Modular electrical workstation

Abstract

Modular electrical workstation with several interconnected basic modules (10-14, 30) in which data lines (41) and an electrical supply line arrangement (43, 44) designed as a chain run in the series direction via opposing plug or contact connections, wherein the basic modules (10-14, 30) have interfaces for attaching work modules (15-19, 31) via which the work modules (15-19, 31) are connected to the data lines (41) and / or the supply line arrangement (43, 44), wherein at least one work module (15) is designed as a bus station provided with at least one bus connection (22, 23) for an external bus line, characterized in that the basic modules (10-14, 30) each have an interface (45) on a side not provided with the work modules (15-19, 31) to have a detachable fastening of a supply connection (26, 27, 29, 37-42),which in the fixed state is electrically connected to the supply line arrangement (43, 44) via the interface (45), and wherein at least two supply terminals (26, 27, 29, 37-42) are electrically connected to each other via the supply line arrangement (43, 44), one of which forms a supply input and the other a supply output, so that several operating voltages can be supplied to the workstation in a variable manner.

Description

The invention relates to a modular electrical workstation with several interconnected basic modules, each having interfaces for attaching work modules. Such a workstation is known, for example, from DE 19959476 B4. US Patent 2007 / 0073912 A1 discloses a remote control device for a programmable controller, which is connected to a programmable controller via a fieldbus, wherein the device comprises: a communication unit; and at least one I / O unit capable of communicating with the communication unit via a serial bus line, wherein the communication unit has a device that receives unit information for identifying each connected I / O unit and setting value information set in each I / O unit, and the communication unit has a backup device capable of storing the received unit information and setting value information of each I / O unit in a storage medium included in the communication unit. DE 296 07 525 U1 discloses a modular, modularly expandable peripheral device for controlling and / or monitoring a technical process, consisting of a basic module to which at least one supply voltage can be supplied, to which at least one expansion module can be connected, wherein both the basic module and the at least one connectable expansion module can be connected with actuators and / or sensors for controlling and / or monitoring the technical process. The familiar workstation and other similar workstations have a power supply connection to provide all components with a supply voltage. Furthermore, the workstation can be connected to an external control unit or control center via a bus cable and has a bus connection for this purpose, such as a fieldbus connection. The various components of the workstation can then be controlled via a bus station, and feedback, such as sensor readings, can be sent back to the control center. A complete system often consists of several workstations controlled by a central control unit. Each workstation requires a supply voltage, or multiple supply voltages. Connecting multiple workstations therefore necessitates splitters such as T-connectors or other distribution pieces for the supply voltage. Especially when different supply voltages are required and supplied, this results in complex and confusing cabling. Furthermore, various connection modules or electronic modules must be available to accommodate the different operating voltage requirements of the various workstations. One object of the present invention is to create a modular electrical workstation to which one or more operating voltages can be supplied in a variable manner, regardless of the specific module combination, without the need for cable branches of the power supply cables in the case of an arrangement of several workstations. This problem is solved according to the invention by a workstation with the features of claim 1. Since, according to the invention, all basic modules are equipped with an interface for the detachable attachment of a power supply connection, such power supply connections can be attached to the workstation in a variable manner and in a variable number, depending on the required supply voltages. To supply additional workstations, supply voltages can be output and supplied to other workstations via these power supply connections, thus eliminating the need for branches, T-junctions, or multiple branches. Any voltage inputs and outputs for additional workstations can be added and modified without altering the module structure itself. If the workstation is subsequently expanded with further modules, additional power supply connections can be easily added or existing power supply connections modified. The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous further development and improvements of the workstation specified in claim 1. The working modules are expediently arranged on the top of the base modules and the supply connections on an adjacent side, in particular arranged in a pluggable or attachable manner, so that they can be easily exchanged or replaced. To avoid having exposed contacts, interfaces not equipped with power supply connections are preferably fitted with removable covers. The working modules are advantageously designed as connection modules equipped with connections for external sensors and / or actuators, and / or as actuator modules and / or as sensor modules. The data lines running through the series of basic modules are advantageously internal bus lines, with each working module being equipped with a corresponding bus station. In a simpler version, the data lines can also be parallel lines. The basic modules can be optionally fitted with power supply connections of the same and / or different types, allowing for easy adaptation to different cables with different connection systems or plug systems. Preferably, the power supply connections are at least partially designed as AIDA push-pull connectors. In a preferred embodiment, the basic modules have electrical connections for the data lines and power supply lines of the power supply arrangement, which, when the basic modules are connected in series, at least partially and automatically form the corresponding electrical connections. Optionally, basic modules with power supply lines for two-way connection and / or basic modules with power supply lines for one-way connection and / or basic modules with power supply lines for both two-way and one-way connection are provided, depending on whether the respective supply voltage is to be routed to the next basic module in the series or not. In an advantageous embodiment, actuators, particularly those designed as fluidic valves, can be attached to the series of basic modules, with the linking of the data and supply lines continuing in the actuators for their control and power supply. Several actuators can form a group with a common bus station, for example, if the actuators are a group of plate valves connected in series. