Connector and data transmission system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a connector and a data transmission system. The connector is used for being separably connected with electronic equipment and comprises a moving part, a conductive assembly and two conductive ports. The moving part is used for driving the conductive component to move to a first position or a second position; the conductive assembly is configured to be conducted with the two conductive ports when located at the first position and separated from the at least one conductive port when located at the second position; the conductive ports are used for connecting electronic equipment, and at least one conductive port is connected to the electrical module through a signal line. According to the connector provided by the utility model, the conduction of the two conductive ports can be realized through the conductive assembly, so that signal lines connected with the two conductive ports of the connector can be conducted even if the connector is not connected with electronic equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of communications, and particularly relates to a connector and a data transmission system. Background Art

[0002] In scenarios such as equipment control and communication, a combined design of a backplane and connectors is common. Among them, connectors are installed on the backplane, and signal lines, power lines, etc. are arranged between the connectors. Controllers, circuit boards, etc. can be connected to the connectors, so as to communicate through the backplane.

[0003] The connector can be a pin type (including multiple jacks as connection terminals) or a slot type (including multiple conductive ends as connection terminals). The connection terminals of the connector are connected to the signal lines. When a device is inserted into the connector, the device is conducted with the connection terminals of the connector, that is, the connection terminals of the connector are conducted with the device, and the signal lines connected to the connection terminals are conducted with the device. Thus, two devices can be connected to two adjacent connectors and a signal path is formed through the signal lines between the connectors.

[0004] However, when the connector is not connected to a device, the connector is equivalent to an open switch, and the different signal lines connected to different connection terminals of the connector cannot be conducted. That is, two devices must be connected to two adjacent connectors to be conducted, which affects the user experience. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to provide a connector and a data transmission system. A communication path is formed inside the connector through a conductive component and a conductive port in the connector. Thus, for multiple connectors connected to form a network topology, even if some of the multiple connectors are idle (i.e., no device is inserted), the entire link can still be ensured to be available. Therefore, it is not necessary to ensure that each connector is connected to an electronic device, and the number and position of the electronic devices connected in the connector can be selected as needed, which is convenient for building various data transmission topologies.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the utility model provides a connector for detachably connecting to an electronic device, including a moving part, a conductive component and two conductive ports; the moving part is used to drive the conductive component to move to a first position or a second position; the conductive component is configured to be conducted with the two conductive ports when located at the first position and separated from at least one conductive port when located at the second position; the conductive port is used to connect to an electronic device, and at least one of the conductive ports is connected to an electrical module through a signal line.

[0007] The utility model provides a data transmission system, including a backplane, on which a plurality of electrical modules are arranged, and at least one electrical module is the above-mentioned connector, and the connector is connected to an EtherCAT signal line.

[0008] In one embodiment, a return member is further included, which is configured to provide a return force for the moving part to return to the first position when the conductive component leaves the first position.

[0009] In one embodiment, the moving part includes a head end portion and a limiting post connected to the head end portion; the conductive component is connected to the head end portion; and the return member is a spring sleeved on the limiting post.

[0010] In one embodiment, an external support structure is further included. One of the conductive ports includes at least one conductive contact, and the external support structure is configured to fix the positions of the respective conductive contacts.

[0011] In one embodiment, a guiding structure for guiding the moving part is further provided on the external support structure.

[0012] In one embodiment, one of the conductive ports includes at least one conductive contact. The number of the conductive components corresponds to the number of the conductive contacts. The conductive component includes a pair of connected conductive extension portions, each conductive extension portion corresponding to one conductive contact. The conductive extension portion has a first conductive end protruding towards the corresponding conductive contact, and each conductive contact has a second conductive end protruding towards the corresponding conductive extension portion. When the conductive component conducts two conductive ports, the conductive extension portion abuts against the conductive contact.

[0013] In one embodiment, the pair of conductive extension portions of the conductive component are connected by a clamping connection portion. When the conductive component conducts two conductive ports, the first conductive end of the conductive extension portion is squeezed by the second conductive end towards the clamping connection portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, a frame is further included. The backplane is mounted on the frame, and a limiter is provided on the frame, and the limiter is configured to limit the electronic device.

[0015] In one embodiment, the electronic device is configured to connect to one or more of a sensor, an actuator, and a controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a data transmission system to which the connector in the first embodiment of the present invention is applied;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the connector in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a top view of the connection housing of the connector in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the moving part of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the moving part of the connector and the elastic member in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0021] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0022] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the moving part of the connector and the first conductive component in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram inside the cavity of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0024] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the first conductive component of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the second conductive component of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the bottom plate of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 12 It is a cross-sectional view of the connection housing of the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 13 It is a schematic diagram of the state change of the device insertion in the connector in the first embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 14 It is a schematic diagram of the connection between the connector and the device in the second embodiment of the present utility model;

[0030] Figure 15 It is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the connector and the gold fingers of the device in the second embodiment of the present utility model. Specific embodiments

[0031] The following will describe each embodiment of the present utility model in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to more clearly understand the purpose, features, and advantages of the present utility model. It should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings are not a limitation on the scope of the present utility model, but only to illustrate the essential spirit of the technical solution of the present utility model.

[0032] In the following description, for the purpose of illustrating various disclosed embodiments, certain specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments can be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known devices, structures, and techniques associated with the present application may not be shown or described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the description of the embodiments.

[0033] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the words "comprising" and its variants, such as "including" and "having", shall be construed in an open, inclusive sense, i.e., construed to mean "including, but not limited to".

[0034] References to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" in the course of the specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" at various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Additionally, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any manner in one or more embodiments.

[0035] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should be noted that the term "or" is generally used in its "and / or" sense unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0036] In the following description, for the purpose of clearly showing the structure and working mode of the present utility model, many directional terms will be used for description. However, terms such as "front", "rear", "left", "right", "outer", "inner", "outward", "inward", "up", "down", etc. should be understood as convenient terms and should not be construed as limiting terms.

[0037] The first embodiment of the present utility model relates to a connector, which is a new type of plug-in connector for detachably connecting to an electronic device. Please refer to Figure 1 , in an application scenario, the connector is used in a data transmission system. The data transmission system may include multiple network topologies, and at least one connector can be guaranteed in each network topology. The connector is connected to at least one electrical module through a signal line. Among them, the electrical module connected by the connector through the signal line can be an independent device, such as a processor, a computer, a controller, an actuator, a sensor, etc.; the electrical module can be a circuit structure, such as a communication circuit, a data acquisition circuit, a data transmission circuit, a printed circuit board, etc. The electrical module can also be another connector, and the connector can be in a state of being connected to an electronic device or not connected to an electronic device.

