Water and ingress resistant audio port

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9768547-B1
Application number	US-201615287455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A water resistant port and a method for using it are provided. The port comprises a moveable seal assembly coupled to a spring structure. The moveable seal assembly may comprise a plastic material on an inner surface and a seal material on an outer surface. When the spring structure is in a relaxed position, the moveable seal assembly is caused to create a seal with a gasket material coupled to a side wall of a port casing. The spring structure comprises a spring coupled to the moveable seal assembly at one end and to a guide at an opposite end in an interior portion of the port casing. The port casing comprises, on an interior surface, one or more electrical connectors adapted to receive one or more electrical contacts of an accessory plug when the spring structure is compressed and the moveable seal assembly is in an engaged position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water-resistant port for an accessory plug, comprising:
a port casing comprising an interior wall that defines an interior portion of the port casing;
a moveable seal assembly;
one or more electrical connectors moveably coupled to the interior wall of the port casing;
a spring structure coupled to the interior wall and to the moveable seal assembly; and
a guide extending from the interior wall through a center of the spring structure,
wherein the moveable seal assembly is moveable between a relaxed position and an engaged position by insertion of the accessory plug,
wherein, in the relaxed position, the moveable seal assembly provides a seal against a side wall of the port casing, and
wherein, in the engaged position, the spring structure is compressed and the accessory plug contacts the one or more electrical connectors.

2. The water-resistant port of claim 1 , wherein the moveable seal assembly further comprises an inner surface coupled to the spring structure, an outer surface, and a gasket material coupled to the side wall of the port casing.

3. The water-resistant port of claim 2 , wherein the inner surface comprises a durable material and the outer surface comprises a seal material.

4. The water-resistant port of claim 2 , wherein, in the relaxed position, the seal is created between the outer surface and the gasket material, and wherein, in the engaged position, the accessory plug moveably displaces the one or more electrical connectors.

5. The water-resistant port of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrical connectors comprise:
leaf springs; or
spring loaded connectors,
wherein the one or more electrical connectors are moveable relative to the interior wall when engaged by the accessory plug.

6. The water-resistant port of claim 1 , wherein the accessory plug comprises:
a tip ring sleeve (TRS) plug;
a tip sleeve (TS) plug;
a tip ring ring sleeve (TRRS) plug;
a universal serial bus (USB) plug;
a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) plug; or
a direct current (DC) plug.

7. The water-resistant port of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrical connectors are moveable perpendicular to a direction of insertion of the accessory plug.

8. The water-resistant port of claim 1 , wherein the relaxed position comprises a sealed position that seals the interior portion.

9. A water-resistant port, comprising:
a port casing having an interior wall that defines an interior portion of the port casing;
a moveable seal assembly;
one or more electrical connectors moveably coupled to the interior wall of the port casing;
a spring structure coupled to the interior wall and extending to the moveable seal assembly;
a guide extending from the interior wall through a center of the spring structure; and
an accessory plug,
wherein the moveable seal assembly is moveable between a relaxed position when the accessory plug is not inserted and an engaged position when the accessory plug is inserted into the port casing by depressing the moveable seal assembly with the accessory plug.

10. The water-resistant port of claim 9 , wherein the moveable seal assembly further comprises an inner surface coupled to the spring structure, an outer surface, and a gasket material coupled to a side wall of the port casing.

11. The water-resistant port of claim 10 , wherein the inner surface comprises a durable material and the outer surface comprises a seal material.

12. The water-resistant port of claim 9 , wherein, in the relaxed position, a seal is created between the moveable seal assembly and a side wall of the port casing.

13. The water-resistant port of claim 9 , wherein the one or more electrical connectors comprise:
leaf springs; or
spring loaded connectors.

14. The water-resistant port of claim 9 , wherein the accessory plug comprises:
a tip ring sleeve (TRS) plug;
a tip sleeve (TS) plug;
a tip ring ring sleeve (TRRS) plug;
a universal serial bus (USB) plug;
a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) plug; or
a direct current (DC) plug.

15. A method of using a water-resistant port, the method comprising:
providing an accessory plug;
providing the water resistant port, comprising:
a port casing,
a moveable seal assembly,
a spring structure,
a guide extending through a center of the spring structure, and
one or more electrical connectors, the spring structure and the one or more electrical connectors each extending from an interior wall of the port casing, the spring structure coupled to the moveable seal assembly;

inserting the accessory plug into the port casing by depressing the moveable seal assembly with the accessory plug; and
contacting the one or more electrical connectors with the accessory plug to provide an electrical connection between the accessory plug and the one or more electrical connectors.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more electrical connectors comprise:
leaf springs; or
spring loaded connectors.

17. The water-resistant port of claim 15 , wherein the one or more electrical connectors are moveably coupled to the interior wall.

18. The water-resistant port of claim 15 , wherein the accessory plug comprises:
a tip ring sleeve (TRS) plug;
a tip sleeve (TS) plug;
a tip ring ring sleeve (TRRS) plug;
a universal serial bus (USB) plug;
a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) plug; or
a direct current (DC) plug.

Assignees

• Sprint Communications Co Lp

Inventors

• Lindstrom Ryan Christopher
• Hills Patrick J
• Reiser Richard Aaron
• Liszewski Andrew Lawrence

Classifications

• H01R13/5219 Primary

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title

• H01R2105/00

  Three poles · CPC title

• H01R24/58

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/5213

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/521 Primary

  Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert · CPC title