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the supply line arrangement can have at least two supply lines for different supply voltages, wherein at least one supply connection for feeding in or outputting these supply voltages is connected to the at least two supply lines in the fixed state. This allows several supply voltages to be fed in or output simultaneously via a single supply connection. The basic modules preferably have an essentially identical geometry and preferably identical interfaces, so that they can be manufactured and assembled as uniform modules, with the desired functions being realized by means of variably attached working modules. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a workstation equipped with five basic modules and five working modules, which is provided with two identical supply connections; Fig. 2 the same arrangement with two different supply connections attached to another pair of basic modules; Fig. 3 a workstation consisting of six basic and working modules, the series arrangement of which is extended by a valve manifold and which is provided with two supply connections configured as voltage inputs and two supply connections configured as voltage outputs; Fig. 4 a simplified representation of the electrical lines in the workstation according to Fig. 3; Fig. 5 an arrangement of two different workstations, one of which supplies the other with supply voltages; and Fig.6 an arrangement of three workstations, the first of which supplies the other two with supply voltages. The modular electrical workstation 7 shown in perspective in Fig. 1 as an embodiment of the invention essentially consists of five base modules 10-14 arranged in a row, onto which five work modules 15-19 are mounted or plugged. The two end faces of the row arrangement are covered by end elements 20. The base modules 10-14 and the two end elements 20 are screwed together by means of screw fixings 21 and thus form a self-supporting unit. Alternatively, the base modules 10-14 could also be mounted on a support rail or fixed together by means of other known fixing devices. The first work module 15, viewed from the left, is designed as a bus station, or rather contains a bus station, with two bus connections 22 and 23 serving as bus interfaces, for example, as fieldbus interfaces. Such a fieldbus could, for example, be a ProfiNet fieldbus. The incoming bus line is plugged into one bus connection 22, while the second bus connection 23 serves to continue the bus line to another workstation or other electrical device. The two working modules 16 and 17 are designed as I / O modules and each has four connection sockets 24 that can be connected to external sensors or actuators via cables. Working modules 18 and 19 are also designed as I / O modules and each have eight connection sockets 25 that serve the same purpose. It is also possible that working modules 16 and 17 are intended or designed only for connection to external actuators, and working modules 18 and 19 only for connection to external sensors or other feedback devices. On the front side of the base modules 10-14, which is perpendicular to the upper side and equipped with the work modules 15-19, the base modules 10-14 have interfaces for the detachable attachment of power supply connections. As shown in Fig. 1, such power supply connections 26, 27 are attached to the first base module 10 and the fourth base module 13, for example, by screws or snap-in mounting. The interfaces of the remaining base modules 11, 12, and 14 are provided with covers 28. These covers are optional; that is, the interfaces can also remain uncovered, provided there is no risk of contamination or short circuits. The power supply connections provide voltage to the workstation and its modules.The power supply connection 26 serves as the power input, and the electrically connected power supply connection 27 serves as the power output, through which further workstations or other loads can be connected to the supply voltage. The electrical wiring and the electrical connections inside the workstation will be explained in more detail later in conjunction with Figures 3 and 4. The second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 essentially depicts the same workstation 7 with the same basic modules 10-14 and working modules 15-19. Identical or equivalent components or elements are designated with the same reference numerals and are not described again. In contrast to the first embodiment, the power supply connection 27 on the fourth basic module 13, which is now covered, is omitted. Instead, a power supply connection 29 is attached to the second basic module 11, the system or standard of which differs from that of the power supply connection 26. The power supply connections 26 and 27 are so-called AIDA push-pull connectors, while the power supply connection 29 is a 7 / 8" connection.This can in turn be configured as a supply output, but it is also possible that it is another supply input for a further supply voltage. This is intended to show that identical or different supply connections can be attached to the basic modules 10-14 at variable positions, and the number of these connections can also vary, as the following examples illustrate. In the third embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3, identical or equivalent components are again provided with the same reference numerals and are not described again. Compared to the first two embodiments, in this case, a further basic module 30 is added to the workstation 8 in the series arrangement of basic modules 10-14 and working modules 15-19. This basic module 30 is provided with a working module 31. The working module 31 corresponds to the two working modules 18 and 19. Two valve banks 32 and 33 are also connected to this series arrangement. The first valve bank 32 consists of an electronics and / or distribution module 34 and seven fluidic plate valves 35, while the second valve bank 33 has an electronics and / or distribution module 36 and six plate valves 35. The first basic module 10 has the supply connection 26 attached, and the second basic module 11, as well as the fourth and fifth basic modules 13 and 14, have further supply connections 37-39. Supply connections 37 and 39 are configured as supply outputs and supply connection 38 as a supply input, as explained in more detail in connection with the following Fig. 4. The four supply connections 26 and 37-39 all conform to the same standard, although this is not mandatory. Fig. 4 schematically shows the electrical wiring in the workstation 8 shown in Fig. 3. The working module 15 contains a bus station 40, which is connected to the two bus terminals 22, 23. From this bus station 40, an internal bus 41 extends in series through all basic modules 10-14 and 30, as well as through the two valve banks 32, 33. This internal bus 41 is