Patent ID: 7018223

Claim:
A connecting device comprising: first and second housing parts which are rotatable relative to one another and are coupled together to define a space therebetween; at least one flexible ribbon cable provided in the space defined by the housing parts; each cable having first and second end sections which are configured to be rolled and unrolled in a spiral or helix on associated contact surfaces of the housing parts, respectively; the end sections normally extending in opposite directions from each other circumferentially around the housing parts so that a U-shaped turning area at which cable movement reverses is formed in the space defined by the housing parts; and means for controlling the unrolling of each cable when the cable is rolled up or unrolled on the contact surfaces as the housing parts rotate relative to one another, wherein the means for controlled unrolling include magnetic areas arranged on each cable to cause the end sections of the cable to removably adhere to the respective contact surfaces of the housing parts, wherein the magnetic areas include a sheath of magnetic material surrounding each cable, wherein the sheath of magnetic material surrounding each cable has a strip-shaped geometry in which strip- shaped zones with uniform magnetization extend parallel to the longitudinal extension of the cable and adjacent strips have opposite polarity.