Abstract:
A cable identifier system including an attachment plug at each end of the cable configured to provide cable tracking capabilities. The attachment plug is configured to include a rotatable device which is rotated through a series of numbers or letters until a desired alphanumeric symbol is designated.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts. 
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to audio-visual cables, and more particularly, to a system providing for tracking of a plurality of audio-visual cables. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    There is a considerable number of audio-visual cables cable to be found in the marketplace, each generally optimized for a particular usage with a particular set of characteristics. However, there has been a continuing need for a simple, effective way to track a plurality of audio-visual cables to thus identify specific inputs. A search of the prior art has not disclosed such a tracking system or method. It is thus an aspect of the present invention to provide an audio-visual cable and method of use that provides such a tracking/identifier system. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In accordance with the invention, an exemplary component such as a hand-held microphone is disclosed having a cable connected attachment plug configured to provide cable tracking capabilities. The attachment plug is configured to include a rotatable device which can turned through a series of numbers or letters until a desired alphanumeric symbol is designated. An identically configured attachment plug is provided at the other end of the cable which is plugged into a multiple input/output extension box having the same desired alphanumeric symbol. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the cable tracking/identifier system in accordance with the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates the attachment plug of the invention as attached to the exemplary hand-held microphone; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the attachment plug of an unmodified exemplary microphone; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the attachment plug in accordance with the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the attachment plug of the invention taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the attachment plug in accordance with the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates the alternate embodiment of the attachment plug as assembled and as operated; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8   FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the alternate embodiment of the attachment plug as taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an array of exemplary microphones illustrating the cable tracking system. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several views, there is illustrated a first embodiment of the tracking system of the invention. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the cable identifier system of the invention, generally designated  10 , which includes the exemplary hand-held microphone  11  with switch  11   a , female plug body  12 , attachment plug, generally designated  13 , cable or cord  14 , second attachment plug  13 ′, male plug body  12 ′, and multiple input/output extension box, generally designated  15 . Plug bodies  12  and  12 ′ are identical except that plug body  12  is configured as a female plug whereas plug body  12 ′ is configured as a male plug. Attachment plug bodies  13  and  13 ′ are identical. Thus, only female plug body  12  and attachment plug  13  will be described. 
         [0018]    Plug body  12  terminates with a female socket configured to accept matching male plugs in the exemplary microphone  11 . Plug body  12  would similarly be connected to components that may be used in the system other than microphone  11 , such as a guitar or keyboard. Conductors in cord  14  are soldered to the female socket connectors. Attachment plug  13  is attached to plug  12  as will be described. Attachment plug  13  is shown with securing nut  13   a  having window  13   b  through which the selected number “4” can be seen, and with rotatable flexible grommet  13   c . The selected numbers are numeric band  40   a  of compression ring  40  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Multiple input/output extension box  15  is shown with male plug body  12 ′ mated with a female receptacle also designated by the numeral “4”. Multiple female receptacles having differently designated numbers are available for receiving other plug bodies in accordance with the invention. It is understood that instead of numbers the system of the invention could use alphabet letters or other symbols. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates the modified attachment plug  13  of the invention as attached to the exemplary microphone  11 , and the method of operation of the indicia marking identifier. In operation, securing nut  13   a  can be rotated by the user which loosens the securing nut  13   a  sufficiently to allow rotation of the flexible finger grommet  13   c  to select the desired alphanumeric indicia that can be seen through window  13   b . Flexible grommet  13   c  is in frictional contact with numeric band  40   a  (see  FIG. 4 ) such that band  40   a  rotates simultaneously with grommet  13   c . The securing nut  13   a  is then rotated by the user to retighten the securing nut  13   a  and thus maintain the selected alphanumeric indicia. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates in exploded view an exemplary microphone having a conventional plug body  12 , cord lock sleeve  30 , compression ring  31  having band  3  la, securing nut  32  having slip lock  32   a , flexible grommet  33  and cord  14 . As indicated, cord  14  is inserted in succession through grommet  33 , securing nut  32 , compression ring  31 , cord lock sleeve  30 , and then into female plug body  12 . In plug body  12  the conductors of cord  14  are soldered onto pins in the female connector terminals of plug body  12  for plug-in connection with the microphone or other system component, such as a guitar or keyboard. Cord sleeve  30  is inserted into plug body  12  of microphone  11  and then tightened around cord  14  by compression ring  31  in response to securing nut  32  beings threaded onto plug body  12  and applying pressure to compression ring  31 . Flexible grommet  33  is then attached by slip lock  32   a  to securing nut  32 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates in exploded view the present invention including conventional plug body  12 , cord lock sleeve  30 , compression ring  40  having numeric band  40   a , securing nut  13   a  having window  13   b  and slip lock  13   d , flexible grommet  41 , and cord  14 . As indicated, the compression ring  31  of  FIG. 3 , having band  31   a , has been replaced with compression ring  40  having numeric band  40   a  with indicia thereon as has been explained, securing nut  32  of  FIG. 3  has been replaced with securing nut  13   a  having window  13   b  and slip lock  13   d , and grommet  33  of  FIG. 3  has been replaced by grommet  41 . 