designed as a daisy chain, meaning that when the basic modules 10-14 and 30, as well as the valve banks 32, 33, are connected in series, the electrical bus connections are established automatically, for example, by means of opposing plug or contact connections. Each working module 15-19, as well as the two electronics and / or distribution modules 34, 36, each contains a bus station 42, via which the bus 41 can communicate with the connection sockets 24, 25, the components connected to them, and the plate valves 35. Control and any feedback to a central station are carried out via bus station 40 in the first work module 15.For the sake of simplicity, the connection sockets 24, 25 and their connection to the bus stations 42 are not shown, nor are the connections of the bus stations 42 in the electronic and / or distribution modules 34, 36 to the plate valves 35, which are designed as solenoid valves. When the working modules 15-19, 21 are plugged or attached to the base modules 10-14, 30, the electrical connections are made automatically, for example, according to the prior art described above. Power supply lines 43, 44 run through the base modules 10-14, 30 and the subsequent electronic and / or distribution modules 34, 36. These are also daisy-chained, meaning that when the base modules 10-14, 30 and the electronic and / or distribution modules 34, 36 are connected in series, the corresponding connections are made automatically, similar to the internal bus 41. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two power supply lines 43, 44; however, depending on requirements, there can also be only one power supply line or a larger number of power supply lines. Power supply lines 43 and 44 are each internally connected to interfaces 45, to which supply terminals 26 and 37-39 are attached. Two 24-volt supply voltages are fed into power supply lines 43 and 44 via supply terminal 26. The voltage fed into power supply line 43 powers the electronic components of the workstation, such as bus stations 40 and 42. Power supply line 43 thus extends through all base modules 10-14 and 30, as well as the electronics and / or distribution modules 34 and 36. The supply voltage fed into power supply line 44 powers actuators, such as those connected to or connectable to the connection sockets 24 of work modules 16 and 17.These two supply voltages can be disconnected or tapped via supply terminal 37 and are therefore available for connecting supply lines for additional workstations or electrical loads. The voltage supply line 44 is interrupted in the fourth basic module 13, for example, by a missing or interrupted section of the line to the daisy-chain terminal, or by an interruption at the daisy-chain terminal. This allows an additional supply voltage of, for example, 12 volts to be fed into the voltage supply line 44 via supply terminal 38 on the fourth basic module 13. This voltage is used, for example, to operate the actuating solenoids of the valve manifolds 32, 33, or other connected loads. This supply voltage can be different, for example, 12 volts or another required voltage.The connection from the interface or supply terminal 38 to other power supply lines 43 is either interrupted or the corresponding terminal of the supply terminal 38 remains open, so that a connection to the power supply line 43 is ineffective. The two supply voltages present in the base module 14 can then be tapped via the supply terminal 39 and made available to other external devices via cables. In this embodiment as well, the type, number, and position of the supply connections 26, 37-39 are freely selectable. The number and type of supplied voltages can also be varied. The interfaces 45 not equipped with supply connections 26, 37-39 can optionally be fitted with covers. For the sake of simplicity, the connections of the power supply lines 43, 44 to the bus stations 40, 42, the connection sockets 24, 25 and the plate valves 35 are not shown and are implemented in the respective working modules 15-19, 31 and the electronic and / or distribution modules 34, 36. When the working modules 15-19, 31 and the electronic and / or distribution modules 34-36 are plugged in or attached, these connections, as well as the bus connections, are established automatically, as shown, for example, in the prior art described above. For the sake of simplicity, only the electronic and / or distribution modules 34, 36 of the two valve banks 32, 33 are shown in Fig. 4. The internal bus 41 and the power supply lines 43, 44 naturally also extend through the fluidic plate valves 35. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, a workstation 8 according to Fig. 3 is provided with only two supply connections 26, 38 on the first and fourth base modules. According to Fig. 3, the two supply voltages or only one supply voltage can be fed in via supply connection 26, while supply connection 38, used as a supply output, serves to bring these voltages out or to tap them off. The voltage supply lines, which run in series through the base modules, are not interrupted here. Supply connection 38 is connected to a supply connection 40 of a workstation 9, which serves as a supply input and is essentially identical to workstation 8, but without valve manifolds 32, 33.Here too, the fourth basic module has a supply connection 41 serving as a supply output, which is used to supply voltage to another, not shown, workstation or another electrical consumer. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, three workstations 9, 10, and 11 are electrically connected. All three workstations 9-11 have an identical design, although this is not mandatory; the number of basic and working modules can vary, and actuators such as valve manifolds or other actuators can be added. The first workstation 9 corresponds to workstation 9 according to Fig. 5, with the only difference being an additional supply connection 42 as a supply output. The two other workstations 10 and 11 are supplied with one or more supply voltages via the two supply connections 41 and 42, which serve as supply outputs, and the supply connections 40, which serve as supply inputs.By adding further supply connections, serving as supply outputs, to one or more of the workstations 9-11, further workstations or electrical consumers can be supplied with one or more supply voltages. In a modification of the described embodiments, working modules designed as sensor modules and / or actuator modules can be attached or plugged onto the basic modules 10-14, 30 instead of the described working modules 16-19, 31. All basic modules 10-14, 30 can have the same geometry and also the same interfaces 45 for attaching supply connections 26, 27, 29, 37-42 and the same interfaces for attaching or plugging in working modules 15-19, 31. If the connection of the power supply lines 43, 44 is to be interrupted at desired points for the injection of further supply voltages, either modified basic modules or, with identical basic modules, interruption elements can be used for this purpose.

