Abstract:
The invention is a modular assembly of modular objects for autonomously executing a variety of tasks. The modular assembly consists of a modular object called a platform, one or more modular objects called modules which are mounted to the platform in accordance with a modular assembly system, and a modular bus system for distributing electrical power and electrical signals among the modular objects in the modular assembly. The modular assembly system utilizes modular object fasteners (MOFs) and MOF-accommodating features of modular objects for facilitating the attachment of a plurality of modular objects to one another thereby creating a modular assembly in any one of a variety of configurations, an MOF being activatable when object attachment surfaces associated with two modular objects are superimposed and two object attachment points on the object attachment surfaces coincide.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    (Not Applicable) 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    (Not Applicable) 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0003]    (Not Applicable) 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention pertains to an assembly of modular objects for autonomously executing a variety of tasks. Such an assembly is sometimes referred to as a robot—“a machine or mechanical device that operates automatically with humanlike skill.” The Random House College Dictionary, Revised Edition, Random House, Inc., New York, N.Y. (1988). 
         [0005]    Present-day robots are designed to perform specialized tasks such as vacuuming a carpeted room, mowing a lawn, storing and retrieving goods in warehouses, obtaining and delivering goods in the course of manufacturing operations, and performing operations in connection with the making of parts and the assembly of machines. Specialized designs of robots for the performance of specialized tasks will be an insurmountable economic burden to the widespread use of robots in the future unless a way is found to design robots to perform a multitude of tasks utilizing the same basic configuration. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is a modular assembly of modular objects for autonomously executing a variety of tasks. The modular assembly consists of a modular object called a platform, one or more modular objects called modules which are mounted to the platform in accordance with a modular assembly system, and a modular bus system for distributing electrical power and electrical signals among the modular objects in the modular assembly. The modular assembly system utilizes modular object fasteners (MOFs) and MOF-accommodating features of modular objects for facilitating the attachment of a plurality of modular objects to one another thereby creating a modular assembly in any one of a variety of configurations, an MOF being activatable when object attachment surfaces associated with two modular objects are superimposed and two object attachment points on the object attachment surfaces coincide. 
         [0007]    The modular assembly system facilitates the detachment of modular objects in an assembly and the reattachment of the same or different modular objects to form a different configuration of the modular assembly or a different modular assembly. 
         [0008]    The modular object called a platform consists of a frame of interconnected beams and any cross-members attached to the frame, the frame being amenable to the attachment and detachment of cross-members within the frame. Beams and cross-members are structural members consisting of one or more parallel flanges and one or more webs normal to the flanges. Coplanar exterior surfaces of the flanges of the beams and cross-members constitute object attachment surfaces with object attachment points thereon. The web surfaces of the beams and cross-members constitute bus attachment surfaces. 
         [0009]    One or more modular objects called modules having at least one object attachment surface is attachable to a platform or to another module when one or more of the object attachment points on an object attachment surface of the module coincide with one or more object attachment points on an object attachment surface of the platform or the other module; 
         [0010]    The modular bus system consists of modular-object bus systems attached to one or more bus-attachment surfaces within each modular object, one or more inter-object bus connectors for electrically connecting the plurality of modular-object bus systems to one another, and one or more intra-object bus connectors for enabling the flow of electrical power and electrical signals between the bus system of a modular object and the units within the modular object. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional view of a modular assembly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional view of a frame for a modular assembly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a platform for a modular assembly consisting of a frame and cross-members. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows the arrangement of holes in the frame and cross-members of a platform which provides the basis for the assembly of the platform and the attachment of modules to the platform. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows how an I-shaped cross-member fits into a channel-shaped frame. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a sectional view of a cross-member attached to a frame in a plane normal to the cross-member. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a sectional view of a cross-member attached to a frame in the plane of the web of the cross-member. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a view of the electrical bus that is attached to interior surfaces of the frame and cross-members for the transmission of power and control signals among modules. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows a sectional view of the bus of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows a sectional view of how a cross-member bus is connected to a frame bus. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a three-dimensional view of the cross-member bus connector which connects a cross-member bus to another cross-member bus or to the frame bus. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a three-dimensional view of the corner bus connector utilized in connecting the frame buses at the corners of the frame. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a top view of a frame corner showing how the corner bus connector attaches to the frame and makes contact with the frame buses. 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a front view of the corner bus connector shown in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  shows a module in position to be attached to a platform. 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  shows a module in position to be attached to another module. 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  shows a pivoting bus connector used to electrically connect the platform bus to a module bus. 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is a view of the fingers of a corner bus connector used to connect module buses. 
