Audio jack with pogo pins for conductive contacts

• US 7,942,705 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Murphy, Sean, DiFonzo, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi; Ross N
• Application Number:
  US12/482,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20100240259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 439/668, 439/700, 439/669, 439/824
• US Class Current: 439/668
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

An audio jack can allow electrical connections between an audio plug and an electronic device. The audio jack can include a series of pogo pins operative to extend into an audio jack cavity to provide conductive contacts for an audio plug placed within the audio jack. When an audio plug is inserted in the audio jack, the deflectable tips of each pogo pin can deflect and contact audio plug contact portions or regions. The end of the pogo pins opposite the deflectable tips can be coupled to an appropriate electronic device component, such as a printed circuit board, flex circuit, cable, or any other suitable component to provide a conductive path for signals between the audio plug and the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a body comprising a cavity operative to receive an electrical plug, the body comprising at least one opening in the cavity aligned with at least one position of conductive portions of the electrical plug when the electrical plug is inserted in the electrical connector;

a retention mechanism extending into the cavity and operative to engage a recess of the electrical plug; and

at least one pogo pin embedded in the body, wherein the at least one pogo pin comprises;

a pogo pin body housing an internal spring; and

a deflecting portion electrically connected to the pogo pin body, wherein the deflecting portion extends through the at least one opening and is operative to deflect and contact the conductive portion of the electrical plug when the electrical plug is inserted in the electrical connector.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises:

at least one notch aligned with the at least one opening in the cavity and operative to receive the at least one pogo pin.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein:

the notch comprises an elongated dimension; and

the elongated dimension extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to a plane tangent to the at least one opening.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein:

the notch substantially defines a cylinder; and

the elongated dimension defines the height of the cylinder.

5. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein:

the deflecting portion linearly deflects in the direction of the elongated dimension.

6. An electronic connector, comprising:

a body defining a cavity for receiving an electronic plug;

a plurality of conductive pad assemblies operative to contact the electronic plug, each conductive pad assembly comprising;

a deflecting component operative to extend into the cavity from within the body;

a conductive pad assembly body electrically coupled to the deflecting portion and operative to house the deflecting component; and

an internal spring housed within the conductive pad assembly body, wherein the deflecting component linearly deflects into the conductive pad assembly body following a path perpendicular to a plane tangent to the cavity wall; and

a retention mechanism extending into the cavity by an amount different from an amount by which the deflecting component extends into the cavity when the electronic plug is received in the cavity.

7. The electronic connector of claim 6, wherein:

the conductive pad assembly body defines an elongated structure substantially aligned with the path of the deflecting component deflection.

8. The electrical connector of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one conductive pad assembly for each conductive portion of the electronic plug.

9. The electronic connector of claim 8, further comprising:

at least two conductive pad assemblies for a single conductive portion of the electronic plug, wherein one of the at least two conductive pad assemblies is operative to detect the electronic plug.

10. The electronic connector of claim 6, wherein:

the plurality of conductive pad assemblies are press fit in the body.

11. The electronic connector of claim 6, wherein:

the plurality of contact pad assemblies are substantially disposed in a plane.

12. An electronic device operative to provide audio output, comprising:

audio output circuitry operative to generate an audio output; and

an electrical connector comprising;

a body with a cavity comprising an opening operative to receive an electronic plug; and

at least one pogo pin extending linearly into the cavity, wherein the pogo pin comprises a deflecting portion, a pogo pin body electrically coupled to the deflecting portion, and an internal spring positioned within the pogo pin body to bias the deflecting portion, the pogo pin operative to provide an electrically conductive path between the interior of the cavity and the audio output circuitry; and

a retention mechanism extending into the cavity by an amount different from an amount by which the deflecting portion extends into the cavity when the electronic plug is received in the cavity.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

the cavity comprises a substantially cylindrical cavity around the at least one pogo pin, and the at least one pogo pin is placed in a plane passing through a central axis of the substantially cylindrical cavity.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein:

the electrical connector comprises a plurality of pogo pins; and

the plurality of pogo pins are placed in the plane passing through the central axis of the substantially cylindrical cavity.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of pogo pins is aligned in a direction substantially orthogonal to a plane tangent to the surface of the cavity.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

the plurality of pogo pins is substantially parallel.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

a deflecting portion of at least one of the plurality of pogo pins is directed towards the opening of the cavity.

18. A method for manufacturing an electrical connector, comprising:

manufacturing a body having a cylindrical cavity for receiving a cylindrical plug;

defining at least one notch extending through a portion of the body and to the cavity, wherein the at least one notch extends in a plane including a center axis of the cavity;

coupling a pogo pin to the at least one notch, the pogo pin comprising a pogo pin body, an internal spring placed within the pogo pin body, and a deflecting portion electrically coupled to the pogo pin body and biased by the internal spring, wherein the deflecting portion extends in to the cavity; and

placing in the body a retention mechanism extending into the cavity, wherein the retention mechanism is operative to engage a recess of the cylindrical plug.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

manufacturing first and second body halves, wherein each of the first and second body halves comprise a portion of the cavity and a portion of the at least one notch; and

combining the first and second body halves to form the body.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the pogo pin is coupled to the at least one notch using at least one of a press fit, an adhesive, tape, heat staking and a mechanical transfer.