An IO-LINK sensor slave device

Abstract

The application provides an IO-LINK sensor slave station device, a housing assembly comprises a first housing, an opening is formed on one side of the first housing, a semi-open accommodation chamber is arranged, a plurality of male connector sets and at least one female connector set are arranged on the end face of the first housing away from the opening, the female connector set is provided with a female plug and a female threaded sleeve, the female plug and the female threaded sleeve are integrally formed with the first housing, a circuit board is fixedly connected to the opening side of the first housing, the electronic components of the circuit board are arranged in the relatively closed accommodation chamber of the first housing, and the connecting terminals of the male connector set and the female connector set are electrically connected to the circuit board. Through the application, the overall sealing performance of the IO-LINK sensor slave station device can be effectively improved, the number of independent parts of each component can be reduced, and the production and assembly efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of communication equipment technology, and in particular relates to an IO-LINK sensor slave device. Background Technology

[0002] IO-Link sensors are intelligent sensor devices that conform to the IEC 61131-9 standard. Based on a point-to-point communication interface, they allow intelligent communication between sensors or actuators and automation systems (such as PLCs), enabling functions such as bidirectional communication, data transmission, standardized connection, and data storage.

[0003] However, existing IO-LINK sensor slave devices, apart from the circuit board, still use a multi-part assembly method for the remaining structure. The installation process is cumbersome, the structural strength is limited, and it is difficult to guarantee the sealing performance of the internal circuit board. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an IO-LINK sensor slave device to solve the technical problems of complex manufacturing processes, high costs, and poor sealing performance of conventional IO-LINK sensor slave devices in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the technical solution of the present invention is: an IO-LINK sensor slave device, comprising: The housing assembly includes a first housing, an opening formed on one side of the first housing, and a semi-open receiving chamber. The first housing has a set of male connectors and at least one set of female connectors on the end face away from the opening. The female connector is provided with a female rubber plug and a female threaded assembly. The female rubber plug, the female threaded assembly and the first housing are made by an integral molding process. The circuit board is fixedly connected to the first housing on the side facing the opening of the first housing. The circuit board is configured such that its electronic components are located in a relatively closed accommodating cavity of the first housing. The connection terminals of the male connector and the female connector are electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0006] Preferably, the IO-LINK sensor slave device also includes several light guides; The light guide is respectively positioned in a corresponding manner with the male connector and the female connector; The light guide and the first housing are manufactured by an integral molding process based on secondary injection molding. The first end of the light guide is fixedly connected to the first housing and penetrates through the first housing. The second end of the light guide is arranged in correspondence with the indicator light source in the circuit board.

[0007] Preferably, the female plug has a through hole adapted to the female connector terminal, and the female threaded fitting has its threaded end face facing the female plug and is fitted onto the outside of the female plug, so that a gap is formed between the female plug and the female threaded fitting to accommodate the insertion of an external male plug.

[0008] Preferably, the female plug and the female threaded assembly form a closed connection at the bottom of the insertion space of the female connector.

[0009] Preferably, the male connector includes a male rubber plug and a male threaded assembly; The male plug has a through hole that matches the male connector terminal, and the male threaded fitting is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the male plug. The male rubber plug, the male threaded fitting, and the first housing are manufactured using an integral molding process.

[0010] Preferably, the male connector includes a male rubber plug and a male threaded assembly; The male plug has a through hole that matches the male connector terminal, and the male threaded fitting can be detachably or fixedly sleeved on the outside of the male plug. The male rubber plug and the male threaded assembly are detachably and fixedly connected to the first housing.

[0011] Preferably, sealing rings are provided between the male connector and the external female plug, and between the female connector and the external male plug.

[0012] Preferably, the IO-LINK sensor slave device also includes fixing screws and grounding plates made of metal material; The screw of the fixing screw passes through the grounding hole of the circuit board and the grounding plate in sequence and is threadedly connected to the first housing, so that the screw head of the fixing screw abuts against the grounding hole of the circuit board and the screw of the fixing screw is connected to the grounding plate, forming a grounding line between the grounding hole of the circuit board, the fixing screw, and the grounding plate.

[0013] Preferably, the housing assembly further includes a second housing, the edges of which are sealed together with the first housing and the second housing, so that the electronic components of the circuit board are located in a relatively enclosed environment.

[0014] Preferably, the first housing has a groove along its edge, and the second housing has a boss along its edge. The boss of the second housing engages with the groove of the first housing, and the first housing and the second housing are fixedly connected by ultrasonic welding or laser welding.

[0015] Preferably, the fixed connection between the circuit board and the first housing is coated with silicone, and the accommodating cavity of the first housing is filled with epoxy resin, so that the electronic components of the circuit board are encapsulated in the sealed epoxy resin.

