Modular electronic building systems with magnetic interconnections and methods of using the same
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a first circuit board having a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a first end surface and a second end surface opposite the first end surface, the first side surface and the second side surface each being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface, the first circuit board defining a width between the first side surface and the second side surface, the first circuit board defining a length between the first end surface and the second end surface;
a first connector mounted to the circuit board such that an exterior surface of the first connector is substantially aligned with one of the first side surface and the second side surface of the first circuit board; and
a second connector mounted to the circuit board such that an exterior surface of the second connector is substantially aligned with one of the first end surface and the second end surface of the first circuit board,the first connector including at least one first conductor configured to engage a second conductor on a third connector coupled to a second circuit board, the second connector including at least one third conductor configured to engage a fourth conductor on a fourth connector coupled to a third circuit board.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electrical connectors, electrical modules, and systems are provided. In one aspect, an electrical connector includes a housing defining a side surface, an electrical conductor supported by the housing and including an engagement portion proximate the side surface of the housing. The engagement portion is adapted to engage another electrical conductor of another electrical connector. The connector also includes a magnet supported by the housing proximate the side surface of the housing, a projection extending from the side surface of the housing, and a receptacle defined in the side surface of the housing. In other aspects, an electrical module includes at least one of these electrical connectors. In further aspects, a system includes a plurality of these modules and the modules are selectively couplable together.
460 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first circuit board having a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a first end surface and a second end surface opposite the first end surface, the first side surface and the second side surface each being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface, the first circuit board defining a width between the first side surface and the second side surface, the first circuit board defining a length between the first end surface and the second end surface; a first connector mounted to the circuit board such that an exterior surface of the first connector is substantially aligned with one of the first side surface and the second side surface of the first circuit board; and a second connector mounted to the circuit board such that an exterior surface of the second connector is substantially aligned with one of the first end surface and the second end surface of the first circuit board, the first connector including at least one first conductor configured to engage a second conductor on a third connector coupled to a second circuit board, the second connector including at least one third conductor configured to engage a fourth conductor on a fourth connector coupled to a third circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first circuit board having a length, a first exterior side surface along the length and a second exterior side surface along the length on an opposite side of the first circuit board; a first connector including an exterior side surface and an exterior end surface different than the exterior side surface of the first connector, the first connector mounted to the first circuit board such that one of the first exterior side surface and the second exterior side surface of the first circuit board is substantially aligned in a same plane with the exterior side surface of the first connector, the first connector having a first conductor disposed on the exterior end surface of the first connector; a second circuit board having a length, a first exterior side surface along the length and a second exterior side surface along the length on an opposite side of the second circuit board; and a second connector having an exterior side surface and an exterior end surface different than the exterior side surface of the second connector, the second connector mounted to the second circuit board such that one of the first exterior side surface and the second exterior side surface of the second circuit board is substantially aligned in a same plane with the exterior side surface of the second connector, the second connector having a second conductor disposed on the exterior end surface of the second connector and configured to engage the first conductor on the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first circuit board having a first end surface and a second end surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, each of the first side surface and the second side surface being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface, the first circuit board having a length defined between the first end surface and the second end surface and a width defined between the first side surface and the second side surface; a first connector having a first housing, the first housing fixedly mounted to the circuit board adjacent the first end surface of the first circuit board; and a second connector having a second housing separate from the first housing, the second housing fixedly mounted to the first circuit board adjacent the second end surface of the first circuit board, the first connector including at least one first conductor, a portion of the at least one first conductor extending outwardly from an exterior surface of the first housing and configured to contact a second conductor on a third connector coupled to a second circuit board, the first connector includes a first mounting portion configured to couple the first connector to a mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to couple the first connector to the mounting board, the second connector includes a first mounting portion configured to couple the second connector to the mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to couple the second connector to the mounting board. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An apparatus, comprising:
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a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a first end surface and a second end surface opposite the first end surface, the top surface and the bottom surface each being different than and excluding each of the first end surface and the second end surface; a first connector having a first housing, a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the first housing fixedly mounted to the circuit board adjacent the first end surface of the circuit board such that the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion each extend below the bottom surface of the circuit board, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion each configured to be coupled to a mounting board; and a second connector having a second housing, a third mounting portion and a fourth mounting portion, the second housing fixedly mounted to the circuit board adjacent the second end surface of the circuit board such that the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion each extend below the bottom surface of the circuit board, the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion each configured to be coupled to the mounting board. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first circuit board having a first end surface and a second end surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, each of the first side surface and the second side surface being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface; a first connector having a first housing mounted to the first circuit board adjacent the first end surface of the first circuit board; and a second connector having a second housing separate from the first housing, the second housing mounted to the first circuit board adjacent the second end surface of the first circuit board, the first connector including at least one first conductor, a portion of the at least one first conductor extending from an exterior surface of the first housing and configured to contact a second conductor on a third connector mounted to a second circuit board, the first connector includes a first mounting portion configured to removably couple the first connector to a mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to removably couple the first connector to the mounting board, the second connector includes a first mounting portion configured to removably couple the second connector to the mounting board and a second mounting portion configured to removably couple the second connector to the mounting board, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion of the first connector each configured to removably couple the first connector to the mounting board such that the first connector spans across three mounting sections of the mounting board with the first mounting portion engaged with a first mounting section of the mounting board, the second mounting portion engaged with a second mounting section of the mounting board, and a third mounting section of the mounting board being disposed between the first mounting section and the second mounting section and not contacting the first connector. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first circuit board having a first end surface and a second end surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, each of the first side surface and the second side surface being different than both the first end surface and the second end surface, the first circuit board having a length defined between the first end surface and the second end surface and a width defined between the first side surface and the second side surface; a first connector having a first housing mounted to the first circuit board adjacent the first end surface of the first circuit board; and a second connector having a second housing separate from the first housing, the second housing mounted to the first circuit board adjacent the second end surface of the first circuit board, the first connector including at least one first conductor, a portion of the at least one first conductor extending from an exterior of the first housing and configured to engage a second conductor on a third connector coupled to a second circuit board, the first connector including a first mounting portion disposed at a first corner of the first circuit board between the first side surface and the first end surface of the first circuit board, and a second mounting portion disposed at a second corner of the first circuit board between the second side surface and the first end surface of the first circuit board, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion each configured to couple the first connector to a mounting board, the second connector including a third mounting portion disposed at a third corner of the first circuit board between the first side surface and the second end surface of the first circuit board, and a fourth mounting portion disposed at a fourth corner of the first circuit board between the second side surface and the second end surface of the first circuit board, the third mounting portion and the fourth mounting portion each configured to couple the first connector to the mounting board. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification