Electrical connectors – With flaccid conductor and with additional connector spaced... – And with third connector spaced therealong
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-30
2002-10-08
Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With flaccid conductor and with additional connector spaced...
And with third connector spaced therealong
C439S923000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461192
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cable for connecting electronic components that includes first and second lengthwise portions connected by a breakaway or otherwise selectively releasable connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is generally known to electrically connect electronic components with an electrical cable, such as a signal-carrying cable. For example, an audio speaker is connected to a stereo receiver by a speaker cable. Also, a computer mouse and a printer are connected to a computer by respective cables. Furthermore, an electronic game console is connected to one or more game controller units by respective cables.
For example,
FIG. 1
is a plan view of an electronic system
100
including a main console
102
, an input/control device
104
, and a cable
106
electronically connecting main console
102
and input/control device
104
.
FIG. 1
illustrates main console
102
resting on a support surface, such as a table or shelf or the like
108
.
Cable
106
is frequently quite long in order, for example, to offer more freedom of movement and placement between the main console
102
and input/control device
104
. For example, in an electronic game system such as a video game system, the input/control device
104
may be a game controller unit, and main console
102
may be a video game console connected to the game controller unit by a long length of cable
106
so that a game player can, for example, sit comfortably several feet away from the game display.
However, a problem occurs because an individual, a dog, a cat, or other pets can trip over cable
106
. Also, a pet may chew on and pull at cable
106
. In addition, from time to time, an individual may, without thinking carefully, try to tug on cable
106
to disengage it from, for example, main console
102
. In each of these cases, there is a danger that one or both of the main console
102
and input/control device
104
may be pulled by the force of, for example, tripping on, pulling on, or otherwise yanking on the cable
106
. This can cause main console
102
(which is commonly heavy, fragile, and/or expensive) to fall from its location onto the floor and become damaged or cause damage or injury.
For example,
FIG. 2
illustrates the system
100
as in
FIG. 1
in a situation where a generally transverse (with respect to a direction between input/control device
104
and main console
102
) force F is exerted on cable
106
, as when someone trips over cable
106
. In this case, cable
106
impulsively is bowed out to one side (as shown in phantom at
106
′ in FIG.
2
). Cable
106
is conventionally fixedly connected to main console
102
at attachment location
110
. In other instances, cable
106
is detachably connected to main console
102
where attachment location
110
is a plug received in a socket (not shown) provided in main console
102
. A conventional plug may simply be axially insertable into a receptacle along an insertion direction. The plug may additionally snap into permanent or temporary engagement with main console
102
, or it may be selectively locked in engagement by, for example, a spring clip, a locking pawl, screw or other fasteners, or by a threaded engagement between the plug and main console
102
.
In any event, the manner in which cable
106
is conventionally connected to main console
102
causes a problem because the conventional connections resist or even prevent disengagement when cable
106
experiences a force F as shown. Even if cable
106
is simply axially inserted as a plug at location
110
, the deflection of cable
106
′ causes an off-axis (i.e., oblique to the plug insertion direction) force component on the plug, which may, for example, cause respective surfaces of the plug and receptacle to press harder against each other, thereby increasing frictional resistance to disengagement in a known manner.
As a result, the tension in cable
106
caused by force F may pull on main console
102
strongly enough to pull it out of its place on table
108
, as seen in FIG.
3
. If main console
102
is pulled out of place far enough, main console
102
can even fall off of table
108
, thereby causing damage and/or injury. On the other hand, if the console
102
is restrained, the force F may result in damage to the console
102
and/or the plug at location
110
where they are connected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore generally directed to a cable including a first lengthwise portion connected to a second lengthwise portion by a breakaway connector located closer to one end of the cable than the other end of the cable. That is, the first and second lengthwise portions are different lengths with respect to each other. The first and second lengthwise portions of the cable are characteristically separable from each other by applying a linear pulling force to one or both of the first and second lengthwise portions so as to separate the breakaway connector. The breakaway connector allows the cable to separate at the breakaway connector if, for example, an individual trips over the cable and avoids jerking a component connected to the cable out of place (which can cause the component to fall to the ground or cause damage to the connection between the cable and the component).
The connecting force at the breakaway connector is preferably only a function of cooperative frictional effects. One example of a breakaway connector according to the present invention is a male-female connector including one or more male parts cooperating with a corresponding number of female parts.
An end of the cable (i.e., an end of one of the lengthwise portions opposite the breakaway connector) may be connected to the component by more rigid methods, such as, without limitation, clip locks, threaded connectors, screw fasteners, resiliently mounted pawls, etc. which generally resist disengagement between the component and the cable.
Most generally, the present invention relates to an arrangement wherein a component is connected by a signal-carrying cable and/or a power-carrying cable to another location, where the cable is susceptible to being tripped over or otherwise unintentionally pulled on in a way that may cause the component to move out of place in a manner that could cause damage to the component or cause injury or damage.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an arrangement in which two components are connected to each other by a cable, again, where the cable is susceptible to being tripped over or otherwise unintentionally pulled on. In one example of the present invention, a cable as described above is used to connect an electronic game system console with a game controller unit. In another example of the present invention, a cable as described above is used to connect a main processor console in an electronic information processing system and a user input unit. For example, the electronic information processing system is a computer, and the input unit is a computer pointing device, such as, without limitation, a computer mouse, a trackball, a joystick, a yoke controller, a touch-sensitive tablet, or a digital camera. Another example is a video camera connected to a video recorder.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4077690 (1978-03-01), Koether
patent: 5462452 (1995-10-01), Devine
patent: 5516105 (1996-05-01), Eisenbrey et al.
patent: 5540601 (1996-07-01), Botchek
patent: 5573425 (1996-11-01), Morisawa et al.
patent: 5697810 (1997-12-01), Barry
patent: 5941729 (1999-08-01), Sri-Jayantha
patent: 6007373 (1999-12-01), Chew
patent: 6062910 (2000-05-01), Braquet et al.
Hammond Briggitte R.
Luebke Renee
Microsoft Corporation
LandOfFree
Breakaway cable connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Breakaway cable connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Breakaway cable connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2998726