EP0971462B1 - Mixed connector assembly - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mixed connection assembly for a mobile device, in particular for a mobile telephone. The mobile phone can thus be a handset used both in the field of GSM and a domestic way. More generally, the invention relates to all devices whose connection must be able to be performed simply, on demand. It could be for example any device based on a base to recharge its battery.

The object of the invention is to solve a problem that arises in mixed connection sets. Indeed, we consider in the domain of the connection two families of connectors. A first family concerns insert connectors, a second family concerns connectors by pressure. In both cases, a plug must be approached from a base, from a socket. The plug and socket have terminations providing contact and electrical cables connected to these terminations. In the pressure connection mode, the contact between conductive parts, normally metallic, of the plug with corresponding conductive parts of the base serves as a limit to the relative approximation of the base and the plug. With respect to the direction of approach of these two parts towards each other, the conductive parts are presented in a frontal manner.

In the insertion contacts the plug must be inserted into a cavity of the base, the contacts between the conductive areas of the plug and the base are generally made by sliding. The contact force is in this case lateral, that is to say perpendicular to the relative direction of advancement of the plug and the base. In the insertion connection mode, the sliding of the metal parts over one another can lead to their wear. To avoid this, landing connectors may be provided. In the latter case, the advance of the plug in the base causes a perpendicular displacement of the conductive areas of the base to come into contact, at the end of the race, the metal areas of the plug. It can also be considered that the pressure connection assemblies are landing devices whose landing angle is large.

Pressure connectors are poorly suited for plugs but are useful for chargers and vehicle kits. Insertion connectors are poorly suited for chargers and vehicle kits but well suited for making plugs.

It is known to manufacture mixed connectors that is to say connectors whose base is likely to receive alternately a pressure contact plug or an insert contact plug. PCT patent application WO-A-97/36350 describes in this field such a connector that can be used in two ways. In a connector of this type, the metal pressure connection zones can be electrically extended into metal inserts.

The development of the use of electrical appliances, especially in the field of telephony, leads to search bases with various functions. For example, a pedestal to be installed in a car is envisaged. In this case, the base can be designed to receive a mobile phone to recharge the battery of this mobile phone while it rests in the base. In addition, in this same use it is envisaged that the very fact of placing the mobile phone in the base switches audio channels (the speaker and the microphone) is on a headset microphone that the driver of the vehicle can wear on the head or on a speaker microphone assembly installed in the vehicle facing that driver to enable hands-free communication. Similarly, it is envisaged to connect a vibrator that would replace the ring, so as to alert the vibrator carrier that the mobile phone is receiving a call. It is also envisaged to use the base to relay the transmission of messages carried by this mobile phone. The relay is performed for example by a microwave link in home frequency (for example 27 MHz). Finally, in the field of data transmission, particularly in the case of facsimile transmission, it is planned to be able to connect a microcomputer to the base which is itself connected to the mobile telephone in order to use the latter as a means of transmission. digital data. As can be seen, the need for connection with the mobile phone can be very varied. In addition, it appears necessary to organize the simultaneous use of links of different types.

The invention solves this problem and at the same time draws part of the existence of the mixed connectors, by pressure and by insertion, for allow at least two connections from the base simultaneously to two different devices. According to the invention, it will connect to the base at the same time a plug by pressure and a plug by insertion. In this case in a preferred manner, the mobile phone will not be placed on the base but connected to a relay cable fitted on one end of the corresponding plug, the plug by pressure or the plug by insertion. Other equipment will then be connected to another cable provided at one end of the other plug. The two cards of the invention can be connected at the same time in the base because they have complementary shapes. The complementarity of these plugs is such that one can be connected without the other, while still ensuring its maintenance in the base of the connector. In addition, their contacting with the base can be successive, one plug being put in contact before the other, the two can therefore be in contact at the same time. In this way, with the connection assembly of the invention, this problem of simultaneity of use is solved. In this case, the base can serve as a connection relay.

