Housing assembly and programmable logic controller

Abstract

The application relates to a shell assembly and a programmable logic controller, the shell assembly comprising: a main body shell, one side surface of the main body shell being provided with a recessed mounting groove; and an extension card, which is detachably mounted in the mounting groove, one of the inner wall of the mounting groove and the side wall of the extension card being provided with a clamping piece, and the other being provided with a matching piece corresponding to the clamping piece; wherein the clamping piece is provided with an inclined clamping surface along a first direction, the matching piece is provided with an inclined matching surface along the first direction, and the clamping piece and the matching piece are clamped and matched through abutment of the clamping surface and the matching surface, so as to fix the extension card in the mounting groove. In this way, the clamping piece and the matching piece are clamped and matched through the inclined clamping surface and the inclined matching surface, the clamping piece and the matching piece are prevented from being buckled to cause the extension card to be separated from the mounting groove, the extension card is reliably fixed in the mounting groove, meanwhile, the installation and dismounting of the extension card are facilitated, the dismounting process is simplified, and the ease of use is enhanced.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on September 23, 2024, application number 2024223181797, entitled "Programmable Logic Controller and Automation Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of automatic control technology, and in particular to a housing assembly and a programmable logic controller. Background Technology

[0004] A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) uses a type of programmable memory to store programs internally, execute user-oriented instructions such as logic operations, sequential control, timing, counting, and arithmetic operations, and control various types of machinery or production processes through digital or analog inputs / outputs.

[0005] When the functions of the PLC itself cannot meet customer needs, expansion cards or modules are typically used to supplement its functionality. Expansion cards are smaller, have less impact on cabinet space, and are less expensive than expansion modules. Therefore, PLCs usually have one or more expansion card slots on their housing to support different types of expansion cards and meet customer expansion requirements.

[0006] Currently, the expansion card is connected to the main unit using a ball-shaped clip, which makes it easy for the expansion card to detach from the main unit, affecting the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a housing assembly and a programmable logic controller that can enable the detachable installation of expansion cards and simplify the installation and removal process, making it easy to use, in order to address the current problem of inconvenient installation and removal of expansion cards in programmable logic controllers.

[0008] Based on the above objectives, this application proposes a housing assembly for use in a programmable logic controller, the housing assembly comprising:

[0009] The main body shell, wherein one side surface of the main body shell has a recessed mounting groove; and,

[0010] An expansion card is detachably installed in the mounting slot. The inner wall of the mounting slot and the side wall of the expansion card each have a snap-fit ​​component and a mating component corresponding to the snap-fit ​​component.

[0011] The snap-fit ​​component has an inclined snap-fit ​​surface along the first direction, and the mating component has an inclined mating surface along the first direction. The snap-fit ​​component and the mating component snap-fit ​​together by the contact of the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface, so as to fix the expansion card in the mounting slot.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the snap-fit ​​component includes an elastic arm and a hook portion. One end of the elastic arm is connected to the inner wall of the mounting groove or the side wall of the expansion card, and the hook portion protrudes from the other end of the elastic arm, with the snap-fit ​​surface located at the hook portion.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the inclination angles of the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface are the same or different, and the inclination angle ranges from 0° to 90°.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member and the mating member;

[0015] And / or, the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component;

[0016] And / or, the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component;

[0017] And / or, the size of the snap-fit ​​component is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component, and the size of the snap-fit ​​component includes at least one of length, width and height.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, the mating component is a snap-fit ​​groove, the mating surface is the bottom wall of the snap-fit ​​groove, and it can abut against the snap-fit ​​surface.

[0019] In one embodiment of this application, the mating member further includes a first protruding step, which protrudes from the mating surface;

[0020] And / or, the mating component further includes a second protruding step, which is disposed on the side wall of the expansion card and transitionally connected to the mating surface.

[0021] In one embodiment of this application, the structure of the mating member is the same as the structure of the snap-fit ​​member.

[0022] In one embodiment of this application, the card connector is disposed on the inner wall of the mounting groove, and the mating member is disposed on the side wall of the expansion card.

[0023] In one embodiment of this application, the snap-fit ​​member includes at least a first snap-fit ​​member and a second snap-fit ​​member spaced apart along a second direction, and the mating member includes at least a first mating member adapted to the first snap-fit ​​member and a second mating member adapted to the second snap-fit ​​member, wherein the fastening force between the first snap-fit ​​member and the first mating member is less than the fastening force between the second snap-fit ​​member and the second mating member.

[0024] In one embodiment of this application, the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is smaller than the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member.

[0025] And / or, the tilt angle of the latching surface of the first latching member is greater than the tilt angle of the latching surface of the second latching member;

[0026] And / or, the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is less than the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member;

[0027] And / or, the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is less than the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member;

[0028] And / or, the size of the first snap-fit ​​connector is smaller than the size of the second snap-fit ​​connector, the size including at least one of length, width and height.

[0029] In one embodiment of this application, the main housing further has a disassembly pry opening near the first snap-fit ​​member, the disassembly pry opening being used to receive a disassembly member for removing the expansion card from the mounting slot.

[0030] In one embodiment of this application, the main housing has at least two mounting slots, which are spaced apart along a third direction, and the same and / or different expansion cards are installed in each mounting slot.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, the inner wall of each of the mounting slots is further provided with a foolproof element, and the side wall of the expansion card is provided with a mounting portion that cooperates with the foolproof element;

[0032] The positions and / or structures of the anti-foolproof elements in at least two of the mounting slots are different.

[0033] In one embodiment of this application, a blocking part is provided in part of the mounting part.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, at least two of the mounting slots include at least a first mounting slot and a second mounting slot, and the anti-mistake component includes at least a first anti-mistake component and a second anti-mistake component;

[0035] The first anti-mistake component is disposed on the inner wall of the first mounting groove, and the second anti-mistake component is disposed on the inner wall of the second mounting groove. The first anti-mistake component and the second anti-mistake component are arranged asymmetrically.

[0036] In one embodiment of this application, the first anti-mistake member and the second anti-mistake member are anti-mistake ribs, the mounting part is a mounting groove, and a blocking part is provided in part of the mounting groove to form a blocking groove;

[0037] The mounting groove mates with one of the first and second anti-mistake components, and the blocking groove interferes with the other of the first and second anti-mistake components.

[0038] In one embodiment of this application, the expansion card includes an installation body and a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes from the installation body, the installation body is installed in the installation groove, the protrusion protrudes from the outer surface of the main body shell, and the protrusion is provided with a socket for inserting a cable connected to the expansion card.

[0039] This application also proposes a programmable logic controller, including a housing assembly as described in any of the foregoing technical features.

[0040] By adopting the above technical solution, this application has at least the following technical effects:

[0041] In the housing assembly and programmable logic controller of this application, when the expansion card is installed into the mounting slot, the snap-fit ​​component contacts the inclined mating surface of the mating component through its inclined snap-fit ​​surface, thereby achieving a snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component to fix the expansion card into the mounting slot. This snap-fit ​​engagement between the inclined snap-fit ​​surfaces of the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component prevents the expansion card from detaching from the mounting slot. The double-inclined surface engagement reliably snaps the expansion card into the mounting slot, making it less likely for the expansion card to fall out, thus improving the user experience. Simultaneously, the snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component facilitates the installation and removal of the expansion card, simplifying the disassembly process and enhancing usability. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a housing assembly according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the housing assembly with the expansion card removed.

[0044] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partially exploded view of the housing assembly.

[0045] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of the housing assembly is shown.

