Abstract:
A conductive contact includes a variable-diameter spring and a post. The variable-diameter spring includes a spiral body having a plurality of rotations, a first end, and a second end configured for securing with the spiral body. The first end and the second end are arranged at two opposite ends of the spiral body. An axis is defined across the first end and the second end, radial intervals are defined between every two adjacent rotations measured substantially perpendicularly to the axis. The post is secured to the first end and configured for detachably and conductively contacting with a conductive pad. Every two adjacent rotations are kept away from each other in response to compression along the axis direction of the spiral body applied on the post.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to conductive contacts and, more particularly, to a conductive contact employed in an electronic apparatus. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Conductive contacts are generally applied in electronic apparatuses such as mobile phones, portable computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) for making electrical connections between two elements thereof. 
         [0005]    Common conductive contacts in an electronic apparatus are used as an example for illustration. The electronic apparatus includes a shield defining a plurality of guiding holes therein, a body defining a plurality of cylindrical space therein, and a circuit board fixed to a bottom of the body. Each conductive contact includes a post and a coil spring. The post inserts into the corresponding guiding hole and is bounded by the shield. The coiled spring constructs in a cylindrical shape and is accommodated in the cylindrical space for resiliently supporting one end of the post. The circuit board electrically connects and supports the coil spring. The post perpendicularly moves relative to the shield under both guidance of the hole and resilient support of the coil spring. Another end of the post is in contact with or separated from a specific element such as a grounding pad of a circuit board. 
         [0006]    The coiled spring may be pressed under an axial load transmitted via the post so that an axial height of the coiled spring can be shortened to some extent. However, diameters of every two adjacent rotations of the coiled spring are equal because the coiled spring is constructed in a cylindrical shape. Interferences (or obstacles) by adjacent rotations of the coiled spring will be generated when a sufficiently great force is applied thereon. Therefore, a compressible height of the coiled spring in the cylindrical shape is low. It is space-consuming and incompetent for the coiled spring to be utilized in a flat space. In order to fit the flat space, the coiled spring is generally configured shorter. However, resilience performance of the coiled spring in the cylindrical shape can thus be lowered. 
         [0007]    Therefore, a conductive contact with a space-saving structure and an electronic apparatus employing the conductive contact are desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A conductive contact includes a variable-diameter spring and a post. The variable-diameter spring includes a spiral body having a plurality of rotations, a first end, and a second end configured for securing with the spiral body. The first end and the second end are arranged at two opposite ends of the spiral body. An axis is defined across the first end and the second end, radial intervals are defined between every two adjacent rotations measured substantially perpendicularly to the axis. The post is secured to the first end and configured for detachably and conductively contacting with a conductive pad. Every two adjacent rotations are kept away from each other in response to compression along the axis direction of the spiral body applied on the post. 
         [0009]    Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of a conductive contact in accordance with a first embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, top view of a resilient member of the conductive contact of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of an electronic apparatus, with the conductive contact of  FIG. 1  being employed therein; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 3  taken along line III-III thereof, with the conductive contact being employed therein; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a resilient member of a conductive contact in accordance with a second embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a resilient member of a conductive contact in accordance with a third embodiment; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a combination of a portable computer and a docking station with the conductive contact selected from  FIGS. 3 to 6  therein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Electronic apparatuses can be portable computers, docking stations, foldable disk players, or other electronic apparatuses. In the following embodiments, a combination of a portable computer and a docking station is used as an example for illustration. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conductive contact  10  in accordance with a first embodiment is illustrated. The conductive contact  10  includes a contacting member  20  and a resilient member  30  connecting to the contacting member  20 . 
         [0019]    The contacting member  20  includes a contacting portion  22 , a fastening portion  24  connecting to the contacting portion  22 , and a flange portion  26  circumferentially extending from a joint where the contacting portion  22  connects to the fastening portion  24 . The contacting portion  22  may be a conductive post. The fastening portion  24  may also be a conductive post and includes a distal end  242 . A groove  244  is defined around a circumference of the fastening portion  24 , between the distal end  242  and the flange portion  26 . 
         [0020]    The resilient member  30  is a coiled spring constructed in a conical shape and includes a first end  32  configured for connecting to the fastening portion  24 , an opposite second end  34  configured for securing the resilient member  30 , and a resilient body  36  interconnecting the first end  32  and the fixed end  34 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the resilient body  36  takes the form of a conical spiral with a plurality of rotations  360 . Radii measured perpendicular to an axis O-O of the rotations  360  of the resilient body  36  increases from the first end  32  to the second end  34 . A Radial interval D is defined between every two adjacent rotations of the spiral measured perpendicularly to the axis O-O of the resilient member  30 . 
         [0021]    The contacting member  20  and the resilient member  30  is assembled as follows. The first end  32  of the resilient member  30  is received in the groove  244  and restricted between the distal end  242  and the flange portion  26 . The contacting member  20  is thus resiliently supported by the resilient member  30 . 
         [0022]    When the contacting member  20  is pressed down along the axis O-O, a height of the resilient member  30  is greatly reduced because of the radial intervals D between adjacent rotations  360  of the resilient body  36 . If a force applied on the resilient member  30  is sufficiently great, the resilient body  36  even becomes a substantial flat shape from the conical shape. That is, the resilient body  36  is flattened on a planar surface (not shown). If a height of the resilient member  30  at rest equals to that of a cylindrical spring (not shown) at rest, the resilient member  30  may be compressed to a shorter height than the cylindrical spring. Therefore, the compressible height of the resilient member  30  is greater than that of the cylindrical spring when their heights at rest are equal. In other words, the resilient member  30  is more compactable than the cylindrical spring. 
