Connector assembly

• US 8,388,385 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Jol, Eric S., Lynch, Stephen Brian, Rothkopf, Fletcher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US13/098,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607.28, 439/95, 43960735-6074, 439/660, 439/676, 361/818
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2407 characterized by the resilient means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6583 with separate conductive resilient members between mating shield members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A personal media device includes at least a housing having at least a highly curved portion. The housing includes at least one opening suitably sized to accommodate a multi-pin connector. A portion of the multi-pin adapter associated with the highly curved portion includes at least a spring loaded, small form factor, electrical contact arranged to provide EMI ground contact when a plug is inserted into and engages the multi-pin connector assembly. In one embodiment, the spring loaded electrical contact takes the form of a dimple formed of conductive material such as stainless steel or copper.

Claims

1. A multi-pin connector assembly arranged to facilitate an electrical connection between an electronic device and an external circuit, wherein the multi-pin connector assembly engages a connector plug that has an electrically conductive body, comprising:

a top portion of the connector assembly having at least two contacts arranged to provide electrical connections to corresponding ground tabs on the electrically conductive body in the engaged state, and

a bottom portion of the connector assembly having at least two ground contacts formed of highly conductive material that protrude through a plastic body of the multi-pin connector assembly to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive body, wherein the multi-pin connector assembly is accommodated within an opening formed in a spline shaped housing of an electronic device having internal circuitry, wherein the top portion of the connector assembly engages more of the electrically conductive body of the connector plug than does the bottom portion of the connector assembly.

2. The multi-pin connector assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein in the engaged state, the multi-pin connector assembly mechanically engages the connector plug to form an electrical connection between the internal circuitry of the electronic device and the external circuit.

3. The multi-pin connector assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least two ground contacts take the form of having a base portion and a raised portion that comes in contact with the electrically conductive body in the engaged state.

4. The multi-pin connector assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least two ground contacts are formed of any of stainless steel and copper.

5. The multi-pin connector assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-pin connector assembly includes at least 30 electrical contacts that form the electrical connection.

6. A personal media device, comprising:

a housing having at least a highly curved portion wherein the housing includes at least one opening in the highly curved portion; and

a multi-pin connector assembly in the at least one opening of

a top portion of the multi-pin connector assembly having at least two contacts arranged to provide ground contact to a conductive shell of a connector plug in an engaged state, and

a bottom portion of the multi-pin connector assembly having at least two ground contacts formed of highly conductive material that protrude through a plastic body of the multi-pin connector assembly causing the at least two ground contacts to make electrical contact with the conductive shell of the connector plug, wherein the top portion engages more of the connector plug of the electronic device than does the bottom portion.

7. The personal media device as recited in claim 6, wherein in an engaged state, the multi-pin connector assembly mechanically engages the connector plug to form an electrical connection between internal circuitry of the electronic device and an external circuit.

8. The personal media device as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least two ground contacts take the form of having a base portion and a raised portion that comes in contact with the conductive shell in the engaged state.

9. The personal media device as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least two ground contacts are formed of any of stainless steel and copper.

10. The personal media device as recited in claim 6, wherein the multi-pin connector assembly includes at least 30 electrical contacts that form the electrical connection.

11. A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprising:

providing a housing having at least a highly curved portion;

forming at least one opening in the highly curved portion of the housing suitably sized to accommodate a multi-pin connector;

providing the multi-pin connector assembly;

inserting the multi-pin connector assembly into the opening; and

securing the multi-pin connector to the highly curved portion of the housing, wherein the multi-pin connector has a size and shape arranged to mechanically engage a connector plug in an engaged state to form an electrical connection between internal circuits in the electronic device and an external circuit, the connector plug having an electrically conductive body for providing a ground, wherein the multi-pin connector comprises;

a top portion having at least two contacts arranged to provide electrical connections to corresponding ground tabs on the electrically conductive body of the connector plug in the engaged state, and

a bottom portion having at least two ground contacts formed of highly conductive material that protrude through a plastic body of the multi-pin connector assembly causing the at least two ground contacts to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive body of the connector plug, wherein the top portion engages more of the connector plug than does the bottom portion.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least two ground contacts take the form of having a base portion and a raised portion that comes in contact with the electrically conductive body in the engaged state.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least two ground contacts are formed of any of stainless steel and copper.