[0038] Specifically, the connector includes a moving part, a conductive component, and two conductive ports. Among them, the moving part is used to drive the conductive component to move to a first position or a second position. The conductive component is configured to be electrically connected to the two conductive ports when in the first position and separated from at least one conductive port when in the second position. The conductive ports are used to connect to electronic devices, and at least one conductive port is connected to an electrical module through a signal line. Specifically, the electronic device includes a signal connection part for electrically connecting the two conductive ports. When the electronic device is connected to the connector, the signal connection part is connected to the conductive port, and then is electrically connected to the electrical module connected by the connector through the signal line.

[0039] The connector provided in this application is used to connect electronic devices. The conductive ports of the connector can be electrically connected either through the connected electronic devices or by driving the conductive component through the moving part. Thus, when the connector is used in a data transmission system, the connector located between two communicating electrical modules can be connected to an electronic device or be idle and electrically connect the conductive ports through the conductive component, enabling the electrical modules upstream and downstream of the connector to be electrically connected. Users can more flexibly adjust the number and connection positions of the electronic devices connected to the data transmission system, and diverse data transmission paths can be constructed in the data transmission system, facilitating user use.

[0040] Exemplarily, in a network topology composed of multiple electrical modules, at least one electrical module is a connector, and the network topology is, for example, linear, ring-shaped, star-shaped, etc. Among them, one connector can be connected to one electrical module, that is, one conductive port of the connector is connected to one electrical module through a signal line, and one connector can be connected to two electrical modules, that is, the two conductive ports of the connector are respectively connected to two electrical modules through signal lines.

[0041] On the one hand, when no electronic device is connected, the two conductive ports of the connector can be electrically connected through the conductive component, so that the two electronic devices connected to the connector can communicate through the signal line. On the other hand, when an electronic device is connected, the moving part can be controlled to separate the conductive component from at least one conductive port, and the two conductive ports are electrically connected through the electronic device, that is, the electronic device is electrically connected to the signal line. Or the two conductive ports of the connector connected to the electronic device can be electrically connected through the conductive component to short-circuit the electronic device connected to the connector, and the disconnection of the electronic device can be achieved without unplugging the electronic device, meeting the diverse communication requirements between electronic devices and / or electrical modules.

[0042] For example, two conductive ports of a connector are respectively connected to a first electrical module and a second electrical module through signal lines. When the connector is not connected to an electronic device, the conductive component can be driven by a moving part to move to a first position, and the conductive component is electrically connected to the two conductive ports, so that the first electrical module and the second electrical module are electrically connected. When the connector is connected to an electronic device, the two conductive ports are electrically connected through the signal connection part of the electronic device. The conductive component can be driven by the moving part to move to a second position, and the conductive component is separated from at least one conductive port, and the two conductive ports cannot be directly electrically connected through the conductive component, so that the electronic device, the first electrical module, and the second electrical module are electrically connected. When the connector is connected to an electronic device, the two conductive ports are electrically connected through the signal connection part of the electronic device. The conductive component can also be driven by the moving part to move to the first position, and the conductive component is electrically connected to the two conductive ports, and the electronic device is short-circuited, so that the first electrical module and the second electrical module are electrically connected.

[0043] For example, a plurality of connectors are connected in sequence. One conductive port of the two connectors at the head and the tail is connected to the adjacent connector through a signal line, and the two conductive ports of the remaining connectors are respectively connected to the adjacent connector through signal lines. An electronic device can be connected to any connector. For the idle connectors (not connected to an electronic device) between the connectors connected to the electronic device, the two conductive ports of the idle connectors can be electrically connected through the moving part and the conductive component to ensure that the electrical modules upstream and downstream of the idle connectors can be electrically connected. For a plurality of connectors connected in sequence to form a linear structure, when the connectors at the head and the tail positions are not connected to an electronic device, since there is only an electrical module on one side, the two conductive ports can be electrically connected through the conductive component, or the conductive component can be electrically connected to at least one conductive port.

[0044] Specifically, the connector is a pin-type or socket-type plug-in structure, including a plurality of conductive contacts, and the conductive ports are composed of a plurality of conductive contacts.

[0045] In some embodiments, the conductive ports include conductive contacts corresponding to a communication protocol. The conductive contacts are used to connect signal lines, and the conductive component is used to electrically connect the conductive contacts of the two conductive ports at the first position and separate from the conductive contacts of at least one conductive port at the second position. The signal lines connected to the conductive ports can be one of PCIE signal lines, EtherCAT signal lines, Ethernet signal lines, IIC signal lines, etc. For example, the signal line connected to the conductive port is an EtherCAT signal line. The conductive port includes 4 conductive contacts for EtherCAT communication, and 4 conductive components are provided corresponding to the 4 conductive contacts. One conductive component corresponds to a pair of conductive contacts of two conductive ports.

[0046] Exemplarily, two conductive ports of the first connector are respectively connected to the electrical module and the second connector through EtherCAT signal lines. When the electronic device is connected to the second connector, the moving part of the first connector can drive the conductive component to move to the first position, so that the two conductive ports of the first connector are short-circuited, enabling the electrical module to be conducted with the electronic device connected to the second connector and communicate through the EtherCAT communication protocol.

[0047] In some embodiments, the conductive ports of the connector include conductive contacts corresponding to multiple communication protocols. The signal lines connected to the conductive ports can be multiple types such as PCIE signal lines, EtherCAT signal lines, Ethernet signal lines, IIC signal lines, etc. Among them, the connector includes conductive components corresponding to various communication protocols. The conductive component corresponding to one of the communication protocols is used to conduct the conductive contacts corresponding to in two conductive ports at the first position and separate from the conductive contacts corresponding to in at least one conductive port at the second position. For example, one conductive port includes conductive contacts for EtherCAT communication and conductive contacts for PCIE communication. The connector includes a conductive component corresponding to EtherCAT communication and a conductive component corresponding to PCIE communication. Among them, one conductive component can correspond to at least one communication protocol. The signal connection part of the electronic device is used to connect two conductive ports, and the signal connection part includes conductive contacts corresponding to at least one communication protocol in the conductive ports. If the conductive port has conductive contacts corresponding to the first communication protocol while the signal connection part does not have conductive contacts corresponding to the first communication protocol, then even if the electronic device is connected to the connector, the conductive contacts corresponding to the first communication protocol in the two conductive ports cannot be conducted through the electronic device.

[0048] Exemplarily, the movement of the moving part driving the conductive component includes but is not limited to linear movement, rotation, flipping, and irregular movement, so as to drive the conductive component to move to the first position or the second position. Among them, the power of the moving part can be provided manually by the user. For example, the user can manually apply forces such as pressure and tension to the moving part. The moving part can also be connected to a power mechanism, and the power mechanism provides power for the moving part. The power mechanism is, for example, an electric drive mechanism or an elastic mechanism.

