Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a multi-modal connector module, particularly a connector module providing three connection modes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In industrial control applications, various control circuits are formed in functional modules and a plurality of control modules is removably installed in a control system, to provide the system with different control functions. In order to satisfy such needs, i.e., the need of adding or removing particular module from time to time, each functional modules is provided with necessary connector modules, with a same number of electrical contacts at identical positions among all connector modules. In particular, the various functional modules form a flat cassette, with their electrical contacts formed in both sides of the flat cassettes at respectively corresponding positions, so that a cassette can establish electrical connections with another adjacent to either side of the other at the electrical contacts, in order to exchange signals or power. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,241 disclosed an “I/O Device for a Data Bus” including a connector module having such modularized connectivity. The connector module is accommodated in a module cassette. 
         [0004]    In order to support connections of function modules, the industry has developed a connector module. The connector module has main body in the shape of a flat cassette, with a same number of contact pins at corresponding positions in its both sides, such that one other connector module, also in the shape of a cassette, can establish electrical connections at either side of the cassette. The contact pins of a pair form a T shape, with two pins respectively extended to both sides and a third pin extended in a perpendicular direction. As a general design, the third pin includes two elastic legs configured to clip an external connector, such as one of the goldfingers provided in a circuit board having a functional module. When the external connector is inserted in the third connector, the functional module in connection with the external connector establishes electrical contact with the T-shaped connector piece. That is, when no external connector is inserted, the T-shaped connector piece conducts laterally, called short circuit; when the external connector is inserted, the T-shaped connector piece additionally conducts the functional module in connection with the external connector. With such a connector structure, the functional module may form a “series” or “parallel” connection with other functional modules, depending on the design of the functional modules. 
         [0005]    WO 00/62376A1 disclosed an “Input/Output Device Having Removable Module” that has a connector module provided with such function. A T-shaped connector piece for use in the connector module is also disclosed. 
         [0006]    US 2013/0027890 disclosed a “Connection Module Being Capable of Serving a Bus” that uses a plurality of connector modules to form a bus structure. This connection module enables the so-called “bus” connection of the functional modules. 
         [0007]    Providing a multiple modal connection function and changing the interconnection among contact pins by inserting a foreign object in a group of connectors were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,402,058, “Plug Connector with Short Circuit Contacts.” 
         [0008]    In response to the urgent needs for multiple modal functional modules in the industry, connector modules that support multi-modal connection functions are developed. The multi-modal connector modules provide a plurality of connection modes, for the functional module suppliers&#39; selection. The multi-modal connector modules may be used in most functional modules, to connect other functional modules where varies electrical connection modes are used. 
       OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An objective of the present invention to provide a novel connector module that supports multiple connection modes for use by functional modules. 
         [0010]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a tri-modal connector module that supports a parallel/serial connection mode and a bus connection modes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    According to the present invention, a connector module is provided and comprises: 
         [0012]    a module main body, 
         [0013]    a serial/parallel connector detachably attached in the module main body, and 
         [0014]    a bus connector seat. The serial/parallel connector comprises:
       an insulation main body having a slot; and   at least one group of connection terminals fixed on the insulation body, each group of connection terminals including a first contact piece and a second contact piece; wherein       
 
         [0017]    the first contact piece provides an external first contact and internal second and third contacts, the internal second and third contacts being arranged along a first direction in the slot; 
         [0018]    the second contact piece provides an external fourth contact and internal fifth and sixth contacts, the internal fifth and sixth contacts being arranged along the first direction in the slot and in resilient contact with the second and third contacts, respectively; and 
         [0019]    a width of the slot in the direction perpendicular to the first direction is enough to accommodate a foreign object, whereby when the external object enters into the slot in the first direction, contact between the second and fifth contacts or the third and sixth contacts is released. When the serial/parallel connector is assembled in the module main body, the first and fourth contacts of each connector pin group are positioned external at both sides of the module main body. 
         [0020]    In addition, the bus connector seat is provided in the module main body and comprises: 
         [0021]    a slide rail formed inside an opening of the module main body to provide slidable attachment and accommodation of a bus connector, 
         [0022]    a slidable clamp positioned at one end of the opening to be aligned to a bus rail, to clamp the bus rail for attachment of the connector module. 