[0046] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The enlarged view of the housing assembly at point A is shown.

[0047] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the housing assembly after the snap-fit ​​parts and mating parts are snapped together.

[0048] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an expansion card in the housing assembly shown from one viewpoint.

[0049] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The diagram shown is a schematic of the expansion card from another perspective.

[0050] Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another expansion card in the housing assembly shown.

[0051] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another expansion card in the housing assembly shown.

[0052] Figure 11 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the housing assembly from another perspective.

[0053] Figure 12 for Figure 11 The diagram shows the installation and removal parts of the housing assembly.

[0054] Wherein: 100, shell assembly; 110, main shell; 111, mounting slot; 1111, receiving opening; 1112, first mounting slot; 1113, second mounting slot; 112, snap-fit ​​component; 1121, snap-fit ​​surface; 1122, elastic arm; 1123, hook; 1124, first snap-fit ​​component; 1125, second snap-fit ​​component; 113, disassembly pry opening; 114, support base plate; 115, support side plate; 116, limiting baffle; 117, foolproof component; 1171, first foolproof component; 1172, second foolproof component; 120, expansion card; 121, mating component; 1211, mating surface; 1213, First protruding step; 1214, Protruding step; 1215, First mating part; 1216, Second mating part; 122, Mounting body; 123, Protrusion; 1231, Socket; 124, Mounting part; 125, Blocking part; 200, Disassembly part. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0056] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0057] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0059] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact, or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0060] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0061] Understandably, when the core functionality of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) cannot meet customer needs, expansion cards or modules are typically used to supplement its functionality. Expansion cards are smaller, have less impact on cabinet space, and are less expensive than expansion modules. Therefore, PLCs are usually designed with one or more expansion card slots to support different types of expansion cards and meet customer expansion requirements. Currently, the connection between expansion cards and the PLC core uses ball joints. This method makes it easy for expansion cards to detach from the unit, affecting user experience. Furthermore, when using ball joints, two covers on top of the expansion card are used to further secure it. Removing or installing expansion cards requires first removing these covers, making the process complex, less user-friendly, and inconvenient for installing and removing expansion cards.

[0062] For this purpose, please refer to Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a housing assembly 100, which is applied in a programmable logic controller. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a housing assembly 100 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shown illustrates the removal of the expansion card 120 from the housing assembly 100. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partially exploded view of the housing assembly 100. This programmable logic controller (PLC) is used in automated equipment to achieve automated control of the equipment.

[0063] The housing assembly 100 of this application can reliably fix the expansion card 120, making it less likely for the expansion card 120 to fall out of the mounting slot 111, thus improving the user experience; at the same time, it simplifies the installation and removal process of the expansion card 120, making it easier to install and remove the expansion card 120 and enhancing usability. The following describes the specific structure of the housing assembly 100 in some embodiments.

[0064] See Figures 1 to 7 In one embodiment, the housing assembly 100 includes a main housing 110 and an expansion card 120. One side surface of the main housing 110 has a recessed mounting groove 111. The expansion card 120 is detachably mounted in the mounting groove 111. The inner wall of the mounting groove 111 and the side wall of the expansion card 120 each have a snap-fit ​​element 112 and a mating element 121 corresponding to the snap-fit ​​element 112, respectively. The snap-fit ​​element 112 has an inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 along a first direction, and the mating element 121 has an inclined mating surface 1211 along the first direction. The snap-fit ​​element 112 and the mating surface 121 abut against each other, causing the snap-fit ​​element 112 and the mating element 121 to snap into each other, thereby fixing the expansion card 120 in the mounting groove 111. Figure 4 for Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of the housing assembly 100 shown. Figure 5 for Figure 4 The enlarged view of the housing assembly 100 at point A is shown. Figure 6 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of the housing assembly 100 after the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 have snapped together. Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an expansion card 120 in the housing assembly 100 shown from one perspective.

[0065] The main housing 110 is the outer housing of the housing assembly 100, and also the outer housing of the programmable logic controller (PLC). The various components of the PLC are located inside the main housing 110, which protects these components. Further details about the PLC will not be provided below. To better describe the structure of the housing assembly 100, a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction are introduced here. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the vertical direction, thickness direction, and top-bottom direction are the first directions, the front-back direction is the second direction, and the left-right direction is the third direction. These first, second, and third directions also apply to other components, and will not be elaborated further below.

[0066] Understandably, when the core functions of a programmable logic controller (PLC) cannot meet customer needs, the core functions can be supplemented by an expansion card 120 to add specific functions to the PLC and meet its performance requirements. Specifically, the mounting slot 111 is recessed along the first direction on the surface of the main housing 110, and the expansion card 120 can be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111 to expand the functionality of the PLC.

[0067] To allow the expansion card 120 to be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111, a snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is used to detachably install the expansion card 120 into the mounting slot 111. Specifically, the snap-fit ​​member 112 is provided on one of the inner wall of the mounting slot 111 and the side wall of the expansion card 120, and the mating member 121 is provided on the other.

[0068] The snap-fit ​​component 112 and the mating component 121 are positioned correspondingly. During installation, the expansion card 120 is aligned with the mounting slot 111, and the expansion card 120 is pressed firmly. Under the pressure, the snap-fit ​​component 112 undergoes elastic deformation and is squeezed into the mating component 121. The snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 abut against each other, so that the snap-fit ​​component 112 and the mating component 121 achieve snap-fit ​​engagement. Through the snap-fit ​​engagement of the snap-fit ​​component 112 and the mating component 121, the expansion card 120 can be reliably installed into the mounting slot 111, preventing the snap-fit ​​component 112 from disengaging from the mating component 121 and causing the expansion card 120 to loosen from the mounting slot 111. This achieves reliable fixation of the expansion card 120 and improves the user experience.

[0069] During disassembly, an external force is applied to the expansion card 120, causing the contact surface 1121 to separate from the mating surface 1211, thereby separating the mating part 121 from the contact part 112. The expansion card 120 then falls out of the mounting slot 111, making disassembly simple and enhancing ease of use.

[0070] exist Figure 3 In the indicated direction, the snap-fit ​​member 112 has a snap-fit ​​surface 1121 along the first direction, and the mating member 121 has a mating surface 1211 along the first direction. Both the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 are inclined surfaces. When the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 are snapped together, the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the inclined mating surface 1211 can contact and engage, allowing the snap-fit ​​member 112 to be snapped onto the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 through the snap-fit ​​surface 1121.

[0071] Thus, the contact engagement between the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the inclined mating surface 1211 enables a reliable snap-fit ​​between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby reliably fixing the expansion card 120 into the mounting slot 111. Furthermore, because the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 engage through the contact engagement of the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the inclined mating surface 1211, rather than through spherical contact, the reliability of the snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is further improved, preventing the expansion card 120 from easily disengaging.

[0072] During installation, the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, and the snap-fit ​​connector 112 engages with the mating connector 121 to secure the expansion card 120 in the mounting slot 111. During disassembly, force is applied to the expansion card 120, causing the snap-fit ​​connector 112 and the mating connector 121 to gradually separate, thus removing the expansion card 120. In this way, the snap-fit ​​between the snap-fit ​​connector 1121 and the mating connector 121, achieved through the contact engagement of the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 121, allows the expansion card 120 to be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111 of the main housing 110. This simplifies the installation and disassembly process of the expansion card 120, making it easier to install and remove and enhancing usability.

