Patent Publication Number: US-10333249-B1

Title: Electronic connector with magnetic element and data transmission line using same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Chinese Application No. 201821255953.2, filed on Aug. 2, 2018, entitled “Magnetic data cable”, and Chinese Application No. 201821243859.5, filed on Aug. 2, 2018, entitled “Android Micro connector”, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an electronic connector, and more particularly to a electronic connector with magnetic element and a data transmission line using such electronic connector. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The data transmission line used to connect existing electronic product, such as mobile phone, IPAD, and etc., generally includes a line main body and electronic connectors that are respectively provided at both ends of the line main body. When the data transmission line is used, the electronic connector of the data transmission line is frequently inserted into or removed from an interface of the mobile phone and other electronic product, such as the IPAD, repeatedly. After a long period of use, it is often easy to cause loose connections and poor contact between the electronic connector and the interface of the electronic product. In addition, at present, the electronic connector of the data transmission line can only be inserted into the interface of the electronic product in one position, and the reverse insertion cannot be realized, which brings inconvenience to the user. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect of the disclosure, an electronic connector comprises: a male connector; a female connector comprising: a shell; a supporting element received in the shell, and including an insertion opening and a receptacle space communicated with the insertion opening; a magnetic element received in the shell and surrounding the supporting element; a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly corresponding to the first terminal assembly received in the supporting element, wherein, the first terminal assembly including a plurality of first terminals, and the second terminal assembly including a plurality of second terminals, each of the first terminal extending into the receptacle space, and each of the second terminal extending into the receptacle space, and the first terminal and the corresponding second terminal forming a clamp for clamping the male connector which is inserted into receptacle space via the insertion opening. 
     In another aspect of the disclosure, an data transmission line comprises a second electronic connector; a first electronic connector comprising: a male connector; a female connector comprising: a shell; a supporting element received in the shell, and including an insertion opening and a receptacle space communicated with the insertion opening; a magnetic element received in the shell and surrounding the supporting element; a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly corresponding to the first terminal assembly received in the supporting element, wherein, the first terminal assembly including a plurality of first terminals, and the second terminal assembly including a plurality of second terminals, each of the first terminal extending into the receptacle space, and each of the second terminal extending into the receptacle space, and the first terminal and the corresponding second terminal forming a clamp for clamping the male connector which is inserted into receptacle space via the insertion opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and/or additional objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be further elucidated by the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a data transmission line according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the female connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  show perspective view of the supporting element of the female connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the first terminal assembly of the female connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the second terminal assembly of the female connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of the female connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of part A in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  show a male connector of the data transmission line according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the attached drawings and the embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 10 , a data transmission line  100  according to the embodiment includes a first electronic connector  20 , a second electronic connector  30  and a cable  10  connected between the first electronic connector  20  and the second electronic connector  30 . In this embodiment, the second electronic connector  30  may be an USB interface used for connecting with the interface of an electronic product, such as mobile phone, IPAD, laptop, and etc, or power supply adapter. The first electronic connector  20  may also be an interface used for connecting with the interface of other electronic product. The data transmission line  100  is used for data transmission between two electronic products that are connected via such data transmission line  100 , or used to charge the electronic product. 
     In the embodiment, the term “front” means a forward direction toward the second connector  30 , and the term “rear” means a rearward direction toward the first connector. This definition of the term is configured to help to understand the present invention instead of limiting the scope of the application. 
     The first connector  20  includes a female connector  21  and a male connector  22 . When the first connector  20  is used, the male connector  22  is inserted into the female connector  21 , with such configuration, the male connector  22  and the female connector  21  are electronically connected. The male connector  22  may be a micro USB connector, a type-C connector, or other conventional connectors. The male connector  22  are removable connected to the female connector  21 . The male connector  22  may includes a first connecting assembly for connecting with the female connector  21  and electrically connected with the female connector  21 . Specifically, the first connecting assembly includes a hollow housing  221 , an insulating part  222  received in the housing  221 , a plurality of terminals  223  carried by the insulating part  222  for electrically connecting with the female connector  21 , and a magnetic element  224  surrounding the housing  221  for connecting with the female connector  21  by means of magnetic attractive. 
     The female connector  21  includes a hollow shell  211 , a first terminal assembly  212 , a second terminal assembly  213 , a supporting element  214  for supporting the first terminal assembly  212  and the second terminal assembly  213 , and a magnetic element  215 . The first terminal assembly  212 , the second terminal assembly  213 , the supporting element  214  and the magnetic element  215  are received in the hollow shell  211 . Preferably, the hollow shell  211  has substantially elliptical column shape and may be made of metallic material. The supporting element  214  may be made of insulate material. 
     The supporting element  214  is received in the hollow shell  211  and has a T shape. The supporting element  214  includes a base body  2141 , a first extending part  2142  extending from the base body  2141  and a pair of second extending parts  2143  extending from the base body  2141  in a direction away from the first extending part  2142 . A step portion  2144  is formed between the base body  2141  and the first extending part  2142 , as the thickness of the first extending part  2142  is lower than that of the base body  2141 . The base body  2141  defines an accommodating space  2141   a . The second extending part  2143  has a first position groove  2143   a.    
