Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-05
2004-11-09
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S606000, C439S493000, C439S076100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814588
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cables and associated terminators, and more particularly to terminators used for Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) buses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the ever-expanding environment of high technology infrastructure, SCSI architecture remains the performance choice for high-end computer users seeking ways to optimize and maintain high-performance work stations, small business servers, and complex networks alike. Faster peripheral devices, data-intensive applications, and more robust internet connections all require the fastest available data transfer, increased capacity, and better reliability than has been provided with prior art products and systems. The demand has fostered consistent technological advances, and SCSI technology maintains consistent growth and development to meet the demand.
The typical computer work station or network server includes a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the system motherboard across a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. In some applications, a SCSI host adapter connects to the PCI bus to enable the connection of a plurality of peripheral devices such as hard disk drives, optical media recording and play back devices, scanners, Zip™ drives, and the like. Additionally, a SCSI motherboard may be used, enabling the connection of a plurality of peripheral devices, and with the same associated considerations as described above. The increase in speed of processors, the increase in processing speed and efficiency of operating systems, and the increase in clock speed and bandwidth of PCI buses all contribute to the requirement for increased data transfer rate of SCSI peripheral devices.
As is known, a SCSI bus requires termination at both ends of the bus. This termination, generally, provides necessary impedance matching. Without termination, the bus is susceptible to noise and signal corruption caused by electronic pulses reflected from non-terminated ends. In typical configurations, external devices are terminated by either attaching a terminator to the last device in a chain of devices, or by enabling a built-in terminator of the last device in a chain of devices. For internal devices, a terminator is typically attached to the end of a multi-device SCSI device cable.
As SCSI technology evolves to provide for faster and faster data transfer rates, the requirement for termination remains, and is even more critical at the increased clock rates currently being implemented. While external peripheral device configurations typically implement a terminator attached directly to the device, or configure the device with jumpers or DIP switches for termination, internal devices are typically attached to the SCSI host adapter, or SCSI controller, with a ribbon-type SCSI cable having a plurality of connectors that attach to the individual devices. The last connector on the cable is then usually attached to a terminator to terminate the end of the bus. Device cables are usually manufactured to accommodate a typical system configuration of three, five, or seven devices, although any number of devices up to the host adapter capacity is possible. After the internal devices are connected to the plurality of connectors on the device cable, the last connector on the device cable is used to connect to a terminator, also known as a terminator block, to terminate the bus.
FIG. 1A
illustrates a typical connection diagram of internal SCSI peripheral devices. A SCSI host adapter
10
is shown that connects to a PCI bus (not shown) of a computer system. Exemplary SCSI peripheral devices
12
are shown that would be mounted in a device bay or location within the computer system. A SCSI device cable
14
connects the SCSI peripheral devices
12
to the SCSI host adapter
10
. Connectors
16
attach the SCSI device cable
14
to each of the SCSI peripheral devices
12
. A terminator
18
is shown at the terminal end of the SCSI device cable
14
.
Following the last device
12
in a chain of devices
12
, a last connector
16
is typically used to connect the SCSI device cable
14
to a terminator block, resulting in a terminator
18
as shown in FIG.
1
A.
FIG. 1B
shows a detailed view of the terminator
18
shown in FIG.
1
A. In
FIG. 1B
, SCSI device cable
14
is shown leading to the terminator
18
, but connector
16
is not shown. Connector
16
(not shown) is used to connect the SCSI device cable
14
to a terminator block
20
in the same manner as connectors
16
attach SCSI device cable
14
to SCSI peripheral devices
12
, typically using pins and holes or other similar quick connect methods. Connection cover
22
is typically fitted over the connector (not shown) to cover the point of connection preventing inadvertent contact with any points of connection, accumulation of dust or other debris, and generally protecting the SCSI device cable
14
, the connector (not shown), and the terminator block
20
. The resulting unit including the SCSI device cable
14
, the terminator block
20
, and the connection cover
22
, is collectively referred to as the terminator
18
.
This prior art terminator
18
used for terminating one or more internal SCSI peripheral devices
12
, effectively terminates the end of the SCSI bus, but is deficient for a number of reasons, some of which are herein discussed. As technological advances in SCSI design have provided for increasing numbers of SCSI peripheral devices
12
to be connected to a single SCSI host adapter
10
(see FIG.
1
A), space and airflow have become increasingly important considerations for computer system configuration.
FIG. 1C
shows an exemplary internal SCSI peripheral device
12
configuration. A typical drive bay
24
is shown with six representative SCSI peripheral devices
12
. The SCSI peripheral devices
12
could be hard disk drives, CD-R drives, other optical media drives, Zip™ drives, and the like. A typical SCSI host adapter
10
(see
FIG. 1A
) accommodates more than six internal SCSI peripheral devices
12
, and therefore
FIG. 1C
illustrates space and airflow requirements for less than the maximum number of devices that might be connected to a single host adapter
10
. SCSI peripheral devices
12
are typically installed in drive bay
24
as shown, and connected to a SCSI host adapter
10
(see
FIG. 1A
) with SCSI device cable
14
. In addition to SCSI device cable
14
, power is supplied to each SCSI peripheral device
12
at power connection
26
.
FIG. 1C
does not show power cabling, but it should be appreciated the additional cabling presents further space management difficulty, and further restricts airflow through and around SCSI peripheral devices
12
.
Terminator block
20
is shown connected to a last connector
16
of SCSI device cable
14
. Terminator block
20
is shown without connection cover
22
(see FIG.
1
B). A common problem with prior art terminators
18
(
FIGS. 1A and 1B
) is that connection cover
22
(
FIG. 1B
) often becomes detached from terminator block
20
. The detached connection cover
22
presents a potential source of foreign object damage if it should fall into the computer system against other devices, connections, wires, and the like. Additionally, a detached connection cover
22
can also restrict airflow in already compact spaces which can damage individual devices or degrade system performance due to accumulated heat. Further, the exposed connections at connector
16
attached to the terminator block
20
present a potential source of electrical short or equipment damage if the area of connection is forced against a metal case, a metal exterior of another device, or alongside cabling or wire connections.
It should be further appreciated from
FIGS. 1A
,
1
B, and
1
C that terminator
18
has a length, a width, and a depth. Although the terminator
18
is connected to essentially the end of a SCSI device cable
14
, it requires space near the last SCSI peripheral device
12
in the plurality of SCSI devices that are connected to t
Adaptec, Inc.
Martine & Penilla LLP
Ta Tho D.
LandOfFree
Overmold cable terminator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Overmold cable terminator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Overmold cable terminator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3303976