Connector with coupling having multiple pole regions

Abstract

Electrical connector comprising a first connector part having a first contact and a first coupler part; a second connector part having a second coupler part and a second contact engageable with the first contact when the first part is connected to the second part, wherein the first coupler part includes a first magnet having a first mating face including multiple pole regions and the second coupler part includes a second magnet having a second mating face including multiple pole regions arranged complementarily to the pole regions of the first mating face so that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled together when the first connector part and the second connector part are connected together. The invention also relates to a pair of coupler parts.

Description

CONNECTOR WITH COUPLING HAVING MULTIPLE POLE REGIONSTechnical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors having a magnetic coupling where the magnet has multiple pole regions on a connecting side. The present disclosure also relates to a pair of coupler parts configured to engage with a corresponding structure of an electrical connector.Background Art

[0002] An electrical connector is a device used to join electrical circuits together. It allows for the easy and secure connection and disconnection of electrical wires or cables. Electrical connectors come in various shapes, sizes, and designs, each suited for specific applications and requirements. The most common type of electrical connectors are plug and socket connectors, wherein a male plug can be inserted into a female socket to establish an electrical connection. A special type of electrical connectors are the connectors with magnetic coupling. Instead of relying on physical contact between pins and sockets, magnetic coupling uses magnets to create a strong bond between the connector components. Although reliable in terms of connections, known connectors with magnetic coupling can suffer of some drawbacks. For example, compared to classical electrical connectors, connectors with magnetic coupling can be less resistant to accidental disconnections and cannot always provide a perfect alignment between the components. In addition, standard connectors with magnetic coupling are not properly designed in case of connectors used to provide power to devices in order to avoid an improper connection to a wrong device (e.g. charging device) having for example different power requirements or limitations.Disclosure of the Invention

[0003] According to an aspect of the invention, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises a first connector part having a first contact and a first coupler part; a second connector part having a second coupler part and a second contact engageable with the first contact when the first part is connected to the second part, wherein the first coupler part includes a first magnet having a first mating face including multiple pole regions and the second coupler part includes a second magnet having a second mating face including multiple pole regions arranged complementarily to the pole regions of the first mating face so that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled together when the first connector part and the second connector part are connected together.

[0004] According to another aspect of the invention, a pair of coupler parts is provided. The pair is configured to be engaged with an electrical connector of the previous aspect. The pair comprises: a first coupler part and a second coupler part, wherein the first coupler part includes a first magnet having a first mating face including multiple pole regions and the second coupler part includes a second magnet having a second mating face including multiple pole regions arranged complementarily to the pole regions of the first mating face so that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled together when the first coupler part and the second coupler part are mated or paired.Other aspects and features are defined in the appended claims.

[0005] Examples of the disclosure may make it possible to obtain an electrical connector that provides a proper alignment between the two components and at the same time inhibits disconnection of the connector parts and prevents damages due to improper connection to devices having different power requirements.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] Examples of the disclosure will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like references refer to like parts, and in which:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector including a releasable coupler;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective vie of a first part of the electrical connector showing a front face of the connector and magnets carried by the coupler;

[0009] FIG. 3 is another perspective view showing the front face of the first part of the electrical connector;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one part of the connector including part of the coupler;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the connector in a connected state;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a front face of a magnet having multiple pole regions; and

[0013] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a front face of a magnet having multiple pole regions.Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiments

[0014] Referring in more detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an electrical connector 10 having a first part 12 and a second part 14 that are releasably coupled together to define an electrical connection between the parts. The first and second parts 12, 14 of the electrical connector 10 may include mating engagement features, which may include male and female structures, like a plug 12 and socket 14, and associated first and second electrical contacts 16, 18 (FIG. 5) that are electrically coupled together when the two parts 12, 14 are connected together. To facilitate description of the connector 10 parts, the first part 12, which is shown as having a male portion will be called a plug 12, and the second part 14, which is shown as having a female portion will be called a socket 14. An electrical power connection, as well as signal / data connection, may be established between the plug 12 and socket 14 of the electrical connector 10 when the two parts are coupled together, and the connection is / connections are terminated when the two parts are disconnected, which occur in directions of connect! on / disconnecti on noted by double arrow 20 in FIG. 1. The plug 12 and socket 14 may be coupled to separate components, like cables 21, 22 (FIG. 5) or other parts of a circuit (e.g. a circuit board) to electrically connect the components through the connector 10, such as to complete the electrical circuit when the connector 10 is in a connected state, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0015] As shown in FIGS 2, 3 and 5, the plug 12 includes a main body 24 with an insert 26 at one end and defining at least part of a front face 25 (FIG. 4) of the body 24, at least a portion of which may be arranged perpendicular to the direction of connection and disconnection of the connector parts 12, 14 12, 14. The electrical contacts 16 are carried by the plug 12 and provided in any desired number and arrangement, and may extend intothe insert 26. In at least some implementations, the plug's electrical contacts 16 are accessible via and may be exposed within one or more openings 27 extending to the front face 25. The contacts 16 may be tubular or otherwise arranged to receive the pin-shaped contacts 18 of the socket 14, although other arrangements maybe used as desired. Several openings 27 may be provided in the body 24, and each opening may be associated with or open to any desired number of contacts including zero, where an opening in the front face 25 might be provided for a reason other than to permit access to a contact 16. While the periphery of the insert 26 is generally rectangular (e.g. a rectangular prism) in the embodiment shown, the insert 26 may have any desired shape suitable for use with a socket 14 having a corresponding cavity 28. Likewise, the plug's main body 24 may also have a shape different from that shown and a connecting component, like the cable 21, may be arranged differently than that shown, as desired for a particular application.

[0016] Further with regard to the example shown in the drawings, the socket 14 includes a main body 30 that has the cavity 28 that is formed in a front face 32 of the socket 14 body 30. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cavity 28 has an interior 34 defined by surfaces of the body 30 that are arranged to receive at least part of the insert 26 of the plug 12. The cavity 28 may have a depth defined between a rear wall 36 and the front face 32 of the socket 14 body, where the cavity 28 is open to / through the front face 32, and the cavity is partially defined by the inner surface 38 of a peripheral wall 40 that bounds the cavity 28 and which may have a shape corresponding to the exterior of the plug insert 26. The wall 40 may be solid, without perforations or openings, so that the cavity 28 is surrounded by the wall 40 with the only exterior opening to the cavity being at the front face 32. The cavity 28 is shown as being a rectangular prism, open at the front face 32, but may beformed otherwise to cooperate with an insert 26 of any desired size and shape. The cavity, of any shape, may be enclosed other than at the front face 32 by the wall, which may be imperforate to fully enclose the contacts 16 and 18 when the connector 10 is in the connected state. The electrical or other passthrough contacts 18 of the socket 14 may be carried by the socket 14 main body 30 in any desired number and arrangement, and may extend into and may be exposed or accessible within the cavity 28 for plug 12-in coupling with the insert 26 (e.g. via openings 27), in known manner. The socket 14 main body 30 may have a shape different from that shown and a connecting component, like the cable 22, may be arranged differently than that shown, as desired for a particular application.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrical connector 10 may include a coupler 42 arranged to selectively retain the connector 10 in the connected state. The coupler 42 may include a first part 44 carried by the first part 12 of the connector 10 and a second part 46 carried by the second part 14 of the connector. In at least some implementations, each part 44, 46 of the coupler 42 may be fixed to its respective part 12 or 14 of the connector 10 so that the coupler parts 44, 46 do not move relative to the connector parts 12, 14. In the example shown, each part of the coupler 42 includes a retainer 48 with a cavity defining part of a circle or other polygon and into which a post 50 of the respective connector part is snap-fit, friction fit, or otherwise received to connect the coupler parts 44, 46 to the connector parts 12, 14. The coupler parts 44, 46 may be secured to the connector parts 12, 14 in any suitable way, including but not limited to, by mechanical fastener, adhesive, weld, head stake, clamp or the like. Further, the coupler parts 44, 46 may be formed integrally with the main bodies 24, 30 of the plug 12 and socket 14 of the connector 10.

