Systems and methods for facilitating a connection

• US 8,758,025 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trinh, Bryan D., Liljegren, Edward A., Morad, Sharon, Rathi, Nidhi, Li, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US13/608,861
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 439/39
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles

Abstract

A device includes one or more connectors and receptacles. The connector may include a pair of connector magnets. The connector may also include a pair of connector terminals positioned between the pair of connector magnets. The receptacle may be associated with a user device. The receptacle may include a pair of receptacle magnets that are configured to magnetically couple with the pair of connector magnets when brought within proximity of each other. The receptacle may also include a pair of receptacle terminals positioned between the pair of receptacle magnets that are configured to mate with the pair of connector terminals to form an electrical connection. In this manner, the connector and the receptacle may form an electrical connection when the pair of connector magnets is coupled with the pair of receptacle magnets, thereby mating the pair of connector terminals with the pair of receptacle terminals.

Claims

1. A power cable system comprising:

a cable for connection to a power source;

a connector electrically connected and mechanically coupled to the cable, comprising;

a connector body mechanically coupled to the cable;

a pair of connector magnets spaced apart from each other by a first distance and mechanically coupled within the connector body;

a pair of connector terminals, each of the pair of connector terminals being positioned between the pair of connector magnets, the pair of connector terminals being electrically connected to the cable;

a connector backing plate magnetically coupled to the pair of connector magnets; and

a receptacle electrically connected and mechanically coupled to a device, the receptacle comprising;

a pair of receptacle magnets positioned within the device and spaced apart from each other at a second distance about equal to the first distance, the pair of receptacle magnets having a first magnetic polarity that opposes a second magnetic polarity of the pair of connector magnets such that the pair of receptacle magnets is configured to magnetically couple with the pair of connector magnets when brought within proximity of each other;

a pair of receptacle terminals, each of the pair of receptacle terminals being positioned between the pair of receptacle magnets, the pair of receptacle terminals being configured to mate with the pair of connector terminals to form an electrical connection; and

a receptacle backing plate attached to the pair of receptacle magnets.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector backing plate and the receptacle backing plate are each formed of a respective ferromagnetic material that is configured to conduct a respective magnetic flux from each of at least one of the pair of connector magnets or at least one of the pair of receptacle magnets.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector backing plate and the receptacle backing plate form a magnetically conductive path that conducts one or more magnetic fields between the pair of connector magnets and the pair of receptacle magnets.

4. A connector, comprising:

a connector body;

a pair of connector magnets mechanically coupled to the connector body at a first distance from each other;

a pair of connector terminals, each of the pair of connector terminals being positioned between the pair of connector magnets; and

a ferromagnetic connector backing plate magnetically coupled to the pair of connector magnets and configured to conduct a respective magnetic field of each of the pair of connector magnets.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the connector body comprises:

an elongated circular portion extending along a length of the connector body; and

an elongated platform portion positioned adjacent to the elongated circular portion and extending at least partially along a length of the elongated circular portion, wherein the elongated circular portion and the elongated platform portion collectively form a generally P-shape cross-section extending at least partially along the length of the connector body.

6. The connector of claim 4, wherein each connector terminal of the pair of connector terminals comprises a respective spring loaded terminal configured to apply a force to a corresponding receptacle terminal.

7. The connector of claim 4, wherein the connector backing plate is generally U-shaped.

8. The connector of claim 4, wherein the first distance between the pair of connector magnets is about equal to a second distance between a pair of receptacle magnets in a corresponding receptacle.

9. The connector of claim 4, wherein a respective face of each of the pair of connector magnets presented to a corresponding receptacle magnet of each of the pair of connector magnets comprises a respective surface area about equal to a respective surface area of a respective face of the corresponding receptacle magnet.

10. A receptacle, comprising:

a pair of receptacle magnets mechanically coupled to the receptacle at a first distance from each other;

a pair of receptacle terminals, each of the pair of receptacle terminals being positioned between the pair of receptacle magnets; and

a receptacle backing plate magnetically coupled to each of the pair of receptacle magnets and configured to conduct magnetic fields of the pair of receptacle magnets.

11. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein each of the pair of receptacle terminals comprises:

a respective recess; and

a respective pin positioned within the respective recess.

12. The receptacle of claim 10, further comprising a flex plate mechanically coupled to the pair of receptacle terminals and configured to supply a counteractive force when pressure is applied to one or both of the pair of receptacle terminals.

13. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein the pair of receptacle magnets is arranged such that a respective polarity of a first magnetic field from a first receptacle magnet of the pair of receptacle magnets is opposite to a respective polarity of a second magnetic field from a second receptacle magnet of the pair of receptacle magnets.

14. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein the receptacle backing plate is formed of a ferromagnetic material.

15. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein the receptacle backing plate is generally U-shaped.

16. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein the first distance is about equal to a second distance between a pair of corresponding connector magnets.

17. The receptacle of claim 10, wherein a respective face of each of the pair of receptacle magnets has a surface area about equal to a respective face of a corresponding connector magnet of the pair of connector magnets.

18. A power cable system comprising:

a connector, comprising;

a connector body;

at least two connector magnets mechanically coupled to the connector body;

at least one connector terminal mechanically coupled to the connector body; and

a ferromagnetic connector backing plate magnetically coupled to the at least two connector magnets and configured to conduct one or more magnetic fields of the at least two connector magnets proximate to one or more corresponding receptacle magnets.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the ferromagnetic connector backing plate is mechanically coupled to the at least two connector magnets.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a receptacle mechanically coupled and electrically connected to a device, the receptacle comprising;

at least two receptacle magnets mechanically coupled to the device, wherein each of the at least two receptacle magnets has a respective first magnetic polarity and is configured to mate with a respective corresponding one connector magnet having a respective second magnetic polarity of the at least two connector magnets;

at least one receptacle terminal mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the device and configured to mate with the at least one connector terminal to form an electrical connection; and

a ferromagnetic receptacle backing plate magnetically coupled to the at least two receptacle magnets and configured to conduct a respective magnetic field of each of the at least two receptacle magnets proximate to the respective corresponding connector magnet of the at least two connector magnets.