PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9761979-B2
Application Number: US-201414446163-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Low-profile electrical and mechanical connector

Abstract:
A connector providing both an electrical and mechanical connection and an electronic device utilizing the connector. The connector includes a rigid body, a head connected to the rigid body, and a flexible conductor coupled to the body. The rigid body and the flexible conductor define an electrically conductive path to the head. An electronic device includes a housing defining at least one sidewall, an interior component, and a connector passing through at least one sidewall and mechanically contacting the interior component. The connector defines an electrically conductive path from the interior component to an exterior of the housing.

Claims:
We claim: 
     
       1. A connector, comprising:
 a rigid body comprising a threaded portion; 
 a head connected to the rigid body; and 
 a flexible conductor coupled to the rigid body, wherein the threaded portion is interposed between the head and the flexible conductor, the rigid body includes an interior cavity, the flexible conductor is at least partially received within the interior cavity, the flexible conductor is affixed to the rigid body within the interior cavity, and the rigid body, the head, and the flexible conductor form an electrically conductive path. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical insulator positioned on a surface of the head. 
     
     
       3. The connector of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the connector is configured for insertion through a structure; and 
 the electrical insulator forms a water-tight seal between the head and the structure. 
 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical insulator electrically insulates the connector and the structure. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductor is affixed to the rigid body. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductor is configured to compress in response to movement of the rigid body. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductor comprises a spring. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductor comprises a compressible pin. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device configured to receive power from an external charging system, the electronic device comprising:
 a housing having a conductive wall with opposing internal and external surfaces; 
 a conductive structure comprising:
 a rigid portion passing through the conductive wall, and 
 a head attached to an end of the rigid portion; 
 
 insulating material interposed between the head of the conductive structure and the external surface of the conductive wall; and
 a battery, wherein the conductive structure is configured to convey the power from the external charging system to the battery. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive structure mechanically couples the battery and the conductive wall. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the rigid portion comprises a body affixed to the head, the body passing through the conductive wall. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein a flexible component is affixed to the rigid portion using an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the electronic device further comprises a securing component positioned within the housing; and 
 the securing component mechanically couples the housing and the battery. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive structure is configured to maintain an offset between the internal surface of the conductive wall and the battery. 
     
     
       15. A connector, comprising:
 a rigid component configured to engage with a wall of an electronic device, wherein the rigid component comprises a head that forms a first end of the rigid component, the rigid component comprises a threaded portion that forms a second end of the rigid component, and the second end opposes the first end; and 
 a spring coupled to the second end of the rigid component, wherein the threaded portion is interposed between the head and the spring, the spring is configured to exert a compression force on an internal component of the electronic device, the spring is configured to maintain a gap between the internal component and the wall of the electronic device, and an electrically conductive path is defined between a top surface of the rigid component and the internal component. 
 
     
     
       16. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the flexible component is configured to exert a compression force on the internal component in response to a movement of the rigid component along a direction toward the internal component. 
 
     
     
       17. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the compression force impedes lateral movement of the flexible component relative to the internal component. 
     
     
       18. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the top surface of the rigid component is configured for coupling with a charging system; and 
 a battery of the electronic device is configured to receive a charge from the charging system via the connector. 
 
     
     
       19. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the top surface of the rigid component is separated from the wall by an electrical insulator. 
     
     
       20. The connector of  claim 19 , wherein the electrical insulator forms a watertight seal between the top surface of the rigid component and the wall. 
     
     
       21. The connector of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the connector further comprises a fastener positioned on the wall; and 
 the rigid component extends through the wall to couple with the fastener, thereby retaining the rigid component within the wall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a nonprovisional patent application of and claims the benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/884,964, filed Sep. 30, 2013 and titled “Low-Profile Electrical and Mechanical Connector,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to connectors, and more particularly to a connector providing both an electrical and mechanical connection. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many connectors may provide either electrical or mechanical connections between two elements. For example, screws, bolts and nails may mechanically fasten one object to another, thereby providing a mechanical connection between the two. Likewise, solder, flex circuits, electrical traces and the like provide electrical connections between two elements. 
     Generally, however, different connectors are used to provide mechanical connections and electrical connections between two elements. Using multiple connectors of different types may require additional space to form the connections, and may be inefficient in terms of the component layout of electronic devices, especially small form factor electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment may take the form of a connector, including a rigid body, a head connected to the rigid body, and a flexible conductor coupled to the body. The rigid body and the flexible conductor define an electrically conductive path to the head. 
     Further, in some embodiments the rigid body defines an interior cavity, and the flexible conductor is at least partially received within the interior cavity. The flexible conductor is also affixed to the rigid body within the interior cavity. 
     Another embodiment may take the form of an electronic device, including a housing defining at least one sidewall, an interior component, and a connector passing through the at least one sidewall and mechanically contacting the interior component. The connector defines an electrically conductive path from the interior component to an exterior of the housing. 
     In some embodiments, the connector includes a head, a body affixed to the head, and a flexible connector affixed to the body. The head is positioned in the exterior of the housing, the body passes through the at least one sidewall, and the flexible connector mechanically contacts the interior component. 
     These and other embodiments will become clear upon reading the specification in its entirety. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The Disclosure Will be Readily Understood by the Following Detailed Description in Conjunction with the Accompanying Drawings, Wherein Like Reference Numerals Designate Like Structural Elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a sample electronic device. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a bottom view of the sample electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 , showing a first sample electrical and mechanical connector. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 , showing a second sample electrical and mechanical connector. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 , showing a third sample electrical and mechanical connector. 
     