[0018] Further, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the first part 44 of the coupler 42 includesone or more first magnets 52, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second coupler part 46 includes one or more second magnets 54 that are arranged to be attracted to and to be coupled to the magnet(s) 52 of the first coupler part 44 when the connector parts 12, 14 are coupled together. In this way, the magnets 52, 54 are arranged with magnetic pole regions that are complementary between a pair of magnets to be coupled together. In at least some implementations, the magnets 52, 54 are each carried within separate cavities or pockets 56, 58 of the coupler parts 44, 46 so that a mating face 60, 62 of each magnet 52, 54 is exposed from the material of the coupler part. In other implementations, one or more of the magnets 52, 54 may be embedded in the material of the coupler part 44, 46 and not exposed, but arranged so that a face of the magnet is close enough to the exterior surface of the coupler part that the magnetic field emitted from the magnet(s) permeates through a coupler part and is effective to couple together with a mating magnet from the other coupler part. The mating faces 60, 62 of the magnets 52, 54 may be flat / planar and the magnets may have any desired shape, such as with a circular periphery, a rectangular periphery or other polygonal shape, as desired.

[0019] In the example shown in FIGS. 1-5, each coupler part 44, 46 carries or secures two magnets 52, 54, arranged at opposite sides of the connector parts 12, 14, adjacent to the exterior surface of the main bodies 24, 30 of the connector parts 12, 14, with each magnet 52, 54 arranged to be aligned and coupled with a magnet 52, 54 of the other coupler part 44, 46 when the connector parts 12, 14 are connected together. In this example, the magnets 52, 54 have rectangular mating faces 60, 62, and the mating faces are exposed to the exterior, and may protrude from an adjacent surface of the coupler parts 44, 46, be flush therewith, or be recessed in the coupler parts 44, 46 with at least part of the mating facesnot covered by the material of the coupler part. The other sides of the magnets 52, 54 are covered by the material of the coupler parts 44, 46, and the magnets 52, 54 are retained in the coupler parts. In at least some implementations, the magnets 52, 54 may include flanges or tabs 64, 66 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) that extend outwardly and are embedded in the material of the coupler parts 44, 46. The magnets 52, 54 may be overmolded in the coupler parts 44, 46, which may be formed of a non-magnetic material like various plastic or composite materials. So arranged, the magnets 52 of the first connector part 12 are outboard of the insert 26 (e.g. located on opposite sides of the insert 26 and not coupled to or within the boundary of the insert) and the magnets 54 of the second connector part 14 are outboard of the cavity 28 (e.g. located on opposite sides of the cavity 28 and not within the boundary or interior 34 of the cavity 28).

[0020] In at least some implementations, the magnets 52, 54 are permanent magnets that each have mating faces 60, 62 that include multiple pole regions. That is, the mating faces 60, 62 have at least one pole region of a first polarity (e.g. south) and at least one pole region of the other, second polarity (e.g. north). FIG. 6 illustrates a first magnet 52 and a corresponding second magnet 54 each having mating faces 60, 62 with four pole regions, including alternating regions of north polarity (N) and south polarity (S). The magnets 52, 54 are carried by the coupler parts 44, 46 so that the pole regions of the mating faces 60, 62 are complementary when aligned, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the magnet 52 of the first coupler part 44 has pole regions on the mating face 60 that are opposite to the pole regions of the other magnet 54 of the other coupler part 46 to permit the two magnets to be attracted to each other and to magnetically couple together when properly aligned with each other.

[0021] The pole regions in the magnets 52, 54 may be arranged in any desired manner andmay but need not have rectilinear boundaries, and may have complex shapes, including circular, circuitous, serpentine, or any desired shape and number on the mating faces of the magnets. FIG. 7 shows one example of a mating face 60' of a magnet 52' that includes a rectangular perimeter, and multiple pole regions with: a) a first pole region 68 of a first polarity and having an oval shape; b) a second pole region 70 of a second polarity, having an oval shape surrounding the first pole region 68; c) a third pole region 72 of the first polarity, having an oval shape surrounding the second pole region 70; d) a fourth pole region 74 having an outer periphery that is rectangular and an inner periphery that is oval, having the second polarity and surrounding the third pole region 72; 3) a fifth pole region 76 of the first polarity and having an oval shape; f) a sixth pole region 78 of the second polarity, having an oval shape surrounding the fifth pole region 76; g) a seventh pole region 80 of the first polarity, having an oval shape surrounding the sixth pole region 78; h) an eighth pole region 82 having an outer periphery that is rectangular and an inner periphery that is oval, having the second polarity and surrounding the seventh pole region 80; and i) a ninth pole region 84 having a rectangular shape and arranged between and separating the fourth pole region 74 and the eighth pole region 82. While the pole regions are shown with regular polygon shapes, the regions may have different shapes, as desired. In this regard, the magnets may be polymagnets® provided by Correlated Magnetics Research, L.L.C., of Huntsville, Alabama, or similar magnets that may have complexly shaped pole regions.

