Patent Application
20150194764
Computing devices typically require physical connectors for connecting the devices to a power cord or to other devices. Depending on the manufacturer, many devices typically require a male-to-female connecting mechanism, such as a universal serial bus (USB) or micro-USB connector, in order to exchange power or data with other devices.
Embodiments described herein provide for a magnetic connector having a keying feature to facilitate proper coupling of the magnetic connector to a corresponding or opposing connector. The magnetic connector can be used with various types of computing devices.
According to embodiments, the magnetic connector can include a housing that has an asymmetric orientation. The asymmetric orientation can provide a visual feature to assist the user to properly align the magnetic connector with the opposing connector. The magnetic connector can include a connector interface that has a similar shape as the housing of the magnetic connector and that has one or more contact elements for carrying at least one of a data signal or a power signal. When the magnetic connector is properly aligned and mated with the opposing connector, data or power can be transferred or exchanged via the mated connectors.
The magnetic connector can include one or more magnetic components that are provided on the connector interface. In one embodiment, the magnetic connector can include two magnetic components, such as a north polarity magnet and a south polarity magnet that are provided on the face of the connector interface. The housing of the magnetic connector, and the two magnetic components can be oriented to key the connector interface into properly alignment when mated with the opposing connector.
In some embodiments, the magnetic connector can be coupled to or be provided as part of a terminal end of a cable, while the opposing connector can be coupled to or be extended from a circuit board of a computing device. In alternative embodiments, the magnetic connector can be coupled to or be extended from the circuit board of the computing device, while the opposing connector can be coupled to or be provided as part of the terminal end of the cable.
As described herein, an asymmetric orientation is an orientation in which there is a single axis of symmetry or no axis of symmetry. In one embodiment, the housing of the magnetic connector can have an asymmetric orientation by having a D-shaped housing. The connector interface of the magnetic connector can also have a similar shaped housing.
Some embodiments described herein can generally require the use of computing devices, including processing and memory resources. For example, one or more embodiments described herein may be implemented, in whole or in part, on computing devices such as desktop computers, cellular or smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, printers, digital picture frames, and tablet devices.
For example, the first magnetic component 120 forms a first polarity (e.g., north) magnetic component, and the second magnetic component 130 forms a second (e.g., south) polarity magnetic component. In one example, the first magnetic component 120 can be a magnet having a first polarity (e.g., a north polarity, represented by “N”), and the second magnetic component 130 can be a magnet having a second polarity that is opposite than the first polarity (e.g., a south polarity, represented by “S”). The housing 105, the first magnet 120, and the second magnet 130 are oriented to key the connector interface 110 into proper alignment when mated with an opposing connector.
In some implementations, the connector interface 160 of the opposing connector 150 can also include one or more magnetic components. For example, the connector interface 160 can include a first magnetic component (e.g., magnet 170) and a second magnetic component (e.g., magnet 180). The first magnet 170 can have a polarity to enable the first magnet 120 of the magnetic connector 100 to magnetically couple to the first magnet 170 of the opposing connector 150 (e.g., have a south polarity), and the second magnet 180 can have a polarity to enable the second magnet 130 of the magnetic connector 100 to magnetically couple to the second magnet 180 of the opposing connector 150 (e.g., have a north polarity). In this manner, when the user attempts to connect the magnetic connector 100 to the opposing connector 150) in the proper alignment (e.g., brings the magnetic connector 100 to a sufficient magnetic proximity to the opposing connector 150), as illustrated in
The arrangement of the magnets 120, 130 on the magnetic connector 120 and the magnets 170, 180 on the opposing connector 150 guide the connectors into proper alignment when mated. This prevents electrical shorting of the computing device or other unwanted effects from misaligning the connectors. The magnetic connector 100 can include three contacts 112, such as a VBUS (or +), a detect, and/or a GND (or −), that are aligned together in one embodiment. For example, contact 112a can correspond to VBUS, contact 112b can correspond to detect, and contact 112c can correspond to GND. In variations, other arrangements can be possible, such as asymmetrically aligned or aligned in a triangle. By enabling the connectors to only mate together in the proper alignment, power can be provided from the magnetic connector 100, for example, via the VBUS pin, and power can be properly received by the correct pin on the opposing connector 150.
