US 12,749,848 B2 · Self-aligning magnetically coupled connector

Abstract

A self-aligning connector may include an outer connector body and an inner connector body rotatably mounted within the outer connector body. The self-aligning connector may include a plurality of electrical contacts arranged on a face of the inner connector body and a plurality of magnets arranged in a determined pattern on the face of the inner connector body. The self-aligning connector may be configured such that when mating to a corresponding connector that may include a corresponding plurality of magnets in a determined pattern on its face, attractive and repulsive forces of the magnets on the face of the inner connector body and the face of the corresponding connector cause the inner connector body to rotate within the outer connector body to an orientation that aligns the electrical contacts on the face of the inner connector body with corresponding electrical contacts on the face of the corresponding connector.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A self-aligning connector, comprising:

an outer connector body;
an inner connector body rotatably mounted within the outer connector body;
a plurality of electrical contacts arranged on a face of the inner connector body;
and
a plurality of magnets arranged in a determined pattern on the face of the inner connector body;
wherein when mating the self-aligning connector to a corresponding connector that comprises a corresponding plurality of magnets in a determined pattern on its face, attractive and repulsive forces of the magnets on the face of the inner connector body and the face of the corresponding connector cause the inner connector body to rotate within the outer connector body to an orientation that aligns the electrical contacts on the face of the inner connector body with corresponding electrical contacts on the face of the corresponding connector.

3 more elements

A self aligning electrical connector, comprising:

a first connector body comprising:
an outer body portion;
an inner body portion rotatably mounted within the outer body portion;
a plurality of electrical contacts on a face of the inner body;
and
an array of a plurality of magnets on the face of the inner body portion arranged in a determined pattern with outward facing north and south polarities;
and
a second connector body, comprising;
an array of a plurality of magnets on a face of the second connector body arranged in a determined pattern of magnets with outward facing north and south polarities;
and
a plurality of electrical contacts on the face of the second connector body corresponding to the pattern of two or more electrical contacts on the face of the inner body portion of the first connector body;
wherein, when mating the first connector body and the second connector body, attractive and repulsive forces of the arrays of two or more magnets on the faces of the inner body portion and the second connector body and cause the inner body portion to rotate within the outer body portion to an orientation that aligns the electrical contacts on the face of the inner body portion with the electrical contacts on the face of the outer body portion.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self-aligning magnetically coupled connector

Life of this patent

Self-aligning magnetically coupled connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20