Module connection mechanism capable of genderless coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9853386-B1
Application number	US-201715474672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2016
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A module connection mechanism for coupling adjacent modules, has a connector for connecting the modules. The connector has a substrate having a plurality of terminals for transmitting power and signals, installed between the modules, a fixing body disposed to surround the substrate and having a fixing wing with a wing thread formed at an outer surface thereof, and a fixing ring disposed to surround the fixing body and having a ring thread formed at an inner surface thereof, so that the ring thread moves to cover an outer surface of the fixing body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A module connection mechanism for coupling adjacent modules, comprising: a connector for connecting the modules
wherein the connector includes:
a substrate having a plurality of terminals for transmitting power and signals, installed between the modules;
a fixing body disposed to surround the substrate and having a fixing wing with a wing thread formed at an outer surface thereof; and
a fixing ring disposed to surround the fixing body and having a ring thread formed at an inner surface thereof, so that the ring thread moves to cover an outer surface of the fixing body.

2. The module connection mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing wing includes:
a first part attached to the fixing body; and
a second part having an outer surface at which the wing thread is formed.

3. The module connection mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the module connection mechanism includes:
a first connector fixed to one side of a first module; and
a second connector having the same configuration as the first connector and fixed to one side of the second module.

4. The module connection mechanism according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first connector and the second connector are coupled to each other by coupling a ring thread of the first connector to a wing thread of the second connector by means of rotation and coupling a ring thread of the second connector to a wing thread of the first connector by means of rotation.

5. The module connection mechanism according to claim 3 ,
wherein a power supplier, a signal transmitter and a ground are provided at the substrate in order from a center thereof to an outer side.

6. The module connection mechanism according to claim 5 ,
wherein terminals for transmitting signals to the power supplier, the signal transmitter and the ground and spring pins having a predetermined elastic force are installed at the substrate in a fan shape.

7. The module connection mechanism according to claim 6 ,
wherein the terminals and the spring pins configure a terminal group and a spring pin group concentrated in a fan shape of 45°, and the terminal group and the spring pin group are provided in plural inside the substrate, and
wherein two sets of the spring pin groups are provided to be disposed symmetric based on a single point, and a plurality of spring pins are installed to the power supplier, the signal transmitter and the ground in one of the two sets.

8. The module connection mechanism according to claim 6 ,
wherein among the terminals and the spring pins, spring pins other than a positioning pin for detecting an initial coupling location are disposed to be symmetric based on a single point on the substrate.

9. The module connection mechanism according to claim 8 ,
wherein the positioning pin includes a first positioning pin disposed relatively at an outer side of the ground and a second positioning pin disposed opposite to the first positioning pin based on a single point and disposed relatively at an inner side of the ground in comparison to the first positioning pin, and
wherein initial coupling locations of the first connector and the second connector are detectable at intervals of 90° by means of the first positioning pin and the second positioning pin.

10. The module connection mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein a recess having an inwardly concave shape is formed at an outer surface of the fixing ring.

Assignees

• Korea Inst Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Lee Woosub
• Hong Seonghun
• Kang Sung Chul
• Kim Kang Gyun

Classifications

• H01R13/2421 Primary

  using coil springs · CPC title

• H01R13/622

  Screw-ring or screw-casing (H01R13/623 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/24 Primary

  resilient; resiliently-mounted · CPC title

• B25J17/00

  Joints · CPC title

• B25J9/10

  characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements · CPC title