IP Library Granted Patent US 10,079,449
Granted Patent B1
US 10,079,449 · App. 15/491,474 · Granted Sep 18, 2018

Multiple connector system

Inventors: Tung Yu Chien (New Taipei, TW); Chih-Wei Chen (Taipei, TW)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H01R13/6275H01R12/716H01R13/6278H01R13/631H01R13/633H01R25/003H01R43/26H01R33/7671
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,079,449
App. No.
15/491,474
Granted
Sep 18, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

A multiple connector assembly includes a connector housing. A first connector and a second connector, adjacent the first connector, extend from a first surface of the connector housing. A securing member is coupled to the connector housing and is configured to engage a connector coupling member to secure the first connector in a first connector receptacle and the second connector in a second connector receptacle. A connector release actuator that is located on a second surface of the connector housing that is opposite the first surface of the connector housing. The connector release actuator is configured to actuate the securing member to cause the securing member to disengage with the connector coupling member such that the first connector is no longer secured in the first connector receptacle and the second connector is no longer secured in the second connector receptacle.

Claims (50)

1. A multiple connector assembly, comprising:

a connector housing;

a first connector that extends from a first surface of the connector housing;

a second connector that extends from the first surface of the connector housing adjacent the first connector;

at least one securing member that is coupled to the connector housing and that is configured to engage at least one connector coupling member to secure the first connector in a first connector receptacle and the second connector in a second connector receptacle; and

a connector release actuator that is located on a second surface of the connector housing that is opposite the first surface of the connector housing, wherein the connector release actuator is configured to actuate the at least one securing member to cause the at least one securing member to disengage with the at least one connector coupling member such that the first connector is no longer secured in the first connector receptacle and the second connector is no longer secured in the second connector receptacle.

2. The multiple connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one securing member is coupled to a biasing member that biases the at least one securing member into a securing orientation.

3. The multiple connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the connector release actuator is configured to overcome the biasing member to move the at least one securing member into a releasing orientation in response to either of a first force provided on the connector release actuator in a first direction, and a second force provided on the connector release actuator in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The multiple connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cable that extends from the connector housing and that is coupled to the first connector and the second connector.

5. The multiple connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are Nano-Pitch Input/Output (NPIO) connectors.

6. The multiple connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one securing member includes a first securing member that is located adjacent the first connector, and a second securing member that is located adjacent the second connector.

7. The multiple connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are oriented on the connector housing in an in-line connector orientation that includes a common longitudinal connector axis.

8. An information handing system (IHS), comprising:

a chassis;

a board coupled to the chassis;

at least one board component coupled to the board;

a first connector receptacle coupled to the at least one board component;

a second connector receptacle coupled to the at least one board component, wherein the first connector receptacle and the second connector receptacle include at least one connector coupling member; and

a multiple connector assembly, wherein the multiple connector assembly comprises:

a connector housing;

a first connector that extends from a first surface of the connector housing;

a second connector that extends from the first surface of the connector housing and adjacent the first connector;

at least one securing member that is coupled to the connector housing and that is configured to engage the at least one connector coupling member to secure the first connector in the first connector receptacle and the second connector in the second connector receptacle; and

a connector release actuator that is located on a second surface of the connector housing that is opposite the first surface of the connector housing, wherein the connector release actuator is configured to actuate the at least one securing member to cause the at least one securing member to disengage with the at least one connector coupling member such that the first connector is no longer secured in the first connector receptacle and the second connector is no longer secured in the second connector receptacle.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the first connector receptacle and the second connector receptacle are oriented on the board in an in-line connector orientation that includes a common longitudinal connector axis.

10. The IHS of claim 9 , further comprising:

a third connector receptacle coupled to the at least one board component and that includes a third connector coupling member, wherein the third connector receptacle is parallel with the first connector receptacle and the second connector receptacle.

11. The IHS of claim 10 , wherein the third connector receptacle is spaced apart from the first connector receptacle and the second connector receptacle at a width of less than 1 cm.

12. The IHS of claim 10 , further comprising:

a first cable; and

a third connector that is located on the first cable and that is secured in the third connector receptacle, wherein the third connector when secured in the third connector receptacle blocks access to a third surface of the connector housing of the multiple connector assembly that extends between the first surface and the second surface.

13. The IHS of claim 12 , further comprising:

a fourth connector receptacle coupled to the at least one board component and that includes a fourth connector coupling member, wherein the fourth connector receptacle is parallel with the first connector receptacle and the second connector receptacle and in-oriented on the board in an in-line connector receptacle orientation that includes a common longitudinal connector axis with the third connector receptacle;

a second cable; and

a fourth connector that is located on the second cable and that is secured in the fourth connector receptacle, wherein the fourth connector when secured in the fourth connector receptacle blocks access to the third surface of the connector housing of the multiple connector assembly.

14. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the multiple connector assembly further comprises:

a cable that extends from the connector housing and that is coupled to the first connector and the second connector.

15. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the at least one securing member is coupled to a biasing member that biases the at least one securing member into a securing orientation.

16. The IHS of claim 15 , wherein the connector release actuator is configured to overcome the biasing member to move the at least one securing member into a releasing orientation in response to either of a first force provided on the connector release actuator in a first direction, and a second force provided on the connector release actuator in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

17. A method of securing a multiple connector assembly, comprising:

securing a first connector that extends from a first surface of a connector housing in a first connector receptacle; and

securing a second connector that extends from the first surface of the connector housing adjacent the first connector in a second connector receptacle, wherein the securing the first connector in the first connector receptacle and the securing the second connector in the second connector receptacle includes:

engaging at least one securing member that is coupled to the connector housing with at least one connector coupling member to secure the first connector in the first connector receptacle and the second connector in the second connector receptacle, wherein the first connector is no longer secured with the first connector receptacle and the second connector is no longer secured with the second connector receptacle when a connector release actuator that is located on a second surface of the connector housing that is opposite the first surface of the connector housing actuates the at least one securing member to cause the at least one securing member to disengage with the at least one connector coupling member.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

actuating the connector release actuator; and

removing the first connector from the first connector receptacle and removing the second connector from the second connector receptacle when the first connector is no longer secured with the first connector receptacle and the second connector is no longer secured with the second connector receptacle.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the engaging the at least one securing member that is coupled to the connector housing with at least one connector coupling member to secure the first connector in the first connector receptacle and the second connector in the second connector receptacle includes biasing a biasing member that biases the at least one securing member into a securing orientation.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

moving the biasing member to move the at least one securing member into a releasing orientation in response to at least one of a first force provided on the connector release actuator in a first direction and a second force provided on the connector release actuator in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (042769/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 059803/0802 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 042768 FRAME 0585 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; MOZY, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058297/0536 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY INTEREST (CREDIT) Recorded Jun 12, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; MOZY, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 042768/0585 →
PATENT SECURITY INTEREST (NOTES) Recorded Jun 12, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; MOZY, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 042769/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 19, 2017
From: CHIEN, TUNG YU; CHEN, CHIH-WEI
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 042064/0805 →