[0049] In some embodiments, in addition to the two conductive ports, the connector further includes conductive contacts corresponding to at least one communication protocol, and the conductive contacts are connected to the signal lines corresponding to the communication protocol. That is, the connector includes a plurality of conductive contacts, part of the conductive contacts form two conductive ports, and some conductive contacts do not belong to the two conductive ports. For these conductive contacts, no corresponding conductive components are provided. When the connector is not connected to the electronic device, the signal lines connected to these conductive contacts are equivalent to being open-circuited. When the connector is connected to the electronic device, the signal lines connected to the conductive contacts are in communication with the electronic device. For example, each connector is provided with conductive contacts for connecting PCIE signal lines, and each connector is connected to the processor through the PCIE signal lines. When the electronic device connected to the connector supports PCIE communication (that is, the electronic device includes a PCIE signal connection part for conducting with the conductive contacts), the processor can communicate with the electronic device through the PCIE signal lines.

[0050] In some embodiments, the connector further includes a restoring member, and the restoring member is configured to provide a restoring force for the moving part to return to the first position when the conductive component leaves the first position. For example, when an electronic device is connected to the connector, the gravity of the electronic device is transmitted to the moving part as a pushing force, which pushes the moving part to drive the conductive component to move to the second position. When the electronic device is separated from the connector, the restoring force provided by the restoring member causes the conductive component to return to the first position; for example, a pressure can be applied to the electronic device, and the pressure is transmitted to the conductive component as a pushing force. When the electronic device is separated from the connector, the restoring force provided by the restoring member causes the conductive component to return to the first position. Among them, the restoring member is, for example, an elastic member such as a spring, or an electric drive mechanism.

[0051] In some embodiments, the moving part includes a head end portion and a limiting post connected to the head end portion; the conductive component is connected to the head end portion; the restoring member is a spring sleeved on the limiting post. Among them, the moving part can also be designed in other shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc. Its function is to install the conductive component and connect to the restoring member. When the restoring member is a spring, the movement of the moving part changes the elastic deformation amount of the spring, and the elastic deformation of the spring provides the restoring force. For example, when the moving part moves to the second position, the spring is compressed. Using a spring structure for the restoring member has a simple structure and can achieve automatic reset, thereby realizing the on-off control of the conductive port of the connector through a mechanical structure, with higher reliability.

[0052] In some embodiments, an external support structure is further included. One conductive port includes at least one conductive contact, and the external support structure is used to fix the positions of the respective conductive contacts. The external support structure is, for example, a housing or a frame structure, so as to support and fix the conductive contacts, and moreover, the external support structure can also play a role in protecting the conductive contacts and insulating isolation.

[0053] In some embodiments, a guiding structure for guiding the moving part is further provided on the external support structure. That is, the external support structure cooperates with the moving part to limit the movement of the moving part, which can avoid the movement deformation and detachment of the moving part. For example, the moving part includes a head end and a limiting post connected to the head end, and a guide rail cooperating with the head end and / or the limiting post is provided on the external support structure.

[0054] In some embodiments, a conductive port includes at least one conductive contact, the number of conductive components corresponds to the number of conductive contacts, the conductive component includes a pair of communicating conductive extension parts, each conductive extension part corresponds to a conductive contact, the conductive extension part has a first conductive end protruding towards its corresponding conductive contact, each conductive contact has a second conductive end protruding towards its corresponding conductive extension part, and when the conductive component conducts two conductive ports, the conductive extension part abuts against the conductive contact. The conductive component is used to conduct a pair of conductive contacts of two conductive ports. In order to ensure the reliability of their contact, the conductive extension part of the conductive component is provided with a protruding first conductive end, and the conductive contact is provided with a protruding second conductive end, so that when the conductive component moves to the first position, the two are abutted through the first conductive end and the second conductive end, reducing the possibility of contact failure between the conductive component and the conductive contact.

[0055] In some embodiments, the pair of conductive extension parts of the conductive component are connected by a clamping connection part, and when the conductive component conducts two conductive ports, the first conductive end of the conductive extension part is squeezed by the second conductive end towards the clamping connection part. Since the first conductive end is squeezed by the second conductive end, the squeezing effect can ensure that there is no gap between the first conductive end and the second conductive end, thus avoiding poor contact.

[0056] The connector provided in this embodiment is used as a plug-in connector. When there is no electronic device connected in the plug-in connector, the conductive component and the conductive contact in the connector can still form a communication path inside the plug-in connector. In some application scenarios, multiple plug-in connectors are connected by signal lines to form a network topology, and the plug-in connector and the electrical module are connected by signal lines to form a network topology. Since the connection of the signal lines is generally fixed and non-adjustable, using the connector provided in this embodiment as a plug-in connector, even if some of these multiple plug-in connectors are idle (i.e., not inserted with an electronic device), it can still ensure that the two conductive ports of the plug-in connector are conducted. Therefore, when connecting electronic devices through the plug-in connector to form a data transmission system, for a determined network topology, the number and position of the used electronic devices can be flexibly adjusted, and the number and position of the plug-in connectors connected to the electronic devices can be selected as needed, which is convenient for establishing multiple data transmission paths and more convenient for users.

[0057] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 2 to 9, a specific structure of a connector is provided. Among them, the connector 100 includes a moving part 2, a conductive component 4, a restoring member 3, an external support structure, and two conductive ports. The external support structure is the connecting housing 1, and the restoring member 3 is an elastic member.

[0058] A cavity is provided inside the connecting housing 1, and an opening 11 communicating with the cavity is provided at the top of the connecting housing 1; the direction from the bottom of the connecting housing 1 to the top of the connecting housing 1 is the length direction of the connecting housing. Among them, the connecting housing 1 can be made of an insulating material, such as rubber, plastic, etc.

[0059] The moving part 2 is movably arranged in the cavity along the length direction of the connecting housing 1. Among them, the moving part 2 can be made of an insulating material, such as rubber, plastic, etc.

[0060] The restoring member 3 is arranged in the cavity of the connecting housing 1 and is connected to the moving part 2; the restoring member 3 is used to provide a restoring force for the moving part 2 to return to the first position when the moving part 2 leaves the first position. Among them, the restoring member 3 can be an element with elastic deformation ability, such as a spring, an elastic block; when the restoring member 3 is in the initial state (for example, when only the gravity of the moving part 2 exists or no pressure is applied to the restoring member 3), the conductive component 4 connected to the moving part 2 is located at the first position; when the moving part 2 leaves the first position and the restoring member 3 is compressed to the preset state, the conductive component 4 connected to the moving part 2 is in the second position.

[0061] The conductive component 4 is connected to the moving part 2 and moves with the movement of the moving part 2. The conductive component 4 is made of copper alloy, and gold can also be plated on its surface to improve the conductive performance.

[0062] Two conductive ports, one conductive port includes at least one conductive contact 5. The conductive contact 5 is connected to the connecting housing 1. The conductive contact 5 includes a conductive connection terminal 51 on the side of the moving part 2. The end of the conductive connection terminal 51 forms a conductive extension end 52. The conductive extension ends 52 of the respective conductive connection terminals 51 penetrate the bottom of the connecting housing 1, and the signal line is connected to the conductive extension ends 52 of the respective conductive contacts. The conductive contact 5 is made of copper alloy, and gold can also be plated on its surface to improve the conductive performance.