[0016] Preferably, the connection terminals of the male connector and the female connector are formed by stamping.

[0017] Because the present invention adopts the above technical solution, it has the following advantages and positive effects compared with the prior art: This invention provides an IO-LINK sensor slave device. The housing assembly includes a first housing with an opening on one side and a semi-open accommodating chamber. The first housing has a set of male connectors and at least one set of female connectors on the end face away from the opening. The female connectors have a female plug and a female threaded fitting. The female plug, the female threaded fitting, and the first housing are manufactured using an integral molding process, which reduces the number of independent parts of the female connector, improves assembly efficiency, and also improves the connection strength and sealing performance between the female connector and the housing. At the same time, the circuit board is fixedly connected to the first housing on the side facing the opening of the first housing. The circuit board is configured so that its electronic components are located in the relatively closed accommodating chamber of the first housing, further ensuring the safety of the electronic components on the circuit board. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 An exploded view of an IO-LINK sensor slave device provided by this invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first side of the female connector provided by the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the second side of the female connector provided by the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the male connector and the first housing provided by the present invention when they are detachably and fixedly connected; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the male connector and the first housing provided by the present invention when they are manufactured using an integral molding process; Figure 6 The present invention provides a first sectional view of the side of an IO-LINK sensor slave device; Figure 7 The present invention provides a second sectional view of the side of an IO-LINK sensor slave device.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1: First housing; 2: Second housing; 3: Male connector; 301: Male plug; 302: Male threaded fitting; 303: Male terminal block; 4: Female connector; 401: Female plug; 402: Female threaded fitting; 403: Female terminal block; 5: Circuit board; 6: Light guide components; 7: Sealing ring; 8: Fixing screws; 9: Grounding plate. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the IO-LINK sensor slave device proposed in this invention. The advantages and features of the invention will become clearer from the following description and claims.

[0021] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended inclusions, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the description below.

[0022] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] See Figures 1-3 As shown in the middle part of the structure, this embodiment provides an IO-LINK sensor slave device to solve the technical problems of complex production process, high cost and inconvenient maintenance of existing IO-LINK sensor slave devices. The main structure of the IO-LINK sensor slave device in this embodiment includes a housing assembly, a male connector 3, a female connector 4 and a circuit board 5.

[0024] The housing assembly includes a first housing 1, with an opening on one side and a semi-open accommodating chamber inside. The first housing 1 has a set of male connectors 3 and at least one set of female connectors 4 on the end face away from the opening.

[0025] The female connector 4 specifically includes a female connector plug 401 and a female connector threaded assembly 402. The female connector plug 401 is used to mate the female connector terminal 403 of the female connector 4 with the connection terminal of the external male connector. The female connector threaded assembly 402 is used to achieve the threaded connection between the female connector 4 and the external male connector. The thread of the female connector threaded assembly 402 is an internal thread. The female connector plug 401, the female connector threaded assembly 402, and the first housing 1 are manufactured using an integral molding process. The integral molding process specifically refers to the process of producing a component with a complete structure from one or more materials through a one-time processing method.

[0026] The circuit board 5 is fixedly connected to the first housing 1 on the side facing the opening of the first housing 1. That is, the substrate of the circuit board 5 is fixedly connected to the first housing 1 through the connector, and the electronic components of the circuit board are located in the relatively closed accommodating cavity of the first housing 1. The connection terminals of the male connector 3 and the female connector 4 are electrically connected to the circuit board 5 respectively.

[0027] In this embodiment, the female plug 401, the female threaded kit 402, and the first housing 1 are manufactured using an integral molding process, which can effectively reduce the production and assembly of independent parts of the female connector 4, improve the structural strength of the female connector 4, and also improve the connection sealing between the female plug 401, the female threaded kit 402, and the first housing 1. At the same time, the accommodating chamber of the first housing 1 is further constructed as a relatively closed accommodating environment, which further ensures the safety of the electronic components on the circuit board 5.

[0028] The following will provide a more detailed description of the specific composition and functionality of the IO-LINK sensor slave device provided in this embodiment: Preferably, in one embodiment, the IO-LINK sensor slave device is provided with a plurality of light guides 6, which are components used to guide the propagation of light, such as light guide column structures.

