base base 15.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the base base 15 has engaging projections 49 integrally projecting from both ends of the long side on the side where the connection terminal 45 protrudes. The engaging holes 5 are provided at both ends of the long side on the side of the inter-base connector 43 side.
1 are formed, and the engaging protrusions 49 of the adjacent base bases 15 can be engaged with each other. Although FIG. 3 shows only the engaging protrusions 49 and the engaging holes 51 on the lower part of the base base 15, the upper engaging protrusions 49 and the engaging holes 51 are also the same, so the illustration thereof is omitted. Therefore, the base 15 is
As shown in FIG. 4, the connection terminals 45 of the first inter-base connection connector 41 are inserted into the second inter-base connection connector 43 of the adjacent base bases 15, and the engagement protrusions 49 are inserted into the engagement holes 51. By engaging, the plurality of base bases 15 can be mechanically strongly joined together.

At this time, the above-mentioned composite signal line 5 is sequentially extended by the first and second inter-base connector 41, 43. As a configuration for strengthening the union of the plurality of base bases 15, in addition to the fitting structure by the engagement projections 49 and the engagement holes 51, the engagement holes 51 are used as through holes and after the base bases are connected. A screw of appropriate length may be passed through. Further, it is also possible to provide arm-shaped racks above and below the base base and hang it on the slit 17 of the adjacent base base.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base pedestal 15 has upper and lower engaging grooves 55 and 57 that fit into a commercially available DIN rail 53 or the like (see FIG. 1). The engagement groove 57 facilitates attachment / detachment to / from the rail 53 by pulling the slide piece 59 downward against the biasing force. The slide piece 59 is supported by an appropriate means so as to be slidable up and down while being biased upward. 2 to 5, reference numeral 61 is a screw hole for directly screwing the base 15 to a support plate or the like on a wall (not shown).

A control unit 63 fitted in the base 15
The case 27 of is made of synthetic resin in a box shape.
As shown in FIG. 7, while having an opening having a shape that fits the outer shape of the base base 15, both sides have notches 65 cut out in a U-shape from the opening. ,
Be careful not to hit the first and second inter-base connection connectors 41, 43 when the base base 15 is fitted.
The second inter-base connector 41, 43 is exposed to the outside. The material of the case 27 is not limited to synthetic resin, and may be any material that can be processed such as metal or wood.

Further, a locking hole 29 for locking the locking projection 21 of the locking piece 19 of the base 15 is formed near the opening on the upper surface of the case 27, and near the opening on the lower surface. Slide groove 6 where the tip of the locking piece 25 slides
A locking hole 31 is formed subsequent to 7. As shown in FIG. 7, a unit substrate 37 is built in the case 27 so as to be inserted into an insertion groove 69 formed from the opening.
1 is arranged. This unit substrate 37 is used for the control unit 63, for example, the input / output unit 6 as shown in FIG.
An electronic circuit that achieves a function matching the 3a, the main control unit 63b, and the like is formed.

When the case 27 is attached to the base base 15, the unit board 37 is located at a position corresponding to the space between the first and second inter-base connector 41, 43 as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. In addition to being housed, it is housed so as to come into contact with a connection piece (not shown) such as a terminal fitting extending from the terminal block 73 arranged on the front side of the case 27 into the case as described later. If the notch 77 is provided on the unit substrate 37 as shown in FIG. 7, the first and second base bases 4 can be formed.
It is possible to put it in a position that overlaps 1, 43. The connector 71 is arranged on one side of the unit board 37, and is formed in such a shape and position as to be fitted and connected to the unit board connector 39 when the case 27 is fitted to the base base 15.

Therefore, the inside of the case 27 is aligned with the locking piece 19 and the support piece 23 of the base base 15, the locking piece 25 is aligned with the slide groove 67, and the connection connector 71 is aligned with the unit board connector 39. If you push in 27,
And as shown in FIG. 6, the locking projection 2 of the base 15
1 is locked in the locking hole 29, the tip of the locking piece 25 is locked in the locking hole 31, the control unit 63 is mounted on the base base 15, and the unit board 37 is the unit board connector 3
9 and is connected to the first and second inter-base connector 41, 43 via the circuit board 33. Then, the locking piece 19 of the base 15 is pushed to push the locking projection 21.
When the locking state of the locking hole 29 is released, the case 27 can be removed from the base base 15.

In the present invention, the locking piece 19 and the locking hole 2 are provided.
The structure of the relationship of 9 and the relationship of the locking piece 25 and the locking hole 31 may be formed on both upper and lower sides, or the relationship may be formed at the opposite position. Base 15
As shown in FIG. 8, the case 27 of the control unit 63 mounted on the front side has a terminal block 73 for external connection formed on the front side, an operation hole 75 for operating the rotary switch, and a connection module to the communication line ( It is optional to form a connection hole 77 (not shown).

Next, a method of using the above-described control device of the present invention will be briefly described. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the four base bases 15 are mounted on the rails 53 and the first and second inter-base connection connectors 41, 4 of the adjacent base bases 15 are connected.
3 are connected and fixed, and the control unit 63 (the input / output unit 63a and the main control unit 63
Drive with b) attached. And another control unit 63
When it is necessary to attach the base base 15 of the same kind to the rail 53 for additional connection, and another control unit 63 (not shown) is attached to the added base base 15, the system of control equipment is expanded. However, in some cases, the system can be changed by replacing only the control unit 63 without additionally connecting the same type of base base 15.

Thus, in the configuration of the control device of the present invention,
The unit board connector 39 and the first and second inter-base connection connectors 41 and 43 are arranged on the circuit board 33 supported by the base base 15, and the connection terminals 45 of the first inter-base connection connector 41 are adjacent to each other. A control unit which is formed so as to be insertably connectable to the second inter-base connector 43 of the matching base pedestal 15, has locking pieces 19 and locking pieces 25 at the upper and lower ends of the base pedestal 15, and has a unit board 37 fitted thereto. 63 by fitting the locking pieces 19 and the locking pieces 25,
Since the connection connector 71 of the unit board 37 is connected to the unit board connector 39, the base base 1
5 is commonly used for an arbitrary control unit 63, and it becomes easy to directly connect and separate the base bases 15 in multiple stages.
3 can be attached and the attachment / detachment becomes easy.

Therefore, the maker side does not need to prepare several kinds of support base plates 1 according to the user's request as in the conventional case, and the handling and the product management are simplified.
On the other hand, on the user side, the common base 15
Since it is possible to arbitrarily connect or disconnect in multiple stages by itself, the number of control units 63 constituting the control device is not limited, and the user can easily expand or change the system at any time, and the expandability and change of the system are easy. The property is improved. Moreover, since the base base 15 has the first inter-base connection connector 41 in which the connection terminal 45 projects, and the second inter-base connection connector 43 having the connection hole 47 into which the projecting connection terminal 45 fits, By simply inserting the connection terminal 45 of the inter-base connection connector 41 into the connection hole 47 of the second inter-base connection connector 43 of the adjacent base bases 15, the plurality of base bases 15 can be electrically connected. Since the connection terminal 45 can be separated by pulling it out, connection and separation are easy.

Further, since the unit board 37 of the control unit 63 is fitted into the insertion groove 69 of the case 27 and the connecting connector 71 is connected to the unit board connecting connector 39 of the base base 15, the base board It is easy to remove not only the table 15 but also the case 27, and the maintenance of the unit substrate 37 is easy. Furthermore, the case 27 of the control unit 63 that fits in the base 15 is provided with a cutout portion 65 in the side surface portion so that the first and second
Since the inter-base connection connectors 41 and 43 are exposed on the side surface side, the base base 15 can be connected or separated even when the control unit 63 is mounted.

By the way, in the control device of the present invention, when the control unit 63 which needs to incorporate a plurality of unit boards 37 and have a large number of functions is mounted on the base 15, the number of input / output terminals is large. A configuration in which two or more base bases 15 are collectively used as one base base for the control unit 63 and the like which are commonly used in the configuration of the control unit 63 and the control device to be provided. Is also possible. For example, in the control unit 63 (main control unit 63b) shown in FIG. 8, two double-slot type base bases 15 connected together form one case 2
Although not shown, the individual circuit boards 33 of the connected base pedestals 15 may be removed to support two large circuit boards.

