Electrical equipment system and connecting member

Abstract

To provide an electrical equipment system that simplifies the configuration related to the connection of each unit in a system in which a plurality of units are connected, and simplifies the installation work of each unit that accompanies system construction.SOLUTION: A gas detection system (electrical equipment system) 100 includes a plurality of units 10, and a connecting member 200 that connects a first unit U1 and a second unit U2 adjacent to each other among the plurality of units 10 from the outside, the connecting member 200 includes a housing portion 120 housing a substrate 110, a first coupling portion 130 connected to the substrate 110 and detachably coupled to the first unit U1, and a second coupling portion 140 connected to the substrate 110 and detachably coupled to the second unit U2, and the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are configured to be electrically connected when the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are connected to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical equipment system and a connecting member, and more particularly to an electrical equipment system including a plurality of units and a connecting member for connecting the plurality of units. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an electrical equipment system including a plurality of units is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The aforementioned Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which multiple gas concentration monitoring units, a power supply unit, and an alarm generating unit are connected to one another. Each unit has a vertically flat box-like shape and includes a connecting portion consisting of a protruding portion protruding outward from the left side of the unit and a connected portion consisting of a recessed receiving portion on the right side of the unit that receives the protruding portion. The protruding portion of the right unit is placed within the receiving portion of the left unit, and the protruding portion and the receiving portion are fastened together with a screw member, thereby mechanically connecting the units. Adjacent units are then connected to one another in a horizontally arranged state. Each gas concentration monitoring unit receives a gas concentration signal from a stationary gas detection mechanism and monitors the gas concentration. The power supply unit supplies external power to each unit. The alarm generating unit emits an alarm buzzer when it receives an alarm command signal from the gas concentration monitoring unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4283691 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, while each unit is mechanically connected by coupling the connecting part and the connected part, it is necessary to separately electrically connect each gas concentration monitoring unit and alarm generating unit to the power supply unit, and to electrically connect each gas concentration monitoring unit to the alarm generating unit. This makes the installation work (connecting work and electrical connection work) of each unit when building a system complicated. This is particularly problematic as the number of units constituting the system increases. Furthermore, since electrical connection members are required between the units in addition to the connection structure between the connecting part and the connected part, the configuration related to the connection between the units becomes complicated.

[0006] This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of this invention is to provide an electrical equipment system and connecting members that can simplify the configuration related to the connection of each unit in a system in which multiple units are connected, and can simplify the installation work of each unit involved in building the system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an electrical equipment system according to a first aspect of the present invention is an electrical equipment system formed by connecting a plurality of units, and includes the plurality of units and a connecting member that connects adjacent first and second units of the plurality of units from the outside, the connecting member including a storage portion that accommodates a substrate, a first connecting portion that is connected to the substrate and detachably connects to the first unit, and a second connecting portion that is connected to the substrate and detachably connects to the second unit, and is configured to electrically connect the first unit and the second unit when the first unit and the second unit are connected, and each of the plurality of units has a box-like shape in an installed state, including an upper surface on which an attachment portion to which the connecting member is attached is formed, and another surface on which a fixing portion is formed that is connected to a unit fixing member used to fix each of the plurality of units in a predetermined position.

[0008] In this specification, the terms "first unit" and "second unit" refer to one and the other of two adjacent units, and do not refer to specific units. For example, if three units A, B, and C are lined up in a row in this order, unit A and unit B correspond to the first unit and second unit, respectively, and unit B and unit C correspond to the first unit and second unit, respectively. Unit B, sandwiched between two units A and C, can be the second unit with respect to one unit A and the first unit with respect to the other unit C.

[0009] In the electrical equipment system according to a first aspect of the present invention, the first coupling portion of the coupling member is coupled to the first unit and the second coupling portion is coupled to the second unit, thereby coupling and electrically connecting adjacent first and second units via the coupling member. That is, simply by mechanically coupling the first and second units with the coupling member, electrical connection between the first and second units can also be achieved when the units are coupled. Furthermore, unlike when the mechanical coupling and electrical connection between units are achieved with separate members, the mechanical coupling and electrical connection between the units can be achieved with only a single coupling member. As a result, the configuration related to the connection of each unit in a system in which multiple units are coupled can be simplified, and the installation work of each unit associated with system construction can be simplified.

[0010] In the electrical equipment system according to the first aspect, the connecting member is preferably configured to connect the first unit and the second unit so that they can supply power and communicate with each other. This configuration allows power to be supplied from one of the first unit and the second unit to the other, and enables communication between the first unit and the second unit, using a single connecting member. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the first unit and the second unit are connected separately using a power supply cable and a communication cable, the configuration and unit installation (connection) work related to the connection of each unit can be effectively simplified. The number of connecting members used in an electrical equipment system is calculated by multiplying the number of connecting members per unit by the number of units. Therefore, reducing the number of connecting members per unit is beneficial, especially when the electrical equipment system includes a large number of units.

[0011] In the electrical equipment system according to the first aspect, preferably, at least one of the plurality of units is a gas detection unit equipped with a gas detection section. This configuration provides a gas detection system that is flexible enough to increase or decrease the number of gas detection units depending on the number of gas monitoring locations at the installation site. As a result, when there are a large number of gas monitoring locations, the number of gas detection units can be increased, and even in this case, the configuration related to the connection of each unit can be simplified, thereby simplifying the installation work of each unit involved in building the system.

[0012] A connecting member according to a second aspect of the present invention is a connecting member that connects multiple units from the outside, and includes a storage section that accommodates a substrate, a first connecting section that is connected to the substrate and detachably connects to the first unit, and a second connecting section that is connected to the substrate and detachably connects to the second unit, and is configured to electrically connect the first unit and the second unit when the first unit and the second unit are connected, and each of the multiple units has a box-like shape in an installed state, including an upper surface on which an attachment section to which the connecting member is attached is formed, and another surface on which a fixing section is formed to be connected to a unit fixing member used to fix each of the multiple units in a predetermined position.

