Patent Publication Number: US-9431772-B2

Title: Connector retention features

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a nonprovisional of and claims priority to U.S. patent provisional application Nos. 61/918,648, filed Dec. 19, 2013, and 61/922,856, filed Jan. 1, 2014, which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The amount of data transferred between electronic devices has grown tremendously the last several years. Large amounts of audio, streaming video, text, and other types of data content are now regularly transferred among desktop and portable computers, media devices, handheld media devices, displays, storage devices, and other types of electronic devices. Power may be transferred with this data, or power may be transferred separately. 
     Power and data may be conveyed over cables that may include wire conductors, fiber optic cables, or some combination of these or other conductors. Cable assemblies may include a connector insert at each end of a cable, though other cable assemblies may be connected or tethered to an electronic device in a dedicated manner. The connector inserts may be inserted into receptacles in the communicating electronic devices. 
     It may be desirable that a connector insert not accidently disconnect from a connector receptacle during device operation. For example, during a large data transfer, if a connector insert disconnects from a connector receptacle, the transfer may become corrupted. This may require a transfer restart thereby costing a user time and may diminish the user&#39;s opinion of the electronic devices involved. 
     Thus, what is needed are inserts, receptacles, and apparatus for connector systems that are at least less likely to become accidently or inadvertently disconnected. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide inserts, receptacles, and apparatus for connector systems that are at least less likely to become accidently or inadvertently disconnected. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a first connector having one or more sides ground contacts having openings. These openings may be arranged to accept edges of a wide portion of a tongue on a second connector. During insertion, front edges of the side contacts may slide along outer edges of the wide portion of the tongue on the second connector. The opening in the side ground contact may have a front edge to engage an edge defining the wider portion of the tongue. The relative angle between these two surfaces and their relation to a direction of insertion of an insert into a receptacle may determine an amount of a retention force between two connectors. For instance, two flat surfaces facing each other, where the surfaces are orthogonal to a direction of insertion (or more specifically, extraction), may provide a robust locking feature, while more angled or slopped surfaces at other angles to the direction of insertion may provide retention forces that are more easily overcome. 
     Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a first connector having one or more side ground contacts formed from an upper and a lower rail. These upper and lower rails may include contacting portions at their ends that are arranged to hold a wide portion of a tongue on a second connector. In this example, during insertion, the upper and lower rail&#39;s contacting portions may slide across a top and bottom surface of the wide portion of the tongue. Facing edges of the wide portion of the tongue and contacting portions of the upper and lower rails may be angled relative to each other and to the direction of insertion (or extraction) in order to adjust an amount of retention force to a desired level. 
     In various embodiment of the present invention, it may be desirable to adjust a level of retention force provided by a retention mechanism. In various embodiment of the present invention, this may be done by adjusting an angle of contacting surfaces between one or more side contacts and a wider portion of a connector tongue both relative to each other and to a direction of insertion (or extraction.). For example, two opposing flat surfaces orthogonal to a direction of extraction may provide a high retention force in a robust locking mechanism. However, a user may inadvertently fail to release the locking mechanism and may attempt to pull the connectors apart. This force may damage either a side ground contact or a wide portion of a tongue in one or both of the connectors. Accordingly, one or both surfaces may be slightly angled to reduce the locking force to a level that prevents accidental disconnects while preventing damage when a large force is applied. In still other embodiments of the present invention, such as those employed in docking stations, only a slight retention force may be desirable so that a user does not pick up the docking station when extracting an electronic device, such as a phone or tablet device. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, one or more side ground contacts may be located in either a connector insert or plug or a connector receptacle. The tongue may be included in either a connector receptacle or a connector insert or plug. 
     Further embodiments of the present invention may provide unlocking mechanisms to allow a user to remove the retention or locking force. Various embodiments of the present invention may provide unlocking mechanisms that may be actuated by one or more buttons on sides, top, or bottom of a connector insert. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be used in connector inserts and receptacles for cables that may connect to various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, adapters, and chargers, and other devices. These connector inserts may provide pathways for signals and power compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), power, Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Lightning and other types of standard and non-standard interfaces. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a connector receptacle and insert according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates another connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an oblique view of a connector insert that includes the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an unlocking mechanism that may be employed by embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8-9  illustrate another unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates another connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a side view of a connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an oblique view of a connector insert employing in the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a rear view of the unlocking mechanism of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a connector receptacle and insert according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure, as with the other included figures, is shown for illustrative purposes and does not limit either the possible embodiments of the present invention or the claims. 
     In this example, the connector insert may be inserted into the connector receptacle. Specifically, shield  210  of the connector insert may be inserted into shield  110  of connector receptacle. Tongue  120  may be inserted into an opening in the front of the connector insert. Contacts  250  of the connector insert may mate with contacts  140  in the connector receptacle. Contacts  230  of the connector insert may engage ground contacts (not shown) in the connector receptacle. Housing  290  may be grasped by a user during insertion and extraction of a connector insert into and out of the connector receptacle. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, one or two (or more) side ground contacts  240  may be located on a connector insert. Tongue  120  may be located in a connector receptacle and may have a wide portion formed by notch  130 . More specifically, notch  130  may narrow the tongue defining a narrow portion, leaving a wider portion to support contacts  140 . A first end of this wide portion of tongue  120  may fit in openings  246  of side ground contact  240 . Side ground contact  240  may have a leading edge  242  angled away from connector insert contacts  250 . Side ground contact  240  may further have an angled tab  244  at a front of opening  246 . In this example, shield  210  of the connector insert may include one or more contacts  230  to form electrical contact with one or more ground pads on tongue  120 . 
