IP Library Granted Patent US 8,992,263
Granted Patent B2
US 8,992,263 · App. 13/564,040 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Serial bus receptacle with exterior socket clamping

Inventors: Matthew R. Fallon (Austin, TX); Dennis Vance Toth (Austin, TX); Christopher A. Rake (Austin, TX)
Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
H01R23/7073H01R13/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,992,263
App. No.
13/564,040
Granted
Mar 31, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

System and method for communicatively coupling a serial communication plug to a serial communication bus. The system may include a housing. The housing may include a receptacle that is configured to communicatively couple to a bus. The receptacle may include one or more internal retention springs situated inside the receptacle. The one or more internal retention springs may be configured to grip a male plug with a retention force, when the male plug is inserted into the receptacle. The housing may include or may be coupled to a clamp where the clamp is external to the receptacle. When the male plug is inserted into the receptacle, the clamp may be adjustable via a clamp adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thus augmenting the retention force and further securing the male plug in the receptacle.

Claims (83)

1. A system, comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing is configured to couple to a serial communication bus;

a serial bus receptacle comprised in the housing, wherein the serial bus receptacle is configured to communicatively couple to the serial communication bus and comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the serial bus receptacle, and configured to grip a male serial bus plug with a retention force when the male serial bus plug is inserted into the serial bus receptacle;

a clamp, comprised in or coupled to the housing, wherein the clamp is external to the serial bus receptacle; and

a clamping adjustment mechanism configured to couple to the clamp, wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises:

one or more threaded fasteners; and

one or more threaded nuts; and

wherein the clamp is configured to close in response to the one or more threaded fasteners being threaded into the one or more threaded nuts;

wherein, when the male serial bus plug is inserted into the serial bus receptacle, the clamp is adjustable via the clamping adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the male serial bus plug in the serial bus receptacle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the serial communication receptacle is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) receptacle, the serial bus plug is a USB plug, and the serial communication bus is USB.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a serial communication cable, wherein the housing is comprised on a first end of the serial communication cable, and wherein the serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the serial communication cable comprises a USB cable, and wherein the serial bus receptacle comprises a USB receptacle.

5. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:

another male serial bus plug, comprised on a second end of the serial communication cable.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the other male serial bus plug comprises a USB plug.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the housing is a first housing, wherein the serial bus receptacle is a first serial bus receptacle, wherein the clamp is a first clamp, and wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism is a first clamping adjustment mechanism, wherein the system further comprises:

a second housing, comprised on a second end of the serial communication cable;

a second serial bus receptacle comprised in the second housing and communicatively coupled to the serial communication cable, wherein the second serial bus receptacle comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the second serial bus receptacle, and configured to grip a second male serial bus plug with a retention force when the second male serial bus plug is inserted into the second serial bus receptacle; and

a second clamp, comprised in or coupled to the second housing, wherein the second clamp is external to the second serial bus receptacle;

wherein, when the second male serial bus plug is inserted into the second serial bus receptacle, the second clamp is adjustable to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the second male serial bus plug in the second serial bus receptacle.

8. The system of claim 7 ,

wherein the serial communication cable comprises a USB cable, and wherein the serial bus receptacles comprise USB receptacles.

9. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises:

one or more threaded fasteners; and

a corresponding one or more threaded inserts, comprised in or coupled to the housing; and

wherein the clamp is configured to close in response to the one or more threaded fasteners being threaded into the corresponding one or more threaded inserts.

10. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the clamp has a deploy position in which the clamp is closed, thereby further securing the male serial bus plug in the serial bus receptacle, and a service position in which the clamp is opened, thereby allowing the removal of the male serial bus plug from the serial bus receptacle.

11. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the housing is comprised in or coupled to a panel;

wherein the serial communication receptacle protrudes through or is accessible from a front side of the panel; and

wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism protrudes through or is accessible from the front side of the panel.

12. A method, comprising:

inserting a male serial bus plug into a serial bus receptacle, wherein the serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to a serial communication bus;

wherein the serial bus receptacle comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the serial bus receptacle, and configured to grip the male serial bus plug with a retention force in response to said inserting, wherein the serial bus receptacle is comprised in a housing, wherein the housing comprises or is coupled to a clamp, wherein the clamp is external to the serial bus receptacle; and

adjusting the clamp via a clamping adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the male serial bus plug in the serial bus receptacle, wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises:

one or more threaded fasteners; and

a corresponding one or more threaded inserts, comprised in or coupled to the housing;

wherein said adjusting the clamp via the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises threading the one or more threaded fasteners into the corresponding one or more threaded inserts.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the serial communication receptacle is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) receptacle, the serial bus plug is a USB plug, and the serial communication bus is USB.

14. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the male serial bus plug is communicatively coupled to a serial communication device, and wherein said inserting the male serial bus plug into the serial bus receptacle connects the serial communication device to the serial communication bus.

15. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the serial bus receptacle comprises a USB receptacle, wherein the male serial bus plug comprises a USB plug, and wherein the serial communication device is a USB device.

16. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the housing is coupled to a first end of the serial communication cable;

wherein the serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable;

wherein the male serial bus plug is communicatively coupled to a serial communication device; and

wherein said inserting the male serial bus plug into the serial bus receptacle connects the serial communication device to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable.

17. The method claim 16 ,

wherein the serial communication cable comprises a USB cable, wherein the serial bus receptacle comprises a USB receptacle, wherein the other serial communication bus comprises a universal serial bus, wherein the male serial bus plug is a USB plug, and wherein the serial communication device is a USB device.

18. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises:

one or more threaded fasteners; and

a corresponding one or more threaded inserts, comprised in or coupled to the housing;

wherein said adjusting the clamping adjustment mechanism comprises threading the one or more threaded fasteners into the corresponding one or more threaded inserts.

19. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the housing is comprised in or coupled to a panel;

wherein the serial communication receptacle protrudes through or is accessible from a front side of the panel;

wherein the clamping adjustment mechanism protrudes through or is accessible from the front side of the panel; and

wherein said adjusting the clamping adjustment mechanism occurs on the front side of the panel.

20. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein the clamp is adjustable to a deploy position in which the clamp is closed, thereby further securing the male serial bus plug in the serial bus receptacle, and wherein the clamp is adjustable to a service position in which the clamp is open, thereby allowing the removal of the male serial bus plug from the serial bus receptacle.

21. A system, comprising:

a first housing, wherein the first housing is configured to couple to a serial communication bus;

a first serial bus receptacle comprised in the first housing, wherein the first serial bus receptacle is configured to communicatively couple to the serial communication bus and comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the first serial bus receptacle, and configured to grip a first male serial bus plug with a retention force when the first male serial bus plug is inserted into the first serial bus receptacle;

a serial communication cable, wherein the first housing is comprised on a first end of the serial communication cable, and wherein the first serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable;

a first clamp, comprised in or coupled to the first housing, wherein the first clamp is external to the first serial bus receptacle;

a first clamping adjustment mechanism configured to couple to the first clamp;

wherein, when the first male serial bus plug is inserted into the first serial bus receptacle, the first clamp is adjustable via the first clamping adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the first male serial bus plug in the first serial bus receptacle;

a second housing, comprised on a second end of the serial communication cable;

a second serial bus receptacle comprised in the second housing and communicatively coupled to the serial communication cable, wherein the second serial bus receptacle comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the second serial bus receptacle, and configured to grip a second male serial bus plug with a retention force when the second male serial bus plug is inserted into the second serial bus receptacle; and

a second clamp, comprised in or coupled to the second housing, wherein the second clamp is external to the second serial bus receptacle;

wherein, when the second male serial bus plug is inserted into the second serial bus receptacle, the second clamp is adjustable to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the second male serial bus plug in the second serial bus receptacle.

22. A method, comprising:

inserting a first male serial bus plug into a first serial bus receptacle, wherein the first serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to a serial communication bus;

wherein the first serial bus receptacle comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the first serial bus receptacle and configured to grip the first male serial bus plug with a retention force in response to said inserting, wherein the first serial bus receptacle is comprised in a first housing, wherein the first housing comprises or is coupled to a first clamp, wherein the first clamp is external to the first serial bus receptacle, wherein the first housing is comprised on a first end of a serial communication cable, and wherein the first serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable;

inserting a second male serial bus plug into a second serial bus receptacle, wherein the second serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus;

wherein the second serial bus receptacle comprises one or more internal retention springs situated inside the second serial bus receptacle and configured to grip the second male serial bus plug with a retention force in response to said inserting, wherein the second serial bus receptacle is comprised in a second housing, wherein the second housing comprises or is coupled to a second clamp, wherein the second clamp is external to the second serial bus receptacle, wherein the second housing is comprised on a second end of a serial communication cable, and wherein the second serial bus receptacle is communicatively coupled to the serial communication bus via the serial communication cable;

adjusting the first clamp via a first clamping adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the first male serial bus plug in the first serial bus receptacle; and

adjusting the second clamp via a second clamping adjustment mechanism to constrain the one or more internal retention springs, thereby augmenting the retention force of the one or more internal retention springs, and thereby further securing the second male serial bus plug in the second serial bus receptacle.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 057280/0028) Recorded Oct 13, 2023
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065231/0466 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 052935/0001) Recorded Oct 13, 2023
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; PHASE MATRIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 065653/0463 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2021
From: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 057280/0028 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2020
From: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION; PHASE MATRIX, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 052935/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2012
From: FALLON, MATTHEW R.; TOTH, DENNIS VANCE; RAKE, CHRISTOPHER A.
To: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028697/0312 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140038449A1 · Feb 6, 2014