ELECTRIC CONNECTOR

• US 20160190736A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHUN, Woo-Sung, CHOI, Seung-Ki, KIM, Ju-Nyun
• Granted Patent: US 10,014,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony

Abstract

A connector may include a plurality of contacts electrically connected to a mating connector and separated from one another. At least one of the contacts may include a magnet, and a conductive housing for surrounding at least one side of the magnet.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a plurality of contacts electrically connected to a mating connector and separated from one another,

wherein at least one of the contacts comprises,

a magnet; and

a conductive housing for surrounding at least one side of the magnet.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the conductive housing is ring-shaped.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein, when electrically connected to the mating connector, the conductive housing comprises an elastically deformable section.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one side of the magnet comprises a curved surface.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contacts comprises a corresponding magnet and a corresponding conductive housing, and wherein each of the corresponding magnets of the plurality of the contacts have same polarity arrangements.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contacts comprises a corresponding magnet and a corresponding conductive housing, and at least one of the magnets corresponding to at least one of the plurality of the contacts has an opposite pole arrangement from remaining corresponding magnets to the plurality of contacts.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector includes a socket or a plug.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is mounted on a circuit board.

9. The connector of claim 1, further comprising:

a cable or a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) electrically connected to the contacts.

10. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contacts are disposed on a surface of a housing which forms an exterior of an electronic device.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a socket connected to an external plug,

wherein the socket comprises,

a housing; and

a plurality of contacts disposed inside the housing and separated from one another, and

at least one of the plurality of contacts comprises

a magnet; and

a conductive housing for surrounding at least one side of the magnet.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the conductive housing is ring-shaped.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the socket is mounted on a circuit board inside the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the external plug is configured to charge the electronic device or receive data at the electronic device.

15. A connector system comprising:

a first connector electrically and detachably connected to a second connector,

wherein the first connector comprises,

a plurality of first magnets; and

a plurality of first conductive contact housings for surrounding respective ones of the plurality of the first magnets, and

the second connector comprises,

a plurality of second magnets corresponding to the first magnets; and

a plurality of second conductive contact housings corresponding to the first conductive contact housings and surrounding at least one side of respective ones of the second magnets.

16. The connector system of claim 15, wherein, when there is attraction between the first magnets and the second magnets, the attraction acts as a force for pulling the first connective contact housings and the second conductive contact housings toward one another, and when there is repulsion between the first magnets and the second magnets, the repulsion acts as a force for pushing the first connective contact housings and the second conductive contact housings away from one another.

17. The connector system of claim 15, wherein the first connective contact housings or the second conductive contact housings are ring-shaped.

18. The connector system of claim 15, wherein the first magnets and the second magnets have a same pole arrangement.

19. The connector system of claim 15, wherein the first connector comprises a socket, and wherein the second connector comprises a plug.

20. The connector system of claim 15, wherein the first connector or the second connector is mounted on a circuit board, or on a surface of a housing which forms an exterior of an electronic device.