[0029] In this embodiment, the light guide 6 is correspondingly arranged with the male connector 3 and the female connector 4. The light guide 6 is made of a material with a light transmittance higher than 92%. The material of the first housing 1 can be determined according to the actual application environment of the product. When the first housing 1 and the light guide 6 are made of different materials, the light guide 6 and the first housing 1 are made by an integral molding process based on secondary injection molding. That is, in one production process, the two materials are injected into the mold respectively, so that the light guide 6 and the first housing 1 are finally formed into a single tightly integrated component, thereby reducing the production and assembly of independent parts of the light guide 6 and improving the sealing performance at the connection between the light guide 6 and the first housing 1.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first end of the light guide 6 is fixedly connected to the first housing 1 and extends perpendicularly through the inner and outer sides of the first housing 1, so that the first end of the light guide 6 is flush with or slightly higher than the upper surface of the first housing 1. The second end of the light guide 6 is arranged in correspondence with the indicator light source in the circuit board 5. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light guide 6 is used to indicate the connection status of the corresponding male connector 3 and female connector 4 by displaying light. For example, when the female connector 4 is plugged into the external male plug, the indicator light source in the circuit board 5 is lit, and the light is transmitted through the second end of the light guide 6 to its first end. The light guide 6 can be observed to be lit on the outside of the first housing 1, which meets the visualization requirements of the working status of the female connector 4 and avoids the internal components of the IO-LINK sensor slave device being exposed, which affects the aesthetics.

[0031] In one embodiment, each male connector 3 and female connector 4 may be optionally equipped with one or more sets of light guides 6. For example, a male connector 3 may be equipped with three sets of light guides 6, and a female connector 4 may be equipped with two sets of light guides 6. Different sets of light guides 6 in the same male connector 3 or female connector 4 are used to indicate different operating states of the male connector 3 or female connector 4 respectively, thereby optimizing the visual display of the difference between the operating states of the male connector 3 and the female connector 4.

[0032] Preferably, in one embodiment, the female plug 401 is provided with a through hole adapted to the female connector terminal 403. During the assembly process of the female connector 4 and the circuit board 5, the circuit board 5 is fixedly provided with vertically arranged female connector terminals 403. The side of the circuit board 5 with female connector terminals 403 is moved toward the first housing 1, so that the female connector terminals 403 in the circuit board 5 are aligned and inserted into the through hole of the corresponding female plug 401, thereby completing the assembly operation of the circuit board 5, the female connector 4 and the first housing 1, effectively improving the assembly efficiency.

[0033] The female threaded assembly 402 is a hollow cylindrical structure with a threaded structure on its inner end face. The female threaded assembly 402 is positioned so that its threaded end face faces the female rubber plug 401, and is sleeved on the outside of the female rubber plug 401 while maintaining the same axis as the female rubber plug 401. A gap is formed between the female rubber plug 401 and the female threaded assembly 402 to accommodate the insertion of an external male plug.

[0034] Furthermore, a cylindrical insertion space is formed between the female plug 401 and the female threaded assembly 402. At the bottom of the insertion space of the female connector 4, the female plug 401 and the female threaded assembly 402 are formed into a closed connection based on an integral molding process. Therefore, in the female connector 4 of this embodiment, except for the through hole formed on the top of the female plug 401 for connecting with the external male plug terminal, the first housing 1 and the female threaded assembly 402, and the female threaded assembly 402 and the female plug 401 are all sealed connections. When the female connector 4 is inserted with the external male plug, the through hole and the connection terminal are relatively closed based on the interference fit, thereby ensuring that the female connector 4 achieves a high-efficiency sealing effect on the inner and outer sides of the first housing 1.

[0035] A preferred embodiment is shown below. Figure 5 The male connector 3 includes a male plug 301 and a male threaded fitting 302. The male plug 301 is used to mate the male connector terminal 303 of the male connector 3 with the connection terminal of the external female connector plug. The male threaded fitting 302 is used to achieve a threaded connection between the male connector 3 and the external female connector plug, wherein the thread of the male threaded fitting 302 is an external thread. The male plug 301 has a through hole adapted to the male connector terminal 303, and the male threaded fitting 302 is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the male plug 301.

[0036] Among them, the male rubber plug 301, the male threaded fitting 302 and the first housing 1 are made by an integral molding process.

[0037] Similarly, in the male connector 3 of this embodiment, except for the through hole formed on the top of the male plug 301 for connecting with the external female plug terminal, the first housing 1 and the male plug 301 are sealed together. When the male connector 3 is inserted into the external female plug, the through hole and the connection terminal are relatively closed based on the interference fit, thereby ensuring that the male connector 3 achieves a high-efficiency sealing effect on the inner and outer sides of the first housing 1.

[0038] In this embodiment, when the male plug 301, the male threaded fitting 302 and the first housing 1 are manufactured using an integral molding process, the male threaded fitting 302 can be made of the same plastic material as the male plug 301. By utilizing the integral thread structure, production and assembly efficiency can be improved.