[0063] The opening 11 at the top of the connecting housing 1 is used to insert an electronic device connected to the connector. The electronic device inserted through the opening 11 generates a thrust acting on the moving part 2. The moving part 2 moves in the direction of the bottom of the connecting housing 1 under the action of the thrust, so that the conductive component 4 moves with the moving part 2 to the second position. After the electronic device is pulled out, the moving part 2 drives the conductive component 4 to move to the first position under the action of the restoring force of the restoring member 3.

[0064] Such as Figure 2 AndFigure 3 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of a connection housing 1, which is generally rectangular parallelepiped in shape, has a cavity inside, an opening 11 at the top, and positioning posts 12 at the bottom of the connection housing 1. Exemplarily, the number of the positioning posts 12 is two, and the positioning posts 12 can be used for positioning the connector 100 when it is assembled to the mounting surface. For example, when the connector is installed on the backplane, the backplane is a printed circuit board, and the positioning posts 12 are inserted into the corresponding positioning holes on the backplane to position and limit the connector 100, so as to facilitate the alignment of the solder joints at the bottom of the connection housing 1 with the pads on the backplane before welding. The conductive extension end 52 passing through the connection housing 1 is connected to the signal line arranged on the surface or inside of the backplane. In other embodiments, the connection housing 1 can also be designed as a cylindrical shape or other structures, and the shape, position and number of the positioning posts 12 can be adjusted adaptively according to the shape of the connection housing 1 and the connection method of assembling the connector 100 to the mounting surface.

[0065] As Figure 4 shown in Figure 5 it is a schematic diagram of a moving part 2; the moving part 2 has a head end 21 and a limiting post 22 connected to the head end 21; the conductive component 4 is connected to the head end 21; the restoring member 3 is a spring sleeved on the limiting post 22, and one end of the restoring member 3 abuts against the head end 21 and the other end abuts against the bottom of the connection housing 1, and the length of the limiting post 22 is less than the initial length of the spring without external force; further, please refer to Figures 4 to 6 , there are protruding parts 211 on the left and right sides of the head end 21 of the moving part 2, and the protruding parts 211 can be in guiding cooperation with the guide rails 13 on the left and right two cavity walls corresponding to the inside of the connection housing 1 to limit the displacement direction of the moving part 2 and avoid lateral deviation when it moves along the length direction of the connection housing 1.

[0066] As Figures 7 to 9As shown, the conductive component 4 has a pair of connected conductive extension parts 41 arranged on both sides of the moving part 2. A pair of conductive connection terminals 51 of the two conductive ports correspond to a pair of conductive extension parts 41 of one conductive component 4. The pair of conductive connection terminals 51 of the two conductive ports are arranged in the cavities on both sides of the moving part 2. Each conductive connection terminal 51 is located in the cavity between the corresponding conductive extension part 41 and the connection housing 1. Each conductive extension part 41 has a first conductive end 412, and the first conductive end 412 protrudes towards the direction of the adjacent conductive connection terminal 51. The number of conductive components 4 corresponds to the number of conductive contacts 5. One conductive component is used to connect a pair of conductive contacts 5 of the two conductive ports. Specifically, each conductive extension part 41 has an extension body 411 and a first conductive end 412 connected to the extension body 411. For example, the first conductive end 412 is connected to the bottom of the extension body 411 facing the connection housing 1. For example, the middle part of the extension body 411 is connected with the first conductive end. Among them, the extension body 411 and the first conductive end 412 can be integrally formed. In addition, if the conductive extension part 41 extends to both sides of the restoring member 3, a certain distance needs to be reserved from the restoring member 3, that is, a certain gap is reserved between the two, so as to prevent the restoring member 3 from affecting the movement of the conductive extension part 41.

[0067] Furthermore, the conductive component 4 also has a clamping connection part 413 connecting the pair of conductive extension parts 41, that is, the two conductive extension parts 41 are arranged on both sides of the moving part 2 and connected by the clamping connection part 413. Specifically, the extension body 411 of the conductive extension part 41 is elastically connected to the clamping connection part 413, that is, the two extension bodies 411 can move towards the direction close to the clamping connection part 413 when subjected to pressure and return to the initial position when there is no pressure; when the conductive component conducts the two conductive ports, the first conductive end 412 of the conductive extension part 41 is squeezed by the conductive contact 5 towards the clamping connection part, so as to ensure that there is no gap between the first conductive end 412 and the conductive contact 5. Among them, the clamping connection part 413 and the extension body 411 can be integrally formed.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 4 、 Figures 7 to 9, clamping grooves 23 are formed on the front and rear sides of the moving part 2, and the clamping grooves 23 are open towards the top direction of the connecting housing 1 and towards the direction of a pair of conductive connection terminals 51; the clamping connection part 413 of the conductive component 4 is clamped and embedded in the clamping groove 23 and is in tight fit with the clamping groove 23; notches 231 are formed on the groove walls of the clamping grooves 23, and the clamping connection part 413 has protruding parts that can be inserted into the notches 231; wherein, the clamping connection part 413 includes: two clamping arms 4131 and an intermediate connection part 4132 connecting the two clamping arms 4131, and one of the clamping arms 4131 has a protruding part 41311 that can be inserted into the notch 231, and the other clamping arm 4131 has a one-way clamping protrusion 41312, and the protrusion 41312 of the clamping arm 4131 can cooperate with the notch 231 for clamping to prevent the clamping arm 4131 from sliding in the clamping groove 23. In other embodiments, the two clamping arms 4131 may be provided with the same protruding parts 41311 for inserting into the notch 231, or, one clamping arm 4131 is provided with a one-way clamping protrusion 41312, and the other clamping arm 4131 has no protruding part.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 10 , each conductive connection terminal 51 has a second conductive end 511 protruding towards the direction of the conductive extension part 41 adjacent to it, and one second conductive end 511 corresponds to and cooperates with one first conductive end 412. When the moving part 2 drives the conductive component 4 to be in the first position, the second conductive end 511 and the first conductive end 412 are correspondingly abutted and conduct, and at this time, the second conductive ends 511 on the two conductive connection terminals 51 in the conductive contact 5 and the two first conductive ends 412 in the conductive component 4 form a path. When the moving part 2 drives the conductive component 4 to be in the second position, the conductive component 4 is disconnected from a pair of conductive connection terminals 51, that is, the second conductive ends 511 on the conductive connection terminals 51 in the two conductive contacts 5 are separated from the two first conductive ends 412 in the conductive component 4 and no longer conduct to form a path.

