Abstract:
A connector includes a locking mechanism that locks the connector in a socket but allows removal of the connector without a manual operation that relies on depressing the locking mechanism. The connector is released from the socket when a sufficient pulling force is applied to the connector. The connector includes a spring-loaded detent that flexes during the insertion process. The detent snaps into a locking position. The detent can be released from the socket when sufficient tension is applied on the connector such that inadvertent tension will not result in breaking the connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Conventional connectors that are at the terminal ends of cables of electronic equipment normally include a latching mechanism to retain the connector within a socket. Conventional connectors may include manually-depressible “tabs” that are depressed when inserted into a socket. The tabs then spring back to retain the connector in place. However, releasing the connector requires manually depressing the tabs. Conventionally, the latching mechanism is made of plastic, which is fragile. Since the only means for releasing the connector from the socket is by manually depressing the tabs, the latching mechanism will break when tension is inadvertently placed on the cable.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     A connector includes a locking mechanism that locks the connector in a socket, but allows removal of the connector without a manual operation in a “quick-release” fashion. The connector is released from the socket when a sufficient pulling force is applied to the connector without the need for depressing a tab or the like. The connector includes a cantilever detent, which flexes during the insertion process. The detent snaps into position for locking the connector to a socket. The detent is released from the socket when sufficient tension is applied on the connector or the cable to release the detent. In this way, inadvertent tension will not result in breaking the connector.  
         [0003]     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a quick-release connector  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the components of a quick-release connector in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section illustration of a quick-release connector in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIGS. 4-5  illustrate the method of inserting a quick-release connector within a socket in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of the components of a quick-release connector in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a quick-release connector  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The connector  100  includes an upper housing  102  and a lower housing  104 . It is to be appreciated that directional language used throughout this application is with reference to the figures and is not limiting of the claims or of the invention. The upper housing  102  and lower housing  104  can be made of metal or a plastic material. The housing parts  102  and  104  connect to and detain a cable  166  therein. The cable  166  may be a shielded, twisted cable if the connector  100  is an RJ-45 connector. Although one embodiment is described as an RJ-45 connector, other connectors are within the scope of the invention. The description of an RJ-45 connector is not intended to limit the claims or the present application to any particular configuration. “RJ-45” is a well-known designation for a particular style of connector. The pin arrangement, pin number, voltage level, and line capacitance for RJ-45 connectors and cables are dictated by standards, which will not be described herein for brevity.  
         [0011]     The upper housing  102  is connected to a male connector portion  118 . The male connector portion  118  is the portion of the connector  100  that is inserted into a female socket receptacle. The male connector portion  118  includes a first and a second side that are placed laterally and medially with respect to a frontal wall. The side and frontal walls define an opening therein for the placement of a locking mechanism  106 , as will be described further below. The distal end of the male connector portion  118  includes “pins”  128 . The pins  128  include electrical contacts, such as thin copper strips. Each of the pins  128  is separated by a dividing wall. The pins  128  are arranged from side to side between the lateral and medial walls of the male connector portion  118 . The male connector portion  118  includes a frontal guide block  112  placed on the frontal wall of the male connector portion  118 . The frontal guide block  112  assists in guiding the male connector portion  118  into a corresponding socket. The locking mechanism  106  includes a flexible tang  148  or tongue. The tang  148  of the locking mechanism  106  is generally flat and planar. The proximal side of the tang  148  is connected to a base  110  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). Proximal, as used in this application, refers to the side of a component or object which is nearer to the cable  166 . Distal, as used in this application, refers to the side of a component or object that is farthest from the cable  166 . The distal side of the tang  148  includes a detent  108 , which projects in an upward fashion above the plane of the tang&#39;s  148  upper surface. Three sides of the tang  148  are detached from the base  110  such that the distal side of the tang  148 , which includes the detent  108 , can flex downwards and upwards. The detent  108  has a pyramidical profile. In other words, the distal side and the proximal side of the detent  108  slopes from an apex downward to the upper surface of the tang  148 . The detent&#39;s  108  apex reaches an elevation that is higher than the upper surface of the frontal guide block  112 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates the individual components of the connector  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The upper housing  102  and the lower housing  104  define a cavity therein for the placement of the various components. The proximal end of the upper housing  102  and of the lower housing  104  includes a slot disposed perpendicular to the cable  166 . The opening for the cable  166  created by the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  104  create a hexagonal shape, which prevents rotation of the cable  166 . The slot is provided in the upper housing  102  and the lower housing  104  for retaining a corresponding ridge of the cable  166 . The distal end of the upper housing  102  includes an edge wall  168  that protrudes slightly inwards. The male connector portion  118  has a slot  120  that extends on three sides at the proximal end of the male connector portion  118 . The slot  120  engages the edge wall  168  to join the male connector portion  118  to the upper housing  102 . Similarly, the lower housing  104  has an edge wall  144  on two sides, such sides being the lateral and medial sides to engage the slot  120  of the male connector portion  118 .  