[0013] In the connecting member according to the second aspect of the present invention, as in the first aspect, the above configuration allows the first unit and the second unit to be mechanically connected by the connecting member, and also allows electrical connection between the first unit and the second unit when they are connected. Furthermore, unlike when the mechanical connection and electrical connection between units are achieved using separate members, the mechanical connection and electrical connection between the units can be achieved using only a single connecting member. As a result, the configuration related to the connection of each unit in a system in which multiple units are connected can be simplified, and the installation work of each unit involved in building the system can be simplified. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to simplify the configuration relating to the connection of each unit in a system in which a plurality of units are linked together, and to simplify the installation work of each unit involved in building the system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a gas detection system having five units. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the connections between each unit of the gas detection system and piping. [Figure 3] 1A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the connecting member is separated from the first unit and the second unit, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the first unit and the second unit are connected by the connecting member. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal direction of a connecting member. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a view showing the underside of the connecting member. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating electrical connection between the first unit and the second unit by a connecting member. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a first housing section, a second housing section, and a third housing section. [Figure 9] Schematic diagrams showing the first and second connecting portions brought closer together (A), the first and second connecting portions moved apart (B), and the first and second connecting portions rotated relative to the connecting portion (C). [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the unit as seen from the rear side. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a mounting portion on the top surface of the unit. [Figure 12] 1A is a schematic side view showing an example in which a unit is fixed by a first fixing portion, and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view showing an example in which a unit is fixed by a second fixing portion. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration related to control of the gas detection system. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating a coupling member according to a modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example in which the first housing section and the second housing section are rotatably connected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] The configurations of a gas detection system 100 and a connecting member 200 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. Gas detection system 100 is an example of the "electrical equipment system" set forth in the claims.

[0018] (Gas detection system configuration) Gas detection system 100 shown in Fig. 1 is a system that takes in the atmosphere of a monitored environment and detects a target gas contained in the atmosphere. Gas detection system 100 has a function of reporting that a high concentration of target gas has been detected when the concentration of the target gas in the sampled gas is a high concentration equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The target gas may be, but is not limited to, a gas that requires monitoring, such as a gas that is toxic to the human body or a flammable gas.

[0019] Gas detection system 100 is installed, for example, in a factory that uses a gas to be detected. As an example, gas detection system 100 is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory to detect leaks of flammable gases such as semiconductor material gases and hydrogen gas. In this case, the monitored environment from which gas is sampled is, for example, the installation location of a gas supply device, an exhaust duct, or a worker's work area.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, gas detection system 100 includes a plurality of units 10. Gas detection system 100 is an electrical equipment system configured by connecting a plurality of units 10. Fig. 1 shows an example in which five units 10 are provided.

[0021] The units 10 may have the same configuration or different configurations. In this embodiment, the gas detection system 100 includes one main unit 11 and one or more sub-units. The sub-units are units that have a different configuration from the main unit 11 and are units that extend the functionality of the main unit 11. In the configuration example of FIG. 1, the sub-units include two types: a gas detection unit 12 and a connection unit 13.

[0022] The multiple units 10 are arranged side by side, linked, and connected to enable communication. In the example of Fig. 1, the multiple units 10 have similar external shapes. That is, each of the multiple units 10 has a common rectangular parallelepiped housing and a vertically long (vertically) rectangular front surface. The multiple units 10 are arranged linearly in the width direction (horizontally).

[0023] In this embodiment, the gas detection system 100 includes a connecting member 200 that externally connects adjacent first unit U1 (see FIG. 3) and second unit U2 (see FIG. 3) of the multiple units 10. The connecting member 200 is a component provided separately from each unit 10 and is detachable from the units 10. The first unit U1 and second unit U2 refer to one and the other of two adjacent units 10 of the multiple units 10 included in the gas detection system 100. Since the connecting member 200 connects two adjacent units 10, in the example of FIG. 1, a total of four connecting members 200 are provided for five units 10. The configuration of each connecting member 200 is identical. The detailed configuration of the connecting member 200 will be described later.

[0024] In this embodiment, at least one of the plurality of units 10 is a gas detection unit equipped with a gas detection section. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, one main unit 11 and three gas detection units 12 are gas detection units equipped with gas detection sections (23, 33, see Fig. 2).

[0025] The main unit 11 has a control unit 21, a gas detection unit 23, and a display unit 25 inside a housing 11a. The main unit 11 has a gas inlet 11b and a gas outlet 11c provided on the bottom surface of the housing 11a. The gas detection unit 23 detects the target gas contained in the sampled gas introduced through the gas inlet 11b and discharges the sampled gas from the gas outlet 11c. The control unit 21 acquires the gas detection result (detected gas concentration) by the gas detection unit 23. A pipe 50 for circulating gas is connected to the gas inlet 11b and the gas outlet 11c.

[0026] The control unit 21 of the main unit 11 executes at least a part of the control of the sub-units. Communication between the main unit 11 and the sub-units is performed via a connecting member 200.

[0027] Gas detection unit 12 includes gas detection section 33 within housing 12a. Gas detection unit 12 has gas inlet 12b and gas outlet 12c provided on the bottom surface of housing 12a. Gas detection section 33 detects the target gas contained in the sampled gas introduced through gas inlet 12b and discharges the sampled gas from gas outlet 12c. Gas detection unit 12 has an expansion function that increases the number of gas detection sections compared to main unit 11. Pipes 50 for circulating gas are connected to gas inlet 12b and gas outlet 12c.

[0028] The connection unit 13 also includes a connection module 41 for inputting and / or outputting signals within the housing 13a. The connection module 41 is a modularized input / output interface for connecting to a plurality of external devices 60. The connection unit 13 has a function of relaying signals between the main unit 11 and the external devices 60 connected to the connection module 41. The connection unit 13 has an expansion function for increasing the maximum number of signal input connections, the maximum number of signal output connections, or the number of types of interfaces that can be connected to the main unit 11.

