| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20130087690 | OPTICAL CONNECTION OF DEVICES - Optical connectors, adapters, and devices with such are provided. Optical connectors can have a relatively large diameter for the optical interface. For example, optical connectors can include a collector for receiving optical signals at a large opening and providing signals to a photodiode at a small opening of the collector. Such optical connectors with a large diameter for an optical interface can advantageously provide reduced alignment tolerances and/or provide high data rates. Adapters can use a collector to convert optical data signals from a large width fiber to a smaller width fiber. An optical connector can be in a docking station, and lie underneath a bottom surface of a recess in the docking station. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130089290 | HYBRID OPTICAL CONNECTOR - Connector systems that carry electrical signals and optical signals in a single connector are provided. A male electro-optical connector can have an electrical insert portion that fits into a receptacle of a female electro-optical connector to provide a structural connection. The optical interface can be advantageously near a front of the connectors for easy maintenance. Optical connectors with a relatively large diameter for the optical interface are also provided. Optical connectors can include a collector for receiving optical signals at a large opening and providing signals to a photodiode at a small opening of the collector. Such optical connectors with a large diameter for an optical interface can advantageously provide reduced alignment tolerances. Adapters, cable adapters, docking stations, and other apparatus can also be provided. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130115826 | REDUCED SIZE MULTI-PIN FEMALE RECEPTACLE CONNECTOR - Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors having a reduced size in at least one direction can be provided. One example reduces height by not including a center contact tab or tongue, but instead places contacts on an insulator that is adjacent to a bottom portion of the receptacle. Another example may reduce width by reducing contact pitch, and may use a particular shape of contact to achieve god signal quality. Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors can also provide support for one or more new high-speed communication standards, such as USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. Methods can provide one or more standardized connector components to speed connector design and manufacture of new electronic devices such as media players, thus reducing their time to market. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130210261 | RETENTION MECHANISM DEVICE - An improved retention mechanism having corresponding retention features is provided herein. The mechanism may include a pair of spring arm retention features in a connector receptacle engageable with a corresponding pair of recessed retention features in a connector tab and backup spring members for reducing stress within the spring arms during insertion of the tab and/or lubricating members for lubricating the retention mechanism. The backup spring is positioned adjacent an outer-facing surface or extends laterally outward from the spring arms so that deflection of the spring arms displaces the backup spring reducing stresses within each arm and/or increasing the retention force on the. The backup spring may include any or all of a bent portion of an bracket or arm, a wire, a loop, a complementary spring arm, dual backup springs, elastomeric members, compression springs and lubricating members. Methods of use and assembly such retention mechanisms are also provided. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130244472 | RETENTION MECHANISM DEVICE - A retention latch mechanism having corresponding retention features and stress reducing members is provided herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the retention latch mechanism comprises a pair of spring arm retention features of a receptacle engageable with a corresponding pair of recessed retention features of an insertable tab and one or more backup spring members for reducing stress within the spring arms during insertion of the tab into the receptacle. The backup spring may be positioned adjacent an outward facing surface such that outward lateral deflection of the spring arms deflects the backup spring thereby reducing force within the spring arm. The backup spring may include any or all of a bent portion of an associated bracket or arm member, a wire, a loop, a complementary spring arm, dual backup springs, elastomeric members and self-lubricating members. Methods of providing retention of a tab within a receptacle are also provided herein. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130244496 | CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE WITH SIDE GROUND CONTACTS - Connector receptacles having a contoured form factor that allows their use in stylized enclosures. These receptacles may also be contoured to avoid circuitry internal to the device enclosure. The contoured form factor may also simplify the assembly of the connector receptacle. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20140060917 | COMBINED AUDIO JACK AND MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE ENCLOSURE - Enclosures for electronic devices are provided. These enclosures can be integrally formed with a full or partial receptacle connector shell for receiving electrical connectors such as audio connectors or plugs. For example, an enclosure made from a polymer can be integrally formed with an audio jack shell in an injection molding process. As another example, an enclosure can be integrally formed with one or more full or partial walls of an audio jack shell to form a single piece of polymer or metal and the remaining walls of the audio jack shell can be overmolded or assembled to the polymer or metal walls of the audio jack and proximate portions of the enclosure to form a full or complete audio jack shell. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140073182 | Reinforcing Bars in I/O Connectors - Reinforcing bars or a reinforcing element with holes can be embedded within the shell of a receptacle connector to strengthen the shell, and potentially provide shielding. For example, a receptacle connector having a plurality of contacts configured to mate with corresponding contacts of a corresponding plug connector can include a shell having an opening for receiving the corresponding plug connector. The shell can include an upper portion and reinforcing bars embedded within the upper portion. The shell can include an upper portion and a reinforcing element with holes embedded within the upper portion. Methods for manufacturing the shell are also provided. | 03-13-2014 |
