Flexible electrical connector insert with conductive and non-conductive elastomers

• US 9,692,188 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quell Corporation (Heico Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Quell Corporation (Heico Corporation)
• Inventors: Erven, Dusty, Foreman, Kevin, Miller, Paul, Godana, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US15/334,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 439 65- 67, 439 69, 439 74, 439 88- 91, 439586-589, 43962022
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/008 Selection of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/18 of synthetic material, e.g. derivatives of cellulose H01G4/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6464 by adding capacitive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6588 with through openings for individual contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6599 Dielectric material made conductive, e.g. plastic material coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6625 with capacitive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/007 for elastomeric connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A connector insert comprising conductive wire and a plurality of layers of conductive and non-conductive elastomers, and methods of fabrication thereof.

Claims

1. A flexible electrical connector insert for adding circuitry within a shell and around at least one pin of an existing connector or mating pair of connectors, said connector insert comprising a conductive wire and one or more layers of flexible and compressible conductive and non-conductive elastomers, wherein said wire and said elastomers provide all electrical connections and paths throughout said insert and all electrical insulation and isolation throughout said insert, said wire is embedded in said one or more layers of elastomers, said one or more layers of elastomers comprise an outside perimeter to fit inside an inside perimeter of a cavity of the shell, and said one or more layers of elastomers comprise at least one opening for fitting around the at least one pin.

2. The connector insert of claim 1 placeable at an interface of a mating pair of existing connectors such that an environmental seal is created thereby preventing the passage of dust, fluids, gasses, or other contaminants through the connection.

3. The connector insert of claim 1 placeable internal to an existing connector such that an interface between the existing connector and an existing mating connector is not altered.

4. The connector insert of claim 1 further comprising at least one shell contact to make an electrical connection between embedded electrical components and/or from one or more of said embedded electrical components to the shell.

5. The connector insert of claim 1 further comprising a pin contact to make an electrical connection between embedded electrical components and/or from one or more of said embedded electrical components to the at least one pin.

6. The connector insert of claim 1 wherein at least one layer of said non-conductive elastomer maintains mechanical contact and electrical insulation around the perimeter of the pin.

7. The connector insert of claim 1 additionally comprising a capacitor.

8. The connector insert of claim 7 wherein said capacitor comprises a plurality of layers of conductive elastomer with separation provided by at least one layer of non-conductive material.

9. The connector insert of claim 8 wherein said non-conductive material comprises flexible, non-conductive elastomer.

10. The connector insert of claim 9 wherein said non-conductive elastomer of said capacitor has a dielectric constant greater than 1.

11. The connector insert of claim 10 wherein said non-conductive elastomer of said capacitor has a dielectric constant greater than 10.

12. The connector insert of claim 7 wherein said capacitor comprises a plurality of coplanar segments of conductive elastomer separated by at least one thin strip of non-conductive material.

13. The connector insert of claim 12 wherein said non-conductive material comprises flexible, non-conductive elastomer.

14. The connector insert of claim 13 wherein said non-conductive elastomer of said capacitor has a dielectric constant greater than 1.

15. The connector insert of claim 14 wherein said non-conductive elastomer of said capacitor has a dielectric constant greater than 10.

16. The connector insert of claim 1 additionally comprising one or more electrical components selected from the group consisting of resistors, Metal Oxide Varistors (MOVs), diodes, fuses, antifuses, shorting blocks, inductors, active electrical components, and any combination thereof, embedded within said insert.

17. A flexible electrical connector insert for adding circuitry within a shell and around the at least one pin of an existing connector or mating pair of connectors, said connector insert comprising one or more layers of flexible and compressible conductive and non-conductive elastomers that provide all electrical connections and paths throughout said insert and all electrical insulation and isolation throughout said insert, the one or more layers of conductive and non-conductive elastomer comprising an outside perimeter to fit inside an inside perimeter of a cavity of the shell, and at least one opening for fitting around the at least one pin, wherein electrical components selected from the group consisting of resistors, Metal Oxide Varistors (MOVs), diodes, fuses, antifuses, shorting blocks, inductors, active electrical components, pin-to-shell components, pin-to-pin components, and any combination thereof, are embedded within said insert.