PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9831597-B2
Application Number: US-201615260239-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Flexible and breakaway mechanisms for connectors

Abstract:
Connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may include connecting portions that may move relative to other portions of the connectors to absorb force. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector comprising:
 a connecting portion supporting a plurality of contacts near a front end and having a flange at a back end; 
 a collar to fit over the flange and mechanically limit the travel of the flange in a forward direction while allowing at least a portion of the flange to travel at least a limited amount in a backward direction; 
 a barrel secured to a rear of the collar by a first plurality of tabs on the barrel; 
 a spring in the barrel, the spring compressed to push a rear portion of the flange in the forward direction; 
 a plunger in the barrel, the plunger having a narrow portion surrounded by the spring and tapering to a wider portion, wherein an end of the narrow portion of the plunger extends through an opening in a rear portion of the barrel; and 
 a fastener at the end of the narrow portion of the plunger, wherein when one or more of the first plurality of tabs on the barrel break, the fastener secures the barrel to the plunger, thereby preventing the spring from exiting the barrel. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1  wherein
 the plunger tapers to a wider portion, the wider portion between the spring and a back of the flange. 
 
     
     
       3. The connector of  claim 2 , wherein the collar includes an inside raised portion to limit the travel of the flange in the forward direction. 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting portion comprises a first portion of the plurality contacts in a first opening and a second portion of the plurality of contacts in a second opening, the first opening and the second opening surrounded by a ground ring. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of tabs are designed to break before damage occurs to a device that the connector is connected to. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a C-clip around the end of the narrow portion of the plunger. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a locking-clip. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the flange comprises a second plurality of tabs having intervening spaces, the spaces aligned with ribs on an inside surface of the collar to prevent rotation of the connecting portion relative to the collar. 
     
     
       9. The connector of  claim 8 , wherein the second plurality of tabs on the flange and the ribs on the inside surface of the collar provide a positive restore feature such that connecting portion returns to an original position relative to the collar following a deflection. 
     
     
       10. The connector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of wires attached to a rear portion of the flange; and 
 a strain relief formed around ends of the wires at the rear portion of the flange. 
 
     
     
       11. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener allows the plunger to be depressed into the barrel and prevents the plunger from exiting the barrel. 
     
     
       12. A method of manufacturing a connector, the method comprising:
 inserting a front end of a connecting portion into a rear opening of a collar, the connecting portion supporting a plurality of contacts near the front end and having a flange at a back end, the collar to mechanically limit the travel of the flange in a forward direction while allowing at least a portion of the flange to travel at least a limited amount in a backward direction; 
 inserting a spring into a barrel; 
 placing a plunger in the barrel such that the spring is in the barrel and around a narrow portion of the plunger and an end of the narrow portion of the plunger passes through an opening in a rear of the barrel; 
 placing a fastener at the end of the narrow portion of plunger extending through the opening in the rear of the barrel; and 
 securing the barrel to the collar by aligning tabs on a front end of the barrel to features on an inside of the collar, inserting the front end of the barrel into a rear opening of the collar, and twisting the barrel to lock the tabs to features on the inside of the collar, 
 wherein when one or more of the tabs on the barrel break, the fastener secures the barrel to the plunger, thereby preventing the spring from exiting the barrel. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plunger tapers to a wider portion, the wider portion between the spring and a back of the flange. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener is a C-clip around the end of the narrow portion of the plunger. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the barrel is further secured to the collar by laser welding the tabs on the front end of the barrel to the features on the inside of the collar. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tabs are designed to break before damage occurs to a device that the connector is connected to. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener is a locking-clip. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the collar comprises a ring around the inside of the collar near a front opening, wherein the ring limits the travel of the flange in the forward direction. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the spring is compressed such that the spring pushes the flange against the ring around the inside of the collar. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of wires to a back of the flange; and 
 forming a strain relief around ends of the wires at the back of the flange.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a nonprovisional of U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 62/215,620, filed Sep. 8, 2015, and 62/254,084, filed Nov. 11, 2015, which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The number and types of electronic devices available to consumers have increased tremendously the past few years, and this increase shows no signs of abating. Devices such as portable computing devices, tablet, desktop, and all-in-one computers, cell, smart, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors and other devices have become ubiquitous. 
     These devices often receive and provide power and data using various connectors. The devices may connect to each other through cables, where a cable has a connector insert on each end to mate with connector receptacles on the communicating devices. In some electronic systems, a first device may include a connector receptacle while a second device may include a connector insert. In these systems the connector insert on the second device may be inserted into the connector receptacle on the first device without the need of an intervening cable. 
