Input/output circuits and devices having physically corresponding status indicators

• US 9,055,687 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2011
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Molnar, Nathan J., Wehrle, David S., Bodmann, Douglas R., Kretschmann, Robert J., Vazach, Joseph G., Sichner, Gregg M., Tenorio, Terence S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/213,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.32, 340/12.31, 340/593, 340/687, 361/679.02, 361/679.55, 361/679.31, 361/679.33, 361/728, 361/785, 361/786
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/00 Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1462 for programmable logic controllers [PLC] for automation or industrial process control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1465 Modular PLC assemblies with separable functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1469 Terminal blocks for connecting sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1481 User interface, e.g. status displays; Programming interface, e.g. connector for computer programming; Monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.

Claims

1. An input/output (I/O) device, comprising:

a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other device;

an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry;

a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and having a plurality of terminals disposed along a length of a front face of the terminal block, wherein each of the plurality of terminals comprises a terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device, and an attachment activator configured to cause a wiring connection mechanism to tighten around the field wire;

a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being positioned on the terminal block and aligned with and directly adjacent to the respective terminal, and each terminal being aligned with and directly adjacent to a respective terminal status indicator;

a plurality of light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O module, wherein the plurality of light emitters are configured to emit light for illuminating the plurality of terminal status indicators;

a plurality of light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O module, wherein each of the plurality of light pipes is configured to receive light from one of the plurality of light emitters and to direct the light to one of the plurality of terminal status indicators; and

activation circuitry for determining a manner in which to activate the plurality of light emitters to illuminate the plurality of terminal status indicators based on signals transmitted through the plurality of terminals, wherein the activation circuitry is disposed in the terminal block.

2. The I/O device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face of the terminal block surrounding the terminal opening and/or the attachment activator of the respective terminal.

3. The I/O device of claim 1, wherein each terminal is associated with a first terminal status indicator capable of displaying a first status of the terminal, and a second terminal status indicator capable of displaying a second status of the terminal, wherein the first and second statuses are different from each other.

4. The I/O device of claim 3, wherein the first status is indicative of a status of I/O bits being transmitted between the terminal and the field device, and the second status is indicative of an operating status of the field device.

5. The I/O device of claim 3, wherein the first and second terminal status indicators are both disposed directly adjacent to the respective terminal.

6. The I/O device of claim 3, wherein the second terminal status indicator comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face of the terminal block surrounding the terminal opening and/or the attachment activator of the respective terminal.

7. The I/O device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminal status indicators comprises transparent or translucent components coupled with light emitters via a light pipe.

8. The I/O device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminal status indicators is positioned on the I/O module.

9. An input/output (I/O) module, comprising:

a terminal block, comprising;

a plurality of terminals disposed along a length of a front face of the terminal block;

a terminal opening of each of the plurality of terminals, the terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device;

a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being aligned with and directly adjacent to the respective terminal, and each terminal being aligned with and directly adjacent to a respective terminal status indicator;

a plurality of light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O module, wherein the plurality of light emitters are configured to emit light for illuminating the plurality of terminal status indicators;

a plurality of light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O module, wherein each of the plurality of light pipes is configured to receive light from one of the plurality of light emitters and to direct the light to one of the plurality of terminal status indicators; and

activation circuitry for determining a manner in which to activate the plurality of light emitters to illuminate the plurality of terminal status indicators based on signals transmitted through the plurality of terminals, wherein the activation circuitry is disposed in the terminal block.

10. The I/O module of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face of the terminal block surrounding the terminal opening of the respective terminal.

11. The I/O module of claim 9, wherein each terminal is associated with a first terminal status indicator capable of displaying a first status of the terminal, and a second terminal status indicator capable of displaying a second status of the terminal, wherein the first and second statuses are different from each other.

12. The I/O module of claim 11, wherein the first status is indicative of a status of I/O bits being transmitted between the terminal and the field device, and the second status is indicative of an operating status of the field device.

13. The I/O module of claim 11, wherein the first and second terminal status indicators are both disposed directly adjacent to the respective terminal.

14. The I/O module of claim 11, wherein the second terminal status indicator comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face of the terminal block surrounding the terminal opening of the respective terminal.

15. The I/O module of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of light pipes is configured to receive light from two or more of the plurality of light emitters and to direct the light to two or more of the plurality of terminal status indicators.

16. The I/O module of claim 9, comprising activation circuitry for determining a manner in which to activate the plurality of light emitters to illuminate the plurality of terminal status indicators based on signals transmitted through the plurality of terminals, wherein the activation circuitry is disposed in the terminal block.

17. The I/O module of claim 9, comprising a device status indicator capable of displaying a collective status of the plurality of terminals.

18. An input/output (I/O) device, comprising:

a plurality of terminals disposed along a length of a front face of a terminal block, wherein each of the plurality of terminals comprises a terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device;

a plurality of terminal status indicators capable of displaying a status of a respective terminal, each terminal status indicator being aligned with and directly adjacent to the respective terminal, and each terminal being aligned with and directly adjacent to a respective terminal status indicator;

a plurality of light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device, wherein the plurality of light emitters are configured to emit light for illuminating the plurality of terminal status indicators;

a plurality of light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device, wherein each of the plurality of light pipes is configured to receive light from two or more of the plurality of light emitters and to direct the light to two or more of the plurality of terminal status indicators; and

activation circuitry for determining a manner in which to activate the plurality of light emitters to illuminate the plurality of terminal status indicators based on signals transmitted through the plurality of terminals, wherein the activation circuitry is disposed in the terminal block.