Magnetic repulsion-based electrical connector
First Claim
1. An electrical connector, comprising:
- a housing having a top surface, a first passage, and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface;
a fixed terminal in said first passage, said fixed terminal having a first contact;
a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal being movable with respect to said second passage, said movable terminal having a second contact;
a ferromagnet in said first passage proximate to said first contact; and
a magnet in said second passage and carried by said movable terminal proximate to said second contact, said magnet forming a magnetic field in said second contact, said magnetic field of said magnet defining two magnetic poles oriented parallel to said second passage, wherein said magnet in said second passage moves said movable terminal with respect to said second passage in response to a mating electrical connector,wherein said first contact of said first terminal further comprises an upper shaft and a lower shaft having a hole therein dimensioned to receive said upper shaft of said first contact, and wherein said second contact of said movable terminal further comprises an upper shaft and a lower shaft having a hole therein dimensioned to receive said upper shaft of said second contact.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electrical connectors use magnetic repulsion for orienting themselves in the right polarity and magnetic attraction for holding together. When inserted into the ends of a conduit, a pair of these electrical connectors can transfer electricity through the conduit. Each electrical connector includes a housing with top and bottom surfaces and a fixed and a movable terminal both of which are recessed below the top surface of their respective, parallel passages. A spring controls terminal movement. Each terminal carries an electrical contact. A torus-shaped magnet surrounds the contact of the contact in the movable terminal so that its magnetic field energizes that contact. The magnets in movable terminals of each electrical connector are oriented in the same way so movable terminals of electrical connectors repel each other but fixed terminals attract movable terminals from their passages and into the passages of the fixed terminals so that two electrical connectors lock together.
27 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electrical connector, comprising:
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a housing having a top surface, a first passage, and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface; a fixed terminal in said first passage, said fixed terminal having a first contact; a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal being movable with respect to said second passage, said movable terminal having a second contact; a ferromagnet in said first passage proximate to said first contact; and a magnet in said second passage and carried by said movable terminal proximate to said second contact, said magnet forming a magnetic field in said second contact, said magnetic field of said magnet defining two magnetic poles oriented parallel to said second passage, wherein said magnet in said second passage moves said movable terminal with respect to said second passage in response to a mating electrical connector, wherein said first contact of said first terminal further comprises an upper shaft and a lower shaft having a hole therein dimensioned to receive said upper shaft of said first contact, and wherein said second contact of said movable terminal further comprises an upper shaft and a lower shaft having a hole therein dimensioned to receive said upper shaft of said second contact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electrical connector, comprising:
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a housing having a top surface, a first passage, and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface; a fixed terminal in said first passage, said fixed terminal having a first contact with an expanded portion, an upper shaft, and a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said first contact; a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal having a second contact with an expanded portion, an upper shaft, and a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said second contact; and a magnet in said second passage and proximate to said second contact, said magnet having a magnetic field running through said second contact, said magnet moving said movable terminal in said second passage in response to the proximity of a mating electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical connector, comprising:
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a housing having a top surface, a first passage, and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface; a fixed terminal in said first passage, said fixed terminal having a first contact; a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal having a second contact; and a magnet in said second passage and surrounding said movable terminal, and proximate to said second contact, said magnet forming a magnetic field in said second contact, said magnetic field defining two magnetic poles oriented parallel to said second passage, wherein said magnet in said second passage moves said movable terminal in said second passage when said magnet is attracted to a mating electrical connector, and wherein said fixed terminal and said movable terminal are identical.
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16. An electrical connector system, comprising:
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(1) a first electrical connector having a first housing with (a) a top surface and a bottom surface, (b) a first passage and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface and to said bottom surface, (c) a fixed terminal in said first passage having a first contact with (i) an expanded portion, (ii) an upper shaft, and (iii) a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said first contact in said hole in said lower shaft, (d) a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal having a second contact with (i) an expanded portion, (ii) an upper shaft, and (iii) a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said second contact in said hole in said lower shaft, (e) a magnet in said second passage and proximate to said second contact, said magnet having a magnetic field running through said second contact, (f) a ferromagnet in said first passage and proximate to said first contact; (2) a second electrical connector having a first housing having (a) a top surface and a bottom surface, (b) a first passage and a second passage spaced apart from said first passage, said first and second passages opening to said top surface and to said bottom surface, (c) a fixed terminal in said first passage and having (i) a first contact with an expanded portion, (ii) an upper shaft, and (iii) a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said first contact, (d) a movable terminal in said second passage, said movable terminal having (i) a second contact with an expanded portion, (ii) an upper shaft, and (iii) a lower shaft with a hole formed therein to receive said upper shaft of said second contact, (e) a magnet in said second passage and proximate to said second contact, said magnet having a magnetic field running through said second contact, (f) a ferromagnet in said first passage and proximate to said first contact; and (3) a wiring harness including (a) a first wire of said pair of wires in electrical connection with said first contact of said first electrical connector and a first contact of said second electrical connector, and (b) a second wire of said pair of wires in electrical connection with said second contact of said first electrical connector and said second contact of said second electrical connector, wherein, when said first electrical connector is proximate to said second electrical connector, said magnetic field of said magnet of said first contact of said first electrical connector attracts said ferromagnet of said second contact of said second electrical connector, and said magnetic field of said magnet of said first contact of said second electrical connector attracts said ferromagnet of said second contact of first second electrical connector so that said first contact and said second contact of said first electrical connector and said second contact and said first contact of said second electrical connector, respectively, connect electrically. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification