Rotatable electrical connector for telephone cord

• US 4,533,796 A
• Filed: 01/30/1984
• Issued: 08/06/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthony R. Engelmore
• Original Assignee: Anthony R. Engelmore
• Inventors: Engelmore, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, Gene Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schroeder, L. C.
• Application Number:
  US06/575,102
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 179/186, 179/184, 339/6 RL, 339/8 R, 339/8 P, 339/8 PB, 339/5 P, 339/5 M
• US Class Current: 439/24
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/643 through ball or roller bearing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords

Abstract

This low friction rotatable electrical connector is for use with coiled telephone cords to prevent the cord from becoming twisted and knotted-up. This connector is generally of insulating material formed by a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member. A pair of ball bearing members support the outer member on the inner member for rotation about a central longitudinal axis. The inner member has a single longitudinal split in one side for receiving a plurality of continuous conductive rings on the outer surface when the inner member is squeezed, and a first set of flexible insulated conductors extend through the interior of the inner member and then through this split for connection to these rings. A plurality of apertures are formed in the wall of the outer member in alignment with the conductive rings, and these apertures contain spring-biased balls in rolling contact with the rings. The exterior of the outer member supports a plurality of split conductive rings that are in alignment with the continuous rings of the inner member as well as with certain of the spring-biased balls so as to maintain good electrical continuity between the innermost continuous rings and the outermost split rings. A second set of flexible insulated conductors are joined to these split rings at one end and to a male electrical plug at the outermost end of the outer member. An insulated sleeve is fitted over the outer member, and it may include a hollow ball and socket joint that supports the male plug when the connector is fixedly mounted to the telephone base or hand set.

Claims

1. A low friction rotatable electrical connector for use with telephone cords, said connector comprising:

a. an insulated pair of rotatably interconnected elongated members, there being a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member;

b. and a pair of widely spaced, low friction bearing means located on the inner cylindrical member adjacent the opposite ends thereof for supporting the outer cylindrical member therefrom for turning movement about a longitudinal central axis of the connector;

c. the outer end of one rotatable member having a female electrical socket member, while the outer end of the other rotatable member has a male electrical plug member, each of said male and female members being adapted to make electrical connection with a separate set of electrical conductors;

d. a plurality of continuous conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the inner cylindrical member and spaced along the length thereof, and a set of flexible insulated conductors located within the inner cylindrical member and joining each separate conductive ring to the one of the said male and female members that is on the outer end of the inner member;

e. a plurality of split conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the outer cylindrical member to be generally aligned and concentric with the said continuous rings of the inner member, the wall of the outer member being provided with at least one aperture in alignment with each of the plurality of split rings, each aperture being provided with a spring-biased contact member that is in constant electrical contact with one of the said continuous rings of the inner member;

f. the exterior of the outer member having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, each slot receiving one of a set of flexible insulated conductors, where each conductor is connected at one end to one of the split rings and connected at its other end to the other of said male and female members that is on the outer end of the outer member;

g. and an insulated sleeve fitted over the outer member and held thereon.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein there are at least two opposed aperture-mounted, spring-biased contact members in electrical contact with each continuous ring of the said inner member and where each said spring-biased contact member is a conductive ball.

13. The invention as recited in claim 2, wherein the said pair of widely spaced, low friction bearing means are ball bearing raceway members, and the said plurality of two opposed spring-biased balls for each set of aligned and concentric rings are sandwiched between the two ball bearing members to serve as an interlocking means between the telescopic inner and outer cylindrical members so as to hold this connector together.

3. A low friction rotatable electrical connector for use with telephone cords, said connector comprising:

a. an insulated pair of rotatably interconnected elongated members, there being a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member;

b. and a pair of widely spaced, low friction bearing means located on the inner cylindrical member adjacent the opposite ends thereof for supporting the outer cylindrical member therefrom for turning movement about a longitudinal central axis of the connector;

c. the outer end of one rotatable member having a female electrical socket member, while the outer end of the other rotatable member has a male electrical plug member, each of said male and female members being adapted to make electrical connection with a separate set of electrical conductors;