The subject of the invention is therefore a mixed connection assembly for a mobile device, especially a telephone, of the pressure and insertion type, comprising a base provided with a set of frontal metallizations for use as a pressure contact and a set of metallizations. lateral to serve as insertion contact, characterized in that it comprises a set of complementary plugs provided with corresponding metallizations, respectively by pressure and by insertion, to electrically cooperate simultaneously respectively with the front and side metallizations.

• Figures 1a à 1c : des représentations respectivement en perspective et en coupe d'un ensemble de connexion mixte selon l'invention ;
• Figures 2a à 2c : les représentations en perspective et en coupe d'un perfectionnement montrant une réalisation préférée du mode de contact par pression.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These are given only as an indication and in no way limit the invention. The figures show:

• Figures 1a to 1c: respectively perspective and sectional representations of a mixed connection assembly according to the invention;
• Figures 2a to 2c: the perspective and sectional representations of an improvement showing a preferred embodiment of the pressure contact mode.

Figure 1a shows, according to the invention, in perspective a set of mixed connection for a mobile, including a telephone mobile. The connection assembly comprises a base 1 provided with a set 2 of frontal metallizations. The base 1 is also provided with a set 3 of lateral metallizations. The frontal metallizations are intended to serve as pressure contact by engagement of a plug against a front 4 of the base 1. The metallizations of the set 3 serve to establish insertion contacts with corresponding metallizations of a plug which would be engaged in a cavity 5 of the base 1. In the preferred example shown, for a mixed assembly the front metallizations 6 of the game 2 and the lateral metallizations 7 of the game 3 can be respectively connected to each other. They are also connected to equipment, not shown in Figure 1a, as will be explained later.

The connection assembly further comprises a set of 8 complementary sheets. A first plug 9 is intended to come into contact by pressure with the metallizations 6 of the game 2. A second plug 10 is intended to come into contact, by insertion, with the metallizations 7 of the game 3. For this purpose of complementarity, the plug 9 has a generally parallelepipedal shape rectangle with a front edge 11 on which are outlaid metallizations such as 12 and 13 of a set of metallizations corresponding to the game 2. The metallizations 12 and 13 may in practice be in the form of lamellae. These strips extend on an upper face 14 of the parallelepiped of the plug 9. The plug 9 can be rigid, the extensions 15 and 16 of the frontal metallizations 12 and 13 being brought in a flexible cable, itself connected to equipment using this connection mode. The cable can be terminated at its other end by a connector, preferably of the insertion type, connectable to the equipment (for example a mobile phone). The extensions 15 and 16 can be placed at the bottom of channels arranged in the face 14, so as to have an electrical insulation vis-à-vis a metal object which would be placed on the face 14.

The plug 10 has metallizations or conductive zones 17, 18 intended to come by sliding in contact with the metallizations 7 of the set 3. The plug 10 also has for this purpose a rigid end which fits into the cavity 5. This rigid end is connected to a flexible cable that extends the metallizations 17 and 18 to another equipment (for example a microcomputer). The connection of the metallizations 17 - 18 to the metallizations 7 is obtained by realizing, for example, these metallizations under form of flexible metal strips that repel each other during insertion.

According to the invention, the plugs 9 and 10 have complementary shapes. Thus the plug 10 has a contact surface 19 intended to be placed, with or without electrical contact, above the face 14. The complementarity still concerns the existence of two reliefs with respect to a surface defined by these faces 14 and 19. These reliefs can be projecting or in cavity with respect to a front face of the base 1. In the example shown, the base 1 thus has two grooves 20 and 21 located on either side of a transverse extension 22 of the games 2 and 3 of metallizations. Corresponding to these grooves 20 and 21, the plugs 9 and 10 respectively have a plating 23 and a plating 24. When the plug 9 is placed against the base 1, the plating 23 is embedded in the groove 20 placed on the right side of the transverse extension 22. For this purpose the shell 23 is provided, at its engagement end, with a conical portion 25 facilitating the introduction and a sliding portion 26 providing guidance in the groove 20. The shell 24 has corresponding arrangements. For the latter, the sliding portion may be longer to take advantage of the insertion length.

