Roller electric contact
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorJeffrey M. Fowler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A roller electric contact comprises a roller comprising a shaft and a plurality of conductive discs electrically separated by an insulating material. The shaft extends through a rotational axis of the roller. A housing comprises slots in which the shaft of the roller is positioned, the slots configured to direct a non-rotational movement of the roller. A plurality of leaf springs are disposed in the housing. The leaf springs comprise an electrically conductive material. The plurality of conductive discs are spaced on the roller so that at least one of the conductive discs contact each of the plurality of leaf springs. A plurality of conductive wires extend from the roller electric contact, each of the plurality of conductive wires making electrical contact with one of the leaf springs.
Claims20
A roller electric contact, comprising:
- a roller comprising a shaft and a plurality of conductive discs electrically separated by an insulating material, the shaft extending through a rotational axis of the roller;
- a housing comprising slots in which the shaft of the roller is positioned, the slots configured to direct a non-rotational movement of the roller;
- and
- a plurality of leaf springs disposed in the housing, the leaf springs comprising an electrically conductive material, the plurality of conductive discs being spaced on the roller so that at least one of the conductive discs contact each of the plurality of leaf springs;
- and
- a plurality of conductive wires extending from the roller electric contact, each of the plurality of conductive wires making electrical contact with one of the leaf springs.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a receptacle for receiving a customer replaceable unit:
- and
- a circuit board adjacent to the receptacle, the circuit board comprising a first roller electric contact, the first roller electric contact comprising:
- a roller comprising a shaft and a plurality of conductive discs electrically separated by an insulating material, the shaft extending through a rotational axis of the roller;
- a housing comprising slots in which the shaft of the roller is positioned, the slots configured to direct a non-rotational movement of the roller;
- and
- a plurality of leaf springs disposed in the housing, the leaf springs comprising an electrically conductive material, the plurality of conductive discs being spaced on the roller so that at least one of the conductive discs contact each of the plurality of leaf springs;
- and
- a plurality of conductive wires extending from the first roller electric contact, each of the plurality of conductive wires establishing an electrical contact between one of the leaf springs and the circuit board.
A method for contacting an electronic memory device on a customer replaceable unit, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising (i) a receptacle for receiving the customer replaceable unit:
- and (ii) a circuit board adjacent to the receptacle, the circuit board comprising one or more electronic components for processing data from an electronic memory device and a roller electric contact comprising a plurality of conductive discs, and
- inserting a customer replaceable unit comprising the electronic memory device attached thereto into the receptacle so that one or more of the plurality of conductive discs roll into contact with one or more contact pads of the electronic memory device, the electronic memory device thereby making contact with the circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.