U.S. patent application number 10/761341 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-07 for cable fixer for an electronic device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Primax Electronics Ltd.. Invention is credited to Teng, Wei-Chih.
Application Number | 20050072593 10/761341 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34076645 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050072593 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Teng, Wei-Chih |
April 7, 2005 |
CABLE FIXER FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A cable fixer for holding at least two cables, includes opposite
top and bottom ends, an outer side wall that interconnects the top
and bottom ends, an inner cable tunnel that passes through the top
and bottom ends inwardly of the outer side wall and is capable of
holding one of the cables, and an outer cable tunnel which is
formed in the outer side wall from the top end to the bottom ends
for holding the other one of the cables.
Inventors: |
Teng, Wei-Chih; (Taipei
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRUCE H. TROXELL
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Assignee: |
Primax Electronics Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
34076645 |
Appl. No.: |
10/761341 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
174/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G 3/22 20130101; H02G
15/013 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
174/100 |
International
Class: |
H02G 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 7, 2003 |
TW |
92127856 |
Claims
1. A cable fixer for holding at least two cables of an electronic
device that is formed with a vertical mounting hole, said cable
fixer comprising: a cable holding member adapted to be mounted on
the electronic device in such a manner as to extend through the
mounting hole, said cable holding member having opposite top and
bottom ends; an outer side wall that interconnects said top and
bottom ends; an inner cable tunnel that passes through said top and
bottom ends inwardly of said outer side wall and that is adapted
receive one of the two cables therethrough, and an outer cable
tunnel that is formed in said outer side wall from said top end to
said bottom ends, wherein said cable holding member further
includes a groove that extends through said top and bottom ends and
that is in spatial communication with said inner cable tunnel, said
groove having a sector-shape in cross-section.
2. (canceled)
3. The cable fixer as defined in claim 1, further comprising an
insert piece that is disposed fittingly in said groove and is
adapted to press one of the two cables against said cable holding
member.
4. The cable fixer as defined in claim 3, wherein said cable
holding member is generally cylindrical-shaped, defining an axis
and having an inner side wall that interconnects said top and
bottom ends thereof, said insert piece having an inner side wall
facing and cooperating with said inner side wall of said cable
holding member to define said inner cable tunnel.
5. The cable fixer as defined in claim 4, wherein said inner side
walls of said cable holding member and said insert piece
respectively have lower portions which are serrated so as to
provide enhance clamping of a first cable of the two cables.
6. The cable fixer as defined in claim 5, further comprising a
cable guiding member that extends outwardly and laterally from said
top end of said cable holding member in a transverse direction
relative to the axis of said cable holding member and that is
adapted to guide a portion of a second cable of the two cables
disposed in said outer cable tunnel such that the portion of the
second cable of the two cables is disposed closely with the
electronic device.
7. The cable fixer as defined in claim 6, wherein said insert piece
has an outer side wall that cooperates with said outer side wall of
said cable holding member so as to define an annular recess.
8. The cable fixer as defined in claim 7, wherein said cable
holding member and said insert piece are made from an elastic
material.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a cable fixer, more particularly to
a cable fixer for holding at least two cables of an electronic
device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Due to rapid advance of modern electronic technology, more
and more electronic devices, such as a central processing unit of a
computer, require a large number of cables for connecting the same
with the peripheral accessories, such as a printing machine and a
digital copier. If the cables disposed around the electronic device
are not arranged in an orderly way, accidentally collision to the
cables by the user may occur, and subsequently decreases an
aesthetic appearance of the device. Thus, a cable fixer is required
to hold a cable on the electronic device.
[0003] Referring to FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B), a conventional cable fixer
2 is shown to be mounted in such a manner as to extend through a
mounting hole 8 in an outer casing 6 of an electronic device (not
shown), and includes left and right parts 202,204 that
cooperatively define an annular recess 12 on outer surfaces
thereof, an inner recess 16 and an inner protrusion 14 on inner
surfaces thereof. The left and right parts 202,204 of the
conventional cable fixer 2 are disposed at two opposite sides of
the cable 4 and are then inserted forcibly into the mounting hole 8
such that the protrusion 14 of the right part 204 extends into the
inner recess 16, and clamps the cable 4 against the right part
204.
[0004] Some disadvantages resulting from the use of the
conventional cable fixer 2 are as follows:
[0005] (1) In case the electronic device has a plurality of cables
4, the outer casing 6 is required to form a plurality of mounting
holes so that the cables can be mounted respectively by the use of
a plurality of conventional cable fixers. The rigidity strength of
the outer casing 6 is decreased.
[0006] (2) Waste of time and extra manufacture cost may occur.
[0007] (3) External electro-static discharge may hinder and disturb
smooth functioning of inner components enclosed within the outer
casing 6 via the mounting holes.
[0008] (4) Deformation of the cable 4 due to bending and twisting
may decrease smooth signal transmission through the cables 4.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a cable
fixer that can hold at least two cables therein and that can
eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages of the prior art cable
fixer.
