Input/Output Circuits and Devices Having Physically Corresponding Status Indicators
First Claim
1. An input/output (I/O) device, comprising:
- a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other device;
an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry;
a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and having a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the terminal block; and
a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being positioned on the I/O module or the terminal block and aligned with the respective terminal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.
102 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An input/output (I/O) device, comprising:
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a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other device; an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry; a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and having a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the terminal block; and a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being positioned on the I/O module or the terminal block and aligned with the respective terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An input/output (I/O) module, comprising:
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a terminal block, comprising; a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the terminal block; a terminal opening of each of the plurality of terminals, the terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device; and a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being aligned with the respective terminal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An input/output (I/O) device, comprising:
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a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of a terminal block; a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being aligned with the respective terminal; a plurality of light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device, wherein the plurality of light emitters are configured to emit light for illuminating the plurality of terminal status indicators; and a plurality of light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device, wherein each of the plurality of light pipes is configured to receive light from two or more of the plurality of light emitters and to direct the light to two or more of the plurality of terminal status indicators. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification