Compact input measurement module

• US 20050234681A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Foote, Garritt W., Johnson, Chris S., Clifton, Glen E., Truchard, James J., White, Christopher D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1461 Slidable card holders; Card stiffeners; Control or display means therefor

Abstract

In some embodiments, an input measurement module may be configured to insert into a slot of a carrier using alignment guide slots and corresponding guide projections. Clips on the input measurement module or the carrier may engage corresponding depressions to secure the input measurement module to the carrier. The clips may be spring-loaded. The input measurement module may include a first outer casing and a second outer casing coupled together around a circuit board that interfaces with a backplane of the carrier through a backplane connector.

Claims

1. A module, comprising:

a casing, wherein the casing comprises a module insertion guide;

a circuit board at least partially enclosed in the casing;

a backplane connector, coupled to the circuit board, wherein the backplane connector is offset from a center of a back surface of the module, and

wherein the module is operable to be inserted into a carrier, wherein the module insertion guide is operable to align the module during insertion into the carrier;

wherein the backplane connector is operable to interface the circuit board with a backplane of the carrier; and

wherein at least one latch couples the module to the carrier upon said insertion.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the module insertion guide comprises two or more module insertion guides and wherein at least two of the two or more module insertion guides are mutually asymmetric.

3. The module of claim 2, wherein the two or more module insertion guides are on opposing sides of the casing.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein the module is a reconfigurable input/output module.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the casing has a height approximately in the range of 6 to 10 centimeters (cm), a width approximately in the range of 1 to 3 cm, and a length approximately in the range of 6 to 8 cm.

6. The module of claim 1, wherein the casing has a height approximately in the range of 7 to 9 cm, a width approximately in the range of 2 to 2.5 cm, and a length approximately in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 cm.

7. The module of claim 1, further comprising a front connector.

8. The module of claim 1, further comprising at least one indicator light on a front face.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the casing further comprises at least one latch that engages a corresponding depression on the carrier upon insertion of the module into the carrier.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion couples to the second portion through a fastening mechanism.

11. The module of claim 10, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises at least one screw and the first portion couples to the second portion through the at least one screw proximate to the backplane connector.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the latch is spring loaded.

13. The module of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises:

an enclosure;

a heat sink coupled to the enclosure; and

a controller comprising a processor board and a power supply board, wherein the controller is coupled to the enclosure.

14. The module of claim 1, wherein the casing is sloped along at least two sides.

15. A module operable to be inserted into a carrier, comprising:

a circuit means operable to condition a measurement signal;

a casing means operable to at least partially enclose a circuit means;

a connector means coupled to the casing means and to the circuit means, wherein the connector means is operable to couple the circuit means to a backplane;

an alignment means coupled to the casing means, wherein the alignment means is operable to align the casing means with a carrier when the casing means is inserted into the carrier; and

a latching means, wherein the latching means engages the casing means and the carrier when the casing means is inserted into the carrier.

16. The module of claim 15, wherein the alignment means comprises an asymmetric module insertion guide comprising two or more module insertion guides to engage two or more guide projections on the carrier.

17. The module of claim 16, wherein at least two of the two or more module insertion guides are mutually asymmetric.

18. The module of claim 15, wherein the module is a reconfigurable input/output module.

19. The module of claim 15, wherein the casing means has a height approximately in the range of 6 to 10 centimeters (cm), a width approximately in the range of 1 to 3 cm, and a length approximately in the range of 6 to 8 cm.

20. The module of claim 15, wherein the casing means has a height approximately in the range of 7 to 9 cm, a width approximately in the range of 2 to 2.5 cm, and a length approximately in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 cm.

21. The module of claim 15, wherein the casing means further comprises at least one latch that engages a corresponding depression on the carrier after insertion of the module into the carrier.

22. The module of claim 15, wherein the casing means comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion couples to the second portion through a fastening mechanism.

23. The module of claim 15, wherein the carrier comprises:

an enclosure;

a heat sink coupled to the base; and

a controller comprising a processor board and a power supply board, wherein the controller is coupled to the enclosure.

24. A method for inserting and removing an input measurement module in a carrier, comprising:

aligning at least one guide slot with at least one corresponding guide projection to align the input measurement module with the carrier;

inserting the input measurement module into the carrier, wherein a clip projection on at least one module clip engages a corresponding depression to secure the input measurement module to the carrier;

applying force to the at least one module clip to disengage the clip projection on the at least one module clip from the corresponding depression; and

removing the input measurement module from the carrier.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one guide slot is on the carrier and at least one guide projection is on the input measurement module.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one guide slot is on the input measurement module and at least one guide projection is on the carrier.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one module clip is coupled to the input measurement module.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one module clip is coupled to the carrier.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the clip projection on at least one module clip coupled to the input measurement module engages a corresponding depression in the carrier when the module is inserted into the carrier.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the clip projection on at least one module clip coupled to the carrier engages a corresponding depression in the input measurement module when the input measurement module is inserted into the carrier.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising applying force to at least one module clip coupled to the input measurement module or the carrier prior to the inserting the input measurement module into the carrier.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the input measurement module comprises at least two asymmetric guide slots, wherein at least one asymmetric guide slot is on an opposing side of the input measurement module as another asymmetric guide slot, and wherein the asymmetric guide slots on the input measurement module are aligned with corresponding guide projections on the carrier to insert the input measurement module into the carrier.