USB cable fixture for preventing USB connector from being unplugged

• US 6,491,541 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Personal Computers, Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Wakino, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta, Tho D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/851,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20010053626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 439/451, 439/369, 439/371, 439/373, 439/828, 439/456, 439/457, 439/458, 439/459, 439/470, 439/471, 439/472, 439/528, 248/73, 248/74.1, 248/2, 248/3, 248/68, 174/65.R, 174/65.SS
• US Class Current: 439/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1639 Arrangements for locking plugged peripheral connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5804 comprising a separate cable clamping part H01R13/5841 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5833 the cable being forced in a tortuous or curved path, e.g. knots in cable H01R13/582 takes precedence

Abstract

A USB cable fixture for fixing a USB cable with a USB connector to a computer is composed of a base portion, an attaching portion, and a fastening portion. The attaching portion extends from the base portion in a first direction and is attached to a housing of the computer. The fastening portion extends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction on an opposite side of the base portion to the attaching portion. The USB cable is fixed to the computer by the base portion, the fastening portion, and the USB connector.

Claims

1. A USB cable fixture for fixing a USB cable with a USB connector to a computer, comprising:

a base portion;

an attaching portion extending from said base portion in a first direction and attached to a housing of said computer;

a fastening portion extending in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction on an opposite side of said base portion to said attaching portion, wherein said USB cable is fixed to said computer at one point by said base portion, said fastening portion, and said USB connector.

2. The USB cable fixture according to claim 1, wherein said base portion has a surface facing said housing, and said attaching portion includes:

a first fastening leg elastically deformable and extending from said facing surface in said first direction,

a first engaging portion provided at a first tip portion of said first fastening leg to engage with a first engaging hole of said housing,

a second fastening leg elastically deformable and extending from said facing surface in said first direction,

a second engaging portion provided at a second tip portion of said second fastening leg to engage with an second engaging hole of said housing.

3. The USB cable fixture according to claim 2, wherein elastic constants of said first and second fastening legs are determined such that said attaching portion is detached from said housing when force having a predetermined strength is applied to said USB cable.

4. The USB cable fixture according to claim 2, wherein a first height of said first engaging portion from said first fastening leg in a third direction orthogonal to said first direction and a second height of said second engaging portion from said first fastening leg in said third direction are determined such that said attaching portion is detached from said housing when force having a predetermined strength is applied to said USB cable.

5. A computer system comprising:

a computer including a housing;

a USB connector connected to said computer;

a USB cable connected to said USB connector; and

a USB cable fixture attached to said housing, wherein said USB cable fixture includes;

a base portion;

an attaching portion extending from said base portion in a first direction and attached to said housing;

a fastening portion extending in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction on an opposite side of said base portion to said attaching portion, wherein said USB cable is fixed to said computer at one point by said base portion, said fastening portion, and said USB connector.

6. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein said base portion has a surface facing said housing, and said attaching portion includes:

a first fastening leg elastically deformable and extending from said facing surface in said first direction,

a first engaging portion provided at a first tip portion of said first fastening leg to engage with a first engaging hole of said housing,

a second fastening leg elastically deformable and extending from said facing surface in said first direction,

a second engaging portion provided at a second tip portion of said second fastening leg to engage with an second engaging hole of said housing.

7. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein elastic constants of said first and second fastening legs are determined such that said attaching portion is detached from said housing when force having a predetermined strength is applied to said USB cable.

8. The computer system according to claim 5, wherein a first height of said first engaging portion from said first fastening leg in a third direction orthogonal to said first direction and a second height of said second engaging portion from said first fastening leg in said third direction are determined such that said attaching portion is detached from said housing when force having a predetermined strength is applied to said USB cable.

9. A method of fixing a USB cable connected to a USB connector comprising:

connecting said USB connector to a computer; and

attaching a USB cable fixture to a housing of said computer to enclose said USB cable at one point by said USB cable fixture, said housing, and said USB connector.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said attaching includes engaging a first engaging portion provided on said USB cable fixture to a second engaging portion provided on said housing.

11. A USB cable fixture for securing a USB cable having a USB connector to a computer housing, the USB cable fixture comprising:

a base portion;

an attaching portion extending from the base portion in a first direction;

a fastening portion extending from the base portion in a second direction such that the base portion, the fastening portion, the USB connector and the computer housing align to form an enclosure which secures the USB cable to the computer housing at one point.

12. The USB cable fixture according to claim 11, wherein the attaching portion includes a first fastening leg and a second fastening leg.

13. The USB cable fixture according to claim 12, wherein the first fastening leg includes a first engaging portion at an end thereof and the second fastening leg includes a second engaging portion at an end thereof.

14. The USB cable fixture according to claim 11, wherein the cable fixture is detachable from the computer housing at a predetermined force.

15. A computer system comprising:

a computer including a housing;

a USB connector connected to the computer;

a USB cable connected to the USB connector; and

a USB cable fixture attached to the housing, wherein the USB cable fixture includes;

a base portion;

an attaching portion extending from the base portion in a first direction; and

a fastening portion extending from the base portion in a second direction such that the base portion, the fastening portion, the USB connector and the housing form an enclosure which secures the USB cable to the housing at one point.

16. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the attaching portion includes a first fastening leg and a second fastening leg.

17. The computer system according to claim 16, wherein the first fastening leg includes a first engaging portion at an end thereof and the second fastening leg includes a second engaging portion at an end thereof.

18. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the cable fixture is detachable from the computer housing at a predetermined force.