     During insertion, leading edge  242  of side ground contact  240  may engage the wide portion of tongue  120 . This may cause side ground contact  240  to deflect. When leading edge  242  reaches notch  130 , side ground contact  240  may return to its position thereby holding an edge of the wide portion of tongue  120  in opening  246 . During extraction, tab  244  may cause side ground contact  240  to again deflect, thereby releasing the tongue. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 2 . Again, tongue  120  may have a wider portion defined by a notch  130 . Side ground contact  240  may include an angled leading edge  242  and an angled trailing edge  244 . The angled trailing edge  244  may be located in a front of an opening in the side ground contact  240 . 
     Again, an angle between a face of trailing edge  244  and tongue edge  122  relative to a direction of extraction may determine the amount of retention force provided by this mechanism. To provide a high retention or lock force, edge  244  may be made flat. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, one or two side ground contacts  440  may include an opening  446  for accepting an end of a wide portion of a tongue  120 . As before, a leading edge  442  may be angled. The amount of this angle may provide a resistance to user inserting a connector insert into a connector receptacle. This leading edge may also pass along an outside edge surface of the wide portion of tongue  120  during insertion. 
     Again, during insertion, leading edge  442  may deflect when it encounters tongue  120 . When leading edge  442  reaches notch  130 , side ground contact  440  may return to its pre-biased state and hold an edge of the wide portion of tongue  120  in opening  446 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 4 . Again, side ground contacts  440  may include an angel to leading portion  442 . A wide portion of tongue  120  may be formed by notch  130 . More specifically, notch  130  may form a narrow portion of tongue  120 , forming a wider portion of tongue  120  in front of it toward the connector insert. Opposing faces  122  of tongue  120  and  447  of side ground contacts  440  may be relatively flat and orthogonal to the direction of extraction. This may in turn cause a large retention force, which may be referred to as a locking force. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an oblique view of a connector insert that includes the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 4 . Specifically, one or more sides ground contacts  440  having opening  446  may be included. 
     Again, the arrangement in  FIG. 4  may provide a very high retention or locking force. In order to remove such a connector insert from a connector receptacle, the side ground contacts  440  may be moved away from tongue  120  and such that the side ground contact disengages the wide part of the tongue. Examples of unlocking mechanisms that may be employed by embodiments of the present invention are shown in the following figures. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an unlocking mechanism that may be employed by an embodiment of the present invention. The unlocking mechanism may include a button  710  that may be depressed by a user when removing a connector insert from a connector receptacle. A depressing force on button  710  may cause ground contact portion  730  to be pushed toward the inside of the connector insert. This may, in turn, pivot side ground contact  440  around point  720 , thereby pushing opening  446  away from tongue  120 . When the user releases button  710 , side ground contact portion  720  may actively return button  720  to its initial position and may further move side ground contact portion  442  towards an inside of the connector insert. 
       FIGS. 8-9  illustrate another unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, button  810  may be depressed in a downward direction as shown, pushing aside elements  820  and  830 . This may push side ground contact portions  840  and  850  away from a tongue  120 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , when button  810  is released, side ground contacts  840  and  850  may return to their original pre-biased positions, thereby pushing elements  820  and  830  closer to each other and returning button  810  to its original position. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another connector system retention mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, a top rail  1020  and a bottom rail  1010  of a side ground contact may be arranged to hold a wide portion of tongue  120 . As before, the wide portion of tongue  120  may be defined by notch  130 . More specifically, the relative angles of faces  1012 ,  1022 , and  122  may determine a retention or locking force provided. As with the other examples, a similar side ground contact may be provided at a far end of tongue  120  and is not shown here for clarity. 
     During insertion, upper and lower rails may deflect away from each other when they encounter tongue  120 . The rails may then slide along a top and bottom of tongue  120 . When contacting ends of the rails  1010  and  1020  reach notch  130 , they may return to their pre-biased state and hold the wide end of tongue  120 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a side view of a connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 10 . As before, a side ground contact may include a top rail  1020  and a bottom rail  1010 . These rails may include contacting portions arranged to hold a wide portion of tongue  120 . Again, both the relative of angles of faces  1012 ,  1022 , and  122  to each other and to the direction of extraction may be adjusted to provide a desired retention or locking force. 
     In this example, the rails of the side ground contacts may engage tongue  120  at approximately the same time during insertion as the remaining contacts of the connector insert. This may provide a smooth tactile response to user during insertion of a connector insert into a connector receptacle. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an oblique view of a connector insert employing in the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 10 . Specifically, a side ground contact may include an upper rail  1020  and a lower rail  1010 . 
     Again, the connector system retention mechanism of  FIG. 10  may provide a large locking force. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide an unlocking mechanism to unlock the connector insert and receptacle during extraction. An example of such an unlocking mechanism is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates an unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, a side ground contact may include an upper rail  1020  and a lower rail  1010 . An unlocking mechanism may be actuated by a user depressing button  1310 . The depressing of this button may rotate an oblong portion  1330  about pivot point.  1320 , thereby pushing the upper rail  1020  and lower rail  1010  away from each other. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a rear view of the unlocking mechanism of  FIG. 13 . Again, a user may depress button  1310 , thereby lowering arm  1340 . This may cause oblong portion  1330  to rotate, which may result in upper rail  1020  and lower rail  1010  being pushed away from each other. 
     The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.