Clamshell style holding part

• US 7,431,604 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TMB
• Original Assignee: TMB
• Inventors: Downey, Dave, Waters, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond; Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US11/582,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 439/447, 439/344, 439/136, 439/445, 439/610, 439/379, 439/354
• US Class Current: 439/344
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/582 the cable being clamped between assembled parts of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/633 for disengagement only in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

A clamshell type device which is adapted for use in strain relief. The clamshell surrounds the wire and also surrounds at least a part of the connector that attaches to the wire. The clamshell may press against the connector to hold to the connector and also may press against the wire. This provides strain relief. The outer surface of the clamshell device includes a part that still allows depression of the release mechanism from the connector.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a connector covering portion, formed of a top portion and a bottom separable portion, defining an inner cylindrical chamber between the top portion and a bottom portion, said inner cylindrical chamber including inwardly facing ribs therein, and sized to hold a cable, and an inner rectangular portion sized to hold a portion of an RJ-45 connector therein, and said connector covering portion having an outer surface which covers a rear portion adjacent a release mechanism of said RJ-45 connector, said outer surface of said connector covering portion sized in a way that prevents access to said release mechanism and prevents depression of said release mechanism, and a depressing portion which defines a supplemental depression part that presses against the release mechanism of the RJ-45 connector, wherein said depressing portion is biased into its uppermost position by a spring force of the depression mechanism, but can be depressed.

2. A method, comprising:

locating a two-part clamshell device around an outer sheath of a wire that holds an ethernet cable to form a strain relief part, and around a portion of a connector that is connected to said wire, where said connector is of a type that requires a removal part to be depressed in order to remove said connector from its connected socket, and wherein said clamshell device is located in a way that prevents said removal part from being depressed;

and operation of a supplemental depression part that is connected to said clamshell device, by moving said supplemental depression part to an area to depress said removal part allowing said supplemental depression part to be depressed even when the strain relief device is around the cable and around the connector,

wherein said housing blocks depression of said locking lever, and further comprising a supplemental depression mechanism, movably coupled to said outer surface, and movable between a first position which does not depress the locking lever of said connector, and a second position which does depress the locking lever of said connector; and

further comprising a spring part that spring biases said supplemental depression mechanism into said first position.