MODULE FOR A LOGIC CONTROLLER

• US 20170242818A1
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: HAMPIKIAN, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 10,528,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/42 Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0065 wherein modules are associated together, e.g. electromechanical assemblies, modular structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0069 having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1465 Modular PLC assemblies with separable functional units

Abstract

A modular assembly of a module for a Logic Controller, including a container and a cartridge. The cartridge has a first electrical interface part and an electronic circuit arranged to provide a predetermined electronic function. The container has a housing, a backplane connector, a terminal connector and a receptacle extending inside the housing and adapted to receive the cartridge. The receptacle includes a second electrical interface part adapted to connect with the first electrical interface part. The cartridge and the receptacle are arranged to electrically connect the first and second electrical interface parts to establish an electrical interface when the cartridge is removably inserted in the receptacle of the container. The housing of the container defines the mechanical form factor of the module, while the cartridge determines the electronic functionality of the module. Accordingly, multiple containers having different form factors may accommodate the same cartridge.

Claims

1. A module for a Logic Controller, comprising:

a cartridge comprising;

a first electrical interface part; and

an electronic circuit arranged to provide an electronic function; and

a container comprising;

a housing;

a backplane connector;

a terminal connector; and

a receptacle extending inside the housing and adapted to receive the cartridge, the receptacle comprising a second electrical interface part adapted to be connectable with the first electrical interface part;

wherein the cartridge and the receptacle are arranged to electrically connect the first and second electrical interface parts to establish an electrical interface with a plurality of electrical channels when the cartridge is removably inserted in the receptacle of the container.

2. The module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit of the cartridge comprises a cartridge processing unit;

wherein the container further comprises a container processing unit arranged for exchanging container type data with the cartridge processing unit; and

wherein the cartridge processing unit is arranged for configuring the electronic function of the cartridge according to the container type data.

3. The module according to claim 2, wherein the container type data comprises:

maximum current output level; and

/or

maximum thermal dissipation; and

/or

maximum processing frequency; and

/or

for each electrical channel whether it is an input or output and whether it is digital or analog.

4. The module according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle further comprises a retainer arranged to mechanically fixate the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted in the receptacle of the container.

5. The module according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a printed circuit board and the first electrical interface is distributed along an edge of the printed circuit board.

6. The module according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to provide a gateway between the second electrical interface and the backplane connector.

7. The module according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical interface parts are of the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) type.

8. The module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic function provided by the electronic circuit comprises at least one of the following:

a Digital Input (Di), Analog Input (Ai), Digital Output (Do), analog output (Ao), Relay or Universal I/O.

9. The module according to claim 1, wherein the retainer and the second electrical interface part are integrated in a connector member.

10. The module according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical interface comprises a backplane edge connector member and a terminal edge connector member;

and

the second electrical interface comprises a backplane slot connector member and a terminal slot connector member.

13. A kit of parts comprising:

a module according to claim 1; and

one or more containers,

wherein the containers have different form factors.

14. A method for configuring a module for a Logic Controller, comprising:

providing a module according to claim 1;

exchanging container type data between the container and the cartridge;

configuring the electronic function of the cartridge according to the container type data.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising:

the container processing unit sending the container type data to the cartridge;

the cartridge processing unit processing the container type data and configuring settings for the electronic function of the cartridge; and

wherein the container type data comprises;

maximum current output level; and

/or

maximum thermal dissipation; and

/or

maximum processing frequency; and

/or

for each electrical channel/line whether it is an input or output and whether it is digital or analog.

11. A cartridge comprising:

a first electrical interface part; and

an electronic circuit arranged to provide an electronic function.

12. A container comprising:

a housing;

a backplane connector;

a terminal connector; and

a receptacle extending inside the housing and adapted to receive a cartridge, the receptacle comprising a second electrical interface part adapted to be connectable with a first electrical interface part of a cartridge.