Cable dock fixture with EMI shielding

Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C439S939000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06280257

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to supporting a cable attached to a computer system. Specifically, the present invention is related to a cable dock fixture for attaching and supporting a cable on a bulkhead.
BACKGROUND
A problem facing the computer industry is bulky and heavy cables. Specifically, as computer systems become more sophisticated, bulky and heavy cables are being adapted to transmit signals among these computer systems.
In the prior art, a cable typically has a cable-end connector coupled to a matching connector exposed on a side panel of a computer system. Coupling between these two connectors is relied upon to mechanically support the weight of the cables. Another mechanical support is provided by a screw locking mechanism implemented to screw and secure a cable backshell (containing the cable-end connector) to the side panel. Even now, in order to bear the weight of a cable attached to a computer system, the computer industry continues to rely on the coupling strength between two cable connectors and the strength of the screw locking mechanism.
However, the prior art approaches do not provide adequate mechanical support for rather bulky and heavy cables. The coupling strength between two cable connectors will not be strong enough to bear the weight of the cables. The mechanical support provided by the screw locking mechanism also will not be strong enough to bear the weight of the cables. As such, deleterious effects such as damage to the connectors and PCB's (printed circuit boards) can occur.
A related problem of attaching cables to a computer system is the difficulty of coupling a cable-end connector to its matching connector with the correct orientation. Often times, damage to the connector pins are caused by a cable-end connector being coupled to its matching connector with the incorrect orientation. This is especially problematic for high-density connector systems because the proper orientation of a high-density connector upon installation is difficult to determine.
Yet another related problem is the difficulty of assuring fully mated condition between large bulky cable-end connector and its matching connector exposed by a side panel of a computer system. Just prior to being coupled to its matching connector, the cable-end connector needs to be aligned with its matching connector. However, the alignment that could have been trivially done with conventional connectors is made cumbersome by the heavy weight of the large bulky cable at one end of cable-end connector.
The prior art connector system at the end of a cable also typically plays another role. Specifically, a prior art connector system is typically adapted to shield EMI (electromagnetic interference) radiation emitted by a computer system when transmitting signals to and from components outside of the computer. In particular, in order to shield EMI, the prior art connector system relies on the Faraday cage formed by a series of components. This series of components typically is comprised of a cable back shell, a gasket, a connector, another connector, another gasket and an input output panel.
However, this prior art approach is no longer adequate to shield EMI arising from high frequency signals transmission. At the moment, no prior art approach exists for addressing EMI generated by high frequency signals transmission. Rather, the prior art approach only exists for addressing EMI generated by transmission of low frequency signals. Nevertheless, computer industry is moving toward using high frequency signals because high frequency signals can carry more information at a time. Thus, EMI shielding for high frequency EMI is needed.
Thus, a need exists for being able to couple a bulky and heavy cable to a computer system without relying on coupling between connectors to support the weight of the heavy cable. A need also exists for being able to couple a bulky and heavy cable to a computer system without relying on a screw locking mechanism to support the weight of the cable. Another need exists for coupling a cable-end connector to its matching connector without ambiguous orientation. Yet another need exists for aligning a large cable-end connector and its matching connector without being difficult to assure fully mated condition between these two connectors. Finally, a need exists for a connector system that can shield high frequency EMI without relying solely on EMI shielding of the two-connector interface.
Fortunately, as will be explained in the following pages, the present invention successfully answers all of the needs stated above with a new approach to EMI shielding and cable support. Moreover, the present invention also provides additional benefits not available in the prior art approaches.
SUMMARY
The present invention is drawn to a system for attaching and supporting a cable on a bulkhead. In particular, the present invention implements a cable dock fixture that exposes a connector on a side panel of a computer system. As a cable backshell containing a cable-end connector is plugged into this cable dock fixture, the cable-end connector is coupled to the connector exposed by the cable dock fixture. This cable dock fixture supports the weight of the cable backshell and the cable. Also, the cable dock fixture has upper and lower structures, which match respectively to upper and lower structures of the cable backshell. The cable dock fixture itself constitutes a large, tapered entry into the exposed connector for providing a gradual assured alignment of the cable-end connector and the exposed connector. In addition, an EMI (electromagnetic interference) gasket is disposed within the cable dock to shield EMI that arises from transmitting high frequency signals.
With a cable dock fixture, the present invention avoids the difficulties of the prior art connector systems; furthermore, the present invention provides high frequency EMI shielding that is not possible with the prior art connector systems. In particular, the cable dock fixture of the present invention allows coupling a bulky and heavy cable to a computer system without relying on coupling between connectors to support the weight of the heavy cable. The cable dock fixture of the present invention also allows coupling a bulky and heavy cable to a computer system without relying on a screw locking mechanism to support the weight of the cable. Further, the cable dock fixture of the present invention allows coupling a cable-end connector to its matching connector without ambiguous orientation. In addition, the cable dock fixture of the present invention allows aligning a large cable-end connector and its matching connector without being difficult to assure fully mated condition between these two connectors. Finally, the cable dock fixture of the present invention constitutes a connector system that can shield high frequency EMI without relying solely on EMI shielding provided by the interface between the cable-end connector and its matching connector.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a cable backshell is attached by a system to a casing that houses electronic circuits. This system is comprised of an IO (input/output) panel of the casing, a cable dock, and a gasket disposed within the cable dock. In particular, the IO panel of the casing has an opening that exposes an IO connector coming from a PCB (printed circuit board) disposed within the casing. The cable dock is coupled to the IO panel around the opening such that the IO connector is exposed for coupling to a matching connector, which is meant to be a cable-end connector of the cable backshell. When the cable backshell is plugged into the cable dock, the IO connector couples to the cable-end connector such that the cable dock supports the weight of the cable and the cable backshell. Furthermore, a gasket is disposed within the cable dock for forming EMI shielding that provides a relatively short electrical path from cable backshell to IO panel, and can be tuned to shield specific frequency ranges.
Additionally, in the present embodiment, the cable d

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