     Systems where a second device having a connector insert is inserted directly into a connector receptacle on a first device may be susceptible to damage. For example, a force applied to the second device may translate to a force applied to the connector insert in the corresponding connector receptacle. If this force is sufficient, damage to the connector receptacle and its device, the connector insert and its device, or both, may occur. 
     Electronic devices may be sold in the millions, with an attendant number of connectors sold with them. With such volumes, any reduction or simplification in the manufacturing of a connector becomes significant. For such reasons, it may be desirable that these connectors are readily manufactured. 
     Thus, what is needed are connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide connectors that are able to withstand inadvertent forces and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may each include a connecting portion that may move relative to other portions of the connector to absorb energy and deflect to relieve force in displacement controlled abuse scenarios. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that the connectors may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a connector having a connecting portion that supports a number of contacts. The connecting portion may have a rear portion tapered as a flange. The flange may fit against a ring around an inside surface of a collar, where the ring prevents the flange from exiting from a front of the collar, but may allow travel towards a rear of the collar. The connector may further include a barrel having a front end secured to a rear portion of the collar. A spring in the barrel may push against the flange of the connecting portion such that the flange is in contact with the ring unless a force is applied to the connecting portion. The spring may provide sufficient force against the flange to prevent movement by the connector portion in the absence of energy or force applied to the connector portion. This may also discourage users from casually applying force to the connector portion. A plunger may also be located at least partially in the barrel. The plunger may have a narrow portion surrounded by the spring. The narrow portion of the plunger may have an end extending through a rear opening in the barrel. A C-clip or other fastener may be located at the end of the narrow portion of the plunger that extends beyond the barrel. The plunger may have a wider portion between the spring and a rear of the flange of the connecting portion. 
     In this configuration, the connecting portion may travel backward into the collar when a force is applied to the connecting portion. Features may be provided on the connecting portion and the collar to prevent rotation of the connecting portion relative to the collar, which could strain and damage wired connections in the connector. These features may include ribs on an inside surface of the collar and corresponding tabs on the flange of the connecting portion. These ribs and tabs may provide a positive restore feature such that the connecting portion may return to an original position relative to the collar following a deflection of the connecting portion. Specifically, the ribs on the collar and the tabs on the connecting portion flange may help to limit a rotation of the connecting portion relative to the collar during and after a deflection. As a force causing the deflection ceases, the force provided by the spring against the flange of the connecting portion may move the flange and connecting portion forward towards its original position. The tabs on the flange of the connecting portion and ribs on the collar may guide the connecting portion such that its original orientation is restored. The ribs may include side ramps to help guide the connecting portion back its original orientation. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a connector insert that may be designed to break before damage occurs to a corresponding connector and its device. In one example, the connector may be a connector insert and the barrel may be secured to the collar by use of tabs that may be designed to break before the connector receptacle is damaged. These tabs may break, thereby disconnecting the barrel from the collar in the connector insert. 
     When these tabs break, it may be undesirable for the spring, which may be under compression, to exit the barrel. Accordingly, the spring may be secured between a rear of the barrel and a wide portion of the plunger. The plunger may be under force by the spring in a direction that would have the plunger exiting the barrel. The plunger may be secured to the barrel by the C-clip or other fastener that may be located around and end of the plunger that extends beyond the barrel, thereby preventing the plunger from exiting the barrel. In this way, the plunger, the barrel, the spring, and the C-clip form a unit that may stay together after the tabs on the barrel are broken. This may prevent the spring from being ejected from the barrel during such an event. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may provide a connector that is readily assembled. A plunger may have a rear narrow portion that tapers towards a front to a wider portion. A spring may be fit around a narrow portion of the plunger such that one end of the spring fits against a wider portion of the plunger. An end of the narrow portion of the plunger may be fit through an opening in a rear of a barrel, thereby compressing the spring. A C-clip or other fastener may be fit around the end of the narrow portion of the plunger that extends through the opening in the rear of the barrel. The C-clip may simplify assembly by securing the plunger, barrel, and compressed spring together as a unit. This C-clip may also secure the plunger and prevent the spring from ejecting the plunger from the barrel. In this way, the plunger, the spring, the barrel, and the C-clip may form a secure unit that may hold together during a destruction of the connector, thereby preventing the compressed spring from exiting a broken connector. 
