Headset connector

• US 8,401,219 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hankey, M. Evans, Sanford, Emery, Prest, Christopher D, Lim, Way Chet
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Hoa B
• Application Number:
  US11/824,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 381/381, 381/74, 381370-371, 381/374, 381/376, 381378-380, 381/382, 381/384
• US Class Current: 381/384
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/18 by impact extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/001 Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/09 Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Headset assemblies and headset connectors are provided. Headset connectors can include a magnetic mating face and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed within the mating face. Engaging assemblies and engaging connectors are also provided. The engaging connectors can include a housing having a mating side, a magnetic array structure, and a plurality of spring biased contact members. The magnetic array structure can be fixed within the housing and house a plurality of spring biased contact members. The spring biased contact members can include tips that extend out of the mating side. The tips can electrically couple with electrical contacts in a headset connector.

Claims

1. A headset configured to interface with a headset accessory including at least two headset accessory electrical contacts, the headset comprising:

a connector plate formed from a ferromagnetic material and comprising;

a mating face; and

at least two apertures through the mating face;

a non-conductive casing forming at least two protruding members, each protruding member extending through a respective one of the at least two apertures to form a distal end; and

at least two electrical contacts, each contact disposed on the distal end of a respective one of the protruding members and electrically insulated from the connector plate,

wherein;

the at least two electrical contacts and the distal end of each protruding member are substantially flush with the mating face; and

each of the at least two electrical contacts is operative to couple with one of the at least two headset accessory electrical contacts.

2. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein the mating face is positioned within the tube housing a predetermined distance from a plane defined by an end of the tube housing.

3. The headset of claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance ranges between 0.25 and 0.3 millimeters.

4. The headset of claim 1, wherein the at least two electrical contacts are flush with the mating face.

5. The headset of claim 1, wherein the at least two electrical contacts are oval shaped.

6. The headset of claim 1, wherein the at least two electrical contacts are constructed from a magnetized material.

7. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein the tube housing has a height of about 5 millimeters or has a height that ranges between 4.7 and 5.3millimeters, 4.8 and 5.2millimeters, 4.9 and 5.1 millimeters, or 4.95 and 5.05 millimeters.

8. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein the tube housing has a cavity having a height of about 4 millimeters or having a height ranging between 3.7 and 4.3millimeters, 3.8 and 4.2 millimeters, 3.9 and 5 4.1 millimeters, or 3.95 and 4.05millimeters.

9. The headset of claim 1, wherein the mating face has a height of about 3.3 millimeters or has a height ranging between 3.0 and 3.6 millimeters, 3.1 and 3.5millimeters, 3.2 and 3.4 millimeters, or 5 3.25 and 3.35 millimeters.

10. The headset of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two electrical contacts has a width of about 0.7 millimeters or a width ranging between 0.5 and 0.9millimeters, 0.6 and 0.8 millimeters, or 0.65 and 0.75 millimeters , and height of about 1.5 millimeters or a height ranging between 1.0 and 2.0 millimeters.

11. The headset of claim 1, wherein the distance between the vertical centerlines of any two immediately adjacent electrical contacts is about 2 millimeters or ranges between 1.75 and 2.25 millimeters.

12. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein an angle between the mating face and a lengthwise plane passing through the tube housing is about 65 degrees or ranges between 10 and 80 degrees.

13. The headset of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive casing forms an insulating ring disposed around each electrical contact.

14. The headset of claim 13, wherein the ring has a width of about 0.2millimeters or has a width ranging between 0.12 and 0.3 millimeters.

15. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein the tube housing has width of about 12.3 millimeters, or has a width ranging between 10 and 14 millimeters.

16. The headset of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube housing mechanically coupled with the connector plate, wherein the tube housing includes an internal cavity that has a width of about 11.1 millimeters or has a width ranging between 7 and 13 millimeters.

17. The headset of claim 1, wherein the mating face has a width of about 10.3 millimeters or has a width ranging between 5 and 11 millimeters.

18. The headset of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board electrically coupled to the magnetic connector.

19. The headset of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are at least partially gold plated.

20. The headset of claim 1, wherein the connector plate is operative to magnetically attract the headset accessory.

21. The headset of claim 1, wherein the connector plate comprises at least one threaded cavity for receiving a screw.

22. The headset of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises at least one casing aperture for mechanically coupling with the connector plate.

23. The headset of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board onto which the casing is mounted, wherein the circuit board comprises switching circuitry electrically coupled with the at least two electrical contacts.

24. The headset of claim 1, wherein:

the at least two apertures through the mating face comprises four apertures;

the at least two protruding members comprises four protruding members; and

the at least two electrical contacts comprises four electrical contacts.

25. The headset of claim 1, wherein:

the at least two electrical contacts comprises four electrical contacts;

a first pair of the four electrical contacts is operative to receive power; and

a second pair of the four electrical contacts is operative to receive data.

26. The headset of claim 1, further comprising switching circuitry electrically coupled to the at least two electrical contacts, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to:

determine an interface orientation between the at least two electrical contacts in the headset and the at least two headset accessory electrical contacts coupled with the headset; and

selectively route signals received on the at least two electrical contacts based on the determined interface orientation.

36. The headset of claim 1, wherein:

each protruding member comprises a recess; and

each contact is disposed on the recess of the respective one of the protruding members.

27. A headset connector system configured to interface with a headset accessory including at least two headset accessory electrical contacts, the system comprising:

a connector plate comprising;

a mating face; and

at least two apertures through the mating face;

a non-conductive casing comprising at least two protruding members, each protruding member comprising non-conductive material and extending through a respective one of the at least two apertures to form a distal end; and

at least two electrical contacts, each contact disposed on the distal end of a respective one of the protruding members and electrically insulated from the connector plate, wherein the at least two electrical contacts and the distal end of each protruding member are substantially flush with the mating face.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the connector plate is formed from a ferromagnetic material.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a circuit board onto which the casing is mounted, wherein the circuit board comprises switching circuitry electrically coupled with the at least two electrical contacts.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising switching circuitry electrically coupled to the at least two electrical contacts, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to:

determine an interface orientation between the at least two electrical contacts in the headset and the at least two headset accessory electrical contacts coupled with the headset; and

selectively route signals received on the at least two electrical contacts based on the determined interface orientation.

37. The headset connector system of claim 27, wherein:

each protruding member comprises a recess; and

each contact is disposed on the recess of the respective one of the protruding members.

31. A headset configured to interface with a headset engaging connector including at least two headset engaging electrical contacts, the headset comprising:

a tube housing;

a connector plate fixed within the tube housing, the connector plate comprising;

a mating face; and

at least two apertures through the mating face;

a non-conductive casing comprising at least two protruding members, each protruding member extending through a respective one of the at least two apertures; and

at least two electrical contacts distinct from the at least two protruding members, each contact disposed on a respective one of the protruding members and electrically insulated from the connector plate, wherein the at least two electrical contacts and at least a portion of each protruding member are substantially flush with the mating face.

32. The headset of claim 31, wherein the connector plate is formed from a ferromagnetic material.

33. The headset of claim 31, further comprising a circuit board onto which the casing is mounted, wherein the circuit board comprises switching circuitry electrically coupled with the at least two electrical contacts.

34. The headset of claim 31, further comprising switching circuitry electrically coupled to the at least two electrical contacts, wherein the switching circuitry is operative to:

determine an interface orientation between the at least two electrical contacts in the headset and the at least two headset engaging electrical contacts coupled with the headset; and

selectively route signals received on the at least two electrical contacts based on the determined interface orientation.

35. The headset of claim 31, wherein the mating face is positioned within the tube housing a predetermined distance from a plane defined by an end of the tube housing.

38. The headset of claim 31, wherein:

each protruding member comprises a recess; and

each contact is disposed on the recess of the respective one of the protruding members.