[0029] (Connecting member) Next, the coupling member 200 will be described. As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the coupling member 200 includes an accommodation portion 120 that accommodates the substrate 110, a first coupling portion 130, and a second coupling portion 140. In this embodiment, the coupling member 200 also includes a connection portion 150 that connects the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 together.

[0030] The connecting member 200 is attached to the mounting portions 80 of the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, respectively, to mechanically connect the first unit U1 and the second unit U2. The connecting member 200 is configured to electrically connect the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 when the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are connected.

[0031] In this specification, "mechanically coupled" means connecting separate objects (units 10) so that their relative movement is restricted. "Mechanically" refers to the physical (mechanical) property of the coupling, which restricts the relative position or movement of the objects or transmits force between the objects, and is distinguished from an electrical connection. An electrical connection means connecting separate objects (electrical circuits of units 10) so that an electric current flows between the connected objects. "Electrically" means that the connection must allow an electric current to flow between the connected objects, but does not limit the mechanical (physical) coupling structure of the objects.

[0032] The connecting member 200 is configured to connect the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 so as to allow relative movement between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 within a predetermined range. The connecting member 200 is configured to allow relative movement between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 in at least one direction in the connected state. Furthermore, the connecting member 200 is configured to restrict relative movement between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 in at least another direction in the connected state.

[0033] The detailed structure of the connecting member 200 will be described below.

[0034] The first coupling portion 130 is connected to the substrate 110 and configured to be detachably coupled to the first unit U1. The second coupling portion 140 is connected to the substrate 110 and configured to be detachably coupled to the second unit U2. The first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 are connectors that can be coupled to a receiving portion 82 (see FIG. 3), which will be described later, provided on the mounting portion 80 of the unit 10.

[0035] The accommodation section 120 is a case member that accommodates the substrate 110. The accommodation section 120 has a function of protecting the substrate 110. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the accommodation section 120 includes a first accommodation section 121 and a second accommodation section 122. The accommodation section 120 (first accommodation section 121, second accommodation section 122) is made of an insulating resin material.

[0036] 5, the substrate 110 includes a first substrate 111 to which a first coupling portion 130 is attached, and a second substrate 112 to which a second coupling portion 140 is attached. The first coupling portion 130 is fixed to the first substrate 111. The second coupling portion 140 is fixed to the second substrate 112. The first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112 are connected to each other via a cable portion 151, which will be described later. The first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112, together with the cable portion 151, constitute an electric circuit portion that electrically connects the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140.

[0037] The first accommodating portion 121 is disposed at one end 101 of the connecting member 200. The first accommodating portion 121 accommodates the first coupling portion 130 and the first substrate 111. The first accommodating portion 121 has a box-like shape (see FIG. 4) with an open bottom surface and an open end surface on the connection portion 150 side. The first substrate 111, on which the first coupling portion 130 is provided, is accommodated in the first accommodating portion 121 and fixed to the inner surface of the first accommodating portion 121 by screw members 105 (see FIG. 6). The first coupling portion 130 is provided so as to protrude downward from the inside of the first accommodating portion 121 to the outside of the first accommodating portion 121 via the open bottom surface.

[0038] The second accommodating portion 122 is disposed at the other end 102 of the connecting member 200. The second accommodating portion 122 accommodates the second coupling portion 140 and the second substrate 112. The second accommodating portion 122 has a box-like shape (see FIG. 4) with an open bottom surface and an open end surface on the connection portion 150 side. The second substrate 112, on which the second coupling portion 140 is provided, is accommodated in the second accommodating portion 122 and fixed to the inner surface of the second accommodating portion 122 by a screw member 105 (see FIG. 6). The second coupling portion 140 is provided so as to protrude downward from the inside of the second accommodating portion 122 to the outside of the second accommodating portion 122 via the open bottom surface.

[0039] One end 101 including the first accommodating portion 121, the first coupling portion 130, and the first substrate 111 and the other end 102 including the second accommodating portion 122, the second coupling portion 140, and the second substrate 112 have substantially the same structure. In the connecting member 200, the one end 101 and the other end 102 are provided approximately symmetrically on both sides of the central connecting portion 150.

[0040] The connecting portion 150 is a portion that mechanically and electrically connects the one end portion 101 and the other end portion 102. The connecting portion 150 includes a cable portion 151 and a third accommodating portion 152 (see FIG. 4). The cable portion 151 electrically connects the first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112. In other words, the connecting portion 150 electrically connects the first coupling portion 130 and the first substrate 111, and the second coupling portion 140 and the second substrate 112, via the cable portion 151. The third accommodating portion 152 mechanically connects the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122.

[0041] The cable portion 151 has a first end connected to the first substrate 111 and a second end connected to the second substrate 112. The cable portion 151 is a flexible member including an electric wire (conductor). In this embodiment, the cable portion 151 is made of a flexible flat cable.

[0042] The connecting member 200 is configured to connect the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 so that they can supply power and communicate with each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the cable portion 151 includes a power line 151a for connecting the power circuits between the units 10 and a communication line 151b for connecting the communication circuits between the units 10. The first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 are connected to each other by the power line 151a and the communication line 151b of the cable portion 151. The first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 each include a power supply electrode (not shown) and a communication electrode (not shown), and the power supply electrodes and the communication electrodes are connected to each other by the power line 151a and the communication line 151b, respectively. As a result, the power circuit U1a of the first unit U1 and the power circuit U1a of the second unit U2 are connected via the connecting member 200 (power line 151a). The communication circuit U1b of the first unit U1 and the communication circuit U1b of the second unit U2 are connected via a connecting member 200 (communication line 151b).