         [0023]    The opining provides a space along the slide rail and opened to the clamp, such that connector pins of the bus connector may reach a bus structure in the bus rail. 
         [0024]    In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the first contact piece comprises a connection portion and a first elastic leg, a second elastic leg and a third elastic leg extended from the connection portion, such that the first contact, the second contact and the third contact are provided in the first elastic leg, the second elastic leg and the third elastic leg, respectively. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the second contact piece comprises a main body and a fourth elastic leg, a fifth elastic leg and a sixth elastic leg extended from the main body, such that the fourth contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact are provided in the fourth elastic leg, the fifth elastic leg and the sixth elastic leg, respectively. 
         [0025]    In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, when a foreign object is inserted into the slot along the first direction, the foreign object first contacts the second and fifth contacts. With the continued movement of the foreign object towards the first direction, connection of the second and fifth contacts is forced to break, therefore the contact status of the second contact and the fifth contact is released. The foreign object continues to move along the first direction and contacts the third contact and sixth contacts. With the continued movement of the foreign object, connection of the third contact and sixth contacts is forced to break, therefore the contact status of the third and sixth contacts is released. 
         [0026]    The foreign object may provide an electrical contact at each side. The electrical contacts may be provided at locations corresponding to the second and fifth contacts, after the foreign object is fully inserted in the slot. The electrical contacts may also be provided at locations corresponding to the second and fifth contacts and extend to locations corresponding to the third and sixth contacts. The foreign object may be a circuit board and the electrical contacts may be goldfingers provided on the circuit board. 
         [0027]    When the foreign object reaches the bottom of the slot and forces the third and sixth contacts to break, depending on the length of the electrical contacts the electrical contacts may form contact with the second and fifth contacts, only, or with the second, fifth, third and sixth contacts at the same time. In case the electrical contacts form contact with the second, fifth, third and sixth contacts, signals/currents that enter from the first contact and flow through connection of the second and fifth contacts and connection of the third and sixth contacts to the fourth contact without the foreign object being inserted will flow to the circuit provided in the circuit board through the electrical contacts and are output after they are processed/transformed. A serial connection of the circuit board is thus realized. On the other hand, if the electrical contacts only contact the second and fifth contacts, the signals/currents that enter from the first contact and flow to the fourth contact without the foreign object being inserted will split a flow to the circuit provided in the circuit board, because of the connection of the second and fifth contacts. The split flow is then output after it is processed and transformed. A parallel connection of the circuit board is thus realized. 
         [0028]    In some preferred embodiments, the bus connector comprises a plurality of bus connector pins. The bus connector may enter into the opening along the first direction and move along the slide rail, until the connector pins of the bus connector are exposed from the other end of the opening. The bus rail may extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so that one bus rail supports a plurality of connector modules parallel arranged. In the bus rail a bus structure may be accommodated. The bus structure may include a bus structure main body to be accommodated in the bus rail and a plurality of metal strips each extending along the second direction and arranged parallel to other metal strips, to be connected by a plurality of bus connector arranged in sequence. The bus connector may also provide a plurality of modular connector pins, for connector pins of particular circuit module to connect. The bus connector may further provide a substrate, such as a circuit board, provided with circuit module(s) thereon. The substrate may provide an extension to be inserted into the slot of the serial/parallel connector. 
         [0029]    The module main body of the connector module may extend to form a housing, or be connected with a housing, to accommodate the circuit module and/or the substrate. 
         [0030]    When a plurality of the invented connector module is arranged on the bus rail in sequence, the first and fourth connector pins of the serial/parallel connector of one connector module respectively contacts the fourth and first connector pins of the serial/parallel connectors of its adjacent connector modules. When a bus connector is provided in the bus connector seat of a connector module, the bus connector pins of the bus connector electrically connects the metal strips of the bus structure provided in the bus rail. 
