Abstract:
Electrical plug restricting apparatus includes a male inlet connector fixable to an electrical equipment chassis, a restraint device attachable to the connector and including a plug supporting base, the base having apertures therethrough, and at least one plug securing cable tie insertable through the base aperture and having a length sufficient to surround the plug, the tie securing the plug to the base when tightened.

Description:
[0001]     The present application claims priority from U.S. Ser. No. 60/604,519 filed Aug. 26, 2004. This application is to be incorporated in its entirety by this specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION:  
       [0002]     The present application relates generally to the field of electrical equipment, more particularly to connector restraint devices and still more particularly to power cord connector restraint devices.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Individual pieces of electrical equipment used in large electrical systems, such as computer server systems, are typically rack mounted in bays. Many of these pieces of electrical equipment have a number of electrical connections for intercommunication, and virtually all, if not all, have connections by which power is supplied to the equipment, such connections almost always being at a rear wall of the equipment enclosures (chassis).  
         [0004]     As a consequence, a bay of electrical equipment may have a great many exposed electrical cables which must be connected to particular pieces of equipment in particular ways. Technicians servicing the equipment and removing some equipment and installing other equipment are continually handling or working with these cables in relatively narrow isles between bays. Accidental disconnection of some of the cables may thus occur, often causing equipment or system disruption or damage.  
         [0005]     To overcome such problems, prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,722 to Peter S. Pulizzi, titled “Connector Restraint Device For Electrical Equipment” discloses a device for restraining (i.e., tying down) electrical connector cables to prevent the cable plugs from being unintentionally disconnected from their associated electrical equipment connectors. The disclosed connector restraint device is especially useful for restraining a number of cables connected at a rear chassis wall of an single piece of electrical equipment; however, it would not be economical for retraining only one cable, or possibly even a pair of cables, connected, for example, for supplying power to a single piece of electrical equipment.  
         [0006]     It is thus a principal objective of the present invention to provide a single or double cable plug restraining device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Electrical plug restraining apparatus in accordance with the present invention generally includes a restraint device fixable to an electrical and equipment chassis over a male inlet connector along with a plug supporting base extending outwardly from the chassis and having apertures therethrough.  
         [0008]     At least one plug securing cable tie insertable through the apertures is provided with the cable tie having a length sufficient to surround a plug inserted into the male inlet connector with the cable tie securing the plug to the base when tightened.  
         [0009]     More particularly, the apparatus in accordance with the present invention may further include a male inlet connector fixable to an electrical equipment chassis with the restraint device attachable to the connector and including a plug supporting base. The base includes apertures therethrough.  
         [0010]     At least one plug securing cable tie insertable through the base apertures has a length sufficient to surround the plug with the tie securing the plug to the base when tightened.  
         [0011]     More particularly, the base apertures are spaced apart from one another at a distance of at least a width of the plug. In addition, multiple pairs of apertures may be provided with each pair being spaced apart from one another and spaced apart distances for enabling corresponding cable ties to accommodate a various plug widths. Preferably, the restraint device includes upwardly extending attachment ears fixable to the chassis and the plug supporting base is disposed generally perpendicular to the attachment ears.  
         [0012]     A method in accordance with the present invention for securing a plug to an electrical equipment chassis generally includes fixing a male inlet connector to the chassis and thereafter fixing a restraint device having a plug supporting base, to the inlet connector.  
         [0013]     The method further includes inserting a plug into the inlet connector with the plug resting in part on the supporting base and thereafter securing the plug to the base with at least one cable tie.  
