Connector mechanism

• US 20070177298A1
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Jaatinen, Jukka, Bauer, Hans
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/123.560
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/30 End pieces held in contact by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector mechanism, a connector, an electronic device, a garment and a physiological sensor. The connector mechanism comprises a first connector part, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer, and a second connector part, which includes a second electrically conductive layer and a second magnetic layer, the first and the second magnetic layers being configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first connector part and the second connector part based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first and the second magnetic layers, and the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer being configured to provide an electrical connection between the first connector part and the second connector part based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

Claims

1. A connector mechanism, comprising:

a first connector part, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer; and

a second connector part, which includes a second electrically conductive layer and a second magnetic layer;

wherein the first and the second magnetic layers are configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first connector part and the second connector part based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first and the second magnetic layers, and the first and the second electrically conductive layers are configured to provide an electrical connection between the first and the second connector parts based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

2. The connector mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer are configured for being sandwiched between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

3. The connector mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first connector part is coupled electrically and mechanically to a first electronic component of a performance measuring system;

and

wherein the second connector part is coupled electrically and mechanically to a second electronic component of the performance measuring system, thus connecting the first electronic component and the second electronic component electrically and mechanically.

4. The connector mechanism of claim 3, wherein the first electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body and the second electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal;

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal from the physiological sensor to the second electrically conductive layer; and

wherein the second electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal to the processing unit.

5. The connector mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a positioning structure for mutual positioning of the first connector part and the second connector part.

6. A connector comprising:

a first connector part, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first and the second connector parts based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first magnetic layer and the magnetic layer of the second connector part; and

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to provide an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the electrically conductive layer of the second connector part based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured for being sandwiched between the first magnetic layer and the second connector part.

8. The connector of claim 6, wherein the first connector part is coupled electrically and mechanically to a first electronic component in the performance measuring system;

and

wherein the second connector part is coupled electrically and mechanically to a second electronic component in the performance measuring system, thus connecting the first electronic component and the second electronic component electrically and mechanically.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the first electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body, the second electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal, the first electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal from the physiological sensor to the second electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal to the processing unit;

or

wherein the first electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal, the second electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting the physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body, the second electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal from the physiological sensor to the first electrically conductive layer and the first electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal to the processing unit.

10. The connector of claim 6, further comprising a positioning structure for mutual positioning of the first connector part and the second connector part.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a first electronic component, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer; and

a second electronic component, which includes a second electrically conductive layer and a second magnetic layer,

wherein the first and the second magnetic layers are configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first electronic component and the second electronic component based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first and the second magnetic layers; and

wherein the first and the second electrically conductive layers are configured to provide an electrical connection between the first connector part and the second connector part based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer are configured for being sandwiched between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is an electronic device in the performance measuring system.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body and the second electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal;

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal from the physiological sensor to the second electrically conductive layer; and

wherein the second electrically conductive layer is configured to transfer the physiological signal to the processing unit.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a positioning structure for mutual positioning of the first electronic component and the second electronic component.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a first electronic component, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being configured to provide a mechanical coupling between a first connector part and a second connector part of a second electronic component based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first magnetic layer and the magnetic layer of the second connector part of the second electronic component,

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to provide an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the electrically conductive layer of the second electronic component based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured for being sandwiched between the first magnetic layer and the second electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device is an electronic device in a performance measuring system.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the first electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body and the second electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal;

or

wherein the first electronic component is a processing unit for processing the physiological signal and the second electronic component is a physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal in the user'"'"'s body.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first electronic component includes a positioning structure for mutual positioning of the first electronic component and the second electronic component.

21. A garment comprising a connector for coupling the garment mechanically and electrically, the connector comprising:

a first connector part, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first connector part and the second connector part based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first magnetic layer and the magnetic layer of the second connector part,

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to provide an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the electrically conductive layer of the second connector part based on said mutual magnetic attraction.

22. A physiological sensor comprising a connector for coupling the physiological sensor mechanically and electrically, the connector comprising:

a first connector part, which includes a first electrically conductive layer and a first magnetic layer, the first magnetic layer being configured to provide a mechanical coupling between the first connector part and the second connector part based on the mutual magnetic attraction between the first magnetic layer and the magnetic layer of the second connector part,

wherein the first electrically conductive layer is configured to provide an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the electrically conductive layer of the second connector part based on said mutual magnetic attraction.