Claims

Modular electrical workstation with several interconnected basic modules (10-14, 30) in which data lines (41) and an electrical supply line arrangement (43, 44) designed as a chain run in the series direction via opposing plug or contact connections, wherein the basic modules (10-14, 30) have interfaces for attaching work modules (15-19, 31) via which the work modules (15-19, 31) are connected to the data lines (41) and / or the supply line arrangement (43, 44), wherein at least one work module (15) is designed as a bus station provided with at least one bus connection (22, 23) for an external bus line, characterized in that the basic modules (10-14, 30) each have an interface (45) on a side not provided with the work modules (15-19, 31) to have a detachable fastening of a supply connection (26, 27, 29, 37-42),which in the fixed state is electrically connected to the supply line arrangement (43, 44) via the interface (45), and wherein at least two supply terminals (26, 27, 29, 37-42) are electrically connected to each other via the supply line arrangement (43, 44), one of which forms a supply input and the other a supply output, so that several operating voltages can be supplied to the workstation in a variable manner. Workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that the working modules (15-19, 31) are arranged on the top of the base modules (10-14, 30) and the supply connections (26, 27, 29, 37-42) are arranged on an adjacent side. Workstation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the interfaces (45) not provided with supply connections are provided with removable covers (28). Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the work modules (15-19, 31) are designed as connection modules provided with connections (24, 25) for external sensors and / or actuators and / or as actuator modules and / or as sensor modules. Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data lines (41) are internal bus lines and that the work modules (15-19, 31) are provided with corresponding bus stations (42). Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that supply connections (26, 27, 29, 37-42) of the same and / or different type can be optionally attached to the basic modules (10-14, 30). Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic modules (10-14, 30) have electrical connections for the data lines (41) and supply lines of the supply line arrangement (43, 44) which, when the basic modules (10-14, 30) are connected in series, at least partially automatically form the corresponding electrical connections. Workstation according to claim 7, characterized in that basic modules (10-12, 14, 30) with supply lines (43, 44) for double-sided linking and / or basic modules with supply lines for single-sided linking and / or basic modules (13) with supply lines (43) for double-sided and supply lines (44) for single-sided linking are provided. Workstation according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that actuators (35) designed in particular as fluidic valves can be attached to the series of basic modules (10-14, 30) and working modules (15-19, 31), wherein the linking of the data and supply lines (41, 43, 44) continues in the actuators. Workstation according to claim 9, characterized in that several actuators (35) form a group (32, 33) with a common bus station (42). Workstation according to claim 10, characterized in that each group (32, 33) of actuators (35) has an electronics and / or distribution module (34, 36) having the common bus station (42). Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply line arrangement (43, 44) has at least two supply lines for different supply voltages, wherein at least one supply connection (26, 27, 29, 37-42) for supplying or delivering these supply voltages is connected to the at least two supply lines of the supply line arrangement (43, 44) in the fixed state. Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic modules (10-14, 30) have a substantially identical geometry and preferably identical interfaces (45). Workstation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply connections (26, 27, 37-42) are at least partially designed as AIDA push-pull connections.

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