PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10587074-B2
Application Number: US-201815964746-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Hybrid electrical connector

Abstract:
An electronic receptacle connector includes a hybrid contact assembly that includes a contact plate that has multiple fingers, a contact positioned at a distal end of each finger and a conductor that runs along each finger and electrically couples each contact to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. The fingers are made from a first material and the contacts are made from a second material such that each of the first and the second materials can be independently optimized.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A receptacle connector comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and including a receiving opening for the cavity, the cavity and the receiving opening shaped to allow a corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity; 
 a plurality of fingers, each finger having a base portion secured to the housing and a distal end portion positioned within the cavity; 
 a plurality of electrical conductors, each electrical conductor attached to a respective one of the plurality of fingers and extending from the distal end portion of a respective one of the plurality of fingers to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing; and 
 a plurality of electrical contacts, each electrical contact separate from and attached to a respective one of the plurality of electrical conductors and positioned proximate the distal end portion of a respective one of the plurality of fingers. 
 
     
     
       2. The receptacle connector of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of fingers comprises a first metal having a first modulus of elasticity and each of the plurality of electrical contacts comprises a second metal having a second modulus of elasticity, wherein the first modulus of elasticity is higher than the second modulus of elasticity. 
     
     
       3. The receptacle connector of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of electrical conductors are integrated within a flexible circuit. 
     
     
       4. The receptacle connector of  claim 3  wherein the interconnect region is formed from a portion of the flexible circuit. 
     
     
       5. The receptacle connector of  claim 1  wherein the base portions of each of the plurality of fingers are coupled together forming a common base portion. 
     
     
       6. The receptacle connector of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are electrically insulated from the plurality of fingers. 
     
     
       7. The receptacle connector of  claim 1  wherein the cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to allow the corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity in a first orientation and in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
     
     
       8. A receptacle connector comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and including a receiving opening for the cavity, the cavity and the receiving opening shaped to allow a corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity; 
 a finger having a base portion secured to the housing and a distal end portion positioned within the cavity; 
 an electrical conductor attached to the finger and extending from the distal end portion to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing; and 
 an electrical contact separate from and attached to the electrical conductor, and positioned proximate the distal end portion of the finger. 
 
     
     
       9. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  further comprising a plurality of fingers, each finger having a base portion. 
     
     
       10. The receptacle connector of  claim 9  wherein the base portion of each of the plurality of fingers is coupled together forming a common base portion. 
     
     
       11. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  further comprising a plurality of electrical conductors. 
     
     
       12. The receptacle connector of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of electrical conductors are integrated within a flexible circuit. 
     
     
       13. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  further comprising an insulator positioned between the electrical conductor and the finger. 
     
     
       14. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  wherein the finger comprises a first metal and the electrical contact comprises a second metal, and wherein the first metal has a higher modulus of elasticity than the second metal. 
     
     
       15. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  wherein the electrical contact is electrically insulated from the finger. 
     
     
       16. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  wherein the cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to allow the corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity in a first orientation and in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
     
     
       17. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  further comprising a rear cover that is received within a rear opening of the housing. 
     
     
       18. The receptacle connector of  claim 17  wherein the rear cover includes at least one ground prong that extends into the cavity. 
     
