Scanning for Ideas: One-Touch Bayonet Lock Gives Quick Connections

June 5, 2008
As robots, machine vision, RFID readers, and PLCs grow in number on the factory floor, so do the cables used to connect them.

That can mean a lot of work disconnecting and reconnecting cables when equipment is changed or moved. To reduce this problem, Omron Electronics Components, Schaumburg, Ill. (omron.com), developed an IP67-rated M12 connector that can be hooked up in one-tenth the time it takes to install screw-style connections. An XS5 Series connector rotates one-eighth of a turn to lock in place, and remains locked regardless of the shock or vibration it might endure, according to the company. The connectors also can’t be under or overtightened, two conditions that cause problems with other styles of cable connectors. Instead, technicians know the Omron connector is properly installed when they hear a “click.” XS5 connectors are also backward compatible in that they will work with screw-on plugs and sockets.

The plastic shell connectors have four circuits rated at 4 A at 250 Vac (version A) or dc (version D). The XS5F is single-ended socket; the XS5H a single-ended plug; and the XF5W is a doubleended socket/plug.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 16, 2025
Clean. Compact. Less heat.
April 16, 2025
SEW-EURODRIVE Introduces DR2C motor, IE5 Ultra-Premium Efficiency Motor
March 31, 2025
Unlike passive products - made of simple carbon springs - the bionic prostheses developed by Revival Bionics are propulsive, equipped with a motor and an artificial Achilles tendon...
March 31, 2025
Electric drives are a key technology for the performance of machines, robots, and power tools. Download this guide for an introduction to high-quality mechatronic drive systems...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!