Method and system for smart contact arrays

• US 9,576,409 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: i-Blades Inc
• Original Assignee: i-Blades Inc
• Inventors: Salmon, Peter C., Fernandes, Jorge, Meissner, Paul, Panagrossi, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US14/017,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20140065847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 439 38- 40
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00206 the keyless data carrier being hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/25 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48106 the connector being orthogonal to a side surface of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. parallel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49513 having bonding material between chip and die pad
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49541 Geometry of the lead-frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/86 Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 : wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 : User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A device includes a device body having an attachment face defined by an attachment area and a contact array disposed in the device body and exposed at a coupling face. The contact array comprises one or more magnets disposed on the coupling face and a plurality of terminals disposed on the coupling face. A periphery of the one or more magnets and the plurality of terminals defines a coupling area. The attachment area is greater than and independent of the coupling area.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first device comprising;

a first device body having a first attachment face defined by a first attachment area lying in a first attachment plane; and

a first contact array disposed in the first device body and exposed at a first coupling face, wherein the first contact array comprises;

one or more first magnets, each of the one or more first magnets having a first magnetic attachment face disposed on and coplanar with the first coupling face; and

a plurality of first substantially planar terminals, each of the plurality of first substantially planar terminals having a first contact face disposed on and coplanar with the first coupling face; and

a second device comprising;

a second device body having a second attachment face defined by a second attachment area lying in a second attachment plane; and

a second contact array disposed in the second device body and exposed at a second coupling face, wherein the second contact array comprises;

one or more second magnets, each of the one or more second magnets having a second magnetic attachment face disposed on and coplanar with the second coupling face; and

a plurality of second substantially planar terminals, each of the plurality of second substantially planar terminals having a second contact face disposed on and coplanar with the second coupling face,

wherein the first contact face of each of the plurality of first substantially planar terminals is operable to contact a corresponding second contact face of each of the plurality of second substantially planar terminals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a periphery of the one or more first magnets and the plurality of first substantially planar terminals defines a first coupling area and wherein the first attachment area is greater than and independent of the first coupling area.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein a periphery of the one or more second magnets and the plurality of second substantially planar terminals defines a second coupling area and wherein the second attachment area is greater than and independent of the second coupling area.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first contact array is characterized by a bisector;

the one or more first magnets comprises at least a pair of magnets, each magnet of the at least one pair of magnets being positioned an equal distance from the bisector; and

the plurality of first substantially planar terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from the bisector.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein multiple terminals are disposed proximally to each of the at least one pair of magnets.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein a north pole of a magnet of the at least one pair of magnets and a south pole of another magnet of the at least one pair of magnets are on opposing sides of the bisector.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the second contact array is characterized by a bisector;

the one or more second magnets comprises at least a pair of magnets, each magnet of the at least one pair of magnets being positioned an equal distance from the bisector; and

the plurality of second substantially planar terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from the bisector.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein multiple terminals are disposed proximally to each of the at least one pair of magnets.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein a north pole of a magnet of the at least one pair of magnets and a south pole of another magnet of the at least one pair of magnets are on opposing sides of the bisector.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first contact array is characterized by a first bisector and a second bisector orthogonal to the first bisector, both the first bisector and the second bisector passing through a center point;

the one or more first magnets comprises a plurality of pairs of magnets, each magnet of the plurality of pairs of magnets having reflective symmetry with respect to at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector and opposing polarity, each magnet being arrayed a fixed radius from the center point; and

the plurality of first substantially planar terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the second contact array is characterized by a first bisector and a second bisector orthogonal to the first bisector, both the first bisector and the second bisector passing through a center point;

the one or more second magnets comprises a plurality of pairs of magnets, each magnet of the plurality of pairs of magnets having reflective symmetry with respect to at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector and opposing polarity, each magnet being arrayed a fixed radius from the center point; and

the plurality of second substantially planar terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more first magnets is operable to serve as an electrical terminal.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more second magnets is operable to serve as an electrical terminal.