JPS6016104A - Contro panel - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a control device for a machine, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a control device for a machine.
0 Related to Machine Control Panels with Selectively Operable Switches and Indicators Associated with the Machine to be Controlled [Prior Art] Machine control panels with fixed indications relating to the equipment to be controlled are well known in the art. For example, control panels disclosed in U.S. Pat. However, control panels are custom-made for specific applications because they are useful in a limited context. Therefore, their compatibility with a variety of devices is limited, and the adaptability of such outer panels is inherently incapable of extracting maximum utility from the components that make up the panel. In order to increase this, a covering member with various combinations of indications is used, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,130, and relatedly, U.S. Pat.
A control panel using an auxiliary display with a switch function as shown in No. 7 has been developed. However, these displays and control panels have complicated structures and operations, and are not the best in adaptability to various control devices. Therefore, conventional control panels are designed to have a fixed one-to-one relationship with a particular device and are therefore associated with that particular device, such as switches,
Indicators, labels, etc. were associated with specific uses.

Such control panels do not allow a user to easily modify the control panel to accommodate changes when the user changes the machine or device being controlled by the control panel. Moreover, such control panels are expensive in low volume production because they are suitable only for specific end uses. A control panel therefore reaches the end of its useful life as the equipment using it becomes obsolete. In other words, no matter what kind of machinery or equipment is to be controlled by a control panel, a control panel that is inexpensive to manufacture and can be purchased even in small quantities must be applicable over its entire lifespan. Such a powerful and adaptable control panel provides the greatest return on investment, resulting in lower manufacturing costs, lower maintenance costs, lower inventory costs, and reduced operator training time. Therefore, it is desirable to have a machine control channel that is versatile and allows for maximum utilization of components with a simple and low-cost construction.

[Summary of the invention]

An object of the invention is to obtain an improved mechanical control panel. To achieve this and other objects, a control panel according to the invention comprises a matrix of switches and a plurality of light indicators. a support means for supporting the matrix and its switches and indicators in a coplanar relationship, and a light transmitting hole aligned with each of the indicators, the support means and the switches and indicators having a light transmitting hole aligned therewith; a large bar above the perforated layer for selectively blocking light passing through those holes; and a large bar above the perforated layer for selectively blocking light passing through those holes, and a large bar above the perforated layer for selectively blocking light passing through those holes; has a hole,
and label means provided above the large layer section.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a machine control device embodying an embodiment of the invention for controlling a machine 2 (e.g. a machine with a selectively operable control device). . A plurality of light emitting indicators, such as light emitting diodes (L
ED) and a matrix of a plurality of selectively operable switches are arranged as a control panel 4. These serve as an operator interface for generating control signals for the machine to be controlled and a visual representation of valid switch operations. It is used for display and visual display of the operation of the machine to be controlled. For illustrative purposes, the control configuration for a particular machine controller is shown above the knob 4. Machine control panel 4, as described below with reference to FIG.
is arranged as a complete matrix of pressure sensitive switches and LEDs housed within a protective and supporting envelope, with a flexible cover provided over the matrix. The cover is formed with, for example, transparent holes that allow light to pass through. The holes are aligned with selected or active LEDs in the LED/switch array 4.

A switch actuation signal is received from the active switches of the switch array or switch matrix 4, and the active LEDs are activated.
, e.g. I, E associated with an operated valid switch
D, and a switch array 4 in order to give an excitation signal to the LED that signals the operation of the machine, and to send the control signal from the operated valid switch to the machine to be controlled 2 to perform the corresponding control operation. A configurable controller 6 is inserted between the machine 2 to be controlled. The controller 6 is also operative to ignore the actuation signal from the override switch 10, determined according to the particular application of the switch and indicator matrix, and to inhibit the illumination of undesired LEDs, i.e. the LEDs associated with the override switch. 0 FIG. 2 shows a pictorial representation of the control panel shown in FIG. 12 are arranged in a matrix.

The switch 10, LED 12, and support layer 14 may be any suitable device capable of forming a matrix of pressure sensitive switches and indicators fixed in a substantially coplanar array. Such devices are well known in the art. A second layer 16 adjacent support layer 14 and made of a flexible material capable of transmitting switch actuation pressure to switch 10 includes an opaque coating 20.
A matrix of light transmitting holes 18 surrounded by 0 is formed.
For example, second layer 16 may be constructed entirely of a transparent material, with holes 18 configured as voids in opaque coating 20. The holes in the second layer 16 correspond to the LEDs 12 in the first layer 14. To suit the particular application of the control panel 4, selected round holes 18 are kept light-transmissive and other unnecessary holes in the layer 16 are selectively covered with opaque covers 19.

A label 22 with an indicator hole 24 is placed on and excited by the second layer 16, with the indicator hole 24 aligned with the hole 18 which is not blocked from transmitting light. Light from the LED is transmitted through holes 24 in two pels 22 and holes 18 in second layer 16. Other labels 25 indicating non-illuminated switches, equipment interconnections, etc.
layer or hole play 16. A transparent third layer 26 can be used to protect the labels 22 and 25, which are properly placed on the twentieth layer 16 to form the desired machine control panel.

This third layer 26 also transfers the switch operation movement to the first layer 14.
The switch 10 is made of a flexible material that can be connected to the switch 10. so that it can be electrically connected to the machine control panel 4,
A suitable enclosure (not shown) may be provided to house the control panel 4. The control panel 4 can be protected from the surroundings by providing a door in the envelope, which is advantageous, to limit access to the interior of the envelope.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the configurable controller 6 of FIG.
Switch actuation inputs from the enabled switches of the matrix 4 are received and an excitation signal is provided to the corresponding LED to indicate that the enabled switch 10 has been actuated. Also,
To further direct the operation of the device, the controller 6 is connected to a separate OLE.
D12 can also be activated. LE activated
D is closed and placed below the hole 18.

Thus, this configurable controller 6 accepts inputs from intended switches 10 but ignores actuation of switches in unwanted components of the switch array.
Switches 10 and L, present in the first layer 14, are included in the switch/LED array required for a particular control panel.
A complete matrix of ED12 is often organized. At the same time, the controller 6 energizes the LED associated with the enabled switch 10 and other desired LEDs to direct the operation of the mechanism, and activates the LED associated with the disabled switch 10, such as the LED associated with the disabled switch 10. does not excite.

The presence of a complete matrix of switches and LEDs in the first layer 14 maximizes the performance of organizing the machine control panel 14 to increase the versatility of the machine control panel, and also increases the versatility of the machine control panel. Switches 10 and LEDs 12 can be configured to function with any desired control panel configuration within the capabilities of the matrix. The control panel 4 is therefore flexible and can be opaquely covered 19 in order to correlate the control panel to the particular machine or device being controlled.
and labels 22, 25 can be easily adapted to multiple applications by simply rearranging the labels 22, 25. Turning now to FIG. 3, the switch 10 is shown as a switch matrix 10 and the LEDs 12 are connected to It is shown as. Accordingly, the selectively configurable controller 6 is configured to provide control functions for the switch 10 in a similar but separate procedure to that provided for the LED 12. Switch matrix 10 connects input lines 26 to input/output (Ilo) circuit 30.
and connected by output line 2T, LED matrix 1
2 is connected to the jl) I10 circuit 3° by an output line or excitation line 28. The I10 circuit 30 is divided into separate parts to handle the switch matrix 10 and the LED matrix 12. The I10 circuit 3o may include a multiplexer for scanning the rows and columns of the switch matrix 10 to detect and identify operated switches 10. ! A digital computer 32 that can be configured with four electronic processors, a read-only memory (ROM) 34 that stores the programs for operating the computer, and a random access memory (ROM) 34 that stores a table of valid switch locations. RAM)
36 and a serial communication circuit 38 are connected to the I10 circuit 30 via a data bus 40. 30 of those components
, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 are advantageously housed in a housing for the control panel 4. When so configured, the serial communication circuit 38 forms a communication interface to a two-wire cable 42 connecting the serial communication circuit 38 and the remote serial communication circuit 44. It can also be part of the control device. The central control unit also has ROM46 and RA.
M4B, a digital computer 50, a CRT and keyboard interface 52 connected to a fi CRT display 54 via a signal cable 55, and a keyboard 5.
8 to a signal cable 56. ROM
46, RAM4B, digital computer 50,
The interface 52 is a digital input circuit 62 connected to the direct communication circuit 44, the digital input circuit 62, and the digital output circuit 64 via the data bus 60.
is connected to the digital input terminal 63, and the digital output circuit 64 is connected to the digital output terminal 65.