           [0029]      FIG. 19  is a plan view of a corner bus connector used to connect module buses. 
           [0030]      FIG. 20  is a sectional view of a corner bus connector in position to be installed in the corner of a module. 
           [0031]      FIG. 21  is a sectional view of a bus which may be used as either a frame bus or a junction bus. 
           [0032]      FIG. 22  is a sectional view of a module bus. 
           [0033]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of the fingers of a junction bus connector. 
           [0034]      FIG. 24  is a perspective view of a junction bus connector. 
           [0035]      FIG. 25  shows a junction bus termination connected to a junction bus which is connected to a module bus. 
           [0036]      FIG. 26  shows how a junction bus connector attaches to a module bus. 
           [0037]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view of the junction bus termination. 
           [0038]      FIG. 28  shows how a junction bus connector is held in position against a module wall by the pivoting bus connector frame. 
           [0039]      FIG. 29  shows the pivoting bus connector in the parked position. 
           [0040]      FIG. 30  shows the pivoting bus connector in the connected position. 
           [0041]      FIG. 31  shows how the conductors in the pivoting bus connector are transitioned from a linear configuration to a square configuration. 
           [0042]      FIG. 32  shows how the conductors in the pivoting bus connector are transitioned from a square configuration to a linear configuration. 
           [0043]      FIG. 33  is a perspective view of the yoke of the pivoting bus connector. 
           [0044]      FIG. 34  is a perspective view of the pivoting bus connector fingers. 
           [0045]      FIG. 35  shows how the pivoting bus connector connects to a module bus. 
           [0046]      FIG. 36  is a perspective view of the bus connector utilized in connecting electronic devices and circuits within a module to the module bus system. 
           [0047]      FIG. 37  is a plan view of a module floor and the opening through which the pivoting bus connector moves in connecting to the frame or another module. 
           [0048]      FIG. 38  shows how a dust-free environment is maintained in a module after a pivoting bus connector connects the bus system of the module to the bus system of the frame or another module. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0049]    The invention is a modular assembly comprising a platform and a variety of modules which can easily be attached to and detached from the platform thereby permitting a user to easily put together a modular assembly to perform a particular task or a variety of tasks by the appropriate selection of modules. 
         [0050]    A simple example of the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . It consists of platform  11 , power module  13 , navigation module  15 , guidance &amp; control module  17 , four mobility modules  19  (three of which are shown in the figure), and task module  21 . A modular assembly may not need to move in order to perform its assigned tasks, in which case there would be no need for mobility modules. In some situations one might want to exercise overall control of the modular assembly with an external controller which would communicate with the modular assembly by means of wires or wirelessly. 
         [0051]    Power module  13  supplies all of the power required by the modules. Depending on the power requirements of the modular assembly, it might be simply a storage battery or a hybrid arrangement of storage batteries and a generator driven by an internal combustion engine. If a variety of AC and DC voltages are required by the modules, then power module  13  would also include appropriate inventers and converters. 
         [0052]    Navigation module  15  continually determines the position and velocity of the modular assembly and supplies this data to guidance &amp; control module  17  which in turn generates control data for the mobility modules  19  which will cause the assembly to follow the path appropriate for performing the tasks assigned to the modular assembly. 
         [0053]    Each of the mobility modules  19  consists of an independently-suspended caster which utilizes separate electric motors to control the caster direction and the caster wheel rotation rate. The mobility modules  19  are mounted on the bottom of the platform in contrast to the top mounting of the other modules. The mobility modules are of the caster type and can be confined to the region immediately below the platform  11  as shown in the figure. However, there is no requirement that any of the modules must be confined to the regions either immediately above or below the platform. If the mobility modules are based on an automotive-type suspension, the wheels associated with the mobility modules will necessarily be outside of the platform perimeter. 
