Magnetic connector and its application

Abstract

The application provides a magnetic connector and an application thereof. The magnetic connector comprises a male conductive part and a female conductive part which are connected by magnetic force. The male conductive part comprises a first base body and a first plating layer structure arranged on the first base body. The female conductive part comprises a second base body and a second plating layer structure arranged on the second base body. One of the first plating layer structure and the second plating layer structure comprises a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, a gold bonding layer, a platinum hardening layer and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer which are sequentially stacked from inside to outside. The other of the first plating layer structure and the second plating layer structure comprises a copper buffer layer, a nickel buffer layer and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer which are sequentially stacked from inside to outside. The hardness of the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is higher than that of the gold bonding layer, and the hardness of the copper buffer layer and the nickel buffer layer is lower than that of the gold bonding layer. The magnetic connector has special plating layer structures on the male and female conductive parts, so that the impact resistance can be greatly improved, thereby ensuring long-term and effective use of the magnetic connector in wearable products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrical connector technology, specifically relating to a magnetic connector and its application. Background Technology

[0002] As smart wearable devices evolve towards miniaturization, lightweight design, waterproofing, and high-frequency charging / discharging / data interaction, traditional pluggable connectors, due to their cumbersome alignment, susceptibility to wear, difficulty in sealing, and inconvenient operation, can no longer meet the requirements of user experience and reliability. Magnetic connectors, with their blind-mating, automatic adsorption, low insertion / removal force, waterproofing, and separation protection characteristics, have become the mainstream connection solution for wearable products. They are widely used in smartwatches, smart bracelets, TWS earphones, smart glasses, medical wearables, and children's wearables, primarily undertaking functions such as charging, data transmission, structural fixation, and module docking.

[0003] To meet the requirements of signal transmission and stable conductivity, it is necessary to ensure a stable connection between the magnetic connector and the mating electrical connector, preventing poor conductivity and corrosion of the conductive components at the conductive ends, which could lead to poor contact. However, existing wearable devices inevitably come into contact with sweat during actual use, and sweat contains various ions such as sodium ions. These components can create an electrochemical corrosion environment at the connector interface, leading to problems such as poor contact and signal attenuation in the magnetic connector. To solve this problem, the industry typically applies a protective coating to the conductive components.

[0004] The plating layer plays the following main roles in magnetic connectors for wearable products: (1) Reduce contact resistance to ensure stable electrical connection. The coating has a smooth surface and excellent conductivity, which can reduce the contact resistance between contacts, ensure stable transmission of charging current and signal, and avoid charging interruption, signal distortion or overheating due to poor contact.

[0005] (2) Improve corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance The coating (such as gold, palladium-nickel, tin, silver, etc.) has high chemical stability, can isolate air and corrosive media, delay the oxidation and corrosion of conductive parts, and extend service life.

[0006] (3) Improves surface wettability, facilitating welding and assembly. Choosing the right plating can improve the solderability of materials, making it easier to weld and fix connectors to FPCs, PCBs or conductive terminals, reducing the soldering defect rate and improving structural reliability.

[0007] (4) Reduce insertion and extraction force and optimize magnetic alignment experience A smooth coating surface reduces frictional resistance between contacts, making magnetic alignment smoother, enabling true blind insertion, stable contact with light suction, and improving the user experience.

[0008] (5) Enhance environmental adaptability and reliability In harsh environments such as high and low temperatures, humidity and heat, and salt spray, the coating can delay material aging, prevent contact failure, and meet the reliability requirements of wearable products for long-term use.

[0009] Currently, the industry uses the following plating structures (from inside to outside) on the conductive substrate of magnetic connectors: ① First layer copper base (Cu) + nickel plating (Ni) + gold plating (Au); ② First layer copper (Cu) + copper-tin-zinc plating (CuSnZn) + gold plating (Au); ③ First layer copper (Cu) + silver plating (Ag) + gold plating (Au) + platinum (Pt) or rhodium (Rh). Although these plating structures can improve the mating performance of magnetic connectors to some extent, the male and female terminals of the magnetic connector may collide due to magnetic force or large positioning errors, leading to misalignment and increased plating wear. This results in a shortened mating life, plating deformation, peeling off, and exposure of the substrate, ultimately affecting the environmental resistance of the magnetic connector and causing conductivity failure.