d. a plurality of continuous conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the inner cylindrical member and spaced along the length thereof, and a set of flexible insulated conductors located within the inner cylindrical member and joining each separate conductive ring to the one of the said male and female members that is on the outer end of the inner member;

e. a plurality of split conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the outer cylindrical member to be generally aligned and concentric with the said continuous rings of the inner member, the wall of the outer member being provided with at least one aperture in alignment with each of a plurality of split rings, each aperture being provided with a spring-biased contact member that is in constant electrical contact with one of the said continuous rings of the inner member;

f. the exterior of the outer member having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, each slot receiving one of a set of flexible insulated conductors, where each conductor is connected at one end to one of the split rings and connected at its other end to the other of said male and female members that is on the outer end of the outer member;

g. and an insulated sleeve fitted over the outer member and held thereon;

h. wherein the said inner cylindrical member has a single longitudinal split so that it may be partially collapsed in a transverse direction for mounting the plurality of continuous conductive rings thereon, where the said set of flexible insulated conductors within the inner member are each fed through this longitudinal split for making electrical connection with the said continuous conductive rings.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein the said outer insulated sleeve has an outermost extension that is fitted with a hollow ball and socket joint that is interposed between the end of the two telescopic rotatable members and the adjacent one of the said male and female electrical members, whereby one set of insulated conductors extends out through the hollow ball so that this low friction rotatable connector is capable of preventing the telephone cord to which it is connected from becoming twisted and knotted-up.

5. The invention as recited in claim 4, wherein the said male electrical plug member is mounted adjacent to the ball and socket joint, while the female electrical socket member is fixedly mounted to the outermost end of the inner cylindrical member, and the said male plug and the female socket are sized to interlock with a mating female socket and a mating male plug respectively.

6. The invention as recited in claim 4, wherein the said ball and socket end of this rotatable electrical connector is adapted to be fixedly mounted to a telephone set, while the opposite end of this connector is adapted to be connected to one end of a coiled telephone cord.

7. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein this rotatable electrical connector is adapted to be connected intermediate the length of a coiled telephone cord.

8. A low friction rotatable electrical connector for use with a coiled telephone cord to prevent the cord from becoming twisted and knotted-up, said connector comprising:

a. an insulated pair of rotatably interconnected elongated members, there being a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member;

b. and a pair of widely spaced low friction bearing means located between the inner and outer members so these inner and outer members may freely rotate with respect to each other about their common longitudinal axis;

c. and electrical terminal means at each end of this rotatable connector for joining this connector to external electrical conductors;

d. a plurality of continuous conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the inner cylindrical member and spaced along the length thereof, and a first set of flexible insulated conductors located within the inner cylindircal member and joining each conductive ring to the said electrical terminal means at the outer end of the inner member;

e. a plurality of split conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the outer cylindrical member so as to be generally aligned and concentric with the said continuous conductive rings, the wall of the outer member being provided with aperture means interposed between each split ring and its aligned and concentric continuous ring, each aperture being provided with a spring-biased ball that is in low friction, electrical rolling contact with the related continuous ring of the inner member;

f. the exterior of the outer member having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, each slot receiving one of a second set of flexible insulated conductors that are each connected on one end to one of the split rings and connected at its other end to the electrical terminal means at the other end of the connector;

g. and an insulated sleeve fitted over the outer member and held thereon.

9. The invention as reicted in claim 8, wherein the said inner cylindrical member has a single longitudinal split so that it may be partially collapsed for receiving the plurality of continuous conductive rings thereon, where the said flexible insulated conductors within the inner member extend through this split area for making electrical connection with the continuous conductive rings.

10. The invention as recited in claim 9, wherein the said pair of low friction bearing raceway means are ball bearing members, and the arrangement of the spring-biased balls are sandwiched between the two ball bearing members to serve as an interlocking means between the telescopic inner and outer cylindrical members so as to hold this connector together.

11. The invention as recited in claim 10, wherein the said electrical terminal means at the outermost end of the inner cylindrical member is a female electrical socket, and the electrical terminal means at the outermost end of the outer cylindrical member is a male electrical plug.

12. The invention as recited in claim 11, wherein the said outer insulated sleeve fitted over the outer members has an extension on its outermost end that is fitted wiith a hollow ball and socket joint that supports the said male plug.