US6964578B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cable connector retaining assembly, system, and method of assembling same
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 2002-07-11
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Granted: 2005-11-15
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Expires: 2022-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A cable connector retaining system includes a cable connector retaining assembly having a connector block and a movable retention block with a connector retention fastener, e.g., a threaded fastener. The system also includes a plate having a connector mounted thereon and a connector retention feature, e.g., a threaded hole, positioned adjacent to the connector. The connector block has a connector housed in an overmold jacket and connectable to the plate's connector. The connectors may be USB-type connectors, for example. The retention block is movably mounted to the connector block's overmold jacket so that the retention block's connector retention fastener may be aligned with the plate's connector retention feature. Once aligned, the connector retention fastener may be engaged with the connection retention feature. Movement of the retention block allows a single cable connector retaining assembly to be used for multiple plate configurations (i.e., with the connector retention feature at different positions).
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Garrison Clark
- 👤 Ray Clement Laning
- 👤 Christopher Michael Marroquin
- 👤 Brian Joseph Stanczyk
- 👤 Randall Vincent Tointon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:13
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/405; H01R13/62; H01R13/621; H01R13/6215; H01R13/58; H01R13/5845
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket to a plurality of selected positions relative to the overmold jacket and receives a portion of the overmold jacket therein, and having a connector retention fastener which is cooperatable with a connector retention feature to retain the retention block in a predefined one of the plurality of positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket to a plurality of selected positions relative to the overmold jacket and receives a portion of the overmold jacket therein, and having a connector retention fastener which is cooperatable with a connector retention feature to retain the retention block in a predefined one of the plurality of positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connector retention fastener includes at least one of a threaded fastener and a snap-in fastener.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the overmold jacket includes a sleeve portion through which the cable passes, and wherein the retention block includes a first hole that rotatably receives the sleeve portion of the overmold jacket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the sleeve portion of the overmold jacket includes a groove that receives and rotatably secures a raised area of the first hole of the retention block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the connector retention fastener includes a threaded fastener, the retention block includes a second hole extending in a direction parallel to the first hole, and the second hole rotatably receives the threaded fastener.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the overmold jacket and the retention block is at least one of molded, machined and extruded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the overmold jacket and the retention block is a molded polymeric material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connector is at least one of a fiber optic cable connector and an electronic cable connector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein the connector is an electronic cable connector selected from the group consisting of a universal serial bus (USB)-type connector, a parallel connector, and a serial connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The cable connector retaining assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the connector is a USB-type connector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
A cable connector retaining system, comprising: a plate having a first connector mounted thereon and a connector retention feature positioned adjacent to the first connector; a cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a second connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket and connectable to the first connector; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket, wherein the retention block receives a portion of the overmold jacket; and having a connector retention fastener engageable with the connection retention feature of the plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
A cable connector retaining system, comprising: a plate having a first connector mounted thereon and a connector retention feature positioned adjacent to the first connector; a cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a second connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket and connectable to the first connector; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket, wherein the retention block receives a portion of the overmold jacket; and having a connector retention fastener engageable with the connection retention feature of the plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the connector retention fastener includes a threaded fastener, and the connector retention feature of the plate includes a threaded hole that receives the treaded fastener.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the connector retention fastener includes a snap-in fastener, and the connector retention feature of the plate includes a hole that receives the snap-in fastener.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the overmold jacket includes a sleeve portion through which the cable passes, and wherein the retention block includes a first hole that rotatably receives the sleeve portion of the overmold jacket.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the sleeve portion of the overmold jacket includes a groove that receives and rotatably secures a raised area of the first hole of the retention block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the connector retention fastener of the retainer block includes a threaded fastener, the retention block includes a second hole extending in a direction parallel to the first hole, and the second hole rotatably receives the threaded fastener.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the overmold jacket and the retention block is at least one of molded, machined and extruded.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the overmold jacket and the retention block is a molded polymeric material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first and second connectors are at least one of fiber optic cable connectors and electronic cable connectors.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first and second connectors are electronic cable connectors selected from the group consisting of universal serial bus (USB)-type connectors, parallel connectors, and serial connectors.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first and second connectors are USB-type connectors.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of assembling a cable connector retaining system, comprising the steps of: providing a plate having a first connector mounted thereon and a connector retention feature positioned adjacent to the first connector; providing a cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a second connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket and receives a portion of the overmold jacket, and having a connector retention fastener; positioning the second connector for connection to the first connector; moving the retention block relative to the overmold jacket to align the connector retention fastener with respect to the connector retention feature of the plate; engaging the connector retention fastener with the connector retention feature of the plate.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of assembling a cable connector retaining system, comprising the steps of: providing a plate having a first connector mounted thereon and a connector retention feature positioned adjacent to the first connector; providing a cable connector retaining assembly, comprising: a connector assembly; a cable terminated in the connector assembly; the connector assembly, comprising: a connector block having a second connector at least partially housed in an overmold jacket; a retention block rotatably mounted to the overmold jacket and receives a portion of the overmold jacket, and having a connector retention fastener; positioning the second connector for connection to the first connector; moving the retention block relative to the overmold jacket to align the connector retention fastener with respect to the connector retention feature of the plate; engaging the connector retention fastener with the connector retention feature of the plate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of assembling a cable connector retaining system as recited in claim 22 , wherein the connector retention fastener includes a threaded fastener and the connector retention feature of the plate includes a threaded hole, and wherein the engaging step includes the step of threading the threaded fastener into the threaded hole.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-11-14 | 2009-05-16 | 2009-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-11-14 | 2013-05-16 | 2013-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-11-14 | 2017-05-16 | 2017-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |