Rail-mounted control system with improved mounting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368458-B2
Application number	US-201615555812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A control system includes a module assembly with a base. The base can be configured for engagement with at least one module having electronic circuitry disposed therein or other electronic device. The base includes at least one latching assembly with a lever operable to move a shuttle coupled to the lever to releasably engage the base with an elongated mounting rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A module assembly for a control system, the module assembly comprising:
a base configured for removably mounting to an elongated rail, the base comprising:
a mounting structure including a body with a first side and a second side, the first side defining a rail channel for receiving the elongated rail, the body and the rail channel further extending between opposite ends of the mounting structure, the mounting structure further including opposite first and second outer side walls extending between the opposite ends thereof, the mounting structure further including an interior wall spaced inwardly from and facing one of said first and second outer side walls and a lateral channel in communication with and extending transversely to the rail channel, the lateral channel opening through the interior wall;
a cover mounted to the second side of the mounting structure;
a circuit board between the mounting structure and the cover; and
at least one latching assembly including a shuttle movably received in the lateral channel and through the lateral channel opening in the interior wall, the latching assembly including a lever rotatably mounted to the interior wall in operable engagement with the shuttle so that rotation of the lever moves the shuttle from a first position wherein the shuttle is engageable to the elongated rail in the rail channel and a second position wherein the shuttle is disengageable from the elongated rail in the rail channel.

2. The module assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one control module, wherein:
the cover includes a slot and the lever is received in the slot; and
the circuit board includes a socket extending through an opening of the cover for electrically engaging the at least one control module to the circuit board, the socket being arranged so that the at least one control module is positioned on the lever when the control module is engaged to the socket.

3. The module assembly of claim 2 , wherein the circuit board includes a second socket extending through a second opening of the cover for electrically engaging a second control module to the circuit board.

4. The module assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one control module comprises circuitry for processing control signals and a housing enclosing the circuitry.

5. The module assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one control module is an input/output (I/O) module that processes and conditions field inputs received from field devices or control outputs received from a controller module.

6. The module assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one control module is a controller module and the circuit board includes a connector extending through the cover that is an Ethernet jack for receiving a plug of an Ethernet cable having another plug connected to another controller module or to an operator workstation.

7. The module assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the cover includes a slot and the lever is positioned in the slot; and
the circuit board includes a communication connector extending through an opening of the cover for establishing communication with one or more external devices.

8. The module assembly of claim 7 , wherein the cover includes a second opening and the circuit board includes a power connector extending through the second opening for connection to a module power supply.

9. The module assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spring wire engaged to the mounting structure in an arcuate depression in an inner surface of the mounting structure along the rail channel, wherein the shuttle includes a hook engaged to the spring wire, the spring wire normally biasing the shuttle toward the first position.

10. The module assembly of claim 9 , wherein the mounting structure includes tabs extending into the rail channel for engaging a first side of the rail and the shuttle includes mounting appendages with tangs formed by an undercut in each of the mounting appendages, the tangs removably engaging a side of the rail opposite the tabs when the shuttle is in the first position.

11. The module assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the lateral channel forms a recess in the inner surface of the mounting structure, the lateral channel extending across the rail channel; and
the shuttle includes an elongated body in the lateral channel, the elongated body extending from the hook at a first end of the elongated body to a cam follower at an opposite second end of the elongated body.

12. The module assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the lever includes a handle and a cam, the cam defining a cam surface that engages the cam follower, the cam surface extending from a first end to a second end, the cam surface transitioning from a first thickness at the first end to a second thickness at the second end; and
the first end of the cam surface is engaged to the cam follower when the shuttle is in the first position, and rotation of the lever moves the cam surface along the cam follower to the second end of the cam surface to translate the shuttle against the biasing of the spring wire from the first position to the second position.

13. The module assembly of claim 12 , wherein:
the lever includes a mount that is rotatably mounted to the interior wall;
the cam surface extends around a first side of the mount; and
the lever includes a handle extending from a second side of the mount opposite the first side.

14. The module assembly of claim 13 , wherein the interior wall includes a post that is received in a bore of the mount to rotatably mount the lever to the interior wall.

15. The module assembly of claim 14 , wherein the mounting structure includes a pair of rails in an opening in a sidewall of the mounting structure and the pair of mounting appendages extend from the elongated body of the shuttle on opposite sides of the pair of rails.

16. The module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a slot and the lever resides in the slot, and in the first position the lever is flush with an outer surface of the cover and in the second position the lever projects outwardly from the outer surface of the cover.

17. The module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one latching assembly includes a first latching assembly and a second latching assembly, and the mounting structure includes a second lateral channel in communication with the rail channel and a second interior wall through which the second lateral channel opens, wherein the second latching assembly includes a second shuttle movably received in the second lateral channel and through the corresponding opening in the second interior wall and a second lever rotatably mounted to the second interior wall in operable engagement with the second shuttle so that rotation of the second lever moves the second shuttle between the first and second positions.

18. A module assembly for a control system, the module assembly comprising:
a base configured for removably mounting to an elongated rail, the base comprising:
a mounting structure including a body with a first side and a second side, the first side defining a rail channel for receiving the elongated rail, the body and the rail channel further extending between opposite ends of the mounting structure, the mounting structure further including opposite first and second side walls extending between the opposite ends thereof, the mounting structure further including an interior wall and a lateral channel in communication with and extending transversely to the rail channel, the lateral channel opening through the interior wall;
a cover mounted to

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag
• Mielnik David
• Ogorek Richard
• Piunno John
• Heilman Thomas
• Miedza Krzystof
• Morgan Daniel J
• Maczuzak Mike J

Inventors

• Mielnik David
• Ogorek Richard
• Piunno John
• Heilman Thomas
• Miedza Krzystof
• Morgan Daniel J
• Maczuzak Mike J

Classifications

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• H05K7/1474 Primary

  Mounting of modules, e.g. on a base or rail or wall · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H05K7/1468

  Mechanical features of input/output (I/O) modules · CPC title

• H01R12/716

  Coupling device provided on the PCB · CPC title