     A connecting portion may include contacts towards a front end, where the connecting portion tapers to a wider rear flange portion. A front end of the connecting portion may be inserted into a collar, where the collar may include a ring to prevent further forward travel of the connecting portion. The barrel may be secured to rear portion of the collar such that the plunger contacts a rear of the flange. This may cause the spring to push the plunger against the flange, thereby keeping the flange in contact with the ring on the inside of the collar, in the absence of a force on the connecting portion. The barrel may be secured to the collar by using interlocking tabs on the barrel and on the inside of the collar. These interlocking tabs may be fixed together, for example by soldering, spot welding, or laser welding, to secure the barrel to the collar. The tabs on the barrel may be designed to breakaway before damage may be done to a device that the connector is connected to. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the components of the connectors may be formed in various ways of various materials. For example, contacts and other conductive portions may be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the receptacle housings, contact pucks, and other portions, may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, stamping, forging, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, Mylar, Mylar tape, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, elastomers, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide connectors that may be located in, or may connect to, various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, keyboards, covers, cases, styluses, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connectors may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), High-Definition Multimedia Interface® (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt™, Lightning, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), test-access-port (TAP), Directed Automated Random Testing (DART), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters (UARTs), clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. In various embodiments of the present invention, these interconnect paths provided by these connectors may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information. 
     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 rear oblique view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the possible movement of a connecting portion relative to a device that includes the connector; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a cutaway side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cutaway side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exploded view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a close-up view of interlocking features used to assemble a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a close-up view of a connecting portion for a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a collar that may be used in a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a barrel that may be used in a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a rear oblique view of a connector 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. 
     This connector may include a connecting portion  110  supporting a number of contacts  112  in opening  114 . A collar  120  may mechanically secure connecting portion  110  to barrel  130 . Barrel  130  and collar  120  may be joined by interlocking tabs  132 , as will be shown below. Contacts  112  may electrically connect to wires  140 , which may emerge from a rear opening of barrel  130  and plunger (described in  FIG. 6 .). 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, this connector may include connecting portion  110  supporting a number of contacts  112  in an opening  114 . Collar  120  may mechanically secure connecting portion  110  to barrel  130 . Wires  140  may electrically connect to contacts  112  and may emerge from a rear opening of barrel  130 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, collar  120  may mechanically secure connecting portion  110  to barrel  130 . Wires  140  may emerge from a rear opening of barrel  130  and plunger (described in  FIG. 6 .). 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Connecting portion  110  may taper to a flange  116 . Tabs (not shown) on an outer edge of flange  116  may contact a back side of ring  122 , which may be formed around an inside surface of collar  120 . 
     In this example, connecting portion  110  is shown as an insert portion that may be inserted into a corresponding connector receptacle. In other embodiments of the present invention, connecting portion  110  may be a portion of a connector receptacle. In still other embodiments of the present invention, other types of connecting portions  110  may be used. For example, connecting portion  110  may include a housing supporting contacts located at a top and bottom of a central opening. 
     In this example, connecting portion  110  may be formed primarily of a conductive ground ring surrounding opening  114 . Again, contacts  112  may be located in opening  114 . A conductive ground ring on connecting portion  110  may be heat-treated or otherwise hardened to improve the durability of the connector. Collar  120  may be a machined metal ring, though in other embodiments of the present invention, collar  120  may be made using metal-injection molding, 3-D printing, plastic-injection molding, stamping, forging, or other process, and it may be formed of plastic or other materials. Collar  120  may be a portion of a device housing, or it may be in physical or electronic contact with a housing. Collar  120  may be conductive or nonconductive. Barrel  130  may also be conductive or nonconductive, and may be formed of metal, plastic, or other material. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, collar  120  may be a portion of a device housing or attached to a device housing. Connecting portion  110  may be inserted into a corresponding connector on an electronic device. During use, an inadvertent or other force may be applied to a device housing to which collar  120  is connected or part of. Without more, this force may damage the corresponding receptacle into which connecting portion  110  is inserted and its device, the connector and its device, or both. 