Abstract: A motion control system includes a signal conduit to which the various devices of the system, such as a motion controller and motor drive modules, are linked. The modules are intertied such that the order of the modules along the signal conduit does not affect system operability. In one embodiment, the signal conduit includes a substantially rigid substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive lines formed in one or more layers of the substrate. The substrate may include a one-piece construction to which the motion controller, drives, and other devices are attached, or the substrate may be in the form of a plurality of couplers joined one to the other by connectors. For the latter, the various modules of the system include a coupler with connectors which allow the various modules to be easily connected without the need for any tools and without concern for the order in which the modules are attached.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 1999
Date of Patent:
October 2, 2001
Assignee:
Robotic Control Group, L.L.C.
Inventors:
Moshe Shloush, Gregory A. Davis, Benjamin D. Bower