JPH0955155A - Switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate laying of cables and reduce the occupation area by introducing respective connecting cables having connectors at their ends and connecting them to a switching circuit. SOLUTION: Connection of interface cables 3, 4 for connected to computers (A), (B) and an interface cable 5 for connected to a common printer for the computers (A), (B) can be switched via a switching circuit of a switching device having a box main body 1. A terminal end connector 10 for respective cables 3-5 is not fitted to the main body 1 but introduced into the box 1 so that the switching circuit and the cables are connected to each other. This constitution facilitates laying of the cables and reduces the cable occupation area compared with a case providing a connector to the main body 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a switching device for connecting a plurality of peripheral devices of the same type through a cable and selectively or crosswise switching the input / output combination. By removing the connector on the main body side, the cables can be concentrated in and out of one surface of the box main body to reduce the occupied area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the development of office computers has been remarkable, and is widely used not only in general offices but also at home. Under such circumstances, for example, in the field of printers as well, in addition to conventional dot printers, there are various types of devices with different functions, such as laser printers and inkjet printers, and output that makes the most of each characteristic point is obtained. Therefore, a plurality of printers are often selectively switched and used. Conversely, a plurality of computers may share one printer. Further, the number of devices that use a display properly or use an RS-232C terminal such as a modem and a plotter is increasing according to the application.

In such a case, a switching device is generally used. In the conventional switching device, for example, when switching two printers A and B, as shown in FIG. 3, a box body (a) is used.
Is equipped with a push-type changeover switch (b) on the front side, an input connector (c) from the computer is arranged on the rear side, and output connectors (d) for the A and B printers on the left and right sides, respectively. , (E) are arranged.

Further, there is also one in which a rotary switch is arranged on the front surface and connectors for two inputs and two outputs are arranged on the rear surface so that the input / output combinations can be switched to each other. In any case, in such a switching device, a plurality of input / output connectors are arranged on the back surface and the side surface, and between each connector and each peripheral device, a dedicated connector corresponding to each interface standard is provided. It is used by connecting with a connection cable (f).

[0005]

However, in the interface cable to be connected to each connector of the conventional switching device of this type, the connection connectors themselves at both ends thereof are relatively large and the number of internal signal lines is large. Therefore, a thick cable itself was used, and the bending radius was large, so it was not easy to route it. Therefore, particularly in the case where connectors are provided on the left and right sides of the box main body, the cable connected to the connectors spreads widely in the left and right in a T-shape, and occupies a larger area than the switch body. Therefore, the installation place is also limited, and sometimes the switching operation is hindered.

In particular, in a simple LAN (local area network) which has become widespread in recent years, a plurality of computers share a plurality of peripheral devices and the connections are switched to each other. The difficulty also hindered its realization.

[0007]

In view of the above situation, the present invention is directed to a switching device of this type in which the other end of each connection cable having a connector at its end is introduced into the box from one surface of the box main body. The above problem is solved by internally connecting to the switching circuit.

Therefore, for example, if the input / output cable is arranged on the rear surface of the box body and the switching is performed on the front surface, the cable can be routed very easily and the occupied area can be reduced. Become.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a switching device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example in which one computer is shared by two computers A and B. In the figure, 1 is a box body of a switching device, and a push-type changeover switch 2 is provided on the front surface thereof. It is provided so as to switch between computers A and B (not shown). 3 is an interface cable connected to the computer A, and has an amphenol 14 at the tip.
The male connector 3a of the pin is connected. Also,
A cable 4 is connected to the computer B, and has a male connector 4a having a half pitch of 36 pins connected to the tip thereof. Further, 5 is a cable connected to a printer (not shown), to which an amphenol 36-pin male connector 5a is connected. Thus, one end of each of the connection cables 3, 4, 5 is directly introduced into the box body 1 via the protection ring 6, and is directly connected to the connection end 8 of the switching circuit on the substrate 7. .

Since this type of signal cable has a large number of internal signal lines 11, connection with the initial switching circuit is troublesome. For example, as shown in FIG. The connection end 8 is formed through the male joint 9, and the end of the cable is previously connected to the female joint 10 by each signal line 11
If they are connected, it is only necessary to connect the joints, and it is expected that the assembly efficiency will be improved.

Further, in the above description, an example of the switching device when two computers share one printer is shown, but the gist of the present application is not limited to this. For example, contrary to the above example, two printers may be connected to one computer and used, and the number of input and output devices can be arbitrarily selected. Also, the signal to be handled is not limited to the print signal, and a cable required for various signals corresponding to the interface standard between the computer main body and various peripheral devices such as a display signal and an RS-232C signal are required. It suffices to select and configure the standard of the connector.

Further, the internal switching circuit is not limited to the circuit configuration in which one is selectively switched from a plurality of devices and used,
For example, it can be connected and applied to a so-called parallel-cross switching circuit in which a combination of two sets of input and output is switched. In short, it can be widely applied to a switching device that switches the combination of input and output, and an appropriate switching circuit is adopted according to the connected device. Also, the switch for switching is not limited to the push-type switch as in the present example, and it goes without saying that a rotary-type switch or the like can be used.

In short, in this type of switching device, a plurality of input / output cables having connection connectors at the ends are directly introduced into the box body from one side surface of the box body without providing a connector for the connection cable in the box body. Then, the technical gist is to internally connect the switching circuit.

[0014]

As described above, according to the switching device of the present invention, since the input / output connection cables are concentrated on one side surface of the box body, a plurality of devices are switched and used. In this case, the wiring process is easy and the installation place is small. For example, the thing shown in the above-mentioned embodiment can be used by attaching a double-sided tape or the like to the back surface of the box body and affixing it to the side surface of the computer body or the display.

Further, since a separate connector is not required in the switch body, the cost can be reduced as a whole as compared with the conventional case in which the switch and various connection cables need to be prepared separately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a switching device according to the present invention with a part of a cable omitted.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of connecting a connection cable to a switching circuit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional switching device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Box body 2 Changeover switch 3 Connection cable 4 Connection cable 5 Connection cable

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A switching device in which a plurality of input / output devices are connected to each other, and a combination of input / output can be switched by a changeover switch, in which the other end of each connection cable having a connector at an end is in the box from one surface of the box body. A switch that is installed in the box and connected to the switch circuit inside the box body.