Patent Publication Number: US-9893465-B2

Title: Sliding latch release for latched cables

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EFS-WEB) 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     This disclosure relates generally to information handling systems and more particularly to a sliding latch release mechanism for latched cable connectors. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
     Many instances of information handling systems are installed in server chassis, such as in data centers. Examples of a chassis include a rack chassis or a tower chassis. The chassis generally includes risers that serve as connection points for Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) cards. PCI cards are used to connect peripheral devices such as modems, sound cards, or other hardware devices to the information handling system. By way of non-limiting example, a PCI card may include a Power Edge RAID Controller (PERC controller) or PCI Solid State Drive (SSD) controller. Typical peripheral devices connect to PCI cards via a latch release cable, where a user must have access to the latch in order to remove the cable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a disclosed sliding latch release mechanism includes a fixed outer shell portion which surrounds a latch cable connector or a bank of latched cable connectors. The sliding latch release mechanism further includes a slideable portion which is housed within and connected to the fixed outer portion and moves within a preset track created by a slot in the fixed outer portion. 
     In certain embodiments, the sliding latch release has a geometry on its inner surface so that it directly contacts the latch of an industry standard cable connector. By way of non-limiting example, such industry standard connectors may include a Mini Serial Attached SCSI High Density (SAS HD) or Serial AT Attachment (SATA) latch connector. 
     In particular embodiments, the slideable portion of the sliding latch release includes channels on the inner portion that allow it to fit and slide along the overmold of industry standard cable connectors. 
     In particular embodiments, the slideable portion of the sliding latch release has an outer geometry that is symmetrical around a center point and can therefore be accessed from any side or angle. 
     In particular embodiments, the sliding latch release can include a spring element that returns the slideable portion to its original position after it is used to disengage the latch of a latched cable connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of an information handling system; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective views of an installation in a rack chassis of PCI cards in different orientations; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the disassembled parts of a sliding latch release; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are perspective views of an embodiment of a sliding latch release attached to a PCI card cable, showing a cable in a latched and unlatched position; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a sliding latch release attached to a latched cable connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments. 
     For the purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include an instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize various forms of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a consumer electronic device, a network storage device, or another suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include memory, one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic. Additional components or the information handling system may include one or more storage devices, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communication between the various hardware components. 
     For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may include an instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data and instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable media may include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct access storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequential access storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM, DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory (SSD); as well as communications media such wires, optical fibers, microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic or optical carriers; or any combination of the foregoing. 
     Particular embodiments of an information handling system and the disclosed subject matter are best understood by reference to  FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, 4B, and 5  wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts. 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram depicting selected elements of an embodiment of information handling system  100 . In various embodiments, information handling system  100  may represent different types of portable devices. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , components of information handling system  100  may include, but are not limited to, processor subsystem  120 , which may comprise one or more processors, and system bus  121  that communicatively couples various system components to processor subsystem  120  including, for example, a memory subsystem  130 , an I/O subsystem  140 , local storage resource  150 , and a network interface  160 . System bus  121  may represent a variety of suitable types of bus structures, e.g., a memory bus, a peripheral bus, or a local bus using various bus architectures in selected embodiments. For example, such architectures may include, but are not limited to, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, PCI-Express bus, HyperTransport (HT) bus, and Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , perspective views of selected elements of an embodiment of a rack chassis  200  are presented. As noted previously, the rack chassis used in rack domains generally include connection points for PCI cards  201  and  202 , which are used to connect peripheral devices such as modems, sound cards, or other hardware devices to the information handling system. By way of non-limiting example, a rack chassis may include risers  203   a  and  203   b  that each serve as a connection point for a PCI card. Depending on the location of a riser  203 , a connected PCI card may be oriented so that it is to the left or to the right of a riser  203 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , PCI card  201  is located in an orientation to the left of the riser  203   a . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2B , the PCI card  202  is located in an orientation to the right of the riser  203   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , in order to connect a PCI card to a peripheral device, a cable  204  from the peripheral device is typically connected to the PCI card  201 / 202 . The cables have a latch cable connector  208  that plugs into cable input point  207  of the PCI card  201 / 202 . The connector  208  generally includes a latch  205  that secures the latch cable connector  208  in the cable input point  207 . The latch  205  can be unlatched by pressing down and disengaging the latch  205  in order to remove the cable  204  from the PCI card. The latch  205  is located on one side of the latch cable connector  208  and the orientation of the latch  205  depends on the orientation of the cable input point  207  of the PCI card into which the latch cable connector  208  is connected. The accessibility of the latch  205  depends on the orientation of the PCI card. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the latch  205  on the latch cable connector  208  is oriented towards the top of the PCI cards  201 / 202 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , because PCI card  201  is oriented to the right of a riser  203 , it is oriented “upside down” and the latch  205  is located under the latch cable connector  208  against the chassis components and is not visible. In this orientation, there is relatively little access for a user&#39;s finger to reach and unlatch the cable from the cable input point  207 . On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 2B , because PCI card  202  is oriented to the right of a riser, the latch  205  of the latch cable connector  208  can be easily accessed by the fingers of a user in order to release the cable. Although PCI cards and particular connectors are illustrated, this problem extends to cards of other architectures and to other types of connectors. 
