Cable locking covers

• US 5,190,465 A
• Filed: 09/19/1991
• Issued: 03/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Neer, Jay H., Newsom, Thomas H., Kuchar, Francis A. Jr., Davidge, Ronald V., Dewitt, John R., Galinis, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Hien D.
• Application Number:
  US07/762,141
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 439/367, 439/368, 439/484, 439/133, 439/134, 439/304, 70/57, 70/58, 70/163
• US Class Current: 439/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/60 Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application

Abstract

Cover assemblies, capable of being locked and unlocked by means of a key, are configured to be placed over the connectors at each end of an external computer system cable. When these cover assemblies are locked in place, the cable cannot be unplugged from the connector ports of the system devices. When these cover assemblies are unlocked, they can be removed from the cable, and the cable can then be unplugged from the connector ports.

A first type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in place in its plugged position by means of a pair of screws, while a second type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in placed by means of a pair of rotatable wire bails. These cover assemblies may also be used to prevent access to connector ports to which cables are not attached by locking in place terminators commonly used on such ports, or by locking in place shells configured for this purpose, if such terminators are otherwise not required.

Claims

1. Apparatus for locking a cable connector in engagement with an external port of a device, wherein said cable connector comprises a plurality of electrical contacts at a contact end configured for contact with port contacts within said external port and a plurality of insulated wires attached to various of said electrical contacts extending from said cable connector at an end opposite said contact end, wherein said cable connector and said port include first attachment means for holding said cable in engagement with said port, said first attachment means being operable to prevent said cable connector from being pulled away from said port and to release said cable connector for disengagement with said port, and wherein said apparatus comprises:

a bracket configured for engagement with said connector, including a bracket aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said bracket and said connector are so engaged;

second attachment means for holding said bracket and said connector in engagement;

a cover configured for engagement with said bracket, including a cover aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said cover is engaged with said bracket and said bracket is engaged with said connector; and

lockable attachment means for holding said cover and said bracket in engagement;

wherein said cover, engaged with said bracket, surrounds said second attachment means when said bracket is engaged with said cable connector, to block access thereto; and

wherein said cover and said bracket, when engaged with each other and with said connector, block operation of said first attachment means, thereby preventing release of said cable connector from said port.

2. Apparatus for locking a cable connector in engagement with an external port of a device, wherein said cable connector comprises a plurality of electrical contacts at a contact end configured for contact with port contacts within said external port and a plurality of insulated wires attached to various of said electrical contacts extending from said cable connector at an end opposite said contact end, wherein said cable connector and said port include first attachment means for holding said cable in engagement with said port, wherein said first attachment means comprises a looped bail, rotatably mounted in said port, operable, when said cable connector is engaged with said port, in an aperture of a slotted tab extending from said cable connector, and wherein said apparatus comprises:

a bracket configured for engagement with said connector, including a bracket aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said bracket and said connector are so engaged;

second attachment means for holding said bracket and said connector in engagement, wherein said second attachment means comprises a tab extending from said bracket configured to extend within said looped bail, when said bracket is engaged with said connector and said connector is engaged with said port;

a cover configured for engagement with said bracket, including a cover aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said cover is engaged with said bracket and said bracket is engaged with said connector; and

lockable attachment means for holding said cover and said bracket in engagement;

wherein said cover, engaged with said bracket, surrounds said second attachment means when said bracket is engaged with said cable connector, to block access thereto.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said cover comprises in addition means for holding said looped bail in a locked position, whereby said loop extends around said tab of said second attachment means, when said cover is engaged with said bracket, said bracket is engaged with said connector, and said connector is engaged with said port.

4. Apparatus for locking a cable connector in engagement with an external port of a device, wherein said cable connector comprises a plurality of electrical contacts at a contact end configured for contact with port contacts within said external port and a plurality of insulated wires attached to various of said electrical contacts extending from said cable connector at an end opposite said contact end, wherein said cable connector and said port include first attachment means for holding said cable in engagement with said port, wherein said first attachment means comprises a looped bail, rotatably mounted in said port, operable, when said cable connector is engaged with said port, in an aperture of a slotted tab extending from said cable connector, and wherein said apparatus comprises:

a bracket configured for engagement with said connector, including a bracket aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said bracket and said connector are so engaged;

second attachment means for holding said bracket and said connector in engagement;

a cover configured for engagement with said bracket, including a cover aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said cover is engaged with said bracket and said bracket is engaged with said connector; and

lockable attachment means for holding said cover and said bracket in engagement;

wherein said cover, engaged with said bracket, surrounds said second attachment means when said bracket is engaged with said cable connector, to block access thereto;

wherein said cover and said bracket together comprise means for surrounding said looped bail to block access thereto when attached and engaged with said connector.