     
       19. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  wherein the finger comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
       20. The receptacle connector of  claim 8  wherein the electrical contact comprises gold.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/565,420, for “HYBRID ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR” filed on Sep. 29, 2017 which is hereby incorporated by reference in entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to electronic connectors that can be used to communicate signals and/or power between electronic devices. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to receptacle connectors that employ a first material for resilient contact fingers and a second material for electrical contacts that are mounted to the fingers so that each material can be independently optimized for its particular function within the electrical connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently there are a wide variety of electronic devices that include one or more external electrical receptacle connectors configured to repetitively receive a corresponding mating connector and couple power and/or data to the electronic device. As the receptacle connector is repetitively coupled with the corresponding mating connector the contacts within the receptacle connector can degrade resulting in an increase in contact resistance and ultimately failure of the connector and the electronic device. As electronic devices become a more integral part of everyone&#39;s lives and are used more frequently, new electrical connectors may require new features to increase the reliability of the connectors so they can survive an increased number of mating cycles without failing. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to receptacle connectors for electronic devices where the receptacle connectors are employed to repetitively couple to a corresponding mating connector. Some embodiments include a receptacle connector having a housing that defines a cavity configured to receive the mating connector. A hybrid contact assembly is positioned within the cavity and includes a contact plate that has multiple fingers, electrical contacts positioned at a distal end of each finger and conductors that run along each finger and electrically couple each contact to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. The fingers are made from a first material that is different from a second material that the contacts are made from. In some embodiments, the use of different materials for the fingers and the contacts enables the finger material to be optimized for fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance and strength while the contact material can be independently optimized for low contact resistance, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. The hybrid contact assembly can result in improved reliability of the receptacle connector. 
     In some embodiments a receptacle connector comprises a housing defining a cavity and including a receiving opening for the cavity. The cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to allow a corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity. A plurality of fingers are secured to the housing, each finger having a base portion and a distal end portion positioned within the cavity. A plurality of electrical conductors are attached to a respective one of the plurality of fingers, each electrical conductor extending from the distal end portion of a respective one of the plurality of fingers to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. A plurality of electrical contacts are attached to a respective one of the plurality of electrical conductors, each electrical contact positioned proximate the distal end portion of a respective one of the plurality of fingers. 
     In various embodiments each of the plurality of fingers comprises a first metal having a first modulus of elasticity and each of the plurality of electrical contacts comprises a second metal having a second modulus of elasticity, wherein the first modulus of elasticity is higher than the second modulus of elasticity. In some embodiments the plurality of electrical conductors are integrated within a flexible circuit. In various embodiments the interconnect region is formed from a portion of the flexible circuit. 
     In some embodiment the base portions of each of the plurality of fingers are coupled together forming a common base portion. In various embodiments the plurality of electrical contacts are electrically insulated from the plurality of fingers. 
     In some embodiments the cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to allow the corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity in a first orientation and in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
     In some embodiments a receptacle connector comprises a housing defining a cavity and including a receiving opening for the cavity wherein the cavity and the receiving opening shaped to allow a corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity. A finger having a base portion is secured to the housing and a distal end portion is positioned within the cavity. An electrical conductor is attached to the finger and extends from the distal end portion to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. An electrical contact is attached to the electrical conductor and is positioned proximate the distal end portion of the finger. 
     In some embodiments the receptacle connector further comprises a plurality of fingers, each finger having a base portion. In various embodiments the base portion of each of the plurality of fingers is coupled together forming a common base portion. In some embodiments the receptacle connector further comprises a plurality of electrical conductors. In various embodiments the plurality of electrical conductors are integrated within a flexible circuit. 
     In some embodiments an insulator is positioned between the electrical conductor and the finger. In various embodiments the finger comprises a first metal and the electrical contact comprises a second metal, and wherein the first metal has a higher modulus of elasticity than the second metal. 