[0073] See Figures 3 to 6 In one embodiment of this application, a snap-fit ​​member 112 is provided on the inner wall of the mounting groove 111, and a mating member 121 is provided on the side wall of the expansion card 120. During installation, the expansion card 120 is aligned with the mounting groove 111, and the expansion card 120 is pressed. The snap-fit ​​member 112 undergoes elastic deformation, pressing into the mating member 121, thus achieving a snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121. This snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 reliably installs the expansion card 120 into the mounting groove 111, preventing the snap-fit ​​member 112 from disengaging from the mating member 121 and causing the expansion card 120 to loosen from the mounting groove 111, thereby achieving reliable fixation of the expansion card 120. During disassembly, force is applied to the expansion card 120 to disengage the mating member 121 from the snap-fit ​​member 112.

[0074] Of course, in other embodiments of this application, a mating part 121 may be provided on the inner wall of the mounting slot 111 and a snap-fit ​​part 112 may be provided on the side wall of the expansion card 120. The principle is essentially the same as that of the snap-fit ​​part 112 on the inner wall of the mounting slot 111 and the mating part 121 on the side wall of the expansion card 120. This application will only use the snap-fit ​​part 112 on the inner wall of the mounting slot 111 and the mating part 121 on the side wall of the expansion card 120 as an example for explanation.

[0075] See Figures 3 to 6In one embodiment, the snap-fit ​​component 112 includes an elastic arm 1122 and a hook portion 1123. One end of the elastic arm 1122 is connected to the inner wall of the mounting groove 111, and the hook portion 1123 protrudes from the other end of the elastic arm 1122. The snap-fit ​​surface 1121 is located at the hook portion 1123. The elastic arm 1122 is the main component of the snap-fit ​​component 112. The elastic arm 1122 extends along a first direction, and its top is connected to the inner wall of the mounting groove 111. The elastic arm 1122 has a cantilever beam structure.

[0076] A hook portion 1123 is disposed at the bottom of the elastic arm 1122 and protrudes from the surface of the elastic arm 1122, extending towards the inner side of the mounting groove 111. Simultaneously, the lower surface of the hook portion 1123 is an inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121, making the hook portion 1123 pointed. The snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the lower surface of the hook portion 1123 can contact and engage with the mating surface 1211, achieving a snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby detachably installing the expansion card 120 into the mounting groove 111.

[0077] Furthermore, the elastic arm 1122 has a certain degree of elasticity. When the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the elastic force of the elastic arm 1122 can cause the hook 1123 to engage with the mating part 121. When the expansion card 120 is disassembled, the disassembly force on the expansion card 120 exceeds the elastic force of the elastic arm 1122, and the elastic arm 1122 can drive the hook 1123 to move out of the mating part 121. Optionally, the upper surface of the hook 1123 can be an inclined surface or a plane.

[0078] See Figures 3 to 6 In one embodiment, the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 have the same or different inclination angles. The snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is achieved through the contact engagement between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211. Figure 6 In this embodiment, the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 are inclined from the lower left to the upper right. The snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 have different inclination angles, and the inclination angle of the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 is smaller than that of the mating surface 1211. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 may also be equal.

[0079] It is worth noting that the tilt angle between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 is not limited in principle and can be any tilt angle, as long as the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 can snap into the mating surface 1211. Optionally, the tilt angle between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 can be in the range of 0° to 90°.

[0080] See Figures 3 to 6In one embodiment, the contact width between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 can be adjusted according to the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121. It is understood that the contact width between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 is not limited to a specific contact width and can be any contact width. This allows for adjustment of the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby adjusting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120 to meet the usage requirements of expansion cards 120 in different types / scenarios.

[0081] See Figures 3 to 6 In one embodiment, the contact length between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 can be adjusted according to the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121. It is understood that the contact length between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 is not limited to a specific contact length and can be any contact length. This allows for adjustment of the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby adjusting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120 to meet the usage requirements of expansion cards 120 in different types / scenarios.

[0082] See Figures 3 to 6 In one embodiment, the contact area between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 can be adjusted according to the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121. It is understood that the contact area between the latching surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 is not limited to a specific contact area and can be any contact area. This allows for adjustment of the fastening force of the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby adjusting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120 to meet the usage requirements of different types / scenario expansion cards 120.

[0083] See Figures 3 to 6 In one embodiment, the size of the snap-fit ​​member 112 can be adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121. The size of the snap-fit ​​member 112 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of length, width, and height. For example, the height of the elastic arm 1122 in the snap-fit ​​member 112 along the first direction is not limited to a certain height, but can be any height, so as to adjust the magnitude of the fastening force, thereby adjusting the disassembly force.

[0084] See Figures 3 to 10 In one embodiment of this application, the mating part 121 is a snap groove, the mating surface 1211 is the bottom wall of the snap groove, and can abut against the snap-fit ​​surface 1121. Figure 8 for Figure 7 The diagram shown is an illustration of the expansion card 120 from another perspective. Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another expansion card 120 in the housing assembly 100 shown. Figure 10 for Figure 1A schematic diagram of an expansion card 120 within the housing assembly 100 shown.

[0085] The mating part 121 has a snap-in groove structure and extends in a third direction. That is, the side wall of the expansion card 120 has a snap-in groove recessed in a third direction, which forms the mating part 121. When the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the snap-in member 112 can be snapped into the mating part 121, which is a snap-in groove, and the snap-in surface 1121 can make contact with the mating surface 1211, so that the expansion card 120 can be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111.

[0086] The mating surface 1211 is the lower surface of the mating part 121. The mating surface 1211 is close to the bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 and is opposite to the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​part 112. During installation, the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 can abut against the mating surface 1211 to achieve snap-fit ​​engagement between the snap-fit ​​part 112 and the mating part 121. Moreover, the inclined mating surface 1211 can mate with the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 to facilitate the snap-fit ​​or disengagement of the snap-fit ​​part 112 and the mating part 121.

[0087] Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the structure of the mating member 121 is the same as that of the snap-fit ​​member 112. That is, the mating member 121 also has the structure of an elastic arm 1122 and a hook portion 1123. In this way, when the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the hook portion 1123 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 engages with the hook portion 1123 of the mating member 121, and the expansion card 120 can be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111.

[0088] It is worth noting that regardless of whether the mating part 121 is a snap-in groove or a snap-fit ​​part 112, the principle of mating between the mating part 121 and the snap-fit ​​part 112 is essentially the same. Since the specific structure of the snap-fit ​​part 112 has been introduced above, the following text will only take the mating part 121 as a snap-in groove as an example to illustrate that the snap-fit ​​part 112 and the mating part 121 as a snap-in groove engage in a snap-fit ​​engagement so that the expansion card 120 can be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111.

[0089] See Figure 10In one embodiment, the mating member 121 further includes a first protruding step 1213, which protrudes from the mating surface 1211. That is, the mating surface 1211 has a protruding first step 1213, which protrudes from the mating member 121, forming a snap-fit ​​groove. When the snap-fit ​​member 112 is snapped into the mating member 121, the first protruding step 1213 engages with the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112. The first protruding step 1213 raises the position of the snap-fit ​​member 112, thereby adjusting the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, ensuring a tight fit between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211. This reliably secures the snap-fit ​​member 112 within the mating member 121, preventing it from disengaging.

[0090] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, the mating member 121 further includes a second protruding step 1214, which is disposed on the side wall of the expansion card 120 and transitionally connected to the mating surface 1211. The second protruding step 1214 protrudes from the side wall of the expansion card 120 and is located below the mating surface 1211. Moreover, the inclined mating surface 1211 can extend to the top of the second protruding step 1214.

