Communication Connector

• US 20070259536A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RSGA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RSGA International Incorporated
• Inventors: Long, Jon, Riddoch, Damian
• Application Number:
  US11/684,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20070259536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/42 comprising impedance matching means or electrical components, e.g. filters or switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A communication connector assembly includes a first connector and a second connector configured to receive the first connector. The first connector includes a first connector body and at least one communication contact supported by the first connector body. The second connector includes a second connector body defining a contact surface configured to receive the first connector and at least one communication contact supported by the second connector body. The communication contact is configured to receive the corresponding communication contact of the first connector. At least one magnet is supported by at least one of the first and second connector bodies and is configured to magnetically retain the first and second connector bodies together.

Claims

1. A communication connector assembly comprising:

a first connector comprising;

a first connector body; and

at least one communication contact supported by the first connector body; and

a second connector configured to receive the first connector and comprising;

a second connector body defining a contact surface configured to receive the first connector;

at least one communication contact supported by the second connector body and configured to receive the corresponding communication contact of the first connector; and

at least one magnet supported by at least one of the first and second connector bodies and configured to magnetically retain the first and second connector bodies together.

2. A communication connector assembly comprising:

a first connector comprising;

a central communication contact; and

an outer communication contact supported by the central communication contact; and

a second connector configured to receive the first connector and comprising;

a second connector body defining a receptacle configured to receive the first connector;

a central communication contact supported by the second connector body in the receptacle and configured to receive the central communication contact of the first connector; and

at least one magnet supported by the second connector body and configured to electrically contact the outer communication contact of the first connector, the magnet magnetically retaining the second connector to the first connector.

3. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the communication contacts of the first connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the first connector.

4. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the communication contacts of the receptacle of the second connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the receptacle.

5. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the communication contacts comprise electrical contacts.

6. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the communication contacts comprise optical contacts.

7. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and second connectors each further comprise:

at least one middle contact;

wherein the middle communication contact of the first connector is supported by the central contact and insulated from the other communication contacts of the first connector; and

wherein the middle communication contact of the second connector is supported by the second connector body, configured in the receptacle to receive the corresponding middle communication contact of the first connector, and insulated from the other communication contacts of the second connector.

8. The communication connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the communication contacts of the first connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the first connector.

9. The communication connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the communication contacts of the second connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the receptacle of the second connector.

10. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the central communication contact of the second connector comprises:

a contact head configured to receive the central communication contact of the first connector; and

a contact spring engaging the contact head, both the contact head and spring retained by the second connector body.

11. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the first connector is substantially conically shaped.

12. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the first connector is substantially hemi-spherically shaped.

13. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 further comprising an audio adaptor electricity joined to at least one of the first connector or the second connector.

14. The communication connector assembly of claim 2 further comprising a universal serial bus connector electricity joined to at least one of the first connector or the second connector.

15. A communication connector assembly comprising:

a first connector comprising;

a magnetically attractable first connector housing;

at least one connector stem extending from the first connector housing and comprising;

a central communication contact; and

at least one outer communication contact supported by the central communication contact, each communication contact of the first connector insulated from the other; and

a second connector configured to receive the first connector and comprising;

a second connector housing defining at least one receptacle configured to receive the corresponding connector stem of the first connector;

a central communication contact supported by the second connector housing in each receptacle and configured to receive the central communication contact of the corresponding connector stem of the first connector;

at least one outer communication contact supported by the second connector housing in each receptacle and configured to receive the outer communication contact of the corresponding connector stem of the first connector, each communication contact of the second connector insulated from the other; and

at least one magnet supported by the second connector housing and configured to magnetically retaining the second connector to the first connector.

16. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the communication contacts of each connector stem of the first connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the connector stem of the first connector.

17. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the communication contacts of each receptacle of the second connector are concentric with each other along a longitudinal axis defined by the receptacle of the second connector.

18. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the communication contacts comprise electrical contacts.

19. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the communication contacts comprise optical contacts.

20. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein the central communication contact of each receptacle of the second connector comprises:

a contact head configured to receive the central communication contact of the corresponding connector stem of the first connector; and

a contact spring engaging the contact head, both the contact head and spring retained by the second connector housing.

21. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein each connector stem of the first connector is substantially conically shaped.

22. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 wherein each connector stem of the first connector is substantially hemi-spherically shaped.

23. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 further comprising an audio adaptor electricity joined to at least one of the first connector or the second connector.

24. The communication connector assembly of claim 15 further comprising a universal serial bus connector electricity joined to at least one of the first connector or the second connector.