Patent Application
20190103701
The number and types of electronic devices available to consumers have increased tremendously the past few years and this increase shows no signs of abating. Devices such as portable computing devices, tablets, desktops, and all-in-one computers, smart phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors and other devices have become ubiquitous.
These devices often transfer power and data using cables that may have connector inserts on each end. The connector inserts may plug into connector receptacles on electronic devices, thereby forming one or more conductive paths for power, data, or both power and data.
But these connector inserts and connector receptacles may be relatively large. A sizeable connector receptacle may consume an undesirably large space in an electronic device housing the connector receptacle. This may reduce the functionality that may be provided by the electronic device, it may increase the size of the electronic device, or a combination of both.
Users may plug connector inserts into connector receptacles in different devices several times a day as they charge their laptops, phones, tablets, and other devices. Accordingly, it may be desirable to simplify the connection procedure used to form a connection. Thus, it may be desirable that a connection between a connector insert and a connector receptacle be readily formed when the connector insert is brought into proximity to the connector receptacle.
The connection between a connector insert and a connector receptacle may undergo inadvertent non-axial forces during use. That is, a cable attached to a connector insert that is inserted into a connector receptacle of an electronic device may be tripped over or experience other inadvertent force. When this happens, it may be desirable that the connector insert and connector receptacle disconnect without damage being incurred by either the connectors or the electronic device.
Thus, what is needed are connector inserts and connector receptacles that have a small form factor, readily mate with each other when brought into proximity, and disconnect when subjected to a non-axial force.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connector inserts and connector receptacles that have a small form factor, readily mate with each other when brought into proximity, and disconnect when subjected to a non-axial force.
Users may plug connector inserts into connector receptacles housed in electronic devices several times a day. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connector systems where a connector insert may readily mate with a connector receptacle when the connector insert is brought into proximity to the connector receptacle. The connector insert may be mated with the connector receptacle along a connection axis. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, mating portions of the connector insert and connector receptacle may be axisymmetrical. This may allow the connector insert to mate with the connector receptacle at any rotation around the connection axis. As a result, a connector insert, once mated, may rotate 360 degree around the connection axis without losing connection to the connector receptacle. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connector insert may also be connected when is has a tilt relative to the connection axis. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connector insert may be inserted with a tilt of 10 degrees relative to the connection axis. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connector insert may be inserted with a tilt of 15 degrees relative to the connection axis. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connector insert may be inserted with a tilt of 20 degrees relative to the connection axis. The tilt may be in any direction about the connection axis. Also, once mated, the connector insert may be tilted these amounts in any direction without breaking a connection with the connector receptacle.
Conventional connector inserts and connector receptacles may be relatively large. A sizable connector receptacle may result in an electronic device having less functionality, a larger size, or a combination of both. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connector inserts that may include an axisymmetrical tip that may be inserted in an opening in a connector receptacle. The opening of the connector receptacle may be formed of an opening of a magnetic yoke that may guide the tip of the insert into the opening and may then hold the insert in place. This arrangement may reduce a size of a connector receptacle, as well as the connector insert.
These and other embodiments of the present invention may provide connector systems that convey power. These and other embodiments of the present invention may also, or instead, provide data. For example, intermediate frequency or radio frequency data may be added to a power supply and conveyed over the same path. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, power and data may be time multiplexed. For example, power may be provided during a first time slot, while data is provided during a second time slot. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, a connector insert and connector receptacle may include additional signal or power paths, or both. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connector insert and connector receptacle may include one or more fiber-optic paths.
Again, a cable attached to a connector insert that is inserted in a connector receptacle of an electronic device may undergo various inadvertent forces. It may be desirable these inadvertent forces do not cause damage to either the connectors or the electronic device. Accordingly, these and other embodiments of the present invention may provide a connector insert the may disconnect from a connector receptacle after receiving a non-axial force.
In various embodiments of the present invention conductive portions the connector systems may be formed by stamping, forging, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. The magnets may be rare-earth magnets or other type of magnets.
Embodiments of the present invention may provide connector receptacles and connector inserts that may be located in, may connect to, or may be on the surface of various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, portable media players, wearable computing devices, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, video delivery systems, adapters, styluses, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connector receptacles and connector inserts may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as one of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standards including USB Type-C, High-Definition Multimedia Interface® (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt™, Lightning™, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), test-access-port (TAP), Directed Automated Random Testing (DART), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters (UARTs), clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. Other embodiments of the present invention may provide connector receptacles and connector inserts that may be used to provide a reduced set of functions for one or more of these standards. In various embodiments of the present invention, these connector receptacles and connector inserts may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information.
Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
This figure includes electronic device 100. In this specific example, electronic device 100 may be a laptop computer. In other embodiments of the present invention, electronic device 100 may be a portable computing device, tablet computer, smart phone, global positioning device, wearable computing device, media player, or other device.
Electronic device 100 may include a battery. The battery may provide power to electronic circuits in electronic device 100. This battery may be charged using power adapter 140. Specifically, power adapter 140 may receive power from an external source, such as a wall outlet or car charger. Power adapter 140 may convert received external power, which may be AC or DC power, to DC power, and it may provide the converted DC power over cable 130 to connector insert 120. Connector insert 120 may be arranged to mate with connector receptacle 110 on electronic device 100. Power may be received at connector receptacle 110 from connector insert 120 and provided to the battery and electronic circuitry in electronic device 100. In other embodiments of the present invention, data or other types of signals may also be provided to electronic device 100 via connector insert 120 and connector receptacle 110. Examples of connector insert 120 and connector receptacle 110 are shown below.
Again, users may plug connector inserts into connector receptacles in electronic devices several times a day. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connector systems where a connector insert 120 may readily mate with a connector receptacle 110 when the connector insert 120 is brought into proximity to the connector receptacle 110. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, connector insert 120 may be mated with connector receptacle 110 along a connection axis. Connector insert 120 may mate with the connector receptacle 110 at any rotation around the connection axis. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, connector insert 120 may also be inserted when it has a tilt relative to the connection axis. An example is shown in the following figure.
Connector insert 120 may connect to connector receptacle 110 along connection axis 210. Connector insert 120 may be inserted in any rotation 230 about connection axis 210. Connector insert 120 may also be inserted when it has a tilt relative to connection axis 210. That is, connector insert 120 may have a tilt at angle 220 relative to connection axis 210 when it is inserted. This tilt may be in any direction about connection axis 210. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the angle 220 may be 10 degrees. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the angle 220 may be 15 degrees. After mating, connector insert 120 may also be titled these amounts without breaking a connection to connector receptacle 110.
Conventional connector inserts and connector receptacles may be relatively large. A sizable connector receptacle may result in an electronic device having less functionality, a larger size, or a combination of both. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connector inserts that may include an axisymmetrical tip that may be inserted in an opening in a connector receptacle. This arrangement may reduce a size of a connector receptacle, as well as the connector insert. An example is shown in the following figure
Connector insert 120 may include tip 330. Tip 330 may have a generally spherical shape, though in these and other embodiments of the present invention, tip 330 may have other shapes. Tip 330 may be axisymmetrical about the connection axis 210 (shown in
These and other embodiments of the present invention may provide connector systems that may convey power. For example, central conductor 320 of connector insert 120 and spring-loaded contact 350 of connector receptacle 110 may convey a power supply, while front portion 342 of yoke 500 in connector receptacle 110 and the remainder of tip 330 of connector insert 120 may provide a ground or return path. During mating, the ground of tip 330 may connect to front portion 342 of yoke 500 to form a ground connection before the power is connected through spring-loaded contact 350 and contact 322. In these and other embodiment of the present invention, data may also be sent over this power connection, or data may be sent instead of power. For example, intermediate frequency or radiofrequency data may be added to the power supply voltage and conveyed over the same path. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, other data-over-power techniques may be used. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, data and power may be time multiplexed. That is, this connection may be used during a first time slot for data and during a second time slot for power. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, central conductor 320 and spring-loaded contact 350 may be replaced by fiber-optic connections. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, more than one conductor 320 may be used to electrically convey data and power simultaneously.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, connector insert 120 and connector receptacle 110 may be formed of various materials. For example, tip 330 of connector insert 120 may be formed of a steel or other material that is both magnetically and electrically conductive. This may allow tip 330 to be attracted to a magnetic field generated by magnet 360 and directed or guided by yoke 500, while also providing a reasonably low-resistance path for the ground or return current. Magnet 360 may be a rare earth or other type of magnet. Spring-loaded contact 350 may be formed of copper, brass, or other materials.
