System and method for long cable management and plug protection system
A cable management system for a cable in a dock capable of physical connection with an information handling system. The cable management system is configured such that rotation of a bottom cover in a first direction engages a gear and rotates a plurality of gears to extend the cable from the dock and rotation of the bottom cover in an opposite direction disengages one or more of the gears, wherein rotation of the bottom cover retracts the cable and friction forces apply tension to the cable to prevent the cable from tangling during retraction. A plug protection system covers the plug when the cable is retracted to protect the plug and uncovers the plug to allow extension of the cable for physically connection of the plug into a port in an information handling system.
1. A cable management system for extending and retracting a cable from a dock, the cable management system comprising:
a fixed gear coupled to a top cover, the fixed gear defining a central axis;
a bottom cover coupled to the top cover and rotatable about the central axis, the bottom cover comprising:
a rocker assembly rotatably coupled to the bottom cover and offset from the central axis, the rocker assembly comprising:
a rocker drive gear engaged with the fixed gear, the rocker drive gear defining a rocker drive gear axis;
a rocker sub gear engaged with the rocker drive gear; and
a rocker arm coupled to the rocker drive gear and the rocker sub gear and rotatable about the rocker drive gear axis, wherein rotation of the bottom cover rotates the rocker drive gear and the rocker arm relative to the rocker drive gear axis;
an idler gear; and
a pair of cable gears, wherein a first cable gear of the pair of cable gears is engaged with the idler gear, wherein each cable gear is coupled to a cable gear axle in contact with the cable, wherein:
rotation of the bottom cover in an extension direction rotates the rocker arm to engage the rocker sub gear with the idler gear, wherein rotation of the pair of cable gears causes a first cable gear axle and a second cable gear axle to apply an extension force to extend the cable from the dock; and
rotation of the bottom cover in a retraction direction rotates the rocker arm to disengage the rocker sub gear from the idler gear, wherein the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle apply a tension force to the cable.
2. The cable management system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dock comprises a peripheral device;
the cable is configured for physical connection of the dock to an information handling system; and
the top cover comprises one or more of a microphone, a speaker, and a plurality of openings corresponding to a plurality of I/O ports.
3. The cable management system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cable gear axle is located on a first side of a cable opening; and
the second cable gear axle is located on a second side of the cable opening, wherein the first cable gear axle is separated from the second cable gear axle by a distance approximately equal to a cross-section dimension of the cable positioned between the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle.
4. The cable management system of claim 3 , wherein:
the top cover comprises a spiral groove;
the bottom cover comprises a radial slot; and
a slider is coupled to the spiral groove and the radial slot, wherein rotation of the bottom cover in the retraction direction causes radial translation of the slider in a first radial direction; and
rotation of the bottom cover portion in the extension direction causes radial translation of the slider in a second radial direction opposite the first radial direction.
5. The cable management system of claim 4 , wherein:
the cable has a length equal to or greater than 0.25 meters; and
the spiral groove and the radial slot are configured to allow multiple windings of the cable.
6. The cable management system of claim 4 , wherein:
the cable comprises a plug at a first end, the plug being configured for physical connection of the dock to an information handling system;
rotation of the bottom cover in the retraction direction causes the slider to contact one or more of a first end of the radial slot and a first end of the spiral groove to prevent the plug from retracting inside the cable opening; and
rotation of the bottom cover in the extension direction causes the slider to contact one or more of a second end of the radial slot and a second end of the spiral groove to prevent damage to the cable.
7. The cable management system of claim 6 , wherein:
a strain relief maintains the cable at a tangential direction relative to the fixed gear;
one or more of the first end of the spiral groove and the second end of the spiral groove comprises a bump feature; and
slider interaction with the bump feature provides a tactile feedback that the slider is in contact with the first end of the spiral groove or the second end of the spiral groove.
8. The cable management system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plug on a first end of the cable, the plug being configured for physical connection of the dock to an information handling system;
an outer cover comprising:
an outer cover opening; and
a tab, wherein:
the bottom cover comprises a first limiter and a second limiter;
the outer cover is rotatable relative to the top cover and the bottom cover about the central axis;
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter rotates the bottom cover with the top cover to retract the cable into the dock;
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter and the plug is positioned in a plug recess area in the dock disengages the outer cover from the bottom cover such that further rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction positions the outer cover opening offset from the plug recess area;
rotation of the outer cover in the extension direction when the tab is not in contact with the first limiter rotates the outer cover relative to the bottom cover to position the outer cover opening aligned with the plug recess area; and
rotation of the outer cover in the extension direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter rotates the outer cover and the bottom cover to extend the cable.
