Method and apparatus for supplying data and power to panel-supported components

• US 6,795,320 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company LLC (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Malkowski, Chester Jr., Litzau, Steven J., Heberlein, G. Erich Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US10/302,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20030072144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 361/826, 361/825, 361/816, 361/800, 361/730, 361/796, 361/797, 361/752, 257/99
• US Class Current: 361/826
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/202 Cable lay-outs
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/36 with withdrawable units

Abstract

A technique for supplying power and data signals to panel-mounted components includes distribution of power and data conductors in a trunk wireway and further distribution to component locations via drop cable assemblies disposed in drop wireways. The drop cable assemblies and trunk cable assemblies may include identical cable. The cables have a plurality of parallel conductors in an insulated jacket. Connectors are mounted on the drop cable assemblies for receiving plug-in component cable assemblies routed to individual components mounted within component panels or bays. The components are thus electrically coupled in parallel with one another and may receive both power and data signals via the drop and trunk cable assemblies coupled to a network. Individual components may be independent installed and removed for servicing with interrupting service to upstream or downstream components in the system.

Claims

1. An electrically wired device enclosure comprising:

a first and second enclosed cable routing paths extending along at least one enclosed device mounting area;

first and second cable segments having an insulation layer and a plurality of conductors disposed therein, the first and second cable segments being disposed within the first and second cable routing paths, and coupled to one another such that conductors of the first cable segment are electrically coupled to corresponding conductors of the second cable segment; and

a device connector assembly including at least one device connector having insulation piercing elements for contacting the conductors of at least one of the cable segments through the insulation layer thereof, the device connector being configured to mate with a device cable from a device disposed and enclosed in the device enclosure.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first and second cable segments are electrically in parallel to each other.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first and second routing paths comprise first and second wireways respectively.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first cable segment comprises a first cable and the second cable segment comprises a second cable.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the first cable is substantially identical to the second cable.

6. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the first and second cable are electrically coupled to one another via a tap connector.

7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the conductors comprise power conductors.

8. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein the conductors comprise data conductors.

9. An electrical component system comprising:

a first and second sections, each section comprising;

at least one device disposed and enclosed within the section;

a cable segment including an insulation layer and a plurality of power and data conductors disposed therein;

an enclosed cable routing path extending along at least one enclosed device mounting area, the cable segment being disposed within the respective routing path; and

a device connector assembly including at least one device connector having piercing elements for contacting the conductors of the respective cable segment through the insulation layer thereof, the device connector being configured to mate with a device cable from a device disposed and enclosed in the respective section; and

a section connector such that the section connector electrically couples the second cable segment of the first section with the first cable segment of the second section,

wherein power and data conductors of the cable segment of the first and second sections are electrically coupled to one another for providing power and data signals to the respective devices of the respective sections.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the conductors of each cable segment comprise two power conductors disposed in flanking positions with respect to two data conductors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device connector assemblies are electrically in parallel with respect to one another.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second cable segments comprise first and second cables.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second cables are electrically coupled to one another via a tap connector.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second cables are substantially identical.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the conductors in the first segment and the second segment have the same electrical class rating.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electrical class rating is an NEC Class 1 rating.

17. An electrical enclosure, comprising:

a plurality of devices disposed within the enclosure;

a first enclosed cable routing path extending along at least a first enclosed device mounting area;

a second enclosed cable routing path extending along at least a second device mounting area;

a cable system, the cable system comprising;

a first cable segment disposed within the first cable routing path and including an insulative layer and a plurality of conductors disposed therein; and

a second cable segment disposed within the second cable routing path and including an insulative layer and a plurality of conductors disposed therein;

wherein power and data conductors of the first and second cable segments are electrically coupled to one another for providing power and data signals to the respective devices; and

a device connector assembly including at least one device connector in electrical communication with the conductors of at least one of the cable segments, the device connector being configured to mate with a device cable from one of the plurality of devices.

18. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the first segment comprises a first cable and the second segment comprises a second cable.

19. The enclosure of claim 18, wherein the enclosure comprises a tap connector that electrically couples the first and second segments.

20. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the device connector assemblies are electrically in parallel to one another.

21. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the conductors of each cable segment comprise two power conductors disposed in flanking positions with respect to two data conductors.

22. The enclosure of claim 17, wherein the device connector comprises a piercing element configured to contact the conductors of the connected cable segment through the insulative layer thereof.

23. An electrical component system comprising:

first and second component mounting areas;

a plurality of electrical components disposed in the mounting areas;

a first wiring path extending to a location adjacent to the first component mounting area;

a second wiring path extending to a location adjacent to the second mounting area;

a first cable length disposed in the first wiring path and a second cable length disposed in the second wiring path, each cable length comprising;

an insulative jacket;

a set of power conductors disposed of within the insulative jacket; and

a set of data conductors disposed of with the insulative jacket;

a plurality of device connectors coupled to at least one of the first and second cable lengths, each device connector having conductive members electrically coupled to the power and data conductors of the respective cable length;

a plurality of device cable assemblies, each device cable assembly being coupled between respective components for transmitting power and data signals to the respective components electrically via the device connectors; and

wherein the power and data conductors of the first and second cable lengths are electrically coupled to one another for providing power and data signals to the respective devices of the respective areas.

24. The electrical component system of claim 23, wherein the first and second cable length comprise first and second cables, respectively.

25. The electrical component system of claim 24, where the first and second cables are coupled via a tap connector.

26. A method for supplying data and power to panel mounted electrical components, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing and enclosing first and second cable segments, having a plurality of conductors disposed therein, within respective first and second wiring paths adjacent to respective enclosed component mounting areas; and

coupling at least one device connector to at least one of the first and second cable segments by forcing insulation piercing conductive elements through insulation surrounding at least one of the cable segments and into electrical communication with the respective conductors.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of electrically coupling the first cable segment to the second cable segment via a tap connector.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of coupling further comprises the step of coupling the electrical components to the device connector electrically in parallel.