[0010] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a magnetic connector with a novel plating structure to address the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In view of the above problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a magnetic connector and its application. The magnetic connector can greatly improve its impact resistance by setting a special plating structure on the conductive parts of the male and female ends, thereby ensuring the long-term and effective use of the magnetic connector in wearable products.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides a magnetic connector, comprising a male conductive member and a female conductive member connected by magnetic force. The male conductive member includes a first substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the first substrate. The female conductive member includes a second substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the second substrate. One of the first and second plating structures includes, from the inside out, a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, a gold bonding layer, a platinum hardening layer, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer, stacked sequentially. The other of the first and second plating structures includes, from the inside out, a copper buffer layer, a nickel buffer layer, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer, stacked sequentially from the inside out. The hardness of the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is higher than that of the gold bonding layer, and the hardness of both the copper buffer layer and the nickel buffer layer is lower than that of the gold bonding layer.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention improves the impact resistance of the male and female terminals by setting a special plating structure on the conductive parts of the male and female terminals, and further improves the corrosion resistance of the conductive parts, thereby ensuring the long-term and effective use of the magnetic connector in wearable products.

[0014] Specifically, one of the first and second plating structures includes a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, a gold bonding layer, a platinum hardening layer, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer stacked sequentially. The other of the first and second plating structures includes a copper buffer layer, a nickel buffer layer, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer stacked sequentially from the inside out. The nickel alloy impact-resistant layer has a higher hardness than the gold bonding layer, while the copper buffer layer and the nickel buffer layer both have lower hardness than the gold bonding layer. The first and second gold corrosion-resistant layers on the outermost layer not only provide a golden appearance but also enhance corrosion resistance. The nickel alloy impact-resistant layer has low porosity, preventing chloride ions and other contaminants from entering the substrate. It has the highest hardness (equivalent to impact resistance), and as the innermost layer, it ensures the surface of the plating structure is less prone to cracking during the collision contact between the male and female ends. The platinum hardening layer, located in the middle, further increases the hardness of the plating structure based on the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, preventing cracking during the collision and docking of the male and female ends. A gold bonding layer between the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer and the platinum hardening layer improves the bonding strength between them, preventing the platinum hardening layer from detaching due to weak adhesion. The copper and nickel buffer layers have lower hardness and are softer; upon impact with the other end, they are in a soft-hard fit, thus providing cushioning and preventing damage to the plating structure of the male and female ends. Therefore, in the magnetic connector of this invention, one of the male and female conductive components has a plating structure with high hardness and strong bonding, while the other has a plating structure with low hardness and cushioning properties. This soft-hard fit significantly improves the impact resistance of both the male and female ends.

[0015] As one technical solution of the present invention, the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating with a thickness of 100 μin to 200 μin. The nickel-phosphorus alloy plating (also known as electroless nickel plating) has a hardness of 600 to 750 HV (Vickers hardness), providing strong impact resistance as a base layer. The nickel-phosphorus alloy plating has lower porosity and stronger mechanical properties compared to electroplated nickel plating. Nickel-phosphorus alloys are mainly composed of nickel (Ni) and phosphorus (P), with a very high nickel content, typically above 85%. For example, the thickness of the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer can be, but is not limited to, 100 μin, 110 μin, 120 μin, 130 μin, 140 μin, 150 μin, 160 μin, 170 μin, 180 μin, 190 μin, and 200 μin. The relatively high thickness of the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, as a base layer, can supplement the coating structure with higher impact resistance.

