Electronic Connector Having Flexible Region
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsAustin Orand, Brian L. Cash, Aaron B. Weast
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic connector includes a housing and a plug extending from the housing. The plug includes at least one flexible region that provides flexing of the plug. In some example embodiments, the plug also includes at least one rigid region. The plug has at least one interconnect. Each interconnect includes a lead and a contact. The contacts are exposed on an exterior surface of the plug, such exposure being provided so as to enable electrical coupling between the plug and an electronic receptacle into which the plug may be removably inserted.
Claims25
An electronic connector configured for removable insertion into an electronic receptacle, comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a plug extending from the housing, the plug including:
- (a) a flexible region formed of a flexible polymer material having sufficient flexibility so as to support flexing of the plug up to an angle of at least +/−10 degrees from a natural state, (b) a rigid region engaged with the flexible region and including a contact carrier, (c) one or more electrical contacts supported by the contact carrier, and (d) one or more leads electrically coupled to the one electrical contacts, wherein said one or more leads extend from the one or more electrical contacts and are at least partially embedded in the flexible polymer material of the flexible region.
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- a printed circuit board at least partially within the housing;
- a plurality of leads in communication with the printed circuit board and extending from the housing;
- and
- a connector comprising:
- a plug connected to the housing and extending from the housing and having a plurality of exposed contacts connected to the plurality of leads, wherein the plug is configured for insertion into a receptacle to place the contacts in communication with the receptacle and enable electronic communication between the plug and the receptacle;
- wherein the plug comprises a flexible region and a rigid region, wherein the flexible region is configured to provide flexing of the plug up to an angle of at least +/−10 degrees from a natural state, and wherein the flexible region has a portion disposed between the rigid region and the plurality of leads.
(canceled)
An electronic connector configured for removable insertion into an electronic receptacle, comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a plug extending from the housing, wherein the plug includes:
- a flexible region configured to provide flexing of the plug up to an angle of at least ±10 degrees from a natural state,
- a rigid region extending from the flexible region,
- one or more leads extending from the housing, at least one of such leads being at least partially embedded within the flexible region, and
- wherein the flexible region has a portion disposed between the rigid region and the one or more leads.
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- a printed circuit board at least partially within the housing;
- and
- an electronic connector configured for removable insertion into an electronic receptacle, the electronic connector including:
- a plug extending from the housing, wherein the plug includes:
- (a) a flexible region formed of a flexible polymer material having sufficient flexibility so as to support flexing of the plug up to an angle of at least ±10 degrees from a natural state, (b) a rigid region engaged with the flexible region and including a contact carrier, (c) one or more electrical contacts supported by the contact carrier, and (d) one or more leads electrically coupled to the one electrical contacts, wherein said one or more leads extend from the one or more electrical contacts and are at least partially embedded in the flexible polymer material of the flexible region,
- wherein the one or more electrical contacts have an exposed surface, the one or more leads are in electrical communication with the printed circuit board, and wherein the plug is configured for insertion into the electronic receptacle to place the one or more electrical contacts in communication with the electronic receptacle and enable electronic communication between the plug and the electronic receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.