Abstract:
An electrical interconnection comprises a first magnetic conductor and a second magnetic conductor. The second magnetic conductor is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic conductor to establish an electrical conductive path between the first and second magnetic conductors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a system for electrically connecting components. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical interconnection configured to magnetically couple two or more conductive elements together to establish an electrical conductive path between the conductive elements. 
         [0002]    In the past, the simplest way to provide electrical power to a component or to receive electrical signal from a component was to connect a power source to the component with a conductive wire. One of the most common types of conductive wires is a copper wire. In many instances, these conductive wires are coated with a material that functions to both protect and insulate the wire. Conductive wires are manufactured in numerous “gauges” so that an appropriately sized wire may be selected for a specific application. 
         [0003]    Typical conductive wires are relatively stiff and are not designed to stretch when a tensile force is applied to the wire. Tensile forces are common when the wire is used in conjunction with a component that experiences vibration. Thus, wires that experience tensile forces have a tendency to snap in half when stretched, thereby destroying their use as an electrical conductive path. Furthermore, the stiffness and thermal contraction properties of the materials used to support or insulate the wire become a greater problem when the wire is used in a cold environment where the materials may become brittle and possibly shrink. It is not uncommon in these situations for the materials themselves to shear the wire, thereby destroying the conductive path. Conductive elements such as conductive wire braids have been developed which have the ability to stretch more than an ordinary strand of wire. However, the amount that the conductive wire braids may stretch is still rather limited. 
         [0004]    Thus, there exists a need for an electrical interconnection with increased versatility that is capable of providing an electrical conductive path under a wide range of operating conditions. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is an electrical interconnection comprising a first magnetic conductor and a second magnetic conductor. The second magnetic conductor is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic conductor to establish an electrical conductive path between the first and second magnetic conductors. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an electrical interconnection of the present invention, which includes a first conductive element and a second conductive element. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams illustrating how the electrical interconnection of the present invention is configured to provide strain relief when a force, such as a tensile force, is applied to the first or second conductive elements. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a first alternative embodiment of the electrical interconnection of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a second alternative embodiment of the electrical interconnection of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a third alternative embodiment of the electrical interconnection of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a fourth alternative embodiment of the electrical interconnection of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating electrical interconnection  10 , which includes first conductive element  12 , second conductive element  14 , first magnetic element  16 , and second magnetic element  18 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , first magnetic element  16  is disposed within first conductive element  12 , while second magnetic element  18  is disposed within second conductive element  14 , as depicted by the broken-line outlines of the magnetic elements. 
         [0013]    When opposite poles of first and second magnetic elements  12  and  14  are placed close to one another, a magnetic attraction F forms between the two magnetic elements. As will be described in more detail to follow, when first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  are magnetically coupled together, an electrical conductive path is formed between first conductive element  12  and second conductive element  14 . Thus, when magnetically coupled together, first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  form a single electrically conductive element capable of transferring an electrical current. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  may both be permanent magnets (i.e., a ferromagnetic material which has a significant retained magnetization). One example of a permanent magnet is a rare earth magnet. In other embodiments, one of the magnetic elements may be a paramagnetic or ferromagnetic type material that does not have the retained magnetization like a permanent magnet, but becomes magnetized when placed near a magnetic field. 
         [0015]    Electrical interconnection  10  is useful in any application where an electrical connection between two components is required, and may replace prior art conductive wires commonly used to provide an electrical conductive path between components. Particularly, the electrical interconnection of the present invention is useful in applications where conductive wires may be subject to very low temperatures, extreme vibration, or tensile forces that may cause the wires to break or become damaged. 
         [0016]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  are conductive braids, and first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  are disposed within their respective conductive braids. However, in other embodiments, first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  may alternatively be coupled to an outer surface of their respective conductive element. In addition, although conductive elements  12  and  14  are shown as each having one associated magnetic element, a plurality of magnetic elements may be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. 
         [0017]    The magnetic force of attraction F between first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  provides a “quick disconnect” feature that is useful to quickly and easily interrupt the flow of current from one conductive element to the other. In particular, the electrical conductive path may be interrupted by separation of first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18 . This may be accomplished by simply pulling magnetic elements  16  and  18  in opposite directions along the F-axis until first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  are no longer in contact. As a result, when first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  are no longer in contact, and electrical current cannot pass between them. For example, if electrical interconnection  10  is used to provide power to a sensor, the magnetic elements serve as a means to quickly disconnect (and re-connect) power to the sensor. 
         [0018]    It is important to note that in order for the magnetic attraction F between first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  to exist, the temperature of first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  must remain below the Curie temperature of both magnetic elements  16  and  18 . If the temperature of a conductive element exceeds the Curie temperature of its associated magnetic element, then the magnetic element will begin to lose any retained magnetization. As a result, the electrical conductive path may be broken due to the lack of a magnetic attraction between the magnetic elements. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate how the electrical interconnection of the present invention provides strain relief when a force, such as a tensile force, is applied to one or both of conductive elements  12  and  14 . First, as shown in  FIG. 2A , no tensile force is applied to either of the conductive elements, and center point C 1  of first magnetic element  16  is aligned with center point C 2  of second magnetic element  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , an electrical conductive path  20  is defined by the overlapping surface lengths of first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18 . 