[0070] Exemplarily, there is also another opening at the bottom of the connecting housing 1 that communicates with the cavity to facilitate the assembly of components inside the connecting housing 1; such as Figure 2 and Figure 11 shown, the connecting housing 1 further includes: a bottom plate 6, the bottom plate 6 is assembled at the bottom of the connecting housing 1 and closes the opening at the bottom of the connecting housing 1, and at this time, the bottom plate 6 forms the bottom of the connecting housing 1; wherein, the assembly method between the bottom plate 6 and the connecting housing 1 is: the bottom plate 6 has a plurality of bent buckles, and the buckles on the bottom plate 6 can be in tight fit with the connecting housing 1, such as Figure 2As shown, the bottom plate 6 has two pairs of snap fasteners arranged oppositely, and the two pairs of snap fasteners are respectively clamped with the bosses at corresponding positions on the connecting housing 1; the material of the bottom plate 6 is metal, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, etc. Holes or groove structures can be provided on the bottom plate 6 so that the conductive extension end 52 of the conductive contact 5 penetrates through the bottom of the connecting housing 1 through the hole or groove structure.

[0071] Further, please refer to Figure 10 , the conductive connection terminal 51 also has a conductive connection terminal body 512, and the second conductive end 511 is elastically connected to the conductive connection terminal body 512, that is, the second conductive end 511 can displace in the direction close to the conductive connection terminal 51 when under pressure and return to the initial position when there is no pressure. A hollow area for the second conductive end 511 to be embedded is provided on the conductive connection terminal body 512 so that the second conductive end 511 can move in the direction close to the conductive connection terminal 51 when under pressure. The design of the hollow area can also save materials, reduce manufacturing costs and manufacturing difficulties. Among them, the conductive connection terminal body 512 and the second conductive end 511 can be integrally formed.

[0072] The extension body 411 is elastically connected to the clamping connection part 413, that is, the two extension bodies 411 can displace in the direction close to the clamping connection part 413 when under pressure, and the second conductive end 511 is elastically connected to the conductive connection terminal body 512, that is, the second conductive end 511 can displace in the direction close to the conductive connection terminal body 512 when under a thrust force, so that when the second conductive end 511 contacts the corresponding first conductive end 412, the first conductive end 412 is squeezed to move in the direction close to the clamping connection part 413, and the second conductive end 511 is squeezed to move in the direction close to the conductive connection terminal body 512. Both of them generate a restoring force due to the elastic connection, that is, there is enough elastic force to ensure that there is no gap between the two conductive ends and thus no poor contact.

[0073] Among them, the first conductive end 412 of the conductive component 4 and the second conductive end 511 of the conductive contact 5 are designed for line contact. The two conductive ends slide relative to each other as the moving part 2 moves. The part where the two conductive ends contact is a linear area. Compared with the point contact design, since the contact area is larger and the contact points are not fixed each time, the possibility of contact failure is smaller. In addition, since the first conductive end 412 of the conductive component 4 and the second conductive end 511 of the conductive contact 5 are designed for line contact, the movement of the moving part 2 driving the conductive component 4 to the second position should be understood as the distance that the moving part 2 drives the conductive component 4 to displace from the first position to the bottom of the connecting housing 1 within a preset range, rather than the displacement distance being a specific value.

[0074] The electronic device includes a signal connection part for connecting two conductive ports. In some embodiments, a connection block on the electronic device that is adapted in shape and size to the opening 11 of the connection housing 1 serves as the signal connection part. The connection block has conductive contacts for connecting with the conductive contacts 5 of the connector. When the electronic device is connected to the connector, the connection block of the electronic device is inserted into the cavity of the connection housing 1 through the opening 11, and the conductive contacts on the connection block are electrically connected to the conductive contacts 5 of the connector. In this embodiment, the moving part 2 can be pushed by the connection block of the externally inserted electronic device to move towards the bottom of the connection housing 1, thereby driving the conductive component 4 to move to the second position, separating the conductive connection terminal 51 from the conductive component 4, and electrically connecting the conductive connection terminal 51 to the conductive contacts on the inserted connection block.

[0075] Specifically, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 10 On the conductive connection terminal body 512 of a pair of conductive connection terminals 51, there is also a conductive contact part 5121. The conductive contact part 5121 is located between the moving part 2 and the top of the connection housing 1. The conductive contact part 5121 on the conductive connection terminal body 512 of the conductive connection terminal 51 protrudes towards the cavity. Thus, on the conductive connection terminal body 512 of the conductive connection terminal 51, the protruding conductive contact part 5121 can approach the connection block of the electronic device extending from the opening 11 on the connection housing 1, and the conductive contact part 5121 is electrically connected to the conductive contacts on the connection block. For a pair of conductive contacts corresponding to two conductive ports, the distance between the two protruding conductive contact parts 5121 should not be greater than the width of the connection block of the electronic device, so that after the connection block enters the cavity of the connection housing, the two conductive contact parts 5121 are squeezed to tightly press the connection block, ensuring close contact between the conductive contact part 5121 and the conductive contacts on the connection block. Exemplarily, it can be understood that the upper half of the conductive connection terminal body 512 is the conductive contact part 5121, and the lower half of the body conductive connection terminal 512 is connected to the second conductive end 511. It can also be understood that the conductive connection terminal body 512 is connected to the second conductive end 511 and also connected to the conductive contact part 5121. Among them, the conductive contact part 5121, the conductive connection terminal body 512, and the second conductive end 511 can be integrally formed.

[0076] Refer to Figure 6 and Figure 12, the conductive connection terminal 51 is assembled on the cavity wall inside the connection housing 1. Fixing grooves 14 are formed on the front and rear cavity walls of the connection housing 1, and the two fixing grooves 14 are open towards the bottom direction of the connection housing 1 and towards the direction of a pair of conductive connection terminals 51; the conductive connection terminal body 512 is clamped and embedded in the fixing groove 14; a fixing notch 141 is formed on the groove wall of the fixing groove 14, and the conductive connection terminal body 512 has a protruding portion that can be snapped into the fixing notch 141; wherein, the conductive connection terminal body 512 also has a fixing protruding portion 5121 that can be clamped unidirectionally, and the fixing protruding portion 5121 of the conductive connection terminal body 512 cooperates with the fixing notch 141 for clamping to prevent the conductive connection terminal body 512 from sliding within the fixing groove 14.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 13 , which is a schematic diagram of three states of an electronic device inserted into the connector 100; State 1 means that there is no electronic device inserted into the connector 100 or the electronic device is inserted into the connector 100 but does not touch the moving part 2 (that is, within the range of the distance a shown in the figure when the electronic device is inserted into the connector 100); at this time, the conductive assembly 4 is in the first position, and the two second conductive ends 511 on a pair of conductive connection terminals 51 of the conductive contact 5 are respectively in contact and conduct with the two first conductive ends 412 in the conductive assembly 4. At this time, a path is formed between the second conductive ends 511 on a pair of conductive connection terminals 51 in the conductive contact 5 and the two first conductive ends 412 in the conductive assembly 4.

[0078] State 2 means that an electronic device is inserted into the connector 100 and touches the moving part 2, and the moving part 2 is pushed towards the bottom of the connection housing 1, and the restoring member 3 is compressed. The moving part 2 drives the conductive assembly 4 to move a distance b. During this distance b, the second conductive end 511 and the first conductive end 412 are still in contact and conduct, but they are about to separate. The second conductive ends 511 on a pair of conductive connection terminals 51 in the conductive contact 5 and the two first conductive ends 412 in the conductive assembly 4 maintain a path.

