Cable receiving unit

• US 8,629,774 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAPP Engineering AG
• Original Assignee: LAPP Engineering & Co.
• Inventors: Lapp, Siegbert
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/657,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.51, 235/375, 235/434, 235/487, 398/28, 398/13, 398/20, 398/22, 398/139, 702/138
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0462 Tubings, i.e. having a closed section
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0616 Joints for connecting tubing to casing

Abstract

In order to reliably and simply acquire data for a cable receiving unit for a cable portion, the cable receiving unit is associated with an information carrier unit from which information can be read out by electromagnetic field coupling.

Claims

1. Cable assembly, comprising:

a cable portion, and

a cable receiving unit being formed as a plug-in connector element, said cable receiving unit comprising an information carrier unit from which information can be read out by electromagnetic field coupling, said information carrier unit comprising a memory in which at least one of design data and functional data of said cable assembly is stored; and

the plug-in connector element having a contact insert for establishing a connection with a corresponding contact insert of a corresponding plug-in connector element.

2. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier unit comprises:

a base;

an integrated circuit disposed on the base; and

an electrical conductor acting as an antenna unit disposed on the base.

3. Cable assembly according to claim 2, wherein the base is formed from a bending-resistant material.

4. Cable assembly according to claim 2, wherein the base is formed from a flexible material.

5. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein design data can be read out from the information carrier unit.

6. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein functional data can be read out from the information carrier unit.

7. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein data of the cable assembly can be read out from the information carrier unit.

8. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein measurement data of the cable assembly can be read out from the information carrier unit.

9. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein use data can be read out from the information carrier unit.

10. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier unit communicates with a further information carrier unit.

11. Cable assembly according to claim 10, wherein:

the information carrier unit is disposed on a device associated with the cable receiving unit; and

the cable portion and cable receiving unit are combined to form the cable assembly.

12. Cable assembly according to claim 10, wherein the information carrier unit communicates with at least one information carrier unit in the cable portion.

13. Cable assembly according to claim 12, wherein the information carrier unit communicates in a non-contact manner with the at least one information carrier unit in the cable portion.

14. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the memory has a memory area in which items of information once written are stored such that they are write-protected.

15. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the memory has a memory area in which items of information are stored such that they are write-protected by an access code.

16. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the memory has a memory area to which information can be freely written.

17. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the information carrier unit picks up measured values of an associated sensor; and

the information carrier stores the measured values in the memory.

18. Cable assembly according to claim 17, wherein the sensor picks up state variables comprising at least one of radiation, temperature, tension, pressure, elongation and moisture.

19. Cable assembly according to claim 17, wherein the information carrier unit picks up the measured values in an activated state.

20. Cable assembly according to claim 17, wherein the information carrier unit only stores a respective one of the measured values in the memory if the respective measured value exceeds a threshold value.

21. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein said information carrier unit and said plug-in connector element communicate with an information carrier unit provided in said cable portion.

22. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cable receiving unit further comprises a base part.

23. Cable assembly according to claim 22, wherein the information carrier unit is disposed in a recess in the base part.

24. Cable assembly according to claim 22, wherein the information carrier unit is one of disposed in the base part, disposed on the base part, or embedded in the base part.

25. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier unit is disposed in a holding unit of the cable receiving unit, the holding unit engaging the cable portion.

26. Cable assembly according to claim 25, wherein the information carrier unit is disposed in a part of the holding unit that engages the cable portion in a frictionally retaining manner.

27. Cable assembly according to claim 25, wherein the information carrier unit is disposed in a recess provided on the holding unit.

28. Cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier unit is associated with a contact carrier of the cable receiving unit.

29. Cable assembly according to claim 28, wherein the information carrier unit is disposed in a recess in the contact carrier.

30. Cable assembly according to claim 28, wherein the information carrier unit is embedded in material of the contact carrier.