IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,620,731
Granted Patent B2
US 12,620,731 · App. 18/240,761 · Granted May 5, 2026

Cable carrier adapter for connectivity to circuit board and connector

Inventors: Eduardo Escamilla (Round Rock, TX); Robert G. Bassman (Dalton, MA); Walter R. Carver (Round Rock, TX); William A. Smith (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H01R12/7005H01R12/75H01R12/79H01R13/627H05K7/1422
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,620,731
App. No.
18/240,761
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cable assembly may include a cable terminated with a cable termination configured to electrically couple the cable to a first circuit board and a cable carrier adapter comprising mechanical features configured to mechanically couple the cable and the cable termination in a fixed position relative to the cable carrier adapter and physical dimensions substantially similar to that of a second circuit board configured to electrically and mechanically couple to the first circuit board such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to mechanically engage with guiding features of a housing of the first circuit board for mechanically guiding the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board in order to guide the cable carrier adapter relative to the first circuit board to electrically couple the cable to the first circuit board via the cable termination.

Claims (23)

1 . A cable assembly comprising:

a cable terminated with a cable termination configured to electrically couple the cable to a first circuit board; and

a cable carrier adapter comprising:

mechanical features configured to mechanically couple the cable and the cable termination in a fixed position relative to the cable carrier adapter; and

physical dimensions substantially similar to that of a second circuit board configured to electrically and mechanically couple to the first circuit board such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to mechanically engage with guiding features of a housing of the first circuit board for mechanically guiding the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board in order to guide the cable carrier adapter relative to the first circuit board to electrically couple the cable to the first circuit board via the cable termination.

2 . The cable assembly of claim 1 , the physical dimensions such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to be mechanically retained relative to the first circuit board by a mechanical latch of the housing of the first circuit board configured to retain the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board.

3 . The cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an industry standard form factor card.

4 . The cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an Open Compute Platform network interface card.

5 . The cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second circuit board comprises a card compliant with the industry standard form factor card that provides alternative function to an intent of an industry standard associated with the industry standard form factor card.

6 . A cable carrier adapter comprising:

mechanical features configured to mechanically couple a cable and a cable termination terminating the cable in a fixed position relative to the cable carrier adapter; and

physical dimensions substantially similar to that of a second circuit board configured to electrically and mechanically couple to the first circuit board such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to mechanically engage with guiding features of a housing of the first circuit board for mechanically guiding the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board in order to guide the cable carrier adapter relative to the first circuit board to electrically couple the cable to the first circuit board via the cable termination.

7 . The cable carrier adapter of claim 6 , the physical dimensions such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to be mechanically retained relative to the first circuit board by a mechanical latch of the housing of the first circuit board configured to retain the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board.

8 . The cable carrier adapter of claim 6 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an industry standard form factor card.

9 . The cable carrier adapter of claim 8 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an Open Compute Platform network interface card.

10 . The cable carrier adapter of claim 8 , wherein the second circuit board comprises a card compliant with the industry standard form factor card that provides alternative function to an intent of an industry standard associated with the industry standard form factor card.

11 . A method comprising:

forming mechanical features in a cable carrier adapter such that the mechanical features are configured to mechanically couple a cable and a cable termination terminating the cable in a fixed position relative to the cable carrier adapter; and

forming physical dimensions of the cable carrier adapter substantially similar to that of a second circuit board configured to electrically and mechanically couple to the first circuit board such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to mechanically engage with guiding features of a housing of the first circuit board for mechanically guiding the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board in order to guide the cable carrier adapter relative to the first circuit board to electrically couple the cable to the first circuit board via the cable termination.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the physical dimensions are such that the cable carrier adapter is configured to be mechanically retained relative to the first circuit board by a mechanical latch of the housing of the first circuit board configured to retain the second circuit board relative to the first circuit board.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an industry standard form factor card.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first circuit board comprises an Open Compute Platform network interface card.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second circuit board comprises a card compliant with the industry standard form factor card that provides alternative function to an intent of an industry standard associated with the industry standard form factor card.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2023
From: ESCAMILLA, EDUARDO; BASSMAN, ROBERT G.; CARVER, WALTER R.; SMITH, WILLIAM A.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 064766/0486 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250079733A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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