Decoupled spring and electrical path in connector interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12431650-B2
Application number	US-202217951888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Sep 24, 2018
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Connectors that support high-speed data transfers and have a high signal quality, good reliability, and are readily manufactured. One example can provide a connector receptacle that supports high-speed data transfers and has a high signal quality by employing contacts that are directly attached to a flexible circuit board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a flexible circuit board;
a first plurality of contacts, each having a surface-mount contacting portion soldered to a pad on a top side of the flexible circuit board, the first plurality of contacts including a first liquid-detect contact;
a top housing portion supporting the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of contacts, each having a surface-mount contacting portion soldered to a pad on a bottom side of the flexible circuit board, the second plurality of contacts including a second liquid-detect contact; and
a bottom housing portion supporting the second plurality of contacts.

2. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a tongue molding formed at least partially around the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion.

3. The connector of claim 2 further comprising a reinforcement frame around a front and sides of the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein the tongue molding comprises a bracket and the bracket comprises features for accepting fasteners to secure the tongue molding to an enclosure of an electronic device.

5. The connector of claim 4 further comprising a top ground pad connected to the reinforcement frame and a bottom ground pad connected to the reinforcement frame.

6. The connector of claim 5 further comprising a backplate connected to the top ground pad and the bottom ground pad.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein the top housing portion includes a first opening to provide access to the first liquid-detect contact on the top side of the flexible circuit board and the bottom housing portion includes a second opening to provide access to the second liquid-detect contact on the bottom side of the flexible circuit board.

8. A connector comprising:
a first plurality of contacts, each having a contacting surface and a surface-mount contacting portion;
a top housing portion supporting the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of contacts, each having a contacting surface and a surface-mount contacting portion;
a bottom housing portion supporting the second plurality of contacts; and
a tongue molding at least partially around the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion and having a rear opening such that the contacting surfaces of the first plurality of contacts are exposed on a top of the tongue molding, the contacting surfaces of the second plurality of contacts are exposed on a bottom of the tongue molding, the surface-mount contacting portions of the first plurality of contacts are exposed at a top of the rear opening, and the surface-mount contacting portions of the second plurality of contacts are exposed at a bottom of the rear opening; and
a flexible circuit board having a first end positioned in the rear opening and having a third plurality of contacts on a top of the flexible circuit board and connected to the surface-mount contacting portions of the first plurality of contacts, and a fourth plurality of contacts on a bottom of the flexible circuit board and connected to the surface-mount contacting portions of the second plurality of contacts.

9. The connector of claim 8 further comprising an insulating layer between the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion.

10. The connector of claim 9 wherein the insulating layer is adhesive.

11. The connector of claim 9 wherein the insulating layer has one or more of an adhesive top side and an adhesive bottom side.

12. The connector of claim 9 wherein the tongue molding comprises a bracket having the rear opening.

13. The connector of claim 12 wherein the rear opening in the bracket provides access to the surface-mount contacting portions of the first plurality of contacts the surface-mount contacting portions of the second plurality of contacts.

14. The connector of claim 13 further comprising a reinforcement frame around a front and sides of the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion.

15. The connector of claim 14 wherein the bracket comprises features for accepting fasteners to secure the tongue molding to an enclosure of an electronic device.

16. The connector of claim 15 further comprising a top ground pad connected to the reinforcement frame and a bottom ground pad connected to the reinforcement frame.

17. The connector of claim 16 further comprising a backplate connected to the top ground pad and the bottom ground pad.

18. A connector comprising:
a tongue;
a first support structure at a top of the tongue;
a second support structure at a bottom of the tongue;
a flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises:
a first layer supporting a plurality of first traces and a first ground plane;
a second layer supporting a plurality of second traces under the first ground plane, the second traces in the plurality of second traces coupled to corresponding first traces in the plurality of first traces by a plurality of vias; and
a third layer supporting a second ground plane under the plurality of second traces;

a first plurality of contacts supported by the first support structure and soldered to a top side of the flexible circuit board, each of the first plurality of contacts attached to a corresponding first trace in the plurality of first traces on the first layer of the flexible circuit board; and
a second plurality of contacts supported by the second support structure.

19. The connector of claim 18 wherein the first plurality of contacts comprises a first liquid detect contact and the second plurality of contacts comprises a second liquid detect contact.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Herzog Adam H
• Amini Mahmoud R
• Al Jashmi Mohammed Nasser Khamis
• Tziviskos George
• Pansare Nikhil S
• Cornelius William P
• Baek Seungyong

Classifications

• H01R13/6205

  Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet · CPC title

• H01R13/6581

  Shield structure · CPC title

• H01R12/592

  connections to contact elements · CPC title

• H05K1/118

  specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions · CPC title

• G06F13/4282

  on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247) · CPC title