         [0031]    These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention may be made clear from the detailed description by reference to the following drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale. 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  shows the schematic view of one embodiment of the connector module of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  shows the structural of one embodiment of a serial/parallel connector of the connector module of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  is the oblique drawing of an embodiment of the first contact piece used in the serial/parallel connector of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  is the oblique drawing of an embodiment of the second contact piece used in the serial/parallel connector of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0037]      FIGS. 5A-5C  show the cross-sectional view of the serial/parallel connector module of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0038]      FIG. 6  shows one example of a bus connector applicable in the connector module of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 7  shows one example of a bus structure applicable in the connector module of the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 8  shows the cross-sectional view of the bus structure of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 9  illustrates one example of the invented connector module after assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0042]    In the following, detailed description to the preferred embodiments of the connector module of this invention will be given by referring to the accompanying drawings. It is appreciated that the preferred embodiments are used to show the structure and the applications of some examples of the invention. The scope of protection of this invention shall be defined by the accompanying claims. 
         [0043]    It is the objective of the present invention to provide a connector module that supports three connection modes, namely, the serial/parallel connections and bus connections among a plurality of functional modules. 
         [0044]      FIG. 1  shows the schematic view of one embodiment of the connector module  100  of the present invention. As shown, the connector module  100  of the present invention comprises a module main body  10 , a serial/parallel connector  31  attached in the module main body  10 , and a bus connector seat  40  provided in the module main body  10 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the serial/parallel connector  31  is detachably attached to the module main body  10 . However, as may be appreciated by those having ordinary skills in the art, the serial/parallel connector  31  may be affixed to the module main body  10 . Due to the orientation of the module main body  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , only connector pins that are exposed and the slot  35  of the serial/parallel connector  31  are shown. 
         [0045]      FIG. 1  also shows a bus connector seat  40  provided in the module main body  10 , in the form of an opening. The bus connector seat  40  includes slide rails  41 ,  41  formed in the opening  42  of the bus connector seat  40 . The bus connector seat  40  also includes a slidable clamp  43 , also formed in the module main body  10  but at an end of the opening  42  to be aligned to a bus rail  60  (See  FIG. 9 ), so to clamp a bus structure  61  accommodated in the bus rail  60 , such that the connector module  100  is attached, or slidably attached, to the bus rail  60 . The shape and size of the opening  42  and the slide rails  41 ,  41  are not limited, as long as they provide sufficient space for the installation and detachment of a bus connector  50  (see  FIG. 6 ), whereby the bus connector  50  may enter from the opening  42 , move along the slide rails  41 ,  41  and accommodated in the space defined by the slide rails  41 ,  41 . The opening  42  also opens along the slide rails  41 ,  41 , such that, when the bus connector  50  is installed therein, its connector pins are extended external to the opening  42  and in connection with the bus structure  61  accommodated in the bus rail  60 . The structure of the slide clamp  43  is not limited, as long as it is able to firmly clamp the bus rail, such as a standard support rail or a customized support rail, and the clamp situation may be easily released by a simple operation, so to remove the connector module  100 . As the support rail is a standard component in the industry and provides slidability, the slidable clamp  43  is preferably slidable on the bus rail  60 . The slidable clamp  43  shown in  FIG. 1  is one of the clamps that have the simplest structure. It basically has a concave slot  44 , to accommodate the two wings of the bus rail  60 , and two angular projections  45 ,  45  at both edges of the slot  44 , to clamp the bus rail  60 . Other types of clamp, such as those with one spring-biased sliding block in substitution of the angular projection  45 , are also applicable in this invention. Since the support rail is a standard component in the industry, details of the slidable clamp  43  is thus omitted. 
         [0046]    In the module main body  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , two guide arms  11 ,  12  are formed at its both sides. In the internal side of the guide arms  11 ,  12 , guide rails are provided, to guide and accommodate circuit board  70  (See  FIG. 9 ) with functional circuit modules. If a bus connector  50  is provided in the circuit board  70 , the bus connector  50  will enter the connector seat  40  and project from the slidable clamp  43  end of the opening  42 , when the circuit board  70  is inserted in between the guide arms  11 ,  12 . At the position where the slidable clamp  43  clamps the bus rail  60 , the bus connector pins of the bus connector will contact the metal strips of the bus structure accommodated in the bus rail  60 , to form electrical contacts, whereby bus connection between the connector module and the bus structure is formed. In addition, if an extension is provided in the circuit board  70 , at a position corresponding to the slot  35 , the extension will enter the slot  35 , so to interact with the serial/parallel connector  31 . 