         [0020]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 2B , a tensile force has now been applied to first conductive element  12  in direction Y 1  and second conductive element  14  in direction Y 2 . These tensile forces have caused center point C 1  of first magnetic element  16  to slide in direction Y 1  and center point C 2  of second magnetic element  18  to slide in direction Y 2 , thereby creating a separation ΔC between center points C 1  and C 2 . The separation ΔC illustrates the strain relief element of the present invention, which exists due to the fact that first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  may be pulled apart in an axial direction relative to one another without losing electrical conductive path  20 . In particular, when a tensile force is applied to first and second conductive elements  12  and  14 , the magnetic attraction formed between first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18  allows the conductive elements to slide relative to one another while maintaining the electrical conductive path  20 . It should be noted that the amount that first and second conductive elements  12  and  14  may slide relative to one another is related to the lengths, placement, and number of magnetic elements associated with each conductive element. For example, the longer the magnetic regions of first and second conductive elements  12  and  14 , the more they may be pulled relative to one another without losing the electrical conductive path  20  formed between them. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating electrical interconnection  10 A, which is a first alternative embodiment of electrical interconnection  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , electrical interconnection  10 A includes first conductive element  12 A, second conductive element  14 A, first magnetic element  16 A, and second magnetic element  18 A. Electrical interconnection  10 A is similar to electrical interconnection  10 . However, first and second magnetic elements  16  and  18 , which are themselves also conductive, are coupled to an outer surface of their respective conductive elements, and a plurality of magnetic conductive slivers  22  is disposed between the magnetic elements. Magnetic conductive slivers  22  are configured to maintain electrical conductive path  20 A between first and second conductive elements  12 A and  14 A when first and second magnetic elements  16 A and  18 A are separated, creating gap G between the conductive elements. In fact, the addition of magnetic conductive slivers  22  yields another example of a strain relief element since first and second conductive elements  12 A and  14 A may be pulled apart without breaking electrical conductive path  20 A. 
         [0022]    When first and second magnetic elements  16 A and  18 A are pulled apart, a north pole “N” of each magnetic conductive sliver  22  aligns with a south pole “S” of either first magnetic element  16 A or another magnetic conductive sliver  22 . Similarly, a south pole “S” of each magnetic conductive sliver  20  aligns with a north pole “N” of either second magnetic element  18 A or another one of the magnetic conductive slivers  22 . It should be noted that due to the small size of magnetic conductive slivers  22 , the north and south poles of slivers  22  are not labeled in  FIG. 3 . Magnetic conductive slivers  22  are able to maintain electrical conductive path  20 A between first and second conductive elements  12 A and  14 A due to the magnetic attraction (i.e., the magnetic flux) present between first and second magnetic elements  16 A and  18 A. It is important to note that as the gap G between first and second magnetic elements  16 A and  18 A increases, the magnitude of the magnetic force of attraction between the magnetic elements decreases. Therefore, once gap G is large enough that the magnetic force of attraction weakens significantly, magnetic conductive slivers  22  will no longer be able to complete the electrical conductive path and current will no longer flow between first and second conductive elements  12 A and  14 A. 
         [0023]    The slivers were referred to as “conductive magnetic slivers” above to indicate that in order for the slivers to conduct current, they must be both conductive as well as magnetic or ferromagnetic. Therefore, slivers  22  may be formed from a magnetic material and coated with, among other materials, copper or gold, in order to achieve both properties. However, any type of sliver that is both magnetic (or ferromagnetic) and conductive, whether manufactured with a conductive coating or not, is within the intended scope of the present invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating electrical interconnection  10 B, which is a second alternative embodiment of electrical interconnection  10 . Electrical interconnection  10 B includes first conductive element  12 B, second conductive element  14 B, a first plurality of magnetic elements  16 B, and a second plurality of magnetic elements  18 B. In particular, as shown in  FIG. 4 , first conductive element  12 B is a cylindrically shaped tube having conductive properties, while magnetic elements  16 B are cylindrically shaped magnets sized so as to fit within inner, hollow portions of first conductive element  12 B. In between each pair of magnetic elements  16 B are conductive spacers  24  configured to space apart magnetic elements  16 B at defined increments while providing a plurality of additional conductive passages within first conductive element  12 B. Similarly, second conductive element  14 B is a cylindrically shaped tube having conductive properties, while magnetic elements  18 B are cylindrically shaped magnets sized so as to fit within inner, hollow portions of second conductive element  14 B. In between each pair of magnetic elements  18 B are conductive spacers  26  configured to space apart magnetic elements  18 B at defined increments while providing a plurality of additional conductive passages within second conductive element  14 B. As shown in  FIG. 4 , first and second conductive elements  12 B and  14 B overlap each other, and a conductive path is formed between the two conductive elements at every point of contact between the outer surfaces of first and second conductive elements  12 B and  14 B. 