     In some embodiments the electrical contact is electrically insulated from the finger. In various embodiments the cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to allow the corresponding plug connector to be inserted through the receiving opening and into the cavity in a first orientation and in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
     In some embodiments the receptacle connector further comprises a rear cover that is received within a rear opening of the housing. In various embodiments the rear cover includes at least one ground prong that extends into the cavity. In some embodiments the finger comprises stainless steel. In various embodiments the electrical contact comprises gold. 
     To better understand the nature and advantages of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following description and the accompanying figures. It is to be understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the scope of the present disclosure. Also, as a general rule, and unless it is evident to the contrary from the description, where elements in different figures use identical reference numbers, the elements are generally either identical or at least similar in function or purpose. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a receptacle connector according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified cross-section of the receptacle connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a close-up view of a portion of the simplified cross-sectional view of the receptacle connector shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a method for making a hybrid contact assembly that can be used in the receptacle connector illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 5-9  illustrate sequential steps associated with the method of making the hybrid contact assembly described in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 10  is another method for making a hybrid contact assembly that can be used in the receptacle connector illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 11-15  illustrate sequential steps associated with the method of making the hybrid contact assembly described in  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 16  illustrates an exploded view of the components of the receptacle connector illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to electrical receptacle connectors having improved reliability as compared to traditional receptacle connectors. More specifically, in various embodiments a hybrid contact assembly is positioned within a receptacle connector housing and is arranged to make contact with a corresponding mating connector. The hybrid contact assembly is referred to as a hybrid because it employs metallic leads made from a first material, contacts made from a second material and circuitry that runs along the leads. More specifically, the hybrid contact assembly includes a contact plate that has multiple resilient fingers, electrical contacts positioned at a distal end of each finger and electrical conductors that run along each finger and electrically couple each contact to an interconnect region positioned outside of the connector housing. The fingers are made from a first material that is different from a second material that the contacts are made from, enabling each material to be independently optimized, as described in more detail below. 
     While the present disclosure can be useful for a wide variety of configurations, some embodiments of the disclosure are particularly useful for receptacle connectors that are subjected to a high number of mating and demating cycles, such as those used in consumer portable electronic devices. More specifically, electronic devices, such as for example cellular phones, that use a cable and connector to receive power and/or communicate data may require an electrical connector that can survive a high number of mating cycles without failing. To increase the reliability of the connector a hybrid contact assembly can be employed within the receptacle connector, as described in more detail below. 
     In some embodiments a hybrid receptacle connector includes a housing defining a cavity configured to receive a mating connector. A hybrid contact assembly is positioned within the cavity and includes a contact plate that has multiple fingers, contacts positioned at a distal end of each finger and conductors that run along each finger and electrically couple each contact to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. The fingers are made from a first material that is different from a second material that the contacts are made from. In some embodiments, the use of different materials for the fingers and the contacts enables the finger material to be optimized for fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance and strength while the contact material can be independently optimized for low contact resistance, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Since each material can be independently optimized to perform one function, the hybrid contact assembly can result in improved reliability of the receptacle connector. 
     In another example the conductors that connect to the contacts and run along the fingers can be formed within a flexible circuit that is laminated to a metallic contact plate to form a contact subassembly. Individual fingers can be formed in the subassembly and contacts made from a material optimized for performance as an electrical contact can be used to form contacts that are attached to a distal end portion of each finger. The contact plate can be formed from a material optimized for strength and fatigue resistance to ensure that the contacts maintain the requisite contact force when mated with a corresponding connector. 
     In another example a rear cover can be fit within a portion of the receptacle connector housing to seal the mating cavity and secure the hybrid contact assembly within the housing. In other examples a sealant can be applied over the rear cover to seal the receptacle connector such that moisture and/or debris from the external environment cannot pass through the connector and into the electronic device. 