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide a connector having a connecting portion that may move relative to the device that includes the connector. In various embodiments of the present invention, the connecting portion may be free to move relative to the device in any direction. However, without more, this freedom may lead to a rotation of the connecting portion relative to the device. If a connecting portion rotates relative to device, wires that connect the connecting portion to the device may become twisted and damaged over time. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may instead limit the rotation of the connecting portion. This limitation may provide a position restore feature that may help to prevent the connecting portion from rotating relative to the device such that the connecting portion may return to an original orientation relative to the device following a deflection of the connecting portion. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the possible movement of a connecting portion relative to a device that includes the connector. In this example, connecting portion  110  may move relative to collar  120 . Collar  120  may be a part of or attached to a housing for a device that includes this connector. Specifically, connecting portion  110  may tilt up and down relative to collar  120 , and connecting portion  110  may move side to side relative to collar  120 . That is, connecting portion  110  may have a major axis in a first direction and a minor axis in a second direction. Connecting portion  110  may tilt in either the first direction or the second direction. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, connecting portion  110  may tilt in the first direction, the second direction, or directions between the first direction and the second direction relative to collar  120 . In these and other embodiments of the present invention, structures on connecting portion  110  and collar  120  may limit the amount that the connecting portion  110  may tilt or deflect relative to collar  120 . In these and other embodiments of the present invention, this deflection may vary. For example, the deflection may be 8, 10, 11, 20, 25, 30, degrees or other amount of deflection. In these and other embodiments of the present invention, the connecting portion  110  may be able to be pushed directly backward a distance into collar  120 . Structures on connecting portion  110  and collar  120  may also limit a rotation of connecting portion  110  relative to collar  120 . This limitation may provide a positive restore feature such that connecting portion  110  may return to an original orientation relative to the collar  120  following a deflection of the connecting portion  110 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, a spring inside the connector may be used to allow this compliance for the connector insert portion while also providing a force to return the connecting portion to a normal position after force is removed. The spring may provide sufficient force against the flange to prevent movement by the connector portion in the absence of energy or force applied to the connector portion. This may also discourage users from casually applying force to the connector portion. An example is shown in the following figure. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a cutaway side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, a plunger  630  may have a narrow portion  632  that tapers to a wider portion  634 . Narrow portion  632  may be inserted through the coils of spring  640 . Plunger  630  and spring  640  may be inserted into barrel  130 , such that spring  640  is located between a rear of barrel  130  and wide portion  634  of plunger  630 . An end of narrow portion  632  of plunger  630  may extend through an opening  130  in rear of barrel  130 . A C-clip or other fastener  650  may secure the end of narrow portion  632  of plunger  630  relative to barrel  130 . In this way, spring  640  may apply a force pushing plunger  630  out of barrel  130 . However, C-clip  650  may prevent this and block the end of plunger  630  from passing through opening  139  in the rear of barrel  130 . In this way, spring  640 , plunger  630 , barrel  130 , and C-clip  650  may provide a stable, self-contained unit. 
     Connecting portion  110  may have a rear portion that widens to flange  116 . Flange  116  may include one or more tabs (not shown.) A front of connecting portion  110  may be inserted into a rear opening of collar  120  and moved forward until the tabs encounter a ring (not shown) around an inside surface of collar  120 . Barrel  130  may then be inserted and secured in collar  120 . Specifically, tabs  132  on barrel  130  may engage tabs  124  on collar  120 , thereby securing barrel  130  in place. Wires  140  may electrically connect to board  610 . Board  610  may in turn electrically connect to contacts  112  on connecting portion  110 . A strain relief  660  may be molded around an end of board  610  and the connections to wires  140 . 
     In this way, connecting portion  110  may move relative to collar  120  when a force is applied to connecting portion  110 . Specifically, flange  116  may move backward relative to collar  120 , thereby pushing plunger  630  backward and compressing spring  640 . When the force is removed, spring  640  may decompress, thereby pushing connecting portion  110  back into place. 
     The ability of connecting portion  110  to move relative to collar  120  may prevent damage to this connector and its device. It may also help protect a corresponding connector that connecting portion  110  is mated with and a second device attached to or housing the corresponding connector. 
     In some instances, a device attached to or housing this connector may experience a force that is greater than what may be accommodated by this flexibility. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide a connector that is designed to break before damage to a corresponding mated connector and device occurs. In one example, tabs  132  on barrel  130  may be designed to break before a mated connector on a second device breaks. This may sacrifice a lower cost device that is attached to or houses this connector in favor of a more expensive second device. 
