Supporting an electrical connector
AssigneeWearable Technology Limited
InventorMichael John Lynch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector having a detachable interface and a permanent interface is supported by connecting the permanent interface to a circuit-board. A first loom end (303) and a second loom end (305) are connected to the circuit board and an over-moulding (404) is applied to cover the permanent interface, the first loom end and the second loom end. The detachable interface is located through an orifice in an item of clothing (410) and the over-moulding is secured to an internal surface of an item of clothing by a first side flange (404) and a second side flange (405).
Claims20
An apparatus for supporting an electrical connector, wherein:
- said electrical connector is configured to provide a mechanically detachable electrical interface for equipment external to a surface of an item of clothing, while providing permanent electrical connections with a transmission loom internal to said item of clothing;
- said electrical connector has a rigid component, having an external mechanical/electrical interface portion configured to extend externally through a first orifice defined in said item of clothing, and an internal electrical interface portion;
- and
- said apparatus comprises:
- a circuit board including first contacts attachable to said internal electrical interface portion;
- and
- an over-moulding configured to surround said circuit board and having said rigid component extending therethrough, wherein said over-moulding includes:
- a first side flange extending away from said rigid component in a first direction;
- and
- a second side flange extending away from said rigid component in a second direction, wherein said first side flange and said second side flange are used to attach said over-moulding to an internal surface of the item of clothing.
A method of supporting an electrical connector configured to provide a mechanically detachable electrical interface for equipment external to a surface of an item of clothing, while providing a permanent electrical connections with a transmission loom internal to said item of clothing, wherein:
- said electrical connector has a rigid component, having an external mechanical/electrical interface portion configured to extend externally through a first orifice defined in said item of clothing, and an internal electrical interface portion;
- and
- said method comprising the steps of:
- connecting said internal electrical interface portion to a circuit board including first contacts attachable to said internal electrical interface portion;
- connecting a first loom end of said transmission loom to said circuit board and connecting a second loom end of said transmission loom to said circuit board;
- over-moulding said circuit board to surround said circuit board while enabling said rigid component to extend therethrough;
- locating said external mechanical/electrical interface portion through said first orifice defined in said item of clothing;
- and
- securing said over-moulding to an internal surface of said item of clothing by securing a first side flange of said over-moulding extending away from said rigid component in a first direction and securing a second side flange of said over-moulding extending away from said rigid component in a second direction.
An apparatus for supporting an electrical connector, wherein:
- said electrical connector is configured to provide a mechanically detachable electrical interface for equipment external to a surface of an item of clothing, while providing permanent electrical connections with a transmission loom internal to said item of clothing;
- said electrical connector has a rigid component, having an external mechanical/electrical interface portion configured to extend externally through a first orifice defined in said item of clothing, and an internal electrical interface portion;
- and
- said apparatus comprises:
- a circuit board including first contacts attachable to said internal electrical interface portion;
- an over-moulding configured to surround said circuit board;
- a first side flange extending away from a first side of said over-moulding;
- a second side flange extending away from a second side of said over-moulding, wherein said first side flange and said second side flange are used to attach said over-moulding to an internal surface of the item of clothing;
- stitches for stitching said first side flange and said second side flange to said internal surface;
- and
- an outer-moulding having a second orifice for receiving said external mechanical/electrical interface portion, wherein:
- said outer-moulding includes indications for receiving said stitches;
- and
- said stitches extend through said outer-moulding, said item of clothing and said over-moulding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.