Patent Publication Number: US-7914334-B2

Title: Adapter having flexible cable

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a 371 filing of International application no. PCT/FR2007/001720 filed Oct. 17, 2007. 
     FIELD 
     The invention relates in general to the field of connector technology, and, in particular, to connection accessories intended for computer applications. More precisely, the invention relates to a device for connecting between first and second plugs equipping multi-conductor cables that can be inserted into this device in respective first and second opposite directions. 
     Devices of this type are well-known to those skilled in the art, under the name of “crossarms”, this name making reference to the fact that these devices enable the connection between plugs which are arranged, for example, on both sides of a wall. 
     These devices must meet numerous expectations on the part of the users thereof, and, in particular, meet difficult to reconcile a prior requirements of sturdiness, structural simplicity, compactness and user-friendliness. 
     In this context precisely, this invention has the purpose of proposing a connection device offering an excellent compromise in the search for these qualities. 
     SUMMARY 
     To that end, the device of the invention, which also conforms to the generic definition thereof provided in the above preamble, is substantially characterized in that it includes first and second sockets, an internal multi-conductor link, and a housing, in that the first and second sockets have respective connecting faces each bearing a plurality of contacts and designed to receive the first and second plugs, respectively, which are inserted into respective slots in the housing, and in that the first and second sockets are held in head-to-tail position in the housing, and in that the internal multi-conductor link assumes the form of a multi-conductor sheet folded into a bayonet, thereby ensuring galvanic continuity at least between each contact of each socket and a corresponding contact of the other socket, this internal link having first and second terminal portions which are physically connected to the respective internal faces of the first and second sockets, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second terminal portions. 
     The internal face of each socket preferably bears a plurality of pins each of which is connected to a contact of this socket and onto which one of the internal link terminal portions is connected. 
     Each internal link terminal portion is advantageously rigid and is perforated with openings which are threaded on over the respective pins, the intermediate portion of the internal link, on the other hand, having the capability of being flexible. 
     It may also be wise to provide for the housing to be substantially formed from two shells which are assembled together and each of which bears fastening members which cooperate with the fastening members of the other one. 
     Ideally, the shells are identical and are assembled together head-to-tail, each shell being provided with male and female fastening members cooperating with the male and female fastening members of the other shell, respectively. 
     In one particular embodiment of the invention, the first and second sockets are identical to one another and can be force-fit into the respective seats in the first and second shells. 
     The device of the invention can further include first and second metal ground shields inserted into the respective terminal portions of the internal link and connected to one another via a conductor of this link. 
     This connecting device is particularly well-suited to the case wherein said sockets comply with the CEI 11 801 standard. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of same, which is given hereinbelow for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connecting device in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 , shown at a smaller scale; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a sub-assembly of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative of the device shown in  FIG. 2 , shown at a smaller scale; 
         FIG. 5  is an axial section of a device as shown in  FIG. 1  and completed by holding and finishing members; 
         FIG. 6  is an exterior perspective view of the device shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the application context of one particular embodiment of the device of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As indicated previously, the invention relates to a connecting device DR two plugs F 1  and F 2  to be connected together ( FIG. 5 ). 
     These plugs equip respective multi-conductor cables C 1  and C 2 , and are capable of being inserted into the device DR in respective opposite directions D 1  and D 2 . 
     The connecting device of the invention includes substantially two sockets  1  and  2 , an internal multi-conductor link  3 , and a housing  4 . 
     The housing  4  holds the sockets  1  and  2  in head-to-tail position and has slots  41  and  42  into which the plugs F 1  and F 2  can be inserted, respectively, in order to be connected, respectively, to the respective connecting faces  11  and  21  of the sockets  1  and  2 . 
     Each of these connecting faces  11  and  12  bear a plurality of electrical contacts  5  each of which is placed in galvanic contact with a conductor of plug F 1  or F 2  when this plug is inserted into the corresponding slot  41  or  42 . 
     The internal multi-conductor link  3  assumes the form of a multi-conductor layer folded into a bayonet and capable of ensuring galvanic continuity at least between each contact  5  of each of the sockets  1  and  2  and a corresponding contact  5  of the other socket. 
     This internal link  3  has two terminal portions  31  and  32  and an intermediate portion  33 . 
     The terminal portions  31  and  32  are physically connected to the respective internal faces  12  and  22  of the sockets  1  and  2 , and the intermediate portion  33  extends between the terminal portions  31  and  32  and connects them together. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the internal face, such as  12  and  22 , of each of the sockets  1  and  2 , bears a plurality of pins  6  onto which one of the internal link  3  terminal portions  31  and  32  is connected, each of these pins  6  being connected to a contact  5  of the corresponding socket. 
     The internal link  3  terminal portions  31  and  32  are preferably rigid, whereas the intermediate portion  33  of this internal link is flexible, in order to be capable of being easily positioned between the sockets  1  and  2 . 
     Furthermore, each of the internal link  3  terminal portions  31  and  32  is perforated with openings  30  each of which is in electrical contact with one of the conductors of this internal link, whereby the electrical connection between the internal link  3  and each of the sockets  1  and  2  can be easily established by threading these openings  30  over the corresponding pins  6  of this socket. 
     The sockets  1  and  2  are superimposed over one another in a direction perpendicular to each of directions D 1  and D 2 , and are arranged head-to-tail on either side of the intermediate portion  33  of the internal link  3 . 
     As also shown in  FIG. 2 , the housing  4  is advantageously formed from two shells  4   a  and  4   b , which are assembled together by means of fastening members, such as  43   a ,  44   a ,  43   b  and  44   b , which are borne by each shell and which cooperate with the fastening members of the other shell. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the shells  4   a  and  4   b  are identical and are assembled together head-to-tail. 
     Each of the shells  4   a  and  4   b  is provided with respective male fastening members  43   a  and  43   b , as well as respective female fastening members  44   a  and  44   b,  the male and female members of each shell cooperating, respectively, with the female and male fastening members of the other shell, in order to keep the shells  4   a  and  4   b  assembled together. 
     The sockets  1  and  2 , which can typically be identical to one another, are, for example, force-fit into the respective seats  40  in the shells  4   a  and  4   b.    
     In one particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the connecting device of the invention further includes two metal ground shields  71  and  72 . 
     These shields  71  and  72  have respective pins  71   a  and  72   a  which are inserted, respectively, into dedicated openings  30   a  in the respective terminal portions  31  and  32  of the internal link  3 , these shields thereby being electrically connected to one another via a conductor of this link  3 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the typical application conditions of the connecting device DR of the invention, in the case wherein the sockets  1  and  2  are computer sockets compliant with the CEI 11 801 standard. 
     As shown in this figure, this device DR enables a plug F 1  to be connected to a consolidation point CONSO by means of a cord KD equipped with a plug F 2 , this consolidation point CONSO itself having the capability of being connected to a patch panel PB by means of a multi-conductor cable KB which is optionally installed permanently.