    
    
     It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments discussed herein may take the form of a connector providing both mechanical fastening capabilities and an electrical path between two separate elements. The sample connector may have a rigid body defining an aperture and a compressible contact that may be at least partially housed within the body. The compressible contact may extend at least partially outside the body when the contact is in an uncompressed state. 
     In other embodiments, the compressible contact may be joined to the body at an end of the body, such that it is not contained even partially within the body. In still other embodiments, the compressible contact may at least partially surround an end or other segment of the body. 
     The compressible contact may provide an electrical path from its tip or terminus through the body, or may form an electrical path in conjunction with the body. That is, the body itself may be partially or fully electrically conductive in certain embodiments. Alternately in some embodiments the body may be an electrical insulator. 
     In still other embodiments, a portion of the body may be formed from an insulator while the rest of the body is electrically conductive. Alternatively, an insulator may be added, affixed, adhered or placed adjacent to part of the body instead of forming a part of the body from the insulator. 
     The insulator and/or body may also provide a water-tight seal in some embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  shows a sample electronic device  100  that may incorporate one or more low-profile electrical and mechanical connectors, as described herein. The electronic device may be any of a number of suitable devices including, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet computing device, a wearable device, a portable computer, a desktop computer, an appliance, a touch screen, a media player, and so on. Many embodiments of the electronic device may be relatively small and portable, especially as internal space may be at a premium in such devices. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a bottom view of the sample device of  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , one or more electrical/mechanical connectors  200  may extend through a sidewall  206  of the device  100 . A head or upper portion  202  of the connector  200  may be externally visible and accessible (e.g., able to be viewed and accessed from outside the device  100 ). In this manner and presuming the head  202  of the connector  200  is electrically conductive, an electrical connection may be made through the dual-purpose electrical/mechanical connector  200  between an internal electrical element, component or the like and an electrical component located outside the device. 
     As one non-limiting example, the connector  200  may provide an electrical path to charge a battery housed within the electronic device  100 . For example, the head  202  of the connector  200  may come in contact with a charging pad or station and transmit power through the connector to the internal battery. The electrical connection to charge the battery or other component within the electronic device may be a direct contact or an inductive path through the connector. 
     As another example, the connector  200  may be used in lieu of a data port, such as a universal serial bus port, LIGHTNING port, HDMI port, or other data port. A cable may be fitted to or be touched to the segment of the connector  200  that protrudes from or that is flush with the housing of the electronic device  100  in order to transmit data from the cable, through the connector  200  and to a component housed within the device. The head  202  of the connector  200  may protrude from the housing and/or be specially shaped to accept a cable, in some embodiments. 
     In some embodiments, the electrical/mechanical connector  200  may provide an electrical path or connection between an interior electrical component and an environment exterior to the electronic device  100 . For example, the connector  200  may serve as an antenna, connecting a transmitter or transceiver integrated circuit with the environment outside the device  100  and thereby providing a signal path for the transmitter or transceiver. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 , showing a first sample low-profile electrical and mechanical connector  300 . The connector  300  is one example embodiment of the generalized connector  200  previously discussed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the connector  300  may include a head  302  that is external to the electronic device  100  and a body  304  extending through a sidewall  306  of the device  100 . The body  304  may be threaded or otherwise machined along a portion of its exterior, as shown in the figure, and may be rigid. Such threading may facilitate holding the connector  300  in place within the sidewall  306 . In some embodiments, the threading or machining may also facilitate forming or maintaining a mechanical connection between the sidewall and an interior component  308  within the device  100 . For example, the threaded portion of the body  304  may pass through both the sidewall  306  and interior component  308 , and may mechanically secure one to the other. Generally, the head  302  and body  304  of the connector  300  are electrically conductive to serve as an electrical path. 
     A spring  310  may be affixed to the body  304  of the connector  300  and may extend beyond an end of the body  304 . The spring  310  and body  304  may be affixed with a joinder  312 , for example a solder or any other suitable joinder or adhesive. Typically, the spring  310  is electrically conductive. In certain embodiments, the joinder  312  may be electrically conductive in order to maintain an electrical path from the spring  310 , through the body  304  and to the head  302  of the connector  300 . In other embodiments, the joinder  312  may not be electrically conductive, and the spring  310  may make physical contact with the body  304  to create an electrical connection. Some embodiments may use a flexible conductor, such as a wire, coil, S-shaped metal piece, leaf, other form of spring or the like in lieu of the depicted spring  310 . 
     The spring  310  may contact the interior component  308 , thereby establishing an electrically conductive path between the head  302  of the connector  300  and the interior component  308 . Further, the spring may compress against the interior electrical component  308  as the threaded body  304  is turned through the sidewall  306 , thus ensuring a snug connection and, optionally, a mechanical connection through friction. Accordingly, the connector  300  may maintain the relative positions of the housing (or at least sidewall) and interior component  308 . It should be appreciated that the interior component  308  may have both mechanical and electrical properties or segments. For example, the interior component  308  may not only include an electrical connection to the connector  300 , but may also provide structure or support to the electronic device  300  or components within the device. 