[0091] Thus, the mating surface 1211 is partially located within the mating member 121 and partially located on the outer side of the mating member 121. The outer mating surface 1211 can mate with the inclined snap-fit ​​surface 1121 below the snap-fit ​​member 112. During installation, the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 can gradually move into the mating member 121 along the outer mating surface 1211 to guide the snap-fit ​​member 112 into the mating member 121. At the same time, the second protruding step 1214 can increase the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211, thereby adjusting the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, so that the snap-fit ​​member 112 is reliably snapped into the mating member 121, preventing the snap-fit ​​member 112 from disengaging from the mating member 121.

[0092] See Figure 3 , Figure 10 In one embodiment, the outer wall of the expansion card 120 is coplanar with the outer surface of the main housing 110. The shape of the outer wall of the expansion card 120 is approximately the same as the shape of the outer surface of the main housing 110. After the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111 of the main housing 110, the expansion card 120 will not protrude from the outer surface of the main housing 110. In this case, the outer wall of the expansion card 120 can be coplanar with the outer surface of the main housing 110. This reduces the space occupied by the expansion card 120 on the outside of the housing assembly 100.

[0093] See Figures 1 to 3 , Figures 7 to 9 In one embodiment, the expansion card 120 includes a mounting body 122 and a protrusion 123. The protrusion 123 protrudes from the mounting body 122, which is mounted in a mounting slot 111. The protrusion 123 protrudes from the outer surface of the main body shell 110. The mounting body 122 is the main component for mounting the expansion card 120. A mating part 121 is disposed on the side of the mounting body 122, and the protrusion 123 is located above the mounting body 122 and protrudes. When the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the mounting body 122 can be installed into the mounting slot 111 and engage with the snap-fit ​​part 112. The protrusion 123 is located outside the mounting slot 111 and protrudes from the outer surface of the main body shell 110.

[0094] Understandably, after the protrusion 123 is provided on the mounting body 122, functional modules can be integrated through the protrusion 123 to increase the functionality of the expansion card 120. In one embodiment, the protrusion 123 is provided with a socket 1231 for inserting a cable connected to the expansion card 120. That is, the side of the protrusion 123 has a socket 1231, and external cables can be inserted into the socket 1231 to connect with the expansion card 120 and enable the expansion card 120 to perform corresponding functions.

[0095] For example, the port 1231 is a network port, the cable is a network cable, and the plug of the network cable can be inserted into the network port to connect the network cable to the expansion card 120. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the port 1231 may also be of other types of structure, and the cable may be of other types of signal transmission lines to achieve connection with the expansion card 120.

[0096] Understandably, expansion cards 120 with different shapes have different expansion functions. The appropriate expansion card 120 can be selected and installed into the mounting slot 111 according to the actual expansion needs of the programmable logic controller. Of course, multiple mounting slots 111 can also be provided on the main housing 110, each slot 111 can accommodate different or identical expansion cards 120 to meet the expansion needs of the programmable logic controller. The number of mounting slots 111 will be mentioned later.

[0097] See Figures 1 to 8 In one embodiment, the main housing 110 has a plurality of snap-fit ​​members 112, which are spaced apart along a second direction. The number of mating members 121 on the sidewall of the expansion card 120 is adapted to the number of snap-fit ​​members 112. A plurality of snap-fit ​​members 112 are provided on one inner wall of the mounting groove 111, which are spaced apart along the second direction. Correspondingly, a plurality of mating members 121 are also provided on the sidewall of the mating members 121, and the mating members 121 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the snap-fit ​​members 112.

[0098] In this way, when the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, each card connector 112 can be locked into the corresponding mating part 121. Through multiple card connectors 112 and multiple mating parts 121, the expansion card 120 can be reliably fixed into the mounting slot 111, preventing the expansion card 120 from coming loose from the mounting slot 111, improving the reliability of the expansion card 120 fixation, thereby realizing the functional expansion of the programmable logic controller.

[0099] See Figures 1 to 8 In one embodiment, a plurality of snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are also disposed on the inner walls opposite to each other in the mounting groove 111 along a third direction. That is, a plurality of snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are disposed in the mounting groove 111 along the second direction and the third direction. Snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are respectively disposed on the inner walls opposite to each other on the left and right sides of the mounting groove 111, and at least two snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are disposed on each side inner wall. Correspondingly, corresponding mating pieces 121 are also disposed on the two side walls on the left and right sides of the expansion card 120.

[0100] When the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the expansion card 120 engages with the corresponding card connectors 112 on both the left and right sides via the mating parts 121, thus securing the expansion card 120 into the mounting slot 111. In this way, both sides of the expansion card 120 are fixed by the card connectors 112, preventing the expansion card 120 from moving within the mounting slot 111 and ensuring reliable fixation to guarantee its performance.

[0101] In this embodiment, four snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are provided in the mounting slot 111, and two snap-fit ​​pieces 112 are respectively provided on the inner walls of the left and right sides of the mounting slot 111. Correspondingly, the expansion card 120 has four mating pieces 121, and two mating pieces 121 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the expansion card 120. In this way, the expansion card 120 can be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111 through the four mating pieces 121 and the four snap-fit ​​pieces 112. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the number of snap-fit ​​pieces 112 in the mounting slot 111 is not limited to four, and can be any other number, and the number of mating pieces 121 is consistent with the number of snap-fit ​​pieces 112.

[0102] See Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 In one embodiment, the main housing 110 also has a disassembly pry opening 113 for receiving the disassembly piece 200 to remove the expansion card 120 from the mounting slot 111. Figure 11 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the housing assembly 100 from another perspective. Figure 12 for Figure 11 The diagram shows the installation and removal parts 200 of the housing assembly 100.

[0103] The pry opening 113 is an opening for facilitating the removal of the expansion card 120. The pry opening 113 is located on one side of the mounting slot 111 in the second direction, specifically on the rear side of the mounting slot 111. The pry opening 113 communicates with the mounting slot 111, and a removal component 200, such as a screwdriver, can be inserted into the pry opening 113. During removal, the removal component 200 moves from the pry opening 113 into the mounting slot 111 using a lever principle, thereby allowing the removal component 200 to pry the expansion card 120 out of the mounting slot 111, thus removing the expansion card 120.

[0104] See Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the mounting slot 111 further has a receiving opening 1111 for receiving the cable of the expansion card 120. The receiving opening 1111 is an opening on one side of the mounting slot 111, located on the other side of the mounting slot 111 in a second direction, specifically on the front side of the mounting slot 111. After the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the cable of the expansion card 120, such as a network cable, can be routed through the receiving opening 1111 to facilitate the connection between the cable and the expansion card 120. At the same time, the cable will not interfere with the main body casing 110, preventing the cable from becoming loose or worn off the expansion card 120, thus ensuring the performance of the expansion card 120.

[0105] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the disassembly pry opening 113 and the receiving opening 1111 are located on both sides of the mounting groove 111 along the second direction. That is, the disassembly pry opening 113 and the receiving opening 1111 are arranged opposite to each other in the second direction and are located on both sides of the mounting groove 111 along the second direction. In other words, the disassembly pry opening 113 and the receiving opening 1111 are arranged on different sides, which facilitates the disassembly of the expansion card 120 and ensures the reliability of the connection between the cable and the expansion card 120.