         [0025]    Magnetic elements  16 B and  18 B provide a magnetic force of attraction to magnetically couple first conductive element  12 B to second conductive element  14 B so that an electrical conductive path exists between the two conductive elements. In particular, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a north pole “N” on each magnet  16 B aligns with a south pole “S” on a corresponding magnet  18 B to magnetically couple first and second conductive elements  12 B and  14 B to form the electrical conductive path. 
         [0026]    It should be noted that depending on the particular use of electrical interconnection  10 B, the length of magnetic elements  16 B and  18 B as well as conductive spacers  24  and  26  may be varied to adjust the locations of the magnetic regions within conductive elements  12 B and  14 B. For instance, the lengths of conductive spacers  24  and  26  may be decreased such that magnetic elements  16 B and  18 B are spaced closer together along the longitudinal length of the conductive elements. In addition, although conductive elements  12 B and  14 B and magnetic elements  16 B and  18 B were described as being cylindrically shaped, conductive and magnetic elements having various other shapes, orientations, and distributions of the “N” and “S” poles are within the intended scope of the present invention. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating electrical interconnection  10 C, which is a third alternative embodiment of electrical interconnection  10 . Electrical interconnection  10 C includes first conductive element  12 C and second conductive element  14 C. Conductive elements  12 C and  14 C each include a plurality of microscopic magnetic particles disposed within them, thereby making the conductive elements themselves appear to have magnetic properties. Although the microscopic magnetic elements cannot be seen, the effect they have on first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C is illustrated by the placement of poles “N” and “S” throughout an interior portion of first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C are formed by melting a conductive material, mixing in the microscopic magnetic particles, allowing the mixture of magnetic, conductive material to harden, and drawing the material into thin wire strands. The strands are then exposed to a magnetic field to impart a significant retained magnetization to the microscopic magnetic particles so that they will behave as microscopic permanent magnets. As a result, the conductive elements themselves will appear to be permanent magnets. Strategic design of the magnetic field used to impart the retained magnetization allows control of the magnetization along the conductor length. For example, conductive elements  12 C and  14 C may be “magnetized” to have a substantially uniform magnetization along their length. The magnetic force of attraction allows first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C to be wound tightly together to increase the contact area, and thus the conductive path, between the conductive elements. In addition, the substantially uniform magnetic attraction along the length of first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C allows the conductive elements to slide relative to one another while maintaining the conductive path between the conductive elements. In particular, the more first conductive element  12 C is wound around and overlapped with second conductive element  14 C, the better electrical interconnection  10 C will be capable of handling tensile strains or forces that cause longitudinal movement of the conductive elements. Furthermore, even if placed in an environment with extreme vibration levels large enough to cause a separation of first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C at one or more locations, the magnetic force of attraction is configured to pull first and second conductive elements  12 C and  14 C back so that they once again make contact and form the electrical conductive path. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating electrical interconnection  10 D, which is a fourth alternative embodiment of electrical interconnection  10 . Electrical interconnection  10 D includes first conductive element  12 D, second conductive element  14 D, first magnetic element  16 D, and second magnetic element  18 D. The embodiments of the electrical interconnection of the present invention described above each included conductive elements that were in the form of a conductive wire or conductive braid. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , first and second conductive elements  12 D and  14 D are conductive strips of material having rectangular cross-sections and widths W 1  and W 2 , respectively. Widths W 1  and W 2  may be sized according to the specific needs of a particular application. Thus, if it is desirable to increase the contact area between the conductive elements, widths W 1  and W 2  may be increased. Another advantage of the conductive strip-type conductive element is that the strips may be created in any desired shape or design. 
         [0030]    First and second conductive elements  12 D and  14 D are preferably formed from a thin, conductive foil-type material. First and second magnetic elements  16 D and  18 D are preferably formed from microscopic magnetic particles suspended in a flexile polymer sheet. The magnetic elements may be bonded to their respective conductive elements by a bonding means such as an adhesive. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when magnetically coupled together, first conductive element  12 D and second conductive element  14 D are in direct contact and form an electrical conductive path between the two conductive elements. In this embodiment, first and second magnetic elements  16 D and  18 D do not directly contact one another. Instead, the magnetic force of attraction formed between first and second magnetic elements  16 D and  18 D is strong enough to magnetically hold first and second conductive elements  1   2 D and  1   4 D in a sandwich-like configuration with the outer surfaces of the conductive elements overlapping. 
         [0032]    It should be understood that various other embodiments consistent with the details described above are possible and within the intended scope of the present invention. Thus, the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6  are shown merely for purposes of example and not for limitation. In addition, although the various embodiments were described above as including two conductive elements, embodiments of the electrical interconnection that include any number of separate conductive elements are contemplated. 
         [0033]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.