Mertek Industries, LLC

Molex Corporation

Jon K Sholtis

Christopher Briand Scherer

Thomas R Marrapode

Chris Scherer

Braon Mosely

Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as switches, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be connected to a power over Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE). The printed circuit of the cable connector may request power for the display from the PSE. The switch of the cable connector may be operated such that at least one component of the printed circuit is disconnected from the PSE when an external powered device (PD) is connected to the cable connector. Disconnecting components of the printed circuit from the PSE may reduce the interference to the power negotiation between the PSE and external PD.

Network cable connector with switch control

Disclosed are network cable connectors with components such as wireless transceivers, wireless power receivers, displays, and printed circuit with controllers. The disclosed network cable connector may be wirelessly coupled to an external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may receive power for the wireless transceiver and/or the display from the external power source. The printed circuit of the cable connector may communicate information about the network cable and/or devices connected thereto via the wireless transceiver to an external device, output the information via the display, or a combination thereof.

Patch cord including wireless components

Disclosed are traceable (e.g., networking) cables and cable components (e.g., telltales, switches, and controllers). The disclosed networking cables may be (e.g., indirectly) connected such that signals may be communicated from one cable to another cable. For example, some such cables are configured such that when a switch of one cable is actuated, a controller connected to the switch sends signals to other controllers of the same cable and controllers of other connected cables to activate, inactivate, and/or change the operating mode of telltale(s) of the same cable and/or of other connected cables.

Traceable and linkable networking cable

Disclosed are traceable remote-release networking cables with telltales at their ends to facilitate tracing of the cables and their ends, such as, for example, in data rooms that can include hundreds of individual networking cables. Some cables include conductive wire transmission line(s). Other cables include one or more fiber-optic transmission lines.

Traceable networking cables with remote-released connectors

An illuminated tracer cable system includes a signal carrying cable comprising a signal connector on each end of the signal carrying cable, an electroluminescent (EL) wire coupled to the signal carrying cable, and a magnetic power connector coupled to an end of the EL wire configured to provide power to the EL wire.

Illuminated tracer cable

Traceable cables (e.g., networking cables, power cables, etc.). Some embodiments include a traceable power cable with a battery (e.g., that may be rechargeable from current from an external power source to which the power cable is electrically connected). Some embodiments include a traceable networking cable configured to draw power from power-over-Ethernet (POE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) even if the networking cable is not connected to a separate powered device (PD).

Traceable cables

Illuminated fiber housing assembly

Fiber housing assembly

Disclosed are field-terminable traceable (e.g., networking) cables and cable components (e.g., field-applicable connection hoods), as well as related kits and methods. For example, in one embodiment of a field-applicable connection hood for a networking cable, the connection hood comprises: a connector or plug configured to be coupled to a port or outlet; two conductive tabs each configured to be coupled without, soldering to a tracer wire to enable electrical communication between the tracer wire and the conductive tab; an electrically activated telltale; and a switch configured to be actuated to enable electrical communication between the two conductive tabs and the telltale.

Growing community of inventors

Buda, TX, United States of America

Jon K Sholtis