Abstract:
A retractable connector ( 44 ) includes a base ( 82 ) slidably positioned within an electronic card ( 42 ). The connector further includes an elongated channel ( 104 ) which provides the tracking of the base member between an extended position and a retracted position along an axis. The elongated channel ( 104 ) is comprised of a retraction profile ( 160 ) for maintaining the base member having the connector thereon in a retracted position and an extension profile ( 162 ) for maintaining the base member in an extended position. The extension profile within the channel includes sides or facets including guide posts that facilitate the stopping of the base member from entering into a retracted position when axial forces are initially applied such as during the mating of an external connector with retractable connector of the electronic card.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of computers. More particularly, it relates to a retractable interface between a connector and an electronic device such as a computer. 
     2. The Present State of the Art 
     Smaller and more portable computers (often referred to as laptop or notebook computers) have taken the place of many desktop or stand-alone models. With the new-found portability of laptop or notebook computers, the size of external modules or peripherals have also become modular. Furthermore, to overcome the inconvenience and the physical limitations of external modules, smaller more integrated modules have been developed that are capable of being housed within a portable computer. Such a module is illustrated in FIG. 1 as module  10  which is capable of being housed within portable computer  12 . 
     In order to interface with networks or other interactive components, sockets or plugs have populated exposed facets of module  10 . In FIG. 1, a socket  14  is illustrated as being formed within the housing of module  10 . The socket as depicted in FIG. 1, is capable of receiving, for example, an RJ-xx connector  16  which may be coupled to various network or communication topologies. 
     Various other types of couplers have been developed for electrically connecting with higher bandwidth interfaces. FIG. 1 depicts coaxial plug  18  as being housed on an exposed facet of module  10 . Although coaxial cable has been developed in various designs, each coaxial cable includes a center conductor over which a signal is transferred. A flexible tubular insulator made of a dielectric or non-conductive material encircles the conductor. In turn, a flexible conductive sleeve often in a form of wire mesh encircles the insulator. The conductive sleeve functions as a shield or ground to help maintain the integrity of the signal in the center conductive cable. Finally, the conductive sleeve is coated with a durable insulative sheet. 
     Coaxial cables are well integrated and used extensively in many network systems throughout the world. One of the benefits of coaxial cable is its simple and standardized couplers for connecting with electrical apparatus. The coupler includes the coaxial connector, with one such example being typically known as a BNC, which is connected with a corresponding jack. A conventional coaxial connector has a relatively large tubular structure, while the jack includes a tubular plug, which interlocks with the connector by a type of threaded engagement or be a press-fit friction engagement. 
     One of the drawbacks in using coaxial cable is that many of the standardized coaxial jacks have a relatively large diameter that is greater than the thickness of most modules such as PC cards. FIG. 2 depicts one prior attempt at addressing the complication of interfacing a relatively larger coaxial connector with a reduced-sized card  22 . In FIG. 2, a module or PC card  20  is depicted as having a reduced size electronic portion with an enlarged interface portion  24  for the attachment of the much larger coaxial jack  26 . However, such an appendage to a traditional PC card is very undesirable as it protrudes and distracts from the generalized form factor of the personal computer not only during operation but also during storage and non-use. Such a protuberance is undesirable and distracting from the overall modularity and desirability of a module for interfacing with a portable computer. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A connector to facilitate the coupling of an external jack having a longitudinal attachment with a retractable connector including a stop for preventing initial retraction during the attachment of the external connector is provided. Modular electronic cards have dictated the miniaturization of connection mechanisms and, as such, many mechanisms are now manifesting themselves as retractable connectors. The present invention includes an electronic card having a housing with a circuit board disposed therein and a slidable connector assembly coupled therewith. A slidable connector assembly is configured to slidably alternate between a retracted position and an extended position wherein coupling of an external connector is feasible. 
     The slidable connector further includes a base member about which the electronic card connector is mounted. In the preferred embodiment, the base member slides about a rail located within the housing and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The base member tracks or maneuvers between the extended and retracted position according to an elongated channel disposed within the base member. The elongated channel includes a retraction profile portion for maintaining the base member having the connector thereon in a retracted position and an extension profile portion for maintaining the base member having the connector therein in an extended position. These profiles are comprised of various grooves and surfaces including sides of the channel and other guide posts that facilitate the latching and the stopping of the base member of the connector. 
