Patent Publication Number: US-7223109-B1

Title: Replacement RJ45 latch

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates in general to the field of computers and hardware used in computer networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a replacement latch for a male RJ45 connection plug. 
   While early computers were often stand-alone machines, modern computers are usually connected to some type of network in order to share resources. Examples of such networks include the Internet, Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs). In order to tap into a network such as a LAN, a client computer must be coupled to the LAN either wirelessly (e.g., via an 802.11x router) or through hard wiring. A popular hard wiring system utilizes connectors known as RJ45 connectors. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1   a , a LAN  100  is depicted. A client computer  102  has a cable  104  that terminates at a male RJ45 plug  106 . The male RJ45 plug  106  couples with a female RJ45 receptacle  108 , which is coupled to a LAN  110  via cabling  112 . Details of how male RJ45 plug  106  and female RJ45 receptacle  108  mate are shown in  FIG. 1   b . As depicted, male RJ45 plug  106  includes an RJ45 molded flexible latch  114 , which has an RJ45 retention protrusion  116 . This RJ45 retention protrusion  116  engages against a female RJ45 retention lip  118 , thus securely pressing pins  120  in the male RJ45 plug  104  against corresponding contacts  122  in the female RJ45 receptacle  108 . This system works well except when the RJ45 molded flexible latch  114  breaks, which often happens when the RJ45 molded flexible latch  114  is accidentally caught against wiring and other fixed objects. To replace the male RJ45 plug  106  is extremely difficult, due to the very fine gauge of wires leading from cable  104  to pins  120 . Due to the difficulty in repairing a cable  104  with a broken RJ45 molded flexible latch  114 , the entire cable  104  is usually thrown away and replaced with a new cable, which is expensive. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To address the above-described problem, the present invention provides a replacement latch for a male RJ45 plug. In one embodiment, the replacement latch comprises a housing; and a latch within the housing, wherein the latch includes: a substantially U-shaped component having a middle section that joins a first arm of the U-shaped component to a second arm of the U-shaped component, wherein the first arm terminates at a first arm end that has a shape that is geometrically similar to a standard RJ45 retention protrusion, and wherein the middle section is rotatable about a pivot point that is inside the housing, and a horizontal activator having a depressor that is in sliding contact with the second arm, wherein a horizontal movement, in a first direction, of the horizontal activator causes the depressor to push against an inclined surface of the second arm, such that the middle section rotates about the pivot point to cause the first arm end to engage against a retention lip in a female RJ45 receptacle. The replacement latch may further include latching grooves on both an actuator channel surface in the housing and an activator surface on the horizontal activator, wherein the latching grooves provide frictional retention against the horizontal activator to keep the first arm end engaged against the retention lip in the female RJ45 receptacle. In one embodiment, the horizontal activator has a handle end that is always outside the housing, and wherein the horizontal activator has a depressor end that is always inside the housing, and wherein a horizontal movement, in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, of the horizontal activator causes the horizontal activator to push against the middle section of the U-shaped component, thus resulting in the first arm end disengaging away from the retention lip of the female RJ45 receptacle. 
   The replacement latch can be securely clipped to an existing male RJ45 plug, preferably by snapping together a top and bottom component of the housing around the existing male RJ45 plug. The male RJ45 plug is now able, once again, to securely mate with a female RJ45 receptacle. 
   In one embodiment, the replacement latch is used to repair an RJ45 cable, which is used to connect a computer with a Local Area Network (LAN). 