         [0047]    The shape of the module main body  10  is not limited to the shape shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, the module main body  10  may form a box, to provide housing to accommodate the circuit board  70 , as well as circuits, components provided in the circuit board  70 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 2  shows the structural of one example of the serial/parallel connector  31  applicable in the connector module  100  of this invention. The figure shows four groups of connection terminal  20 , as well as the side view of one of the connection terminal groups  20 . As illustrated, in the present embodiment, the serial/parallel connector  31  includes an insulation main body  32 , with 4 groups of connection terminals  20  detachably fixed in the insulation main body  32  via slots  33  and tabs  34 . The arrangement of the connection terminal groups  20  in the insulation main body  32  is not limited to the way shown in this figure. Any method that is able to affix the connection terminal groups  20  may be used in this invention. For example, the connection terminal groups  20  may be affixed in the insulation main body by injection. Number of the connection terminal group  20  may also vary in accordance with needs in applications. 
         [0049]    The insulation main body  32  provides a slot  35  extending along the longitudinal direction of the insulation main body  32 . Its length and width are not limited but in general, its length is preferably sufficient to accommodate the predetermined number of connection terminal groups, while maintaining a predetermined distance between the groups. In addition, its width is preferably sufficient to accommodate the connection terminals therein, while leaving a space for a foreign objects, such as the circuit board  70 , to be inserted therein. 
         [0050]    Each group  20  of connection terminals shown in  FIG. 2  comprises a first contact piece  21  and a second contact piece  26 . As shown in the figure, the first contact piece  21  provides a first contact  23 A, a second contact  24 A and a third contact  25 A, with the second and third contacts  24 A,  25 A located in the slot  35  and arranged along a first direction X in the slot  18 . The figure also shows that the second contact piece  26  provides a fourth contacts  28 A, a fifth contact  29 A and a sixth contact  30 A, with the fifth and sixth contacts  29 A,  30 A located within the slot  35  and arranged along the first direction X. In addition, the fifth and sixth contacts  29 A,  30 A respectively form resilient contact with the second and third contacts  24 A,  25 A. 
         [0051]      FIG. 3  shows the oblique view of an embodiment of the first contact piece  21  of the connection terminal group  20 of  FIG. 2 . As shown, in this embodiment the first contact piece  21  includes a connection portion  22  and first elastic leg  22 , second elastic leg  24  and third elastic leg  25  extended from the connection portion  22 . The first contact  23 A, the second contact  24 A and the third contact  25 A are respectively provided in the first elastic leg  23 , the second elastic leg  24  and the third elastic leg  25 . When assembled, the second elastic leg  24  and the third elastic leg  25  of the first contact piece  21  are aligned with the slot  35  and inserted into the slot  35  so that the second and third elastic legs  24 ,  25  enter into the slot  35 , while the first elastic leg  23  maintained external to the slot  35 , until edge of the slot  35  is in contact with the connection portion  22 . 
         [0052]    Now refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  shows the oblique view of an embodiment of the second contact piece  26  of the connection terminal group  20  of  FIG. 2 . As shown, in this embodiment the second contact piece  26  includes a main body  27  and fourth elastic leg  28 , fifth elastic leg  29  and sixth elastic leg  30  extended from the main body  27 . The fourth contact  28 A, the fifth contact  29 A and the sixth contact  30 A are respectively provided in the fourth elastic leg  28 , the fifth elastic leg  29  and the sixth elastic leg  30 . Similar to the first contact piece  21 , when assembled, the fifth elastic leg  29  and the sixth elastic leg  30  of the second contact piece  27  are aligned with the slot  35  and inserted into the slot  35  so that the fifth and third sixth legs  29 ,  30  enter into the slot  35 , while the fourth elastic leg  28  maintained external to the slot  35 , until edge of the slot  35  is in contact with the main body  27 . 