9. The cable management system of claim 8 , wherein:
the tab comprises magnetic material;
the first limiter comprises ferrous material; and
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter and the plug is positioned in the plug recess area in the dock comprises overcoming a magnetic force.
10. The cable management system of claim 1 , wherein the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle comprise a sleeve.
11. A dock comprising:
a top cover comprising a fixed gear defining a central axis;
a bottom cover coupled to the top cover and rotatable about the central axis;
a cable positioned between the top cover and the bottom cover; and
a cable management system comprising:
a rocker assembly rotatably coupled to the bottom cover and offset from the central axis, the rocker assembly comprising:
a rocker drive gear engaged with the fixed gear, the rocker drive gear defining a rocker drive gear axis;
a rocker sub gear engaged with the rocker drive gear; and
a rocker arm coupled to the rocker drive gear and the rocker sub gear and rotatable about the rocker drive gear axis;
an idler gear; and
a pair of cable gears, wherein a first cable gear of the pair of cable gears is engaged with the idler gear, wherein each cable gear is coupled to a cable gear axle in contact with the cable, wherein:
rotation of the bottom cover in an extension direction rotates the rocker arm to engage the rocker sub gear with the idler gear, wherein rotation of the pair of cable gears causes a first cable gear axle and a second cable gear axle to apply an extension force to extend the cable from the dock; and
rotation of the bottom cover in a retraction direction rotates the rocker arm to disengage the rocker sub gear from the idler gear, wherein the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle apply a tension force to the cable.
12. The dock of claim 11 , wherein:
the dock comprises a peripheral device;
the cable is configured with a plug for physical connection of the dock to an information handling system; and
the top cover comprises one or more of a microphone, a speaker, and a plurality of openings corresponding to a plurality of I/O ports.
13. The dock of claim 11 , wherein:
the first cable gear axle is located on a first side of a cable opening; and
the second cable gear axle is located on a second side of the cable opening, wherein the first cable gear axle is separated from the second cable gear axle by a distance approximately equal to a cross-section dimension of the cable positioned between the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle.
14. The dock of claim 11 , wherein:
the top cover comprises a spiral groove;
the bottom cover comprises a radial slot; and
a slider is coupled to the spiral groove and the radial slot, wherein
rotation of the bottom cover in the retraction direction causes radial translation of the slider in a first radial direction; and
rotation of the bottom cover portion in the extension direction causes radial translation of the slider in a second radial direction opposite the first radial direction.
15. The dock of claim 14 , wherein:
the cable comprises a plug at a first end, the plug being configured for physical connection of the dock to an information handling system;
a strain relief maintains the cable at a tangential direction relative to the fixed gear;
rotation of the bottom cover in the retraction direction causes the slider to contact one or more of a first end of the radial slot and a first end of the spiral groove to prevent the plug from retracting inside the cable opening; and
rotation of the bottom cover in the extension direction causes the slider to contact one or more of a second end of the radial slot and a second end of the spiral groove to prevent damage to the cable.
16. The dock of claim 15 , wherein:
one or more of the first end of the spiral groove and the second end of the spiral groove comprises a bump feature; and
slider interaction with the bump feature provides a tactile feedback that the slider is in contact with the first end of the spiral groove or the second end of the spiral groove.
17. The dock of claim 15 , further comprising:
an outer cover comprising:
an outer cover opening; and
a tab, wherein:
the bottom cover comprises a first limiter and a second limiter;
the outer cover is rotatable relative to the top cover and the bottom cover about the central axis;
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter rotates the bottom cover with the top cover to retract the cable into the dock;
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter and the plug is positioned in a plug recess area in the dock disengages the outer cover from the bottom cover such that further rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction positions the outer cover opening offset from the plug recess area;
rotation of the outer cover in the extension direction when the tab is not in contact with the first limiter rotates the outer cover relative to the bottom cover to position the outer cover opening aligned with the plug recess area; and
rotation of the outer cover in the extension direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter rotates the outer cover and the bottom cover to extend the cable.
18. The dock of claim 17 , wherein:
the tab comprises magnetic material;
the first limiter comprises ferrous material; and
rotation of the outer cover in the retraction direction when the tab is in contact with the first limiter and the plug is positioned in a plug recess area into the dock comprises overcoming a magnetic force.
19. The dock of claim 17 , wherein:
the cable has a length equal to or greater than 0.25 meters; and
the spiral groove and the radial slot are configured to allow multiple windings of the cable.
20. The dock of claim 11 , wherein the first cable gear axle and the second cable gear axle comprise a sleeve.