Automatic switch

• US 7,035,112 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ATEN International Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/190,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20040001323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/797, 361/724, 361/714, 361784-785, 361/800, 361/827, 439/606, 439/736, 439/502, 439/505, 439/654, 439/264, 439/739, 257/99, 348/836
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/04 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/065 sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding

Abstract

An automatic switch includes a main body having connector ports provided thereon, more than one or two sets of cable-connected connectors directly extended from the main body, and a circuit board provided in the main body and electrically connected to the sets of cable-connected connectors via signal cables. The main body has an integral enclosure formed through multiple times of injection molding to include a circuit-protecting layer for enclosing the circuit board, an outer case enclosing the circuit-protecting layer, and an anti-slipping layer coating an outer surface of the outer case.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a body;

a switching circuit contained within the body;

a set of connector ports electrically coupled to the switching circuit; and

,

a plurality of cables fixedly attached to and extending from the body, each cable in the plurality of cables having a plurality of connector plugs, wherein each connector plug in the plurality of connector plugs for one of the cables in the plurality of cables are matched a respective connector plug in another one of the cables in the plurality of cables, and wherein the switching circuit switches to connect each of the set of connector ports to one of the plurality of cables.

2. The switch of claim 1, wherein the body includes a circuit-protecting layer surrounding the switching circuit.

3. The switch of claim 2, wherein the circuit-protecting layer is comprised of a layer of injection-molded plastic.

4. The switch of claim 3, wherein the layer of injection-molded plastic has a low melting point.

5. The switch of claim 2, wherein the body includes an outer case surrounding the circuit-protecting layer.

6. The switch of claim 5, wherein the outer case has a rigid outer surface.

7. The switch of claim 1, wherein the body includes an anti-slipping layer coating.

8. The switch of claim 7, wherein the anti-slipping layer coating has a soft outer surface.

9. The switch of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit includes a circuit board and the body includes a circuit-protecting layer enclosing the circuit board.

10. The switch of claim 9, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of electronic elements enclosed in the circuit-protecting layer.

11. The switch of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit includes a circuit board and the circuit board is sealed within a circuit-protecting layer.

12. The switch of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cables are fixedly attached to the body through a molded attachment element.

13. The switch of claim 1, wherein a first end of each of the plurality of cables is integrated into the body.

14. The switch of claim 1, wherein the set of connector ports contains a peripheral port to connect a computer peripheral.

15. The switch of claim 1, wherein the set of connector ports contains a keyboard port to connect a keyboard.

16. The switch of claim 1, wherein the set of connector ports contains a mouse port to connect a mouse.

17. The switch of claim 1, wherein set of connector ports contains a video port to connect a display.

18. The switch of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cables includes a first set of computer cables for coupling the switching circuit to a first computer.

19. The switch of claim 18, wherein the first set of computer cables comprises:

a keyboard cable including a keyboard connector plug;

a mouse cable including a mouse connector plug; and

,

a video cable including a display connector plug.

20. The switch of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cables includes a second set of computer cables for coupling the switching circuit to a second computer.

21. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a body;

enclosing a switching circuit within the body;

integrating a first computer cable and a second computer cable into the body, each of the first computer cable and the second computer cable including a first end electrically coupled to the switching circuit and a second end having a plurality of connector plugs, each connector plug in the plurality of connector plugs in the first computer cable being matched to a corresponding one of the plurality of connector plugs in the second computer cable; and

,

providing a plurality of connector ports on a surface of the body, the plurality of connector ports electrically coupled to the switching circuit;

wherein the switching circuit electrically switches the plurality of connector ports between the plurality of connector plugs of the first computer cable and the second computer cable.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a computer peripheral to one of the plurality of connector ports; and

,

connecting a first connector plug from the first computer cable to a first computer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a second connector plug from the second computer cable to a second computer; and

,

selectively switching the electrical connection of the computer peripheral from the first computer to the second computer.