Connection device for portable terminal

• US 9,502,817 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Han-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US14/057,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20140113461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 439/39, 439/38, 439/40, 439/129, 439/289, 439/633, 439/677, 439/680
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling

Abstract

A connection device of a portable terminal is provided. The connection device includes one or more coupling slots provided on a lateral side of the portable terminal, one or more metal pads mounted on a bottom of the one or more coupling slots, and a plug including one or more magnets corresponding to the one or more pads. The one or more magnets are arranged to protrude toward a predetermined side of the plug, and inserted into the one or more coupling slots by an attractive force produced between the one or more metal pads and the one or more magnets, thereby coupling the plug to the lateral side of the portable terminal.

Claims

1. A connection device of a portable terminal, the connection device comprising:

one or more coupling slots provided on a lateral side of the portable terminal;

one or more metal pads mounted on a bottom of the one or more coupling slots; and

a plug including magnets corresponding to the one or more metal pads and a plurality of connection pins between the magnets at a predetermined side,

wherein the magnets are arranged to protrude away from the predetermined side of the plug, and inserted into the one or more coupling slots by an attractive force produced between the one or more metal pads and the magnets, thereby coupling the plug to the lateral side of the portable terminal,

wherein the connection pins protrude between ends of the magnets and the predetermined side,

wherein the connection pins include at least one power pin and at least one ground pin and an end of the ground pin is positioned between the ends of the magnets and an end of the power pin, and

wherein an end face of each of the magnets has an asymmetrical shape.

2. The connection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sound input hole formed through any of the one or more metal pads.

3. The connection device of claim 1, wherein at least one pair of the magnets are arranged on the plug and the magnets have the same polarity.

4. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the magnets are movable in vertical and horizontal directions on the predetermined side of the plug.

5. The connection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of connection pads arranged on the lateral side of the portable terminal,

wherein the connection pins are arranged on the predetermined side of the plug, and

wherein as the plug is coupled to the portable terminal, each of the connection pins is connected with one of the plurality of connection pads.

6. The connection device of claim 5, wherein the one or more coupling slots are provided at opposite sides of the arrangement of the plurality of connection pads, and the magnets are provided at opposite sides of the arrangement of the connection pins.

7. The connection device of claim 5, wherein the magnets are arranged at the opposite sides of the arrangement of the connection pins to be symmetrical to each other with respect to the arrangement of the connection pins.

8. The connection device of claim 5, wherein the connection pins includes a pair of power pins and a pair of ground pins.

9. The connection device of claim 8, wherein the connection pins further include a pair of signal pins, which are arranged between the power pins and the ground pins.

10. A connection device comprising:

a plug configured to be connected to a portable terminal,

wherein the plug comprises a concave predetermined side configured to wrap a lateral side of the portable terminal, and one or more magnets arranged to protrude from a bottom of the concave predetermined side of the plug,

wherein the concave predetermined side of the plug becomes in close contact with the portable terminal due to a magnetic force of the one or more magnets, and both side edges of the concave predetermined side of the plug extends farther than ends of the one or more magnets from the bottom to wrap the lateral side of the portable terminal, and

wherein an end face of at least one of the magnets has an asymmetrical shape.

11. The connection device of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more coupling slots formed on the lateral side of the portable terminal, the one or more magnets being inserted into the one or more coupling slots,

wherein the end face of each of the one or more magnets comprises a shape that is asymmetric in vertical and horizontal directions, and each of the one or more coupling slots has a shape corresponding to the end face of each of the one or more magnets.

12. The connection device of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more metal pads mounted on the lateral side of the portable terminal,

wherein the magnetic force of the one or more magnets acts on the one or more metal pads to produce an attractive force, thereby causing the concave predetermined side of the plug to be closely contacted with the lateral side of the portable terminal.

13. The connection device of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more magnets is movable in vertical and horizontal directions on the concave predetermined side of the plug.

14. The connection device of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of connection pins arranged on the concave predetermined side of the plug,

wherein the one or more magnets are arranged at opposite sides of the arrangement of the plurality of connection pins, respectively.

15. The connection device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of connection pins includes a pair of power pins and a pair of ground pins.

16. The connection device of claim 10, wherein the one or more magnets protrude toward the side edges of the concave predetermined side of the plug from the bottom of the concave predetermined side of the plug.

17. The connection device of claim 16, wherein in a protruding direction of the one or more magnets from the bottom of the concave predetermined side of the plug, the ends of the one or more magnets are positioned between the bottom of the concave predetermined side of the plug and the side edges of the concave predetermined side of the plug.

18. A connection device of a portable terminal, the connection device comprising:

a plurality of connection pads arranged on a lateral side of the portable terminal; and

one or more coupling slots arranged adjacent to the plurality of connection pads on the lateral side of the portable terminal,

wherein each of the one or more coupling slots has a shape that is asymmetrical in vertical and horizontal directions.

19. The connection device of claim 18, further comprising the one or more metal pads installed in the one or more coupling slots, respectively.

20. The connection device of claim 18, wherein the one or more coupling slots are arranged at opposite sides of the arrangement of the plurality of connection pads.

21. The connection device of claim 20, wherein the one or more coupling slots are arranged symmetrical to each other with respect to the plurality of connection pads there between.

22. The connection device of claim 18, further comprising a sound input hole positioned on any of the one or more coupling slots.

23. The connection device of claim 22, further comprising one or more metal pads installed in the one or more coupling slots, respectively,

wherein the sound input hole is formed through any of the one or more metal pads.

24. A connection device of a portable terminal, the connection device comprising:

a plurality of connection pads arranged on a lateral side of the portable terminal;

a pair of coupling slots arranged adjacent to both end of an arrangement of connection pads on the lateral side of the portable terminal;

a pair of metal pads installed in the one or more coupling slots, respectively; and

a sound input hole positioned on any of the coupling slots,

wherein each of the one or more coupling slots has a shape that is asymmetrical in vertical and horizontal directions.

25. The connection device of claim 24, wherein the one or more coupling slots are arranged symmetrical to each other with respect to the plurality of connection pads there between.