     The retraction profile assumes a configuration for maintaining the base member in the retracted position once force has been applied to the base member. The retraction profile also releases the base member from the retracted position when subsequent force is applied to the base member. 
     The extension profile maintains the base member in an extended position thereby allowing the user to couple an external connector with the connector of the electronic card. The present invention facilitates the axial placement of a connector on the base member with reference to the extension-retraction axis of the retractable or base member. Axial attachment of external connectors is accommodated in the present invention by the extension profile which, when initially subjected to the coupling force that would otherwise cause the base member to commence retraction, maintains a stop which prevents the connector from retracting during the mating or coupling of the external connector with the connector of the electronic card. Subsequent to attachment of the external connector, the base member having the connector thereon resorts to a second resting extended position. Upon the removal of the external connector, subsequent retraction force about the retractable connector facilitates the retraction and retention of the retractable connector, and more particularly the base member, within the electronic card. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches the retractable connector of assuming a coaxial connector configuration. An alternate embodiment facilitates the attachment of any axially oriented connectors including end-mounted modular jacks. 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a computer having a PC card with a large form factor sufficient for attachment of a coaxial connector directly thereon, in accordance with the prior art; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a computer having a reduced-sized PC card with an enlarged external connector interface for directly coupling a coaxial jack thereto, in accordance with the prior art; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a computer having a PC card with a reduced-sized connector interface, consistent with the dimensions of the reduced-sized PC card, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is front view of a coaxial connector shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially cut-a-way top view of the PC card shown in FIG. 3 with the inventive extendable jack and retention mechanism, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevated partially cross-sectional back view of the extendable connector depicted as a coaxial jack, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an elevated front view of the coaxial jack shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a base member portion of the extendable media connector and the associated extension retention mechanism attached thereto, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a detailed view of an elongated channel defining the travel path and operational aspects of the extendable-retractable media connector, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a a media connector interface, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 3 depicts a computer  40  housing a PC card  42 . The term “PC card,” as used in the specification and appended claims, is broadly intended to include the various types of cards falling within the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCA) perimeters, communication cards falling outside of those standard, and cards which are developed under new standards. Examples of PC cards include modem cards, network cards, memory cards, SCSI cards, cellular phone cards, and combination thereof. PC cards can have but are not limited to having Type I, II, or III form factors. 
     A retractable coaxial jack  44 , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is attached to the PC card  42 . The coaxial jack  44  is configured to be physically and electrically coupled to a coaxial connector  46  attached to an end of a coaxial cable  48 . As used in the specification and appended claims, the term “coaxial connector” is broadly intended to include all the various types of connectors used with coaxial cables. One example of a coaxial connector, as depicted in FIG. 3, is a bayonet connector or BNC. Other types of coaxial connectors include RCA connectors and F-type connectors. Coaxial connector  46  is mounted on a coaxial cable  48  but could equally be mounted on other conventional adapters designed for operation with a coaxial cable. For additional disclosure, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,329, filed Oct. 30, 1998 is incorporated herein by specific reference. 
     As depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, coaxial connector  46  comprises a tubular insulator  52  bounding a substantially cylindrical chamber  54 . Concentrically disposed within chamber  54  is a metal contact pin or conductor  50 . Encircling the exterior of insulator  52  is a conductive sleeve  56 . Rotatably encircling sleeve  56  is an annular collar  58 . Conductive sleeve  56  and collar  58  bound an annular space  57  therebetween. Formed on opposing sides of collar  58  are a pair of slots  60  and  61 . As depicted in FIG. 3, each slot  60  and  61  includes a first section  62  that is axially aligned with coaxial connector  46  and a second section  64  that curves to partially spiral around coaxial connector  46 . 