         [0054]    The platform consists of a frame of interconnected beams where a beam is a structural member designed to resist bending. The component parts of a beam are one or more parallel flanges connected together by one or more webs normal to and attached to the flanges. In applications where the beams are to resist the force of gravity, the flanges are horizontal and the web is vertical. An I-beam has two flanges top and bottom with a web centered between them. A C-beam (or channel) has two flanges, top and bottom, with a web connecting the ends of the flanges. A T-beam has a single flange and a web connected at the center of the flange. An L-beam (or angle) has a single flange with a web connected to the end. A BOX-beam has two flanges connected at the ends to the ends of two webs thereby forming a box-like section. There are many variations of these structures which may be used for the platform of this invention. 
         [0055]    An example of the use of C-beams as the basis of the platform structure is the rectangular frame shown in  FIG. 2 . A platform customized for the particular set of modules shown in  FIG. 1  is obtained by inserting I-beam cross-members in the frame as shown in the top view of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0056]    Cross-members  25  and  27  (together with the frame) provide support for modules  13 ,  15 , and  17 . Cross-members  29 ,  31 , and  33  (together with the frame) provide support for the front two mobility modules  19 . Cross-members  35  and  37  (together with the frame) provide support for left rear mobility module  19 , and cross-members  39  and  41  (together with the frame) provide support for right rear mobility module  19 . 
         [0057]    A top view of the upper left corner of the platform shown in  FIG. 3  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Frame  23  has holes as shown (typical frame hole  43 ) spaced at regular intervals on its entire perimeter. The holes pass through both flanges of the channel and are partially threaded at both top and bottom. The cross-members (typical cross-member  45 ) also have partially-threaded holes (typical cross-member hole  47 ), with the same regular spacing as the frame and aligned with the frame holes after the cross-member is inserted into the frame. The cross-member holes are on both sides of the web and aligned (see typical aligned cross-member holes  47  and  49 ). 
         [0058]    The flanges of the end portions of the cross-members are removed leaving only the webs as shown for one end in  FIG. 5 . Each cross-member end  51  has a hole  53  through the web which aligns with top and bottom holes  55  and  57  of frame segment  59  or similar holes of another cross-member when the cross-member is fully-inserted into the frame or other cross-member (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0059]    The dashed outline  19  ( FIG. 4 ) shows the outline of the left rear mobility module (see  FIG. 1 ) relative to the platform. 
         [0060]    A cross-member can be quickly attached to the frame, to the frame and another cross-member, or to two other parallel cross-members by inserting and screwing threaded pins into pre-drilled and partially threaded holes in the frame and cross-members. The attachment of one end of a cross member  61  to a frame  59  (see  FIG. 5 ) proceeds by inserting the end  51  of cross-member  61  into frame  59 . 
         [0061]    A sectional view of the frame  59  and cross-member  61  after insertion in a plane normal to the cross-member longitudinal axis is shown in  FIG. 6 . A sectional view in the central plane of the cross-member web is as shown in  FIG. 7 . The cross-member is secured to the frame by pin  63  which is threaded at one end with a recess in the threaded end which accepts an Allen wrench. The pin is passed through the holes in the frame and the cross-member and then secured to the frame by causing the pin threads to fully engage the threads  65  in the threaded region of the frame hole. Pin  63  does not extend into the threads  66  of bottom frame hole  57  (see  FIGS. 5  and  7 ). Pin  63  may alternatively be inserted through hole  57  and secured in position by engagement with threads  66  in bottom frame hole  57 . 
         [0062]    The attachment of a cross-member to another cross-member is accomplished in the same way. 
         [0063]    The frame need not be constrained to two dimensions as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The frame may assume any three-dimensional configuration that can be achieved with structures of beams. The only requirement is that the beam structure accommodate module attachment points (corresponding to the mounting holes shown in the drawings) in the module mounting surfaces of the structure that are congruent with a subset of a grid of attachment points equally-spaced in the two dimensions of a two-dimensional Cartesian-coordinate system. 
         [0064]    Nor does the frame need to be constrained to the simple rectangular shape shown in  FIG. 2 . The frame may be of any geometrical shape achievable with a structure of beams as long as the attachment-point requirement is satisfied. 
         [0065]    The transmission of power and the communication of information among modules is accomplished with buses. Bus  67  and buses  69  and  70  shown in  FIG. 6  are identical arrangements of parallel conductors attached to insulating back planes which are in turn attached to the interior web surfaces of the frame and cross-members respectively. One possible bus layout is shown in  FIG. 8 . It consists of AC power bus  75 , DC power bus  77 , and data bus  79  attached to bus support structure  81 . A sectional view normal to the conductors is shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0066]    The current required to provide the mobility desired for a mobile modular assembly may require power bus conductors having dimensions normal to current flow of a centimeter or more. Thus, the size of power bus conductors are likely to be significantly greater than the data bus conductors. In order to simplify the connections to the combination power and data bus, it is desirable that the surfaces of the conductors available for connection be in the same plane as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The design of the bus support structure  81  accomplishes this goal. 
         [0067]    The connection of a cross-member bus to the frame bus is accomplished with cross-member connector  71  which is shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 10  and which is attached to the end of cross-member  61 . Tabs  73  abut the sides of the cross-member bus conductors and are either soldered or ultrasonically welded to them. An identical connector is attached to the other end of cross-member  61  and is electrically connected to the cross-member bus conductors on the opposite side of the cross-member web. 
         [0068]    The details of the cross-member bus connector  71  are shown in  FIG. 11 . Flexible DC power connector fingers  85 , AC power connector fingers  87 , and data connector fingers  89  are held in support structure  83 , the ends of which exit the support structure  83  as DC power connector tabs  91 , AC power connector tabs  93 , and data connector tabs  95  which are soldered or ultrasonically welded to the cross-member bus conductors as described above. 
         [0069]    In attaching a cross-member to a frame or to another cross-member, the connector fingers bend and thereby apply pressure to the corresponding bus conductors in the contact region, thereby assuring a good electrical connection between the bus conductors being connected. 
         [0070]    The connection of the frame buses at the corners of the frame is accomplished with the corner connector shown in  FIG. 12 . The corner connector consists of two sets of flexible connector fingers  97  and  99  held in a plastic support structure  101 . When installed in a corner of a frame, the connector fingers make individual contact with the bus conductors on each side of the corner as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0071]    Frame buses  103  and  105  are attached adhesively to interior web surfaces  107  and  109  respectively of adjoining frame members at the corner of a frame. The corner connector  111  is initially positioned as shown and held in position by a pin which is inserted through the two corner holes of the frame and hole  113  in cam  115 . A front view of the corner connector is shown in  FIG. 14 . This assembly process is easily accomplished since the connector fingers  97  and  99  are unflexed during the assembly process. Cam  115  is equipped with a square protuberances  119  and  121  at each end of the cam to which a wrench can be applied. By rotating the cam with the aid of a wrench to dashed position  123 , the connector support structure  101  moves into the corner thereby causing the connector fingers to flex and make good electrical contact with the bus conductors. 
         [0072]    A module such as the ones shown in  FIG. 1  has outside width and length dimensions equal to WS and LS respectively where W and L are integers and S is the spacing of the holes in the frame and cross-members. The module may have an arbitrary height. The top and bottom of a module have a rectangular arrangement of holes that can be aligned with those in the platform. The rectangle defined by the hole centers is centered in the module surface with (W-1) holes in the width dimension and (L-1) holes in the length dimension. 
         [0073]    The attachment of a module  125  to a platform  127  begins with the alignment of the holes in the module with the holes in the platform where the module is to be attached as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . Then a shoulder bolt, with the aid of a driving tool, is passed through top hole  129  of module  125  and is caused to enter bottom hole  131  and engage the threaded region  133  of the hole in the platform. This process is then repeated for as many aligned holes as required to provide the requisite attachment security. 
         [0074]    In preparation for attaching a module to the top of module  125 , reducing bushing  135  is introduced into hole  129  from the top and screwed into the threaded region utilizing an Allen wrench inserted into the hexagonal socket  136  thereby converting the original threaded region into a threaded region which is the same size as the threaded hole regions in the platform. Similarly, reducing bushings are screwed into all of the top holes of module  125  which are to be used in attaching the second module. 
         [0075]    A second module  137  is shown in  FIG. 16  positioned for attachment to module  125 . It will be observed that reducing bushing  135  has been installed in the top hole of module  125 . Module  137  is bolted to module  125  in exactly the same way that module  125  was bolted to platform  127  (bolt not shown in figure). 
         [0076]    After all of the desired modules have been mounted on the platform, plugs like plug  139  are screwed into all exposed open top holes in the modules in order to maintain dust-free environments within the modules. 
         [0077]    Each module includes a bus and a bus connector which can be caused to connect the module&#39;s bus to the platform bus system or to the bus of a module on which the module is mounted. The installation of a bus connector in a module is accomplished (prior to attachment of the module to the platform or to another module) by aligning two tapped holes in the bus connector with two of the holes in the bottom of the module and then bolting the bus connector to the module. For example, if one wished to attach a bus connector to either module  125  utilizing hole  141  or module  137  utilizing hole  143 , neither hole being intended for use in attaching the associated module to the platform or another module, one would align the two tapped holes of the bus connector with hole  141  (or  143 ) and an adjacent hole and utilizing shoulder bolts like shoulder bolt  145  to bolt the bus connector to the module using an Allen wrench. The precise positioning of the bus connector with respect to the module is assured by the close fit of the shoulder  147  of the bolt and hole  141  (or  143 ) and similarly in the case of a second bolt and the adjacent hole. 
         [0078]    Each module is equipped with a bus system similar to the platform bus system. A module&#39;s bus system consists of four buses adhesively attached to the walls of the module at the same distance from the top of the module as the platform buses are from the surface (either top or bottom) of the platform. Alternatively, the module buses may be attached to the walls of the module by mechanical fasteners of one kind or another. The four busses are electrically connected together by corner connectors. 
         [0079]    After a module  171  is mounted to the platform  173 , the module bus is electrically connected to the platform bus by pivoting bus connector  185  as shown in  FIG. 17 . Two of the four interconnected module bus sections  175  and  177  are shown together with junction bus  179 , junction bus termination  183 , and platform bus  180 . The module bus sections  175  and  177  are electrically connected by a corner connector which attaches to corner attachment fixture  178 . Junction bus connector  181  connects module bus section  177  to vertically-oriented junction bus  179 . Junction bus termination  183  provides an interface between junction bus  179  and pivoting bus connector  185 . Pivoting bus connector  185  provides the means for connecting junction bus termination  183  to platform bus  180  after the module has been attached to the platform. The pivoting bus connector frame  187 , which supports the pivoting bus connector  185 , is attached to a module by shoulder bolts which pass through adjacent holes in module  171  and screw into tapped hole  189  and an adjacent tapped hole which align with the two adjacent holes in the module thereby securely and precisely attaching the pivoting bus connector frame  187  to the module. 
         [0080]    The corner bus connector which attaches to corner attachment fixture  178  and connects module bus section  175  to module bus section  177  is detailed in  FIG. 18 . The view is the backside of the connector showing the surfaces of flexible connector fingers  191  and  193  that make contact with module bus sections  177  and  175  respectively. Plastic corner connector support structure  195  provides support for the molded-in phosphor bronze connector fingers  191  and  193 . Holes  197  and  199  provide the means for attaching corner connector support structure  195  to corner attachment fixture  178  ( FIG. 17 ) in a module. 
         [0081]    The front view of corner connector support structure  195  together with portions of the protruding fingers  191  and  193  are shown in  FIG. 19 . The countersunk regions  201  and  203  prevent the attaching nuts from obstructing or interfering with circuits and devices that will be installed in the module. A sectional view of corner connector support structure  195  and fingers  191  and  193  in position to be attached to corner attachment fixture  178  is shown in  FIG. 20 . Corner attachment fixtures are adhesively attached to the inside walls of a module at the corners. 
         [0082]    Bolt  205  together with a second bolt are molded in to corner attachment fixture  178  in positions to match holes  197  and  199  in the corner connector support structure  195 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , the corner attachment fixture bolts have entered the holes in the corner connector support structure  195  and connector fingers  193  and  191  have made contact with the conductors of buses  175  and  177  respectively but remain unstressed. The attachment process is completed by screwing nuts on the bolts until the connector fingers are fully stressed and making good contacts with the bus conductors as indicated by the corner connector support structure  195  coming into contact with the corner attachment fixture  178 . 
