Two-part jack socket for a portable electronic device

• US 8,696,391 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ladouceur, Norman Miner, Griffin, Jason Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US13/917,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439/668, 439/669, 439/858, 200/51.1, 200/51.12
• US Class Current: 439/668
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/516 Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing , hoods
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a two-part jack socket for a portable electronic device and a portable electronic device having the same. In accordance with one example embodiment, the jack socket includes a first part having a contact surface; a second part having a contact surface and being moveable with respect to the first part between a first position and a second position, the contact surfaces of the first part and second part defining a cavity, the cavity having a retracted state when the second part is in the first position and an expanded state for receiving a jack plug when the second part is in the second position; and one or more contacts located in the contact surface of the first part or second part.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a circuit board;

an expanding jack socket comprising;

a body having an elongate concave contact surface and one or more contacts located in the contact surface of the body, the contacts being in electrical communication with the circuit board;

a flexible casing surrounding the jack socket, the flexible casing having an inner surface which cooperates with the contact surface of the body to define a cavity for receiving a jack plug, wherein the cavity expands from a retracted state to an expanded state in response to insertion of the jack plug, and contracts from the expanded state to the retracted state in response to removal of the jack plug;

wherein the flexible casing defines a casing aperture for receiving the jack plug, the casing aperture having a first cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the retracted state and a second cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the expanded state.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a frame to which the circuit board is attached, the flexible casing surrounding the frame and the jack socket.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the flexible casing applies an inward restraining force which releasably secures a received jack plug.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the flexible casing is formed of a flexible material which comprises one of urethane, neoprene or silicone rubber.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the cavity defines a first cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the retracted state and a second larger cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the expanded state.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped to accommodate an audio plug when in the expanded state.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the cavity in the expanded state is circular and adapted to receive a sleeve of a jack plug.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1 wherein an area of the flexible casing surrounding the jack socket is chamfered.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising

a frame to which the circuit board is attached, the flexible casing surrounding the frame and the jack socket;

wherein the flexible casing is formed of a flexible material and applies an inward restraining force which releasably secures a received jack plug; and

wherein the body includes a rigid material.

10. An expanding jack socket and casing comprising:

a body having an elongate concave contact surface, the contact surface defining a first part of a cavity for receiving a jack plug;

one or more contacts located in the contact surface of the body; and

a flexible casing surrounding the jack socket, the flexible casing having an inner surface which cooperates with the contact surface of the body to define a cavity for receiving a jack plug, wherein the cavity expands from a retracted state to an expanded state in response to insertion of the jack plug, and contracts from the expanded state to the retracted state in response to removal of the jack plug;

wherein the flexible casing defines a casing aperture for receiving the jack plug, the casing aperture having a first cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the retracted state and a second cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the expanded state.

11. The expanding jack socket of claim 10 wherein the cavity defines a first cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the retracted state and a second smaller cross-sectional area when the cavity is in the expanded state.

12. The expanding jack socket of claim 10 wherein the contact surface is shaped to accommodate an audio plug.

13. The expanding jack socket of claim 10 wherein the cross-sectional area of the cavity in the expanded state is circular and adapted to receive a sleeve of a jack plug.