Monitor and control apparatus

• US 8,560,090 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Tomoaki, Miura, Kei, Yoshikawa, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, DOUGLAS S
• Application Number:
  US12/659,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 700/19, 700/22, 715/700, 345/173, 345/184, 345/641
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/10 using selector switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23039 Remote programmer

Abstract

There is provided a monitor and control apparatus capable of enlarging a volume of a body, while ensuring a space for routing signal lines between a rear face of the body and a bottom surface of a mounting hole. The body 5 has a rear face including: a first face having terminal sections protruded; and a second face protruded backwardly relative to the first face by a stepped portion. An internal space of the body on the second face side is enlarged backwardly more than that on the first face side. The stepped portion is formed in the middle of the rear face of the body in the horizontal direction, which defines a right-half portion as the first face, and a left-half portion as the second face.

Claims

1. A monitor and control apparatus connected with signal lines to be used for a remote monitoring control system for monitoring and controlling a load via the signal lines, comprising:

a body with a box-like shape attached to an installation surface in such a way that a front face of the body is exposed and a rear portion thereof is inserted into a mounting hole opened in the installation surface;

a display part for displaying graphic images;

an operation part through which a user inputs an operation instruction;

a control part for performing a display control of the display part and a load control according to the operation instruction through the operation part; and

a communication circuit for transmitting communication commands for monitoring and controlling a plurality of loads,

wherein the display part, the operation part, the control part and the communication circuit are provided in the body and the display part and the operation part are provided on the front face side of the body,

wherein a rear face of the body includes;

a first face having a plurality of terminal sections that are protruded, the signal lines being connected to the terminal sections; and

a second face protruded backwardly relative to the first face by a stepped portion formed between the first face and the second face,

wherein an internal space of the body on the second face side is enlarged backwardly more than that on the first face side, and a height dimension of the second face from the first face is substantially equal to a height dimension of the plurality of terminal sections from the first face;

wherein the plurality of terminal sections are arranged in parallel along the rear face of the body in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the first face and the second face are arranged side by side, and

wherein the body has a plurality of guide grooves formed in the second face to correspond to the respective terminal section in the second direction, the guide grooves extending along the second direction over an entire width of the second face.

2. The monitor and control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the body is configured to have a width dimension of two serial modules having twice a width dimension of a single serial module, the width dimension of the single serial module being equivalent to that of three-piece module standardized for an embedded type wiring accessories, and wherein

the stepped portion is formed to divide the rear face of the body into two parts each of which has the width dimension of the single serial module.

3. The monitor and control apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein

the body has one or more heat dissipation holes opened in the second face to allow the internal space of the body to communicate with an external space.