[0079] State 3 means that the electronic device continues to push against the moving part 2 and moves towards the bottom of the connection housing 1. The restoring member 3 is compressed, and the moving part 2 is pushed to continue driving the conductive assembly 4 to move a distance c to the second position. The second conductive end 511 on the conductive connection terminal 51 is separated from the corresponding first conductive end 412, and the conductive assembly 4 and the conductive contact 5 are no longer conductive. The electronic device is respectively in conductive connection with the conductive contact portions 5121 on a pair of conductive connection terminals 51, forming a path of conductive connection terminal 51 - electronic device - conductive connection terminal 51, that is, the electronic device is in conductive connection with the signal line and can transmit and receive data through the signal line, and communicate with the electrical module connected to the signal line.

[0080] Among them, the illustrated d is the total stroke after the electronic device is inserted into the connector 100, and d = a + b + c. Further, the length of the stroke c can be increased to offset the tolerance in the manufacturing process and avoid miscontact between the second conductive end 511 on the conductive connection terminal 51 and the corresponding first conductive end 412.

[0081] In some embodiments, the conductive port is provided with conductive contacts for realizing EtherCAT communication. That is, the connector 100 serves as a plug for realizing EtherCAT communication. The conductive extension end 52 of the conductive contact 5 is connected to the EtherCAT signal line. The EtherCAT signal line is a four-stranded wire. The conductive port of the connector 100 is an EtherCAT port. Each EtherCAT port includes 4 conductive contacts 5, corresponding to 4 EtherCAT conductive contacts of the electronic device. The number of the conductive assemblies 4 is four, corresponding to the 4 conductive contacts of each EtherCAT port. The conductive assemblies 4 and the conductive contacts 5 are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the connection housing 1 so as to be electrically connected to the conductive contacts on the connection block of the electronic device. As Figure 8 shown, it is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of 4 groups of conductive assemblies 4 and conductive contacts 5 in the cavity of the connection housing 1.

[0082] It should be noted that in some of the schematic diagrams in this embodiment, the conductive assemblies 4 and the conductive contacts 5 are both set to four groups as an example, but it is not limited to this. The number of the conductive assemblies 4 and the conductive contacts 5 in the connector 100 can be set as required according to the selected communication protocol, such as one group, two groups, three groups, five groups, etc. This embodiment does not make any restrictions on this.

[0083] The electronic device supporting EtherCAT communication has an EtherCAT signal connection part. The EtherCAT signal connection part is provided with conductive contacts for connecting to the conductive contacts 5 of the connector. The EtherCAT signal connection part is used to conduct electricity with 2 conductive ports when the electronic device is connected to the connector. And the EtherCAT signal connection part cooperates with the moving part of the connector, so that when the electronic device is connected to the connector, the EtherCAT signal connection part of the electronic device can transmit a thrust to the moving part. When the connector is connected to the electronic device, the conductive assembly is pushed open by the EtherCAT signal connection part and moves to the second position, and the conductive assembly is disconnected from the conductive port, and the two conductive ports are in communication connection with the electronic device connected to the connector. As Figure 14 shown, the electronic device A is an electronic device using EtherCAT communication. The electronic device A is connected to the connector X1. The conductive port of the connector X1 has 4 pairs of conductive contact parts 5121. The 4 pairs of conductive contacts for EtherCAT communication on the electronic device A are respectively connected to the 4 pairs of conductive contact parts 5121 in the connector X1.

[0084] Furthermore, for an electronic device that supports multiple communication protocols, there is also a communication connection part on the electronic device that supports a non-EtherCAT communication protocol. The communication connection part is provided with conductive contacts for connecting to the connection terminals of the connector. In this case, as long as the electronic device connected to the connector supports the EtherCAT communication protocol (i.e., has an EtherCAT signal connection part), the conductive component will be separated from the conductive port, and the conductive port will be conducted through the EtherCAT signal connection part of the electronic device. The electronic device can be configured to: when using the EtherCAT communication protocol, receive and process EtherCAT signals; when not using the EtherCAT communication protocol, directly forward the received EtherCAT signals without processing them.

[0085] Exemplarily, the EtherCAT signal connection part includes conductive contacts for EtherCAT communication, which can be in the form of a gold finger. There are 4 exposed copper contacts, i.e., 4 PIN feet, on the gold finger. The front and back sides of the 4 PIN feet form 8 conductive contacts, which are respectively connected to 4 conductive contacts of each of the two conductive ports. The communication connection part includes conductive contacts for non-EtherCAT communication, which can be separately arranged from the EtherCAT signal connection part. For example, the electronic device includes a first connection block and a second connection block. The first connection block serves as the EtherCAT signal connection part, and the second connection block serves as the communication connection part.

[0086] As Figure 15 shown, when the electronic device is inserted into the connector, the EtherCAT signal connection part is inserted into the opening 11 of the connection housing 1 of the connector 100. The gold finger presses against the moving part 2 and moves towards the bottom of the connection housing 1. The restoring member 3 is compressed, and the moving part 2 is pushed to the second position. The first connection component 5 fixed on the moving part 2 also moves towards the bottom of the connection housing 1 accordingly. At this time, the second conductive ends 511 on the conductive strips 51 of the 4 groups of conductive terminals 5 are separated from the corresponding first conductive ends 412 on the 4 groups of conductive components 4, and the conductive components 4 and the conductive terminals 5 are no longer in contact. The gold fingers of the electronic device are respectively conducted with the conductive contact parts 5121 on the 4 pairs of conductive strips 51 of the 4 groups of conductive terminals 5, forming 4 paths of conductive strip 51 - gold finger of the electronic device - conductive strip 51. At this time, the signal connection part of the electronic device is also inserted into the connector and connected to the connection terminals for connecting non-EtherCAT signal lines, and communication with the corresponding communication protocol can be carried out between the two.

[0087] When the electronic device is unplugged from the connector, the restoring member 3 needs to return to its initial state. The restoring member 3 presses against the moving part 2 to move towards the top of the connecting housing 1, and the conductive assembly 5 fixed on the moving part 2 also moves towards the top of the connecting housing 1 accordingly. The moving part 2 is pushed to the first position. The connector 100 is equivalent to a normally closed switch. At this time, the second conductive ends 511 on the 4 groups of conductive terminals 5 are in contact conduction with the corresponding first conductive ends 412 on the 4 groups of conductive assemblies 4.

[0088] The second embodiment of the present invention relates to a data transmission system, including: a backplane, a plurality of electrical modules are arranged on the backplane, and at least one electrical module is the connector described in the first embodiment, and the connector is connected to the EtherCAT signal line.