     FIG. 5 depicts a PC card  42  comprising a housing  66  which includes a top cover plate  68  and an opposing bottom cover plate  70 . A narrow boarder member  72  secures plates  68  and  70  together around the perimeter thereof. Cover plates  68  and  70  bound a compartment  74  therebetween in which a circuit board  76  is disposed. Formed at a front end  78  of PC card  42  is an opening  80 . Opening  80  extends through boarder member  72  to communicate with compartment  74 . Coaxial jack  44  is slidably positioned within compartment  74  so as to selectively move between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, as shown in FIG. 5, a portion of coaxial jack  44  projects out of opening  80  for attachment with coaxial connector  46 . When not in use, coaxial jack  44  can be selectively moved into the retracted position wherein coaxial jack  44  is substantially enclosed within compartment  74 . 
     As depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, the coaxial jack  44  comprises a base  82  having opposing sides  84  and  88  extending between a front face  119  and an opposing back face  89 . The side  84  of the coaxial jack  44  slidably engages with a portion of the boarder member  72  and a stop  86  outward into the extended position. By way of example, tubular tail  90  projects from the end of side  88 . As depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, tail  90  has an opening  92  configured to receive a spring  94 . Tail  90  also includes a pair of inwardly facing finger  98  that slidably engage a rail  100  formed on boarder member  72 . The opposing end of spring  94  is mounted on a post  96  projecting off of boarder member  72 . In this configuration, spring  94  functions to bias base  82  outward into the extended position. 
     In alternative embodiments, it is envisioned that spring  94  can be placed at different locations to bias against base  82 . Furthermore, spring  94  can be replaced with other conventional types of springs such as a leaf spring. Examples of alternative embodiments of the means for biasing base  82  outward are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,401, filed Aug. 16, 1994 (hereinafter “the &#39;401 patent”), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/357,017, filed Jul. 19, 1999, which are incorporated herein by specific reference. 
     The present invention also includes means projecting from base  52  for physically and electrically coupling with coaxial connector  46  when base  82  is in the extended position. By way of example and not by limitation, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 6, projecting from a front face  89  of base  82  is a tubular insulator  120  made from a dielectric material. Insulator  120  encircles a conductive socket  122 . Socket  122  bounds an opening  124  configured to receive contact pin  50  (FIG. 4) of coaxial connector  46  in electrical contact. Also projecting from face  119  on opposing sides of insulator  120  is a conductive first retention arm  125  and a conductive second arm  126 . In an alternative embodiment, only one of retention arms  125  and  126  needs to be conductive. Each retention arm  125  and  126  has a curved inside face  128  and an opposing curved outside face  130 . Each outside face  130  has a knob  132  projecting therefrom. Retention arms  125  and  126  are spaced from tubular insulator  130  so that a gap  134  is formed therebetween. Furthermore, each of retention arms  125  and  126  have a height H which is one embodiment does not exceed the thickness of PC card  12  and more preferably does not exceed the thickness of base  82 . 
     FIG. 8 depicts the retractable portion or base member  82  of the retractable coaxial jack  44 . This perspective view of base  82  details a latching mechanism for selectively retaining base  82  in a retracted position and furthermore for providing longitudinal resistance for the ease of attaching coaxial connectors or other longitudinally attached connectors when base  82  is an extended position. Flexible pin  110  is attached to base  82  at a flexible pin axis  138  which allows flexible pin  110  to track or operate as a cam follower in an opposing groove exhibiting a varying profile as described in detail below. Base  82  further comprises guide fingers  98  about a base channel  102  which provide a slidable retention capability about rail  100  (FIG. 5) of the fixed portion  136  (FIG. 5) of PC card  42  (FIG.  5 ). 
     FIG. 9 depicts the complimentary portion of the means for selectively retaining base  82  in a retracted position and for providing connector-mating resistance or a connector-attachment retraction stop when base  82  is in an extended position, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. By way of example and not limitation, a rail  100  has a front face  101  with a channel  104  recessed therein. Throughout FIG. 9, flexible pin  110  (FIG. 8) is depicted in motion and at certain positions,  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156 ,  164 ,  166 , and  168 . 
