Device for the transmission of signals between two terminals

• US 5,679,015 A
• Filed: 10/13/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel Kabel AG & Co. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Kabel AG & Co. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Schauer, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US08/542,638
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 439/164, 439/15
• US Class Current: 439/164
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00

Abstract

In a device for the transmission of signals between two terminals (6, 8), at least one of the terminals is movable relative to the other. The terminals (6, 8) are connected by at least one line (10) forming windings. The line is stored in an essentially circular cartridge (K) which comprises a stator supporting one of the terminals, and a rotor supporting the other terminal, which can rotate around its axis and in relation to the stator. The line windings (10) are divided into an internal winding area (12) and an external winding area (11) with different winding directions, between which an approximately U-shaped reversing area (13) is located. A one-piece ring-shaped guide (14) is located between the two winding areas (11, 12) and encompasses the reversing area (13) of the windings; it has reciprocally offset protrusions (15) located at least on the side facing the internal winding area (12), which protrude radially outward around the entire periphery.

Claims

1. A device for the transmission of signals between two terminals, the device comprising:

(a) a cassette having a stator and a rotor, the rotor mounted for rotation around its axis relative to the stator;

(b) a one-piece ring-shaped guide mounted within the cassette thereby defining an inner winding area, an outer winding area and a generally U-shaped reversing area for at least one winding line within the cassette, the one-piece ring-shaped guide being moveable in the peripheral direction of the cassette, the one-piece ring-shaped guide includes a flat common support with upstanding protrusions extending normal thereto and being fixedly connected thereto at least on a side that faces the inner winding area, the protrusions are offset with respect to each other in a peripheral direction along the one-piece ring-shaped guide and protrude radially outward along the periphery thereof to provide contact surfaces for at least one winding line within the cassette;

(c) a first terminal on the stator;

(d) a second terminal on the rotor; and

(e) at least one winding line connected between the first and second terminals, the at least one winding line having at least one winding in the inner winding area and at least one winding in the outer winding area, the at least one windings of the inner winding area and the outer winding area have different winding directions and are connected in the generally U-shaped reversing area, whereby the protrusions of the one-piece ring-shaped guide provide the contact surfaces for the at least one winding line within the cassette.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusions are separated from each other by interstices, through which the windings of the line cannot pass.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein blocking elements are placed in the interstices between the protrusions, which act as stops.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusions are bent convex and their height corresponds to that of at least one winding line.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one-piece ring-shaped guide includes nonrotatable radially extending ball-shaped extensions attached to the protrusions.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one-piece ring-shaped guide includes nonrotatable ball-shaped extensions on the protrusions.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusions extend in an axial direction of the one-piece ring-shaped guide.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contact surfaces are convexly-shaped.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact surfaces are convexly-shaped.

10. A device for the transmission of signals between two terminals, the device comprising:

(a) a cassette having a stator and a rotor, the rotor mounted for rotation around its axis relative to the stator;

(b) a one-piece ring-shaped guide mounted within the cassette thereby defining an inner winding area, an outer winding area and a generally U-shaped reversing area for at least one winding line within the cassette, the one-piece ring-shaped guide being moveable in the peripheral direction of the cassette, the one-piece ring-shaped guide includes protrusions fixedly mounted at least on its side that faces the inner winding area, the protrusions are offset with respect to each other in a peripheral direction along the one-piece ring-shaped guide and protrude radially outward along the periphery thereof to provide contact surfaces for at least one winding line within the cassette;

(c) a first terminal on the stator;

(d) a second terminal on the rotor;

(e) at least one winding line connected between the first and second terminals, the at least one winding line having at least one winding in the inner winding area and at least one winding in the outer winding area, the at least one windings of the inner winding area and the outer winding area have different winding directions and are connected in the generally U-shaped reversing area, whereby the protrusions of the one-piece ring-shaped guide provide the contact surfaces for the at least one winding line within the cassette; and

(f) spring elements located on the guide, which lie against the cassette when the cassette is closed.