[0089] The connector can be used for an electronic device involved in data transmission. The electronic device includes but is not limited to: a processor (which can be an industrial computer RTPC), a board card, etc. The types of board cards include: a power board card, a bus board card, a video board card, an I / O board card. The I / O board card can be the following board cards: an AD PWM-IN board card, a DAC board card, an FIU board card, a PWM-OUT board card, a RELAY-IO board card, an RC board card, a PSI5&DSI3&SENT board card, a multi-bus board card (Flexray / CANFD / LIN), an in-vehicle Ethernet board card, etc.; the I / O board card can also be the following special board cards: a current output board card, a thermocouple board card, a battery simulator, a temperature simulator, a motor board card, an IO_HUB board card. The types of data received or sent by the electronic device are, for example, analog signals and digital signals, and can be CAN bus data, LIN bus data, flexray bus data, Ethernet data, in-vehicle Ethernet data, etc.

[0090] The EtherCAT signal line is connected to the electrical module. The connector is connected to the electrical module through the EtherCAT signal line and forms a network topology. Among them, the electrical module can be a device and / or circuit using EtherCAT communication, and can also be another connector or other plug-in with EtherCAT connection terminals.

[0091] In some embodiments, the data transmission system further includes a rack. The backplane is installed on the rack, and a limiter is arranged on the rack. The limiter is used to limit the electronic device. For example, the limiter is a locking mechanism. When an electronic device is inserted into the connector, the locking mechanism fixes the position of the electronic device to ensure the stability of the contact between the front end of the electronic device and the connector.

[0092] In some embodiments, the electronic device is used to connect one or more of a sensor, an actuator, and a controller to receive or send data.

[0093] While EtherCAT has many advantages such as guaranteed communication rate and bandwidth, it can only communicate in a single sequential order step by step. The message is sent from the master station and transmitted to the slave stations. Each slave station receives and processes the message and then sends it to the next slave station. When building a data transmission system using EtherCAT communication in the prior art, multiple connectors are often connected by EtherCAT signal lines. When the user uses the data transmission system, the connectors located between two connectors connected to electronic devices cannot be idle. Otherwise, the electronic devices connected to the connectors upstream and downstream of the idle connector cannot be conducted, and the message cannot continue to be transmitted. That is, the number and connection installation positions of the electronic devices must be fixed, and the number and connection installation positions of the devices cannot be flexibly adjusted, which brings great inconvenience to the user.

[0094] The data transmission system provided by this application uses a connector as a new type of connector. Even if no electronic device is connected, the conductive component can conduct the two conductive ports. Even when the connector is idle, it can also make the electronic devices connected to the connectors upstream and downstream of the connector conductive. The user can flexibly adjust the number of electronic devices used and the connected connectors according to needs, which facilitates the user's use and reduces the difficulty of constructing the data transmission path in the data transmission system.

[0095] In some embodiments, the connector is only connected to the EtherCAT signal line, and at least one connector is also provided on the backplane. The connector is connected to a communication line. The communication line can be one or more of a PCIE signal line, an Ethernet signal line, an IIC signal line, etc. That is, the data transmission system can be connected to electronic devices that support EtherCAT communication and can also be connected to electronic devices that do not support EtherCAT communication. The data transmission system has higher availability, higher customizability and flexibility. The user can use more diverse electronic devices based on the data transmission system and build more diverse data transmission paths. Among them, non-EtherCAT communication is, for example, one or more of communication methods such as PCIE, Ethernet, IIC, and HARD PIN.

[0096] Among them, electronic devices can be divided into a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device. The first electronic device only supports the EtherCAT communication protocol and has an EtherCAT signal connection part with a conductive port for connecting a connector. The second electronic device only supports non-EtherCAT communication protocols and has a communication connection part for connecting a second plug. The third electronic device supports both the EtherCAT communication protocol and non-EtherCAT communication protocols and has an EtherCAT signal connection part and a communication connection part. The connector can connect electronic devices using EtherCAT communication, and the plug can connect electronic devices using non-EtherCAT communication. According to whether the electronic device uses the EtherCAT communication protocol, the electronic device can be connected to the connector and the plug respectively. Among them, the plug can be a traditional pin type or slot type plug.

[0097] Furthermore, a connector and a plug can be arranged side by side or integrally, so that the third electronic device can connect a plug and a connector at the same time. The third electronic device can communicate with the electrical module on the backplane using either the EtherCAT communication protocol or the non-EtherCAT communication protocol.

[0098] In some embodiments, the connector is also connected to the electrical module through a communication line. The communication line can be one or more of a PCIE signal line, an Ethernet signal line, an IIC signal line, etc. The connector can connect electronic devices that support EtherCAT communication and electronic devices that support non-EtherCAT communication.

[0099] In the data transmission system provided in this application, the user can use the EtherCAT communication protocol and / or the non-EtherCAT communication protocol for data transmission. The electronic devices can be arbitrarily installed on different connectors, facilitating the construction of various data transmission paths.

[0100] The above EtherCAT signal line and communication line can be laid on the surface or inside of the backplane. In some embodiments, the backplane is also provided with a power line, which connects the power interface and the connector to supply power to the electronic devices connected to the connector and / or the plug.

[0101] Exemplarily, in addition to the EtherCAT signal line and the communication line, the processor and the plug can also be connected through other signal lines to transmit heartbeat signals, clock signals, reset signals, trigger signals, etc.

[0102] In some embodiments, at least one electrical module on the backplane is a processor, such as a real-time machine or an industrial control computer RTPC. The processor can be directly disposed on the backplane or detachably disposed on the backplane through a processor connector. The processor is connected to at least one connector through an EtherCAT signal line, and the processor communicates with the electronic device through the EtherCAT signal line and the connector. The processor can also be connected to some connectors and / or connectors on the backplane through a communication line, that is, the electronic device can directly communicate with the processor through non-EtherCAT communication. For example, the processor is respectively connected to each connector and each connector on the backplane through a PCIE signal line.

[0103] Exemplarily, the above data transmission system can be used for data acquisition. Connect the electronic device to the connector. The electronic device is also connected to the vehicle bus and the vehicle sensor to collect vehicle data. A plurality of connectors are connected in sequence and finally connected to the processor. The data collected by each electronic device is transmitted sequentially through the EtherCAT signal line and finally reaches the processor, or can be directly sent to the processor through the communication line, and the processor sends it to the host computer or the storage device for storage.

[0104] Exemplarily, the above data transmission system can be used for testing. Connect the electronic device to the connector. The electronic device is also connected to the device under test to send data to the device under test. A plurality of connectors are connected in sequence and finally connected to the processor. The data sent by the processor is transmitted sequentially to each electronic device through the EtherCAT signal line, or can be directly transmitted to the electronic device through the communication line. The electronic device sends data to the device under test according to the received data to implement the test of the device under test. For example, the device under test is a vehicle ECU, and the electronic device is a video board, a bus board, a temperature simulation card, etc. The processor injects data into the vehicle ECU through the electronic device to simulate different vehicle data input into the vehicle ECU, thereby testing the performance of the control algorithm of the vehicle ECU.

