Claims
- 1. A latching and locking handle, comprising:
a handle body having a release finger and a pivot leg, said release finger defining a first end and a second end; a latching arm slideably secured to said handle body; and a pivot block being connectable to a device having at least one movable component, said pivot block being connected to a first portion of said pivot leg so as to allow said handle body to rotate in said pivot block about said first portion between a first position and a second position, said first position defining a locked position having said second end of said release finger lockably engaged with said pivot block, and said second position defining a latched position having said latching arm being slid toward said pivot block such that a portion of said latching arm is latchably engaged with said pivot block.
- 2. The handle as in claim 1, wherein said pivot block comprises a locking feature coinciding with said first position such that said locking feature lockably engages said second end of said release finger when said handle body is in said first position.
- 3. The handle as in claim 2, wherein said pivot block comprises a latching feature coinciding with said second position such that said latched position is defined by said latching feature latchably engaging said portion of said latching arm when said latching arm is slid toward said pivot block.
- 4. The handle as in claim 3, further comprising means for biasing said latching arm toward said pivot block, said biasing means being configured to slide said latching arm into latchable engagement with said latching feature when said handle body is in said second position.
- 5. The handle as in claim 3, further comprising a biasing portion joining said release finger and said handle body such that a force applied to said first end flexes said biasing portion to move a portion of said release finger a distance sufficient to cause said second end to unlock from said locking feature and to cause said latching arm to slide away from said pivot block to unlatch said portion of said latching arm from said latching feature.
- 6. The handle as in claim 5, wherein a front edge of said locking feature comprises a chamfer, said chamfer being configured to act on said second end as said handle body is rotated to said first position so as to cause said biasing portion to flex to allow said second end to ride up and over said chamfer and into said locking feature when said handle body is in said first position.
- 7. The handle as in claim 5, wherein said handle body further comprises:
a support bar configured and positioned to limit a range of motion of said release finger to ensure that said biasing portion is not stressed beyond its elastic limit.
- 8. The handle as in claim 7, wherein said support bar is positioned below said first end or above said second end.
- 9. The handle as in claim 1, further comprising an articulated mechanical linkage connecting a second portion of said pivot leg to said movable component such that rotation of said handle body between said first position and said second position cause said movable component to move in a selected manner.
- 10. The handle as in claim 9, wherein said pivot leg applies a selected leverage to said articulated mechanical linkage.
- 11. The handle as in claim 1, wherein said handle body has a substantially unitary construction molded in a single molding operation.
- 12. The handle as in claim 11, wherein said handle body is formed of a polycarbonate material having a glass fiber reinforcing dispersed therein.
- 13. The handle as in claim 5, wherein said handle body comprises one or more channels disposed thereon and said latching arm comprises an inner surface, said latching arm being slideably secured to said handle body such that said inner surface rides in said one or more channels.
- 14. The handle as in claim 13, further comprising securing features formed on said inner surface and said channels, said securing features being configured to maintain said latching arm in said latched position and being configured to release said latching arm from said latched position until said force is applied to said first end.
- 15. The handle as in claim 1, wherein said device is an electronic component is cooled by directing a supply of cooling air through said device, said handle body being configured to not block said supply of cooling air when said handle body is in said first position.
- 16. The handle as in claim 15, wherein said handle body has a length that is equal to or less than a minimum bend radius of cables secured to said electronic component proximate said handle.
- 17. The handle as in claim 1, further comprising a cover and one or more tabs, said tabs being arranged side by side on a portion of said handle body, said cover being is slideably positioned to cover all or substantially all of any one of said one or more tabs, wherein said one or more tabs are different from each other so as to allow a user to discern them from each other.
- 18. The handle as in claim 17, wherein said cover and said one or more tabs further comprise a means for maintaining said cover in a selected position.
- 19. A pluggable cartridge, comprising:
a first wall; a second wall, said first and second walls having a bottom edge; a printed circuit card being housed within and protected by said first and second walls so as to be moveable with respect to said bottom edge; a pivot block secured to said first wall; a handle movably connected to said pivot block so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, a portion of said handle being attached to said printed circuit card by an articulated mechanical linkage such that movement of said handle to said first position causes said printed circuit card to move to a position proximate said bottom edge and such that movement of said handle to said second position causes said printed circuit card to move a position remote from said bottom edge; and a latching arm slideably secured to said handle, said first position defining a locked position having a portion of said handle lockably engaged with said pivot block, and said second position defining a latched position having a portion of said latching arm slid toward said pivot block so as to be latchably engaged with said pivot block.
- 20. The cartridge as in claim 19, further comprising:
a release finger secured to said handle by a biasing portion, said release finger having a first end and a second end, said biasing portion being configured such that a force applied to said first end causes said second end to unlock from pivot block and causes said latching arm to slide away from said pivot block to unlatch said portion from said pivot block.
- 21. The cartridge as in claim 20, further comprising:
a plurality of electrical connectors disposed along an edge of said printed circuit card, said edge being proximate said bottom edge, said plurality of electrical connectors being extended from said bottom edge when said handle is in said first position and being retracted into said bottom edge when said handle is in said second position.
- 22. The cartridge as in claim 21, wherein said plurality of electrical connectors are selected from the group consisting of male connectors, female connectors, and a combination of male and female connectors.
- 23. A method of securing and unsecuring a pluggable cartridge in a structure, comprising:
moving a handle to a first position, said handle being connected to a first movable portion of said pluggable cartridge, said first movable portion of said pluggable cartridge being secured in a first desired position when in said first position; sliding said pluggable cartridge into said structure until said first movable portion is in a facial spaced relationship with a portion of said structure; depressing a release arm of said handle to unsecure said first movable portion from said first desired position; and moving said handle to a second position to move said first movable portion to a second desired position, said second desired position being defined by said first movable portion being seated in said portion of said structure, said second position being configured to secure said second movable portion of said pluggable cartridge in said second desired position.
- 24. The method as in claim 23, further comprising:
depressing said release arm of said handle to unsecure said first movable portion from said second desired position; returning said handle to said first position to move said first movable portion back to said first desired position; and sliding said pluggable cartridge from said structure.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to commonly owned and assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/941,912 filed on Aug. 29, 2001, entitled “Auto Docking/Locking Rack Hardware For Easy Serviceability of Printed Circuit Cards in Tight Spaces”, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto.