Audio jack with ESD protection
AssigneeBlackBerry Limited
InventorWolfgang Edeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plug-and-jack for use with an electronic device that is configured to ensure circuitry of the device is protected from electrostatic discharge. In one case, the jack is an audio jack designed to protect high gain circuitry of the device against electrostatic discharge from the leads of an audio plug. The jack includes a mechanical switch that only connects the high gain circuitry to the appropriate portion of the audio plug once the audio plug is fully inserted. At the same time, the mechanical switch also connects the high gain circuitry and corresponding portion of the audio plug to an electrostatic discharge circuit.
Claims17
An electronic device, comprising:
- an audio jack for receiving insertion of an audio plug, the audio plug having two or more plug contacts, each plug contact being separated from the other plug contacts by at least one insulating ring, wherein one of the plug contacts provides an audio signal;
- an audio subsystem for processing signals, the audio subsystem including a high gain circuit for amplifying the audio signal;
- and
- an electrostatic discharge circuit,
- wherein the audio jack includes
- an enclosure defining an elongate cavity having an opening at one end,
- a first jack contact positioned within the cavity, proximate to the opening and connected to the electrostatic discharge circuit,
- a second jack contact within the cavity disposed further from the opening than the first jack contact so as to contact the plug contact providing the audio signal when the audio plug is fully inserted;
- and
- a mechanical switch having an open position and a closed position, wherein the mechanical switch is biased in the open position and wherein the mechanical switch is configured to be moved into the closed position as a result of full insertion of the audio plug, and wherein in the closed position the mechanical switch electrically connects the first jack contact to the second jack contact and electrically connects the second jack contact to the high gain circuit, wherein the mechanical switch comprises a sled with contacts on its ends, and wherein in a first position the sled is closer to the opening than in a second position.
An audio jack for receiving insertion of an audio plug, the audio plug having two or more plug contacts, each plug contact being separated from the other plug contacts by at least one insulating ring, wherein one of the plug contacts provides an audio signal, the audio jack being configured for use in an electronic device having a high gain circuit for amplifying the audio signal and having an electrostatic discharge circuit, the audio jack comprising:
- an enclosure defining an elongate cavity having an opening at one end;
- a first jack contact positioned within the cavity proximate to the opening and adapted for electrical connection to the electrostatic discharge circuit;
- a second jack contact within the cavity disposed further from the opening than the first jack contact so as to contact the plug contact providing the audio signal when the audio plug is fully inserted;
- and
- a mechanical switch having an open position and a closed position, wherein the mechanical switch is biased in the open position and wherein the mechanical switch is configured to be moved into the closed position as a result of full insertion of the audio plug, and wherein in the closed position the mechanical switch electrically connects the first jack contact to the second jack contact and electrically connects the second jack contact to a microphone jack contact adapted for electrical connection to the high gain circuit, wherein the mechanical switch comprises a sled with contacts on its ends, and wherein in a first position the sled is closer to the opening than in a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.