         [0053]    After assembly, in each of the connection terminal groups  20 , the first contact  23 A locates outside of one external side of the insulation main body  32  and the fourth contact  28 A on the opposite external side of the insulation main body  32 . The first elastic leg  23  and the fourth elastic leg  28  may be disposed in the external sides of the insulation main body  32  in full or in part, as long as they may form electrical contact with a group of identical or similar connection terminal belonging to another connector module. 
         [0054]    In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the extensions of the third elastic leg  25  and the second elastic leg  24  are separated by a space. Also, in the example shown in  FIG. 4 , the extensions of the sixth and fifth elastic legs  30   29  are separated by a space. However, in other examples, the second elastic leg  24  may be surrounded by the third elastic leg  25 , with a space between them, to form a frame shape. Similarly, the fifth elastic leg  29  may be surrounded by the sixth elastic leg  30 , with a space between them, to form a frame shape. Other designs in the type, shape or structure of the elastic legs are applicable and may be determined by those having ordinary skills in the art. 
         [0055]    Now return to  FIG. 1 . The module main body  10  in  FIG. 1  provides a seat  13  to accommodate the serial/parallel connector  31 . In addition, openings  14 ,  15  are provided at both sides of the seat  13 , such that the first and fourth contacts  23 A,  28 A of the serial/parallel connector  31 , i.e., the first and fourth legs  23 ,  28  are exposed from the module main body  10 , when the serial/parallel connector  31  is accommodated in the seat  13 . When a plurality of connector nodules are arranged in sequence, such as when they are arranged in sequence in the bus rail  60 , the first and fourth contacts  24 A,  28 /A of the serial/parallel connector  31  of one contact module are respectively in contact with the fourth and first contacts  28 A,  24 A of the serial/parallel connectors  31  of an adjacent contact module. 
         [0056]    When the serial/parallel connector  31  of the invention is assembled, each group of the connection terminals  20  will have the second and third contacts  24 A,  25 A arranged along the first direction X within the slot  35 , and the fifth and sixth contacts  29 A,  30 A arranged along the first direction X in the slot  35 . The fifth and sixth contacts  29 A,  30 A form resilient contacts respectively with the second and third contacts  24 A,  25 A. The width of the slot  35  in the direction perpendicular to the first direction X is wide enough to accommodate a foreign object, such as the circuit board  70 . Therefore, the foreign object  70  can enter the slot  35  to release the contact status of the second contact  24 A with the fifth contact  29 A, and the third contact  25  with the sixth contact  30 A. 
         [0057]      FIGS. 5A-5C  illustrate the cross-sectional view of the serial/parallel connector  31  of the present invention, when application. As shown, in the state of  FIG. 5A , the foreign object (the circuit board)  70  is just inserted into the slot  35 , from the upper part of the figure to the lower part, but has not yet entered the slot  35 . In this time point, the second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A, and the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A, respectively, maintain in electrical contact. 
         [0058]    In the state shown in  FIG. 5B , the foreign object  70  first contacts the second contact  24  and the fifth contact  29 , followed by a continuous movement to force the second contact  24  and the fifth contact  29  to break, therefore releasing the contact status of the second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A. Thereafter, the foreign object  70  continues to move along the first direction X and contacts the third and the sixth contacts  25 A,  30 A. The continuous movement of the foreign object  70  forces the third and sixth contacts  25 A,  30 A to break, therefore releasing the contact status of the third and sixth contacts  25 A,  30 A, as shown in  FIG. 5C . 
         [0059]    In the preferred embodiments of this invention, an extension  71  is provided in the circuit board  70 , at a location corresponding to the serial/parallel connector  31 . Contact pins  72 , such as goldfingers provided in both sides of the circuit board  70 , are provided in the extension  71 , at locations corresponding to the second contact  24 A, the third contact  25 A and the fifth contact  29 A and the sixth contact  30 A. The contact pins  72  will form electrical contacts with the second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A and/or the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A, when the circuit board  70  is fully inserted in the slot  35 . Depending on the length of the contact pins  72 , the contact pins  72  may be provided at regions corresponding to the second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A, to the third contact  25 A and the sixth  30 A or to second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A and extending to regions corresponding to the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A. 
         [0060]    When the circuit board  70  is inserted and reaches the bottom of the slot  35 , forcing the third contact  25 A to and the sixth contact  30 A to separate, depending on the length of the contact pins  72 , the contact pins  72  may form electrical contacts with the second contact  24 A and the fifth contact  29 A, with the third contact  25 A and the sixth  30 A or with all the second contact  24 A, the fifth contact  29 A, the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A. When the contact pins  72  contacts all the second contact  24 A, the fifth contact  29 A, the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A, signals/currents that enter from the first contact  23 A, flow via the second and fifth contacts  24 A,  29 A and the third and sixth contacts  25 A,  30 A and exit from the fourth contact  28 A, when the circuit board  70  is not inserted in the slot  35 , will enter the circuit provided in the circuit board  70  from the contact pin  72 , to be processed or transformed by the circuit. Results of the processing or transformation will be output to external via the contact pin  72  or otherwise. A serial connection of the circuit board is thus realized. On the other hand, if after insertion of the circuit board  70 , the contact pins  72  form electrical contacts with the second and fifth contacts  24 A,  29 A, only, signals/currents that enter from the first contact  23 A and exit from the fourth contact  28 A, when the circuit board  70  is not inserted in the slot  35 , will generate a split current to enter the circuit provided in the circuit board  70  from the contact pin  72 , due to the contacts of the contact pins  72  with the second and fifth contacts  24 A,  29 A. The signals/currents are processed or transformed by the circuit and output to external. A parallel connection of the circuit board is thus realized. 
         [0061]    In the process describe above, when the extension  71  of the circuit board  70  forces one of the two pairs of contacts, i.e., the second contact  24 A and the fifth contacts  24 A, and the third contact  25 A and the sixth contact  30 A, to separate, the other pair remains in contact or is already separated. When the extension  71  of the circuit board  70  is removed from one of the two pairs, the other pair remains in contact or is already separated. In either of these situation. Sudden break or sudden short in the circuit due to the break or short of the contacts will never take place. 
         [0062]    In short, the present invention provides a connector module that supports the hot-swap function. With the present invention, sudden short or break due to the insertion or removal of a foreign circuit may be prevented. 
         [0063]    A connector module with the structure described above provides one or more serial/parallel connectors  31  and a bus connector seat  40  to accommodate a bus connector  50 . In application, a circuit board  70  provided with a bus connector  50  may be installed by inserting the bus connector  50  into the bus connector seat  40  and the extension  71  of the circuit board  70  into the slot  35  of the serial/parallel connector  31 , to assemble the connector module  100  and the circuit board  70 . A functional module assembly so obtained is shown in  FIG. 9 . Thereafter, the a plurality of functional modules with an identical or similar connector module  100  is arranged closely in sequence in the bus rail  60 , by having their slidable clamps  43  clamping the same bus rail  60 . Circuits provided in a circuit boards  70  will form serial or parallel connections with circuits provided in another circuit board  70  through the serial/parallel connector  31 , or form bus connections through the bus connector  90 , depending on the design of the system. A three-mode connection function is thus realized. 
