GB2110004A - Improvements in or relating to an electrical assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical assembly adapted to be mounted in a rack comprises a housing containing a plurality of relays 9, input and output terminals 12 for said relays, and means for supplying control signals to said relays, one wall 10 defining the housing protruding in two opposed directions beyond two opposite sidewalls of the housing, thus defining free flanges which may be used to mount the relay in position, e.g. by means of screws 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to an electrical assem bly The present invention relates to an assembly and more particularly to an electrical assembly including a plurality of coaxial relays.

Coaxial relays have been utilised before, but have to be connected to other components by means of a coaxial line.

At the present time there is a growing use of printed circuit boards, and such printed circuit boards are conveniently utilised in connection with a printed circuit board carrier which comprises a frameworkthatcan beslidingly inserted into a rack.

The printed circuit board mounted on the framework, or an appropriate connector block mounted on the framework, is provided with contact elements which are brought into contact with corresponding elements when the framework is fully inserted into the rack.

At the present time no convenient method is available for interconnecting such printed circuit boards by means of coaxial relays.

According to this invention there is provided an electrical assembly comprising a housing containing a plurality of relays, input and output terminals for said relays, and means for supplying control signals to said relays, one wall defining the housing protruding in two opposed directions beyond two opposite sidewalls of the housing, thus defining free flanges which may be used to mount the relay in position.

Preferably said input and output terminals are located on one sidewall of the housing, and conveniently said one sidewall of the housing is perpendicular to said two opposite sidewalls. Advantageously said input and output terminals are crimped coaxial terminals, said relays being co-axial relays. The relays may be releasably held in position by means of screws.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises five relays, each with a respective terminal, there being a further terminal which is common to all the relays. Conveniently said means for supplying control signals comprises a multi-cored lead.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompany- ing drawings, in which: FIGURE lisa front elevational view of an electronic assembly incorporating two coaxial relay arrangements in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the assembly of Figure 1; and FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of part of the assembly of Figures 1 and 2.

The assembly shown in the accompanying drawings comprises an outer framework 1 having two long parallel sides 2, the framework being adapted to be inserted into a rack. At one end the framework 1 is provided with connector means, in the form of coaxial connectors 3, and also in the form of connectors 4 corresponding to those found at the edge of printed circuit boards, the connectors being adapted to be brought into connection with appropriate corresponding means provided in a housing defining the rack into which the framework is to be inserted. At the other end of the rack there is provided an end plate 5 which defines a handle 6 which may be utilised when inserting or retracting the framework from the rack.The end plate 5 has a central aperture 7 and a plurality of light emitting diodes 8 are provided located within the aperture, the light emitting diodes being adapted to be illuminated under appropriate conditions, as will be described hereinafter.

Mounted symmetrically on the framework are two coaxial relay arrangements 9, each containing a plurality of coaxial relays. One such arrangement and the connections associated therewith will be described in detail, but it is to be understood that the other arrangement and the connectors associated therewith directly correspond to the described housing. The coaxial relay arrangements and the connectors are located in such a way that the framework can be slidden into the housing in either orientation.

The coaxial relay arrangement 9 to be described comprises a housing of generally rectangular configuration, but has a front wall 10 which protrudes beyond two opposite sidewalls of the housing in two opposed directions. The free flanges formed by the protruding parts of the front plate 10 are connected by appropriate screw means 11 to the framework.

The housing 9 contains a plurality of separate coaxial reed switches. In the particular embodiment illustrated the housing contains five reed switches.

Six coaxial input terminals 12, of a crimped type, are provided on one sidewall of the housing, and each of the coaxial input terminals is connected by a length of coaxial line 13 to a coaxial connector 3 located at the end of the framework. The said one sidewall is perpendicular to said two opposite sidewalls. It is to be noted that all the coaxial lines 13 are of equal length, and all the coaxial lines 13 are substantially parallel. Thus the lines 13 may be pre-fabricated, and may be installed in position without undue difficulty. No complex wiring patterns have to be remembered, and the entire assembly process is very straighforward.

Of the six coaxial connections made to the housing as described above, five are connected to the five above-mentioned coaxial reed switches, and the sixth is connected to a common input to the five coaxial read switches. Thus, on actuation of a respective reed switch the common input is brought into connection with the respective output.

A further lead 14 is connected to the housing, this lead also being substantially parallel to the above mentioned inputs, this lead being a multi-core input that is connected to the said connector 4 which resembles connectors as found at the edge of printed circuit boards. This multi lead input is connected to the electromagnetic devices associated with the read switches. A further multi core lead 15 is provided also connected to the connector 4 which resembles the connector as found at the edge of a printed circuit board, this lead 15 extending to one bank of five light emitting diodes 8 as provided at the other end of the framework.

It is to be appreciated that the above described assembly may readily be inserted into an appropriate rack defined within a housing and thus provides an easily utilisable switching arrangement for switching coaxial signals within a rack system. The specifically described arrangement of the housings containing the reed switches is preferred, since it enables coaxial lines 13 of equal length to be utilised in a physically parallel array thus substantially facilitating manufacture of the described assembly.

In the preferred embodiment the reed switches are held within the housing by appropriate grub screws, and should a reed switch fail, by releasing the appropriate grub screw the defunct reed switch may be removed, and the switch may readily be replaced by a fresh reed switch.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to one particular embodiment many mod ifications or improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. An electrical assembly comprising a housing containing a plurality of relays, input and output terminals for said relays, and means for supplying control signals to said relays, one wall defining the housing protruding in two opposed directions beyond two opposite sidewalls of the housing, thus defining free flanges which may be used to mount the relay in position.

2. An electrical assembly according to claim 1 wherein said input and output terminals are located on one sidewall of the housing.

3. An electrical assembly according to claim 2 wherein said one sidewall of the housing is perpen dicularto said two opposite sidewalls.

4. An electrical assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said input and output terminals are crimped co-axial terminals, said relays being co-axial relays.

5. An electrical assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the relays are releasably held in position by means of screws.

6. An electrical assembly according to any one of the preceding claims comprising five relays, each with a respective terminal, there being a further terminal which is common to all the relays.

7. An electrical assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said means for supplying control signals comprises a multi-cored lead.

8. An electrical assembly according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.