ESD protective connector apparatus

• US 6,241,537 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Bruce, Responte, Gary, Tate, Joe, Northway, David, OʼHara, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/574,664
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 439/108, 439/928.1, 439/934, 439/951, 361/799, 361/772, 174/51
• US Class Current: 439/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6485 Electrostatic discharge protection in general H05F1/00, for electric apparatus H05K9/0067
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/026 Spark gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/951 PCB having detailed leading edge

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include connector assembly for a handheld computer. The connector assembly includes a plurality of conductive elements disposed on a first side of a printed circuit board housed with the handheld computer. One or more of the conductive elements has a pointed end.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for a handheld computer, the connector assembly comprising:

a plurality of conductive elements disposed on a first side of a printed circuit board housed with the handheld computer, a first conductive element in the plurality of conductive elements having a pointed end;

a plurality of contacts, each of the contacts contacting one of the plurality of conductive elements, each contact including a first surface to mate with a connector element of a first type of accessory connector, and a second surface to mate with a connector element of a second type of accessory connector; and

a ground pad disposed on the printed circuit board, the ground pad including a contour positioned sufficiently proximate to the pointed end of the first conductive element to form a spark gap, the spark gap transferring an electrostatic discharge formed on one or more of the plurality of conductive elements to the ground pad when the electrostatic discharge exceeds a sufficient level.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, where the first surface of each contact mates with the connector element of a wiping style connector on an accessory device.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the second surface of each contact mates with the connector element of a pogo style connector on the accessory device.

4. The connector element of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the contact is aligned to be acute or perpendicular to the second surface of the contact.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one vias associated with the first conductive element to transfer electrostatic discharge from the pointed end of the first conductive element to the ground pad.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the grand pad includes a plurality of interior sides that define an interior space that at least partially surrounds the plurality of conductive elements on three or more interior sides, at least one of the interior sides having a saw tooth contour wherein at least a portion of the saw tooth contour is positioned relative to the pointed end of the first conductive element to define the spark gap.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the spark gap has a length of about 0.20 mm to about 0.30 mm.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the spark gap has a gap distance of about 0.25 mm.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the contour is positioned sufficiently proximate to the pointed end to transfer the electrostatic discharge exceeding 100 volts.

10. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the contour is positioned sufficiently proximate to the pointed end to transfer the electrostatic discharge exceeding t 100 volts but less than 250 volts.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the point end of the first conductive element is formed by at least two linear sides.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the pointed end of the first conductive element has a triangular shape.

13. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductive elements are equidistantly spaced from one another.

14. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the ground pad is adapted to be coupled to a charge storage device.

15. The connector assembly of claim 14, wherein the charge storage device includes one of a electric battery or a capacitor.