In such a configuration, a combination of control units 63 commonly used in the configuration of the control device, for example, a power supply unit and a CPU unit (main control unit) can be combined in advance. First and second
The cost can be reduced by saving the connector between the bases. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the base 15
Connector 4 between the first and second bases arranged in
It is not necessary to dispose separate units 1 and 43, and if they are arranged from both sides of the base base 15 toward the back direction, they can be configured using one inter-base connection connector. The configuration is also arbitrary.

Further, in the present invention, it is not always necessary to dispose the circuit board 33 on the base 15, and the unit board connecting connector 39 and the inter-base connecting connectors 41, 43 are required.
The circuit board can be omitted by connecting the components by any method. Furthermore, the connection terminals 45 from which the inter-base connection connector 41 also protrudes need not necessarily protrude from the base pedestal 15, and the inter-base connection connectors 41 and 43 that fit into each other may be used. Further, although the present invention described above shows the example in which the control units are arranged in the horizontal direction, the present invention can also be implemented in a configuration in which they are arranged so as to be stacked in the vertical direction.

[0028]

As described above, according to the control device of the present invention, the inter-base connection connector connectable to the same type of base bases adjacent to each other is formed on the base base in a rear positional relationship.
Since the base board is provided with a unit board connector, it is possible to connect adjacent base boards in a separable manner by the inter-base connector, and the base board can be shared with any control unit. This facilitates direct multi-stage connection and separation, and also allows the built-in unit board of the control unit to be attached to and detached from the base base. Therefore, the manufacturer side can simplify the handling and product management of the control unit and the base base, etc., and the user side can arbitrarily connect or separate the common base base in multiple stages,
It is possible to easily expand or change the system of the control device at any time, and it is possible to suppress the cost increase accompanying it. Further, by providing the connecting terminals projecting from the connecting terminals and the connecting holes fitting to the protruding connecting terminals in the inter-base connecting connector, it becomes easier to connect and disconnect the plurality of base bases. Further, by forming the control unit by detachably fitting the unit substrate in the case, it is possible to secure the ease of removal of the unit substrate, which was an advantage of the conventional supporting base plate, and maintain high maintainability. Further, in the configuration in which the cutout portion is formed in the control unit, the base bases can be connected and connected regardless of whether or not the control unit is attached to the base bases, so that the base bases can be connected and connected more easily. Furthermore, in the configuration in which one case is attached to the plurality of connected base bases, even if the control unit becomes large, it is possible to use the plurality of base bases as they are, and therefore, regardless of the scale of the control unit. The common base can be secured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a base base of the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2) showing a base base of the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state in which base bases of the control device of the present invention are connected.

5 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4) showing the relationship between the base and the case in the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4) showing the relationship between the base and the case of the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a unit substrate and a case of the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a usage example of the control device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a conventional control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Support Base Plate 3a, 63a Control Unit (Input / Output Unit) 3b, 63b Control Unit (Main Control Unit) 3c Control Unit (Power Supply Unit) 5 Composite Signal Line 7 Support Connector 9 Display 11 Connector 13, 73 Terminal Block 15 Base Base 17 Slit 19, 25 Locking piece 21 Locking protrusion 23 Supporting piece 27 Case 29, 31 Locking hole 33 Circuit board 35 Locking pillar 37 Unit board 39 Unit board connector 41 First base connector (base) Inter-connector connector 43 Second inter-base connector (inter-base connector) 45 Connection terminal 47, 77 Connection hole 49 Engagement protrusion 51 Engagement hole 53 Rail 55, 57 Engagement groove 59 Slide piece 61 Screw hole 63 Control Unit 65 Notch 67 Slide groove 69 Insertion groove 71 Connector 75 Operation hole

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H05K 7/00 9266-4E

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An insulative base base, inter-base connection connectors arranged on both sides of the base base, a unit board connector formed on the base base, and the base base. A control unit that is mounted on a base and has a built-in unit board that is connected to the unit board connector, wherein the base-to-base connection connector enables adjacent base bases to be connected to each other in a lateral direction. A control device characterized by being formed. 2. The base-to-base connection connector faces a connection terminal projecting to one side surface side of the base base and a connection hole into which the connection terminal projecting from an adjacent base base of the same type is inserted. The control device according to claim 1, which is provided on a side surface side. 3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured such that the unit substrate is detachably fitted in a case mounted on the base base. 4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a cutout portion that exposes the inter-base connector to the outside. 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has one case mounted on the plurality of connected base bases.