Breakaway cable connector

• US 6,461,192 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US09/843,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/500-505, 439/923, 273/148, 463/1, 463/35, 463/30
• 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. A system of coupling an electronic controller to an electronic processing unit, comprising:

a cable having a first cable portion and a second cable portion;

said first cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end coupled to the electronic controller, and said second end having a first connector;

said second cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end having a second connector and a second end with a third connector, said third connector being configured to be removably coupleable to said electronic processing unit;

said first connector and said second connector being configured to be removably coupleable to each other and forming a breakaway connection for said cable between said first cable portion and said second cable portion;

said first connector and said third connector being different from each other permitting said first connector to mate with said second connector and permitting said third connector to mate with the electronic processing unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first connector, said second connector, and said third connector are configured for permitting bi-directional signal traffic to be transferred between the electronic controller and the electronic processing unit.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic processing unit is disposed on a substantially horizontal supporting surface, a separate force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said breakaway connection being less than a force needed to slidingly advance said electronic processing unit across said supporting surface.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first connector, the second connector, and the third connector is on-axis connectors.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein a force required to disconnect said first cable portion and second cable portions at said breakaway connection is less than a force needed to disengage said third connector from the electronic processing unit.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein a breakaway force required to disconnect said first cable portion and said second cable portion at said breakaway connection is less than a force, applied in a direction oblique to a direction along which said third connector and the electronic processing unit are removably coupled, needed to disconnect said third connector from the electronic processing unit.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first connector includes a slot portion configured with a plurality of first conductive members and the second connector includes a complementary protruding portion having a plurality of second conductive members, said slot portion being configured to receive the complementary protruding portion therein so that said first conductive members and said second conductive member are coupled together.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first connector includes an alignment member and the third connector includes a complementary alignment member.

9. The system according to claim 4, wherein said first cable portion further includes a fourth connector disposed at said first end;

said fourth connector being configured to be removably coupled with said electronic controller.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said third connector and said fourth 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 third connector and said fourth connector to a respective one of said electronic processing unit and said controller unit.

11. A system having an electronic game controller configured to provide at least control signals to an electronic game processing unit, comprising:

a control cable having a first cable portion and a second cable portion;

said first cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end coupled to the electronic game controller, and said second end having a first connector;

said second cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end having a second connector and a second end with a third connector, said third connector being configured to be removably coupleable to said electronic game processing unit;

said first connector and said second connector being configured to be removably coupleable to each other and forming a breakaway connection for said control cable between said first cable portion and said second cable portion, said breakaway connection;

said first connector and said third connector being different from each other permitting said first connector to mate with said second connector and permitting said third connector to mate with the electronic game processing unit.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein a breakaway force required to decouple said first cable portion and said second cable portion at said breakaway connection is less than a force, applied in a direction oblique to a direction along which said third connector and the electronic game processing unit are removably coupled, needed to decouple said third connector from the electronic game processing unit.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first connector includes a slot portion configured with a plurality of first conductive members being laterally disposed and the second connector includes a complementary protruding portion having a plurality of second conductive members, said slot portion being configured to receive the complementary protruding portion therein so that said first conductive members and said second conductive member are coupled together.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic game processing unit is disposed on a substantially horizontal supporting surface in which a separating force required to disconnect said first and second cable portions at said breakaway connection is less than a force needed to slidingly advance said electronic game processing unit across said supporting surface.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first connector, the second connector, and the third connector, respectively are on-axis connectors.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein a force required to disconnect said first cable portion and second cable portions at said breakaway connection is less than a force needed to disengage said third connector from the electronic processing unit.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said first connector, said second connector, and said third connector are configured for permitting bi-directional control signal traffic to be transferred between the electronic game controller and the electronic game processing unit.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said first cable portion further includes a fourth connector disposed at said first end;

said fourth connector being configured to be removably coupled with said electronic game controller.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of said third connector and said fourth connector includes at least a part of a connection locking system, said connection locking system being constructed and arranged to lockingly engage at least one of said third connector and said fourth connector to a respective one of said electronic game processing unit and said electronic game controller.

20. A system including an electronic video game controller configured to transmit input data to an electronic video game unit, comprising:

a cable having a first cable portion and a second cable portion;

said cable configured to transmit at least said input data between the electronic video game controller and the electronic video game unit;

said first cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end coupled to the electronic video game controller, and said second end having a first breakaway connector;

said second cable portion having a first end and an opposed second end, said first end having a second breakaway connector and a second end with a third connector, said third connector being configured to be removably coupleable to said electronic video game unit;

said first breakaway connector and said second breakaway connector being configured to be selectively releaseable with respect to each other and forming a breakaway connection of said cable between said first cable portion and said second cable portion, said breakaway connection being responsive to a separating force applied at least one of said first cable portion and said second cable portion;

said first breakaway connector and said third connector being different from each other permitting said first breakaway connector to be selectively releaseble with said second breakaway connector and permitting said third connector to mate with the electronic video game unit, said first breakaway connector being non-mating with the electronic video game unit.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the first connector includes a slotted receiving portion configured with a plurality of first conductive members being laterally disposed and the second connector includes a complementary protruding portion having a plurality of second conductive members, said receiving portion being configured to receive the complementary protruding portion therein so that said first conductive members and said second conductive member are coupled together.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said first cable portion further includes a fourth connector disposed at said first end;

said fourth connector being configured to be removably coupled with said electronic video game controller;

wherein at least one of said third connector and said fourth 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 third connector and said fourth connector to a respective one of said electronic video game unit and said electronic video game controller.