5. Apparatus for locking a cable connector in engagement with an external port of a device, wherein said cable connector comprises a plurality of electrical contacts at a contact end configured for contact with port contacts within said external port and a plurality of insulated wires attached to various of said electrical contacts extending from said cable connector at an end opposite said contact end, wherein said cable connector and said port include first attachment means for holding said cable in engagement with said port, and wherein said apparatus comprises:

a bracket configured for engagement with said connector, including a bracket aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said bracket and said connector are so engaged, wherein said bracket includes flexible tabs extending parallel to the direction in which said wires extend when said bracket is engaged with said connector;

second attachment means for holding said bracket and said connector in engagement;

a cover configured for engagement with said bracket, including a cover aperture through which said insulated wires extend when said cover is engaged with said bracket and said bracket is engaged with said connector, wherein said cover includes guiding surfaces configured to fit around said flexible tabs when said cover is engaged with said bracket, said guiding surfaces being extended to form an open slot with said cover aperture; and

lockable attachment means for holding said cover and said bracket in engagement;

wherein said cover, engaged with said bracket, surrounds said second attachment means when said bracket is engaged with said cable connector, to block access thereto.

6. Apparatus for preventing electrical and mechanical access to contacts within an external port of a device, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a connector engageable with said port, configured to block access to said contacts;

first attachment means for holding said connector in engagement with said port;

a bracket engageable with said connector, wherein said bracket, when so engaged, partially surrounds said connector;

second attachment means for holding said bracket in engagement with said connector;

a cover engageable with said bracket, wherein, when said bracket is engaged with said connector and said cover is engaged with said bracket, said bracket and said cover surround said connector prohibiting access to said first and second attachment means; and

lockable attachment means for holding said cover in engagement with said bracket.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein:

first attachment means comprises a looped bail, rotatable in pivots in said port, and a slotted tab in said connector, configured so that, when said connector is in engagement with said port, rotation of said looped bail into a latched position in a slot within said slotted tab holds said connector engaged with said port; and

said second attachment means comprises a tab extending from said bracket, positioned to be surrounded by a loop in said looped bail when said connector is attached to said port and when said bracket is engaged with said connector.

8. Apparatus for preventing electrical and mechanical access to contacts within an external port of a device, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a connector engageable with said port configured to block access to said contacts;

a bracket engageable with said connector;

latching means movably mounted to operate between said port and said bracket for selectively holding said bracket in engagement with said connector and said connector in engagement with said port wherein said latching means is movable between a latched position in which said bracket cannot be removed from said port and an unlatched position in which said bracket can be removed from said port; and

a lockable cover engageable with said bracket, wherein said cover in such engagement is configured to prevent access to said latching means.

9. Apparatus as recite din claim 8, wherein:

said bracket includes a bracket latching surface;

said latching means is moveably fastened to said port, configured for engagement with said bracket latching surface when said bracket is engaged with said connector; and

a first portion of said latching means in said latched position is interposed adjacent to said bracket latching surface to prevent motion of said bracket away from said port.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said connector includes a connector latching surface;

said latching means is additionally configured for engagement with said connector latching surface when said connector is engaged with said port; and

a second portion of said latching means in said latched position is interposed adjacent to said connector latching surface to prevent motion of said connector away from said port.

11. In an electronic system comprising an enclosed device with an external port, a cable having a connector engaged with said external port, and first attachment means for holding said connector in engagement with said external port, said first attachment means being operable to prevent said cable connector from being pulled away from said port and to release said cable connector for disengagement with said port, wherein said connector includes a plurality of contacts at a contact surface engaged with various contacts within said external port and a plurality of insulated wires extending from a surface opposite said contact surface, an improvement for locking said connector so engaged, wherein said improvement comprises:

a bracket engaged with said connector, including an aperture through which said wires extend opposite said contact surface;

a cover engaged with said bracket, including an aperture, including an aperture through which said wires extend opposite said contact surface;

second attachment means for holding said bracket engaged with said connector;

lockable attachment means for holding said cover engaged with said bracket; and

means for surrounding said first and second attachment means by said cover in engagement with said bracket;

wherein said cover and said bracket, when engaged with each other and with said connector, block operation of said first attachment means, thereby preventing release of said cable connector from said port.