         [0014]     Securing a plug to the base preferably includes passing the cable tie through apertures and multiple cable ties may be passed through spaced apart pairs of apertures in the base. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The present invention may be more readily understood by consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of electrical plug restraining apparatus in accordance with the present invention generally illustrating a male inlet connector fixable to an equipment chassis along with a restraint device attachable to the connector including a plug supported base and upwardly extending attachment ears;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  illustrating the attachment of the restraint device to the male inlet connector by way of screws;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing a complete installation of the restraint device to the chassis;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to  FIGS. 1-3  and including an insertion procedure of a plug into the male inlet connector;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  illustrating a completed insertion of the plug into the male inlet connector;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates the attachment of the plug to the plug supporting base by way of cable ties;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of the restraint device;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7B  is a side view of the restraint device illustrated in  FIG. 7A ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7C  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  7 C- 7 C of  FIG. 7A ; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 7D  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  7 D- 7 D in Figure A.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing showing a restraint device  10  according to the present invention in a position for attachment at a male inlet connector  12  installed in a rear wall  14  of an electrical equipment chassis  16  (only portions of which are shown; inlet connector  12  may be an IEC 60320-C20 or -C14; restraint device  10  is shown comprising a flat base portion  20  having two attachment ears  22  and  24  extending upwardly therefrom at a forward region thereof, each of such ears having an attachment aperture  26  formed therethrough (only the aperture in each  22  being shown), and further showing a number of apertures  28  formed through the base portion sized for receiving conventional nylon cable ties (not shown); two chassis attachment apertures  30  being shown in a front region  32  of the inlet connector  12  to either side of a central female plug receiving opening  34 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective drawing showing ears  22  and  24  of restraint device  10  positioned against front region  32  of inlet connector  12 , with apertures  26  in device ears  22  and  24  aligned with connector apertures  30  (not shown), and showing two screws  40  positioned for installation through device apertures  26  and connector apertures  30  for attaching the restraint device to the inlet connector and for attaching both the restraint device and the inlet connector to chassis  16 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing showing screws  40  installed through restraint device ears  22  and  24  and inlet connector  12  to attach the restraint device  10  to the inlet connector  12  and to attach both to chassis  16 , restraint device base portion  20  shown projecting outwardly (rearwardly) from chassis rear wall  14  at a right angle;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a perspective drawing showing a plug (female)  44  of a connecting power input cable  46  positioned for inserting a connection end  50  of the plug  44  into inlet connector opening  34  and the rearward portion  52  of the plug  44  into restraint device  10  so as to rest on top of device base portion  20 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective drawing showing plug  44  fully installed into restraint device  10  with rearward plug portion  52  resting on device base portion  20  and with plug connection end  50  installed through inlet connector opening  34  (not shown) to thereby provide electrical connection at inlet connector  12  of cable  46  to chassis  16  and internal circuitry thereof;  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a perspective drawing corresponding to  FIG. 5 , showing cable plug rearward portion  52  tied down to restraint device base portion  20  by two spaced apart cable ties  60  which extend upwardly through base portion apertures  26  to one side of the plug rearward portion, upwardly and over the plug rearward portion and back down through base portion apertures  26  on the other side of the plug rearward portion and are tightly connected in the conventional locking manner to portions of the cable ties that extend under the device base portion, thereby securely locking (restraining) the cable plug to the restraint device to maintain electrical connection of cable  46  at inlet connector  12  to circuitry in chassis  16 ; plug  44  can be readily released from restraint device  10  by cutting cable ties  60 ; and  
         [0032]      FIGS. 7A-7D  are engineering drawings of restraint device for use with an IEC 60320-C20-type inlet connector  12  showing various dimensions thereof:  FIG. 7A  being perspective view of device  10 , showing cable tie-down apertures  28  formed in base portion  20 ;  FIG. 7B  being a front elevation view of device  10 , showing ears  22  and  24  with screw apertures formed therethrough;  FIG. 7C  being a top view of device  10 , showing cable tie-down apertures  28  formed in base portion  20 ; and  FIG. 7D  being a side view of device  10 , showing ear  24  extending from base portion  20 .  
         [0033]     In the various figures, the same elements and features are given the same reference numbers and the method of the present invention is sequentially set forth in  FIGS. 1-6 .  
         [0034]     It will be appreciated that although restraint device  10  has been shown and described as being used to restrain female plug  44  of power inlet cord  46  and attached to male inlet connector  12 , the restraint device can be readily adapted for restraining a male plug, corresponding to plug  44 , of a power outlet cord, corresponding to power inlet cord  46 , and be connected to a female outlet connector, corresponding to inlet connector  12 .  
         [0035]     It will further be appreciated that although  FIG. 7  provides dimensions for restraint device  10  configured for use with an IEC 60320-20C inlet connector, the shown dimensions can be readily scaled up or down by one even moderately skilled in the art to provide a corresponding restraint device for use with a different-sized input connector, for example an IEC 60320-C14-type connector or for use with other types of chassis-installed connectors.  
         [0036]     It is further within the scope of the present invention, and within the capability of one skilled in the art, to provide a double, triple, or more, side-by-side restraint device by combining two, three, or more of the above-described and shown restraint devices  10  into a single piece device having an appropriate number of ears, such as ears  22  and  24 .  
         [0037]     Although there has been hereinabove described a specific connector restraint device and method in accordance with the present invention for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the recited elements. Further, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. Accordingly, any and all modifications, variations or equivalent arrangements which may occur to those skilled in the art, should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.