CONNECTORS WITH MOVABLE MAGNETIC COMPONENTS AND METHOD OF CONNECTING DEVICES

• US 20180337467A1
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanoport Technology Inc. (Nano Magnetics Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nanoport Technology Inc. (Nano Magnetics Ltd.)
• Inventors: SZETO, TIMOTHY JING YIN, CHAN, JEREMY ZHI-QIAO
• Granted Patent: US 10,446,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A connector for an electronic device has a housing with a peripheral surface and guides defining first and second paths. The second path extends from a first location proximate the peripheral surface to a second location farther from the peripheral surface and closer to the first path. A magnetic contact assembly in the housing is magnetically movable along the first path between a first position for joining the connector in data communication with an adjacent connector, and a second position withdrawn from the peripheral surface. A magnet in the housing and is movable by attraction to an adjacent connector along the second path, to magnetically hold the connector to an adjacent connector. The guides are configured so that the magnet and the magnetic contact assembly magnetically bias one another inwardly along the first and second paths.

Claims

1. A connector for an electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a peripheral surface;

first and second guides defining first and second paths, respectively, within said housing;

a magnetic contact assembly received in said housing, said contact assembly magnetically movable along said first path between a first, extended position for joining said connector in data communication with an adjacent connector, and a second position withdrawn from said peripheral surface;

a magnet received in said housing, and movable by attraction to an adjacent connector along said second path, from a retracted position to an extended position closer to said peripheral surface and farther from said first path for magnetically holding said connector to said adjacent connector;

said second channel configured so that said magnet and said magnetic contact assembly magnetically bias one another along said paths to said retracted position and said second position, respectively.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said magnetic contact assembly comprises a core magnet slidably received in said housing and a plurality of conductive leads, and wherein said magnet biases said conductive leads to form said data connection.

3. The connector of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said magnet is rotatably mounted and biased to a first orientation by magnetic attraction with said magnetic contact assembly, and wherein said magnet is rotatable to a second orientation by magnetic attraction to an adjacent connector.

4. The connector of claim 3, wherein said second orientation is diagonal relative to said peripheral surface.

5. The connector of any one of claims 1-4, wherein said second guide extends diagonally relative to said peripheral surface.

6. The connector of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising:

a third guide, said second and third guides positioned on opposite sides of said first channel, said third guide defining a third path extending from a first location proximate said peripheral surface to a second location farther from said peripheral surface and closer to said first guide; and

a second magnet received in said housing, and movable along said third path by attraction to an adjacent connector from a retracted position to an extended position for fixing said connector to said adjacent connector;

said third guide configured so that said second magnet cooperates with said magnet to bias said magnetic contact assembly.

7. The connector of any one of claims 1-6, wherein said first guide and said second guide each define primary and secondary paths oriented at an angle to one another, and wherein positioning another connector adjacent a lateral side of said electronic device causes movement of said magnet and said magnetic contact assembly along the respective primary paths;

and wherein positioning another connector adjacent a front or back side of said electronic device causes movement of said magnet and said magnetic contact assembly along the respective secondary paths.

8. The connector of claim 2, wherein conductive leads are positioned proximate magnetic poles of said magnetic contact assembly.

9. The connector of claim 2, wherein said magnetic contact assembly comprises a plurality of core magnets.

10. The connector of any one of claims 1-9, wherein said magnetic contact assembly defines a curved surface for contacting another connector, such that said electronic device can be pivoted about said curved surface without breaking said data connection.

11. The connector of claim 9, comprising two of said conductive leads positioned on each one of said core magnets.

12. The connector of any one of claims 1-11, wherein said data connection is a USB data connection.

19. An electronic device comprising the connector of any one of claims 1 to 12.

13. A method of connecting electronic devices, comprising:

positioning a connector of a first device adjacent a connector of a second device;

magnetically drawing a magnet of said first device toward said second device to magnetically hold said first and second devices together, thereby overcoming a magnetic bias between said magnet and a contact assembly of said first device;

magnetically drawing said contact assembly toward said second device to form a data connection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising rotating said magnet of said first device by magnetic attraction to said second device.

15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, further comprising pivoting said first and second devices relative to one another without breaking said data connection.

16. The method of any one of claims 13-15, further comprising removing said second device from said first device and withdrawing said magnet and said contact assembly of said first device by magnetic attraction between said magnet and said magnetic contact assembly.

17. The method of any one of claims 13-16, wherein said second device comprises a magnet and a magnetic contact assembly, further comprising:

magnetically drawing a magnet of said second device toward said first device, thereby overcoming a magnetic bias between said magnet and a contact assembly of said second device; and

magnetically drawing said contact assembly of said second device toward said first device.

18. The method of any one of claims 13-17, wherein said positioning comprises positioning said second device adjacent a first surface of said first device, and further comprising:

repositioning said second device adjacent a second surface of said first device;

magnetically drawing a magnet of said first device toward said second surface and said second device to magnetically hold said first and second devices together, thereby overcoming a magnetic bias between said magnet and a contact assembly of said first device;

magnetically drawing said contact assembly toward said second surface and said second device to form a data connection.