[0016] As one technical solution of the present invention, the gold bonding layer is a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer with a thickness of 5 μin to 20 μin. The hardness of the gold-cobalt alloy plating layer is generally around 150 to 220 HV (Vickers hardness), which is mainly used to improve the bonding force between the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer and the platinum hardening layer. Its thickness should not be too high. As an example, its thickness can be, but is not limited to, 5 μin, 6 μin, 7 μin, 8 μin, 9 μin, 10 μin, 11 μin, 12 μin, 13 μin, 14 μin, 15 μin, 16 μin, 17 μin, 18 μin, 19 μin, and 20 μin.

[0017] As one technical solution of the present invention, the platinum hardening layer is an electroplated pure platinum coating with a thickness of 10 μin to 50 μin. The hardness of the pure platinum coating can reach 350 to 500 HV (Vickers hardness), which is relatively high and can further improve the hardness of the coating structure based on the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer. As an example, its thickness can be, but is not limited to, 10 μin, 15 μin, 20 μin, 25 μin, 30 μin, 35 μin, 40 μin, 45 μin, and 50 μin.

[0018] As one technical solution of the present invention, the first gold corrosion resistant layer is a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer with a thickness of 1μin~10μin. It is mainly used to provide a gold-colored appearance and enhance corrosion resistance. In order not to affect the impact resistance of the inner platinum hardening layer and the nickel alloy impact resistant layer, its thickness should be relatively low. As an example, its thickness can be, but is not limited to, 1μin, 2μin, 3μin, 4μin, 5μin, 6μin, 7μin, 8μin, 9μin, and 10μin.

[0019] As one technical solution of the present invention, the copper buffer layer is a pure copper plating layer with a thickness of 100 μin to 300 μin. The hardness of the pure copper plating layer is generally 200 to 250 HV (Vickers hardness). Its low hardness and softness allow it to act as a buffer when impacted by the other end, preventing damage to the plating structure of both the male and female ends. As the bottom buffer layer, its thickness is preferably relatively thick. Examples include, but are not limited to, 100 μin, 150 μin, 200 μin, 250 μin, 300 μin, 350 μin, 400 μin, 450 μin, and 500 μin.

[0020] As one technical solution of the present invention, the nickel buffer layer is a pure nickel electroplated layer with a thickness of 20 μin to 70 μin. The hardness of the pure nickel electroplated layer is 300 to 400 HV (Vickers hardness), which is higher than that of the pure copper plating layer. Therefore, placing it in the middle and combining it with the copper buffer layer can achieve a better buffering effect. As an auxiliary buffer layer, its thickness should be moderate. For example, its thickness can be, but is not limited to, 20 μin, 25 μin, 30 μin, 35 μin, 40 μin, 45 μin, 50 μin, 55 μin, 60 μin, 65 μin, and 70 μin.

[0021] As one technical solution of the present invention, the second gold corrosion-resistant layer is a pure gold plating layer with a thickness of 10 μin to 50 μin. It is mainly used to provide a gold-colored appearance and enhance corrosion resistance. Its hardness is also relatively low. Therefore, to assist the buffering effect of the nickel buffer layer and the nickel-copper buffer layer, its thickness can be appropriately increased. For example, its thickness can be, but is not limited to, 10 μin, 15 μin, 20 μin, 25 μin, 30 μin, 35 μin, 40 μin, 45 μin, or 50 μin.

[0022] As one technical solution of the present invention, the materials of the first substrate and the second substrate are independently selected from one of nickel alloy, copper alloy, and titanium alloy. Nickel alloy, copper alloy, and titanium alloy are well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0023] The first coating structure of this invention can be achieved by cleaning the surface of a first substrate and then sequentially forming a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, a gold bonding layer, a platinum hardening layer, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer. The nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is formed by chemical plating, while the gold bonding layer, platinum hardening layer, and first gold corrosion-resistant layer are formed by electroplating. The surface treatment process, chemical plating process, and electroplating process can be operated using industry-standard methods, and the specific processes are well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0024] The second coating structure of the present invention can be achieved by sequentially forming a copper buffer layer, a nickel buffer layer, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer after cleaning the surface of the second substrate. The copper buffer layer, nickel buffer layer, and second gold corrosion-resistant layer can be formed by electroplating. The surface treatment process and electroplating process can be carried out using industry-standard methods, and the specific processes are well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0025] A second aspect of this invention provides an application of a magnetic connector in wearable products, wherein the aforementioned magnetic connector is used for electrical conduction and / or signal transmission in the wearable products. As a technical solution of this invention, the wearable products may include, but are not limited to, watches, wristbands, Bluetooth headsets, VR headsets, etc. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the first plating structure of the magnetic connector of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second plating structure of the magnetic connector of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 The image shows the SEM image of the male conductive component of Example 1 after it has undergone magnetic impact tests for different numbers of times.

