GB2329767A

GB2329767A - Connectors for electronic appliances

Info

Publication number: GB2329767A
Application number: GB9813221A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jong-Eun Lee
Original assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: WiniaDaewoo Co Ltd
Priority date: 1997-09-27
Filing date: 1998-06-18
Publication date: 1999-03-31
Also published as: GB9813221D0; KR100274318B1; KR19990027018A

Abstract

A coupling for electronic appliances comprising (a) a cord 120 with a male connector at each end (one such connector 100 is shown), each connector comprising contacts 141-144 corresponding to respective wires of the cord, insulation 146 between the contacts 141-144 and insulation 148 outside the outer contact 144 and (b) a like female counterpart 200 having corresponding contacts 241-244 and insulation 220, 260. Each cord connector may be a male coaxial connector in which a centre contact 141 protrudes most and the outer coaxial contacts 142-144 protrude progressively less. The appliance connector may be a corresponding coaxial female coaxial connector.

Description

CONNECTING STRUCTURE OF ELECTRONIC APPLIANCES The present invention relates to a connecting structure of electronic appliances; and, more particularly, to an improved connecting structure for connecting two electronic appliances by using only one connecting cord therein.

In general, a connecting cord transfers video or audio signals from one electronic appliance, e.g, a video cassette recorder, to another electronic appliance, e.g., a television.

Between a conventional video cassette recorder and a conventional television, two connecting cords are usually employed. Each of the connecting cords independently transfers a video signal and an audio signal, respectively.

As shown in Fig. 1, two electronic appliances are electronically connected to each other conventionally through two pairs of female connectors 20, each pair of the female connectors 20 being located on the respective electronic appliance and being designated as AUDIO and "VIDEO" on the electronic appliances, and two connecting cords 10, each of the connecting cords 10 including a cable 18 and a pair of male connectors 16, the male connectors 16 being attached both to ends of the cable 18, respectively.

Each of the male connectors 16 has a first male contact 11, a second male contact 12, an insulator(not shown) inserted between the male connectors 11, 12, and a covering 14 covering the second male contact 12. Each of the cable 18 has a pair of wires(not shown) connected to the first male contact 11 and the second male contact 12, respectively.

Further, each of the female connectors 20 has contacts corresponding to those of the contacts in each of the male connectors 16, respectively.

Both of the male connectors 16 of one connecting cord 10 are inserted into the female connectors 20 designated as "AUDIO", respectively. Further, both of the male connectors 16 of the other connecting cord 10 are inserted into the female connectors 20 designated as "VIDEO". Then, the audio and video signals are transferred from one electronic appliance to the other electronic appliance via respective connecting cords 10.

However, when two electronic appliances are electronically connected in this manner, the number of female connectors and the cords required increases with increasing number of connections to be made, and furthermore, the connection between the electronic appliances must be connected correctly, making the connection therebetween cumbersome and tedious.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a connecting structure of electronic appliances which is simple in structure and capable of reducing the number of connecting cords and female connectors required in electronically connecting the electronic appliances.

Accordingly the present invention provides a connecting structure of electronic appliances comprising: a connecting cord having a cable, the cable having a plurality of wires, and a pair of male connectors attached to both ends of the cable, each of the male connectors having the same number of male contacts as that of the wires, each of the male contacts being connected to each of the wires of the cable, respectively, an insulator disposed between the male contacts and a covering over the outmost male contact; and a female connector having the same number of female contacts as the male contacts of the male connector, an insulator disposed between the female contacts, an insulating body covering the outer portion of the female contacts and leads connected to each of the female contacts.

The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 describes a schematic view of a conventional connecting structure of electronic appliances; Fig. 2 illustrates perspective view of a connecting structure of electronic appliances in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 and 4 represents sectional views of the connecting structure of electronic appliances before being connected and after being connected in accordance with the present invention, respectively.

There are shown in Fig. 2 to 4, a connecting structure of electronic appliances in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting structure including a connecting cord 100 and a pair of female connectors 200 corresponding thereto.

The connecting cord 100 is provided with a cable 120 and a pair of male connectors 140 attached to both ends of the cable 120. The cable 120 has a plurality of wires 122.

Each of the male connectors 140 has the same number of male contacts 141,142,143,144 as that of the wires 122, an insulator 146 disposed between the male contacts 141,142,143,144 and a covering 148 over the outmost male contact 144.

Each of the male contacts 141,142,143,144 are connected to each of the wires 122 of the cable 120, respectively.

Further, the male contacts 141,142,143,144 are disposed coaxially such that the length of the male contact 141 at the center of the male connector 140 is the longest and the other male contacts 142,143,144 become progressively shorter as they moves away from the center of the male connector 140.

The female connector 200 has the same number of female contacts 241,242,243,244 as the male contacts 141,142,143,144, an insulator 220 disposed between the female contacts 241,242,243,244, an insulating body 260 covering the outer portion of the female contacts 241,242,243,244 and leads 280 connected to each of the female contacts 241,242,243,244.

Each of the female contacts 241,242,243,244 corresponds to each of the male contacts 141,142,143,144 of the male connector 140. The leads 280 protrude from the female connector 200 to establish an electronic connection between the female connector 200 and a printed circuit board 300 inside the respective electronic appliance.

Even in a situation which requires more than two electronic connections as described above, it is still possible to electronically connect electronic appliances using only a pair of female connectors and a connecting cord. This is simply achieved by increasing the numbers of male contacts, wires and female contacts to the same number of electronic connections to be made, thereby making the electronic connections between electronic appliances simple.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A connecting structure of electronic appliances comprising: a connecting cord having a cable, the cable having a plurality of wires, and a pair of male connectors attached to both ends of the cable, each of the male connectors having the same number of male contacts as that of the wires, each of the male contacts being connected to each of the wires of the cable, respectively, an insulator disposed between the male contacts and a covering over the outmost male contact; and a female connector having the same number of female contacts as the male contacts of the male connector, an insulator disposed between the female contacts, an insulating body covering the outer portion of the female contacts and leads connected to each of the female contacts.
2. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the male contacts are of different length and disposed coaxially such that the length of the male contact at the center of the male connector is the longest and the other male contacts become progressively shorter as they moves away from the center of the male connector
3. The connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein the leads protrude from the female connector.
4. A connecting structure constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to or as shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.