INTERLOCKING SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER AND A POWER SUPPLY

• US 20120008279A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center Pte Ltd (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center Pte Ltd (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Chee Lim, Chin, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 8,625,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.58
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1474 Mounting of modules, e.g. on a base or rail or wall
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1482 PLC power supply; PLC accessories, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An interlocking system for connecting a programmable logic controller and a power supply of an industrial control and automation system is provided. The interlocking system includes features configured to facilitate coupling with a panel or rail and a plurality of vertical slots and a latch disposed on a side surface of the power supply. The latch includes a first attachment feature disposed along a flexible tongue cantilevered proximate an opening in a housing of the power supply such that the tongue can flex into the opening. The interlocking system also includes a plurality of hooks and a second attachment feature formed on a side surface of the programmable logic controller. The plurality of hooks are configured to slide along and engage with the plurality of vertical slots such that the programmable logic controller and the power supply are held together horizontally and the second attachment feature is configured to couple with the first attachment feature to resist disengagement of the plurality of hooks and the plurality of vertical slots.

Claims

1. An interlocking system for connecting a programmable logic controller and a power supply of an industrial control and automation system, the interlocking system comprising:

a plurality of vertical slots and a latch disposed on a side surface of the power supply, wherein the latch comprises a first attachment feature disposed along a flexible tongue cantilevered proximate an opening in a housing of the power supply such that the tongue can flex into the opening; and

a plurality of hooks and a second attachment feature formed on a side surface of the programmable logic controller, wherein the plurality of hooks are configured to slide along and engage with the plurality of vertical slots such that the programmable logic controller and the power supply are held together horizontally, and wherein the second attachment feature is configured to couple with the first attachment feature to resist disengagement of the plurality of hooks and the plurality of vertical slots.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least two vertical slots formed adjacent to edges of the side surface of the power supply.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second attachment features comprise a detent and lug, respectively.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a 24 Volts AC power supply configured to power the programmable logic controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable logic controller comprises a port configured to receive a programmable module adapted to manage aspects of the programmable logic controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of hooks and the latch comprises plastic.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the latch, the second attachment feature, the plurality of vertical slots and the plurality of hooks facilitate alignment and securing together of the programmable logic controller and the power supply in a single assembly action.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first attachment feature is configured to slidably engage with the second attachment feature in response to sliding movement of the power supply relative to the programmable logic controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the latch is coupled to the side surface of the power supply through an adhesive, or through a bolted coupling.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising support attachment features disposed on each of the power supply and the programmable logic controller, wherein the support attachment features are configured to facilitate coupling with a panel or rail.

11. An industrial automation and control system, comprising:

an enclosure;

a plurality of monitoring and/or control modules disposed within the enclosure and configured to perform a monitoring and/or control function, wherein adjacent monitoring and/or control modules are connected using a plurality of hooks and corresponding vertical slots on mating surfaces of the adjacent modules and wherein the hooks and corresponding vertical slots are maintained in position relative to one another by a latch coupled with a corresponding receiving slot of the mating surfaces of the modules.

12. The industrial automation system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of monitoring and/or control modules comprise a power supply and a programmable logic controller.

13. The industrial automation system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of hooks and corresponding vertical slots facilitate alignment of the adjacent modules and wherein the latch is configured to slidably engage with the corresponding receiving slot in a single assembly action.

14. The industrial automation system of claim 13, wherein the latch comprises plastic.

15. The industrial automation system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of monitoring and/or control modules are independently removable from the enclosure by selectively disengaging the latch from the receiving slot and vertically sliding each monitoring and/or control module.

16. A method for connecting a power supply to a programmable logic controller, the method comprising:

abutting a mating surface of the programmable logic controller with a mating surface of the power supply;

slidably engaging a plurality of hooks extending from one of the mating surfaces with corresponding vertical slots formed in the other of the mating surfaces; and

engaging a latch cantilevered from the one of the mating surfaces with an attachment feature of the other mating surface such that the plurality of hooks and vertical slots are substantially prevented from slidably disengaging.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising mounting the assembled power supply and programmable logic controller on a panel.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising generating a sound by engagement of the latch with the attachment feature.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a number and/or size of the plurality of hooks and corresponding vertical slots is configurable based upon the size of the first and second modules.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of hooks extend from the mating surface of the programmable logic controller.