[0106] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the main body shell 110 includes a supporting base plate 114, a limiting baffle 116, and two supporting side plates 115. The two supporting side plates 115 are disposed opposite to each other in a third direction on the supporting base plate 114. The limiting baffle 116 is disposed on the supporting base plate 114 and connected to one end of the two supporting side plates 115. The supporting base plate 114, the limiting baffle 116, and the two supporting side plates 115 form a mounting groove 111. The other end of the two supporting side plates 115 forms a receiving opening 1111. A disassembly pry hole 113 is disposed on the limiting baffle 116.

[0107] The base plate 114 serves as the base for the mounting groove 111. Two support side plates 115 are positioned opposite each other along a third direction on the base plate 114, and the distance between the two support side plates 115 is adapted to the dimensions of the expansion card 120 along a third direction. This allows the expansion card 120 to be installed between the two support side plates 115. A limiting baffle 116 is located at the rear of the base plate 114 and connects the two support side plates 115, which are open at the front.

[0108] The openings on the front of the two supporting side plates 115 serve as receiving openings 1111. Thus, the supporting base plate 114, the two supporting side plates 115, and the limiting baffle 116 can form an integral, through-type mounting groove 111, meaning the mounting groove 111 is open on three sides. This allows the mounting groove 111 to penetrate the entire main body shell 110 in the second direction, maximizing the usable space for the expansion card 120 layout and enabling compatible designs for multiple expansion card models 120.

[0109] Furthermore, after the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the expansion card 120 can protrude from the outer surface of the main casing 110. Simultaneously, the mounting slot 111 is also exposed on the front and top sides of the expansion card 120. In this way, the mounting slot 111 can accommodate a larger expansion card 120 without requiring additional space on the main casing 110 for its installation, thus facilitating the installation of the expansion card 120. Moreover, for expansion cards 120 of different sizes, as long as the expansion card 120 can be fitted into the mounting slot 111, the through-hole mounting slot 111 can accommodate the expansion card 120, increasing the application types of the expansion card 120.

[0110] A snap-fit ​​connector 112 is disposed on the support side plate 115. When the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111, the side wall of the expansion card 120 is opposite to the support side plate 115, so that the snap-fit ​​connector 112 can be snapped into the mating part 121. Furthermore, a disassembly pry opening 113 is disposed on the limiting baffle 116, and the disassembly pry opening 113 is located on the rear side of the mounting slot 111 to facilitate the disassembly of the expansion card 120. Optionally, the height of the limiting baffle 116 along the first direction is less than the height of the support side plate 115 along the first direction.

[0111] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12In one embodiment, the latching member 112 includes at least a first latching member 1124 and a second latching member 1125 spaced apart along a second direction, and the mating member includes at least a first mating member 1215 adapted to the first latching member 1124 and a second mating member 1216 adapted to the second latching member 1125. The fastening force of the first latching member 1124 and the first mating member 1215 is less than the fastening force of the second latching member 1125 and the second mating member 1216. That is, the latching member 112 on the rear side (closer to the disassembly pry opening 113) is the first latching member 1124, the latching member 112 on the front side (away from the disassembly pry opening 113) is the second latching member 1125, the mating member 121 on the rear side is the first mating member 1215, and the mating member 121 on the front side is the second mating member 1216.

[0112] Understandably, when plugging and unplugging the cable into the slot of the expansion card 120, if the clamping force between the second connector 1125 and the second mating member 1216 is too small, the expansion card 120 may easily detach from the second connector 1125 and the second mating member 1216 under the insertion and removal force. Furthermore, when disassembling the expansion card 120, if the clamping force between the first connector 1124 and the first mating member 1215 is too large, the expansion card 120 will be difficult to disassemble. Therefore, the housing assembly 100 of this application limits the clamping force between the first connector 1124 and the first mating member 1215 to be less than the clamping force between the second connector 1125 and the second mating member 1216. That is, the clamping force between the rear connector 112 and the rear mating member 121 is less than the clamping force between the front connector 112 and the front mating member 121.

[0113] In this way, the clamping force between the first latching member 1124 and the first mating member 1215 near the disassembly pry opening 113 is relatively small, thereby reducing the clamping force of the first latching member 1124 on the expansion card 120. This results in a smaller clamping force on the expansion card 120 at the disassembly pry opening 113, thus reducing the disassembly force on the expansion card 120. When the expansion card 120 is disassembled, the disassembly member 200 is inserted into the disassembly pry opening 113 and a small disassembly force is applied. At this time, the small disassembly force can cause the first mating member 1215 to disengage from the first latching member 1124. Under the prying action, the second mating member 1216 can be driven to disengage from the second latching member 1125. Thus, the small disassembly force can pry the expansion card 120 out of the mounting slot 111, facilitating the disassembly of the expansion card 120 and ensuring that it does not come loose during use.

[0114] Meanwhile, the second latching member 1125 and the second mating member 1216 have a larger clamping force near the receiving opening 1111, which increases the clamping force of the second latching member 1125 on the expansion card 120. This results in a larger clamping force on the expansion card 120 at the receiving opening 1111, making it less likely for the second latching member 1125 to come loose from the mating member 121. When the cable is plugged into or unplugged into the slot 1231 of the expansion card 120, the larger clamping force between the second latching member 1125 and the second mating member 1216 means that even if the expansion card 120 is subjected to a large insertion or extraction force, the second latching member 1125 is not likely to come loose from the mating member 121. This prevents the expansion card 120 from coming loose from the mounting slot 111, ensuring that the expansion card 120 is reliably fixed in the mounting slot 111.

[0115] Thus, the design requirements for the first latching member 1124 and the second latching member 1125 in the housing assembly 100 of this application are as follows: the first latching member 1124 and the first mating member 1215 have a smaller clamping force to facilitate the disassembly of the expansion card 120; at the same time, the second latching member 1125 and the second mating member 1216 have a larger clamping force to ensure that the expansion card 120 is not easily disengaged from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, thus ensuring that it does not disengage during use.

[0116] In this embodiment, the inner wall of the mounting groove 111 has two snap-fit ​​members 112 along the second direction, namely the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 and the second snap-fit ​​member 1125. Correspondingly, the side wall of the expansion card 120 has two mating members 121, namely the first mating member 1215 and the second mating member 1216. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the inner wall of the mounting groove 111 may also have at least three snap-fit ​​members 112 along the second direction, with the snap-fit ​​member 112 near the disassembly pry opening 113 designated as the first snap-fit ​​member 1124, and the snap-fit ​​member 112 near the receiving opening 1111 designated as the second snap-fit ​​member 1125.

[0117] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12In one embodiment, the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 is smaller than the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the second snap-fit ​​member 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. It is understood that the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 will affect the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby affecting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120. If the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is small, the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is small; conversely, if the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is large, the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is large.

[0118] This application limits the contact area between the contact surface 1121 of the first contact 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 to be smaller than the contact area between the contact surface 1121 of the second contact 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. This limits the clamping force between the first contact 1124 and the first mating member 1215 to be smaller than the clamping force between the second contact 1125 and the second mating member 1216. This satisfies the purpose of easy disassembly of the expansion card 120. At the same time, the expansion card 120 is not easy to disengage from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring that it will not disengage during use.

[0119] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 of the first latching member 1124 is greater than the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 of the second latching member 1125. It is understood that the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 affects the clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby affecting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120. A smaller tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 results in a larger clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, and vice versa.

[0120] This application specifies that the tilt angle of the contact surface 1121 of the first contact 1124 is greater than the tilt angle of the contact surface 1121 of the second contact 1125, thereby limiting the clamping force between the first contact 1124 and the first mating part 1215 to be less than the clamping force between the second contact 1125 and 1216, so as to satisfy the purpose of easy disassembly of the expansion card 120. At the same time, the expansion card 120 is not easy to disengage from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring that it will not disengage during use.

