Electromagnetic connector for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9634428-B2
Application number	US-201514636091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2005
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force from an electromagnet to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one of the plug or receptacle can be a magnet or ferromagnetic material. The magnetic element on the other of the plug or receptacle is an electromagnet. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector comprising:
a first contact;
an electromagnet positioned on the connector; and
a switch and a proximity sensor coupled to the electromagnet to control the energization of the electromagnet,
wherein the electromagnet is energizable to produce magnetic attraction with a magnetic element in a second connector and substantially maintain contact between the first contact and a second contact of the second connector in an electrically conductive relationship, and
wherein when the switch is activated, the electromagnet is energized at a first level, and when the connector and the second connector are being mated, the proximity sensor causes the electromagnet to be energized at a second level, the second level higher than the first level.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the proximity sensor is a hall-effect sensor.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein the first contact and the second contact form a signal path.

4. The connector of claim 1 wherein the first contact is one of a plurality of movable first contacts to make electrically conductive paths with a plurality of second contacts in the second connector when the first connector is mated with the second connector, each of the movable first contacts biased by one of a plurality of first springs.

5. The connector of claim 4 wherein the connector is a plug.

6. The connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is a receptacle.

7. The connector of claim 1 further comprising a magnet, wherein the electromagnet may be de-energized following a first event and after the electromagnet is de-energized, the magnet holds the connector and the second connector in a mated position.

8. A connector comprising:
a first contact;
an electromagnet positioned on the connector;
a magnet positioned on the connector; and
a proximity sensor coupled to the electromagnet to control energization of the electromagnet,
wherein the electromagnet is energizable to produce magnetic attraction with a magnetic element in a second connector and substantially maintain contact between the first contact and a second contact of the second connector in an electrically conductive relationship, and
when the connector and the second connector are moved into proximity to each other, the proximity sensor causes the electromagnet to be energized to magnetically attract the second connector.

9. The connector of claim 8 wherein after the connector and the second connector are mated, the electromagnet is de-energized after a first event.

10. The connector of claim 9 wherein after the electromagnet is de-energized, the magnet holds the connector and the second connector in a mated position.

11. The connector of claim 10 wherein the first event is a full charging of a battery by a charging current provided to the battery via the connector and the second connector.

12. The connector of claim 10 further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the touch sensor controls an initial energization of the electromagnet.

13. The connector of claim 10 further comprising a switch, wherein the switch and proximity sensor are coupled to the electromagnet to control the energization of the electromagnet.

14. The connector of claim 8 wherein the proximity sensor is a hall-effect sensor.

15. A connector comprising:
a first contact;
an electromagnet positioned on the connector;
a magnet positioned on the connector; and
a proximity sensor coupled to the electromagnet to control energization of the electromagnet,
wherein the electromagnet is energizable to produce magnetic attraction with a magnetic element in a second connector, and
when the connector and the second connector are moved into proximity to each other, the proximity sensor causes the electromagnet to be energized to magnetically attract the second connector, wherein after the connector and the second connector are mated, and then after a first event, the electromagnet is de-energized and the magnet maintains the connector and the second connector in a mated position.

16. The connector of claim 15 wherein the first event is a full charging of a battery by a charging current provided to the battery via the connector and the second connector.

17. The connector of claim 15 further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the touch sensor controls an initial energization of the electromagnet.

18. The connector of claim 15 further comprising a switch, wherein the switch and proximity sensor are coupled to the electromagnet to control the energization of the electromagnet.

19. The connector of claim 15 wherein the proximity sensor is a hall-effect sensor.

20. The connector of claim 15 wherein the electromagnet comprises a ferromagnetic core wrapped with a coil, the coil connectable to a power supply.

21. The connector of claim 15 wherein the connector is a receptacle.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Difonzo John C
• Andre Bartley K
• Lim Kanye
• Rohrbach Matthew Dean
• Doutt Mark Edward
• Gery Jean-Marc

Classifications

• H01R13/6205 Primary

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

• H01R13/641

  by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement · CPC title

• H01R11/30 Primary

  End pieces held in contact by a magnet · CPC title

• H01R13/62 Primary

  Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement · CPC title