     In order to better appreciate the features and aspects of electronic receptacle connectors with hybrid contact assemblies, further context for the disclosure is provided in the following section by discussing one particular implementation of an electronic receptacle connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments are for example only and other embodiments can be employed in other electronic connectors. For example, any electronic connector that receives or mates with a corresponding connector can be used with embodiments of the disclosure. In some instances, embodiments of the disclosure are particularly well suited for use with receptacle connectors having internal contacts because of the configuration of the hybrid contact assembly that includes electrical contacts disposed on corresponding resilient deflectable fingers. Such receptacle connectors can include, for example, universal serial bus, RJ-11, RJ-45, printed circuit board edge connectors, proprietary connectors such as the Apple Lightening® connector or any other connector that receives a plug connector and is used to communicate DC power, AC power, digital and/or analog signals. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front isometric view of an electrical receptacle connector  100  according to embodiments of the disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , receptacle connector  100  can be configured to be positioned within an electronic device (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) and interface with a corresponding plug connector (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) that is received through a receiving opening  105  of housing  110  and into a cavity  115 . A plurality of contacts  120  form a portion of a hybrid contact assembly  125  and are positioned within cavity  115  such that they make electrical contact with the corresponding plug connector when it is inserted into the cavity. Hybrid contact assembly  125  is configured to communicate signals between contacts  120  and an interface region  130  that can be coupled to circuitry within the electronic device that houses receptacle connector  100 . Hybrid contact assembly  125  can provide improved mechanical and electrical performance as compared to traditional contact assemblies, as described in more detail below. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 1  receptacle connector  100  can include one or more mounting bosses  135  that have mounting holes  140  that enable the receptacle connector to be secured within an electronic device. In further embodiments a metal clip  145  can be positioned around a portion of housing  110 , around a portion of hybrid contact assembly  125  and can form a ground contact and/or an electromagnetic interference shield, as discussed in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view A-A of electronic connector  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , cross-section A-A is taken through a portion of housing  110  and shows hybrid contact assembly  125  positioned within cavity  115 . Hybrid contact assembly  125  includes a contact plate  205  that includes multiple fingers  210 , contacts  120  positioned at a distal end of each finger  210  and conductors  215  that run along each finger and electrically couple each contact to interconnect region  130 . Fingers  210  are made from a first material that is different from a second material that contacts  120  are made from. In some embodiments, the use of different materials for fingers  210  and contacts  120  enables the finger material to be optimized for fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance and strength while the contact material can be independently optimized for low contact resistance, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. In one example, fingers  210  can be made from a steel material that has a higher modulus of elasticity than a gold-based material used for contacts  120 . In this particular embodiment, hybrid contact assembly  125  will have resilient fingers  210  and ductile contacts  120 . 
     In contrast, traditional contact assemblies typically use a single material for the resilient fingers and the contacts, or they form the fingers from one material and plate them with a separate material that functions as the contact material. The inventors have recognized, however, that materials that are typically well suited for fingers (e.g., stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, beryllium-copper, phosphor-bronze, copper, etc.) may not be well suited for use as contacts, and materials that are well suited for contacts (e.g., (gold, silver, palladium, noble metal alloys, etc.) may not be well suited for use as fingers. Further, if the contact material is plated on the fingers, the plating is typically relatively thin and prone to wear, pin holes and/or cracking that result in corrosion and degradation of performance of the connector. Therefore, the described embodiments of a hybrid contact assembly can result in improved connector performance and reliability since they enable the use of a first material that is selected to function only as a resilient finger and a second material that is selected to function only as an electrical contact, as discussed in more detail below. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , in some embodiments contact plate  205  includes a unified base portion  220  and individual fingers  210  extend therefrom to distal end portions  225  that are positioned within cavity  115 . More specifically, in such embodiments contact plate  205  can be made from a single plate of material having a plurality of fingers  210  that are coupled to unified base portion  220  that holds all the fingers together. This is illustrated more clearly in  FIG. 8 . 
     In other embodiments contact plate  205  may not have a unified base portion  220  and therefore each finger  210  can be separate with each finger having its own separate base portion that is secured to housing  110 . In some embodiments contact plate  205  can be made from a material exhibiting high fatigue resistance, and/or a high modulus of elasticity such as, for example, stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, beryllium-copper, phosphor-bronze, copper, silicon or any other appropriate material. Contact plate  205  can be formed by stamping, etching, injection molding, water jet cutting or any other suitable process. In some embodiments fingers  210  can be formed to be uniform in shape as shown in  FIG. 2 , however in other embodiments the fingers can be non-uniform in shape (e.g., formed, coined, etc.) enabling different mechanical properties for the fingers and receptacle connector  100 . 