[0121] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 is smaller than the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the second snap-fit ​​member 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. It is understood that the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 affects the clamping force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby affecting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120. If the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is small, the clamping force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is small; conversely, if the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is large, the clamping force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is large.

[0122] This application limits the contact width between the contact surface 1121 of the first contact 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 to be smaller than the contact width between the contact surface 1121 of the second contact 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. This limits the clamping force between the first contact 1124 and the first mating member 1215 to be smaller than the clamping force between the second contact 1125 and 1216, thus satisfying the purpose of easy disassembly of the expansion card 120. At the same time, the expansion card 120 is not easy to disengage from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring that it will not disengage during use.

[0123] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 is less than the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the second snap-fit ​​member 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. It is understood that the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 affects the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, thereby affecting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120. If the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is small, the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is small; conversely, if the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface 1121 of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating surface 1211 of the mating member 121 is large, the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 is large.

[0124] This application limits the contact length between the contact surface 1121 of the first contact 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 to be less than the contact length between the contact surface 1121 of the second contact 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second contact 1126. This limits the clamping force between the first contact 1124 and the first mating member 1215 to be less than the clamping force between the second contact 1125 and the second mating member 1216. This satisfies the purpose of easy disassembly of the expansion card 120. At the same time, the expansion card 120 is not easy to disengage from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring that it will not disengage during use.

[0125] See Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 12 In one embodiment, the size of the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 is smaller than the size of the second snap-fit ​​member 1125, where the size includes at least one of length, width, and height. It is understood that the sizes of the first snap-fit ​​member 1124 and the second snap-fit ​​member 1125 can be adjusted according to the required fastening force between the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121.

[0126] Optionally, the dimension of the latching member 112 is the height dimension of the first latching member 1124 and the second latching member 1125, which is the height of the elastic arm 1122. Specifically, the height of the elastic arm 1122 in the first latching member 1124 is smaller than the height of the elastic arm 1122 in the second latching member 1125. It is understandable that the height of the elastic arm 1122 along the first direction affects the clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, thus affecting the disassembly force of the expansion card 120. A smaller height of the elastic arm 1122 along the first direction results in a smaller clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121; conversely, a larger height of the elastic arm 1122 along the first direction results in a larger clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121.

[0127] This application limits the height of the elastic arm 1122 in the first card connector 1124 to be less than the height of the elastic arm 1122 in the second card connector 1125, thereby limiting the clamping force between the first card connector 1124 and the mating part 121 to be less than the clamping force between the second card connector 1125 and the mating part 121, so as to satisfy the purpose of easy disassembly of the expansion card 120. At the same time, the expansion card 120 is not easy to disengage from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring that it will not disengage during use.

[0128] In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 of the first latching member 1124 is greater than the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121 of the second latching member 1125. Simultaneously, the contact width between the latching surface 1121 of the first latching member 1124 and the mating surface 1211 of the first mating member 1215 is less than the contact width between the latching surface 1121 of the second latching member 1125 and the mating surface 1211 of the second mating member 1216. This satisfies the requirement for easy disassembly of the expansion card 120, while also preventing the expansion card 120 from easily disengaging from the mounting slot 111 under the insertion and extraction force of the cable, ensuring it does not disengage during use.

[0129] See Figures 1 to 4 In one embodiment, the main housing 110 has at least two mounting slots 111, which are spaced apart along a third direction. Each mounting slot 111 houses the same and / or different expansion cards 120. The outer surface of the main housing 110 has at least two mounting slots 111, each capable of housing one expansion card 120. Thus, the housing assembly 100 can accommodate at least two expansion cards 120, enabling the installation of various types of expansion cards 120, thereby expanding the programmable logic controller.

[0130] The expansion card 120 comes in various types, each of which can be installed in some of the mounting slots 111. Typically, certain types of expansion cards 120 are installed in some mounting slots 111, while other types are installed in the remaining slots. Alternatively, some types of expansion cards 120 may be compatible with all mounting slots 111. In this case, the expansion card 120 is installed into the corresponding mounting slot 111 according to its installation position to meet usage requirements. When the expansion card 120 needs to be installed into the housing assembly 100, the type of expansion card 120 and its compatible mounting slot 111 are determined, and then the expansion card 120 is installed into the mounting slot 111. The expansion card 120 is reliably fixed into the corresponding mounting slot 111 through the snap-fit ​​engagement of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, enabling the programmable logic controller to perform the corresponding expansion functions.

[0131] In this embodiment, there are two mounting slots 111, namely the first mounting slot 1112 on the left and the second mounting slot 1113 on the right. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the number of mounting slots 111 can be one, three, or any other arbitrary number. It is worth noting that this application only uses the first mounting slot 1112 and the second mounting slot 1113 as an example for explanation. When the number of mounting slots 111 is other, the principle is essentially the same as when there are two mounting slots 111, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0132] The first mounting groove 1112 and the second mounting groove 1113 are recessed on the outer surface of the main housing 110, and extend through the main housing 110 along the second direction, so that the first mounting groove 1112 and the second mounting groove 1113 form a three-sided open structure, that is, the first mounting groove 1112 and the second mounting groove 1113 are through-type structures. In this way, the larger expansion card 120 can be accommodated through the first mounting groove 1112 or the second mounting groove 1113, without the need to reserve space for the installation of the expansion card 120 on the first housing, which facilitates the installation of the expansion card 120.

[0133] The expansion card 120 comes in various types, each of which can be installed in the first mounting slot 1112 and / or the second mounting slot 1113. Typically, certain types of expansion cards 120 are installed in the first mounting slot 1112, while others are installed in the second mounting slot 1113. Alternatively, some other types can be installed in either the first or second mounting slot 1113. In this case, the expansion card 120 is installed into the corresponding mounting slot 111 according to its installation location to meet usage requirements. When the expansion card 120 needs to be installed into the housing assembly 100, the type of expansion card 120 and its compatible mounting slot 111 are determined, and then the expansion card 120 is installed into either the first mounting slot 1112 or the second mounting slot 1113 to enable the programmable logic controller to implement the corresponding expansion functions.

[0134] See Figures 1 to 8 In one embodiment, the inner wall of each mounting slot 111 further has a misalignment prevention element 117, and the side wall of the expansion card 120 has a mounting portion 124 that mates with the misalignment prevention element 117. The misalignment prevention element 117 is positioned and / or structured differently in at least two mounting slots 111. The misalignment prevention element 117 serves to prevent reverse installation, ensuring that the expansion card 120 can be installed into the corresponding mounting slot 111, preventing the expansion card 120 from being installed into an incompatible mounting slot 111, mitigating the risk of misinstallation, ensuring product functionality, and improving the user experience.

[0135] Optionally, two anti-mistake elements 117 are provided in each mounting slot 111. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the number of anti-mistake elements 117 in each mounting slot 111 can be any number. In this embodiment, the anti-mistake element 117 is an anti-mistake rib, and the mounting part 124 is an anti-mistake groove that cooperates with the anti-mistake rib. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the anti-mistake element 117 can also be an anti-mistake groove, and the mounting part 124 can be an anti-mistake rib that cooperates with the anti-mistake groove; or, the anti-mistake element 117 can also be an anti-mistake buckle, etc.

