Electrical connector assembly with magnetic retention device

• US 20090117783A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,566,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2435 with opposite contact points, e.g. C beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly (100) comprising a plug connector (1) and a receptacle connector (2). The plug connector (1) comprises an insulated housing (13) defining a number of vertical mounting grooves (1311); a number of terminals (12) received in the insulated housing, said each of the terminals having a vertical contact portion arranged in corresponding vertical mounting groove; an attraction member (11) assembled to the insulated housing (13). The receptacle connector (2) comprises an insulative housing (23) defining a number of passageways (232) along front-to-back direction; a number of spring contacts (24) respectively received in the passageways; a magnetic block (22) assembled to the insulative housing. The plug connector and the receptacle connector are securely coupled together via a magnetic attraction between the magnetic member and the attraction member thereof. The spring contacts of the receptacle connector contact the terminals of the plug connector, respectively.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a plug connector comprising;

an insulated housing defining a number of vertical mounting grooves;

a number of terminals received in the insulated housing, said each of the terminals having a vertical contact portion arranged in corresponding vertical mounting groove;

an attraction member assembled to the insulated housing; and

a receptacle connector comprising;

an insulative housing defining a number of passageways along front-to-back direction;

a number of spring type contacts respectively received in the passageways, said each of the contacts having a mating segment forwardly extending out of the passageway;

a magnetic block assembled to the insulative housing of the receptacle connector; and

wherein the plug connector and the receptacle connector are securely coupled together via a magnetic attraction between the magnetic member and the attraction member thereof;

wherein the spring contacts of the receptacle connector contact the terminals

2. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector comprises a body portion with a flange portion located at a rear part thereof and a mounting portion extending rearward from a back surface of the body portion.

3. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attraction member defines a hollow portion therein, wherein the insulated housing is interiorly received in the attraction member to form a forward first mating space between a front section of the attraction member and a front surface of the insulated housing.

4. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the terminals of the plug connector comprises a vertical contact portion arranged in corresponding mounting groove of the insulated housing, wherein the vertical contact portion substantially aligns with a front surface of the insulated housing.

5. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the terminals of the plug connector further comprises a first retention portion extending rearward from a top end of the vertical contact portion and a second retention portion extending rearward from a lower end of the vertical contact portion and parallel to the first retention portion, and wherein both the first retention portion and the second retention portion are respectively received in the insulated housing.

6. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector further comprises a cable with a number of inner wires electrically respectively connecting to the terminals thereof;

wherein the plug connector further comprises an insulator partially over molded on the cable, the insulated housing and the magnetic member.

7. (canceled)

8. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a plug connector comprising;

an insulated housing;

a number of terminals received in the insulated housing;

an attraction member assembled to the insulated housing; and

a receptacle connector comprising;

an insulative housing defining a number of passageways along front-to-back direction;

a number of spring contacts respectively received in the passageways of the insulative housing;

a plurality of magnetic blocks symmetrically arranged around the insulative housing; and

wherein the plug connector and the receptacle connector are securely coupled together by a magnetic attraction the magnetic blocks and the attraction member;

wherein the spring contacts of the receptacle connector contact the terminals of the plug connector

9. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the spring contacts comprises a substantially inverted V-shaped body segment cantilevered in the passageway and a retention segment connecting to the inverted V-shaped body segment and inserted molded with the insulative housing.

10. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the spring contacts further comprises a V-shaped mating segment connecting with the inverted V-shaped body portion and partially extending outside of a front opening the corresponding passageway.

11. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the insulative housing of the receptacle connector further has a first stopper member located above a front portion of each of the passageways abutting against a free end of each of the terminals received in the passageway.

12. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the magnetic blocks is configured to L-shaped and has a positioning slot located in an inside surface thereof, and wherein the insulative housing of the receptacle connector has a main portion forming a continued flange member thereon inserting into the positioning slot of the magnetic block.

13. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein a front section of the insulative housing of the receptacle connector protrudes forward of the magnetic blocks, wherein the receptacle connector further has a metal shell bundling around the magnetic blocks to form a forward second mating space between the metal shell and the front section of the insulated housing, and wherein the front section of the attraction member of the plug connector is received in the forward second mating space.

14. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the insulated housing of the plug connector further comprises a body portion and a mounting portion extending rearward from a back surface of the body portion;

wherein a front section of the body portion defines a plurality of mounting grooves recessed rearward from forward surface thereof, a plurality of first positioning cavities and second positioning cavities respectively extending interiorly from upper portions and lower portions of the mounting grooves.

16. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the terminals of the plug connector is configured to hooked structure which comprises a mating potion received in corresponding mounting groove of the insulated housing, a first and a second a first retention portion extending rearward from a top end of the vertical contact portion and received in corresponding first and second positioning cavities, respectively.

15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first connector including;

a first insulative housing enclosing a plurality of first contacts therein;

a first mating region round with said first contacts exposed;

a second connector mating with the first connector in a mating direction and including;

a second insulative housing enclosing a plurality of second contacts;

a second mating region around which said second contacts are exposed so as to mate with the first mating region in said mating direction; and

a set of kits including two pans, of which one part substantially fully surrounds the first mating region, and the other part substantially fully surrounds the second mating region;

wherein

at least one of said parts is magnetic to attract the other in said mating direction;

wherein said first mating region and said second mating region are essentially mated in a head-to-head manner in said mating direction without overlapping in a transverse direction perpendicular to said mating direction.

19-23. -23. (canceled)