[0039] In another embodiment, see Figure 4 The male connector 3 includes a male plug 301 and a male threaded fitting 302. The male plug 301 has a through hole that is adapted to the male connector terminal 303. The male threaded fitting 302 can be detachably or fixedly sleeved on the outside of the male plug 301.

[0040] The male rubber plug 301 and the male threaded fitting 302 are detachably and fixedly connected to the first housing 1.

[0041] In this embodiment, since there is only one set of male connector 3 in the IO-LINK sensor slave device and it is used most frequently, the male connector 3 and the first housing 1 are connected in a detachable manner to improve the maintenance efficiency of the male connector 3. The male plug 301 and the male threaded kit 302 are also connected in a detachable manner. When the male connector 3 and the external female plug need to maintain a high connection strength or stability, the male threaded kit 302 can be made of metal.

[0042] Preferably, in one embodiment, sealing rings 7 are provided between the male connector 3 and the external female plug, and between the female connector 4 and the external male plug. That is, when the male connector 3 and the external female plug are fully inserted, a sealing ring 7 is provided between the bottom end of the male connector 3 on the outside of the first housing 1 and the external female plug, thereby improving the sealing performance of the connection gap between the male connector 3 and the external female plug. And when the female connector 4 and the external male plug are fully inserted, a sealing ring 7 is provided between the top end of the female connector 4 on the outside of the first housing 1 and the external male plug, thereby improving the sealing performance of the connection gap between the female connector 4 and the external male plug.

[0043] Preferred options, see Figure 6 In one embodiment, the IO-LINK sensor slave device further includes a fixing screw 8 made of metal and a grounding plate 9, and the fixing screw 8 includes multiple sets.

[0044] One set of fixing screws 8 has its screws passing through the grounding hole and grounding plate 9 of the circuit board 5 in sequence and being threaded to the first housing 1, so that the screw head of the fixing screw 8 abuts against the grounding hole of the circuit board 5 to fix the circuit board 5 to the first housing 1. At the same time, the screw of the fixing screw 8 is connected to the grounding plate 9, forming a grounding line between the grounding hole of the circuit board 5, the fixing screw 8, and the grounding plate 9. While realizing the fixing connection function of the circuit board 5, it can also realize the grounding function of the circuit board 5, improving the electrical safety of the IO-LINK sensor slave device.

[0045] Preferred options, see Figure 1 , Figures 4-7 As shown in the complete structure, the housing assembly also includes a second housing 2. The edges of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are sealed together. In conjunction with the sealing structure of the male connector 3 and the female connector 4, the electronic components of the circuit board located in the space between the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are in a relatively closed environment.

[0046] For details, please refer to Figure 7In one embodiment, the first housing 1 has a groove along its edge, and the second housing 2 has a protrusion corresponding to the groove of the first housing 1 along its edge. The protrusion of the second housing 2 engages with the groove of the first housing 1, achieving the splicing and initial fixation of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. The first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are finally fixedly connected using ultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding is a welding technology that uses high-frequency ultrasonic vibration of 20-40kHz to induce frictional heat to achieve material bonding, allowing the materials to fuse at the molecular level and ensuring the sealing of the interface between the first housing 1 and the second housing 2, at least meeting the IP67 protection level.

[0047] In another embodiment, the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 can also be finally fixedly connected using laser welding. This involves using a high-temperature light source to melt the mating edges of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2, achieving a sealed connection. When the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are fixedly connected using laser welding, the first housing 1 must be made of a light-absorbing material, the second housing 2 must be made of a light-transmitting material, and the material thickness of the welding area from the welding operation surface of the first housing 1 must be less than 3 mm.

[0048] In this embodiment, after the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are fixedly connected by ultrasonic welding or laser welding, when the housing assembly is damaged or the circuit board 5 fails, the housing assembly can be destroyed, the faulty circuit board 5 can be eliminated, the housing assembly can be replaced, and a new IO-LINK sensor slave device can be assembled and used, thereby improving the maintainability of the IO-LINK sensor slave device.

[0049] Preferably, in another embodiment, the housing assembly includes only the first housing 1. The substrate shape of the circuit board 5 is consistent with the opening shape of the first housing 1. After the circuit board 5 is fixedly connected to the first housing 1 by several fixing screws 8, silicone is coated in the gap at the fixed connection between the circuit board 5 and the first housing 1. After the silicone cures, epoxy resin is filled into the accommodating cavity of the first housing 1 until the epoxy resin completely fills the accommodating cavity of the first housing 1, so that the electronic components of the circuit board 5 are wrapped in the sealed epoxy resin, which is also used to achieve the requirement of sealing protection. Its sealing performance meets at least the IP67 protection level.

