USB connector usable with a battery charger and otherwise

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9960621-B2
Application number	US-201615053539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A connector comprises: an elongated connector body defining a longitudinal direction with an electrical connector frame at one end thereof; the elongated connector body having a longitudinal alignment feature on the elongated connector body configured for aligning the elongated connector body, a guide feature defining a unique orientation thereof, and a retaining feature configured for retaining the elongated connector body in a connector guide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector comprising:
an elongated USB connector body defining a longitudinal direction and having an electrical cable extending from the elongated USB connector body;
an electrical USB connector frame extending from one end of said elongated USB connector body;
a longitudinal alignment feature on said elongated USB connector body configured for aligning said elongated USB connector body with a connector guide;
a guide feature on said elongated USB connector body defining a unique orientation of said elongated USB connector body; and
a retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body configured for retaining said elongated USB connector body in the connector guide,
whereby said elongated USB connector body when inserted into the connector guide is aligned with the connector guide by the longitudinal alignment feature, is in the unique orientation defined by said guide feature and is retained in the connector guide by said retaining feature, and
wherein the longitudinal alignment feature, the guide feature and the retaining feature do not extend past the one end of said elongated USB connector body in the direction of said electrical USB connector frame,
whereby the longitudinal alignment feature, the guide feature and the retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body are configured to be compatible for mating said electrical USB connector with a standard USB connector.

2. The electrical USB connector of claim 1 wherein:
said longitudinal alignment feature includes a raised longitudinal rib; or
said guide feature includes a raised guide member; or
said longitudinal alignment feature includes a raised longitudinal rib and said guide feature includes a raised guide member; or
said retaining feature includes at least one raised transverse rib; or
said longitudinal alignment feature includes a raised longitudinal rib and said retaining feature includes at least one raised transverse rib; or
said guide feature includes a raised guide member and said retaining feature includes at least one raised transverse rib; or
said longitudinal alignment feature includes a raised longitudinal rib and said guide feature includes a raised guide member and said retaining feature includes at least one raised transverse rib.

3. The electrical USB connector of claim 1 in combination with a connector guide, said connector guide comprising:
one or more guide members extending outwardly from a base adjacent a mating electrical USB connector for said electrical USB connector frame;
said one or more guide members configured to be adjacent to said elongated USB connector body to align said elongated USB connector body and the mating electrical USB connector when said electrical USB connector frame mates with the mating electrical USB connector.

4. The electrical USB connector claim 3 wherein said one or more guide members have:
a longitudinal alignment guide complementary to said longitudinal alignment feature of said elongated USB connector body, wherein said longitudinal alignment guide is configured to receive said guide feature on said elongated USB connector body when the elongated USB connector body is in the defined unique orientation; and
a complementary retaining feature configured to receive said retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body for retaining said elongated USB connector body in said connector guide and mated to the mating electrical USB connector.

5. The electrical USB connector claim 3 wherein said elongated USB connector body is a slip fit with said connector guide and wherein said retaining feature is an interference fit or a snap fit with said connector guide.

6. The electrical USB connector of claim 1 wherein said electrical USB connector is configured to connect a first external electrical power supply to a first electrical connector of a charger housing:
the charger housing including a second electrical connector configured for receiving electrical power from a second external electrical power supply,
wherein said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector are closely adjacent each other such that an external electrical connector mated with said first electrical connector or with said second electrical connector physically interferes with and prevents an external electrical connector from being mated with the other of said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector.

7. An electrical Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector comprising:
an elongated USB connector body defining a longitudinal direction and having an electrical cable extending from the elongated USB connector body;
an electrical USB connector frame at one end of said elongated USB connector body;
a longitudinal alignment feature on said elongated USB connector body configured for aligning said elongated USB connector body with a connector guide;
a guide feature on said elongated USB connector body defining a unique orientation of said elongated USB connector body; and
a retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body configured for retaining said elongated USB connector body in the connector guide,
whereby said elongated USB connector body when inserted into the connector guide is aligned with the connector guide by the longitudinal alignment feature, is in the unique orientation defined by said guide feature and is retained in the connector guide by said retaining feature;
said connector guide comprising:
one or more guide members extending outwardly from a base adjacent a mating electrical USB connector for said electrical USB connector frame;
said one or more guide members configured to be adjacent to said elongated USB connector body to align said elongated USB connector body and the mating electrical USB connector when said electrical USB connector frame mates with the mating electrical USB connector; and

wherein said one or more guide members have:
a longitudinal alignment guide complementary to said longitudinal alignment feature of said elongated USB connector body, wherein said longitudinal alignment guide is configured to receive said guide feature on said elongated USB connector body when the elongated USB connector body is in the defined unique orientation; and
a complementary retaining feature configured to receive said retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body for retaining said elongated USB connector body in said connector guide and mated to the mating electrical USB connector;

wherein:
said longitudinal alignment feature on said elongated USB connector body includes a raised alignment rib configured for aligning with a groove on an inward facing surface of said one or more guide members of said connector guide;
said guide feature on said elongated USB connector body includes a raised guide defining a unique orientation of said elongated USB connector body and engages the groove on an inward facing surface of said one or more guide members; and
said retaining feature on said elongated USB connector body is a raised rib or a recess that engages a complementary recess or raised rib on an inward facing surface of said one or more guide members.

8. The electrical USB connector claim 7 wherein said elongated USB connector body is a slip fit with said connector guide and wherein said retaining feature is an interference fit or a snap fit with said connector guide.

9. An electrical Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector comprising:
an elongated USB connector body defining a longitudinal direction and having an electrical cable extending from the elongated USB connector body;
an electrical USB connector frame at one end of said elongated USB connector body;
a lo

Assignees

• Streamlight Inc

Inventors

• Ziegenfuss Peter J
• Zeisler Jon C
• Sharrah Raymond L
• Boris Thomas D

Classifications

• H02J7/975

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• H02J7/963

  in response to battery voltage gradient · CPC title

• H02J7/825

  Detection of fully charged condition · CPC title

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title