Spring-loaded assembly for a connector

• US 7,258,560 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Stamos, Theodore C., Scafidi, Christopher J., Hamand, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa; Felix O.
• Application Number:
  US10/828,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20050239309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 439246-249, 439/946, 439/700, 439/382, 439/384, 361/683, 361/868, 361/684, 361/685
• US Class Current: 439/248
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery

Abstract

A spring-loaded assembly for coupling a connector to a computer component includes an assembly housing operable to receive a portion of a screw used to couple the connector to a chassis of an information handling system. The assembly further includes a sliding block disposed in the assembly housing and operably engaged with the screw. The sliding block is operable to move the connector between a first position and a second position. The assembly further includes a spring placed between the sliding block and at least one wall of the assembly housing. The spring operably provides an axial force to bias the connector to a first position, whereby coupling the connector to the computer component causes the connector to move to a connected position intermediate the first and second position.

Claims

1. A spring-loaded assembly for coupling a connector to a computer component comprising:

an assembly housing operable to receive a portion of a screw used to couple the connector to a chassis of an information handling system, a threaded portion of the screw extending along a first axis;

a sliding block housed by the assembly housing and operably engaged with the screw, the sliding block operable to linearly translate the connector between a first position and a second position along a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis; and

a spring placed between the sliding block and at least one wall of the assembly housing, the spring being compressible along the second axis to provide an axial force to bias the connector along the second axis towards the first position, whereby coupling the connector to the computer component causes the connector to move along the second axis to a connected position intermediate the first position and the second position.

2. The spring-loaded assembly of claim 1, further comprising an extension member coupled to and extending from the block, the extension member operable to guide the movement of the spring.

3. The spring-loaded assembly of claim 2, further comprising an end stop coupled to the assembly wall adjacent the spring, the end stop operable to interact with the extension member to fix the position of the second position.

4. The spring-loaded assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly housing is formed on a portion of the chassis of an information handling system.

5. The spring-loaded assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector is a modified SATA connector.

6. The spring-loaded assembly of claim 1, wherein the axial force comprises a connector insertion force.

7. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

a connector communicatively coupled to the processor, the connector operable to provide communications between the processor and a computer component;

the connector having electrical contacts, the electrical contacts operable to couple to mated electrical contacts of the computer component; and

a spring-loaded assembly operable to facilitate connection of the connector and the computer component;

the spring-loaded assembly including;

an assembly housing operable to receive a portion of a screw used to couple the connector to a chassis of the information handling system, the screw extending along a first axis;

a sliding block disposed in the assembly housing and operably engaged with the screw, the sliding block operable to linearly translate the connector along a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis, such that connection of the computer component and the connector causes the connector to translate along the second axis to a connected position between a first position and a second position of the connector; and

a spring placed between the sliding block and at least one wall of the assembly housing, the spring being compressible along the second axis and operably providing an axial force to bias the connector along the second axis towards the first position.

8. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the computer component is a hard disk drive.

9. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the connector is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) connector.

10. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the connected position varies based on variations in manufacturing tolerances of the computer component.

11. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the spring-loaded assembly further comprises a guide pin operable to align the electrical contacts of the connector with the mated electrical contacts of the computer component.

12. A method of connecting a computer component to an information handling system, comprising:

attaching an assembly housing of a connector to a portion of an information handling system, the connector associated with a spring-loaded assembly having a first position and a second position such that the connector is biased toward the first position, the assembly housing operable to receive a portion of a screw connecting the connector thereto, the screw extending along a first axis, wherein the assembly housing houses a spring and a sliding block aligned along a second axis genera1ly perpendicular with the first axis;

attaching the computer component to a mounting position with the information handling system such that the computer component forms a connection with the connector, the computer component operable to be in electrical communication with the information handling system via the connector; and

based on the mounting position of the computer component, the connector automatically moving along the second axis to a connected position between the first position and the second position, the movement of the connector moving the sliding block along the second axis and causing the spring to compress along the second axis.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the connection is a blind plug-in connection.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the spring maintaining an axial force between the connector and the computer component along the second axis to prevent uncoupling due to shock or impact.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the computer component such that the computer component forms a connection with the connector comprises aligning a guide pin on the connector with the computer component.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance between the first position and the second position is based on at least one manufacturing tolerance of the computer component.