[0043] Returning to FIG. 5, the third housing section 152 is a case member that houses the cable portion 151. The third housing section 152 is made of an insulating resin material. The third housing section 152 has a shape in which the bottom surface and both end surfaces on the first housing section 121 side and the second housing section 122 side are open (see FIG. 8). The cable portion 151 is not fixed to the third housing section 152 but is merely covered by the third housing section 152. The cable portion 151 is supported at both ends by the first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112, and is therefore held in the first housing section 121 and the second housing section 122 via the substrates. The third housing section 152 houses (covers) the cable portion 151 so that it can be freely bent.

[0044] The connecting portion 150 is configured to allow relative movement between the first coupling portion 130 (i.e., one end portion 101) and the second coupling portion 140 (i.e., the other end portion 102) within a predetermined range. Hereinafter, the direction connecting the one end portion 101 and the other end portion 102 of the coupling member 200 (longitudinal direction) will be referred to as the X direction, the width direction of the coupling member 200 as the Y direction (see FIG. 4), and the up-down direction (thickness direction) of the coupling member 200 as the Z direction. The connecting portion 150 is connected to each of the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 so as to be slidable in the X direction and rotatable in the Z direction.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 8, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 are provided with mating portions 123 for mating with the third accommodating portion 152. Each mating portion 123 is formed to fit inside the third accommodating portion 152. An engaging groove portion 124 is formed on each side surface 123a in the Y direction of the mating portion 123. That is, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 each have a pair of engaging groove portions 124. The engaging groove portions 124 are non-through grooves that extend linearly along the X direction. Each engaging groove portion 124 has an oval shape.

[0046] The third housing portion 152 has an upper surface portion 152a and a pair of side surface portions 152b. The pair of side surface portions 152b are arranged to sandwich the respective fitting portions 123 of the first housing portion 121 and the second housing portion 122 from both sides in the Y direction. An engaging protrusion 153 that protrudes inward in the Y direction (i.e., toward the fitting portion 123) is formed on each inner surface of the pair of side surface portions 152b. Two pairs (four engaging protrusions 153) are provided. Each engaging protrusion 153 has a cylindrical shape. The pair of engaging protrusions 153 on the first housing portion 121 side in the X direction are respectively positioned inside the pair of engaging groove portions 124 of the first housing portion 121, so that the pair of engaging protrusions 153 engage with the pair of engaging groove portions 124 of the first housing portion 121. A pair of engaging protrusions 153 on the second accommodating section 122 side in the X direction are positioned within the grooves of a pair of engaging grooves 124 of the second accommodating section 122, thereby engaging the pair of engaging protrusions 153 with the pair of engaging grooves 124 of the second accommodating section 122.

[0047] With this engagement structure, first accommodating portion 121 and second accommodating portion 122 are each mechanically coupled separately to third accommodating portion 152. First accommodating portion 121 and second accommodating portion 122 are slidably movable in the X direction relative to third accommodating portion 152 within a predetermined range corresponding to the length of engagement groove portion 124. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), the distance between first coupling portion 130 and second coupling portion 140 can be changed within a predetermined range between distance L1 and distance L2.

[0048] Furthermore, with the engagement groove 124 and the engagement protrusion 153 engaged, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 can rotate about the connecting portion (the engagement protrusion 153) relative to the third accommodating portion 152. The range within which the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 can rotate varies depending on the position of the engagement groove 124 relative to the engagement protrusion 153 (the position of the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 in the X direction).

[0049] As a structure that defines the range of rotation, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 each include a rib-shaped portion 125 (see FIG. 8) adjacent to the lower portion of the fitting portion 123. As shown in FIG. 9(C), the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 are rotatable downward in the Z direction relative to the third accommodating portion 152 until the respective rib-shaped portions 125 contact the lower ends of the pair of side surface portions 152b of the third accommodating portion 152. Furthermore, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 are rotatable upward relative to the third accommodating portion 152 until the respective fitting portions 123 contact the inner surface of the upper surface portion 152a of the third accommodating portion 152. As a result, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 are configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range relative to the third accommodating portion 152.

[0050] Meanwhile, the first housing portion 121 (one end 101) and the second housing portion 122 (the other end 102) are restricted from relative movement in the Y and Z directions by the third housing portion 152 (connecting portion 150). The first housing portion 121 (one end 101) and the second housing portion 122 (the other end 102) are restricted from rotation in the X and Y directions by the third housing portion 152 (connecting portion 150).

[0051] As shown in FIG. 5, the cable portion 151 accommodated in the third accommodation portion 152 has a length greater than the movable range of the first accommodation portion 121 and the second accommodation portion 122, taking into consideration the relative movement between the one end portion 101 (first substrate 111) and the other end portion 102 (second substrate 112). Specifically, the length of the cable portion 151 is greater than the distance between the first accommodation portion 121 and the second accommodation portion 122 when the first accommodation portion 121 and the second accommodation portion 122 are at their maximum distance (see FIG. 9(B)). The cable portion 151 is accommodated in the third accommodation portion 152 in a state in which it is curved in a convex shape toward the upper surface portion 152a. In this way, the cable portion 151 has a curved excess length portion, and as the distance between the first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112 increases, the curved portion is stretched and deformed to approach a straight line.

[0052] Furthermore, an elastic, plate-like protective member 160 is provided on the underside of the first substrate 111, the second substrate 112, and the cable portion 151. One end of the protective member 160 (see FIG. 6 ) is fixed to the first housing portion 121 and the other end is fixed to the second housing portion 122 by screw members 105. Like the cable portion 151, the protective member 160 is housed in the third housing portion 152 in a curved state. The length of the protective member 160 is shorter than the length of the cable portion 151. Therefore, even if an external force acts to separate the first housing portion 121 and the second housing portion 122 in the X direction, after the protective member 160 extends until it becomes linear, the external force is supported by the protective member 160, and the external force is prevented from acting on the substrates and the cable portion 151. In addition, when the connecting member 200 is removed from each unit 10, the protective member 160 also functions as a leaf spring, supporting the one end 101 and the other end 102 with elastic force to prevent them from rotating downward relative to the connection portion 150 due to their own weight alone.

