Rotatable electrical connector

1. A rotatable electrical connector for providing a tangle free electrical connection between a cable having a modular male plug and a device having a modular female jack, the rotatable electrical connector comprising:

a) a male subassembly comprising:

a modular plug comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting the modular female jack of the device and a second terminal end; and

a first printed circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said modular plug and a plurality of concentric circular conductive traces disposed on a second surface, each of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

wherein said modular plug is secured to said first surface of said first printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

b) a female subassembly comprising:

a modular jack comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting the modular male plug of the cable and a second terminal end;

a second printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said modular jack and a second plurality of conductive pads disposed on a second surface, each of said first plurality of conductive pads in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads; and

at least one multi-pin block secured to said second surface of said second printed circuit board, said at least one multi-pin block comprising a plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements, wherein each of said plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces of said first printed circuit board and with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads of said second printed circuit board;

wherein said modular jack is secured to said first surface of said second printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive pads;

c) an axle extending substantially perpendicularly to said second surface of said first and said second printed circuit board, said axle rotatably connecting said male subassembly and said female subassembly; and

d) a housing enclosing said male subassembly and said female subassembly.

2. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising a retainer for retaining said male subassembly and said female subassembly in said housing.

3. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said modular plug comprises a surface mount component.

4. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said modular jack comprises a surface mount component.

5. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises a surface mount component.

6. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 , wherein said housing includes an aperture for inserting an elongated object to release the modular male plug of the cable from the rotatable electrical connector.

7. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 , wherein said modular plug is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said first printed circuit board.

8. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 1 , wherein said modular jack is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said second printed circuit board.

9. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board further comprises a counterbore for receiving said axle.

10. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of said counterbore is coated to reduce friction between at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board and said axle.

11. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein said counterbore is formed by drilling said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board.

12. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein said counterbore is formed by constructing said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board from a plurality of layers.

13. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises three multi-pin blocks.

14. A rotatable electrical connector for providing a tangle free electrical connection between a cable having a modular male plug and a device having a modular female jack, the rotatable electrical connector comprising:

a) a female subassembly comprising:

a modular jack comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting the modular male plug of the cable and a second terminal end;

a first printed circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said modular jack and a plurality of concentric circular conductive traces disposed on a second surface, each of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

wherein said modular jack is secured to said first surface of said first printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

b) a male subassembly comprising:

a modular plug comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting the modular female jack of the device and a second terminal end;

a second printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said modular plug and a second plurality of conductive pads disposed on a second surface, each of said first plurality of conductive pads in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads; and

at least one multi-pin block secured to said second surface of said second printed circuit board, said at least one multi-pin block comprising a plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements, wherein each of said plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces of said first printed circuit board and with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads of said second printed circuit board;

wherein said modular plug is secured to said first surface of said second printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive pads;

c) an axle extending substantially perpendicularly to said second surface of said first and said second printed circuit board, said axle rotatably connecting said male subassembly and said female subassembly; and

d) a housing enclosing said male subassembly and said female subassembly.

15. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 , further comprising a retainer for retaining said male subassembly and said female subassembly in said housing.

16. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 wherein said modular plug comprises a surface mount component.

17. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 wherein said modular jack comprises a surface mount component.

18. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises a surface mount component.

19. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 , wherein said housing includes an aperture for inserting an elongated object to release the modular male plug of the cable from the rotatable electrical connector.

20. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 , wherein said modular jack is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said first printed circuit board.

21. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 14 , wherein said modular plug is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said second printed circuit board.

22. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board further comprises a counterbore for receiving said axle.

23. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said counterbore is coated to reduce friction between at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board and said axle.

24. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 22 , wherein said counterbore is formed by drilling said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board.

25. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 22 , wherein said counterbore is formed by constructing said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board from a plurality of layers.

26. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises three multi-pin blocks.

