Signal module and signal relay device

{
  "publication_number": "US10158198B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Signal module and signal relay device",
  "abstract": "A signal module and a signal relay device that can suppress the effect of noise are provided, and the signal module is a signal module of a tool changer including a first coupling member to be detachably attached to a body side of an industrial robot and a second coupling member to be detachably attached to a tool side, the signal module including a signal relay connector attached to the first coupling member or the second coupling member, and upon the first coupling member and the second coupling member being coupled, forming a signal path between the first coupling member side and the second coupling member side, wherein in the signal relay connector, a plurality of terminal pairs to be used for communication using differential signals are provided, and two terminals of each of the terminal pairs are arranged at mutually-adjacent positions.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A signal module (22, 23) of a tool changer (10) including a first coupling member (12) to be detachably attached to a body side of an apparatus and a second coupling member (14) to be detachably attached to a tool side, the signal module (22, 23) being configured to form a signal path between the first coupling member (12) and the second coupling member (14) by abutting a first attaching surface (12 a) of the first coupling member (12) and a second attaching surface (14 a) of the second coupling member (14) and coupling the first coupling member (12) and the second coupling member (14), the signal module (22, 23) comprising: a first module body (45) attached to the first coupling member (12), the first module body (45) having a first connecting surface (22 a) facing the same direction as the first attaching surface (12 a) and a first side surface orthogonal to the first connecting surface (22 a); a first signal relay connector (33, 55) provided on the first connecting surface (22 a); a first circuit-side signal connector (31, 57) provided on the first side surface; a second module body (45) attached to the second coupling member (14), the second module body (45) having a second connecting surface (23 a) facing the same direction as the second attaching surface (14 a) and a second side surface orthogonal to the second connecting surface (23 a); a second signal relay connector (35) provided on the second connecting surface (23 a), the second signal relay connector (35) being configured to be connected to the first signal relay connector (33, 55) by coupling the first coupling member (12) and the second coupling member (14); and a second circuit-side signal connector (37) provided on the second side surface, wherein the first signal relay connector (33, 55) has a plurality of first terminal pairs (41, 56) including a plurality of first terminals (33 a), the plurality of first terminal pairs (41, 56) are used for communication using differential signals, each of the first terminals (33 a) is arranged with gaps from at least three other first terminals (33 a), the first terminal pair (41, 56) is composed of two adjacent first terminals (33 a), the first circuit-side signal connector (31, 57) has a plurality of first circuit-side terminal pairs (54, 58) including a plurality of first circuit-side terminals (31 a, 57 a), the first circuit-side terminal pair (54, 58) is connected the first terminal pair (41, 56) inside the first module body (45) via a twisted pair cable, the second signal relay connector (35) has a plurality of second terminal pairs (42) including a plurality of second terminals (35 a), each of the second terminals (35 a) is arranged with gaps from at least three other second terminals (35 a), the second terminal pair (42) is configured to be connected to the first terminal pair (41, 56) by coupling the first coupling member (12) and the second coupling member (14), and the second circuit-side signal connector (37) has a plurality of second circuit-side terminal pairs including a plurality of second circuit-side terminals (37 a), the second circuit-side terminal pair is connected the second terminal pair (42) inside the second module body (45) via a twisted pair cable.",
    "2. The signal module (22, 23) according to claim 1, further comprising: a first power relay connector (34) provided on the first connecting surface (22 a); a power input connector (32) provided on the first side surface, the power input connector (32) being connected to the first power relay connector (34) inside the first module body (45); a second power relay connector (36) provided on the second connecting surface (23 a), and a power output connector (38) provided on the second side surface, the power output connector (38) being connected to the second power relay connector (36) inside the second module body (45).",
    "3. The signal module (22, 23) according to claim 2, wherein the first module body (45) and the second module body (45) are formed of a conductive material.",
    "4. A signal relay device comprising the signal modules (22, 23) according to claim 1."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a signal module and a signal relay device.\n\nAs tool changers to be employed for various apparatuses, for example, industrial robots, those including a male member to be attached to the robot side and a female member to be attached to the tool side are disclosed (for example, Patent Literature 1). In these tool changers, upon a cam in the male member being engaged with an engaging member in the female member in a state in which a projection portion provided in the male member is inserted in a coupling hole in the female member, the male member and the female member are coupled. Also, disengagement between the cam and the engaging member enables decoupling between the male member and the female member. In such a manner as above, a tool changer enables change of tools attached to an industrial robot.\n\nDepending on the purpose of use of the robot or the type of the tool, it is necessary to transmit/receive, e.g., control signals between a circuit such as a controller provided on the robot body side and a circuit incorporated in the tool. Where a tool changer is used, the robot body and the tool are coupled/decoupled, and thus, it is necessary to connect/disconnect signal wires between the circuits according to the coupling/decoupling. Signal relay devices that perform such connection/disconnection of signal wires are known. A signal relay device includes signal modules attached respectively to a male member and a female member.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01R 13/659",
    "B23K 11/318",
    "B23K 37/0241",
    "B25J 15/04",
    "B25J 15/0408",
    "B25J 19/0033",
    "H01R 13/6463",
    "H01R 13/6598",
    "H04B 15/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23K 11/31",
    "B23K 37/02",
    "B25J 15/04",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "H01R 13/6463",
    "H01R 13/659",
    "H01R 13/6598",
    "H01R 9/03",
    "H04B 15/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Nitta Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kenji Tsurimoto",
    "Nobuhiro Omote",
    "Yosuke Taniguchi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-12-09",
  "publication_date": "2018-12-18",
  "grant_date": "2018-12-18",
  "priority_date": "2014-12-26",
  "application_number": "US-201515538652-A",
  "family_id": "56150181",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US3094364A",
    "JPH05301187A",
    "US7195518B2",
    "US7316584B2",
    "US7736159B1",
    "JP2010245045A",
    "US8241068B2",
    "US8029322B1",
    "JP2012250327A",
    "US9236688B2"
  ]
}