[0053] <Unit mounting part> Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the mounting portion 80 to which the connecting member 200 is attached. Figures 10 and 11 show the mounting portion 80 of the main unit 11, representing the multiple units 10. The position at which the mounting portion 80 is formed and the structure of the mounting portion 80 are the same for each unit 10.

[0054] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, each of the multiple units 10 has an attachment portion 80 on the upper surface 70a of the housing (11a, 12a, 13a, see FIG. 1). The attachment portions 80 are provided on one side surface 70b and the other side surface 70c of the upper surface 70a. That is, a pair (two) of attachment portions 80 are arranged on both ends in the width direction of the upper surface 70a of each unit 10. In this embodiment, the pair of attachment portions 80 are arranged on the upper surface 70a of each unit 10 at positions on the rear surface 70d side (near the rear surface 70d).

[0055] As a result, each of the multiple units 10 can be connected to the adjacent unit 10 on one side surface 70b and the adjacent unit 10 on the other side surface 70c via connecting member 200. In gas detection system 100, multiple units 10 can be connected in a daisy chain fashion (so-called daisy chain method) by successively connecting other units 10 adjacent to one unit 10 via connecting member 200.

[0056] A cover member 75 can be attached to each of the two mounting portions 80 of each unit 10. Fig. 10 shows a state in which the cover members 75 are attached to both mounting portions 80. Fig. 11 shows an exploded view in which the cover members 75 have been removed from both mounting portions 80.

[0057] 11, the mounting portion 80 has a concave cutout shape where a corner between the top surface 70a and a side surface (one side surface 70b or the other side surface 70c) of the unit 10 is cut out. The connecting member 200 or the cover member 75 is attached to the mounting portion 80 so that it fits into the mounting portion 80. The mounting portion 80 has a mounting surface 81 that corresponds to the bottom surface of the concave cutout, and this mounting surface 81 is provided with a receiving portion 82 for attaching the connecting portion (first connecting portion 130 or second connecting portion 140) of the connecting member 200.

[0058] The receiving portion 82 is a connector in which the coupling portion (first coupling portion 130 or second coupling portion 140) is detachable. In the example of FIG. 11, the receiving portion 82 is a pin insert (male) and the coupling portion (first coupling portion 130 or second coupling portion 140, see FIG. 6) is a socket insert (female), but the relationship between pin insert and socket insert may be reversed. The receiving portion 82 is connected to an electric circuit inside the unit 10.

[0059] 3(B), the connecting member 200 is attached so as to straddle the mounting portions 80 on the sides that are closer to each other of two adjacent units 10. The first coupling portion 130 of the connecting member 200 is attached from above to the receiving portion 82 of the mounting portion 80 on the other side surface 70c of the first unit U1, and the second coupling portion 140 of the connecting member 200 is attached from above to the receiving portion 82 of the mounting portion 80 on one side surface 70b of the second unit U2.

[0060] With the connecting member 200 attached to each mounting portion 80 of the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, the upper surface 200a of the connecting member 200 and the upper surface 70a of each unit (U1, U2) are arranged on approximately the same plane. The connecting member 200 is attached to each mounting portion 80 so as to connect the notched mounting portions 80 in an approximately straight line (the shortest distance). As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the connecting member 200 connects the upper surfaces 70a of adjacent units 10 in an approximately flat plane. This prevents the connecting member 200 from interfering with (contacting) other cables, gas pipes, and other obstacles connected to each unit 10.

[0061] 1, among the multiple units 10, the units 10 located at the ends do not have the connecting member 200 attached to the attachment portion 80 on the end side (outside). Therefore, among the multiple units 10, the units 10 located at the ends are provided with a cover member 75 that detachably covers the attachment portion 80 instead of the connecting member 200.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 11, the cover member 75 is provided to cover the mounting portion 80. The cover member 75 has a shape (see FIG. 10) that matches the corners of the unit 10 so as to complement part of the outer shape of the unit 10. A groove-shaped cover engagement portion 76 is formed on each of both side surfaces 75a of the cover member 75. Furthermore, a rib-shaped engagement portion 84 is formed on each of a pair of inner side surfaces 83 of the notched mounting portion 80. The cover member 75 engages with the mounting portion 80 of the unit 10 by engaging the cover engagement portion 76 with the engagement portions 84 on both sides.

[0063] <Unit Fixation> 10, each of the multiple units 10 has a box-like shape including an upper surface 70a on which mounting portions 80 to which connecting members 200 are attached are formed, and another surface on which fixing portions 85 to be coupled to unit fixing members used to fix each of the multiple units 10 in a predetermined position are formed. In this embodiment, the fixing portions 85 are provided on a rear surface 70d of the unit 10. In other words, the "other surface" in this embodiment is the rear surface 70d.

[0064] In the example of FIG. 10, each unit 10 has two types of fixing portions 85, a first fixing portion 86 and a second fixing portion 87, on the rear surface 70d.

[0065] The first fixing portion 86 is a rail mounting groove. The first fixing portion 86 includes a groove 86a formed across the rear surface 70d in the width direction, and an engagement lever 86b with a tip protruding into the groove 86a. As shown in FIG. 12(A), the unit 10 is attached to an inner rail 88 that fits inside the groove 86a, and the rear surface 70d of the unit 10 is attached to the inner rail 88 by engaging the inner rail 88 with the tip of the engagement lever 86b. The inner rail 88 is an example of a "unit fixing member" as defined in the claims.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 10, the second fixing portion 87 is formed of a screw hole. One second fixing portion 87 is provided at the top and one at the bottom of the rear surface 70d. As shown in FIG. 12(B), the rear surface 70d of the unit 10 can be fixed to a mounting plate 89 by a screw member 89a. The mounting plate 89 is an example of a "unit fixing member" in the claims. The area surrounded by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 12(B) shows a schematic partial cross section of the unit 10.

