Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/58—Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable
  • H01R13/5833—Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable the cable being forced in a tortuous or curved path, e.g. knots in cable
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
  • H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
  • H02G3/02—Details
  • H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
  • H02G3/18—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes providing line outlets

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved cable assembly which provides strain relief for a plurality of cables which are connected to a circuit module of the assembly and particularly to a cable assembly which provides a wedge interface between peripheral devices and a terminal.
• the invention is especially suitable for use in data collection systems where different types of peripheral devices are connected to a terminal; the devices being selected from bar code scanners, keyboards, radio or radiant energy transmitters and receivers such as may be part of a radio link to a central computer or file server which contains information, such as the prices of items which must be accessed by the terminal.
• the cable assembly provides a so-called "wedge" interface which contains circuitry so as to enable the peripheral devices to be compatible with the terminal.
• wedge interfaces are used in data collection systems especially those involving bar code scanners and readers. Such systems include digital electronics having integrated circuit chips for data handling and computation purposes. Such wedge units may require several cables in order to provide connections to peripheral equipment as well as to the terminal.
• the cable assemblies are subject to stress and strain as the peripheral devices are moved about by the operator. For example the operator may use a hand held bar code scanner connected to the terminal via the wedge.
• the bar code scanner is moved to enable items remote from the terminal, such as on different parts of a counter or adjacent to the counter on which the terminal is mounted, to be scanned.
• the cables connected to the wedge assembly may be twisted and turned and are subject to repeated strain. Strain relieve members are used to counteract such strain.
• additional cables may be required to accommodate additional peripheral devices or even additional terminals.
• Reliable operation requires strain relief for the additional cables. Obtaining such strain relief and protecting the additional cables against damage, without having a complete collection of wedge cable assemblies to accommodate different complements of cables, is desired in order to avoid the increased cost of a complement of cable assemblies and yet retain the flexibility of being able to use wedge assemblies having different complements of cables.
• a cable assembly embodying the invention is adapted to connect peripheral devices to a terminal of a data collection system.
• the assembly uses a housing which is preferably molded to enclose and encapsulate a circuit module from which cables extend through the surfaces which define the volume enclosing the circuit module.
• a pair of flexible strain relief members extends outwardly from the housing and define an area between these strain relief members.
• This area contains a web which is preferably molded together with the strain relief members and the housing out of elastomeric plastic material so as to provide flexibility.
• the web has an opening with a neck. The opening except from the neck is wider than the additional cable such that a loop of the additional cable can be retained in the opening.
• the loop, the web and the pair of strain relief members are all flexible such that strain relief is provided for the additional cable.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable assembly embodying the invention
• FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the cable assembly shown in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cable assembly shown in FIG. l;
• FIG. 3a is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3A-3A in FIG. 3;
• FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the portion of the cable assembly containing the flexible web and strain relief members which is within the area enclosed by the circle 4-4 in FIG. l;
• FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are perspective views illustrating the molded construction of the cable assembly in FIG. 1.
• An electrical system, or wedge, which receive various peripheral devices and which interface with terminals, bar code scanners, magnetic card readers, wands and keyboards, used in data collection systems, by way of example, is the subject matter of U.S. Patent 5,258,604 issued November 2, 1993 to James Behrens et al. Separate cables from the electronic circuits must be provided for connection to the peripheral devices and also to the terminal.
• the present invention provides flexibility in installation and use of cable assemblies by enabling the cable assembly to have an additional cable connected thereto and extending therefrom. The cable is protected against damage due to strain applied thereto, as the assembly is moved about, by means of strain relief facilities which are compatible with existing cables and their strain relief facilities.
• a cable assembly 10 having three cables 12, 14 and 16 and an additional cable 18, all extending from a housing 20.
• the housing has surfaces defining sides 22 and 24, ends 26 and 28, a top 30 and a bottom 32.
• the ends 26 are formed by ends 26A and 26B and the sides are formed by sides 22A and 22B (in the case of the front side) and the other end is formed by end parts 28A and 28B when a bottom molded section 34 is overmolded with an upper molded section 36.
• the lower molded section forms a well 38 in which a circuit module 40, having components such as integrated circuit chips 42 and other components 44 and connectors 46, 48, 50 and 52, are located.
• This well is covered by a shroud 54 so as to protect the module 40 during overmolding to form the section 36.
• an additional cable may be used and connected via the connector 52.
• Preferably only one additional cable is provided and may be connected either to the connector 50 or 52.
• a web 80 is molded integrally with the housing 20 and the strain relief members 72 and 74 in a wedge-shaped area defined between the strain relief members 72 and 74. The area is wedge- shaped because these members 72 and 74 tilt away from each other complementary with the angle defined by the end 26. This angle has an apex along a bisector of the housing bisecting the web 80 and the strain relief member 70, and may be an internal angle of approximately 145°.
• strain relief members are molded in semi-conical sectors 70B, 72B and 74B together with the web 80 as part of the lower molded section 34. Upon overmolding the upper sectors of these conical strain relief members 70A, 72A and 74A are formed integrally with each other and with the remainder of the housing 20.
• the web 80 is a plate which is sufficiently thin and which is flexibly supported by the strain relief members 72 and 74 so as to itself be flexible and provide strain relief.
• an opening 82 which is divided by a neck 84.
• the neck is narrower than the cable 18 such that a loop 86 of the cable may be formed and held in the opening 80.
• This loop in addition to the flexibility of the web 80, provides strain relief for the cable 18.
• the opening 82 because of the neck 84, is generally hourglass-shaped. Other shapes which may releasably hold a loop of the cable 18 may be used. In addition, if another cable is used, it may also be brought through the opening.
• the cable assembly has flexibility for installation of other cables in addition to the three cables which extend through the strain relief members 70, 72 and 74 and are captured by being encapsulated therein. Such encapsulation occurs since the cables 12, 14 and 16 are disposed in the mold over the sectors 70B, 72B and 74B during overmolding.
• Other variations and modifications in the herein- described cable assembly, within the scope of the invention, will undoubtedly suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Installation Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)
• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (5)

• 1994
  • 1994-10-31 US US08/332,211 patent/US5726388A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1995
  • 1995-10-11 WO PCT/US1995/012449 patent/WO1996013887A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1995-10-11 AU AU37596/95A patent/AU3759695A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1995-11-11 TW TW084111978A patent/TW290752B/zh active

Patent Citations (5)

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