[0136] Specifically, for ease of description, the foolproof component 117 in the first mounting slot 1112 is referred to as the first foolproof component 1171, and the foolproof component 117 in the second mounting slot 1113 is referred to as the second foolproof component 1172. To prevent the expansion card 120 from being installed backwards, this application provides the first foolproof component 1171 in the first mounting slot 1112 and the second foolproof component 1172 in the second mounting slot 1113, thereby achieving a foolproof effect through the first foolproof component 1171 and the second foolproof component 1172. The expansion card 120 has a mounting part 124, which can be configured to correspond to the first foolproof component 1171 and / or the second foolproof component 1172.

[0137] When the mounting portion 124 of the expansion card 120 corresponds to the first anti-misalignment 1171, the mounting portion 124 of the expansion card 120 does not match the second anti-misalignment 1172. If the expansion card 120 is installed in the first mounting slot 1112, the expansion card 120 can match the first anti-misalignment 1171 through the mounting portion 124, and the expansion card 120 is reliably fixed in the first mounting slot 1112, indicating that the expansion card 120 is installed correctly. If the expansion card 120 is installed in the second mounting slot 1113, the mounting portion 124 does not match the second anti-misalignment 1172, and the expansion card 120 is not securely installed, indicating that the expansion card 120 is installed incorrectly, and the operator needs to adjust the installation position of the expansion card 120. The same applies when the mounting portion 124 of the expansion card 120 corresponds to the second anti-misalignment 1172, and will not be described again here.

[0138] Optionally, the first anti-misalignment component 1171 is positioned differently in the first mounting slot 1112 than the second anti-misalignment component 1172 is positioned differently in the second mounting slot 1113. The first anti-misalignment component 1171 is disposed on one inner wall of the first mounting slot 1112, and the second anti-misalignment component 1172 is disposed on the other inner wall of the second mounting slot 1113. Specifically, the first anti-misalignment component 1171 is disposed on the left inner wall of the first mounting slot 1112, and the second anti-misalignment component 1172 is disposed on the right inner wall of the second mounting slot 1113. The mounting portion 124 of the expansion card 120 is disposed corresponding to either the first anti-misalignment component 1171 or the second anti-misalignment component 1172 to match the first mounting slot 1112 or the second mounting slot 1113.

[0139] Optionally, the first anti-mistake component 1171 can be disposed on the inner wall of the first mounting groove 1112, and the second anti-mistake component 1172 can be disposed on the bottom wall of the second mounting groove 1113, or the first anti-mistake component 1171 can be disposed on the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 1112, and the second anti-mistake component 1172 can be disposed on the inner wall of the second mounting groove 1113.

[0140] Optionally, the first anti-mistake component 1171 is disposed on the inner wall of the first mounting groove 1112, and the second anti-mistake component 1172 is disposed on the inner wall of the second mounting groove 1113, with the first anti-mistake component 1171 and the second anti-mistake component 1172 being staggered. That is, the first anti-mistake component 1171 and the second anti-mistake component 1172 are not collinear in the third direction, thus the first anti-mistake component 1171 and the second anti-mistake component 1172 can also play an anti-mistake role.

[0141] Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the first error-proofing component 1171 and the second error-proofing component 1172 differ in structure, and the first error-proofing component 1171 and the second error-proofing component 1172 are respectively installed in conjunction with the corresponding mounting part 124. In this way, the first error-proofing component 1171 and the second error-proofing component 1172 can also play an error-proofing role.

[0142] Optionally, the first anti-mistake element 1171 and the second anti-mistake element 1172 are anti-mistake ribs, and the mounting portion 124 is a groove that can mate with the anti-mistake ribs. These anti-mistake ribs serve both to prevent mistakes and to guide installation. The first anti-mistake element 1171 is disposed on one inner wall of the first mounting groove 1112, and the second anti-mistake element 1172 is disposed on the other inner wall of the second mounting groove 1113. One type of expansion card 120 is installed into the first mounting groove 1112 through the guiding engagement of the mounting portion 124 and the first anti-mistake element 1171, while another type of expansion card 120 is installed into the second mounting groove 1113 through the guiding engagement of the mounting portion 124 and the second anti-mistake element 1172.

[0143] When the expansion card 120 can simultaneously fit into both the first mounting slot 1112 and the second mounting slot 1113, the inner wall of the expansion card 120 has a mounting portion 124 that fits into the first anti-misalignment component 1171, and also has a mounting portion 124 that fits into the second anti-misalignment component 1172. If the expansion card 120 is installed into the first mounting slot 1112, the mounting portion 124 of the expansion card 120 corresponding to the second anti-misalignment component 1172 needs to be sealed. At this time, the expansion card 120 cannot be installed into the second mounting slot 1113, thus achieving the anti-misalignment function. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the first anti-misalignment component 1171 and the second anti-misalignment component 1172 can also be anti-misalignment buckles, anti-misalignment protrusions, or anti-misalignment grooves, etc., which can achieve the anti-misalignment function.

[0144] In this embodiment, both the first anti-mistake component 1171 and the second anti-mistake component 1172 are anti-mistake ribs, the mounting part 124 is an anti-mistake groove, and two first anti-mistake components 1171 are provided in the first mounting groove 1112. The two first anti-mistake components 1171 are located on opposite inner walls of the first mounting groove 1112 and are arranged asymmetrically. Two second anti-mistake components 1172 are provided in the second mounting groove 1113. The two second anti-mistake components 1172 are located on opposite inner walls of the second mounting groove 1113 and are arranged asymmetrically.

[0145] Furthermore, the two first anti-misalignment elements 1171 in the first mounting slot 1112 and the two second anti-misalignment elements 1172 in the second mounting slot 1113 are also asymmetrically arranged. That is, the two first anti-misalignment elements 1171 in the first mounting slot 1112 are located at the upper right and lower left positions, while the two second anti-misalignment elements 1172 in the second mounting slot 1113 are located at the upper left and lower right positions. In this way, the expansion card 120 of the corresponding type can only be installed in the corresponding mounting slot 111 due to the restriction of the corresponding anti-misalignment element 117.

[0146] See Figures 1 to 8 In one embodiment, the sidewall of the expansion card 120 has a plurality of mounting portions 124 and blocking portions 125, and some mounting portions 124 are provided with blocking portions 125. That is, some mounting portions 124 that are foolproof grooves are provided with blocking portions 125, so that the mounting portions 124 cannot cooperate with their corresponding foolproof members 117, thereby ensuring the foolproof effect.

[0147] Specifically, after the side wall of the expansion card 120 is configured as a mounting portion 124 with a foolproof recess, a blocking portion 125 is then provided in the mounting portion 124, forming a blocking recess. The blocking portion 125 protrudes from the side wall by a certain thickness and interferes with the foolproof component 117. If the mounting portion 124 does not have a blocking portion 125, it is an open recess. The open recess can cooperate with the foolproof component 117, while the blocking recess cannot cooperate with the foolproof component 117.

[0148] When the expansion card 120 can be installed into both the first mounting slot 1112 and the second mounting slot 1113 simultaneously, the side wall of the expansion card 120 has four mounting portions 124 that are open recesses. When the expansion card 120 only supports installation in the first mounting slot 1112, the upper left and lower right mounting portions 124 of the expansion card 120 are provided with blocking portions 125 to form blocking grooves. The blocking portions 125 are protruding and can prevent interference with the second anti-misalignment member 1172 in the second mounting slot 1113, thereby achieving foolproof installation. When the expansion card 120 only supports installation in the second mounting slot 1113, the lower left and upper right mounting portions 124 of the expansion card 120 are provided with blocking portions 125 to form blocking grooves. The blocking portions 125 are protruding and can prevent interference with the first anti-misalignment member 1171 in the first mounting slot 1112, thereby achieving foolproof installation.