         [0013]     The male connector portion  118  may be a discrete and separate component, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , or the male connector portion  118  may be integrally combined with the upper housing  102 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The embodiment of the quick-release connector  100  in  FIG. 6  is in other respects similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , wherein like reference numbers denote corresponding components. The male connector portion  118  includes a lateral wall and a medial wall and a frontal, distal wall that defines a central opening  114 . The frontal, distal wall includes a slot  116  that allows the pins  128  to be accessible therethrough. The locking mechanism  106  is placed immediately below the male connector portion  118  and is inserted such that the tang  148  and detent  108  are visible through the opening  114 . The locking mechanism  106  includes the base portion  110 , which extends a small distance on all four sides of the tang  148 . The tang  148  is cut from the base  110  at the distal side and partially at the lateral and medial sides. The entire proximal side and partly the lateral and medial sides of the tang  148  are connected to the base  110  at a connection point  122 . At least the distal side of the tang  148  can flex upwards and downwards. Furthermore, the tang  148  is cantilevered to flex and return to the horizontal position after deflection. The tang&#39;s  148  upper surface is proud of the upper surface of the base portion  110 . The distal side of the tang  148  includes the detent  108  on the upper surface of the tang  148 . As mentioned above, the detent  108  has a pyramidical profile when viewed from the side. A forward sloping side and a rear sloping side define the detent  108  when viewed from the lateral or medial side. The detent  108  also includes a first and second tooth disposed on the lateral and medial side of the tang  148 , with a gap separating the first and second tooth. Each tooth of the detent  108  includes a small step  146  or shoulder at the rear sloping side. The front and the rear sloping sides may or may not have the same angle of repose or inclination. The front and rear sloping sides of each of the teeth of the detent  108  can have a different degree of sloping to vary the resistance for inserting and releasing the connector  100  from a socket.  
         [0014]     Immediately below the locking mechanism  106 , a printed circuit board  124  is provided. The printed circuit board  124  includes solder joints  150  for each of the electrical pins  128 . An RJ-45 connector can have eight (8) pins. Though, other connectors may have more or less than eight (8) pins. The printed circuit board  124  can be made from fiberglass laminated with epoxy resin. Copper lines  152  may be encapsulated with the fiberglass and epoxy construction. Copper lines  152  connect the solder joints  150  at the distal side of the printed circuit board  124  to electrical contact pads  130  at the proximal side of the printed circuit board  124 . Pins  128  are in electrical contact with the copper pads  130  through the solder joints  150  and the copper lines  152 . Copper lines  152  may appear on the upper or lower surface of the printed circuit board  124  or at an intermediate level, depending on the amount of surface real estate available on the printed circuit board  124 .  
         [0015]     Immediately below the printed circuit board  124  is a pin holder  126 . The pin holder  126  is for retaining the electrical contact pins  128 . The pin holder  126  includes dividing walls between each of the electrical contact pins  128  and at the exterior sides of the two side contact pins  128 . The pin holder  126  is connected to the printed circuit board  124  via the solder joints  150 . Alternatively, the pin holder  126  may be adhered to the printed circuit board  124  via an adhesive or a mechanical fastener.  
         [0016]     An internal, intermediate connector  132  is provided for ease in assembly of the connector  100 . The internal, intermediate connector  132  provides for electrical contact between the first printed circuit board  124  and a second printed circuit board  134 , which will be described below. The internal, intermediate connector  132  includes matching contact pads or pins (not shown) for each of the electrical contacts  130  of circuit board  124  and an equal number of corresponding contacts for the printed circuit board  134 . The internal, intermediate connector  132  provides electrical continuity between electrical contact pads  130  of printed circuit board  124  and electrical contact pads  136  of printed circuit board  134 . Electrical contact pads  130  of printed circuit board  124  and electrical contact pads  136  of printed circuit board  134  can be thin copper strips.  
         [0017]     The second printed circuit board  134  includes a proximal side and a distal side. The distal side includes a corresponding number of electrical contact pads  136  for each of electrical contact pads  130  of the printed circuit board  124 . Each of the electrical contact pads  136  are connected to a solder pad  138 . The solder pads  138  can be on the upper or lower surfaces of the printed circuit board  134 . The electrical contact pads  136  electrically connect to the solder pads  138  via copper lines  154 . The copper lines  154  may appear on the upper or lower surface depending on the available surface real estate. The printed circuit boards  124  and  134  may be manufactured by alternately stacking layers of epoxy resin and fiberglass and embedded copper lines. Solder pads  138  are a way of electrically connecting the individual wires of the cable  166  shown in  FIG. 1  to pins  128 . Each wire of the cable  146  may be exposed and soldered to a solder pad  138 . This provides electrical continuity between the pins  128  to the wires in the cable  166 . The printed circuit board  134  includes an opening  156  surrounded by a copper pad  150  that extends around the periphery of the opening  156  and also covers the internal bore of the opening  156 . The electrical pad  158  may be provided to electrically ground the metal housing parts  102  and  104 . Opening  156  in the printed circuit board  134  allows a mechanical fastener  142  to be inserted through the opening  140  in the lower housing  104 , and through the printed circuit board  134 , and into a threaded receptacle in the underside of the upper housing  102  to thereby mechanically connect the upper housing  102  to the lower housing  104 , and thereby retaining the assembly of components.  