These and other embodiments of the present invention may employ one or more magnets or magnetically conductive structures to assist a user in connecting connector insert 120 to connector receptacle 110. These magnets and structures may provide an increasing level of magnetic attraction as a tip of connector insert 120 is brought into an opening in a yoke at a front of a connector receptacle 110. This increasing level of magnetic attraction may ensure that a mating connection is made when a user brings connector insert 120 into proximity to a connector receptacle 110. An example is shown in the following figures.
Yoke 500 may include a front collar or front portion 342. Front portion 342 may define an opening 343 through which a contact in the connector receptacle may be accessed by a tip of a corresponding connector insert. Front portion 342 may include concentric ring 520 formed by non-ferritic layer 510, and ring portions 522 formed of top ferritic layer 340 and bottom ferritic layer 341. Magnet 360 (shown in
Top ferritic layer 340 and bottom ferritic layer 341 may be arranged to convey opposing magnetic field lines provided by magnet 360 (shown in
In this way, the field strength provided by yoke 500 may not be sufficient to attach tip 330 of connector insert 120 to device enclosure 112. However, as tip 330 of connector insert enters opening 343 in front portion 342, the magnetic attraction may increase thereby pulling tip 330 of connector insert 120 into connector receptacle 110 and forming a connection.
Tip 330 of connector insert may be a ferritic stainless steel or other magnetically conductive material. For example, it may be a material that conducts both electricity and magnetic field lines fairly well. Accordingly, when tip 330 of connector insert 120 is brought into opening 343, tip 330 may conduct magnetic field lines from top ferritic layer 340 to bottom ferritic layer 341. This conduction may increase as tip 330 is pulled further into opening 343 of yoke 500. In this way, tip 330 may close the field lines from magnet 360 between top ferritic layer 340 to bottom ferritic layer 341. Again, this may provide for blind mating between connector insert 120 and connector receptacle 110.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, magnet 360 may taper in thickness from a rear 362 of magnet 360 to front portion 342. This may allow top ferritic layer 340 and bottom ferritic layer 341 to widen near front opening 343. This may reduce stray flux from yoke 500. That is, the increasing width of top ferritic layer 340 and bottom ferritic layer 341 may compensate for the increasing field strength near the front opening 343.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, a width of magnet 360 and yoke may narrow towards a rear 362 of magnet 360. This may help to save space in a device. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, magnet 360 and yoke may have a more rectangular or other shaped width.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, yoke 500 and magnet 360 may be located in a thin device where a surface of the device is near a top or bottom of yoke 500. In such a device, top ferritic layer 340 and bottom ferritic layer may limit flux such that connector insert 120 might not inadvertently become attached at the surface of the device.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, other structures may be used in place of or along with yoke 500 and magnet 360. For example, a single magnet may be used without a yoke. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, two or more magnets may be used, either with or without a yoke.
Again, a cable attached to a connector insert that is inserted in a connector receptacle of an electronic device may undergo various inadvertent forces. It may be desirable these inadvertent forces do not cause damage to either the connectors or the electronic device. Accordingly, these and other embodiments of the present invention may provide a connector insert that may disconnect from a connector receptacle after receiving a non-axial force. An example is shown in the following figures.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the above camming or fulcrum action may act to help sweep debris and other material out of connector receptacle 110. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, a reservoir for such debris may be included in connector receptacle 110.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, spring-loaded contact 350 may be located in connector receptacle 110. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, a spring-loaded contact, such as spring-loaded contact 350, may be located in connector insert 120.
In various embodiments of the present invention, plungers, contacts, brackets, barrels, and other conductive portions of a connector receptacles and connector inserts may be formed by stamping, forging, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the housings and other structures may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. The magnets may be rare-earth magnets or other type of magnets.
Embodiments of the present invention may provide connector receptacles and connector inserts that may be located in, may connect to, or may be on the surface of various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, video delivery systems, adapters, styluses, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connector receptacles and connector inserts may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as one of the Universal Serial Bus standards including USB Type-C, High-Definition Multimedia Interface, Digital Visual Interface, Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Lightning, Joint Test Action Group, test-access-port, Directed Automated Random Testing, universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters, clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. Other embodiments of the present invention may provide connector receptacles and connector inserts that may be used to provide a reduced set of functions for one or more of these standards. In various embodiments of the present invention, these connector receptacles and connector inserts may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information.
The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.