Their components are conventional and their operation is well known in the art. Therefore, it will be unnecessary to describe them in order to understand the present invention.The keyboard 13 of the central control unit 58 stores a table of switches and LEDs useful in the particular application of the control panel in the RAM 4g. The information stored in the control panel 4 is configured to allow an operator to provide information for selectively configuring the control panel 4. For example, in a control panel with a matrix of 32 switches and 64 LEDs, the information representing valid switch locations and valid & LED locations, respectively, in row and column format is stored individually as 8-bit entries. of switches and individual LEDs. This table is periodically read out from RAM 4B via a program stored in ROM 46,
It is serially sent to the serial communication circuit 38 via the connection cable 42.

On the other hand, selective operation of the switches in the switch matrix 10 is detected and identified under the control of a program stored in the ROM 34 and stored in a table in the RAM 3B. The operated switch data is periodically compared to a valid switch data table sent from the central controller to determine whether the operated switch is a valid switch. The transmission of switch and LED table data and the comparison with switch operation data takes place at a very high speed compared to the low operation speed of mechanical switches. Therefore, the entire switch validity table is compared at least once while the switch is mechanically operated by the operator. Similarly, a similar table populated with the LEDs to be excited is sent to the control panel. Each table's entries represent valid LED locations in row and column format. Finally, after comparing the switch operation information, the digital computer 32 in the control panel 4 stores the table of switch operation data in the form of digital words, for example 4 words or 8 bit bytes for each of 32 switches. Stored in the form of. Upon request from the central controller, computer 32 transmits a stored digital word back to the central controller to identify the state of the switch. Therefore, in response to the operation of a valid switch, the digital computer 50 in the central control unit generates a control word, provides the control word to the digital output circuit 64, and outputs an output signal for operating the controlled machine 2. This occurs at the terminal 65. Digital inputs, which may originate from the machine to be controlled, are applied to the input terminal 6'3 and from there to the central control unit for use in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 46. Digital computer 50 also generates digital output to digital output circuit 64 for directly operating a machine or device controlled by control panel 4.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the machine control device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a pictorial diagram of a machine control panel used in the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the device shown in FIG. 1. 1 is a block diagram of a configurable controller for use in FIG. 10...Pressure sensitive switch, 12...Φ・Light emission indicator,
14.Fist...Support means, 16..Φ.Large part, 19.
e...Hole cover 22.25--Label, 24--Φ
・Light transmission hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A matrix of a plurality of pressure-sensitive switches and a matrix of a plurality of light-emitting indicators; an IJ rack; supporting means for supporting these switches and indicators in a substantially coplanar relationship; each of the indicators has a light transmission hole aligned therewith, and a large layer portion provided on the support means, the switch, and the indicator, selectively allowing light to pass through the selected hole. a hole cover disposed over the large layered portion to block light transmitting holes aligned with the preselected light transmitting holes of the large layered portion; a control panel 0 (2) characterized in that it comprises a matrix of a plurality of pressure sensitive switches and support means for supporting the switches in substantially coplanar play; . A control panel comprising: a pressure transmission layer disposed over the support means and the switch; and label means selectively disposed over the layer. (3) a matrix of a plurality of light emission indicators, and support means for supporting the indicators in a substantially coplanar relationship;
. a perforated layer provided over the support means and the indicators, each of the indicators having aligned light transmission holes; a hole cover disposed above the apertured layer to prevent light from passing through the aperture, and a light transmitting hole aligned with a preselected light-transmitting hole of the aperture of the apertured layer; and label means selectively disposed on the large layer.