BREAKAWAY CABLE CONNECTOR

• US 20020160654A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kwoka, Paul J.C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,461,192 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/505
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/562 Bending-relieving
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

A cable, including first and second lengthwise portions that are coupled by an axially engageable safety breakaway connector, is used to connect first and second components. If someone trips on the cable, a region of the cable adjacent to the breakaway connector is pulled taut. Therefore, a substantially linear tensile force is applied to the cable at the breakaway connector. This tensile force is preferably sufficient to cause the respective parts of the breakaway connector to decouple instead of, for example, jerking one or both of the first and second components in a potentially damaging manner. For example, the cable may be used to connect an electronic game console with a game controller unit. Thus, if a person or pet trips over the cable, the cable becomes decoupled at the breakaway connector before the game console (which is commonly heavy and/or expensive) is jerked to the ground.

Claims

1. An electronic assembly comprising:

a signal-generating electronic component;

a signal-carrying cable electrically connected to said signal-generating component and comprising;

a first lengthwise portion;

a second lengthwise portion; and

a breakaway connector connecting said first and second lengthwise portions, said breakaway connector being located no more than about 30 cm away from a first end of said signal-carrying cable.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 3% and about 10% of a length of said cable away from said first end of said cable.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 5 cm and about 30 cm from said first end of said cable.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 5 cm and about 16 cm from said first end of said cable.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a first device connector provided at an end of said first lengthwise portion opposite said breakaway connector, and a second device connector provided at an end of said second lengthwise portion opposite said breakaway connector for connecting said second lengthwise portion and said electronic component.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said first device connector and said second device connector are different.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said breakaway connector is a male-female connector including a male part and a female part.

8. An electronic game system comprising:

a game console;

a game controller unit;

a cable having first and second cable portions;

a breakaway connector, said breakaway connector having first and second connector members associated with said first and second cable portions, respectively, said first and second connector members being removably engageable with each other; and

a game console connector, said game console connector configured to be removably engageable with said game console;

wherein said first cable portion extends between, and is electrically coupled to, said game controller unit and said first connector member, and said second cable portion extends between, and is electrically coupled to, said game console connector and said second connector member.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 3% and about 10% of a length of said cable away from said game console connector.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 5 cm and about 30 cm from said game console connector.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein said breakaway connector is located between about 5 cm and about 16 cm from said game console connector.

12. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a game controller unit connector provided at an end of said first cable portion opposite said first connector member.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said game console connector and said game controller unit connector are different from each other.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said game console connector and said game controller unit connector includes at least a part of a connection locking mechanism, said connection locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to lockingly engage at least one of said game console connector and said game controller unit connector to a respective one of said game console and said game controller unit.

15. The system according to claim 8, wherein said breakaway connector is located at most about 30 cm away from said game console connector.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein said breakaway connector is a male-female connector, and said first connector part is a male part and said second connector part is a female part.

17. The system according to claim 8, wherein said game console is located on a supporting surface, a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said breakaway connector being less than a force needed to slidingly move said game console across said supporting surface.

18. The system according to claim 8, wherein a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said breakaway connector is less than a force needed to disengage said game console connector from said game console.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said breakaway connector is less than a force, applied in a direction oblique to a direction along which said game console connector and said game console are engaged, needed to disengage said game console connector from said game console.

20. A system for coupling an electrical input device to an electronic processing device and permitting signals to be transferred between the electrical input device to the electronic processing device, said system comprising:

a cable having first and second cable portions;

a safety coupling, said safety coupling having first and second connector members removably engageable with each other; and

an electronic processing device connector, said electronic processing device connector being removably engageable with said electronic processing device;

wherein said first cable portion extends between, and is electrically coupled to, the electrical input device and the first connector member, and said second cable portion extends between, and is electrically coupled to, the electronic processing device connector and the second connector member.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said electrical input device is a computer pointing device.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said computer pointing device is one of a computer mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a trackball, and a touch-sensitive tablet.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said safety coupling is located between about 3% and about 10% of a length of said cable away from said electronic processing device connector.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein said safety coupling is located between about 5 cm and about 30 cm from said electronic processing device connector.

25. The system according to claim 20, wherein said safety coupling is located between about 5 cm and about 16 cm from said electronic processing device connector.

26. The system according to claim 20 further comprising an electrical input device connector, wherein electrical input device and said electronic processing device connector are different from each other.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein at least one of said electrical input device connector and said electronic processing device connector includes at least a part of a connection locking mechanism, said connection locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to lockingly engage said at least one of said electrical input device connector and said electronic processing device connector to a respective one of said electronic input device and said electronic processing device.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein said safety coupling is located at most about 30 cm away from said electronic processing device connector.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein said safety coupling is a male-female connector, and said first connector member is a male part and said second connector member is a female part.

30. The system according to claim 20, wherein said electronic processing device is located on a supporting surface, a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said safety coupling being less than a force needed to slidingly move said electronic processing device across said supporting surface.

31. The system according to claim 20, wherein a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said safety coupling is less than a force needed to disengage said electronic processing device connector from said electronic processing device.

32. The system according to claim 20, wherein a force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said safety coupling connector is less than a force, applied in a direction oblique to a direction along which said electronic processing device connector and said electronic processing device are engaged, needed to disengage said electronic processing device connector from said electronic processing device.