     The first extending part  2142  has an insertion opening  2140  and a receptacle space  2145  communicated with the insertion opening  2140 . The first extending part  2142  further includes an inner part  2146  located before the receptacle space  2145 . The inner part  2146  has a plurality of first terminal grooves  2147  communicated with the receptacle space  2145 , a plurality of second terminal grooves  2148  communicated with the receptacle space  2145  and an insulate plate  2149  configured to separate the first terminal groove  2147  and the second terminal groove  2148 . The first terminal groove  2147  is close to the upper side of the first extending part  2142 , and the second terminal groove  2148  is close to lower side of the first extending part  2142 . The first terminal grooves  2147  correspond to the second terminal grooves  2148  one by one. The first terminal grooves  2147  and the second terminal grooves  2148  communicate the accommodating space  2141   a  to the receptacle space  2145 . 
     The first terminal assembly  212  includes a plurality of first terminals  2121  and a first combining block  2122  assembled with the first terminals  2121 . Each of the first terminal  2121  includes a first contact portion  2121   a , a first fixing portion  2121   b  assembled with the first combining block  2122 , a first connecting portion  2121   c  connected between the first contact portion  2121   a  and the first fixing portion  2121   b , and a first extending portion  2121   d  extending from the first fixing portion  2121   b  in a direction away from the first contact portion  2121   a . The first contact portion  2121   a  has a curved profile. The first connecting portion  2121   c  also has a wavy shaped profile. Each of the first terminal  2121  may be made of elastic electric conducting material. The first combining block  2122  may be made of plastic material. 
     The second terminal assembly  213  includes a plurality of second terminals  2131  and a second combining block  2132  assembled with the first terminals  2131 . Each of the second terminal  2131  includes a second contact portion  2131   a , a second fixing portion  2131   b  assembled with the second combining block  2132 , a second connecting portion  2131   c  connected between the second contact portion  2131   a  and the second fixing portion  2131   b , and a second extending portion  2131   d  extending from the second fixing portion  2131   b  in a direction away from the second contact portion  2131   a . The second contact portion  2131   a  has a curved profile. The second connecting portion  2131   c  also has a wavy shaped profile. Each of the second terminal  2131  may be made of elastic electric conducting material. The second combining block  2132  may be made of plastic material. 
     The magnetic element  215  may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnetic element  215  is substantially oval shaped and has a through hole  2150  formed in the center thereof. 
     When assembled, the first combing block  2122  is assembled with the second combing block  2132  so that the first terminal assembly  212  is connected with the second terminal assembly  213 . Then, the first combing block  2122  and the second combing block  2132  are mounted into the accommodating space  2141   a  of the base body  2141 ; the first terminals  2121  and the second terminals  2131  are received in the first terminal grooves  2147  and the second terminal grooves  2148  respectively, and the first contact portions  2121   a  of the first terminals  2121  and the second contact portions  2131   a  of the second terminals  2131  extend into the receptacle space  2145  to form a clamp for clamping the male connector  22  which inserted into the receptacle space  2145  via the insertion opening  2140 . The first contact portions  2121   a  correspond to the second contact portions  2131   a , and the first contact portions  2121   a  have a curved profile that may be curved inward, and the corresponding second contact portions  2131   a  also have a curved portion that may be curved outward. The first connection portion  2121   c  have a wavy shape and the corresponding second connection portion  2131   c  also have a wavy shape which protrudes in a opposite direction, thus, the first connecting portion  2121   c  and the second connection portion  2131   c  form a clamp for clamping the insulate plate  2149 . A rear end surface  2111  of the shell is flush with the rear end surface  2142   a  of the first extending part  2142 . 
     The first extending part  2141  pass through the through hole  2150  of the magnetic element  215 , and the magnetic element  215  are mounted on the step portion  2144 . The magnetic element  215  surrounds the outside of the support element  214  and received in the shell  211 . A front end surface  2152  of the magnetic element  215  abuts against the base body  2141 , and a rear end surface  2151  of the magnetic element  215  is more closer to the base body  2141  than the rear end surface  2142   a  of the first extending part  2142  so that a receiving groove  210  is formed by the magnetic element  215  incorporated with the shell  211  and the first extending part  2142 . The receiving groove  210  is configured for receiving a part of the male connector  22  while the male connector  22  inserted into the female connector  21 . 
     The female connector  21  further includes a PCB  216  received in the shell  211 . The first extending portions  2121   d  of the first terminals  2121  and the second extending portions  2131   d  of the second terminals  2131  are connected with such PCB  216  respectively for data transmission. 
     The female connector  21  further includes a fixing element  217  for connecting the cable  10  to the first electronic connector  20 . Specifically, the fixing element  217  is configured for holding wires  11  of the cable  10 . The wires  11  are connected with the PCB  216 . The fixing element  217  has a pair of second position grooves  2171  formed in a rearward surface thereof for receiving the second extending part  2143  of the support element  214 . Specifically, a protruding part  2171   a  is formed in the position groove  2171 , which is received in the first position groove  2143   a  while the second extending part  2143  inserted into the second position groove  2171 . 
     The description in more detail aims to help to understand the present invention, instead of limiting the present invention. According to the contents disclosed by the present invention, those skilled in the art shall understand that the present invention can be implemented even without some or all of these specific details. Under other circumstances, to avoid weakening the inventiveness of the present invention, the well-known circuits, methods, operation processes and the like will not be described in detail.