     The spring  310  may also optionally mechanically connect the connector  300  to the internal component  308 . For example, the spring  310  may dig into the electrical component as it is turned against the component&#39;s surface, presuming the component  308  is sufficiently soft and the spring sufficiently firm. Alternately, a channel may be defined within the electrical component to accept the end of the spring  310  as it rotates when the connector  300  is turned to push the body  304  through the sidewall  306 . 
     It may be useful to electrically isolate the connector  300  from the sidewall  306 . The sides of the through-hole defined in the sidewall  306  (e.g., the hole through which the connector  300  passes) may be coated with an insulator in some embodiments. Likewise, any portion of the sidewall  306  underlying the head  302  may be coated with an insulator. Alternately, a nut and washer  314  may be placed within the interior of the device and the body  304  threaded through the nut and washer. The washer and/or nut  314  may be plastic or another insulating material and may serve to hold the connector  300  in place when the sidewall  306  is frictionally engaged with both the washer (or nut) and bottom of the head  302 . The nut  314  may be a portion of a second internal element, such as a plate, body or other mechanical structure, a portion of another electrical component, such as a flex cable or the like, or may be connected to a second internal element such as the aforementioned mechanical structure or electrical component. Thus, the connector  300  may mechanically join the housing not only to the internal component  308  but also to another internal structure or element. 
     In some embodiments, the underside of the head  302  may be treated with an electrically insulating material  316 , or may compress such a material against the sidewall  306 . The electrically insulating material  316  may also form a water-tight seal, thus preventing ingress of liquid, moisture, debris and the like into the interior of the electronic device. The electrically insulating material  316  may also prevent the connector  300  from forming an electrically conductive path with or to the sidewall  306 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts a second embodiment of a dual-purpose electrical and mechanical connector  400 . Here, the head  302 , body  304 , nut  314 , insulator  316 , sidewall  306  and electrical component  308  are generally the same, or function in a generally similar manner, to that described with respect to  FIG. 3 . The body, however, may have a cavity  402  formed within it. The spring  310  may be at least partially received within the cavity  402  instead of extending around the body  304 . A portion of the spring  310  may extend downwardly from the body  304  and outwardly from the cavity  402  in order to contact the electrical component  308  and compress against the component as the connector  400  is pushed or turned through the sidewall  306 . Solder or another joining material may connect the spring  310  to the body  304 , again providing an electrical connection between the internal electrical component  308  and the head  302 . An external electrical device or component may be connected to the head  302  to electrically communicate with the internal component  308 , for example to provide power or charging thereto. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates yet another sample electrical and mechanical connector  500 . As with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the head  302 , body  304 , sidewall  306 , electrical component  308 , nut and washer  314  and insulator  316  may all function similarly to, or be the same as, those elements as described with respect to  FIG. 3 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , however, a cavity  402  is defined within the connector body  304 . The cavity  402  is similar to the same cavity shown in  FIG. 4 , however, at least a portion of the connector  500  may include a compressible pin  518 , such as a pogo pin. A second portion  520  of the compressible pin  518  may extend from the cavity  402  downwardly to contact the internal electrical component  308 . As with the spring  310  of prior embodiments (see,  FIG. 3 ), the compressible pin  518  may be electrically conductive and may, in cooperation with the body  304 , define an electrical path from the internal electrical component  308  to the head  302  of the connector  500 . 
     The second portion  520  of the compressible pin  518  may be spring, biased to extend outward a certain distance from the body of the pin  518  and the cavity  402 . As the connector  500  is pushed or turned against the component  308 , the second portion  520  may compress into a body of the pin  518 . Thus, the compressible pin  518  may provide not only an electrical connection between the connector  500  and the internal electrical component, but may also frictionally engage the component while the body  304  of the connector  500  mechanically engages the nut  314  affixed to the sidewall  306  (or, in some embodiments, mechanically engages the sidewall itself). 
     Thus, embodiments described herein may mechanically affix to an object while also providing an electrical path for an element within that object to an exterior of the object. Likewise, embodiments may provide both mechanical and electrical connections with an interior object located inside a housing. 
     Although certain embodiments have been described in detail, it should be appreciated that variations and changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of coverage herein.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20140729
Publication Date: 20170912
Grant Date: 20170912
Priority Date: 20130930
Inventors: SHAH DHAVAL N.
NESS TREVOR J.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R13/2435", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/714", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2407", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/521", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/714", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2435", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/521", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2407", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 52739930