     The geometry of fingers  210  is not limited to the specific geometry depicted in  FIG. 2 . A person of skill in the art will appreciate that, in other embodiments, fingers  210  can have a size, shape and overall geometry different than the specific examples set forth herein. In some embodiments a width of each finger  210  is between 100 microns and 1000 microns while in some embodiments the width is between 200 microns and 500 microns and in some embodiments the width is between 350 microns and 400 microns. In some embodiments a gap between each finger  210  is between 50 microns and 800 microns while in some embodiments the gap is between 100 microns and 400 microns and in some embodiments the gap is between 225 microns and 275 microns. In some embodiments a thickness of each finger  210  is between 50 microns and 800 microns while in some embodiments the gap is between 100 microns and 400 microns and in some embodiments the gap is between 175 microns and 225 microns. In some embodiments a length of each finger can be between 5 and 100 times the width of the finger while in some embodiments the length of each finger can be between 10 and 50 times the width and in some embodiments the length of each finger can be between 15 and 30 times the width. 
     As introduced above, an electrical conductor  215  is attached to each finger  210  and extends from distal end portion  225  of each finger  210  to interface region  130  that is outside of housing  110 . In some embodiments each conductor  215  forms a portion of a flexible circuit  235  that is attached to contact plate  205 . Flexible circuit  235  can include a plurality of conductors  215  separated from contact plate  205  by a first dielectric layer  240 . A second dielectric layer  245  can be positioned on top of each of the plurality of conductors  215 , as described in greater detail below. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , flexible circuit  235  can have a common flexible circuit base portion  247  and individual fingers of the flexible circuit can extend therefrom. In other embodiments each conductor  215  is separate from the other conductors (e.g., there is no common flexible circuit base portion for all of the fingers) and is electrically isolated from contact plate  205  by a dielectric layer formed on each corresponding finger. In some embodiments each conductor  215  can be formed on a dielectric layer that is positioned on each finger through, for example, electro-less and/or electrolytic plating, lamination or thin film deposition. In yet further embodiments contact plate  205  and fingers  210  can be made from an electrically insulative material and each conductor  215  is attached directly to each finger, without the need for an intervening dielectric layer. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , each contact  120  is attached to distal end portion  225  of each corresponding finger  210  with a conductive joint  250 . In some embodiments contact  120  is made from a material that is conducive to forming a low contact resistance connection to a corresponding mating connector, is corrosion resistant and/or wear resistant. In some embodiments contact  120  can be formed from, for example, gold, silver, palladium, a noble metal alloy such as Neyoro G®, Paliney 7®, or any other conductive material. In various embodiments each contact  120  is formed from a monolithic material as compared to traditional contacts that can be formed from a metal that is plated on a different base material. As compared to traditional plated contacts, since in some embodiments contacts  120  are made from a monolithic material, they are not prone to cyclical wear that exposes the underlying base material, typically resulting in corrosion of the underlying base material and connector failure. Contact  120  can be of any shape and in one embodiment has a flat lower surface where conductive joint  250  is formed and has a rounded contact region that is opposite the flat lower surface and forms an electrical contact with the mating connector. 
     In some embodiments conductive joint  250  is formed by solder, which is used to mechanically and electrically couple each contact  120  to a corresponding conductor  215 . Other embodiments can form conductive joint  250  with an electrically conductive adhesive, welding, or other process as described in more detail below. In various embodiments a passivation material (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) can be applied around conductive joint  250 . In one embodiment an underfill or potting material can be used as the passivation material to passivate conductive joint  250  and/or add strength. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a rear cover  255  can be fit within housing  110 , around hybrid contact assembly  125  and can include a pair of ground contacts  260 , as shown in  FIG. 16  below. In further embodiments a sealing layer  265  can be applied over rear cover  255  to seal connector  100  and make it resilient and/or impermeable to liquid and/or debris. More specifically, sealing layer  265  can be used to form a seal between housing  110 , hybrid contact assembly  125  and rear cover  255  such that liquid or debris that enters cavity  115  cannot penetrate receptacle connector  100  and make its way into the electronic device in which the receptacle connector is mounted. In some embodiments sealing layer  265  can include an adhesive, an insert molded material or a sealant. 
     Metal clip  145  can be attached to a portion of housing  110  and can function as a ground connection for receptacle connector  100  and can be coupled to pair of ground contacts  260  to provide a path to ground for the corresponding mating connector. Metal clip  145  can be made from any conductive metal including, but not limited to, stainless steel and plated copper alloys. 
