Electrical interface seal

• US 5,562,467 A
• Filed: 08/18/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, James T. II, Abdala, Julio A., Langan, Brock J., Hafen, Benjamin J., Finch, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miner, James
• Application Number:
  US08/517,006
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439/489, 200/51.09
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device

Abstract

An electrical interface (210) for an electronic device (200) includes an integral connector portion (215). The connector portion (215) has protected connector contacts (220) which provide an electrical signal path to the internal circuitry of the device. The electrical interface (210) has a contact surface (112) disposed proximate to the connector portion (215) and interface contacts (117) electrically decoupled from the connector contacts (220). The contact surface (112) is responsive to a mechanical force, to electrically couple at least one of the interface contacts (117) to at least one of the connector contacts (220).

Claims

1. A seal for an electrical interface, the seal comprising:

a resilient insulating base material having a first surface, and a second surface that interfaces with the electrical interface;

a plurality of spaced apart conductive elements disposed within the insulating base material, the conductive elements forming electrical contacts on the first surface of the insulating base material and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface;

wherein portions of the insulating base material project along the second surface to form a plurality of spacers that are compressible and resilient, the plurality of spacers maintaining a spaced apart relationship between the conductive elements and the electrical interface when the plurality of spacers is not compressed, and wherein at least one of said plurality of spacers is disposed between two of said plurality of spaced apart conductive elements.

2. The electrical interface seal of claim 1, wherein the conductive elements comprise silicone impregnated with metal.

3. The electrical interface as defined in claim 1, further comprising a peripheral compressible ring formed by an extending portion of the insulating base material.

4. An electrical interface for an electronic device, comprising:

a connector portion integral to the electronic device, the connector portion having a connector surface, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed along the connector surface;

a compressible electrical interface seal disposed about the connector portion and covering the connector contacts, the electrical interface seal comprising;

a compressible resilient base material having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface presenting a contact surface for the electrical interface, the base material extends to form a peripherally located compressible ring;

a plurality of electrical conductors disposed in a spaced apart relationship within the base material, and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface; and

at least one spacer integrally formed from a portion of the base material that projects from the second surface in between adjacent electrical conductors;

wherein the contact surface is responsive to a mechanical force applied thereto to electrically couple the plurality of electrical conductors to the plurality of connector contacts, and wherein the at least one spacer engages the connector surface to maintain a spaced apart relationship between the connector contacts and the electrical conductors when no mechanical force is applied to the contact surface.

5. The electrical interface as defined in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of spacers, each spacer being disposed between adjacent electrical conductors along the second surface of the base material.

6. The electrical interface as defined in claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of electrical conductors is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of connector contacts and the at least one spacer engages the connector surface between connector contacts to prevent electrical coupling between an electrical conductor and a nonaligned connector contact.

7. A radio, comprising:

a radio housing having communication circuitry therein; and

an electrical interface housed by the radio housing, the electrical interface comprising;

a connector portion integral to the electronic device, the connector portion having a connector surface, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed along the connector surface;

a compressible electrical interface seal [disposed]fitted on the connector portion and covering the connector contacts, the electrical interface seal comprising;

a base material having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface presenting a contact surface for the electrical interface;

a plurality of electrical conductors disposed in a spaced apart relationship within the base material, and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface; and

at least one spacer integrally formed from a portion of the base material that projects from the second surface in between adjacent electrical conductors; and

a compressible ring formed from an extension of the base material along the periphery of the seal;

wherein;

the compressible ring seals a portion of the radio housing; and

the contact surface is responsive to a mechanical force applied thereto to electrically couple the plurality of electrical conductors to the plurality of connector contacts, and wherein the at least one spacer engages the connector surface to maintain a spaced apart relationship between the connector contacts and the electrical conductors when no mechanical force is applied to the contact surface.

8. The electrical interface as defined in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of spacers, each spacer being disposed between adjacent electrical conductors along the second surface of the base material.

9. The electrical interface as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of electrical conductors is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of connector contacts and the at least one spacer engages the connector surface between connector contacts to prevent electrical coupling between an electrical conductor and a non-aligned connector contact.

10. A radio, comprising:

a radio housing having communication circuitry therein; and

an electrical interface housed by the radio housing, the electrical interface comprising;

a connector portion integral to the electronic device, the connector portion having a connector surface, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed along the connector surface;

a compressible electrical interface seal fitted over the connector portion and covering the connector contacts, the electrical interface seal comprising;

a base material having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface presenting a contact surface for the electrical interface;

a plurality of electrical conductors disposed in a spaced apart relationship within the base material, and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface; and

a plurality of spacers formed from projections of the base material along the second surface, each of the plurality of spacers being disposed between two of the plurality of electrical conductors;

a compressible seal integrally formed from an extension of the base material;

wherein the contact surface is responsive to a mechanical force applied thereto to electrically couple the plurality of electrical conductors to the plurality of connector contacts, and wherein the at least one spacer engages the connector surface to maintain a spaced apart relationship between the connector contacts and the electrical conductors when no mechanical force is applied to the contact surface;

wherein each of the plurality of electrical conductors is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of connector contacts and each of the plurality of spacers engages the connector surface between connector contacts to prevent electrical coupling between an electrical conductor and a non-aligned connector contact.

11. A seal for an electrical interface, the seal comprising:

a resilient insulating base material having a first surface, and a second surface that interfaces with the electrical interface;

a plurality of spaced apart conductive elements disposed within the insulating base material, the conductive elements forming electrical contacts for interfacing to the electrical interface, and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface, the conductive elements being spatially separated from the electrical interface by the resilient insulating base material; and

a peripheral compressible ring integrally formed from an extension of a portion of the insulating base material.

12. The seal of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of spacers integrally formed from the resilient insulating base material and projecting from the second surface, wherein at least one of said plurality of spacers is disposed between two of said plurality of spaced apart conductive elements.

13. An electrical interface for an electronic device, comprising:

a connector portion integral to the electronic device, the connector portion having a connector surface, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed along the connector surface;

a compressible electrical interface seal disposed about the connector portion and covering the connector contacts, the electrical interface seal comprising;

a compressible resilient base material having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface presenting a contact surface for the electrical interface;

a plurality of electrical conductors disposed in a spaced apart relationship within the base material, and electrically coupling the first surface to the second surface; and

at least one spacer integrally formed from a portion of the base material that projects from the second surface in between adjacent electrical conductors;

wherein the contact surface is responsive to a mechanical force applied thereto to electrically couple the plurality of electrical conductors to the plurality of connector contacts, and wherein the at least one spacer engages the connector surface to maintain a spaced apart relationship between the connector contacts and the electrical conductors when no mechanical force is applied to the contact surface.