     As will be described in further detail, the present disclosure includes a sliding latch release device that can be connected to a latch cable connector that provides improved ability to release a latch where the orientation of the cable creates limited access to the release latch. 
     Particular embodiments of the sliding latch release are best understood by reference to  FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, and 5 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of selected elements of an embodiment of a disassembled sliding latch release  300  is presented. The sliding latch release  300  is coupled to a latch cable connector  304  of a cable  305  that plugs into a cable input point  306  of a card  307 , such as a PCI card as illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . As shown, sliding latch release  300  consists of a fixed portion  301  which may consist of two pieces, an upper piece  301   a  and a lower piece  301   b . The upper  301   a  and lower  301   b  pieces may be coupled together by connecting the tabs  308  of the lower piece  301   b  with the corresponding holes  309  of the upper piece  301   a . Once coupled together, the upper  301   a  and lower  301   b  pieces of the fixed portion  301  create a snug interference fit with the latch cable connector  304  to keep the fixed portion  301  in place. The sliding latch release  300  further consists of a slideable portion  302  which is housed within the fixed portion  301 , and moves within in a limited range of motion as defined by tracks  303   a  and  303   b  in the fixed portion  301 . As shown, the slideable portion  302  includes a small nub  311  on top which fits within the track  303   a  created by the fixed portion  301 , and a small nub  312  on either side of the slideable portion  302  which fits within track  303   b  and thus the movement of the slideable portion  302  is confined to the parameters of tracks  303   a  and  303   b . This restricted movement prevents the slideable portion  302  from moving further down the latch cable connector  304 . 
     As shown, the slideable portion  302  has an inner surface  314  with a geometry that engages with a latch  310  of a latch cable connector  304 . By way of non-limiting example, the latch cable connector can be an industry standard cable connector, including a Mini SAS HD connector. However, the sliding latch release  300  may be designed to fit around any cable connector having a latch release mechanism. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a perspective view of selected elements of an assembled embodiment of sliding latch release  300 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , the slideable portion  302  of the sliding latch release  300  is positioned so that the cable latch  310  is in the latched position. As shown in  FIG. 4B , when the slideable portion  302  of the sliding latch release  300  is moved along tracks  303  within the fixed portion  301 , the inner surface  314  of the slideable portion  302  contacts and disengages the latch  310  and disengages the latch cable connector  304  from the cable input point  306 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a cross sectional view of selected elements of an embodiment of a sliding latch release  300  is presented. As shown, the slideable portion  302  of the sliding latch release  300  has outer engagement points including a nub  311  on the top of the slideable portion  302 , and another nub  313  on the bottom of the slideable portion  302  so that the slideable portion  302  can be accessed regardless of orientation. 
     In certain embodiments, as indicated in  FIG. 5 , a spring mechanism  316  may be housed in the interface  315  between the slideable portion  302  and the fixed portion  301  within the sliding latch release  300 . When the slideable portion  302  of the sliding latch release  300  is slid within the track from its default position, as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , where the latch  310  is engaged, to the position in  FIG. 4B , where the latch  310  is disengaged, the spring mechanism  316  housed at interface  315  is compressed into a loaded position. When the latch  310  has been disengaged by the slideable portion  302 , and a user releases the slideable portion, the force of the spring mechanism  316  automatically returns the slideable portion  302  to its default position. 
     While  FIGS. 3 through 5  illustrate an embodiment where there is only one latch cable connector connected to a PCI card, another embodiment of the invention includes a similar sliding latch release mechanism that fits around a bank of several latch cable connectors. In that case, there would be a single fixed portion that fits around the bank of connectors and a single slideable portion that engages with the cable latch release of each connector in the bank of connectors. 
     The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.