Cable assembly for multiple electronic components

A home entertainment system comprising a plurality of different electronic components and a cable assembly for coupling said plurality of different electronic components to a suitable power source, said cable assembly including an input module adapted for being directly coupled to a power source, said input module including a housing having a circuit board therein, said board including at least one edge portion having a plurality of conductors thereon, said conductors being arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern;

• at least one junction module for being coupled to said input module, said junction module including a housing having a circuit board therein, said circuit board in said housing of said junction module including at least two edge portions each having a plurality of conductors thereon, said conductors being arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern;
• at least two adapters each for being coupled to said junction module and for being directly coupled to a respective one of said electronic components, each of said adapters including a housing having a circuit board therein, said circuit boards within said housings of said adapters each including at least one edge portion having conductors thereon;
• a first flexible cable member of substantially flat construction for coupling said input module to said junction module, said first flexible cable member being electrically coupled to said conductors on said edge portion of said circuit board of said input module and to a first of said edge portions of said circuit board of said junction module in a frictional manner;
• and
• a pair of second flexible cable members each of substantially flat construction for coupling said junction module to a respective one of said adapters, each of said second flexible cable members being electrically coupled to said conductors on said edge portion of said circuit board of a respective one of said adapters and to a second edge portion of said circuit board of said junction module in a frictional manner, said first and second flexible cable members, input and junction modules adapted for receiving and transmitting both electrical current and electronic signals, including both audio and video signals, both said first and second flexible cable members including a coupler on opposing ends thereof, said couplers including a plurality of conductors arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern for engaging respective ones of said conductors on said input and junction modules.

A method of coupling a plurality of different electronic components to a power source, said method comprising:

• directly coupling an input module to a common power source wherein said input module includes a housing having a circuit board including at least one edge portion having a plurality of conductors thereon, said conductors being arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern;
• coupling at least one junction module to said input module using a singular, first flexible cable member of substantially flat configuration wherein said junction module includes a housing having a circuit board therein including at least two edge portions each having a plurality of conductors thereon, said conductors being arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern, said first flexible cable member being coupled to said edge portion of said circuit board of said input module and a first of said edge portions of said circuit board of said junction module in a frictional manner;
• directly coupling at least two adapters each to a respective one of said electronic components wherein each adapter includes a housing having a circuit board therein including at least one edge portion having conductors thereon;
• and
• coupling said junction module to each of said adapters using a singular, second flexible cable member of substantially flat construction, thereby coupling said different electronic components to said common power source, wherein said second flexible cable member is coupled to said conductors of said edge portion of said circuit boards of said adapters and to a second edge portion of said circuit board of said junction module in a frictional manner, said first and second flexible cable members, input and junction modules adapted for receiving and transmitting both electrical current and electronic signals, including both audio and video signals, both said first and second flexible cable members including a coupler on opposing ends thereof, said couplers including a plurality of conductors arranged in a substantially planar and linear pattern for engaging respective ones of said conductors on said input and junction modules.