Carrier-rail bus assembly with automatic bus addressing

Abstract

A carrier-rail bus assembly including a number of n mechanically contiguous bus-circuit-plate sections electrically connected via bus-circuit paths and installed in a carrier rail, an electronic control unit being configured such that it detects whether an apparatus is inserted in an installation position i, respective installation position i being allotted a bus address, which is assigned to the apparatus inserted on the carrier rail on the respective bus-circuit-plate section in respective installation position i. A related method for assigning a bus address is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A carrier-rail bus assembly comprising a number of n mechanically contiguous bus-circuit-plate sections (4) electrically connected via bus circuit paths (6), wherein the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) are installed next to each other in installation positions i (1≤i≤n) and each have k contacting elements (10) for being electrically contacted with an apparatus (5) inserted on a carrier rail (8) in a respective installation position of the installation positions i, characterized in that the carrier-rail bus assembly further comprises a plurality of distinct detection circuit paths (7), and an electronic control unit (12) is disposed on a first bus-circuit-plate section in a first installation position i=1 of the installation positions i and each of the distinct detection circuit paths (7) leads from the first bus-circuit-plate section in the first installation position i=1 to a respective downstream bus-circuit-plate section of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) such that the first bus-circuit-plate section in the first installation position i=1 is connected to each of the respective downstream bus-circuit-plate sections by a different one of the plurality of distinct detection circuit paths (7), the electronic control unit (12) detecting, by means of a respective one of the distinct detection circuit paths (7), whether the apparatus (5) is inserted in the respective installation position of the installation positions i in question, and the electronic control unit being configured such that the respective installation position of the installation positions i is allotted to a bus address (14), which is assigned to the apparatus (5) inserted on the carrier rail (8) on a respective bus-circuit-plate section of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) in the respective installation position of the installment positions i.

2. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a bus-circuit-plate end section (15), which is realized as a connection element (16) and is electrically connected to the bus circuit paths (6) and another distinct detection circuit path (7) so as to be mechanically contiguous with a preceding bus-circuit-plate section of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4).

3. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a predetermined breaking point (18) between adjacent ones of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) for shortening the carrier-rail bus assembly (2).

4. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the contacting elements (10) are realized as contacting block.

5. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) is as long as a standardized space unit (TE).

6. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that respective numbers of the bus-circuit paths (6) are each realized as energy circuit paths for supplying energy to the inserted apparatus, as data circuit paths for transferring data using the inserted apparatus, and as signal circuit paths for controlling the inserted apparatus (5).

7. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a self-detecting and reflection-free termination of the carrier-rail bus assembly (2).

8. The carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) is mechanically designed in such a manner that the apparatus (5) to be inserted cannot be wrongly mounted.

9. A method for assigning a bus address for an apparatus (5), which is inserted on a carrier rail (8), by means of a carrier-rail bus assembly according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: detecting whether the apparatus (5) is inserted in the respective installation position of the installation positions i by means of the electronic control unit (12) and the respective one of the distinct detection circuit paths (7), which leads to each further bus-circuit-plate section of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) from the first bus-circuit-plate section (4) in the first installation position i=1; allotting the bus address (14) to the respective installation position of the installation positions i by means of the electronic control unit (12); and assigning the bus address (14) to the apparatus (5), which is inserted on the carrier rail on the respective bus-circuit-plate section of the bus-circuit-plate sections (4) in the respective installation position of the installation positions i, by means of the electronic control unit (12).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiment features are derived from the following description and the drawings, which describe a preferred embodiment of the invention using examples.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a carrier-rail bus assembly according to the invention installed in a carrier rail,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a carrier-rail bus assembly according to the invention having an inserted apparatus installed in a carrier rail,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a functional illustration of the bus address allotment, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a functional illustration of the bus address allotment in a long carrier rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a carrier-rail bus assembly 2 according to the invention installed in a carrier rail 8.

(7) Carrier-rail bus assembly 2 consists of a number of preferably n=10 bus-circuit-plate sections 4, which are disposed in carrier rail 8.

(8) The mechanical configuration of carrier-rail bus assembly 2 allows only an unambiguous installation position in carrier rail 8, meaning wrongly mounting an apparatus is precluded.

(9) Bus-circuit-path sections 4 are all interconnected with bus circuit paths 6 (in the present example, with m=5; bus circuit paths 6 are only hinted at between bus-circuit-plate sections 4 in the installation positions one and two, and are otherwise covered).

(10) Bus-circuit-plate section 4 located in installation position i=1 comprises an electronic control unit 12, which is preferably realized as a micro-controller.

(11) Starting at bus-circuit-plate section 4 which is occupied by electronic control unit 12 and is located in installation position i=1, a detection circuit path 7 (schematically illustrated) leads to the respective down-stream bus-circuit-plate section 4 and another detection circuit path 7 leads to a bus-circuit-plate end section 15 realized as a connection element 16.

(12) In connection element 16 preferably realized as a RJ-45 socket, the insertion opening is pointed downward (with respect to the installation position in carrier rail 8) in order to prevent possible small parts, such as removed wire insulation, from falling into the socket.

(13) Bus-circuit-plate sections 4 are each provided with, in the present instance k=5, contacting elements 10 in the form of contacting blocks for contacting respective inserted apparatus 5 (FIG. 2).

(14) On both ends of carrier-rail bus assembly 2, connecting element 16 is disposed in carrier rail 8 while connected in a mechanically contiguous manner to preceding bus-circuit-plate section 4 (in the present example in installation position i=n=10) and electrically connected via five bus circuit paths 6 and further detection circuit path 7.

(15) The carrier-rail bus assembly has a predetermined breaking point 18 between the bus-circuit-plate sections for shortening the carrier-rail bus assembly.

(16) FIG. 2 shows carrier-rail bus assembly 2 according to the invention having apparatus 5 inserted in installation position i=10.

(17) The width of respective bus-circuit-plate section 4 is a standardized space unit TE.

(18) Each bus-circuit-plate section 4 comprises a locking hook 3 on its upper edge (with respect to its installation position in carrier rail 8) and a lip 9 on its lower edge, so that an attachment is only possible in the illustrated vertical direction as bus-circuit-plate section 4 would not find purchase in the opposite vertical direction because of the gravitational force.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a functional illustration of the bus address allotment with the assignment of installation position i to bus address 14. In this example, the entire carrier-rail bus assembly extends across several carrier rails 8 (FIG. 1), each having 10 installation positions i, a complete carrier-rail bus assembly 2 being installed in each carrier rail 8.

(20) Individual carrier-rail bus assemblies 2 are connected to each other via a connection element 16 and a connection line 17. In this configuration, installation position i with respect to the entire carrier-rail bus assembly is numbered serially (absolute installation position). The position referring to respective carrier rail 8 is occupied for each carrier rail 8 with a new numbering.

(21) Each absolute installation position i is allotted an individual bus address 14, which is automatically assigned to apparatus 5 (FIG. 2) inserted on carrier rail 8 in respective (absolute) installation position i and in the thus corresponding position.

(22) FIG. 4 shows a functional view of the bus address allotment on a long carrier rail.

(23) In this embodiment, two carrier-rail bus assemblies 2 are directly realized as a contiguous carrier-rail bus assembly on a long carrier rail 8 (FIG. 1). Both carrier-rail bus assemblies 2, which are each complete, are connected mechanically and electrically to each other and connecting line 17 not via connecting element 16, but directly like bus-circuit-plate sections 4 (FIG. 1).