[0010] A cable fixer of the present invention is adapted to hold at
least two cables of an electronic device that is formed with a
vertical mounting hole. The cable fixer accordingly includes: a
cable holding member adapted to be mounted on the electronic device
in such a manner as to extend through the mounting hole, and
including opposite top and bottom ends, an outer side wall that
interconnects the top and bottom ends, an inner cable tunnel that
passes through the top and bottom ends inwardly of the outer side
wall, and an outer cable tunnel which is formed in the outer side
wall from the top end to the bottom ends.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] Other features and advantages of this invention will become
more apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) respectively show a sectional view,
illustrating how a conventional cable fixer is inserted into an
electronic device in order to mount a cable on the electronic
device;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of a
cable fixer according to the present invention when mounted on an
electronic device;
[0014] FIG. 3(A) is an exploded perspective view of the preferred
embodiment shown together with two cables;
[0015] FIG. 3(B) is a perspective view, illustrating how the
preferred embodiment holds two cables therein;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view, illustrating how the preferred
embodiment is inserted into a mounting hole of an electronic
device; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment when
mounted in the mounting hole of the electronic device.
DETAILED DESCCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3(A), and 3(B), the preferred
embodiment of a cable fixer according to the present invention is
provided to hold at least two cables (33a, 33b) of an electron
device (not shown), and includes a cable holding 34, a
sector-shaped insert piece 344, and a cable guiding member 44.
[0019] As illustrated, the holding member 34 is made from an
elastic material, such as rubber, and is mounted on the electronic
device in such a manner as to extend through amounting hole 32 in
an outer casing 30 of the electronic device. The holding member 34
has opposite top and bottom ends 342,343, an outer side wall 340
that interconnects the top and bottom ends 342,343, an inner cable
tunnel 40 that passes through the top and bottom ends 342,343
inwardly of the outer side wall 340, and an outer cable tunnel 42
which is formed in the outer side wall 340 from the top end 342 to
the bottom ends 343.
[0020] The cable holding member 34 further has a groove 345 that
extends through the top and bottom ends 342,343 and that is in
spatial communication with the inner cable tunnel 40. The groove
345 has a sector-shape in cross-section.
[0021] The insert piece 344 is also made from rubber and can be
disposed fittingly within the groove 345 in the cable holding
member 34.
[0022] In this embodiment, the cable holding member 34 is generally
cylindrical-shaped, defines an axis and has an inner side wall 40W
that interconnects the top and bottom ends 342,343 thereof. The
insert piece 344 has an inner side wall 344W facing and cooperating
with the inner side wall 40W of the cable holding member 34 to
define the inner cable tunnel 40. In addition, the inner side walls
40W,344W of the cable holding member 34 and the insert piece 344
respectively have lower serrated portions 344S,40S. The insert
piece 344 has an outer side wall that cooperates with the outer
side wall 340 of the cable holding member 34 to define an annular
recess 48.
[0023] The guiding member 44 extends outwardly and laterally from
the top end 342 of the cable holding member 34 in a transverse
direction relative to the axis of the cable holding member 34.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 3(A),3(B) and 4, the cables (33a, 33b) of
the electronic device can be firmly retained on the outer casing 30
of the device by using the preferred embodiment of the present
invention in the following manner. Firstly, the cable (33a) is
inserted through the inner cable tunnel 40 in the cable holding
member 34 via the groove 345. Secondly, the insert piece 344 is
disposed fittingly within the groove 345 in the cable holding
member 34, and clamps the cable (33a) against the cable holding
member 34. Thirdly, the cable (33b) is disposed within the outer
cable tunnel 42 in the cable holding member 34 in such a manner
that a portion of the cable (33b) is depressed by the guiding
member 44 so as to form an L-shaped. Finally, the assembly of the
cable holding member 34 and the insert piece 344 is press-fitted
resiliently through the mounting hole 32 in the outer casing 30, as
best shown in FIG. 4.
[0025] Preferably, lower ends 50,343 of the cable holding member 34
and the insert piece 344 are conical-shaped to facilitate insertion
of the same into the mounting hole 32. Under this condition, the
inner peripheral portion of the outer casing 30 defining the
mounting hole 32 extend into and engages frictionally the annular
recess 48 in the cable holding member 34 and the insert piece 344,
thereby preventing untimely removal of the preferred embodiment of
the present invention from the outer casing 30. The cable (33a) is
firmly retained in the inner cable tunnel 40 by virtue of the
serrated portions 344S,40S of the insert piece 344 and the cable
holding member 34 (see FIG. 5), and can withstand an outwardly pull
away from the outer casing 30. The L-shaped portion of the cable
(33b) is disposed parallel to and closely with an upper portion of
the outer casing 30 so as to minimize the storing space for the
outer casing 30. The preferred embodiment can be constructed to
have more than two cable tunnels in order to retain the cables of
the electronic device in a neat-and-tidy manner.
[0026] The cable (33a) can be a power transmission cable and is
adapted to be connected electrically to a power source for supply
of current to the electronic device. The cable (33b) can be a
signal transmission cable and is adapted to be connected to a
peripheral accessory of the electronic device, like a printing
machine. Since the relevant feature of this invention does not
reside in the construction of the cables, a detailed description
thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
[0027] The advantages provided by the cable fixer of the present
invention are as follows:
[0028] (1) Forming of a plurality of cable mounting holes in the
outer casing of an electronic device is eliminated. Thus, external
electro-static discharges can not hinder smooth functioning of the
electronic components disposed within the outer casing 30.
[0029] (2) The cables (33a,33b) of the electronic device can be
kept in a neat-and-tidy manner, thereby enhancing an aesthetic
appearance of the electronic device.
[0030] (3) Deformation of the cables (33a,33b) due to bending and
folding of the cables will not occur when the cable fixer of the
present invention, is used.
[0031] (4) The occupying space of the electric device is according
minimized.
[0032] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
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