27. A rotatable electrical connector for providing a tangle free electrical connection between a plurality of modular female jacks, the rotatable electrical connector comprising:

a) a first subassembly comprising:

a first modular plug comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting at least one of said plurality modular female jack and a second terminal end; and

a first printed circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said first modular plug and a plurality of concentric circular conductive traces disposed on a second surface, each of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

wherein said first modular plug is secured to said first surface of said first printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

b) a second subassembly comprising:

a second modular plug comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting at least one of said plurality of modular female jacks and a second terminal end;

a second printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said second modular plug and a second plurality of conductive pads disposed on a second surface, each of said first plurality of conductive pads in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads; and

at least one multi-pin block secured to said second surface of said second printed circuit board, said at least one multi-pin block comprising a plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements, wherein each of said plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces of said first printed circuit board and with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads of said second printed circuit board;

wherein said second modular plug is secured to said first surface of said second printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive pads;

c) an axle extending substantially perpendicularly to said second surface of said first and said second printed circuit board, said axle rotatably connecting said first subassembly and said second subassembly; and

d) a housing enclosing said first subassembly and said second subassembly.

28. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 , wherein said housing includes at least one aperture for inserting an elongated object for releasing at least one of said first modular plug and said second modular plug from at least one of said plurality of modular female jacks.

29. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 , further comprising a retainer for retaining said first subassembly and said second subassembly in said housing.

30. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 wherein at least one of said first modular plug and said second modular plug comprises a surface mount component.

31. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises a surface mount component.

32. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 , wherein said first modular plug is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said first printed circuit board.

33. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 27 , wherein said second modular plug is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said second printed circuit board.

34. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 27 , wherein at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board further comprises a counterbore for receiving said axle.

35. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 34 , wherein at least a portion of said counterbore is coated to reduce friction between at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board and said axle.

36. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 34 , wherein said counterbore is formed by drilling said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board.

37. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 34 , wherein said counterbore is formed by constructing said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board from a plurality of layers.

38. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 27 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises three multi-pin blocks.

39. A rotatable electrical connector for providing a tangle free electrical connection between a plurality of modular male plugs, the rotatable electrical connector comprising:

a) a first subassembly comprising:

a first modular jack comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting at least one of said plurality modular male plugs and a second terminal end; and

a first printed circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said first modular jack a plurality of concentric circular conductive traces disposed on a second surface, each of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

wherein said first modular jack is secured to said first surface of said first printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of conductive pads;

b) a second subassembly comprising:

a second modular jack comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members disposed in an electrically insulating member, said plurality of electrically conducting members each having a first terminal end for contacting at least one of said plurality of modular male plugs and a second terminal end;

a second printed circuit board comprising a first plurality of conductive pads disposed on a first surface facing said second modular jack and a second plurality of conductive pads disposed on a second surface, each of said first plurality of conductive pads in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads; and

at least one multi-pin block secured to said second surface of said second printed circuit board, said at least one multi-pin block comprising a plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements, wherein each of said plurality of resilient electrically conducting elements is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said plurality of concentric circular conductive traces of said first printed circuit board and with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive pads of said second printed circuit board;

wherein said second modular jack is secured to said first surface of said second printed circuit board and said second terminal end of each of said plurality of electrical conducting members is in electrical communication with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive pads;

c) an axle extending substantially perpendicularly to said second surface of said first and said second printed circuit board, said axle rotatably connecting said first subassembly and said second subassembly; and

d) a housing enclosing said first subassembly and said second subassembly.

40. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , further comprising a retainer for retaining said first subassembly and said second subassembly in said housing.

41. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , wherein at least one of said first modular jack and said second modular jack comprises a surface mount component.

42. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises a surface mount component.

43. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , wherein said housing includes at least one aperture for inserting an elongated object to release at least one of the plurality of modular male plugs from the rotatable electrical connector.

44. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , wherein said first modular jack is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said first printed circuit board.

45. The rotatable electrical connector according to claim 39 , wherein said second modular jack is secured substantially perpendicularly to said first surface of said second printed circuit board.

46. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 39 wherein at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board further comprises a counterbore for receiving said axle.

47. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 46 , wherein at least a portion of said counterbore is coated to reduce friction between at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board and said axle.

48. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 46 wherein said counterbore is formed by drilling said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board.

49. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 46 , wherein said counterbore is formed by constructing said at least one of said first and said second printed circuit board from a plurality of layers.

50. The rotatable electrical connector of claim 39 , wherein said at least one multi-pin block comprises three multi-pin blocks.