Apparatus for securing connection between cable assembly and storage device connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9640910-B1
Application number	US-201615143901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 2, 2016
Priority date	May 2, 2016
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A disclosed connector latch for latching a cable assembly to a connector includes a substantially planar body and has a width approximately equal to the cable assembly width. The connector latch includes a retention clip comprising first and second tabs. Each tab extends the latch body and terminates at a flange displaced above the latch body by a thickness of the cable assembly. The connector latch includes a clamp with first and second branches. Each branch includes a middle portion pivotally coupled to the latch body, a fang at a distal end of each branch, and pinch plates at a proximal end of each branch. The branches are configured with an unbiased state in which they engage a distal edge of a connector connected to the cable. The mass storage device may be an M.2 solid state drive and the device connector may be a serial ATA connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector latch for maintaining a connection between a cable assembly and a motherboard I/O connector, the connector latch comprising:
a substantially planar latch body wherein a width of the latch body accommodates a width of the cable assembly;
a retention clip comprising:
a first tab at a first end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a first flange displaced from the latch body by a tab displacement approximately equal to a thickness of the cable assembly; and
a second tab at a second end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a second flange displaced from the latch body by the tab displacement; and

a clamp comprising:
a first branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of the latch body;
a first fang at a distal end of the first branch; and
a first pinch plate at a proximal end of the first branch; and

a second branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of the latch body;
a second fang at a distal end of the second branch; and
a second pinch plate at a proximal end of the second branch;

wherein the connector latch attached together with the cable assembly and the first branch and the second branch are sized and oriented to engage, with the first fang and the second fang, a far edge of the motherboard I/O connector
wherein the first branch and the second branch both include an L-shaped structure, coupled between the middle portion and the pinch plate, oriented wherein the first and second pinch plates are closer together than the middle portion of the first branch and middle portion of the second branch when the clamp is unbiased.

2. The connector latch of claim 1 , wherein the first branch and the second branch are configured to disengage the far edge of the motherboard I/O connector when the clamp is biased by forcing the first pinch plate and the second pinch plate towards each other.

3. The connector latch of claim 1 , wherein the first branch includes a first stem extending between the first pivot point and the middle portion.

4. The connector latch of claim 1 , wherein the latch body includes a substantially rectangular body core.

5. The connector latch of claim 4 , wherein the latch body includes cat ear structures including a first ear extending from the latch body core at the first end of the latch body and a second ear extending from the latch body core at the second end of the latch body.

6. The connector latch of claim 1 , wherein the motherboard I/O connector comprises a serial ATA (SATA) connector and wherein the cable assembly is configured to couple a solid state drive to the SATA connector.

7. An information handling system including:
a motherboard including:
a central processing unit; and
an I/O connector;

a data storage device;
a cable assembly suitable for connecting to the I/O connector to couple the data storage device to the central processing unit; and
a connector latch configured to prevent separation of the I/O connector and the cable assembly, wherein the connector latch comprises:
a latch body wherein a width of the latch body accommodates a width of the cable assembly;
a retention clip comprising:
a first tab at a first end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a first flange displaced from the latch body by a tab displacement approximately equal to a thickness of the cable assembly; and
a second tab at a second end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a second flange displaced from the latch body by the tab displacement; and

a clamp comprising:
a first branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of the latch body;
a first fang at a distal end of the first branch; and
a first pinch plate at a proximal end of the first branch; and

a second branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of the latch body;
a second fang at a distal end of the second branch; and
a second pinch plate at a proximal end of the second branch;

wherein the connector latch attached together with the cable assembly and the first branch and the second branch are sized and oriented to engage, with the first fang and the second fang, a far edge of the motherboard I/O connector;
wherein the first branch and the second branch both include an L-shaped structure, coupled between the middle portion and the pinch plate, oriented wherein the first and second pinch plates are closer together than the middle portion of the first branch and middle portion of the second branch when the clamp is unbiased.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the first branch and the second branch are sized and oriented to disengage the far edge of the I/O connector when biased by forcing the first pinch plate and the second pinch plates towards each other.

9. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the first branch includes a first stem extending between the first pivot point and the middle portion.

10. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the first fang and the second fang are closer together than the middle portion of the first branch and the middle portion of the first branch when the clamp is unbiased.

11. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the latch body includes cat ear structures including a first ear extending from a substantially rectangular latch body core at the first end of the latch body and a second ear extending from the latch body core at the second end of the latch body.

12. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the data storage device comprises a solid state drive.

13. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the solid state drive comprises an M.2 solid state drive.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein the I/O connector comprises a serial ATA connector.

15. An apparatus for use in an information handling system, the apparatus comprising:
a cable assembly including a cable connector suitable for connecting to an I/O connector of a motherboard; and
a connector latch configured to prevent separation of the I/O connector and the cable connector, wherein the connector latch comprises:
a latch body wherein a width of the latch body accommodates a width of the cable assembly;
a retention clip comprising:
a first tab at a first end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a first flange displaced from the latch body by a tab displacement approximately equal to a thickness of the cable assembly; and
a second tab at a second end of the latch body, extending perpendicularly from the latch body and terminating in a second flange displaced from the latch body by the tab displacement; and

a clamp comprising:
a first branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a first pivot point of the latch body;
a first fang at a distal end of the first branch; and
a first pinch plate at a proximal end of the first branch; and

a second branch, comprising:
a middle portion pivotally coupled to a second pivot point of the latch body;
a second fang at a distal end of the second branch; and
a second pinch plate at a proximal end of the second branch;

wherein the first branch and the second branch are sized and oriented to engage, with the first fang and the second fang, a far edge of the motherboard I/O connector
wherein the connector latch attached together with th

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Chien Tung Yu
• Fu Chi Chang

Classifications

• H01R13/639 Primary

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title

• G06F13/409 Primary

  Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438) · CPC title

• H01R27/02

  for simultaneous co-operation with two or more {dissimilar} counterparts · CPC title

• G06F13/1678

  using bus width · CPC title

• H01R12/722

  coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits · CPC title