Instrument system

• US 6,142,592 A
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Inventors: Werner, Thomas, Grittke, Udo, Rupp, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US09/301,236
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 312/248, 312/293.1, 312/293.2, 312/293.3, 312/223.1, 312/223.6, 439/680, 439/681
• US Class Current: 312/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/645 by exchangeable elements on case or base

Abstract

An instrument system having at least one instrument disposed in a housing (1) the housing is to be mounted detachably on a support (3) and a user is to set a coding for each system module comprising instrument and support. Grooves (23 or 27) are provided in the support (3) for taking up coding pins (31). In the assembled state the grooves (23) of the support form groove pairs with the grooves (27). The inner spaces of the grooves of a groove pair together form an interstice for accommodating just one coding pin (31). This is fixed in either the groove (27) or in the groove (23). In this way the assignment of a housing (1) to a support (3) is established through the positions of the coding pins (31).

Claims

1. An instrument system for at least one instrument, comprising:

a support comprising a first support groove and a second support groove, each of said first support groove and said second support groove having a T-shaped cross section comprising a T-head and a T-foot;

a housing detachably mountable to said support and suited for mechanically fixing said at least one instrument therein, said housing comprising a first housing groove and a second housing groove, each of said first housing groove and said section housing groove having a T-shaped cross section with a T-head and a T-foot; and

a plurality of coding pins that each comprise a rod and an extension formed thereon, said rod of each coding pin configured to be detachably disposed in said T-head portion of any one of said first housing groove, said second housing groove, said first support groove, and said second support groove, said extension of said rod configured to be disposed in and extend through said T-foot portion corresponding to said T-head portion in which said rod is detachably disposed, wherein

said first support groove and said first housing groove form a first groove pair having an H-shaped cross section in which said T-foot portion of said first support groove adjoins said T-foot portion of said first housing groove when said housing is mounted to said support,

said second support groove and said second housing groove form a second groove pair having an H-shaped cross section in which said T-foot portion of said second support groove adjoins said T-foot portion of said second housing groove when said housing is mounted to said support, and

said extension of said plurality of coding pins prevents said housing from being securely mounted to said support if any one groove pair selected from said first groove pair and said second groove pair comprises more than one coding pin disposed therein.

2. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein said rod of each of said plurality of coding has a longitudinal axis, and said extension of each of said plurality of coding pins is formed at a first end of said rod an extends therefrom at a right angle to said longitudinal axis.

3. The instrument system of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of coding pins further comprises at least one protuberant clamping nose toward a second end of said rod which is averted from said first end of said rod.

4. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein said support further comprises a shoulder and said housing further comprises an undercut configured to envelop said shoulder, said shoulder and said undercut defining an axis about which said housing pivotably rotates when being mounted to said support.

5. The instrument system of claim 4, wherein said support further comprises a first borehole at an end opposite said shoulder, said housing further comprises a second borehole at an end opposite said undercut and aligned with said first borehole such that when said housing is mounted to said support a fastening screw may pass though second borehole of said housing and be screwed into said first borehole of said support.

6. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein said support further comprises a cable mounting operable to receive a ribbon cable comprising a plurality of wires, and said housing further comprises a plurality of edge contacts which provide the at least one instrument with electrical contact with said plurality of wires when said housing is mounted to said support.

7. An instrument system for at least one instrument, comprising:

a support comprising a first support groove, a second support groove, and a cable mounting operable to receive a ribbon cable comprising a plurality of wires;

a housing detachably mountable to said support and suited for mechanically fixing said at least one instrument therein, said housing comprising a first housing groove, a second housing groove, and a plurality of edge contacts which provide the at least one instrument with electrical contact with said plurality of wires when said housing is mounted to said support; and

a plurality of coding pins that each configured to be detachably disposed in any one of said first housing groove, said second housing groove, said first support groove, and said second support groove, wherein

said first support groove and said first housing groove form a first groove pair when said housing is mounted to said support,

said second support groove and said second housing groove form a second groove pair when said housing is mounted to said support, and

said plurality of coding pins prevents said housing from being securely mounted to said support if any one groove pair selected from said first groove pair and said second groove pair comprises more than one coding pin disposed therein.

8. The instrument system of claim 7, wherein

each of said first support groove and said second support groove have a T-shaped cross section comprising a T-head and a T-foot,

each of said first housing groove and said section housing groove have a T-shaped cross section with a T-head and a T-foot;

and

each coding pin of said plurality of coding pins comprises a rod and an extension formed thereon, said rod being configured to be detachably disposed in said T-head portion of any one of said first housing groove, said second housing groove, said first support groove, and said second support groove, and said extension of said rod being configured to be disposed in and extend through said T-foot portion corresponding to said T-head portion in which said rod is detachably disposed.

9. The instrument system of claim 8, wherein

said first groove pair has an H-shaped cross section in which said T-foot portion of said first support groove adjoins said T-foot portion of said first housing groove when said housing is mounted to said support,

said second groove pair has an H-shaped cross section in which said T-foot portion of said second support groove adjoins said T-foot portion of said second housing groove when said housing is mounted to said support, and

said extension of said plurality of coding pins prevents said housing from being securely mounted to said support if any one groove pair selected from said first groove pair and said second groove pair comprises more than one coding pin disposed therein.

10. The instrument system of claim 8, wherein said rod of each of said plurality of coding has a longitudinal axis, and said extension of each of said plurality of coding pins is formed at a first end of said rod an extends therefrom at a right angle to said longitudinal axis.

11. The instrument system of claim 8, wherein

each of said plurality of coding pins further comprises at least one protuberant clamping nose toward an end of said rod which is averted from said extension.

12. The instrument system of claim 7, wherein said support further comprises a shoulder and said housing further comprises an undercut configured to envelop said shoulder, said shoulder and said undercut defining an axis about which said housing pivotably rotates when being mounted to said support.

13. The instrument system of claim 7, wherein said support further comprises a first borehole at an end opposite said shoulder, said housing further comprises a second borehole at an end opposite said undercut and aligned with said first borehole such that when said housing is mounted to said support a fastening screw may pass though second borehole of said housing and be screwed into said first borehole of said support.