         [0083]    Sectional views of junction bus  179  and module bus section  177  are shown in  FIGS. 21 and 22  respectively. The only difference in the two bus types is that the module bus section  177  has shoulders  213  and  215  which are used in attaching the junction bus connector  181  at any position along the module bus section  177 . The platform buses discussed earlier are identical in configuration to the junction bus  179 . 
         [0084]    A view of the finger configuration of the junction bus connector  181  ( FIG. 17 ) is shown in  FIG. 23 . The finger assembly is molded into the junction bus connector support structure  217  as shown in  FIG. 24 . The view of  FIG. 24  is the underside of junction bus connector  181  which comes in contact with module bus section  177  and junction bus  179 . 
         [0085]    The attachment of junction bus connector  181  to module bus section  177  and junction bus  179  is shown in  FIG. 25 . The attachment is accomplished at the corners of junction bus connector  181  with clamps  219 ,  221 ,  223 , and  225 . The clamping details are illustrated in  FIG. 26  using clamp  225  as an example. As shown in the figure, junction bus connector  181 , when placed over module bus section  177  and junction bus  179 , is supported at a distance  227  above the two buses by the undeflected fingers (not shown in figure) of the junction bus connector. In this condition, the four clamps  219 ,  221 ,  223 , and  225  can be slipped into position as illustrated for clamp  225  in the figure. Precise alignment of the connector and the buses can be achieved by adjusting the position of the connector until each of the two clamps  223  and  225  are positioned as clamp  225  is in the figure. Note that one side of clamp  225  abuts the edge of junction bus  179  and the opposite side is in the same plane as the edge of junction bus connector  181 . 
         [0086]    After the clamps are correctly positioned and the junction bus connector is correctly aligned with the buses, Allen screw  229  and the Allen screws associated with clamps  219 ,  221 , and  223  are all screwed into the clamps forcing the junction bus connector support structure  217  to make contact with the underlying buses and causing the fingers of the junction bus connector  181  to deflect and make pressured electrical contacts with their associated bus conductors. 
         [0087]    The junction bus connector  181  is symmetrical and thus can be used to connect the module bus  177  to the junction bus  179  from either the left or right sides as the buses are shown in  FIG. 25 . By rotating junction bus connector  181  90 degrees counterclockwise in  FIG. 25 , it would connect the right-hand portion of module bus  177  to junction bus  179 . 
         [0088]    Junction bus termination  183  shown in  FIG. 27  consists of rigidly-held conducting fingers  231  with which the flexible fingers of pivoting bus connector  185  connects. The fingers  231  transition into pads  233 . The finger assembly is molded into plastic support structure  235 . After the pads are connected to the ends of junction bus  179  by soldering or ultrasonic welding and before junction bus connector  181  is connected, junction bus termination  183  and the attached junction bus  179  is inserted behind the already-installed pivoting bus connector  185 . At the beginning of the insertion, the upper portion of junction bus  179  rests on top of module bus section  179  and must be tilted away from the module wall. This tilting flexibility is provided by junction bus termination  183  being attached to junction bus  179  only by junction termination pads  233  which permits junction bus  179  to tilt away from surface  237  of junction bus termination support structure  235 . After reaching its proper position, junction bus  179  drops down to the module wall in close proximity to module bus section  177 . The surface  239  of junction bus termination  183  and junction bus  179  will be held securely against the module wall by sinusoidal spring  241  shown in  FIG. 28  at one edge of pivoting bus connector frame  187  and by a second spring on the other side of the frame. The springs are held trapped in the frame as illustrated in the figure for spring  241  with its ends inserted into slots  243  and  245 . 
         [0089]    Pivoting bus connector  185  ( FIG. 17 ) is shown in greater detail in the sectional views of  FIGS. 29 and 30 . Pivoting bus connector  185  is shown parked in module  171  above platform  173  in  FIG. 29 . Pivoting bus connector  185  is rigidly attached to shaft  255  whose ends are supported in frame  187  in a manner which allows the shaft to freely rotate. Worm gear  257  is rigidly attached to shaft  255  and engages worm  259 . Worm  259  is rigidly attached to a worm shaft having a hexagonal socket head termination  261  (drivable by an Allen wrench) and constrained within a hole in the frame shelf by worm  259  at one end and hexagonal socket head termination  261  at the other end. The worm shaft is free to rotate and thereby drive worm gear  257  and pivoting bus connector  185  in a ninety-degree arc thereby causing pivoting bus connector  185  to arrive at the position shown in  FIG. 30 , simultaneously connecting platform bus  180  to junction bus termination  183  which is hidden between the walls of pivoting bus connector frame  187  in  FIGS. 29 and 30 . 
