Input/output circuits and devices having physically corresponding status indicators

• US 9,483,928 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• 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): Hunnings, Travis
• Application Number:
  US14/710,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20150243153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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) terminal block, comprising:

a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals comprises a terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device; and

a plurality of terminal status indicators disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal status indicator of the plurality of terminal status indicators is disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block directly adjacent a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals and is configured to indicate a status of the respective terminal.

2. The I/O terminal block of claim 1, wherein each terminal status indicator of the plurality of terminal status indicators is disposed on the front face nearer to a first lengthwise end of the front face than the respective terminal of the plurality of terminals.

3. The I/O terminal block of claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminal status indicators extend lengthwise along the front face from a first lengthwise end of the front face to a second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a first lateral side of the front face.

4. The I/O terminal block of claim 3, wherein the plurality of terminals extend lengthwise along the front face from the first lengthwise end of the front face to the second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a second lateral side of the front face opposite the first lateral side.

5. The I/O terminal block of claim 1, wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals includes a second respective terminal status indicator that comprises a portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of the terminal.

6. The I/O terminal block of claim 5, wherein the second respective terminal status indicator comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of the terminal.

7. The I/O terminal block of claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a first plurality of terminal status indicators configured to indicate a first status of a respective terminal and a second plurality of terminal status indicators configured to indicate a second status of the respective terminal.

8. The I/O terminal block of claim 7, wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators and a corresponding terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators are disposed on the front face directly adjacent a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals.

9. The I/O terminal block of claim 7, wherein the first status is indicative of a status of I/O bits being transmitted between the respective terminal and the field device, and the second status is indicative of an operating status of the field device.

10. An input/output (I/O) terminal block, comprising:

a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals comprises a terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device;

a first plurality of terminal status indicators disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators is aligned with a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals and is configured to indicate a first status of the respective terminal; and

a second plurality of terminal status indicators disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators is aligned with a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals and is configured to indicate a second status of the respective terminal.

11. The I/O terminal block of claim 10, wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators and a corresponding terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators are disposed on the front face nearer to a first lengthwise end of the front face than the respective terminal of the plurality of terminals.

12. The I/O terminal block of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of terminal status indicators extend lengthwise along the front face from a first lengthwise end of the front face to a second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a first lateral side of the front face.

13. The I/O terminal block of claim 12, wherein the plurality of terminals extend lengthwise along the front face from the first lengthwise end of the front face to the second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a second lateral side of the front face opposite the first lateral side.

14. The I/O terminal block of claim 13, wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals includes a terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators that comprises a portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of the terminal.

15. The I/O terminal block of claim 14, wherein each terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of the respective terminal.

16. The I/O terminal block of claim 10, wherein the first status is indicative of a status of I/O bits being transmitted between the respective terminal and the field device, and the second status is indicative of an operating status of the field device.

17. An input/output (I/O) terminal block, comprising:

a plurality of terminals disposed on a front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals comprises a terminal opening configured to receive a field wire from a field device; and

a first plurality of terminal status indicators disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of a respective terminal of the plurality of terminals, and wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators is configured to indicate a first status of the respective terminal.

18. The I/O terminal block of claim 17, comprising a second plurality of terminal status indicators disposed on the front face of the I/O terminal block, wherein each terminal status indicator of the second plurality of terminal status indicators is configured to indicate a second status of a respective terminal.

19. The I/O terminal block of claim 18, wherein the first status is indicative of a status of I/O bits being transmitted between the respective terminal and the field device, and the second status is indicative of an operating status of the field device.

20. The I/O terminal block of claim 18, wherein the second plurality of terminal status indicators extend lengthwise along the front face from a first lengthwise end of the front face to a second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a first lateral side of the front face.

21. The I/O terminal block of claim 20, wherein the plurality of terminals extend lengthwise along the front face from the first lengthwise end of the front face to the second opposite lengthwise end of the front face on a second lateral side of the front face opposite the first lateral side.

22. The I/O terminal block of claim 17, wherein each terminal status indicator of the first plurality of terminal status indicators comprises a transparent or translucent portion of the front face that surrounds the terminal opening of the respective terminal.