Abstract:
A cable connector holder including a base configured to hold a plurality of cable connectors and a press part attached to the base and extending above the plurality of cable connectors, wherein the lever is configured to uniformly press down on each of the plurality of cable connectors to render the cable connectors collectively removable from a network device. The cable connector may further include a press prevention mechanism that prevents the press part from engaging the levers of the cable connectors, thereby preventing the removal of the plurality of connectors in the connector holder from a network device.

Description:
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/758,571 filed on Jan. 13, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is generally directed to a cable connector holder including a press piece that collectively presses a first lever on each of a plurality of connectors placed in the holder such that the plurality of connectors may be integrally attached and detached from a network apparatus. Among other things, this reduces the amount of labor required for attaching and detaching cable connectors in comparison with that required for attaching and detaching connectors to and from a network apparatus by pressing the individual lock mechanisms on the connectors one by one. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   The cable connector holder relates to the maintenance of connectors such as a modular jack of an Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable. Connecting a cable such as a UTP cable involves detaching and attaching one cable at a time to a network device. JP 2002-344156 provides a holder tool for collectively holding a plurality of cables. Even though the cables are held collectively, there is no change in that each cable must be attached to and detached from a network device one cable at a time. This tedious work requires great time and effort, especially at the time of installation or during maintenance of a large network device. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   There is a need in the art, therefore, for a cable connector holder that reduces the time and effort of attachment and detachment of a plurality of cables. The present invention solves the above-identified needs, as well as others by providing both a cable connector holder that enables a plurality of connectors to be attached and detached in a collective manner. An embodiment of present invention provides a cable connector holder including a base configured to hold a plurality of cable connectors and a press part configured to uniformly press down on a plurality of levers corresponding to each of the plurality of cable connectors such that the cable connectors become removable from a network device. 
   The cable connector may further include a press prevention mechanism that prevents the press piece from engaging the levers of the cable connectors, thereby preventing the removal of the plurality of connectors in the connector holder from a network device. 
   Another embodiment comprises a cable connector holder including a base configured to hold a plurality of cable connectors; and a lever rotatably attached to the base and extending above the plurality of cable connectors, wherein the lever is configured to uniformly press down on each of the plurality of cable connectors to render the cable connectors removable from a network device. 
   This embodiment may also be provided with a press prevention mechanism. 
   Among other things, this reduces the amount of labor required for attaching and detaching cable connectors in comparison with that required for attaching and detaching connectors to and from a network apparatus by pressing the individual lock mechanisms on the connectors one by one. Other features and advantages will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the needs satisfied thereby, and the objects, features, and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Identical parts in the several views of the drawings use the same reference numbers. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a cable connector holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the cable connector holder depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cable connector holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention, used in connection with a network device; 
       FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a cable connector holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention, used in connection with a network device; 
       FIG. 5  is a side sectional view along A-A in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side sectional view along A-A in  FIG. 4  during and after attachment; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a cable connector holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a lock; 
       FIG. 8  is a side sectional view along A-A when a lock is in place; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a cable connector holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a dissembled view of the cable connector holder depicted in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the cable connector holder depicted in  FIG. 9  used in connection with a network device; and 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the cable connector depicted in  FIG. 9  including a lock. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the general configuration of a cable connector holder made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In  FIG. 1 , a connector  10  is attached at the end of a cable  20 . The connector  10  is depicted as a modular jack, such as an 8P8C modular connector. The cable  20  may be, for example, an Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable. The connector holder  1  is shown in this embodiment as holding four connectors  10 ; however, the number of cables may be any number of two or more. The holder  1  includes a lever  50  arranged to cover each of the plurality of connectors. When the lever  50  is pushed, as will be described later, the plurality of connectors are rendered collectively attachable to or removable from a network device. The connector holder  1  includes a second press prevention section  42  formed at the side of the holder from which the cable  20  projects out of the connector holder. An opening  44  is formed in the second press prevention section  42  generally in the direction that the cable  20  extends. 
     FIG. 2  shows a dissembled view of the connector holder  1  depicted in  FIG. 1 . The connector holder is equipped with a base  30 , a holder  40 , and the press part  52 , which are held together via attaching pieces  62  and  64 .  FIG. 2  depicts attaching pieces  62  and  64  as screws; however, other mechanisms and methods for holding the parts of the connector holder together may be used. In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2  the base  30  has a first press prevention member  32  with a threaded opening  34 . The first press prevention section  32  is located closer to the connectors  10  than the second press prevention section  42 . The threaded opening  34  in the first press prevention section  32  shares a common central axis with an opening  44  in the second press prevention section  42 . 