     When this connector does break, it may be undesirable for spring  640 , which may be typically under compression, to be ejected from barrel  130 . Accordingly, as discussed above, plunger  630 , barrel  130 , spring  640 , and C-clip  650  may form a unit that may stay together as a piece after sacrificial tabs  132  have broken. In this way, spring  640  may remain contained in barrel  130  and plunger  630 . Specifically, plunger  630  may have a narrow end  630  surrounded by spring  640 . Plunger  630  may taper to a wider portion  634 . Spring  640  may be held in place between an end of barrel  130  and wide portion  634  of plunger  630 , and around narrow end  632  of plunger  630 . An end of plunger  630  may extend beyond a rear portion of barrel  130 . A C-clip or other fastener may be used to secure the end of plunger  630  beyond a rear of barrel  130 . In this way, as spring  640  applies tension in a direction to eject plunger  630  from barrel  130 , plunger  630  is held in place relative to barrel  130  by C-clip  650 . Again, following a break or section of this connector, spring  640  may remain encased between barrel  130  and plunger  630  and may not be ejected from barrel  130 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a cutaway side view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, plunger  630  may have a narrow portion  632  surrounded by spring  640 . Plunger  630  may have a wider portion  634 . Plunger  630  may be inserted into barrel  130  such that an end of narrow portion  632  extends through an opening  139  in a rear of barrel  130 . Locking or C-clip  650  may be used to prevent the ejection of plunger  630 . Plunger  634  may push against a back of flange  116 , which may be a wide portion of connecting portion  110 . Flange  116  may include tabs that encounter a ring around and inside surface of collar  120 . This ring may prevent the forward travel of connecting portion  110 , but may allow connecting portion  110  to move backward when a force is applied. Barrel  130  may be secured to collar  120  by tabs  132  which may interlock with tabs  124  on collar  120 . Wires  140  may be soldered to contacts on board  160 . Board  160  may extend beyond a back of the flange  116 . A strain relief  660  may be formed around terminal ends of wires  140  and board  610  to protect wires  140 . Wires  140  may be specifically selected for their flexibility and the ability to withstand repeated stress. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exploded view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. This connector may include a collar  120  having tabs  124  near a rear opening. Connecting portion  110  may support a number of contacts  112  in an opening  114 . Connecting portion  110  may taper to a wider flange portion  116 . Tabs  118  and spaces  117  may be formed on flange  116 . Spaces  117  may be aligned with tabs  124  on collar  120  and the front of connecting portion  110  may be inserted through the rear opening of collar  120 . A ring (not shown) near a front opening of collar  120  may stop the forward travel of flange  116  and connecting portion  110 . 
     A spring  640  may be placed over a narrow portion  632  of plunger  630 . Plunger  630  and spring  640  may be inserted into barrel  130  such that a narrow portion  632  of plunger  630  extends through opening  139  of barrel  130 . A C-clip or other locking clip  650  may be inserted into slot  636  on plunger  630  to prevent plunger  630  from being forced out of barrel  130  by spring  640 . Spaces  132  on plunger  130  may be aligned with tabs  124  on collar  120 . Barrel  130  may then be turned such that tabs  124  on collar  120  are held in place in notches  136  in tabs  134  on barrel  130 . Barrel  130  may include clocking features  138 , which may be used to align this connector to its device during assembly. Board  610  may extend from a back of flange  116  and may include one or more contacts to which wires  140  may be soldered. A strain relief  660  may be formed around the ends of wires  140  to protect them during use. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a close-up view of interlocking features used to assemble a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, barrel  130  may include tabs  132 . Tabs  132  may be held in place by tabs  124  on collar  120 . The interlocking tabs  132  and  124  may prevent barrel  130  from being pushed out of the back of collar  120 . Collar  120  may further include a ring  122  near a front opening of collar  120 . Ring  122  may limit a travel of tabs  118 , thereby providing a forward position for flange  116  and connecting portion  110 . To improve appearance, portions of ring  122  and tabs  118  may be coated with PTFE or otherwise darkened for appearance purposes. 
     During assembly, board  610  may be formed. One or more components, capacitors, active devices, passive devices, integrated circuits, or other electrical or mechanical components  612  may be placed on board  610 . A first overmold  614  may be formed around board  610  and components  612 . First overmold  614  may be nonconductive. A second conductive metallic or overmold may form the ground ring, flange  116 , and tabs  118 . This second overmold may be formed by metal injection molding or other process. Wires  140  may be soldered to an end of board  610 . A strain relief  630  may be over-molded at a rear of the flange  116  to protect wires  140  during operation of the device. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a close-up view of a connecting portion for a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Again, connecting portion  110  may support contacts  112  in open area  114 . Connecting portion  110  may include tabs  118  that may be spaced apart by spaces  117 . Again, during assembly, spaces  117  may be aligned with tabs  124  on collar  120  as connecting portion  110  is inserted into collar  120 . Board  610  may emerge from a rear of connecting portion  110  and may support contacts  616 . Ends of wires  140  may be soldered to contacts  616 . A strain relief  630  may be formed around the end of board  610 , contacts  616 , and ends of wires  140  to protect these soldered connections and wires  140 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a collar that may be used in a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Collar  120  may include a ring  122 . Ring  122  may limit forward travel of tabs  118  on connecting portion  110 . Collar  120  may further include tabs  124 . Spaces  117  on connecting portion  110  may be aligned with tabs  124  while connecting portion  110  is inserted into collar  120 . Ribs  126  and  128  may limit the rotation of connecting portion  110  relative to collar  120 . Specifically, tabs  118  on connecting portion  110  and ribs  126  and  128  on collar  120  may prevent rotation of connecting portion  110  relative to collar  120 . This limitation may provide a positive restore feature such that connecting portion  110  may return to an original orientation relative to the collar  120  following a deflection of the connecting portion  110 . Specifically, ribs  126  and  128  on collar  120  and the tabs  118  on the flange of the connecting portion  110  may help to limit a rotation of the connecting portion  110  relative to the collar  120  during and after a deflection. As a force causing the deflection ceases, a force provided by spring  640  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) against the flange of the connecting portion  110  may move the connecting portion  110  forward towards its original position. Tabs  118  on the flange of the connecting portion  110  and ribs  126  and  128  on the collar may guide connecting portion  110  such that its original orientation is restored. Ribs  126  and  128  may include side ramps  129  and  127  to help guide connecting portion  110  back its original orientation. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a barrel that may be used in a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Barrel  130  may include tabs  132  and  134  having spaces  133  between them. Spaces  133  may be aligned with tabs  124  during assembly. During assembly, tabs  132  and  134  may be pushed into collar  120 . Barrel  130  may then be rotated such that recesses  136  on tabs  134  are aligned with one of the tabs  124  on collar  120 . Barrel  130  may then be released such that tab  124  on collar  120  is held captive in notch  136  in tab  134  on barrel  130 . Tab  124  on collar  120  may be fixed to tab  134  on barrel  130  by soldering, spot welding, or laser welding to secure barrel  130  to collar  120 . In a specific embodiment of the present invention, tabs  132  may reside in gaps  125  between tabs  124  and  128 , though in other embodiments of the present invention, tabs  134  may reside in gaps  125  between tabs  124  and  128 . Barrel  130  may further include a rear opening  139  through which an end of plunger  630  and wires  140  may pass. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the components of the connectors may be formed in various ways of various materials. For example, contacts and other conductive portions may be formed by stamping, metal-injection molding, machining, micro-machining, 3-D printing, or other manufacturing process. The conductive portions may be formed of stainless steel, steel, copper, copper titanium, phosphor bronze, or other material or combination of materials. They may be plated or coated with nickel, gold, or other material. The nonconductive portions, such as the receptacle housings, contact pucks, and other portions, may be formed using injection or other molding, 3-D printing, machining, stamping, forging, or other manufacturing process. The nonconductive portions may be formed of silicon or silicone, Mylar, Mylar tape, rubber, hard rubber, plastic, nylon, elastomers, liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs), ceramics, or other nonconductive material or combination of materials. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may provide connectors that may be located in, and may connect to, various types of devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet computers, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, wearable computing devices, cell phones, smart phones, media phones, storage devices, keyboards, covers, cases, styluses, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, power supplies, adapters, remote control devices, chargers, and other devices. These connectors may provide pathways for signals that are compliant with various standards such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Ethernet, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Lightning, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), test-access-port (TAP), Directed Automated Random Testing (DART), universal asynchronous receiver/transmitters (UARTs), clock signals, power signals, and other types of standard, non-standard, and proprietary interfaces and combinations thereof that have been developed, are being developed, or will be developed in the future. In various embodiments of the present invention, these interconnect paths provided by these connectors may be used to convey power, ground, signals, test points, and other voltage, current, data, or other information. 
     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.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160908
Publication Date: 20171128
Grant Date: 20171128
Priority Date: 20150908
Inventors: AMINI MAHMOUD R.
KASHANI MANI RAZAGHI
Cameron Peter J.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R43/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/56", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/58", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/631", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R24/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/5845", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/631", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2107/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/56", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/58", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/5845", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2107/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R24/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 56943969