[0149] In this application, when the expansion card 120 is assembled with the main body shell 110, the expansion card 120 is aligned with the mounting slot 111 and the expansion card 120 is pressed down. Under the action of the pressing force, the snap-fit ​​member 112 undergoes elastic deformation and is squeezed into the mating member 121. The snap-fit ​​surface 1121 and the mating surface 1211 abut against each other, so that the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121 achieve snap-fit ​​engagement. Through the snap-fit ​​engagement of the snap-fit ​​member 112 and the mating member 121, the expansion card 120 can be reliably installed into the mounting slot 111, preventing the snap-fit ​​member 112 from disengaging from the mating member 121 and causing the expansion card 120 to loosen from the mounting slot 111, thus achieving reliable fixation of the expansion card 120.

[0150] Thus, the latching member 112 engages with the mating member 121 of the expansion card 120 via two inclined latching surfaces 1121, allowing the expansion card 120 to be detachably installed into the mounting slot 111 of the main housing 110. This reliably secures the expansion card 120 to the mounting slot 111, improving the user experience and enabling functional expansion of the programmable logic controller. A disassembly pry hole 113 is provided on the main housing 110. The disassembly member 200 is inserted into the disassembly pry hole 113, and the expansion card 120 can be easily pried out of the mounting slot 111 using leverage, facilitating the removal of the expansion card 120.

[0151] Meanwhile, the clamping force between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121 can be adjusted by changing the tilt angle of the latching surface 1121, the contact area between the latching member 112 and the mating member 121, and / or the height of the elastic arm 1122 along the first direction. In this way, the tightness of the expansion card 120 installation can be flexibly adjusted according to the needs of different expansion functions, enabling the expansion card 120 to be easily disassembled without requiring additional accessories, thus ensuring that the expansion card 120 does not come loose during use.

[0152] Furthermore, the main casing 110 is provided with at least two mounting slots 111 to accommodate at least two expansion cards 120, thereby expanding the functionality of the programmable logic controller. Each of the at least two mounting slots 111 is also equipped with a foolproof insert 117 to prevent reverse installation, ensuring that the expansion card 120 is accurately installed into its corresponding slot. This avoids the risk of incorrect installation, guarantees product functionality, and enhances the user experience.

[0153] This application also provides a programmable logic controller (PLC), including the housing assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. Furthermore, the PLC also includes a control board, etc., which is disposed within the housing assembly 100. When the PLC of this application uses the housing assembly 100 of the above embodiments, the expansion card 120 can be reliably fixed into the mounting slot 111, improving the user experience and enabling functional expansion of the PLC.

[0154] This application also provides an automation device, including a cabinet and a programmable logic controller (PLC) as described in any of the above embodiments. The PLC is housed within the cabinet. This automation device can be applied to industrial fields such as electronics manufacturing, lasers, machine tools, and medical applications. By employing the PLC of the above embodiments, the automation device of this application can achieve automatic control while facilitating the installation and removal of the expansion card 120.

[0155] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0156] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A housing assembly, characterized in that, The housing assembly, used in a programmable logic controller, includes: The main body shell, wherein one side surface of the main body shell has a recessed mounting groove; and, An expansion card is detachably installed in the mounting slot. The inner wall of the mounting slot and the side wall of the expansion card each have a snap-fit ​​component and a mating component corresponding to the snap-fit ​​component. The snap-fit ​​component has an inclined snap-fit ​​surface along the first direction, and the mating component has an inclined mating surface along the first direction. The snap-fit ​​component and the mating component snap-fit ​​together by the contact of the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface, so as to fix the expansion card in the mounting slot.

2. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snap-fit ​​component includes an elastic arm and a hook. One end of the elastic arm is connected to the inner wall of the mounting groove or the side wall of the expansion card. The hook protrudes from the other end of the elastic arm, and the snap-fit ​​surface is located on the hook.

3. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inclination angles of the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface may be the same or different, and the inclination angle ranges from 0° to 90°.

4. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component; And / or, the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component; And / or, the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface and the mating surface is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component; And / or, the size of the snap-fit ​​component is adjusted according to the fastening force between the snap-fit ​​component and the mating component, and the size of the snap-fit ​​component includes at least one of length, width and height.

5. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mating part is a snap-fit ​​groove, and the mating surface is the bottom wall of the snap-fit ​​groove, which can abut against the snap-fit ​​surface.

6. The housing assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mating component further includes a first protruding step, which protrudes from the mating surface; And / or, the mating component further includes a second protruding step, which is disposed on the side wall of the expansion card and transitionally connected to the mating surface.

7. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The structure of the mating component is the same as that of the snap-fit ​​component.

8. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snap-fit ​​component is disposed on the inner wall of the mounting slot, and the mating component is disposed on the side wall of the expansion card.

9. The housing assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The snap-fit ​​component includes at least a first snap-fit ​​component and a second snap-fit ​​component spaced apart along a second direction. The mating component includes at least a first mating component adapted to the first snap-fit ​​component and a second mating component adapted to the second snap-fit ​​component. The fastening force between the first snap-fit ​​component and the first mating component is less than the fastening force between the second snap-fit ​​component and the second mating component.

10. The housing assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is smaller than the contact area between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member. And / or, the tilt angle of the latching surface of the first latching member is greater than the tilt angle of the latching surface of the second latching member; And / or, the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is less than the contact width between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member; And / or, the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface of the first snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the first mating member is less than the contact length between the snap-fit ​​surface of the second snap-fit ​​member and the mating surface of the second mating member; And / or, the size of the first snap-fit ​​connector is smaller than the size of the second snap-fit ​​connector, the size including at least one of length, width and height.

11. The housing assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The main housing also has a disassembly pry opening near the first snap-fit ​​component. The disassembly pry opening is used to receive the disassembly component to remove the expansion card from the mounting slot.

12. The housing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The main housing has at least two mounting slots, which are spaced apart along a third direction, and the same and / or different expansion cards are installed in each mounting slot.

13. The housing assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, The inner wall of each of the mounting slots also has a foolproof element, and the side wall of the expansion card has a mounting portion that mates with the foolproof element; The positions and / or structures of the anti-foolproof elements in at least two of the mounting slots are different.

14. The housing assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, A blocking part is provided in part of the mounting part.

15. The housing assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, The at least two mounting slots include at least a first mounting slot and a second mounting slot, and the foolproof component includes at least a first foolproof component and a second foolproof component; The first anti-mistake component is disposed on the inner wall of the first mounting groove, and the second anti-mistake component is disposed on the inner wall of the second mounting groove. The first anti-mistake component and the second anti-mistake component are arranged asymmetrically.

16. The housing assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that, The first and second anti-mistake components are anti-mistake ribs, the mounting part is a mounting groove, and a blocking part is provided in part of the mounting groove to form a blocking groove; The mounting groove mates with one of the first and second anti-mistake components, and the blocking groove interferes with the other of the first and second anti-mistake components.

17. The housing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The expansion card includes an installation body and a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes from the installation body, the installation body is installed in the installation slot, and the protrusion protrudes from the outer surface of the main body shell. The protrusion is provided with a socket for inserting a cable connected to the expansion card.

18. A programmable logic controller, characterized in that, Includes the housing assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

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