Patent Application
20140125352
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus, system, method and computer program. In particular, though without prejudice to the foregoing, various embodiments relate to electrical connectors.
Devices, particularly those which involve electrical modules that move with respect to one another (such as in foldable or slidable mobile phones) use connectors for making electrical power and data connections between electrical components such as printed circuit boards and electrical modules. It is important to ensure a good connectivity between mated connectors as a failure to correctly mate may cause a device to fail to function properly.
The electrical connections of two mated connectors, such as a board to board connector, in a device can be tested during assembly of the device at a factory. However, it is possible for the mated connectors to provide electrical connections and thus pass such a test in spite of being improperly mechanically mated, i.e. incorrectly mated or loosely fit. Accordingly, for such a device, after its assembly in the factory and following its packaging, transport, delivery (and use by a user) during which it might be subject to impacts, the mechanical connection may further worsen such that the connectors no longer provide electrical connections and thus the device may fail to function properly.
The listing or discussion of a prior-published document or any background in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or background is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. One or more aspects/embodiments of the present disclosure may or may not address one or more of the background issues.
According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising:
Various embodiments of the invention provide an electrical connection between the two respective second terminals when in a first mated condition (e.g. adequately/properly/fully mechanically connected) and no electrical connection when in a second mated condition (e.g. inadequately/improperly/partially mechanically connected). Accordingly, a determination of the mated condition of the apparatus and the second apparatus can be made based on determining whether or not there is an electrical connection between the two respective second terminals.
Various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the present invention seek to provide an improved connector that enables a determination to be made of whether or not the connector is adequately mechanically connected. Advantageously, various embodiments enable a determination of an adequate mechanical connection to be made based on an electrical test.
According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a system comprising:
According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided a method comprising:
According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising:
For a better understanding of various examples of embodiments of the present invention reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which:
The figures illustrate an apparatus (100) comprising:
The component blocks of
The apparatus 100 may be a connector for making electrical connections. For example, the apparatus may be a connector connected to an electrical component 103 (shown in outline). The components may be, for example, a printed circuit board, printed wired board, flexible printed circuit, electrical module or device. The apparatus 100 is configured to mate with and electrically connect with another apparatus 100′ (shown in outline) such as another connector. The apparatus 100′ may itself be connected to another electrical component 103′. The two apparatuses are configured such that, when mated together they can convey electrical signals, data or power between their respective components.
The connector 100 comprises a first terminal 101 and a second terminal 102. The terminals are electrically conductive means that provide an electrical contact point for engaging and electrically coupling with respective terminals 101′ and 102′ of the other connector 100′ when in a mated condition. The terminals may, for example, be pins or contacts. The first terminal has dimensions different to that of the second terminal. For example, a contact height h1 (i.e. a height at which an electrical contact is made with its respective terminal 101′) of the first terminal 101 is greater than a contact height h2 of the second terminal 102. The contact height of the second terminal 102 is configured such that electrical contact of the second terminal 102 with its respective terminal 102′ is only provided when the first and second connectors are adequately or correctly mated together. Advantageously, providing a second terminal 102 that is shorter that the first terminal 101 ensures that if the second terminal is correctly connected then the first terminal is also correctly connected.
The first terminal 101 is configured to electrically couple with its respective first terminal 101′ of the other connector 100′ when the two connectors are in the first mated condition 200. The second terminal 102 is also configured to electrically couple with its respective second terminal 102′ of the other connector 100′ when the two connectors are in the first mated condition 210.
It will be appreciated that the respective first and second terminals 101′ and 102′ may be configured to at least partly receive therein the first and second terminals 101 and 102 as is shown. Alternatively, the terminals 101102 may be configured so as to physically overlap and touch the other terminals 101′ 102′.
The first terminal 101 is configured to electrically couple with its respective first terminal 101′ of the other connector 100′ when the two connectors are in the second mated condition 201a, 201b. However, the second terminal 102 is configured such that it is electrically decoupled, i.e. disconnected, from its respective second terminal 102′ of the other connector 100′ when the two connectors are in the second mated condition.
Accordingly, whilst the first terminal 101 and its respective first terminal 101′ are in electrical contact when the connectors are either properly and improperly mated, the second terminal 102 and its respective second terminal 102′ are only in electrical contact when the connectors are properly mated. When the connectors are improperly mated, the second terminal 102 and its respective second terminal 102′ are electrically disconnected/decoupled. Advantageously, this enables an improper mechanical connection of the connectors to be detected by testing the electrical connection between second terminal 102 and its respective second terminal 102′.