     Housing  110  can be a monolithic insulative structure that can be made by injection molding or other suitable process. In some embodiments housing  110  can include a lip  275  that functions as a stop, preventing fingers  210  from moving into cavity  115 . In various embodiments fingers  210  can be formed so they are all “pre-stressed” against lip  275  so the lip holds them all in a controlled position and at a precise location within cavity  115 . More specifically, fingers  210  can be formed such that without lip  275  the fingers would be positioned in cavity  115 , but lip  275  holds the fingers out of the cavity. Therefore lip  275  can function as a stop for all fingers  210  so the fingers are all uniformly positioned against the lip. Housing  110  can also include one or more slots  290  that are disposed in bottom wall  295  and are configured to receive fingers  210  and maintain the fingers in position within cavity  115  and electrically isolated from one another. In some embodiments housing  110  can be made from an electrically insulative polymer such as, for example, a polycarbonate. 
       FIG. 3  is a close-up side view of distal end portion  225  of finger  210  that is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , in some embodiments flexible circuit  235  includes one or more conductors  215 . Flexible circuit  235  can include first dielectric layer  240  that is positioned between conductor  215  and finger  210  of contact plate  205  to electrically isolate the conductor from the finger of the contact plate. Conductor  215  can be positioned on top of first dielectric layer  240  and can be made from copper or any other electrically conductive material. In some embodiments conductor  215  has a thickness between 10 microns and 1000 microns while in another embodiment it has a thickness between 20 microns and 500 microns and in one embodiment has thickness between 30 and 40 microns. 
     Second dielectric layer  245  can be formed on top of conductor  215  and portions of first dielectric layer  240  such that the conductor is encapsulated between first and second dielectric layers,  240 ,  245 , respectively. In some embodiments first and second dielectric layers  240 ,  245 , respectively, can be made from a polymer or other dielectric material that can include for example, polyamide, epoxy, polymer or teflon. In further embodiments second dielectric layer  245  can have an opening  305  that exposes conductor  215 . Contact  120  can be electrically coupled to conductor  215  within opening  305  with conductive joint  250 . Conductive joint  250  can be formed with solder, conductive adhesive, welding, or any other method. In some embodiments flexible circuit  235  can be attached to contact plate  205  with an adhesive layer  310  that can be, for example, a pressure sensitive or heat sensitive adhesive. 
     Flexible circuit  235 , as disclosed herein, describes a circuit that includes an insulating dielectric film having conductive circuit patterns affixed thereto and can also include a polymer coating formed over the conductive circuits. Flexible circuits can include a single metal layer, two or more metal layers and/or a combination of flexible and rigid circuits. In some embodiments flexible circuit  235  is formed by etching metal foil cladding (normally of copper) from polymer bases, plating metal or printing of conductive inks, among other processes. Flexible circuits can also include one or more electronic passive or active components attached thereto. In various embodiments, flexible circuit  235  can be fabricated using a lamination process that adheres metal and dielectric layers together with an adhesive or polymer under pressure, elevated temperature and/or vacuum. 
     In some embodiments flexible circuit  235  can be designed with parameters that are optimized for high speed data transmission. More specifically, first and second dielectric layers  240 ,  245 , respectively can be selected to have a particular dielectric constant, loss tangent and/or other electrical property and can be made from any material including but not limited to a polymer, an epoxy, a teflon or a ceramic. Conductor  215  can be designed to have a particular width, thickness and/or separation from a ground such that it has a designed impedance that enables conductor  215  to efficiently transmit high speed signals. In some embodiments the high speed signals can be above 5 MHz, while in another embodiment the high speed signals can be above 5 GHz and in some embodiments the high speed signals can be above 20 GHz. In some embodiments conductor  215  can be designed as a microstrip conductor that has a particular impedance to a separate ground layer disposed within flexible circuit  235  or the ground layer can be fingers  210 . In another embodiment conductor  215  can be designed as a stripline conductor having a ground plane both above and below the conductor. In yet further embodiments conductor  215  can be designed as a coplanar waveguide conductor having a ground on either side of the conductor. In another embodiment conductor  215  can have grounds above, below and to each side. 
     In further embodiments each conductor  215  can be separate (not a portion of a unitary flexible circuit as described above) and can be electrically isolated from contact plate  205  by a dielectric layer formed on each corresponding finger  210 . In some embodiments each conductor  215  can be formed on a the dielectric layer on each corresponding finger using, for example, electroless and/or electrolytic plating, lamination, photoimaging or thin film deposition. In yet further embodiments contact plate  205  and fingers  210  can be formed from an electrically insulative material (e.g., made from silicon or plastic) and conductor  215  can be attached directly to each respective finger  210  without the need for an intervening dielectric layer. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates steps associated with a method  400  of forming a hybrid contact assembly that can be used in a receptacle connector such as receptacle connector  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according embodiments of the disclosure.  FIGS. 5-9  illustrate simplified sequential views of the steps associated with forming the hybrid contact assembly according to method  400  described in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in step  405  a contact plate is formed using any appropriate manufacturing technique. Referring to  FIG. 5 , in some embodiments a contact plate  505  is formed from a sheet of stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, beryllium-copper, phosphor-bronze, copper, silicon or another suitable conductive material using stamping, casting, cutting, sawing or any other process. In some embodiments contact plate  505  can be rectangular as shown, however in other embodiments it can have a different geometry. 