         [0022]    As further indicated in  FIG. 4 , cord  14  is inserted in succession through grommet  41 , securing nut  13   a , compression ring  40 , cord sleeve  30 , and into plug body  12 . Cord  14  is then electrically connected within microphone  11  as previously described. Cord sleeve  30  is inserted into plug body  12  of microphone  11  and then tightened around cord  14  by compression ring  40  in response to securing nut  13   a  beings threaded onto plug body  12  and applying pressure to compression ring  40 . Flexible grommet  41  is then attached by slip lock  13   c  to securing nut  13   a.    
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2  illustrating the assembly of the components of the invention. As previously discussed, in operation securing nut  13   a  is rotated sufficiently to allow rotation of the flexible grommet to select the desired alphanumeric indicia that can be seen through window  13   b . Flexible grommet  13   c  is assembled to be in sufficient frictional contact with truncated cone-shaped compression ring  40  (see  FIG. 4 ) to provide that rotation of grommet  13   c  likewise rotates compression ring  40  and thus numeric band  40   a . Band  40   b  illustrates that alphabet letters may be used as well as numeric indicia. The securing nut  13   a  is then manually rotated by the finger  21  of the user to retighten the securing nut  13   a.    
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates in exploded view an alternate embodiment in accordance with the invention. As shown, the embodiment includes the plug body  12 , cord lock sleeve  30  compression ring  50 , nut  51  having arrow/pointer  51   a  and slip lock  51   b , and one-piece identifier  53  having numeric band  54  and grommet  55 . In assembly, cord  14  is inserted in succession through one-piece identifier  53 , nut  51 , compression ring  50  and cord sleeve  30 , and then into plug body  12 . As previously described, the conductors of cord  14  are then soldered onto pins in the female connector terminals of plug body  12  for connection with the microphone or other system component, such as a guitar or keyboard. Cord sleeve  30  is then inserted into plug body  12  and then tightened around cord  14  by compression ring  50  in response to pressure from nut  51  which is threaded into plug body  12 . The flexible grommet  55  of one-piece rotatable identifier  53  is then positioned in frictional abutment with compression ring  50  and nut  51 , to thus become a single unit attached to plug body  12 . In operation the grommet  55  is manually rotated to thereby rotate the attached numeric band  54  such that the arrow  51   a  points to the selected number thereby providing identification of the associated cord. Band  56  illustrates that alphabet letters may be used as well as numeric indicia. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates the assembled alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . As described, grommet  55  can be manually rotated by the finger  21  of the user which rotates the numeric band  54  such that the arrow  51   a  designates a desired number. 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7  illustrating the assembly of the components of the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating the use of the invention in providing identification of a plurality of cords in an array of components such as microphones, guitars, keyboards, etc. Each component plug can have a different designated indicia that is matched by a multiple input/output extension box as indicated. 
         [0028]    In accordance with the above, the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific illustrated embodiments. It is realized that those skilled in the art may make changes or modifications in the invention without departing from the true scope and spirit of it. Therefore, the scope and spirit of the invention should not be limited to the embodiments discussed, but only by the invention as claimed.