The above mentioned electrical connectivity of the first and second terminals 101, 102 in the first and second mating conditions may be provided by the second terminal 102 being dimensioned differently from that of the first terminal 101. For example, the second terminal 102 could be of a different size and/or shape to that of the first terminal 101 such that its electrical conductivity with its respective second terminal 102′ of the other connector has the above mentioned properties, namely being electrically connected when in the first mated condition and electrically disconnected when in the second mated condition.
In order to show more simply the first and second mating conditions, the second connector 100′ is shown as having terminals 101′ 102′ which project from a housing/base of the connector. It will be appreciated that the two connectors may be configured as a “male” and “female” connector respectively, i.e. wherein the male connector has protruding terminals whilst the female connector has recessed terminals that are configured to define a cavity to receive the protruding terminals of the male connector.
In the above described embodiment the connector 100 can be considered to be a male connector whose size and dimension of its second protruding terminal 102 is different (i.e. has a lower contact point height) to that of its first protruding terminal 101. However, it is to be appreciated that alternatively a female connector could be provided in which the dimension of a recessed second terminal is different from that of a first recessed terminal, e.g. the depth of the recessed second terminal contact point may be lower than the depth of the recessed first terminal's contact point. In either scenario, the dimensions of the second terminal are configured so as to provide the appropriate electrical coupling for first and second mated conditions as set out above.
Whilst only the first connector 100 is shown having a second terminal 102 configured as described above, it will be appreciated that in a system of two connectors, either one or both of the connectors may be provided with such second terminals.
Each connector may further be provided with an additional mechanism for mechanically coupling the connectors together, such as a snap-fit arrangement. The first mated condition may correspond to the first and second connectors being fastened by the mechanical mechanism, e.g. snapped together. Alternatively, no such separate fastening device may be used and instead frictional forces between inter-engaged terminals may be relied on as securing means.
In one embodiment, the first terminal 101 may be a “signal pin”, i.e. a terminal for conveying signals/data/voltages from a data line from one electrical component 103 to another component 103′. The second terminal may be a “detection pin”. Such a pin may not be used to convey signals between the components but could instead be dedicated to providing part of a detection circuit for detecting whether or not there is a suitable mechanical connection between connectors (see
The plurality of first terminals 301 may be signal pins, whereas the plurality of second terminals 302 may be detection pins.
The dimensions of each of the signal pins 301 may be substantially uniform, i.e. they all have the same size and/or shape. The dimensions of each of the detection pins 302 likewise may be substantially uniform. However, the dimensions of each of the signal pins 301 are different to the dimensions of each of the detection pins 302. By contrast, the dimensions of the plurality of first terminals 301′ of the other connector 300 are the same as the dimensions of the plurality of second terminals 302′ of the other connector. Advantageously, no modification of the terminals 301′ 302′ of the other connector 300′ is required as they are all uniform. Accordingly, a standard connector could be used for the other connector 300′.
Each signal pin 301 comprises an electrical contact point 303, e.g. an uppermost surface of the signal pin, and each electrical contact point may be located substantially along a first plane 304. Likewise, each detection pin 302 comprises an electrical contact point 305 and each such electrical contact point 305 may be located substantially along a second plane 306 which is different to the first plane 304.
Each terminal of the plurality of respective first terminals 301′ comprises at least one electrical contact point 303′, and each such electrical contact point may be located substantially along a third plane 304′. Likewise, each terminal of the plurality of respective second terminals 302′ comprises at least one electrical contact point 305′, and each such electrical contact point may be located substantially along the same third plane 304′.
Advantageously, the provision of two or more detection pins 302 enables the detection of a greater range of angles of improper mechanical connections, e.g. torsions in a greater range of directions. For example, if the connector of
In each connector, two columns and 15 rows of terminals are provided. Two of the terminals 402 for the connector 410 are detection pins having an electrical contact point which is lower than the electrical contact points for the remaining signal pins 401. The other connector 410′ comprises two columns and 15 rows of respective terminals 401′ 402′ all of which are uniform.
As will be readily appreciated, the connectors could be provided with various numbers of signal pins and detections pins in various arrangements, for example one could have a connector comprising:
Advantageously, having at least two detection pins along a first line and at least two detection pins along a second orthogonal line enables detection of an improper mechanical mate due to a rotation/twisting of one of the connectors.
Preferably, the size shape and number of electrical contact points of the detection pins of a first connector and their respective pins of a second connector are configured to as to provide:
In the third mated condition, the second connector 600′ is not fully/properly mechanically connected to the first connector 600 but is inserted obliquely with a rotation an angle x1, for example an angle less that 5 degrees such as 2.5 degrees, about a rotation axis 610. In
However, in this example, the third mated condition relates to a mechanical mate that is only slightly askew, e.g. wherein the second connector is only slightly misaligned and inserted rotated at an angle x1 less that 5 degrees. For such a minor level of misalignment of the connectors when mated, it may well be that whilst not being fully/optimally mechanically mated, the mechanical connection is nevertheless sufficiently secure for intended purposes.
The embodiment of
In
Accordingly, the embodiment of
wherein the first electrical contact point is configured:
wherein the second electrical contact point is configured:
Advantageously, providing more than one electrical contact point on the detection pins provides greater leeway and more tolerance of the degree of mechanical connection that would otherwise lose electrical connection of the detection pins resulting in a determination of an improper mechanical mate.
A detection pin 802 of a first row of the connector 800 is connected to a detection system 810. The other detection pin of the first row is connected to a detection pin of the last row of the connector. The other detection pin 802 of the last row is also connected to the detection system 810. The respective pins 802′ of the first row of the second connector 800′ are electrically connected together, for example via circuitry in the module 803′. Likewise, the respective pins 802′ of the last row of the second connector 800′ are electrically connected together. Such an arrangement forms a detection circuit enabling the determination of whether or not the detection pins 802 are electrically connected to their respective pins 802′ in order to determine whether or not the connectors are sufficiently mechanically mated with one another.
The detection pins may be dedicated to testing the condition of the mechanical assembly of the connectors, whilst the other pins of the connector are used to carry power/data signals between the PCB/PWD and module. However, it is possible for the detection pins, in addition to being used in a detection circuit, to be also used as a signal pin to carry power/data signals.
Block 901 involves testing an electrical connection between a detection pin of a first connector and its respective pin of another connecter when in a mated condition. For example, this might involve causing, at least in part actions, that result in testing an electrical connection between a second terminal of a first apparatus and a respective second terminal of a second apparatus, wherein:
Block 902 involves determining whether or not a mechanical connection between the first and second connectors is acceptable based on a result of the test.
The blocks illustrated in
It will be understood that each block and combinations of blocks of
Within such an apparatus, one or more connectors as described above may be used (not shown). Additionally, a detection circuit, such as described with reference to
In one embodiment, the apparatus 110 is embodied on a hand held portable electronic device, such as a mobile telephone, personal digital assistant, or tablet, that may additionally provide one or more audio/text/video communication functions (e.g. tele-communication, video-communication, and/or text transmission (Short Message Service (SMS)/ Multimedia Message Service (MMS)/emailing) functions), interactive/non-interactive viewing functions (e.g. web-browsing, navigation, TV/program viewing functions), music recording/playing functions (e.g. Moving Picture Experts Group-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) or other format and/or (frequency modulation/amplitude modulation) radio broadcast recording/playing), downloading/sending of data functions, image capture function (e.g. using a (e.g. in-built) digital camera), and gaming functions.
The apparatus 110 comprises: at least one processor 111 which is configured to read from and write to a memory 112.
The memory 112 stores a computer program 113 comprising computer program instructions 114 that control the operation of the apparatus 110 when loaded into the processor 111. The computer program instructions 114 provide the logic and routines that enables the apparatus to perform the methods illustrated in
The processor may also comprise an output interface 115 via which data and/or commands are output by the processor 111 and an input interface 116 via which data and/or commands are input to the processor.
References to computer program, instructions, code etc. should be understood to encompass software for a programmable processor or firmware such as, for example, the programmable content of a hardware device whether instructions for a processor, or configuration settings for a fixed-function device, gate array or programmable logic device etc.
In the above description, the wording ‘connect’ and ‘couple’ and their derivatives mean operationally connected/coupled. It should be appreciated that any number or combination of intervening components can exist (including no intervening components).
Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.
Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described.
Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not.
Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.
Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2011/052975 | 7/5/2011 | WO | 00 | 12/24/2013 |