[0067] (Detailed unit configuration) Next, the detailed configuration of each unit of gas detection system 100 will be described.

[0068] <Main unit> As shown in FIG. 13, the main unit 11 includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, a gas detection unit 23, an indicator lamp 24, a display unit 25, an input unit 26, a communication unit 27, a power supply unit 28, and an interface for external connection (I / O units 29a, 29b).

[0069] The control unit 21 is configured with a processor, and performs overall control processing of the main unit 11 by executing programs stored in the storage unit 22. The control unit 21 communicates with each sub-unit via a connecting member 200 attached to the mounting unit 80. The control unit 21 has a determination unit 21a that performs gas detection determination processing.

[0070] The determination unit 21a acquires the detected gas concentration of the gas to be detected based on the output signals of the gas detection unit 23 and the gas detection unit 33. The determination unit 21a performs a gas detection determination process to determine whether the detected gas concentration is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (determination threshold) set in advance. When a determination result indicating that the concentration is equal to or greater than the predetermined value is output, the control unit 21 executes a predetermined notification process according to the determination result.

[0071] The storage unit 22 stores programs, log data of gas detection results (determination results, detected gas concentrations), various setting information, etc. The storage unit 22 is configured by a nonvolatile storage device such as a flash memory.

[0072] The gas detection unit 23 includes a gas sensor and a pump. The control unit 21 acquires an output signal (gas detection signal) from the gas sensor, and obtains a concentration value of the detection target gas according to the output signal.

[0073] The indicator lamp 24 notifies information about the main unit 11 by lighting up or blinking under the control of the control unit 21. The display unit 25 is composed of a display device capable of displaying various information using characters and figures. The display device is, for example, a liquid crystal display device. The input unit 26 is composed of an input device that accepts operational inputs to the main unit 11.

[0074] The communication unit 27 is configured to perform wired communication conforming to, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark). The power supply unit 28 is connected to an external power source and has the function of supplying power to each unit of the main unit 11. The main unit 11 is connected to the components (controller, computer, etc.) of the higher-level system 500 via the I / O unit 29b. The main unit 11 is configured to use a PoE (Power over Ethernet (registered trademark)) function to enable both the transmission of communication signals by the communication unit 27 and the supply of power to the power supply unit 28 via a LAN cable connected to the I / O unit 29b.

[0075] The I / O unit 29a includes two mounting units 80. The I / O unit 29a connects the two mounting units 80 to the control unit 21. As described above, the I / O unit 29b is an interface for connecting a LAN cable for Ethernet (registered trademark) communication.

[0076] <Gas detection unit> In this embodiment, the device configuration of each gas detection unit 12 is the same, except that the types of gas sensors provided in gas detection section 33 may differ. For this reason, Fig. 13 shows in detail the configuration of only one gas detection unit 12 adjacent to main unit 11, and does not show the detailed configurations of the remaining two gas detection units 12.

[0077] Gas detection unit 12 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a gas detection unit 33, an indicator lamp 34, and an I / O unit 35.

[0078] Control unit 31 is configured with a processor, and performs overall control processing of gas detection unit 12 by executing programs stored in memory unit 32. Memory unit 32 stores programs, setting information transmitted from main unit 11, and the like. Memory unit 32 is configured with a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory.

[0079] Gas detection section 33 includes a pump and a gas sensor. The target gas for detection by gas detection section 33 may be the same as or different from the target gas for detection by gas detection section 23. The target gas for detection by gas detection section 33 of each gas detection unit 12 may also be the same as or different from each other. Indicator lamp 34 is the same as indicator lamp 24 of main unit 11.

[0080] The I / O unit 35 includes two mounting portions 80. The I / O unit 35 electrically connects the two mounting portions 80 to the control unit 31.

[0081] <Connection unit> The connection unit 13 includes a connection module 41, an indicator lamp 42, and an I / O section 43.

[0082] The indicator lamps 42 light up to indicate the state of power supply to each of the connection modules 41 via the coupling members 200, and also light up to indicate the communication state of the connection modules 41.

[0083] The I / O section 43 includes two mounting sections 80. The I / O section 43 electrically connects the two mounting sections 80 to the respective connection modules 41.

[0084] The connection unit 13 is configured to be able to mount a plurality of types of connection modules 41 with different interfaces.

[0085] The types of connection modules 41 include analog input modules for inputting analog output signals (4-20 mA analog signals), contact output modules for outputting contact signals, analog output modules for outputting analog signals, digital communication modules for digital communication, etc. The connection modules 41 can be connected to external devices 60 of a type corresponding to their type.

[0086] With the above configuration, each sub-unit (gas detection unit 12, connection unit 13) is connected to adjacent units 10 via the connecting member 200 so that they can communicate with each other, and has the function of relaying signals between one adjacent unit 10 and the other adjacent unit 10.

[0087] For example, gas detection unit 12 on the far right side of Fig. 2 communicates with main unit 11 via the two intermediate gas detection units 12. In other words, main unit 11 and each sub-unit are configured to communicate with each other by passing signals between adjacent sub-units in sequence via each connecting member 200.

[0088] (Main unit functions) Next, the detailed functions of the main unit 11 having the above configuration will be described.

[0089] The main unit 11 is configured to supply power to the sub-units via the connecting member 200. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 13, the main unit 11 supplies power obtained from the power supply unit 28 via the I / O unit 29b to each part of the main unit 11, and also supplies the power to each sub-unit via the connecting member 200. By relaying the power via the connecting member 200, power is also supplied from the power supply unit 28 to sub-units that are not directly connected to the main unit 11.