         [0090]    The mounting of pivoting bus connector frame  187  to the module results in hexagonal socket head termination  261  being aligned with module hole  169  ( FIG. 17 ) and also with the corresponding hole in the upper surface of the module. Thus, a user can insert an extended-length Allen wrench through the aligned hole in the upper surface of the module and engage the hexagonal socket head termination  261  to turn the worm  259 , thereby either moving the pivoting bus connector  185  from the parked “disconnect” position in the module ( FIG. 29 ) to the operational “connect’ position ( FIG. 30 ) wherein platform bus  180  becomes connected to junction bus termination  183  ( FIG. 17 ) or performing the reverse operation which results in platform bus  180  becoming disconnected from junction bus termination  183 . 
         [0091]    Socket head termination  261  may be driven with an electric motor attached to frame shelf  263  and a user may then access the motor and supply power to it by inserting an extended-length power wand through the aligned hole in the upper surface of the module and into a power receptacle attached to the electric motor. 
         [0092]    The dashed outline of finger assembly  265  in  FIGS. 29 and 30  shows the position of the finger assembly that attaches to the conductors at the end of pivoting bus connector  185  and makes the connection to the fingers of junction bus termination  183  which is hidden within the walls of pivoting bus connector frame  187  and which connects to junction bus  179 . A similar finger assembly  267  attaches to the conductors at the other end of pivoting bus connector  185  and makes the connection to the conductors of platform bus  180 . 
         [0093]    The pivoting bus connector  185  is an assembly of conductors terminated on one end with finger assembly  267  consisting of a plurality of vertically-oriented linear array of flexible conducting fingers which are intended to make contact with the conductors of the platform bus  180  and terminated on the other end with finger assembly  265  consisting of a horizontally-oriented linear array of flexible conducting fingers which are intended to make contact with the conducting fingers of the junction bus termination  183  ( FIG. 17 ). 
         [0094]    The pivoting-connector conductors emerge from finger assembly  267  as a vertically-oriented array shown in  FIG. 31  as solid-line squares. Each conductor is subject to a series of bends about axes normal to the sides of the conductors including a ninety-degree change in direction which bring them into the square configuration of dashed squares shown in  FIG. 31 . This square configuration is achieved when all of the conductors are aligned vertically in  FIG. 30 . The transition from a linear configuration to a square configuration requires the conductors to be displaced by bends as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 31 . 
         [0095]    Each conductor is then subject to a series of bends about axes normal to the sides of the conductors including a ninety-degree change in direction which brings them into the linear horizontally-oriented configuration of solid-line squares shown in  FIG. 32 . The transition from the square configuration to the linear configuration requires displacements of the conductors as indicated again by the arrows. 
         [0096]    A yoke for attaching shafts to the pivoting bus connector surrounds the conductor assembly at the pivot axis. The yoke, shown in  FIG. 33 , has two tapped holes  275  and  277  on the pivot axis to receive shafts with threaded ends that pass through holes in the side walls of pivoting bus connector frame  187  ( FIG. 17 ) and screw into the tapped holes in the yoke. 
         [0097]    Finger assemblies  265  and  267  with individually-flexible fingers for making electrical contact with the platform bus  180  and the junction bus termination  183  ( FIG. 17 ), like that shown in  FIG. 34 , are attached to each end of the conductor assembly by soldering or ultrasonic welding. The resulting combination of conductor assembly, yoke, and finger assemblies are molded into plastic thereby completing the fabrication of the pivoting bus connector. The dashed outline  279  shows the plastic support structure that encompasses the conductor assembly and the attachment ends of the finger assembly at each end of the pivoting bus connector after the molding process has been completed. 
         [0098]    The pivoting bus connector  185  connects to the platform bus by essentially a linear motion normal to the platform bus. First, the fingers  281  contact the bus conductors and then individually and elastically bend as they move closer to the bus conductors thereby applying forces to the contacting portions of the fingers and securing good electrical connections. 