     Channel  104  is depicted as generally elongated and disposed within base member  82  (FIG. 8) with the elongated channel being preferably partitioned, for clarity, into a retraction profile  160  and an extension profile  162 . It should be pointed out that such a partition is merely illustrative and the spatial relationships between the location of retraction profile  160  and extension profile  162  are function of the size and configuration of base  82  and the depth of a receiving compartment within the housing. 
     Retraction profile  160  operates for maintaining the base member in a retracted position. Referring to FIG. 9, for illustrative purposes, flexible pin  110  is depicted as starting in a location, for example, position  140  and with the base member  82  attached to flexible pin  110  travels during retraction to a position  142  whereupon flexible pin  110  encounters a retraction guide  148  located generally within the retraction profile and, in the preferred embodiment, integral with rail  100  and exhibiting a profile above the recessed profile of channel  104 . Retraction guide  148  redirects the course of flexible pin  110  through one or more sides associated with retraction guide  148  into a position  144  whereupon flexible pin  110  encounters one or more sides associated with rail  100  on front face  101  forming channel  104 . Such an encounter at position  144  further redirects flexible pin  110  into a stop position  146 . Upon the removal of the retraction force translated to flexible pin  110 , a rebound force preferably communicated from spring  94  (FIG. 5) redirects flexible pin  110  to encounter one or more additional sides of retraction guide  148  which, upon the removal of any forces incurred in the retraction direction, causes flexible pin  110  to be retained by retraction guide  148  in an alcove  150  in a position  152 . 
     Flexible pin  110  remains in position  152  until subsequent retraction forces are applied to base  82  (FIG. 8) which are conveyed to flexible pin  110 . Flexible pin thereafter encounters one or more sides of rail  100  forming channel  104  to cause a further redirection of flexible pin  110  into a position  154 . When compressive forces are again removed from base  82 , flexible pin  110  moves from a position  154  into a position  156  thereafter encountering one or more sides of rail  100  forming channel  104  and passes through channel  104  to the extension profile  162  portion of channel  104 . 
     Extension profile  162  maintains the base member  82  (FIG. 8) in an extended position permitting the connector to be functionally accessible by a user and provides a stopping mechanism which prevents the initial retraction of the base member when opposing connector coupling forces are applied during mating of an opposing connector with the connector on base  82 . When entering the extended state, flexible pin  110  passes to a position  140  due to the forces exerted by spring  94  (FIG. 5) on base  82  (FIG.  8 ). Flexible pin  110 , when passing to the extended state, encounters one or more sides of an extension guide  170  which redirects the position of flexible pin  110  to alternatively encounter one or more additional sides of channel  104  before coming to rest in a first resting extended position  164 . At position  164 , the base member  82  assumes a resting extended position. A user coupling a connector with the jack or connector associated with base  82 , such as retractable coaxial jack  44  (FIG.  3 ), exerts retractive force upon flexible pin  110  causing it to move from position  164  to encounter one or more sides of extension guide  170  before coming to rest at a position  166  which invokes a back force or stop to the connector and opposes the forces associated with the coupling of a connector with the jack or other connector associated with base  82 . Once such coupling forces are removed, the spring or biasing means associated with the present invention causes flexible pin  110  to encounter one or more sides of channel  104 , specifically depicted as sides  172  which causes redirection of flexible pin  110  into a second resting, extended position  168 . Once the connector  46  (FIG. 3) is removed from the connector  44  (FIG. 3) associated with base  82 , a user may apply a retractive force to base member  82  causing flexible pin  110  to pass from a position  168  to a position  140  through the encountering of one or more sides of channel  104 . The process may then be repeated. 
     The previous figures have depicted a preferred embodiment of a retractable apparatus that accommodate coaxial connectors. FIG. 10 depicts an alternate embodiment wherein another longitudinal connector attachment is also contemplated. In FIG. 10, a base  182  couples to a connector  180  which forms a longitudinal coupling with an external connector via connector sides  184  and  186  and is electrically coupled via contacts  190 . Base  182  couples to rail  100  (FIG. 5) via guide fingers  192  in the manner similarly described above. It is also contemplated that the present invention finds application to connectors that, when coupled together, exert a force on the retracting portion that would frustrate the mating of the connectors together. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.