Patent ID: 6012935
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: B60R,H01R

Abstract:
A clockspring connector comprising:a clockspring housing having a rotatable hub and a fixed cover, said housing receiving a first and a second conductive backbone, the first conductive backbone received by the hub and rotatable therewith;an integrated carrier assembly having a frame with a first and a second roller assembly, the integrated carrier assembly rotatably mounted to the hub, each roller assembly including a first and a second adjacent roller in proximity to one another, each roller of the first and the second roller assembly being rotatably mounted to the frame;an inner diameter region concentrically defined within the housing by the hub and the frame;an outer diameter region concentrically defined within the housing by the frame and the housing;a first flat ribbon cable coiled within the housing to distribute a portion between the inner and outer diameter regions, the portion of the first flat ribbon cable passing and turning-back through the first roller assembly to interconnect the first and the second backbone, the portion of the first flat ribbon cable having a concave surface on one side of the first flat ribbon cable and a convex surface on another side of the first flat ribbon cable, the concave surface of the portion facing the first adjacent roller of the first roller assembly, and the convex surface of the portion facing the second adjacent roller of the first roller assembly;a second flat ribbon cable coiled within the housing to distribute a portion between the inner and outer diameter regions, the portion of the second flat ribbon cable passing and turning-back through the second roller assembly to interconnect the first and the second backbone, the portion of the second flat ribbon cable having a concave surface on one side of the second flat ribbon cable and a convex surface on another side of the second flat ribbon cable, the concave surface of the portion facing the first adjacent roller of the second roller assembly, and the convex surface of the portion facing the second adjacent roller of the second roller assembly;wherein when the inner backbone is rotated in a first direction, the concave surfaces of the first and second flat ribbon cables contact and rotate the first adjacent rollers of the first and the second roller assembly of the integrated carrier assembly, respectively, in the first direction; andwherein when the inner diameter backbone is rotated in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, the convex surfaces of the first and second flat ribbon cables contact and rotate the second adjacent rollers of the first and the second roller assembly of the integrated carrier assembly, respectively, in the second direction.