Patent Publication Number: US-2013244470-A1

Title: Locking mechanism for connector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a locking mechanism for locking a connector to a device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A peripheral device may be connected to a processing device through a cable and a connector. However, the connector tends to disengage from the processing device and causes the connection between the peripheral device and the processing device to be interrupted. Therefore, there is a risk of losing data, or even damaging the devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are exploded, isometric views of an embodiment of a locking mechanism, a connector, a cable extending from the connector, and an information handling device, viewed from different perspectives. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the items of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along the line of IV-IV of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line of V-V of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a locking mechanism which is used to lock a first connector  100  to an information handling device  200  is shown. A second connector  201  is formed on a front wall of the information handling device  200 . A securing hole  202  is defined in a bottom wall of the information handling device  200 , adjacent to the second connector  201 . A cable  101  extends from the first connector  100 . The locking mechanism includes a supporting bracket  10 , a locking member  20 , and an attachment member  30 . 
     The supporting bracket  10  is long and thin, and includes a mounting portion  12  and a coupling portion  14  formed on opposite ends of the supporting bracket  10 . The mounting portion  12  defines a mounting hole  121 . The coupling portion  14  is substantially U-shaped in cross section, and includes a base wall  141 , and holding walls  143  extending up from opposite sides of the base wall  141  and slightly slanting toward each other. An opening  145  is defined in the base wall  141 . A locking tab  146  protrudes from the base wall  145 , and is arranged at a side of the opening  145  far away from the mounting portion  12 . 
     The locking member  20  includes a locking portion  21 , a manipulation portion  23 , and a connection portion  25  connected between the locking portion  21  and manipulation portion  23 . The locking portion  21  includes a first board  210 , and a wedge-shaped engagement tab  211  extending from the first board  210  and facing the supporting bracket  10 . The manipulation portion  23  includes a second board  230  parallel to the first board  210 , and a stopping hook  231  extending from the second board  230  and facing the supporting bracket  10 . A first end of the first board  210  is rotatably connected to a sidewall bounding the opening  145  opposite to the locking tab  146 . The connection portion  25  is perpendicularly connected between a second end of the first board  210  opposite to the first end and the second board  230 . 
     The attachment member  30  is made of resilient material, such as rubber or plastic, and includes a cylindrical body  31 , and two opposite guide walls  32  extending from the cylindrical body  31 . The guide walls  32  extend along a direction parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical body  31 , and each has an L-shaped cross section. A rack  311  with gear teeth is formed on a bottom of the outside of the cylindrical body  31 , extending along the direction parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical body  31 , and is arranged between the guide walls  32 . A division cut  313  is defined in the cylindrical body  31 , extending along the direction parallel to the axial direction of the cylindrical body  31  and extending through a middle of the rack  311 , to enable the cylindrical body  31  to be opened for accessing of the cable  101 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , in assembly, the supporting bracket  10  is fixed to the information handling device  200  with a fastener, such as a screw or a rivet, extending through the mounting hole  121  of the support bracket  10  and secured in the securing hole  202  of the information handling device  200 . The coupling portion  14  of the support bracket  10  is located in front of the information handling device  200 . The cylindrical body  31  is sleeved on the cable  101  and abuts the first connector  100 . 
     The first connector  100  is coupled to the second connector  201  of the information handling system  201 . The attachment member  30  is engaged with the coupling portion  14 , with the two holding walls  143  of the coupling portion  14  slidably received between the guide walls  32  and the cylindrical body  31 . The attachment member  30  encloses the rack  311  of the attachment member  30  to prevent the cable  101  from disengaging from the cylindrical body  31 . The rack  311  is aligned with the opening  145  of the coupling portion  14 . The locking member  20  is rotated towards the coupling portion  14  to a locking position, where the engagement tab  211  extends through the opening  145  and engages with the rack  311  to prevent the first connector  100  from disengaging from the second connector  201 . At the same time, the stopping hook  231  engages with the locking tab  146  of the supporting bracket  10  to stop the locking member  20  from rotating away from the coupling portion  14 . 
     To detach the first connector  100  from the information handling device  200 , the manipulation portion  23  of the locking member  20  is twisted to force the stopping hook  231  away from the locking tab  146  of the supporting bracket  10  and rotate the locking member  20  away from the coupling portion  14  into a releasing position, where the engagement tab  211  disengages from the rack  311  to enable the first connector  100  to move with the attachment member  30  away from the information handling device  200 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.