[0022] The multiple pole regions can ensure proper alignment of the magnets 52, 54 as misalignment will cause repulsion of overlapped pole regions of the same polarity. In this way, a first connector part 12 can be made that couples only with a corresponding second connector part 14, or perhaps only with second connector parts 12, 14 of a similar type ofconnector. This may avoid connection of dissimilar connector parts 12, 14, which may be the same type of connector but for a different component or a different connection area. For example, in a housing or rack in which a plurality of cable connections are arranged, each cable connection could include magnets with specific pole regions to prevent misconnection of one cable with an incorrect other cable. That is, the connector parts 12, 14 of each cable connection could include a unique "code" defined by an arrangement of pole regions that is different from any other of the cable connections in the housing. In this way, correct connection of the cables can be ensured even with a plurality of connections in a relatively small area to facilitate proper coupling of a plurality of connections.

[0023] As a further example, electrical connectors providing power to a device, such as charging cables, can be arranged with magnetic couplers 42 designed to prevent connection of an improper device to a charging station. In this way, devices with similar connector parts 12, 14, but, for example, having different power requirements or limitations can be prevented from being connected to an improper charging station to prevent damage to the connectors or devices, or blowing a fuse, for example.

[0024] Additionally, the magnetic couplers 42 can provide a connection force when the magnets are coupled together, and this connection force inhibits disconnection of the connector parts 12, 14. The connection force may be controlled as a function of the magnetic field of the magnets to provide a desired force holding the connector parts 12, 14 together while allowing disconnection of the connector parts 12, 14 under a force greater than the connection force. Further, the mating faces of the magnets may have a desired surface area to provide a desired magnetic coupling force between the magnets. In at least some implementations, the mating faces are arranged parallel to each other andperpendicular to the assembly direction 20 of the electrical connector parts 12, 14. In at least some implementations, a coupling force between the magnets is between IN and 500N.

[0025] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable construction and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as "a," "the," "said," etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electrical connector, comprising: a first connector part having a first contact and a first coupler part; a second connector part having a second coupler part and a second contact engageable with the first contact when the first part is connected to the second part, wherein the first coupler part includes a first magnet having a first mating face including multiple pole regions and the second coupler part includes a second magnet having a second mating face including multiple pole regions arranged complementarily to the pole regions of the first mating face so that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled together when the first connector part and the second connector part are connected together.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the multiple pole regions of the first mating face include at least one pole region of a first polarity and at least one pole region of a second polarity.

3. The connector of claim 1 or 2 wherein the at least one pole region of a first polarity includes at least two pole regions of a first polarity.

4. The connector of claim 1 or 2 wherein the at least one pole region of a first polarity is surrounded by one of the at least one pole regions of the second polarity.

5. The connector of any one of the claims 1 to 4 wherein the first connector partincludes a main body and the first magnet is carried by the main body.

6. The connector of any one of the claims 1 to 5 wherein the second connector part includes a main body and the second magnet is carried by the main body of the second connector part.

7. The connector of any one of the claims 1 to 6 wherein the main body of the first connector part includes an insert and the main body of the second connector part includes a cavity in which at least part of the insert is received when the first connector part and the second connector part are connected together, and wherein the first magnet is located outboard of the insert and the second magnet is located outboard of the cavity.

8. A pair of coupler parts for engagement with an electrical connector according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, comprising: a first coupler part and a second coupler part, wherein the first coupler part includes a first magnet having a first mating face including multiple pole regions and the second coupler part includes a second magnet having a second mating face including multiple pole regions arranged complementarily to the pole regions of the first mating face so that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled together when the first coupler part and the second coupler part are mated.

9. The pair of coupler parts of claim 8 wherein the multiple pole regions of the first mating face include at least one pole region of a first polarity and at least one pole regionof a second polarity.

10. The pair of coupler parts of claim 8 or 9 wherein the at least one pole region of a first polarity includes at least two pole regions of a first polarity.

11. The pair of coupler parts of claim 9 or 10 wherein the at least one pole region of a first polarity is surrounded by one of the at least one pole regions of the second polarity.

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