[0090] The main unit 11 is also configured to perform setting processing on the subunits by communication via the connecting member 200. Specifically, the control unit 21 can acquire setting information by operating the input unit 26. The control unit 21 can also acquire setting information from the host system 500 by communicating with the host system 500 using the communication unit 27.

[0091] The control unit 21 performs setting processing for various processes of the main unit 11 using the acquired setting information for the main unit. The control unit 21 further performs setting processing for the subunit by transmitting the acquired setting information for the subunit to the subunit via the connecting member 200.

[0092] Furthermore, main unit 11 acquires the status (operation information) and gas detection signals of each gas detection unit 12 from that gas detection unit 12 through communication via connecting member 200. Based on the acquired gas detection signals, main unit 11 performs gas detection determination processing for each gas detection unit 12. Based on the gas detection determination and the acquired operation information, main unit 11 individually transmits a lamp lighting command to each gas detection unit 12, causing it to issue a warning using indicator lamp 34.

[0093] In addition to displaying the gas concentration detected by the gas detection unit 23 on the display unit 25, the main unit 11 is configured to be able to display the gas concentration detected by the gas detection unit 33 obtained by communication via the connecting member 200 on the display unit 25.

[0094] Furthermore, the main unit 11 performs signal input processing or signal output processing with the external device 60 connected to the connection unit 13 through communication via the connecting member 200. The main unit 11 acquires information about the external device 60 through communication via the connecting member 200 and displays the information on the display unit 25.

[0095] (Effects of this embodiment) In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0096] In this embodiment, as described above, gas detection system 100 is an electrical equipment system configured by connecting multiple units 10, and includes multiple units 10 and a connecting member 200 that externally connects adjacent first unit U1 and second unit U2 of the multiple units 10. Connecting member 200 includes a housing portion 120 that houses substrate 110, a first coupling portion 130 that is connected to substrate 110 and detachably couples with first unit U1, and a second coupling portion 140 that is connected to substrate 110 and detachably couples with second unit U2, and is configured to electrically connect first unit U1 and second unit U2 when first unit U1 and second unit U2 are connected.

[0097] In this embodiment, with the above configuration, the first coupling portion 130 of the coupling member 200 is coupled to the first unit U1, and the second coupling portion 140 is coupled to the second unit U2, thereby coupling and electrically connecting the adjacent first unit U1 and second unit U2 via the coupling member 200. That is, simply by mechanically coupling the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 with the coupling member 200, electrical connection between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 can also be achieved when the units are coupled. Furthermore, unlike when the mechanical coupling and electrical connection between the units 10 are achieved using separate members, the mechanical coupling and electrical connection between the units 10 can be achieved using only the single coupling member 200. As a result, the configuration related to the connection of each unit 10 in a system in which multiple units 10 are coupled can be simplified, and the installation work of each unit 10 associated with system construction can be simplified.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the connecting member 200 is configured to connect the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 so that they can supply power and communicate with each other. This allows a single connecting member 200 to supply power from one of the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 to the other, and also enables communication between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are connected separately using a power supply cable and a communication cable, the configuration related to the connection of each unit 10 and the unit installation (connection) work can be effectively simplified. The number of connecting members used in the gas detection system 100 is the product of the number of connecting members per unit and the number of units. Therefore, reducing the number of connecting members per unit is beneficial, especially when the gas detection system 100 includes a large number of units.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the linking member 200 further includes the connection portion 150 that connects the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140, and the connection portion 150 is configured to allow relative movement between the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 within a predetermined range. This allows the connection portion 150 to allow, within a predetermined range, misalignment between the positions of the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 when the linking member 200 is attached. Because the connection portion 150 can allow (absorb) misalignment between the units 10 within a predetermined range, the required accuracy for aligning the units 10 can be relaxed, and as a result, the unit installation (connection) work can be facilitated.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the substrate 110 includes a first substrate 111 having the first connecting portion 130 attached thereto and a second substrate 112 having the second connecting portion 140 attached thereto, the accommodating portion 120 includes a first accommodating portion 121 that accommodates the first connecting portion 130 and the first substrate 111 and a second accommodating portion 122 that accommodates the second connecting portion 140 and the second substrate 112, and the connecting portion 150 includes a cable portion 151 that connects the first substrate 111 and the second substrate 112 and a third accommodating portion 152 that accommodates the cable portion 151 and is connected to the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122. As a result, first substrate 111 in first accommodating section 121 and second substrate 112 in second accommodating section 122 are connected by cable section 151 in third accommodating section 152, so even if first accommodating section 121 and second accommodating section 122 are misaligned due to misalignment between units 10, flexible cable section 151 can deform to accommodate the misalignment. Furthermore, because first accommodating section 121 and second accommodating section 122 are connected via third accommodating section 152, even if a tensile force acts on connecting member 200 due to misalignment between units 10 during unit installation work, the tensile force can be supported by the interconnected first to third accommodating sections, thereby preventing excessive tensile force from acting on cable section 151.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, each of the multiple units 10 has a box-like shape including an upper surface 70a on which the mounting portion 80 to which the connecting member 200 is attached is formed, and another surface (back surface 70d) on which the fixing portion 85 to be coupled to the unit fixing member (inner rail 88, mounting plate 89) used to fix each of the multiple units 10 in a predetermined position is formed. This allows each unit 10 to be fixed together to the unit fixing member at the back surface 70d, which is different from the upper surface 70a on which the mounting portion 80 is formed. As a result, even after the back surface 70d of each unit 10 is attached to the unit fixing member, the connecting member 200 can be attached to the upper surface 70a of each unit 10 without the unit fixing member getting in the way. Furthermore, when adding or removing a unit 10, the connecting member 200 can be attached or detached while each unit 10 remains fixed to the unit fixing member. Therefore, for example, it is not necessary to remove all of the existing units 10 from the unit fixing members just to add one unit 10, which simplifies the work of changing the system configuration after the gas detection system 100 has been constructed.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, at least one of the multiple units 10 is a gas detection unit (main unit 11, gas detection unit 12) equipped with gas detection sections (23, 33). This makes it possible to obtain gas detection system 100 that is flexible in that the number of gas detection units can be increased or decreased depending on the number of gas monitoring locations at the installation site. As a result, when there are a large number of gas monitoring locations, the number of gas detection units can be increased, and even in this case, the configuration related to the connection of each unit 10 can be simplified, and the installation work of each unit 10 associated with building the system can be simplified.

