Clamp system for high speed cable termination

• US 6,540,531 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Schumacher, Richard, Peterson, Eric C., Andrewartha, J. Michael, Peterson, Martha G., Boudreaux, Brent A., Haselby, Jeffrey Todd, Patel, Kirankumar Chhaganlal, Syed, Farrukh S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US09/943,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 439/98, 439/95, 439/470, 439/472, 439/471, 439/473, 439/445, 439/469, 439/785, 174/40.CC, 174/65.R, 174/68.3, 174/70.R, 174/135, 248/68.1, 248/69, 248/74.1, 248/74.4
• US Class Current: 439/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/74 Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/0524 Connection to outer conductor by action of a clamping member, e.g. screw fastening means H01R9/0515 takes precedence

Abstract

A shielded cable assembly contains a hardpoint that resists damage arising from possible collapse of the shielded cable assembly under strong compressional forces that are exerted by a clamp assembly in the form of a separable block having first and second opposed members. The hardpoint contains a conduit that protects a data transfer line or cable bundle by compressing electromagnetic shielding between the conduit and the clamp assembly.

Claims

1. A shielded cable grounding device for use in establishing a grounded connection between a shielded cable and a chassis, comprising:

an electrically conductive, separable block defining at least one aperture, and including structure for releasable attachment to the chassis;

the separable block comprising a first generally L-shaped member defining a first portion of the aperture and a second generally L-shaped member defining a second portion of the aperture,

the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member mated to form the separable block having a greater width dimension than a thickness dimension where the thickness dimension is coextensive with a longitudinal axis of the shielded cable when the shielded cable is clamped within the aperture; and

the aperture being appropriately sized to compress the shielded cable for establishing the grounded connection through the separable block to the chassis.

2. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member of the separable block are connected by threaded fasteners.

3. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member have all legs of the respective generalized L-shapes extending in transverse orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shielded cable when the shielded cable is clamped within the aperture.

4. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member comprise complimentary mating structure for alignment of the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member to assist in defining the aperture when the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member are deployed opposite one another.

5. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the aperture comprises a first plurality of pressure ridges and the second portion of the aperture comprises a corresponding plurality of second pressure ridges in compressional alignment with the first plurality of pressure ridges.

6. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, comprising a shielded cable within the aperture.

7. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, the separable block further comprising:

a second aperture appropriately sized to compress a second shielded cable for establishing the grounded connection through the separable block to the chassis, the separable block presenting at least one straight edge,

the aperture and the second aperture being located relative to one another such that a single line drawn through a diameter of the aperture and a diameter of the second aperture is parallel to the straight edge.

8. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 1, comprising a mounting plate configured for retaining the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member in deployment opposite one another.

9. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 8, comprising an electrically conductive gasket interposed between the separable block and the mounting plate to form an EMI seal.

10. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member each have all legs of the generalized L-shape extending in transverse orientation with the longitudinal axis of the shielded cable when the shielded cable is clamped within the aperture.

11. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 10, comprising holes in the legs of and threaded fasteners passing through the holes for use in mounting the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member onto the mounting plate.

12. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member comprise complimentary mating structure for alignment of the first member and the second member to assist in defining the aperture when the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member are deployed opposite one another.

13. The shielded cable grounding device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first portion of the aperture comprises a first plurality of pressure ridges and the second portion of the aperture comprises a corresponding plurality of second pressure ridges in compressional alignment with the first plurality of pressure ridges.

14. A method of installing a shielded cable to establish a grounded connection with a chassis through use of a shielded cable grounding device that includes a separable block having a first generally L-shaped member and a second generally L-shaped member that meet to define an aperture, the method comprising the steps of:

removing a portion of the shielded cable to create an exposed section of electromagnetic shielding;

placing the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member around the exposed section of electromagnetic shielding such that the exposed section of electromagnetic shielding passes longitudinally through the aperture with all legs of the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member extending in transverse orientation to the longitudinal axis of the shielded cable;

assembling the first and second generally L-shaped members together to compress the exposed shielding and establish a grounded connection and form an electromagnetic seal;

inserting the first generally L-shaped member and the second generally L-shaped member into a mounting plate, and

securing the separable block against the mounting plate.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of securing the separable block comprises compressing compress a mechanically complaint electrically conductive gasket between the separable block and the the mounting plate to establish a grounded connection and electromagnetic seal.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of removing a portion of the shielded cable comprises tearing a selectively detachable material to a predetermined length corresponding to a thickness of the separable block.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the shielded cable comprises a hardpoint that includes a conduit beneath the electromagnetic shielding, and the step of driving comprises compressing the electromagnetic shielding between the conduit, the first generally L-shaped member, and the second generally L-shaped member.