     In step  410 , an adhesive layer is applied to the contact plate. Referring to  FIG. 5  adhesive layer  510  is aligned with contact plate  505  and is attached to the contact plate. In some embodiments adhesive layer  510  can be a pressure sensitive or a temperature sensitive adhesive. 
     In step  415  a flexible circuit is formed. Referring to  FIG. 6 , flexible circuit  606  includes a plurality of conductors (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) that will be discussed in greater detail below. Flexible circuit  606  can be made from a metal layer sandwiched between two polymer layers as described above. 
     In step  420  the flexible circuit is attached to the adhesive layer on the contact plate. Referring to  FIG. 6  flexible circuit  606  is aligned with contact plate  505  and as further shown in  FIG. 7  the flexible circuit is attached to the contact plate forming a subassembly  705 . 
     In step  425  fingers are formed in the subassembly. Referring to  FIG. 8 , fingers  805  are formed in subassembly  705  creating multiple fingers with each having a portion of flexible circuit  606  attached thereto. More specifically, each finger  805  includes a layer of contact plate  505  with a layer of flexible circuit  606  attached thereto. As discussed above, flexible circuit  606  includes conductors  807  that run along each finger  805 . The geometry of fingers  805  of contact plate  505  can be any appropriate dimension and this disclosure in no way limits their geometry. In some embodiments fingers  805  are formed by placing subassembly  705  (see  FIG. 7 ) in a stamping machine and cutting away portions of contact plate  505  and flexible circuit  606  between the fingers. In other embodiments a cutting process, such as for example, a laser or a water jet can be used to cut away the material between the fingers. 
     When the material between the fingers is removed as shown in  FIG. 8A , contact plate  505  then has a unified base portion  825  and a plurality of contact plate fingers  830  that extend therefrom. Similarly, after the material between the fingers is removed as shown in  FIG. 8A , flexible circuit  606  has a common flexible circuit base portion  835  and a plurality of flexible circuit fingers  840  that extend therefrom. 
     In some embodiments a width  810  of each finger  805  is between 100 microns and 1000 microns while in some embodiments the width is between 200 microns and 500 microns and in some embodiments the width is between 350 microns and 400 microns. In some embodiments a gap  815  between each finger  805  is between 50 microns and 800 microns while in some embodiments the gap is between 100 microns and 400 microns and in some embodiments the gap is between 225 microns and 275 microns. In some embodiments a thickness  820  of each finger  805  is between 50 microns and 800 microns while in some embodiments the gap is between 100 microns and 400 microns and in some embodiments the gap is between 175 microns and 225 microns. 
     In step  430 , contacts are attached to each finger. Referring to  FIG. 9 , contacts  905  are attached to conductors  807  at distal end portions of each finger  805  with a conductive joint  910 . Conductive joint  910  can be formed with surface mount soldering (SMT), hot bar soldering, electrically conductive adhesive, welding or any other process. In some embodiments a passivation coating (not shown in  FIG. 9 ) can be applied to each conductive joint  910 . Hybrid contact assembly  915  is now complete and ready for assembly into a connector housing, as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates steps associated with another method  1000  of forming a hybrid contact assembly according embodiments of the disclosure. Method  1000  of  FIG. 10  is similar to method  400  of  FIG. 4 , however instead of attaching the flexible circuit to the contact plate then forming the fingers through the subassembly, in the method of  FIG. 10  fingers are first formed in the flexible circuit and separately in the contact plate, then the components are attached together.  FIGS. 11-15  illustrate simplified sequential views of the steps associated with forming the hybrid contact assembly according to method  1000  described in  FIG. 10 . 
     In step  1005  a flexible circuit is formed. Referring to  FIG. 11  flexible circuit  1105  includes a plurality of conductors (not shown in  FIG. 11 ) that were discussed in greater detail above. Flexible circuit  1105  can be made from a metal layer sandwiched between two polymer layers. 
     In step  1010 , an adhesive layer is applied to the contact plate and covered with a separator that can be easily detached from the adhesive layer. Referring to  FIG. 11  adhesive layer  1110  is aligned with flexible circuit  1105  and is attached to the flexible circuit. As further illustrated in  FIG. 11  a separator  1115  is placed over adhesive layer  1110  to protect the adhesive from damage during subsequent processing steps. The final subassembly  1200  is shown in  FIG. 12 , illustrating flexible circuit  1105 , adhesive layer  1110  and separator  1115  laminated together. 
     In step  1015  fingers are formed in the subassembly. Referring to  FIG. 13 , fingers  1305  are formed in subassembly  1200  creating multiple fingers with each finger including a portion of flexible circuit  1105 , adhesive  1110  and separator  1115 . More specifically, each finger  1305  includes a layer of flexible circuit  1105 , a layer of adhesive  1110  and a layer of separator  1115 . As discussed above, flexible circuit  1105  includes conductors (not shown in  FIG. 13 ) that run along each finger  1305 . Fingers  1305  can be formed by punching, cutting or any other process. 