[0103] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description of the embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0104] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the electrical equipment system of the present invention was applied to gas detection system 100, but the present invention is not limited to this. The electrical equipment system of the present invention may also be applied to electrical equipment systems other than gas detection systems. For example, the present invention may be applied to an electrical equipment system equipped with multiple indicator units that display gas concentrations based on output signals from externally connected gas detectors. The present invention may also be applied to other electrical equipment systems unrelated to gas detection.

[0105] Furthermore, although the above embodiment has been described as an example in which five units 10 are provided, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of units 10 may be any number as long as it is plural (two or more).

[0106] In the above embodiment, the multiple units 10 include the main unit 11, the gas detection unit 12, and the connection unit 13, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of types of units 10 may be one, two, or four or more.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the connecting member 200 connects the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 so that they can supply power and communicate with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. The connecting member 200 may electrically connect the two units 10 so that only one of the power supply and communication is possible.

[0108] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the coupling member 200 includes the connection portion 150 that connects the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the coupling member 200 does not have to include the connection portion 150. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 14 , the coupling member 300 includes one substrate 301 and one accommodation portion 302. The first coupling portion 130 is provided at one end of the substrate 301, and the second coupling portion 140 is provided at the other end of the substrate 301. The first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 are connected via an electric circuit provided in the substrate 301.

[0109] Alternatively, the first and second housing portions may be connected to each other without a connecting portion, as shown in Fig. 15. In the connecting member 310 shown in Fig. 15, the first and second housing portions 311 and 312 are rotatably connected to each other via a rotation shaft 313.

[0110] 14, in the present invention, substrate 110 may be only one substrate without including first substrate 111 and second substrate 112, or may include three or more substrates. Similarly, accommodating section 120 may be only one (see FIG. 14) without including first accommodating section 121 and second accommodating section 122.

[0111] Furthermore, when providing the connecting portion 150, the structure of the connecting portion 150 that allows relative movement between the first coupling portion 130 and the second coupling portion 140 is not limited to the example described above. For example, the connecting portion 150 may have a cylindrical shape, and the fitting portions 123 of the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 may be inserted inside the cylindrical connecting portion 150 and be slidable. In this case, the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 do not rotate relative to the connecting portion 150, but the distance between them in the longitudinal direction (X direction) can be changed. Conversely, the connecting portion 150 may be configured to only allow the first accommodating portion 121 and the second accommodating portion 122 to rotate, but not slide (change the distance between them in the longitudinal direction).

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the mounting portion 80 of each unit 10 is provided on the upper surface 70a and the fixing portion 85 is provided on the back surface 70d, but the present invention is not limited to this. The mounting portion 80 may be provided on any surface of the unit 10. The mounting portion 80 may also be provided on a side surface of the unit 10, in which case the units 10 may be arranged one above the other. Similarly, the fixing portion 85 may be provided on any surface of the unit 10. The mounting portion 80 and the fixing portion 85 may also be provided on the same surface of the unit 10.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the main unit 11 receives power through the PoE (Power over Ethernet (registered trademark)) function, but the method of power supply to each unit is not particularly limited. The main unit 11 and each sub-unit may be configured to receive power by connecting to a commercial power source or a power supply facility within the facility.

[0114] In the above embodiment, examples of various functions of the main unit 11 through communication via the connecting member 200 have been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, each unit 10 may realize any function through communication via the connecting member 200, and is not particularly limited. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 10 units 11 Main unit (gas detection unit) 12 Gas detection unit 13 Connection Unit 23, 33 Gas detection unit 70a top side 70d Back (other side) 80 Mounting part 85 Fixed part 88 Inner rail (unit fixing part) 89 Mounting plate (unit fixing member) 100 Gas detection system (electrical equipment system) 110, 301 board 111 First board 112 Second board 120, 302 storage unit 121, 311 First storage area 122, 312 Second storage section 130 1st joint 140 Second joint 150 Connection 151 Cable section 152 Third Storage Unit 200, 300, 310 connecting members U1 1st Unit U2 2nd Unit

Claims

1. An electrical equipment system configured by connecting a plurality of units, a connecting member that connects adjacent first and second units of the plurality of units from the outside, The connecting member is a housing portion for housing a substrate; a first coupling portion connected to the substrate and detachably coupled to the first unit; a second coupling portion connected to the substrate and detachably coupled to the second unit; the first unit and the second unit are electrically connected when the first unit and the second unit are coupled together; An electrical equipment system in which each of the plurality of units has a box-like shape in an installed state, including an upper surface on which an attachment portion to which the connecting member is attached is formed, and another surface on which a fixing portion is formed that is connected to a unit fixing member used to fix each of the plurality of units in a predetermined position.

2. The electrical equipment system according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is configured to connect the first unit and the second unit so as to be capable of supplying power and communicating with each other.

3. 3. The electrical equipment system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of units is a gas detection unit having a gas detection section.

4. A connecting member that connects multiple units from the outside, a housing portion for housing a substrate; a first coupling portion connected to the substrate and detachably coupled to a first unit; a second coupling portion connected to the substrate and detachably coupled to a second unit; the first unit and the second unit are electrically connected when the first unit and the second unit are coupled together; A connecting member in which each of the plurality of units has a box-like shape that, when installed, includes an upper surface on which an attachment portion to which the connecting member is attached is formed, and another surface on which a fixing portion is formed that is connected to a unit fixing member used to fix each of the plurality of units in a predetermined position.

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