         [0099]    The pivoting bus connector  185  connects to the junction bus termination  183  by a rotating motion as shown in  FIG. 35 . The frame  187  of the pivoting bus connector  185  abuts wall  283  and is bolted to floor  285  of module  171  ( FIG. 17 ). The fingers  287  of finger assembly  265  are shown in the “parked” position  287 -P that corresponds to the parked position of the pivoting bus connector  185  (see  FIG. 29 ). As the pivoting bus connector  185  rotates, the fingers  287  rotate with the straight ends touching inner circle  289  and the curved ends touching outer circle  291 . The fingers remain undeflected during the ninety-degree rotation of the pivoting bus connector until they reach the “touching” position  287 -T where they touch the ends of the junction bus termination fingers  231  ( FIG. 27 ). Further rotation causes the fingers to bend elastically until they achieve the “maximum bending” position  287 -MB and good electrical connections to the junction bus termination fingers after a full ninety-degree rotation of the pivoting bus connector. 
         [0100]    Electrical connections to electrical and electronic devices and equipments within a module are accomplished by any of a wide variety of conventional wiring means and bus connector  293  shown in  FIG. 36 . Bus connector  293  is clamped to the module bus using clamps like clamp  225  shown in  FIG. 26  in a fashion similar to the way junction bus connector  181  is clamped to module bus  177  (see  FIG. 25 ). Bus connector  293  may be attached wherever on the module bus is most convenient for wiring, and the clamps may be placed anywhere along the two sides of the connector which are above the shoulders  213  and  215  of module bus  177  (see  FIG. 22 ). 
         [0101]    The clamping of bus connector  293  to module bus  177  results in the surfaces  295  and  297  of bus connector  293  being in intimate contact with the top surfaces of shoulders  213  and  215  ( FIG. 22 ) of module bus  177 . This positioning results in bus connector fingers  299  flexing to the degree  301  necessary to make good electrical contacts with the module bus conductors and also limits the flexing to the elastic region. 
         [0102]    Bus connector fingers  299  are electrically connected by a rigid conductor assembly to the receptacle contacts of any type connector preferred by the user. Circular plastic connector (CPC)  303 , capable of handling up to eight signal conductors and five power conductors, is shown in  FIG. 36 . A plurality of receptacles may be provided on a single bus connector  293  utilizing any or all of the five surfaces (bottom and four sides). The receptacles may be the same or different depending upon the user&#39;s preferences. 
         [0103]    Bus connector  293  is molded into plastic and becomes the bus connector shown in  FIG. 36  except for possibly having a plurality of receptacles available instead of just one. 
         [0104]    In order for the pivoting bus connector in a module to connect to a bus beneath the module, there must be an opening in the floor of the module. For the embodiment of the invention described herein (see  FIG. 4 ), the rectangular opening  321  shown in  FIG. 37  would suffice. In order to maintain a dust-free environment within the module, hinged spring-loaded cover  323  covers the portion of the opening not occupied by the pivoting bus connector after the pivoting bus connector moves from the “parked” position to the “connect” position. The manner in which the cover is opened and closed is illustrated in  FIG. 38 . 
         [0105]    When the pivoting bus connector  325  is in the “park” position  325 -P, the cover  323 -O is open and leaning against the pivoting bus connector. The cover  323  is spring-loaded so that a force is continually being applied to the cover to cause it to move to the closed position unless it is prevented from doing so by the pivoting bus connector. 
         [0106]    When the pivoting bus connector  325  moves to the “connect” position  325 -C, the cover  323  shown in the open position  323 -O follows it down to the closed position  323 -C and closes the portion of opening  321  not occupied by the pivoting bus connector. In order to maintain a dust-free environment when the pivoting bus connector  325  is in the connect position  325 -C an elastically-compressible dust seal  327  is attached to cover  323  on its perimeter and elastically deforms to seal that portion of opening  321  where the cover abuts the opening. An elastically-compressible dust seal  329  surrounds the neck of the pivoting bus connector and elastically deforms to seal that portion of opening  321  that surrounds the neck when the pivoting bus connector is in the “connect” position  325 -C.