         [0018]     The distal side of the lower housing  104  includes a cutout with side walls  144 . When lower housing  104  is mated with the upper housing  102 , the side walls  144  will fit within slots  120  of the male connector portion  118  to join the lower housing  104  to the male connector portion  118 . The lower housing  104  includes a tongue  170  that extends on the distal side of the lower housing  104 . The pin holder  126  has a recessed step  172  that fits against the tongue  170 , when the connector  100  is assembled.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section illustration of the connector  100  made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As can readily be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , the tang  148  of the locking mechanism  106  is elevated above the upper surface of the printed circuit board  124 , thereby creating a cavity  164 . The tang  148  is connected to the base  110  at the connection point  122 , thus, allowing the distal side of the tang  148  to flex downward within the cavity  164 . The connection point  122  flexes to return the tang  148  to the unflexed configuration as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The detent  108  also flexes downward with the tang  148  when coming in contact with a solid surface, which impacts the frontal sloping surface  160  of detent  108 .  
         [0020]     After the male connector portion  118  of the connector  100  is within a socket and a pulling force is applied on the connector  100 , which transfers the pulling force against the rear sloping side  162 , the force applied to the sloping side  162  of detent  108  will cause the distal portion of the tang  148  to flex downwardly, disengaging the detent  108 , thus releasing the connector  100  from the socket. During insertion and release, the flexing of the tang  148  via the detent  108  is due to an impact on either the front sloping surface  160  or the rear sloping surface  162  of detent  108 . As can be appreciated,  FIG. 3  also illustrates the function of the internal, intermediate connector  132  to electrically connect the pins  128  through the printed circuit board  124  to the printed circuit board  134  and to the cable  166 . The internal, intermediate connector  132  provides for ease in assembly of the connector  100 . For example, the printed circuit board  134  can be soldered to the individual wires of the cable  166  and then inserted and soldered to the internal, intermediate connector  132 , which is next connected to the printed circuit board  124 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , one method of using the connector  100  is illustrated. Beginning with  FIG. 4 , the connector  100  is exterior to a device  200  containing a socket  214 . The socket  214  includes two channel sections. The socket  214  includes channel  202  that corresponds to the width and height corresponding to the frontal guide block  112  to accept the frontal guide block  112  therein. The socket  214  includes a second channel  204  with a width corresponding to the male connector portion  118 . The socket  214  includes a lip  206  protruding downward from the front edge of the socket  214  into the channel  202 .  
         [0022]     During the insertion process, the frontal sloping surface  160  of the detent  108  impacts the wall  212  of the device  200  at an angle, thereby causing a downward force that flexes the distal portion of the locking mechanism  106  and the tang  148  downwardly. The detent  108  assumes this flexed configuration while the male connector portion  118  is being inserted into the socket  214 . The detent  108  passes under the lower surface of lip  206  while in this flexed configuration.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , as soon as detent  108  passes by the lower surface of lip  206 , the tang  148  is restored to the unflexed configuration and the detent  108  assumes a position behind the rear wall  208  of lip  206 . This action provides a sturdy, locking connection between the connector  100  and the device  200 . However, unlike conventional connectors, the rear sloping side  162  of the detent  108  allows the connector  100  to be released from the socket  214  without manually depressing either a locking mechanism or a manual tab to disengage the detent  108  from behind the lip  206 . The connector  100  can be released from the socket  214  when a sufficient pulling force is applied to the connector  100 . The height of the step or shoulder  146  on the rear sloping side  162  of the detent  108  can determine the amount of engagement between detent  108  and the lip  206 . When a reverse force is applied to the connector  100 , the rear sloping side  162  of the detent  108  is impacted by the rear wall  208  of lip  206 , and a downward force is created that flexes the locking mechanism  106  and, in particular, the tang  148  downwardly. The downward motion of the tang  148  and detent  108  releases the connector  100  from the socket  204 . Therefore, the connector  100  is released from the socket  214  without the need for a manual actuation of a latching mechanism or the need for a manual actuation of a tab, thereby avoiding any breakage of the locking mechanism  106  by an accidental or an inadvertent tension placed on the cable  166 .  
         [0024]     While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.