The Many Uses of the Humble Curly Cord
When we think of a curly cord, our minds usually go straight to the spiral apparatuses that tether corded telephone handsets. But you might find it surprising to learn just how many applications and industries this humble cord has made its way into. From military, to industrial, medical, and so many applications in between, the curly cord has made a name for itself as a brilliant utility. Read on as we explore how this simple, unpretentious concept carries out some of life’s greatest missions.
In a land of cordless, what’s the need for curly cords?
With so many of today’s gadgets “cutting the cord,” you might wonder how a curly cord could continue to prove useful. The truth is, wireless applications just aren’t as stable as a corded one. Have you ever noticed how much faster your internet is when you plug directly into your internet router? This is because the medium being transferred, whether that’s power, signal, data, or a mix thereof, is made in a dedicated line, rather than being “broadcast”, so there’s much less data/power/signal loss with a fully-corded connection. Below we’ll look at just some of the many varied applications where having a dedicated line, and also one that is free of obstruction, is still critical.
One Concept, Endless Applications
From car parts to medical devices, the curly cord continues to provide a safe, efficient way to manage the cord fray today’s electronics designs demand.
- Refrigerators: providing crucial internal wiring for fridges and other appliances to remain space efficient in a confined area.
- Telephones: one of the most notable applications, curly cords provide a safe tether for headsets and allow for stretch before returning to a shorter length when the set is cradled.
- Microphones/Speakers: helping vocalists avoid tying themselves up as they perambulate their respective stages.
- Cell Phone Chargers: providing a space efficient means to charge this now-vital life tool.
- HDMI: allowing for the consumer to plug every device known to man with ease and efficiency into the rear of their television sets.
- Data/Network: USB, ethernets, and other data cords all running side-by-side without a rat’s nest of cords occurring as a result.
- Medical Sensors: within the medical field, curly cords serve a monumental purpose in providing a safe way to manage the “pull” of a device such as a scanner attached to a patient. The cord allows for weight distribution while still giving the patient and medical staff leeway in movement, all while staying out of the way when accessibility is needed.
- Steering Wheels: for automotive and boating, you need special ranges of curly cords for different toggle switches and relays.
- Communication/Radios: police, fire/rescue, and others using handheld radios rely on the curly cord for keeping the microphone secure and out of the way, yet mobile.
Non-Electrical Lanyards/Tethers
Curly cords have endless applications in the non-electric field, as well. And here you thought curly cords were limited to data, electric, and signals. Think lanyards for identification badges, a secure tether for a police officer’s sidearm, or anti-theft security devices attached to phones at the mall. These are just some of the many different uses for non-electric curly cords.
How are Curly Cords Made?
Every cord is made using different processes depending on the utility of that particular cord. For those wanting to see the process first hand, we have a cool video of a worker at our production facility in China making a quill cord by hand. For this process, a worker inserts a piece of rod into a specially-designed motor and then secures a length of cord with clamps to one end of the rod. Using a foot pedal to activate the motor spinning, the worker tightly wraps the cord down the length of the rod, to whatever specifications are needed for that job. A quick clamp and snip on the finished side and the cord-wrapped rod is placed in a rack ready to be sent to the oven to bake and be set. Sounds easy, but each cord is engineered to withstand the rigorous requirements set by its use. A certain type of cord may be required to achieve half a million extension/retractions without failure in order to be safe and efficient in its application.
Advantages of Meridian Curly Cords
At Meridian, we design and manufacture cable assemblies. It’s all we’ve done for nearly three decades. One of our greatest advantages lies in our ability to custom design all types of different cords. We own our own production facilities both in the U.S. and in China to ensure we have the capability to provide our clients with the exact cords needed, wherever the application may be. From the first strand of copper through the final outer jacket, we engineer every step of our products with painstaking detail so that our products meet our clients’ most exacting requirements. When you’re ready to discuss your project’s cable needs, speak to one of our knowledgeable cable specialists to explore your options and find the perfect cable to meet your specifications.