According to other examples, additional contacts 112 can be provided on the connector interface 110 for transferring power and/or data via the magnetic connector 110. In variations, the VBUS contact and the GND contact can be a DATA+ and a DATA− contact, respectively, or additional contacts for a DATA+ and a DATA− contact can be provided on the connector interface 110.
Similarly, the magnet 120, which has a north polarity, is aligned with the magnet 180, which has a north polarity. As a result, when the user brings the connectors 100, 150 closer together in an improper alignment, a magnetic repelling force prevents the connectors 100, 150 from coupling together. Because of the magnetic repelling force created by both sets of magnets, user-error such as dual orientation coupling by the magnetic connector 100 can be avoided.
The magnetically keying feature of the magnetic connector 100 facilitates proper coupling of the magnetic connector 100 to a corresponding or opposing connector. In addition, because the magnetic connector 100 includes a magnetically keying feature, improper and/or misaligned connections can be prevented.
Although examples provide the use of two magnetic components that are provided on the connector 100, and two magnetic components that are provided on the corresponding connector 150, in variations, the connector 100 can have a single magnetic component. For example, referring back to
In addition, in
The connector interface 310 also includes one or more contact elements 330. The one or more contact elements 330 can include a VBUS (or +) pin, a detect pin, and a GND (or −) pin. The one or more contact elements 330 can also be spring loaded pogo pins. The detect pin can enable power transfer, for example, when it detects that it is properly coupled to a detect pin of a corresponding connector.
The corresponding opposing connector 350 can include a first magnet 364 having a south polarity, and a second magnet 366 having a north polarity. The connector interface 360 can also include non-magnetic material 362 and one or more contact elements 370 for exchanging, receiving, or transferring at least one of a power signal or a data signal. Like the connector interface 310 of the magnetic connector 300, the connector interface 360 can also have a similar asymmetric shape, for mating with the connector interface 310 of the magnetic connector 300.
When the magnetic connector 300 and the opposing connector 350 are properly aligned and mated, the first magnet 314 of the magnetic connector 300 (which has a north polarity) is magnetically attracted to the first magnet 364 of the opposing connector 350 (which has a south polarity). Similarly, the second magnet 316 of the magnetic connector 300 (which has a south polarity) is magnetically attracted to the second magnet 366 of the opposing connector 350 (which has a north polarity). In this manner, when the connectors 300, 350 are properly aligned and mated, the contact elements 330 of the magnetic connector 300 can be properly connected to the contact elements 370 of the opposing connector 350.
In some examples, in order for a user to properly align the magnetic connector 300 with the opposing connector 350, the shape of the connector interface 310 must match the shape of the connector interface 360 of the opposing connector 350. The asymmetric shape of the housing 320 provides the user with a visual guide so that the user can see if the magnetic connector 300 is being properly coupled. At the same time, when the shapes of the connector interfaces 310, 360 are not properly aligned, a magnetic repelling force will also prevent the user from coupling the connectors 300, 350 together (e.g., when the shapes are not aligned, the north polarity magnets are being aligned with each other and the south polarity magnets are being aligned with each other).
When the connectors 400, 450 are properly mated, the first magnet 414 of the magnetic connector 400 having a first polarity (e.g., a north polarity) is magnetically coupled to the first magnet 464 of the opposing connector 450 having a second polarity (e.g., a south polarity). Similarly, the second magnet 416 (e.g., having a south polarity) is magnetically coupled to the second magnet 466 of the opposing connector 450 (e.g., having a north polarity). The magnets 414, 464, 416, 466 properly align the connector interfaces 410, 460 so that the contact elements 430 of the magnetic connector 400 properly align with the contact elements of the opposing connector 450. The non-magnetic material 412 can provide shaping of the connector interface 410 so that the connector interface 410 can also physically engage with the connector interface 460 of the opposing connector 450.
For example, in
It is contemplated for embodiments described herein to extend to individual elements and concepts described herein, independently of other concepts, ideas or system, as well as for embodiments to include combinations of elements recited anywhere in this application. Although embodiments are described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments. As such, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, it is contemplated that a particular feature described either individually or as part of an embodiment can be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments, even if the other features and embodiments make no mentioned of the particular feature. Thus, the absence of describing combinations should not preclude the inventor from claiming rights to such combinations.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2012/048986 | 7/31/2012 | WO | 00 | 1/23/2015 |
