Multi-contact universally jointed power and/or signal connector devices constructed utilizing deformed printed circuit boards

• US 8,376,756 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John R. Robb
• Original Assignee: John R. Robb
• Inventors: Robb, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US12/924,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 439/6, 439/8, 439/9
• US Class Current: 439/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3604 Rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 with deforming

Abstract

An adjustable at least three-way electrical connector device for signal, power, voice and/or data communication, comprising at least three adjustable electrical connections utilizing a ball and socket type physical connection device, preferably including a weatherproofing gasket, and further including being constructed utilizing deformable printed circuit boards, deformed and embedded in thermosetting plastic material with elastomeric properties, and including methods of construction.

Claims

1. An adjustable at least three-way electrical connector for signal, voice, digital data and/or power, comprising:

at least three electrical connections provided within a layered ball and socket connector device, the device providing for full rotation of at least an inner ball layer within an outer socket layer about a first axis and providing for at least approximately up to 30 degrees of pivot of the inner ball layer with respect to the outer socket layer about the first axis; and

wherein the connector includes multiple printed circuit boards, deformed to ball and socket conformations, embedded in a thermosetting plastic material with elastomeric properties effective to permit repeated coupling and decoupling.

2. The adjustable electrical connector device of claim 1 wherein inner and outer layers, respectively, snap together and apart.

3. The electrical conductor device of claim 1 including an intermediate layer and an insulating gasket between the outer layer and the intermediate layer.

4. The device of claim 1 including an at least four-way electrical connector with an intermediate layer with respect to the inner and outer layer and an equatorially located electrical connection between equatorially located electrically conductive surfaces on the exterior of the intermediate layer and on the interior of the outer layer.

5. The device of claim 3 further providing a shell attached to the intermediate layer, the shell and outer layer structured and constructed in combination to provide at least one electrical connection and one weatherproof gasket therebetween.

6. The device of claim 4 further providing a shell attached to the intermediate layer, the shell and outer layer structured and constructed in combination to provide at least one electrical connection and one weatherproof gasket therebetween.