[0029] Figure 4 The image shows the SEM images of the male conductive component of Comparative Example 1 after undergoing different numbers of magnetic impact tests.

[0030] Figure 5 The image shows the SEM images of the male conductive component of Comparative Example 2 after undergoing different numbers of magnetic impact tests.

[0031] Figure 6 The image shows the SEM images of the male conductive component of Comparative Example 3 after undergoing different numbers of magnetic impact tests.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the device used for magnetic impact testing. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The magnetic connector of this invention can be used for conductive and / or signal transmission in wearable products. The magnetic connector includes a male conductive member and a female conductive member that are connected by magnetic force. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the male conductive component 10 includes a first substrate 11 and a first plating structure 13 disposed on the first substrate 11. The first plating structure 13 includes, from the inside out, a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer 131, a gold bonding layer 133, a platinum hardening layer 135, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer 137, stacked sequentially. The female conductive component 30 includes a second substrate 31 and a second plating structure 33 disposed on the second substrate 31. The second plating structure 33 includes, from the inside out, a copper buffer layer 331, a nickel buffer layer 333, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer 335, stacked sequentially. Of course, in actual operation, the first plating structure 13 and the second plating structure 33 can also be interchanged, that is, the first plating structure 13 includes, from the inside out, a copper buffer layer 331, a nickel buffer layer 333, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer 335. The second coating structure 33 includes, from the inside out, a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer 131, a gold bonding layer 133, a platinum hardening layer 135, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer 137, stacked sequentially. The material of the first substrate 11 can be selected from one of a nickel alloy, a copper alloy, and a titanium alloy. The material of the second substrate 31 can also be selected from one of a nickel alloy, a copper alloy, and a titanium alloy. The nickel alloy impact-resistant layer 131 is a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating with a thickness of 100 μin to 200 μin. The gold bonding layer 133 is a gold-cobalt alloy plating with a thickness of 5 μin to 20 μin. The platinum hardening layer 135 is an electroplated pure platinum plating with a thickness of 10 μin to 50 μin. The first gold corrosion-resistant layer 137 is a gold-cobalt alloy plating with a thickness of 1 μin to 10 μin. The copper buffer layer 331 is a pure copper plating with a thickness of 100 μin to 300 μin. The nickel buffer layer 333 is a pure nickel electroplated layer with a thickness of 20 μin to 70 μin. The second gold corrosion resistant layer 335 is a pure gold plating layer with a thickness of 10 μin to 50 μin.

[0034] To better illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of this invention, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the methods described below are further explanations of this invention and should not be construed as limiting it.

[0035] Example 1 This embodiment is a magnetic connector, including a male conductive component and a female conductive component connected by magnetic force. The male conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy. The female conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy substrate. The first plating structure comprises, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness), a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer (10 μin thickness), an electroplated pure platinum plating layer (20 μin thickness), and a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer (10 μin thickness). The second plating structure comprises, from the inside out, a pure copper electroplating layer (200 μin thickness), a pure nickel electroplating layer (20 μin thickness), and a pure gold electroplating layer (50 μin thickness).

[0036] Comparative Example 1 This comparative example is a magnetic connector, including a male conductive component and a female conductive component that are connected by magnetic force. The male conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy. The female conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy substrate. The first plating structure comprises, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness), a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer (10 μin thickness), an electroplated pure platinum plating layer (20 μin thickness), and a gold-cobalt alloy electroplating layer (10 μin thickness). The second plating structure comprises, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness) and a gold-cobalt alloy electroplating layer (50 μin thickness).