   The above, as well as additional purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where: 
       FIG. 1   a  depicts an exemplary Local Area Network (LAN) that uses RJ45 connectors; 
       FIG. 1   b  illustrates a prior art male RJ45 plug with a molded flexible latch; and 
       FIGS. 2   a–c  depict an inventive replacement latch for the male RJ45 plug shown in  FIGS. 1   a–b.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to  FIG. 2   a , there is depicted a block diagram of a replacement latch  200  as contemplated for use with a cable having a male RJ45 plug  106  whose original molded flexible latch  114  has been broken off. As depicted, replacement latch  200  is preferably secured to the old male RJ45 plug  106  by clipping a clip latch  208 , which is part of the replacement latch  200 , to an existing cable clamp indentation  210  in male RJ45 plug  106 . The clip latch  208  holds a housing  202  securely against the old male RJ45 plug  106 . Movably secured within the housing  202  is a substantially U-shaped (or “banana shaped”) component  204  and a horizontal activator  206 . As described in further detail below, when horizontal activator  206  is manually pushed to the left (as depicted in exemplary  FIG. 2   c ), the U-shaped component  204  rotates in a counter-clockwise motion. When horizontal activator  206  is manually pushed to the right, then the U-shaped component  204  rotates in a clockwise motion. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   b , additional detail for replacement latch  200  is presented. First, note that housing  202  is made up of two components: a cover  224  and a base  226 , which snap together when cover latches  228  mate with recesses  246 . When the cover  224  and base  226  are snapped together, they form an activator channel  230  between a linear actuator top rail  244  and a linear actuator bottom rail  236  (which is an interior surface of housing  202 ), thus providing a passageway for the linear movement of horizontal activator  206 . 
   Within the completed (cover  224  is snapped to base  226 ) housing  202  is a pivot point  222 , about which the middle section  212  of the U-shaped component  204  rotates. Pivot point  222  rests on a cradle base  232 , which is fixed to the interior of housing  202 . U-shaped component  204  has a first arm  214  and a second arm  216  that are connected to middle section  212 . First arm  214  has a first arm end  218 , which has a shape that is geometrically and functionally similar to the broken male RJ45 retention protrusion  116  shown in  FIG. 1   b , such that first arm end  218  is able to mate against a female RJ45 retention lip  118  in a like manner. In one embodiment, second arm  216  and a depressor end  238  (which has a depressor  220 ) of horizontal activator  206  are always within the completed housing  202  during operation (sliding operation of horizontal activator  206  described below) of replacement latch  200 . An advantage for always having depressor end  238  (with depressor  220 ) and second arm  216  inside housing  202  is that only the horizontal linear movement of horizontal activator  206  can cause U-shaped component  204  to rotate, thus ensuring the fixed positioning of first arm end  218  against female RJ45 retention lip  118  (as shown in  FIG. 2   c ). This is particularly true since linear latching grooves  234  on both an actuator surface  248  and a channel surface  236  hold a position of the horizontal activator  206 , which can only overcome the frictional retention of the linear latching grooves  234  with firm manual pressure applied to a handle  242  on the handle end  240 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2   c , functionality of replacement latch  200  is presented. By pushing horizontal activator  206  to the right, U-shaped component  204  rotates clockwise due to depressor  220  pressing against an inclined surface  246  of second arm  216 . Note that pivot point  222  and inclined surface  246  must be adjusted such that pulling the depressor  220  to the right will cause this clockwise movement of U-shaped component  204 . By thus rotating the U-shaped component  204  in a clockwise manner, first arm end  218  engages against the retention lip  118  of a female RJ45 receptacle in which a male RJ45 plug (to which the replacement latch  200  is attached) is inserted. Thus, the male RJ45 plug is securely mated within the female RJ45 receptacle. To remove the male RJ45 plug from the female RJ45 receptacle, the horizontal activator  206  is pushed to the left, thus causing the depressor end  238  to push against middle end  212  of the U-shaped component  204 . This causes the U-shaped component  204  to rotate in a counter-clockwise manner about the pivot point  222 , causing the first arm end  218  to disengage away from the retention lip  118 . 
   While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while terms such as “horizontal” and “clockwise” are used to describe relative movement of components, such terms should not be considered to be limiting of the breadth and scope of the present invention. In addition, while the present invention has been discussed in the context of replacing a latch on an RJ45 connector, it is equally useful with an RJ11 male connector. Thus, the term “RJxx” is defined to include both RJ45 and RJ11 connectors. Furthermore, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the term “computer” or “system” or “computer system” or “computing device” includes any data processing system including, but not limited to, personal computers, servers, workstations, network computers, main frame computers, routers, switches, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA&#39;s), telephones, and any other system capable of processing, transmitting, receiving, capturing and/or storing data.