[0105] Exemplarily, the above data transmission system can be used for testing. Connect the electronic device to the connector. The electronic device is connected to the device under test and sends data to the device under test, and is also connected to the device under test and collects the feedback information of the device under test. The collected feedback information is transmitted sequentially through the EtherCAT signal line and finally reaches the processor, or can be directly transmitted to the processor through the communication line for analysis by the processor. Among them, the electronic device that sends data to the device under test and the electronic device that collects the feedback information of the device under test can be the same electronic device or different electronic devices.

[0106] The third embodiment of the present application relates to a test system, which includes an electronic device and the data transmission system described in the second embodiment. At least one electrical module is a processor, and the processor is connected to at least one connector through an EtherCAT signal line. The processor communicates with the electronic device through the EtherCAT signal line and the connector.

[0107] The data transmission system can be used for testing. The user can connect the electronic device to the data transmission system and form different data transmission paths to achieve data transmission with the device under test, facilitating the user to construct different test environments for different tests.

[0108] The test system can be used for testing vehicle-mounted devices. The vehicle-mounted devices can be developed or undeveloped, can be mounted on a vehicle or not, and can also be a test bench with a simulation model for simulating a real vehicle-mounted device. The electronic device can be connected to a vehicle bus, a vehicle ECU, an actuator in the vehicle, etc.

[0109] Exemplarily, the electronic device can be the device under test, or the electronic device can be connected to the device under test. For example, the electronic device is used to connect one or more of a sensor, an actuator, and a controller to receive or send data.

[0110] HIL (Hardware-In-the Loop) testing is a testing method widely used in the field of automotive electronic control systems. The hardware platform of an HIL test system generally includes a processor and various boards, etc. The processor runs a real-time simulation model, and various boards are connected to the processor and real hardware devices (such as ECU, sensors, actuators, etc.) to simulate an actual operating environment and test and evaluate the hardware devices.

[0111] In some embodiments, a first connector, a connector, and a second connector are provided on the backplane. The first connector is used to connect the processor, the connector is used to connect an electronic device using the EtherCAT communication protocol, and the second connector is used to connect an electronic device using a non-EtherCAT communication protocol.

[0112] Further, the first connector and multiple connectors are connected through EtherCAT signal lines to form a network topology, such as a series connection to form a ring structure. The processor serves as the EtherCAT master station, and the electronic device connected to the connector serves as the EtherCAT slave station. For the connector without an electronic device connected, its conductive component is located at the first position, and the two conductive ports are short-circuited. The electronic device using the EtherCAT communication protocol can be connected to any connector.

[0113] In some other embodiments, a first connector is provided on the backplane. The first connector is used to connect to a processor. The connector further includes connection terminals for connecting non-EtherCAT signal lines. The first connector is connected to a plurality of connectors via EtherCAT signal lines, and the first connector is respectively connected to each connector via non-EtherCAT signal lines. When using the backplane for data transmission, the processor is connected to the first connector, and the electronic device is connected to the connector. When the electronic device uses the EtherCAT communication protocol, it communicates with the processor via the EtherCAT signal line. When using a non-EtherCAT communication protocol, it communicates with the processor via the non-EtherCAT signal line. For the connector to which no electronic device is connected, or the connector of the connected electronic device that uses the EtherCAT communication protocol, its conductive component is located at the first position, and the two conductive ports are short-circuited.

[0114] Further, the connector can be connected to a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device. The processor can communicate with the first electronic device using the EtherCAT communication protocol and communicate with the second electronic device using a non-EtherCAT communication protocol. For the third electronic device, the processor can communicate with the third electronic device using the EtherCAT communication protocol and / or the non-EtherCAT communication protocol as needed.

[0115] Further, the first connector and the plurality of connectors are connected via EtherCAT signal lines to form a network topology, such as a series connection to form a ring structure. The processor serves as the EtherCAT master station, and the first electronic device connected to the connector can serve as the EtherCAT slave station. For the third electronic device, after it is connected to the connector, if it uses the EtherCAT communication protocol, it can serve as the EtherCAT slave station. If it does not use the EtherCAT communication protocol, the conductive contacts for EtherCAT communication in the conductive ports can be short-circuited through the conductive component. Alternatively, a control program can be set inside the third electronic device to receive and process EtherCAT signals when using the EtherCAT communication protocol, and directly forward the received EtherCAT signals without processing when not using the EtherCAT communication protocol.

[0116] Thus, the test system can be connected to various types of electronic devices, and can more flexibly adjust the electronic devices connected to the test system, facilitating the user to build different test environments.

[0117] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, it should be understood that if necessary, aspects of the embodiments can be modified to adopt aspects, features, and concepts of various patents, applications, and publications to provide additional embodiments.

[0118] In view of the foregoing detailed description, these and other variations can be made to the embodiments. Generally, in the claims, the terms used should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but should be understood to include all possible embodiments together with the full scope of equivalents to which these claims are entitled.

Claims

1. A connector, characterized in that: Used to be detachably connected to an electronic device, comprising a moving part, a conductive component and two conductive ports; The moving part is used to drive the conductive component to move to the first position or the second position; The conductive component is configured to: be connected to the two conductive ports when located in a first position, and be separated from at least one conductive port when located in a second position; The conductive ports are used to connect to electronic devices, and at least one of the conductive ports is connected to an electrical module via a signal line.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A restoring member is also included, which is used to provide a restoring force for the moving part to return to the first position when the conductive component leaves the first position.

3. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The moving part comprises a head end portion and a limiting column connected to the head end portion; the conductive component is connected to the head end portion; and the restoring member is a spring sleeved on the limiting column.

4. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an external supporting structure, wherein one of the conductive ports includes at least one conductive contact, and the external supporting structure is used to fix the position of each conductive contact.

5. The connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The external supporting structure is also provided with a guiding structure for guiding the moving part.

6. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: One of the conductive ports includes at least one conductive contact, the number of the conductive components corresponds to the number of the conductive contacts, the conductive components include a pair of connected conductive extensions, each conductive extension corresponds to a conductive contact, the conductive extension has a first conductive end protruding toward the direction of its corresponding conductive contact, each conductive contact has a second conductive end protruding toward the direction of its corresponding conductive extension, and when the conductive component connects the two conductive ports, the conductive extension abuts against the conductive contact.

7. The connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: A pair of conductive extensions of the conductive component are connected via a clamping connection portion. When the conductive component connects two conductive ports, the first conductive end of the conductive extension is squeezed toward the clamping connection portion by the second conductive end.

8. A data transmission system, characterized in that: It comprises a backplane, on which a plurality of electrical modules are arranged, at least one of which is a connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the connector is connected to an EtherCAT signal line.

9. A data transmission system according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a frame, the back plate is installed on the frame, and a limiter is arranged on the frame, and the limiter is used to limit the electronic equipment.

10. A data transmission system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The electronic device is used to connect one or more of a sensor, an actuator, and a controller.

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