         [0023]    Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an electronic apparatus  40  employing the conductive contact  10  is illustrated. The electronic apparatus  40  includes a housing  42  and a grounding plate  44 . The housing  42  includes an upper plate  422  and at least one wall  424  substantially perpendicularly extending from the upper plate  422 . A through hole  426  is defined in the upper plate  422  for the contacting portion  22  of the contacting member  20  to protrude therethrough. The grounding plate  44  attaches to the wall  424  and is opposite to the upper plate  422 . A chamber  428  is defined by the upper plate  422 , the wall  424 , and the grounding plate  44  for accommodating the resilient member  30  therein. 
         [0024]    When the conductive contact  10  is assembled into the electronic apparatus  40 , the contacting portion  22  of the contacting member  20  protrudes out from the upper plate  422  via the through hole  426 , the flange portion  26  and the fastening portion  24  are located under the upper plate  422 . The resilient member  30  is received in the chamber  428  with the second end  34  being arranged on the grounding plate  44 . The contacting member  20  is thus resiliently supported by the resilient member  30 . The contacting portion  22  may be pressed down freely without any interferences (or obstacles) generated by the adjacent rotations  360 . The free height of the resilient member  30  can be lessened in a manner so that the chamber  428  can be constructed to be flatter. The electronic apparatus  40  can thus become compact. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a resilient member  50  in accordance with a second embodiment is illustrated. The resilient member  50  includes a first coiled spring  52  and a second coiled spring  54  connecting to the first coiled spring  52 . The first coiled spring  52  and the second coiled spring  54  are constructed in conical shapes similar to the resilient member  30 . The first coiled spring  52  includes a first end  522  connecting to a contacting member such as the contacting member  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , an opposite third end  524 , and a plurality of rotations (not labeled). The second coiled spring  54  includes a fourth end  542  connecting to the third end  524 , an opposite second end  544 , and a plurality of rotations. The first end  524  connects to the fourth end  542  so that the first coiled spring  52  and the second coiled spring  54  are aligned to construct a double deck spring module. When the first end of the first coiled spring  52  is pressed, the first coiled spring  52  and the second coiled spring  54  are compressed simultaneously. The first coiled spring  52  substantially surrounds the second coiled spring  54 . The height of the resilient member  50  is greatly reduced. The compressible height of the resilient member  50  may be further greater than that of the resilient member  30 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a resilient member  60  which may also be constructed in a spherical shape or an oval shape in accordance with a third embodiment is illustrated. Referring to  FIG. 5  again, apparently, at least one of the first spring  52  and the second spring  54  may be constructed in a spherical shape instead of the conical shape. Radii measured perpendicular to the axis O-O of the rotations  602  of the resilient member  60  varies. A Radial interval is defined between every two adjacent rotations  602  measured perpendicularly to the axis O-O of the resilient member  60 . 
         [0027]    Referring also to  FIG. 7 , a combination of a docking station  80  and a portable computer  90  is illustrated. The docking station  80  includes an upper plate  82 , a connector  84 , a grounding sheet (not shown) and a pair of previously described conductive contacts  20 . The pair of conductive contacts  20  are secured under the upper plate  82 . The docking station  40  defines a pair of thin chambers (not shown) therein for the corresponding conductive contacts  20  being accommodated therein. A pair of through holes  86  are defined in the upper plate  82  for the conductive contacts  20  to partially protrude therethrough. The portable computer  90  includes a bottom plate  92 , a complementary connector  94  fixed on the bottom plate  92 , and a pair of conductive pads  96  are provided on a circuit board (not shown) and exposed on an outside of the bottom plate  92 . 
         [0028]    Referring also to  FIG. 1 , when the portable computer  90  is incorporated onto the docking station  80 , the complementary connector  94  aligns with the electronic connector  84  whilst the conductive pads  96  align with the corresponding conductive members  20 . Once the conductive pads  96  are in contact with the corresponding contacting portions  22  of the conductive members  20 , a pressure is applied to press the conductive members  20  downward. The resilient bodies  36  of the spring members  30  are resiliently deformed. The conductive pads  96 , the conductive member  30  and the grounding sheet are electrically connected. The conductive pad  96  is grounded to the grounding sheet so that an electro magnetic interference (EMI) generated between the docking station  80  and the portable computer  90  may be suppressed. 
         [0029]    When the portable computer  90  is detached from the docking station  80 , the conductive members  20  are restored and resiliently raised in a direction that the portable computer  90  moves away from the docking station  80  because of the resilience of the spring members  30 . 
         [0030]    The conductive members  20  may be pressed down without any interferences (or obstacles) generated by adjacent rotations  360 . The free height of the resilient member  30  can be lessened in a manner so that a space similar to the chamber  428  can be constructed relatively flatter. The docking station  80  can thus become compact. 
         [0031]    The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Other arrangements and advantages may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention should be deemed not to be limited to the above detailed description, but rather by the spirit and scope of the claims that follow, and their equivalents.