Patent Grant
10374362
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. Electronic devices, such as portable media players, storage devices, tablets, netbooks, laptops, desktops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell, media, and smart phones, televisions, monitors, and other display devices, navigation systems, and other devices have become ubiquitous.
These electronic devices can include one or more connector receptacles, which can often appear as a cavity on a side of an electronic device. These receptacle cavities can be arranged to receive a second electronic device or a connection to a second electronic device. For example, they can be arranged to receive a device such a memory or circuit module device. These devices can include cards such as Secure Digital cards, memory sticks, compact flash, wireless transceivers, and other types of cards and modules. The receptacle cavity can also be arranged to receive a connector insert, which can be connected to a cable, a docking station, or other electronic component.
These devices have become smaller and slimmer with each succeeding generation. At the same time, they have been designed to include ever-increasing levels of functionality. The trend for the foreseeable future is to pack more features into increasingly smaller devices. As a result, many components of these devices, such as casings, power supplies, and circuits have become smaller. It can be desirable to further reduce the size of other components as well. For example, it can be desirable to reduce the size of these connector receptacles. Space saved by providing a reduced size connector receptacle can be used to shrink the size of the electronic device, it can be used to increase functionality, or both.
A connector receptacle can include a number of contacts to mate with contacts on these devices or inserts. These electrical connections pathways can form paths for power and data. When a connector receptacle is made smaller, for example shallower, its contacts can be more vulnerable to damage by improper card or connector insertion.
Thus, what is needed are connector receptacles having protective structures for connector contacts.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can provide connector receptacles having protective structures for connector contacts. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention can provide a connector receptacle having one or more protective doors to protect contacts in the connector receptacle. The protective doors can protect contacts in a connector receptacle from damage when a device, module, or connector insert is improperly inserted into the connector receptacle, for example at an oblique angle. The protective doors can also prevent the ingress of moisture, dust, debris, or other particulate matter.
These and other embodiments of the present invention can provide a connector receptacle having a protective door. The protective door can block a card, module, or connector insert (referred to simply as card) from being inserted at an oblique angle. This can help to protect contacts in the connector receptacle from damage due to an improper insertion. The protective door can normally be closed in the absence of a card inserted in the connector receptacle. A spring or magnet can bias the door in the closed position when no card is inserted to prevent the entry of moisture or particulate matter. The door can be arranged to stay closed when a card is inserted at an oblique angle. When the card is properly inserted, the door can open allowing the card to access to the contacts of the connector receptacle.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the door can extend across a front opening of the connector receptacle. The door can be a front portion of a cam, and the cam can be hinged along an axis. The door can have a front face having a forward ramp on or towards one side of the opening. This forward ramp can begin at or near the hinged axis and can slope downward at an angle deeper into the connector receptacle. The remaining portion of the front face can be flat, it can be a reverse going ramp, or a combination of these. That is, remaining portion of the front face can begin at the deepest point of the forward going ramp, and can slope upward at an angle deeper into the connector receptacle. In short, it can be sloped in an opposite direction as the forward ramp. A properly inserted card can engage the forward ramp. The forward ramp can slide along a front edge of the card as the card is inserted, thereby rotating the cam along its axis. This can move the door out of the way of the card. The card can then engage the contacts of the connector receptacle. An improperly inserted card can engage the reverse ramp. Engaging the reverse ramp can push the door closed, thereby protecting the contacts of the connector receptacle.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, features can be added to improve the functionality and appearance of the door. For example, the reverse ramp portion can be filled with an elastomer or other material to provide a more uniform appearance. Instead of improving the appearance of a first door having a mix of features, a second door having a more uniform appearance can be placed in front of the first door. A properly inserted card can move the second door out of the way. The properly inserted card can then engage the ramp on the first door, moving the first door out of the way, as before. The card can then access the contacts of the connector receptacle. An improperly inserted card can still move the second door out of the way, but can then engage the reverse ramp of the second door, pushing the second door closed and protecting the contacts of the connector receptacle.
These and other embodiments of the present invention can add features to the cams and springs to reduce or maintain the force needed to actuate the cam and move the door throughout the insertion of a card. For example, the spring and cam can contact at points that are optimized to reduce the insertion force needed to move the door out of the way. The forward ramp can have a profile that is arranged to reduce or maintain the force required to actuate the cam and move the door throughout the insertion of a card. This can be done by providing a profile where an angle of incidence is reduced during an insertion of a card.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the components of connector receptacles can be formed in various ways of various materials. For example, contacts or pins and other conductive portions of the receptacles can be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions can be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They can be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the protective pieces, the receptacle housings and other portions, can be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions can be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, elastomers, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials.
Embodiments of the present invention can provide connector receptacles that can be located in, and can connect to, 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, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connector receptacles can provide pathways for signals and power for cards or other modules, such as Ultra-High-Speed II Secure Digital cards, Secure Digital cards, Secure Digital High Capacity cards, Secure Digital Extended Capacity cards, Secure Digital Ultra-High-Capacity I cards, Secure Digital Ultra-High-Capacity II cards, memory sticks, compact flash cards, communication modules, and other devices and modules that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. These connector receptacles can provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), 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.