[0050] Preferably, in one embodiment, the connection terminals of the male connector 3 and the female connector 4 are generated by stamping. The metal strip is continuously formed by a high-speed press, which can improve the production efficiency of the connection terminals of the male connector 3 and the female connector 4, reduce the consumption of the original metal strip, and reduce the production cost.

[0051] In summary, the present invention provides an IO-LINK sensor slave device, the external housing assembly of which includes at least a first housing 1. On the one hand, a second housing 2 can be used to connect and seal the housing assembly with the first housing 1 by ultrasonic welding or laser welding, so that the position of the electronic components of the circuit board 5 inside the first housing 1 forms a relatively closed accommodating space. On the other hand, the sealing effect of the electronic components of the circuit board 5 can also be achieved only after the circuit board 5 is fixedly connected to the first housing 4, by sealing the connection seam between the circuit board 5 and the first housing 4, and filling the accommodating cavity inside the first housing 1 with epoxy resin. Meanwhile, in this invention, the female connector 4 is provided with a female rubber plug 401 and a female threaded assembly 402, and the male connector 3 includes a male rubber plug 301 and a male threaded assembly 302. The female rubber plug 401, the female threaded assembly 402, the male rubber plug 301, and the male threaded assembly 302 can all be integrally molded with the first housing 1, reducing the number of independent parts of the female connector 4 and the male connector 3, improving assembly efficiency, and improving the connection sealing performance and structural strength between the female connector 4, the male connector 3 and the housing.

[0052] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Even if various changes are made to the present invention, if these changes fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, they shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An IO-LINK sensor slave device, characterized in that, include: The housing assembly includes a first housing, an opening formed on one side of the first housing, and a semi-open receiving chamber. The first housing has a set of male connectors and at least one set of female connectors on the end face away from the opening. The female connector is provided with a female rubber plug and a female threaded assembly. The female rubber plug, the female threaded assembly and the first housing are made by an integral molding process. The circuit board is fixedly connected to the first housing on the side facing the opening of the first housing. The circuit board is configured such that its electronic components are located in a relatively closed accommodating cavity of the first housing. The connection terminals of the male connector and the female connector are electrically connected to the circuit board respectively. It also includes several light guide components; The light guide is respectively positioned in a corresponding manner with the male connector and the female connector; The light guide and the first housing are manufactured by an integral molding process based on secondary injection molding. The first end of the light guide is fixedly connected to the first housing and penetrates through the first housing. The second end of the light guide is arranged in a corresponding manner with the indicator light source in the circuit board. The circuit board is fixed with vertically arranged female connector terminals. The female connector plug has a through hole that matches the female connector terminal. The female connector threaded fitting has its threaded end face facing the female connector plug and is fitted on the outside of the female connector plug, so that a gap is formed between the female connector plug and the female connector threaded fitting to accommodate the insertion of an external male connector plug. The female plug and the female threaded assembly form a closed connection at the bottom of the insertion space of the female connector; The male connector includes a male rubber plug and a male threaded assembly, wherein the male rubber plug has a through hole adapted to the male connector terminal; It also includes fixing screws and grounding plates made of metal materials; The screw of the fixing screw passes through the grounding hole of the circuit board and the grounding plate in sequence and is threadedly connected to the first housing, so that the screw head of the fixing screw abuts against the grounding hole of the circuit board and the screw of the fixing screw is connected to the grounding plate, forming a grounding line between the grounding hole of the circuit board, the fixing screw, and the grounding plate.

2. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The male threaded fitting is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the male rubber plug; The male rubber plug, the male threaded fitting, and the first housing are manufactured using an integral molding process.

3. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The male threaded fitting can be detachably or fixedly fitted onto the outside of the male rubber plug; The male rubber plug and the male threaded assembly are detachably and fixedly connected to the first housing.

4. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided between the male connector and the external female plug, and between the female connector and the external male plug.

5. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing assembly also includes a second housing, the edges of which are sealed together with the first housing and the second housing, so that the electronic components of the circuit board are located in a relatively enclosed environment.

6. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The first housing has a groove along its edge, and the second housing has a boss along its edge. The boss of the second housing engages with the groove of the first housing, and the first housing and the second housing are fixedly connected by ultrasonic welding or laser welding.

7. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed connection between the circuit board and the first housing is coated with silicone, and the accommodating cavity of the first housing is filled with epoxy resin, so that the electronic components of the circuit board are wrapped in the sealed epoxy resin.

8. The IO-LINK sensor slave device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connection terminals of the male connector and the female connector are formed by stamping.

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