   During assembly the four connectors depicted in  FIG. 2  are placed in order on the base  30  so that a projection  13  on the lower surface of each of the connectors  10  is inserted in the corresponding one of the openings  33  formed in the base  30 . Each connector  10  includes, for example, a first lever  12  and a lever shoulder  14 . The tip of the first lever is narrower than the part of the lever closer to the main portion of the connector. The section of the lever just before the width becomes narrow is called the lever shoulder  14 . In use, when the first lever  12  extends upwards, the lever shoulder  14  engages with a stop in a female connector of a network device in which the connector is inserted, and the connector is not removable. When the first lever  12  is pushed down toward the top face of the connector  10 , the lever shoulder disengages from the stop, and the connector becomes removable from the network device. When the first lever  12  is not being pushed, it extends upwards as depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
   A holder  40  encases the top face of the connector  10  and is attached to the base  30 . The second press prevention section  42  is formed in the holder  40 . The holder is fixed to the base  30  by the attaching piece  64  during assembly. At this point, the plurality of connectors  10  is fixed within the holder  40  and the base  30 . 
   The lever  50  on the connector holder  1  attaches to the base  30  over the holder  40 . The lever  50  on the connector holder has a press part  52 , a lobe  54 , and two side attachment walls  56 , with installation holes  58 . The lobe  54  is formed on the side of the press part  52  closest to the rear of the connectors  10 . The lever  50  is attached to the base using the attaching pieces  62  during assembly. 
   The press part  52  covers the narrow tip of the first lever  12  of each of the plurality of connectors  10 . The side attachment walls  52  are parallel to the direction that the cable  20  generally extends. When pressed down toward the top face of the connectors  10 , the press part  52  rotates around the central axis of the openings  58 , thereby coming into contact with the plurality of first levers  12  corresponding to the plurality of connectors  10  so that the first levers are pushed downwards. When the first levers  12  on the connectors are pushed downwards, the lever shoulders  14  can disengage from the stops in the corresponding female connector of the network device so that the connectors become collectively removable. 
     FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment having a plurality of connectors  10  having cables  20  held by a connector holders  1  at the time of connecting to a network device  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  7 ,  11 , and  12 , individual cable connector holders  1  can be attached to each other. The network device may be a hub and router and includes a plurality of female connectors  102 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , the network device  100  includes sixteen (16) female connectors  102 . In this embodiment, four connector holders  1 , each holding four connectors  10  similar to the connector holder in  FIG. 1 , are shown corresponding to the sixteen female connectors  102 . The four connectors held by each connector holder  1  are collectively inserted into a group of female connectors  102  and engages with them. 
     FIG. 4  shows a top view of a connector holder  1  at the time of connecting to a network device  100 . 
     FIG. 5  is the sectional view of  FIG. 4  taken along line A-A. The first lever  12  is connected to the connector  10  at base  12   a  of the first lever  12 . The tip  12   b  of the first lever  12  is pressed down by the press part  52  when the lever  50  of the connector holder  1  is pressed. Adjacent connectors are separated by a dividing wall  46 .  FIG. 5  also shows the stop  104  of the female connector  102  which catches the first lever shoulder  14  when the connector  10  is inserted and the first lever is not pressed down. The connector  10  is inserted into the female connector  102  of the network device  100  in the direction of the arrow. 
     FIG. 6(   a ) is a sectional view of the connector holder similar to  FIG. 5  at the time when the press part  52  and the lever  50  are down and the connector  10  is inserted into a female connector  102  of the network device  100 . After the connector  10  engages with the female connector  102  the press part  52  is released and lever  50  and the first lever  12  are allowed to rise until the lever shoulder  14  is held by the stop  104  of the female connector as shown in  FIG. 6(   b ). 
     FIG. 5  shows the tip  12   b  of the first lever  12  engaged to be pressed downward by the press part  52 . As the press part  52  covers the first levers  12  of each connector  10  in the connector holder  1 , all of the first levers  12  of the connectors  10  are pressed down collectively and simultaneously toward the top face of their connectors. In this state, the connectors inserted into the female connectors  102  will be in the state shown in  FIG. 6   a . While the first lever is pressed down by the second lever, as shown in  FIG. 6   a , the lever shoulder  14  is located beneath the stop  104  in the female connector and the connector is not engaged or held by the stop. 
   Once the connectors  10  in the connector holder  1  are inserted into the female connectors  102  of the network device  100 , the press part  52  is released and the first lever  12  will rise as shown in  FIG. 6   b . The lever shoulders  14  rise within the female connectors to the height of the stops  104 . In this position, the lever shoulders are held by the stops  104  and the connectors  10  remain inserted in the female connectors  102 . 
   Although  FIG. 5  shows the press part  52  being pushed as the connector holder  1  inserts the connectors into the network device, this is not necessary. When a connector is pressed into a female connector without pressing the press part  52 , the lever  12  is automatically pushed downward by the stop  104 , the lever shoulder  14  engages the stop  104  and comes to the state shown in  FIG. 6   b.    
   After the connectors have been inserted into the network device and are held in the female connectors by stops  104 , the connectors  10  can be released by pressing down on the press part  52  so that each of the lever shoulders  14  on the connectors are pressed beneath the stops  104  and disengage from the network device, as shown in  FIG. 6(   a ). Then, the connectors can be collectively removed by pulling the connector holder away from the network device. 
