Patent Abstract:
A cable clamping apparatus for clamping cables, the cable clamping apparatus includes a base, a sliding member forming a plurality of dentations, and a blocking board forming a plurality of dentations corresponding to spares between the dentations of the sliding member; wherein the blocking board is mounted on the base, the sliding member slides on the base to press against the blocking board, and the dentations of the sliding member cooperate with the dentations of the blocking board to clamp the cables.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a cable clamping apparatus, more particularly to a cable clamping apparatus for use in computer testing and assembly. 
   DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
   An important feature of a computer&#39;s performance is the quality of signals transmitted through its cables. Therefore, it is very important to test the cables and ensure their quality. 
   A conventional method for testing the flexibility of cables is to use a cable bend-test device. However, it is expensive to use a cable bend-test device. 
   Generally there is a twisting-test apparatus to test the hinges on a notebook computer, which includes a test platform and a rocker. During the testing a main body of the notebook computer is fixed on the test platform, a top cover of the notebook computer is fixed on the rocker by a mounting device, the twisting-test apparatus manipulates the top cover to test the hinges which connect the top cover and the main body. However, the twisting-test apparatus is not configured for testing cables. 
   The principium of the twisting-test apparatus can, however, be used to test the flexibility of cables. 
   What is needed is a cable clamping apparatus that can cooperate with associated devices, such as a twisting-test device, used in the testing and assembly of computers to test cables. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An exemplary cable clamping apparatus for clamping cables, the cable clamping apparatus includes a base, a sliding member forming a plurality of dentations, and a blocking board forming a plurality of dentations corresponding to spaces between the dentations of the sliding member; wherein the blocking board is mounted on the base, the sliding member slides on the base to press against the blocking board, and the dentations of the sliding member cooperate with the dentations of the blocking board to clamp the cables. The cable clamping apparatus further comprises a mounting member and a screw, wherein the mounting member is mounted on the base, the sliding member is mounted between the blocking board and the mounting member, a screw hole is defined in the mounting member, a hole is defined in the sliding member corresponding to the screw hole, the screw is passed through the screw hole in the mounting member, and received in the hole. 
   Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a cable clamping apparatus in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a sliding member of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a blocking board of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled view of a cable clamping apparatus in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Refers to  FIG. 1 , a cable clamping apparatus in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a base  10 , a mounting member  20 , a screw  30 , a sliding member  40 , and a blocking board  50 . 
   A pair of elongated through holes  11  is defined at opposite ends in the base  10  consecutively. A first depressed portion  12  is formed on one side of the base  10  and a second depressed portion  14  is formed on the other side of the base  10  for the mounting member  20  and the blocking board  50  to be mounted thereon. The first depressed portion  12  defines two locating holes  13  and the second depressed portion  14  defines two locating holes  15 . The base  10  defines a receiving space  16  at a center thereof, for receiving the sliding member  40  and the blocking board  50 . A pair of elongated guiding grooves  17  is defined on an underside of the base  10  along opposite sides of the receiving space  16  consecutively and oriented in a same direction of the through holes  11 . 
   The mounting member  20  includes a base-plate  21 , and a protrusion  22  extending up from the base-plate  21 . A through hole  23  is defined in each end of the base-plate  21 , corresponding to the locating holes  13  of the first depressed portion  12 . A screw hole  24  is defined in a center portion of the protrusion  22  with an axis perpendicular to the axes of the through holes  23 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the sliding member  40  has a generally rectangular-shaped configuration. The sliding member  40  includes a main body  41 , and a pair of guiding flanges  42  extending from opposite ends of a bottom of the main body  41 . A hole  43  (see  FIG. 1 ) is defined in a center of a face of the main body  41  corresponding to the screw hole  24  of the protrusion  22 . The hole  43  does not pass all the way through the main body  41 . A plurality of dentations  44  is formed on an opposite face of the main body  41 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the blocking board  50  includes a supporting member  51  and a bent portion  52  bent perpendicularly from an edge of the supporting member  51 . A plurality of dentations  53  is formed on the bent portion  52  corresponding to spaces between the dentations  44  of the main body  41 . Two screw holes  54  are defined in the supporting member  51  corresponding to the locating holes  15  in the second depressed portion  14 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the mounting member  20  is mounted on the base  10 , by known means such as two screws  25  received through the through holes  23  of the base-plate  21  of the mounting member  20 , into the locating holes  13  of the first depressed portion  12 . The blocking board  50  is mounted on the base  10  by known means such as two screws  35  extending through the screw holes  54  in the supporting member  51  of the blocking board  50 , into the locating holes  15  in the second depressed portion  14 . The bent portion  52  of the blocking board  50  extends into the receiving space  16  and out of a bottom of the base  10 . The sliding member  40  is inserted through the receiving space  16  from the bottom of the base  10  oriented such that the two guiding flanges  42  of the sliding member  40  are received in the guiding grooves  17  of the base  10 . The main body  41  extends out of a top of the base  10 . The screw  30  is passed through the screw hole  24  in the protrusion  22  of the mounting member  20 , and received in the hole  43  on the main body  41  of the sliding member  40 . Thus the sliding member  40  can be urged along a direction to abut the blocking board  50 , tapping cables therebetween, or urged along an opposite direction thereby increasing a distance between the sliding member  40  and the blocking board  50 , guided by the screw  30  and the guiding grooves  17 , the action being accomplished by rotation of the screw  30 . 
   The cable clamping apparatus can be advantageously used to replace a cable bend-twist device. The cable clamping apparatus cooperates with the twisting-test device in the following way: first, the cable clamping apparatus is mounted on a test platform of the twisting-test device by means of fasteners such as screws  100  passed through the through holes  11  be received by the test platform. Then a cable  200  is clamped by the cable clamping apparatus and an end of the cable  200  is tied to a rocker of the twisting-test device. Finally, parameters are set such that the twisting-test device bends the clamped cable in a desired manner testing the flexibility of the cable. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cable clamping apparatus in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The cable clamping apparatus has a similar configuration to the first embodiment. A plurality of notches  62  is formed in the bent portion  52  of the blocking board  50 , corresponding to the dentations  44  on the main body  41  of the sliding member  40 . The dentations  44  of the main body  41  cooperatively engage with the notches  62  on the bent portion  52  to form at least an occluding member to clamp a cable  200  in order to prevent the cable  200  from gliding up and down. 
   It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5