         [0064]    Of course, the connector module  100  may also include a bus connector  50 , with detachable connector pins to contact the metal pins, such as goldfingers provided in the circuit board  70 .  FIG. 6  shows the structure of a bus connector  50  applicable in the connector module  100  of this invention. As shown in this figure, the bus connector  50  comprises a connector main body  51  and a plurality of connector pins  52  provided in the connector main body  51 . Each connector pins  52  comprises a first terminal  53  and a second terminal  54 , extended in opposite directions. The first terminal  53  includes two legs  53 A,  53 B, to form contact with and to clamp a metal strip  62  provided in the bus structure  61  accommodated in the bus rail  60 , in order to establish stable electrical contact thereto. The second terminal  54  includes two legs  54 A,  54 B, to form contact with and to clamp a metal pin provided in the circuit board  70 , in order to establish stable electrical contact thereto. A same number of pin slots  55  is provided in the connector main body  51 , to accommodate the connector pins  52 . A bus connector  50  with the structure described above may be inserted and attached in the bus connector seat  40  of the module main body  10 . When the bus connector  50  is accommodated in the bus connector seat  40 , the first terminals  53  extend from the connector main body  51 . When the slidable clamp  43  clamps the bus rail  60 , the connector pins  52  of the bus connector will contact the metal strips  62  of the bus structure  61  accommodated in the bus rail  60  and form electrical contact thereto. A bus connection is thus established. 
         [0065]    In the preferred embodiments, the second terminals  54  are not metal legs, but are soldered onto the circuit board  70 . In such embodiments, the circuit board  70 , including a bus connector  50 ) is assembled with the connector module  100  by inserting the circuit board  70  between the guide arms  11 ,  12 . 
         [0066]    A bus connector  60  with features described above is described in US patent publication No. 2013-237067 “Data bus structure for terminal blocks and terminal blocks using the same,” which description may be taken as reference in this disclosure. 
         [0067]    As mentioned above, the support rail  60  is a standard product in the industry, used to support functional modules such as terminal blocks. A bus structure applicable in this invention is designed in accordance with such support rail.  FIG. 7  shows the structure of a bus structure  61  usable in the connector module of this invention.  FIG. 8  shows its cross-sectional view. As shown in these figures, the bus structure  61  is a block material with a plurality of elongated slots  63  provided thereon. The elongated slots  63  extend in the longitudinal direction of the bus structure  61 , which is perpendicular to the first direction X. As a result, a plurality of connector modules  100  may be arranged in sequence on the bus structure  61  with their respective bus connectors  50  in connection with the metal strips  62 , as well as their serial/parallel connectors  31  connected in sequence. 
         [0068]    The shape of the bus structure  61  is not limited, as long as it may be accommodated in the bus rail  60  to well utilize the space provided by the standard support rail, without additionally modifying the support rail. A metal strip  62  is provided in each of the elongated slots  63 , such that the plurality of metal strips  62  are arranged parallel. The metal strips  62  thus form a bus, or data bus, for the transmission of electrical power and/or signals. In the example of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the bus structure is attached in the bus rail  60  by two wings  64 . The wings  64 , however, are not absolutely necessary, because, when application, the connector module  100  has been clamped to the bus rail  60  by its slidable clamp  43  and connected to the bus structure  61  with its bus connector  50 , whereby stable connection between them has been well established. 
         [0069]    The bus connector  50  may enter into the opening  42  along the first direction X and move along the rail  41 ,  41 , until the connector pins  52  of the bus connector  50  are exposed from the other side of the opening  42 . The connector module  100  is clamped to the bus rail  60  with its slidable clamp  43 , so that the connector pins  52  of the bus connector  50  are in electrical contact with the plurality of metal strips  62  of the bus structure  61 . A bus connection is thus realized. 
         [0070]    A bus structure  61  with features described above is also described in US patent publication No. 2013-237067 “Data bus structure for terminal blocks and terminal blocks using the same,” which description may be taken as reference in this disclosure. 
         [0071]      FIG. 9  shows one example of the invented connector module after assembly. As shown, when a bus connector  50  is provided in the bus connector seat  40  of the connector module  100 , the bus connector pins  52  of the bus connector  50  will establish electrical contacts with the metal strips  62  of the bus structure accommodated in the bus rail  60 . When a plurality of connector module  100  is arranged in sequence on the bus rail  60 , the first and fourth contacts  24 A,  28 /A of the serial/parallel connector  31  of one contact module are respectively in contact with the fourth and first contacts  28 A,  24 A of the serial/parallel connectors  31  of an adjacent contact module. 
         [0072]    As describe above, the present invention provides a tri-modal connector module that has a simple structure and is applicable in the industry for a variety of applications.

Technology Category: h