System and method for push-push cable connection

• US 7,156,683 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Rinku, Pepper, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh-Tam
• Application Number:
  US10/968,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 439/345, 439/352, 439/357, 439/372
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26

Abstract

A networking cable connects and disconnects with an information handling system port through activation of a push-push latch. A first push of the cable'"'"'s connector, such as a RJ-45 connector, into a port engages the push-push latch to secure the cable in the port. A second push of the cable'"'"'s connector into the port releases the push-push latch to allow removal of the cable from the port. A cable connector having a clip avoids engagement of the clip with the port by openings of the port and latch that are aligned with the clip. A biasing mechanism provides a biasing force against the cable connector to aid in removal of the cable from the port.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

processing components disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

plural networking ports disposed along the housing and interfaced with the processing components, each networking port operable to communicate information between the processing components and a cable connected to the port by a cable connector; and

a push-push latch disposed in the housing proximate the each networking port and operable to secure the cable connector on a first push of the cable into the each networking port and to release the cable connector on a second push of the cable into the each networking port.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the cable connector has a clip operable to engage the port and wherein the push-push latch has an opening aligned with the clip to avoid engagement of the clip with the port.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the port is a Cat 5 port and the cable connector that interfaces with the Cat 5 port comprises an RJ45 connector.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the push-push latch comprises:

a latching mechanism having a rear wall adapted to interface the cable with the port, opposing elastic sidewalls coupled to the rear wall and a latching surface extending inwards from each sidewall, the latching surface aligned to engage the cable;

a biasing mechanism operable to bias the latching mechanism outward from the port;

a leveraging mechanism associated with the each sidewall and operable to close the latching surface to engage the cable as the latch mechanism pushes into the port; and

a push-push lock coupled to the latching mechanism, the push-push lock operable to lock the latch in the port on a first push and release the latch from the port on a second push.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the cable has a clip operable to engage the port, and wherein the port and the latching mechanism having openings aligned with the clip to avoid engagement of the clip with the port.

6. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the cable has a broken clip inoperable to engage the port, the push-push latching mechanism operable to secure the cable in the port.

7. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the networking ports are local area network Ethernet ports.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the cables terminate with an RJ-45 connector.

9. A method for interfacing a network cable to an information handling system, the method comprising:

aligning a connector of the network cable with a port of the information handling system;

pushing the connector into the port a first time to secure the connector in the port and electrically interface the network cable with the information handling system, the network cable supporting communication of network information with the information handling system; and

pushing the connector into the port a second time to release the connector from the port and electrically disconnect the network cable from the information handling system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the connector has a clip aligned to engage the port, the method further comprising:

avoiding the engagement of the clip with the port.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the connector is an RJ-45 connector.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

breaking the clip from the connector;

securing the connector to the port with the first push; and

releasing the connector from the port with the second push.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the information handling system comprises a server having plural networking ports, the method further comprising:

securing plural cables to the plural networking ports by pushing the cables into the ports the first push; and

releasing selected of the plural cables by pushing the selected cables into the ports the second push.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the cables are Cat 5 cables.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

biasing the cable to withdraw from the port so that the cable automatically extends from the port upon the second push.

16. An information handling system networking cable push-push latch comprising:

a port having a front and rear, the port sized to accept a networking cable through the front and having wires at the rear to interface an information handling system with the networking cable;

a latching mechanism disposed in the port and operable to selectively secure or release the networking cable inserted through the port front; and

a push-push lock interfaced with the latching mechanism and operable to secure the networking cable with the latching mechanism on a first push of the cable in the port and to release the networking cable from the latching mechanism on a second push of the cable in the port.

17. The information handling system networking cable push-push latch of claim 16 further comprising:

a biasing mechanism coupled to the port and the latching mechanism, the biasing mechanism operable to bias the latching mechanism to the front of the port;

wherein the latching mechanism moves to the front of the port to release the networking cable and moves to the rear of the port to secure the cable.

18. The information handling system networking cable push-push latch of claim 17 wherein the networking cable is a Cat 5 cable.

19. The information handling system networking cable push-push latch of claim 16 further comprising the cable having a connector, the connector having a clip operable to engage the port, wherein the port and latching mechanism have an opening aligned with the clip to avoid engagement of the clip to the port.

20. The information handling system networking cable push-push latch of claim 19 wherein the networking cable connector is a RJ-45 connector.