Port for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10498071-B2
Application number	US-201715563598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Sep 7, 2016
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A port for an electronic device that is water and dust resistant is provided herein. The port includes a housing having a holding hole and an elastic member in the housing. The housing contains a holding hole, and the elastic member is disposed in the housing. The elastic member can snugly block the holding hole in a memory shape, and is configured to deform upon a plug entering the holding hole to thereby expose, and to allow an electrical connection of the plug to, at least one conducting end inside the housing; and is also configured to return to the memory shape to thereby snugly block the holding hole upon the plug exiting the holding hole. An electronic device having one or more of the ports is further provided in the disclosure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A port, comprising:
a housing having a holding hole; and
an elastic member in the housing and configured to snugly block the holding hole in a memory shape;
wherein:
the elastic member is configured:
to deform upon a plug entering the holding hole to thereby expose, and to allow an electrical connection of the plug to, at least one conducting end inside the housing; and
to return to the memory shape to thereby snugly block the holding hole upon the plug exiting the holding hole;

wherein the elastic member comprises:
a main portion;
a connecting portion; and
a position-limiting portion,
wherein:
the connecting portion is between, and connects, the main portion and the position-limiting portion;
the main portion is in, and configured to snugly block, the holding hole of the housing; and

the position-limiting portion is mounted to the housing.

2. The port of claim 1 , wherein in the elastic member, the main portion, the connecting portion, and the position-limiting portion are an integrated piece.

3. The port of claim 2 , wherein the elastic member has a composition of thermal plastic rubber (TPR).

4. The port of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is configured to:
contract to allow the main portion to withdraw if the plug is inserted into the holding hole such that the plug is electrically connected to the at least one conducting end; and
expand back to allow the main portion to snugly block the holding hole if the plug is pulled out of the holding hole.

5. The port of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member further comprises a buffering portion, disposed between the main portion and the connecting portion and configured to prevent the elastic member from being squeezed to an outside of the second member when the plug is inserted in the holding hole.

6. The port of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first member and a second member, wherein:
the holding hole is arranged in the first member;
the second member is provided with a connecting hole and a position-limiting groove, wherein:
the connecting hole is configured for positioning the connecting portion of the elastic member; and
the position-limiting groove is arranged on an end of the second member opposing to the first member, and is configured for fittingly positioning the position-limiting portion of the elastic member.

7. The port of claim 6 , wherein a groove is on a sidewall of the second member, wherein:
the groove is spatially connected with the connecting hole and is configured to allow the connecting portion of the elastic member to be positioned in the connecting hole of the second member.

8. The port of claim 7 , wherein the first member and the second member are detachably connected.

9. The port of claim 8 , wherein the first member further comprises a protruding portion, configured such that the protruding portion fittingly snaps with the groove of the second member to allow a tight assembly of the first member and the second member.

10. The port of claim 6 , wherein the second member further comprises a position-limiting plate, disposed opposing to the connecting hole and configured to block the position-limiting portion of the elastic member upon application of an external force to the main portion of the elastic member.

11. The port of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one connecting end is disposed inside the holding hole of the first member; and
the first member further comprises at least one pin, electrically connected with the at least one conducting end in a corresponding manner.

12. The port of claim 11 , wherein the at least one pin of the first member comprises a first pin, a second pin, and a third pin.

13. The port of claim 12 , wherein:
the first pin and the second pin are respectively disposed on two sides of the first member and on a position close to the second member; and
the third pin is disposed on a side of the first member corresponding to an opening of the holding hole that is close to the second member.

14. The port of claim 1 , wherein one end of the main portion of the elastic member opposing to the position-limiting portion is provided with an outer surface, configured to be customizable.

15. The port of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an integrated member, wherein the holding hole is arranged in the integrated member, and the position-limiting portion of the elastic member is mounted onto the integrated member.

16. The port of claim 1 , wherein the port is an audio port or a video port.

17. The port of claim 16 , wherein the port is an audio port.

18. The port of claim 17 , wherein the plug is from a headset.

19. An electronic device, comprising the port according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Zifeng
• Ren Yan
• Lin She
• Cao Lei
• Hu Nannan

Classifications

• H01R13/11 Primary

  Resilient sockets (carrying separate resilient parts H01R13/15) · CPC title

• H01R13/5213 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/5216

  characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins · CPC title

• H04R2420/09

  Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones · CPC title

• H01R13/52

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases · CPC title