[0037] Comparative Example 2 This comparative example is a magnetic connector, including a male conductive component and a female conductive component that are connected by magnetic force. The male conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy. The female conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy substrate. The first plating structure includes, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness) and a gold-cobalt alloy electroplating layer (50 μin thickness). The second plating structure includes, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness) and a gold-cobalt alloy electroplating layer (50 μin thickness).

[0038] Comparative Example 3 This comparative example is a magnetic connector, including a male conductive component and a female conductive component that are connected by magnetic force. The male conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy. The female conductive component includes a nickel alloy substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the nickel alloy substrate. The first plating structure includes, from the inside out, a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating layer (90% nickel content, 120 μin thickness) and a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer (50 μin thickness). The second plating structure includes, from the inside out, a pure copper plating layer (200 μin thickness), a pure nickel plating layer (20 μin thickness), and a pure gold plating layer (50 μin thickness).

[0039] The magnetic connectors of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were subjected to magnetic impact tests of varying numbers of cycles. The test results are as follows: Figures 3-6 As shown.

[0040] Depend on Figure 3The results show that the needle shaft head has a complete, uniform, bright gold layer. This illustrates that in Example 1, a special plating structure is provided on the conductive parts of the male and female ends. One plating structure has the characteristics of high hardness and high adhesion, while the other plating structure has the characteristics of low hardness and buffering. Through the combination of soft and hard, the impact resistance of the male and female ends can be greatly improved, and it can withstand 20,000 magnetic impacts.

[0041] Depend on Figures 4-6 The results show that a significantly darker area appeared, which is due to the leakage of nickel. Therefore, the coating structures of soft-soft combination or hard-hard combination used in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 cannot achieve effective impact resistance.

[0042] Among them, the magnetic attraction impact test conditions are as follows: Figure 7 The apparatus shown, from left to right, consists of a Pogo pin fixture, a female pin fixture, and a schematic diagram of their magnetic contact. A collision test is defined as the contact between the male and female conductive parts of the magnetic connector under magnetic attraction and subsequent separation.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are all exemplary and are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, not to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not limited to the embodiments listed. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention. The structures described in various embodiments can be freely combined without conflict in structure or principle, and these changes should all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A magnetic connector, comprising a male conductive member and a female conductive member connected by magnetic force, characterized in that, The male conductive component includes a first substrate and a first plating structure disposed on the first substrate. The female conductive component includes a second substrate and a second plating structure disposed on the second substrate. One of the first plating structure and the second plating structure includes, from the inside out, a nickel alloy impact-resistant layer, a gold bonding layer, a platinum hardening layer, and a first gold corrosion-resistant layer. The other of the first plating structure and the second plating structure includes, from the inside out, a copper buffer layer, a nickel buffer layer, and a second gold corrosion-resistant layer. The hardness of the nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is higher than that of the gold bonding layer, and the hardness of both the copper buffer layer and the nickel buffer layer is lower than that of the gold bonding layer.

2. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The nickel alloy impact-resistant layer is a nickel-phosphorus alloy plating with a thickness of 100μin~200μin.

3. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gold bonding layer is a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer with a thickness of 5 μin to 20 μin.

4. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The platinum hardening layer is an electroplated pure platinum coating with a thickness of 10 μin to 50 μin.

5. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first gold corrosion resistant layer is a gold-cobalt alloy plating layer with a thickness of 1 μin to 10 μin.

6. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The copper buffer layer is a pure copper plating layer with a thickness of 100μin~300μin.

7. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The nickel buffer layer is a pure nickel electroplated layer with a thickness of 20μin~70μin.

8. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second gold corrosion resistant layer is a pure gold plating layer with a thickness of 10μin~50μin.

9. The magnetic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The materials of the first substrate and the second substrate are independently selected from one of nickel alloy, copper alloy and titanium alloy.

10. An application of a magnetic connector in wearable products, characterized in that, The magnetic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used for the conductive and / or signal transmission of the wearable product.

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