Electronic latch interconnect for PDA/cell phone

• US 7,056,141 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alto Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alto Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Steve, Brown, Brad, Moffett, Howard, Darrington, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyeon, Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US10/742,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 439/357, 439345-346, 439/353
• US Class Current: 439/346
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6278 comprising a pin snapping into a recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony

Abstract

A method and apparatus relating to an interconnection system configured for a portable electronic device. The interconnection system includes an interface connector having a power port configured to be positioned at a peripheral portion of the portable electronic device. The interconnection system is directed to a latching contact mechanism that provides both electrical engagement and a latching mechanism between a power connector and the interface connector disposed in the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device interconnection system, comprising:

a portable electronic device having an interface connector configured to be positioned therein, the interface connector including;

an elongate housing including a front side having a power port and a data port defined therein, the front side configured to be exposed at a peripheral portion of the portable electronic device; and

strike plates configured to be positioned in the power port and the data port, each strike plate having a contact portion extending to a blocking surface defined therein; and

a power connector configured to provide power to the portable electronic device through the power port of the interface connector, the power connector having latching contacts configured to both electrically engage with the contact portion of the strike plates and latch with the blocking surface of the strike plates in the power port of the portable electronic device.

2. The interconnection system of claim 1, wherein the latching contacts comprise a power contact and a ground contact each of which are electrically separate and are positioned adjacent to recesses defined in opposing sides of a contact housing of the power connector.

3. The interconnection system of claim 1, wherein the power connector further comprises a contact housing sized and configured to house the latching contacts and to be insertable into the power port, and wherein the latching contacts are configured to be spring biased outward and are configured to be movable inward into recesses defined in opposing sides of the contact housing to facilitate both electrically engaging and latching with the power port.

4. The interconnection system of claim 1, further comprising a data connector configured to removably interconnect with the data ports to transfer data to and from the portable electronic device.

5. The interconnection system of claim 1, wherein the strike plates are configured to be positioned on opposing sides of the power port to electrically engage and latch to the latching contacts.

6. The interconnection system of claim 1, wherein the strike plates are insertable in a bottom side, adjacent to the front side, of the elongate housing, the strike plates having a shoulder portion positioned against the bottom side and electrically interconnected to a printed circuit board in the portable electronic device.

7. A power connector configured to power a portable electronic device through a power port of an interface connector, the power connector comprising:

a contact housing having first and second recesses defined in respective opposing sides of the contact housing; and

first and second latching contacts comprising a power contact and a ground contact, respectively, each of which maintain electrical separation via the contact housing, the latching contacts being configured to be positioned adjacent the respective first and second recesses defined in the contact housing, the first and second latching contacts configured with outward spring bias and configured to be movable inward into the respective first and second recesses, the latching contacts configured to both (1) electrically engage to transfer power to the portable electronic device, and (2) latch to the power port of the interface connector to power the portable electronic device.

8. The power connector of claim 7, wherein the latching contacts comprises an electrically conductive material.

9. The power connector of claim 7, wherein the latching contacts comprise a protrusion configured to bias against the power port and latch thereto.

10. A conductive terminal configured to be positioned in an interface connector of a portable electronic device, the conductive terminal comprising:

a strike plate having a window opening and a contact portion and a shoulder extension, the shoulder extension extending outward from a lower portion of the strike plate configured to electrically interconnect with a printed circuit board of the portable electronic device, the contact portion including a beveled surface extending to a blocking surface of the strike plate, the blocking surface configured as a portion of a periphery of the window opening;

wherein the contact portion and the blocking surface of the strike plate are configured to both electrically engage and latch with an external power interconnection configured to provide power to the portable electronic device.

11. The conductive terminal of claim 10, wherein the strike plate comprises extension portions configured to align and retain the strike plate in the interface connector.

12. The conductive terminal of claim 10, wherein the strike plate is configured to be insertable at a bottom side of the interface connector, the bottom side adjacent to a front side at least partially exposed on the portable electronic device, with the shoulder extension configured to be retained in a channel at the bottom side of the interface connector.

13. The conductive terminal of claim 10, wherein the strike plate comprises an electrically conductive material.

14. The conductive terminal of claim 10, wherein the strike plate is configured as a latching mechanism and as an electrically conductive mechanism to be positioned in an interface connector for interconnection with at least one of a power connector and a data connector.

15. A method of powering a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

inserting a power connector having a contact housing into a power port defined in a peripheral portion of a portable electronic device, the power connector comprising—

latching contacts having a power contact and a ground contact, each of which are electrically separate and are positioned adjacent to recesses defined in opposing sides of the contact housing; and

engaging the latching contacts of the power connector with conductive plates positioned on opposite sides of the power port so that the latching contacts latch to the conductive plates as well as electrically conduct power through the conductive plates to power the portable electronic device.