   At the end of network installation or network maintenance for a particular connector, it is common to continue working on or with the network device. Therefore, it is beneficial to ensure that a connector  10  does not easily fall out of the network device after insertion. In addition, it is beneficial to prevent having the connection between a connector and the network device be changed by persons other than a network administrator. The connectors should be held so that they are not easily disconnected from the network device by persons other than a network administrator. An embodiment of the connector holder according to the present invention provides for connectors to be held securely in the network device through the use of a lock or press prevention piece  70 . 
     FIG. 7  shows a lock  70  being inserted into connector holders  1  after the connectors  10  have been inserted into the network device  100 . The lock  70  is a piece inserted into the opening  44  in the second press prevention section  42  and extending through the opening in the first press prevention section of the connector holder  1 . 
   Although a standard slotted or Philips screw may be used for a lock  70 , it may be beneficial in certain circumstances to use a security type screw such as a TORX® or a Security TORX®. The drivers for use with such security types of screws are not as common as a slotted or Philips type driver. Thus, if a network administrator chooses one of the less common screw types, it will be more difficult for a person other than the network administrator to remove the lock  70  from the connector holder  1  and to change the relationship between the connectors and the network device established by the network administrator. 
     FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a connector holder  1  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4  with the connectors inserted into a network device  100  and with a lock  70  inserted into the connector holder  1 . The lock  70  inserts through the opening  44  in the second press prevention section  42 , and a part of the lock  70  inserts through the opening  34  in the first press prevention section  32  of the connector holder. For example, in an embodiment using a screw as the lock  70 , the head of the screw remains in the opening  44 , while the threaded portion of the screw extends through the threaded opening  34 . The lobe  54  of the lever  50  on the connector holder is situated above the shank portion of the lock  70 , for example, the threaded portion of the screw. 
   When the lock  70  is inserted into the connector holder  1 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the connectors in the connector holder cannot be removed from the female connectors of the network device. With the lock  70  in place, the press part  52  cannot be pressed down because the lobe  54  collides with the shank portion of the lock  70 . Thus, the press part  52  cannot press down on the first lever  12  of the connectors  10  within the connector holder  1 , and the connectors remain held in the network device  100  by the stops  104 . 
     FIGS. 1-4  and  7  each show a connector holder  1  designed to hold four connectors. However, the connector holder can hold any plurality of two or more connectors. The connector holder  1  may be manufactured to hold six, eight, ten connectors, etc or even an odd number of connectors, if the particular network device so requires. A modification wherein the connector holder holds eight connectors is shown in  FIG. 9 . Corresponding parts have been assigned corresponding reference numbers, and an explanation of these corresponding parts can be found in connection with  FIGS. 1-7 . 
   In  FIG. 9 , the number of attaching pieces  64  is increased from two pieces to three pieces. However, their function and purpose are identical to the pieces  64  in the prior example. The second press prevention section  42  may also be increased from one section to two sections.  FIG. 9  shows one of the second press prevention sections being formed between the second and third cables from the left hand side, and the other second press prevention section being formed between the second and third cables from the right hand side. 
     FIG. 10  shows a dissembled view of the connector holder depicted in  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 10  shows the base  30  having two first press prevention sections  32 , each having a threaded opening  34 . These two sections  32  are formed in a location corresponding to the second press prevention section  42  so that the threaded opening  34  in the first press prevention section  32  has a central axis corresponding to the central axis of the opening  44  in the second press prevention section  42 .  FIG. 10  also shows the lever  50  on the connector holder having two lobes  54  in a locations corresponding to the locations of the first and second press prevention sections. 
     FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a group of connector holders according to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 9-10  at the time that the connectors are inserted into a network device  100 . The group of four connector holders allows the simultaneous and collective insertion and removal of thirty-two connectors. 
     FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the group of connector holders depicted in  FIG. 10  at the time when locks  70  are inserted. Once the lock is inserted, each lobe  54  prevents the respective press part  52  from being depressed, and the connectors  10  in the connector holder  1  cannot be removed from the network device  100 . Thus, the lock  70  prevents a connector from being carelessly extracted from the network device. 
     FIG. 12  depicts two locks  70  being inserted in each connector holder. However, if even one lock is inserted into the connector holder, it will prevent the press part  52  from pressing down on the first lever  12  of the connector and releasing the lever  12  of the connector  10  from the stop  104  in the network device  100 . The connectors cannot be removed until the lock  70  is removed from the connector holder. When the lock is removed from the connector holder, the lever  50  on the connector holder may once again rotate around the attaching piece  62  so that the press part  52  can press down on the first levers  12  of the connectors to release the lever shoulders  14  of each of the plurality of connectors  10  in the connector holder from the stops  104  in the network device, such that the connectors may be collectively removed. 
   Example embodiments of the present invention have now been described in accordance with the above advantages. It will be appreciated that these examples are merely illustrative of the invention. Many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.