     In step  1020  a contact plate is formed using any appropriate manufacturing technique. Referring to  FIG. 14 , a contact plate  1405  is formed from a sheet of stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, beryllium-copper, phosphor-bronze, copper, silicon or any other material using stamping, casting, cutting, injection molding, sawing or any other process. In some embodiments contact plate  1405  can be rectangular as shown, however in other embodiments it can have a different geometry. 
     In step  1025  fingers are formed in the contact plate. Still referring to  FIG. 14 , fingers  1410  are formed in contact plate  1405  using any appropriate manufacturing technique. More specifically, fingers  1305  can be formed using stamping, casting, cutting, sawing or any other process. 
     In step  1035  the flexible circuit is attached to the contact plate. Referring to  FIG. 15 , the assembly illustrated in  FIG. 14  is flipped upside down and separator  1115  is removed from flexible circuit  1105  exposing adhesive layer  1110 . Flexible circuit  1105  is aligned with contact plate  1405  and the two are bonded together. 
     In step  1040 , a contact is attached to each finger. Still referring to  FIG. 15 , contacts  1505  are attached to distal end portions of each finger  1410  with a conductive joint  1510 . Conductive joint  1510  is formed between contacts  1505  and conductors within flexible circuit  1105 . Conductive joint  1510  can be formed with surface mount soldering (SMT), hot bar soldering, electrically conductive adhesive, welding or any other process. In some embodiments a passivation coating (not shown in  FIG. 15 ) can be applied to each conductive joint  1510 . Hybrid contact assembly  1515  is now complete and ready for assembly into a housing. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates an exploded view of the components of one embodiment of connector  100 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , housing  110  is configured to receive hybrid contact assembly  125  through a rear opening formed within the housing. After hybrid contact assembly  125  is placed within housing  110 , rear cover  255  is configured to be positioned within the housing and at least partially around hybrid contact assembly  125 . In some embodiments rear cover  255  can include ground contacts  260  that can be insert-molded or stitched within the rear cover. In some embodiments a sealant can be applied over rear cover to seal housing, hybrid contact assembly and rear cover so moisture and/or debris cannot pass through connector  100 . In some embodiments metal clip  145  is positioned at least partially around housing  110  and can make contact with ground contacts  260 . 
     The figures above illustrate an example receptacle connector to demonstrate one way of using a hybrid contact assembly and in no way limit this disclosure to other receptacle connector designs and/or configurations. In some embodiments the features described herein can be employed in a universal serial bus receptacle connector, an RJ-45 or RJ-11 receptacle connector, a printed circuit board edge connector, proprietary connectors or any other type of connector. 
     In further embodiments a receptacle connector, such as for example receptacle connector  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  can be configured to mate with an axisymmetric plug connector such that the cavity and the receiving opening are shaped to receive the corresponding plug connector in both a first orientation and in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. More specifically, the corresponding plug connector can be symmetric such that it can be plugged into the receptacle connector in two orientations that are 180 degrees apart. In either orientation only the contacts that make contact with the electrical contacts within the receptacle connector will be used. 
     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the disclosure have been described with reference to numerous specific details that can vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. The specific details of particular embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the disclosure. 
     Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as “bottom or “top” and the like can be used to describe an element and/or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) and/or feature(s) as, for example, illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use and/or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as a “bottom” surface can then be oriented “above” other elements or features. The device can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180427
Publication Date: 20200310
Grant Date: 20200310
Priority Date: 20170929
Inventors: Esmaeili, Hani
MCDONALD, Daniel T.
Oro, Aaron A.
JOL, ERIC S.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01R13/03", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/03", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6582", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/506", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/56", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/506", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2407", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/4367", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6582", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2407", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/592", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/506", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/4367", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6582", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/56", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/03", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/2407", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/592", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/592", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65896822