Various embodiments of the present invention can incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention can be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
In this example, card 110 can be inserted into connector receptacle 120 located in the housing of electronic device 100. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, connector receptacle 120 can be arranged to receive a Secure Digital memory card 110. In other embodiments of the present invention, connector receptacle 120 can be configured to receive other types of memory cards or electronic devices, modules, or connections to other electronic devices, such as a cable or docking station insert. These and other devices can be referred to collectively as cards.
Again, it can be desirable to reduce the space inside electronic device 100 that is consumed by connector receptacle 120. By shrinking the space consumed by connector receptacle 120, electronic device 100 can be made smaller, can include additional functionality, or both.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the space consumed by connector receptacle 120 can be reduced by reducing its depth. But reducing the depth of connector receptacle 120 can lead to potential vulnerabilities. For example, a user can incorrectly insert card 110. That is, a user can incorrectly insert card 110 at an oblique angle relative to the connector receptacle 120. Because connector receptacle 120 is shallow, contacts in connector receptacle 120 can be relatively close to the surface of the enclosure of electronic device 100. When a user inserts card 110 improperly, a corner or edge of card 110 can strike one or more contacts at an angle, thereby possibly causing damage.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can provide connector receptacles having one or more protective doors to protect contacts in a connector receptacle. An example is shown in the following figure.
Connector receptacle 120 can be used as connector receptacle 120 as shown in
Connector receptacle 120 can further include cam 230 having a door. The door can have a face for engaging a front edge of a card when the card is inserted into connector receptacle 120. The face of the door can include a mix of features including a first feature or forward ramp 232 and a second feature or reverse ramp 234. Cam 230 can be hinged by pin 220 and can rotate about an axis along pin 220.
When a card is properly inserted into connector receptacle 120, the card can engage the first feature or forward ramp 232. Forward ramp 232 can ride up along the front edge of the card as the card is inserted into connector receptacle 120. This can move the face of the door of cam 230 out of the way allowing the card to access contacting portions of contacts 210.
When a card is improperly inserted, a corner of the card can engage the second feature or reverse ramp 234. The corner of the card can cause cam 230 to be pushed down, thereby closing the door and preventing access of contacting portions 214 of contacts 210 by the card. This closed door can also prevent the ingress of moisture, dust, debris, or other particulate matter.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, cam 230 can be biased in a downward position such that the door remains closed when a card is not inserted into connector receptacle 120. This biasing can be done by a spring or a magnet. For example, a spring plate can be used to bias cam 230 in a closed position.
In these and other embodiments of the present invention, instead of filling in a face of a door of cam 830 with an elastomer to provide a smooth surface, a second door having a more uniform appearance can be included. The second door can be between the door shown in
During in improper insertion of a card, second cam 890 can move out of the way, allowing a corner of the card to engage second feature or reverse ramp 834 of first cam 830. This engagement can push down on cam 830, thereby closing the door to the card and preventing access of contacts in the connector receptacle by the card.
During a proper insertion of a card, second cam 890 can again move out of the way allowing the front edge of the card to engage first feature or forward ramp 832 of first cam 830. Forward ramp 832 can ride up along a front edge of the card as the card is inserted, thereby moving the door of cam 830 out of the way and allowing the card to access contacts in the connector receptacle.
In various embodiments of the present invention, it can be desirable to provide a somewhat low and reducing or uniform amount of resistance to the insertion of a properly inserted card. This resistance can be adjusted by modifying an interface between spring plate 840 (shown in
As a leading edge of a card engages a profile of first feature or forward ramp 832, cam 830 can rotate about pin 820 and be pushed up out of opening 802 in housing 800. Feature 837 on cam 830 can push up against spring fingers 842, and spring fingers 842 can provide a resistance to the insertion of the card. Accordingly, a shape of spring fingers 842 and feature 837 can be adjusted to provide a reduced or uniform resistance force to the insertion of the card.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the components of connector receptacles can be formed in various ways of various materials. For example, contacts or pins and other conductive portions of the receptacles can be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions can be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They can be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the protective pieces, receptacle housings and other portions can be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions can be formed of silicon or silicone, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, elastomers, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials.
Embodiments of the present invention can provide connector receptacles that can be located in, and can connect to, 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, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connector receptacles can provide pathways for signals and power for cards or other modules, such as Ultra-High-Speed II Secure Digital cards, Secure Digital cards, Secure Digital High Capacity cards, Secure Digital Extended Capacity cards, Secure Digital Ultra-High-Capacity I cards, Secure Digital Ultra-High-Capacity II cards, memory sticks, compact flash cards, communication modules, and other devices and modules that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. These connector receptacles can provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus, 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.
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.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/515,493, filed Jun. 5, 2017, which is incorporated by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 62515493 | Jun 2017 | US |
