Patent Grant
9093794
Power Over Ethernet (POE) is a standardized system to provide electrical power along with data on Ethernet cabling. This allows a single cable to provide both data connection and electrical power to such devices as network hubs or closed-circuit TV cameras. Unlike standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) that also powers devices over data cables, POE allows long cable lengths.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. In the drawings:
An integrated connector may be provided. The integrated connector may comprise a top portion, a front portion, and a side portion. The top portion may comprise a plurality of top fingers. The front portion may comprise a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of receptacle tabs respectively corresponding to the plurality of receptacles. The side portion may comprise at least one side finger comprising a main portion, a connector portion connected to the side portion, a tail portion, a top curved portion, and a bottom curved portion. The top fingers, the plurality of receptacle tabs, and the at least one side finger may be in electrical connection.
Both the foregoing overview and the following example embodiment are examples and explanatory only, and should not be considered to restrict the disclosure's scope, as described and claimed. Further, features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the example embodiment.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims.
Integrated connectors are used to interface a device to the world outside the device. When constructing the device, an Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) containment feature called a “Faraday Cage” may be designed into the device. A Faraday Cage may comprise an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of conducting material. This enclosure may block external static and non-static electric fields. Consequently, a Faraday Cage may comprise an approximation to an ideal hollow conductor. Externally or internally applied electromagnetic fields produce forces on charge carriers (i.e., electrons) within the ideal hollow conductor. The charges are redistributed accordingly (e.g., electric currents may be generated). Once the charges have been redistributed so as to cancel the applied electromagnetic field inside, the currents stop.
When constructing devices, the integrated connectors are not only used to interface the device to the outside world, but also become a part of the device's Faraday Cage. The integrated connectors may be included in the device's Faraday Cage at least because they may comprise at least a portion of the device's exterior. Consequently, each of the integrated connectors may comprise “fingers” that, once the device is constructed, cause the integrated connectors to electrically connect to each other to complete and extend the device's Faraday Cage. Accordingly, it is desirable or the fingers of integrated connectors to remain undamaged by the construction process of the device. Fingers may comprise elongated metallic leaf springs that may protrude from the integrated connectors cause the integrated connectors to electrically connect to each other to complete and extend the device's Faraday Cage.
Conventional integrated connectors that are spaced closely together have difficulty being assembled, installed, and replaced. This is because conventional fingers are not designed to prevent damage to each other during the installation process. Consequently, conventional fingers on the sides of integrated connectors subsequently installed on a circuit board may interfere with one another and break off or become bent during the installation process. One solution to this problem with conventional fingers is to allow more space between the integrated connectors on the circuit board. This is a costly solution that causes an undesirable increase in the size of the device.
Embodiments of the disclosure, however, may provide a three dimensional formed feature in the side fingers. This three dimensional formed feature may allow integrated connectors to be installed side by side, closer than current industry methods, without damage to the side fingers. As will be described in greater detail below, side fingers consistent with embodiments of the disclosure with this three dimensional formed feature may slide off of one another when they interfere and come into contact with one another during device construction.
As device 100 is being constructed, the integrated connectors (e.g., first integrated connector 105, second integrated connector 110, third integrated connector 115, and fourth integrated connector 120) may be installed onto circuit board 130 from the top and either press fit or soldered in place. As the integrated connectors are pressed onto circuit board 130, side fingers of an integrated connector being pressed onto circuit board 130 may interfere and contact with side fingers of an integrated connector already installed on circuit board 130. Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, the side finger may have a three dimensional formed feature that may cause the side finger of the two different integrated connectors to slide off of one another when they interfere and come into contact with one another during the aforementioned construction.
Vertical plane members may be placed between the integrated connectors. The vertical plane members may be electrically connected to a chassis of device 100. Side fingers from the integrated connectors may be in electrical contact with the vertical plane members thus grounding the integrated connectors to the chassis and extending the Faraday Cage.
Front portion 210 may comprise a plurality of receptacles 225 and a plurality of receptacle tabs 230. Side portion 215 may comprise a first side finger 240 and a second side finger 245. First side finger 240 and second side finger 245 may be of similar construction. Also, any of the other integrated connectors (e.g., second integrated connector 110, third integrated connector 115, and fourth integrated connector 120) may have side fingers similar to first side finger 240 and second side finger 245.
Plurality of receptacle tabs 230 may be electrically connected to front portion 210, which may be electrically connected to side portion 215, which may be grounded to device 100's chassis through first side finger 240 and second side finger 245 being in electrical connection to the vertical plane member grounded to device 100's chassis. During operation of device 100, jacks (e.g., RJ-45s) may be plugged into plurality of receptacle 225. Receptacle tabs 230 may contact corresponding jacks thus grounding the jacks to device 100's chassis. Plurality of receptacles 225 may respectively connect signal wires from the plurality of jacks to ones of circuit board connectors 235. Circuit board connectors 235 may be soldered or press fit onto circuit board 130.
With first integrated connector 105 already installed on circuit board 130, second integrated connector 110 may be pressed onto circuit board 130 from the top. As second integrated connector 110 is pressed onto circuit board 130, second side finger 245′ may interfere and contact with first side finger 240 of first integrated connector 105. Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, first side finger 240 and second side finger 245′ may each have a three dimensional formed feature that may cause first side finger 240 and second side finger 245′ to slide off of one another when they interfere and come into contact with one another during the construction of device 100. The three dimensional formed feature may comprise, but is not limited to, top curved portion 420, bottom curved portion 425, and main portion 405 causing first side finger 240 to have a “spoon-like” shape. Connector portion 410 may allow first side finger 240 to spring into relief 430 when first side finger 240 is interfered with and then spring back to its original position when first side finger 240 is no longer interfered with.
Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, bottom curved portion 425′ is configured to engage top curved portion 420 as second integrated connector 110 is pressed onto circuit board 130 from the top as indicated by a direction arrow 600. When this happens, bottom curved portion 425′ slideably engages top curved portion 420 causing first side finger 240 to retreat into relief 430 and causing second side finger 245′ to retreat into relief 430′. Then, as first side finger 240 and second side finger 245′ slide past one another, connector portion 410 and connector portion 410′, acting as springs, cause first side finger 240 and second side finger 245′ to respectively snap back into their former place when first side finger 240 and second side finger 245′ no longer interfere with one another.
Embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
While the specification includes examples, the disclosure's scope is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example for embodiments of the disclosure.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140295704 A1 | Oct 2014 | US |
