System and method for long cable management and plug protection system
AssigneeDell Products L.P.
InventorHin Loong Wong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims20
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.