It is possible to use the plug 9 alone and to provide it symmetrically with a shell 27 of the same type as the shell 23. In this case, the complementarity of the plugs 9 and 10 will be obtained by sliding the plug 10 in a clearance 28 formed between the two sides 23 and 27. It is also possible to provide other forms of complementarity. In particular, instead of presenting the insertion grooves 20 and 21, the cavity 5 may have other profiles. The other profiles must allow, at least, to correctly present each of the two cards on the base 1, the other card can also make use of the existence of reliefs, or grooves, made in the first form for housing in correspondence in the base 1. In any case, one plug may be in contact with the base without the other being there.

As shown, the base 1 thus cooperates with two complementary plugs by superposition for the connection. It would nevertheless be possible, in the direction of the lateral extension 22, to provide other connection assemblies each comprising a base 1 with associated sets 2 and 3 of connections, and intended to cooperate with plugs. corresponding. In one example, a triple pedestal 1 with a set 2-3 of eight-contact metallizations has thus been realized to ensure data transmission (for an eight-wire bus), a set of three contacts three to ensure the load. mobile device, and finally a game 2-3 of eight contacts also to deport all audio functions, the existence of a vibrator, a microphone-headphone etc. The three games are side by side. Optionally a central groove 20 or 21 may be common to two games.

FIG. 1b shows in section the preferred mounting of the plugs 9 and 10 in the base 1. The base 1 thus comprises lamellae 29 for forming the metallizations 6 and 7 held in a molded structure constituting the base 1. The lamellae 29 have a part 6 in the base 1, and a lateral portion 7 extending inside the cavity 5. The slats 29 also have, in a preferred variant, a rear extension 30 which also penetrates into the cavity 5. Part 6 of the lamella 29 is intended to cooperate electrically by contact with a front contact face 12 of a connection 16 of the plug 9. The portion 7 of the lamella 29 is intended to cooperate electrically with a metallization 18 of the plug 10. The lamella 29 thus has a 6-lateral front portion 7 capable of an elastic displacement around an axis of rotation 31. As will be explained later this elastic movement contributes both to a good hold of the plug by pressing 9, and good contact of the plug by insertion 10.

Through the rear of the cavity 5 can also be penetrated into the base 1 another plug 32 by insertion provided with lateral conductive zones 33 to come into contact with the extensions 30. If necessary the base 1 can be screwed against a structure 34 by screws 35.

In the example shown in Figure 1b, the plug 9 by pressure is connected to a desktop charger, or a vehicle kit with a plug 39 to be connected to the cigarette lighter of a vehicle. The plug 10 is connected to a microcomputer 38. The plug 32 from the back is connected to a mobile phone. As explained above, other sets of connections 2-3 may be arranged laterally according to extension 22 to allow the connection of a headset, or a small home frequency transceiver for wireless relaying of messages. mobile phone. This is particularly useful for people who do not have pockets where to put a mobile phone, put it in a bag and prefer to use a much lighter headset microphone to enter into conversation.

FIGS. 1a and 1b still show a preferred mode of locking the plug 10 in the cavity 5. For this purpose, the plug 10, FIG. 1a, has a plane notch 40. In correspondence with the notch 40, the base 1 comprises on a retaining flank 41 an elastic tongue 42. The retaining flank 41 is opposite a flank 43, internal to the cavity 5, against which are plated metallizations 7 serving in the insertion connection. The tongue 42 has two slopes with respect to the flank 41. A first slope 44 is slightly inclined relative to the holding flank 41. This slope 44 serves for the easy engagement of the front part of the plug 10. At the time of this engagement one end of the tongue 42 is pushed into a clearance in the wall 41. At the end, the tongue 42 has a stop 45 with an inclination 46 much more pronounced. The abutment 45 is intended to abut against a wall 47 of the notch 40. The inclination 46 is strong so as to constitute an effective block against too natural removal of the plug 10. The slope 46 is not perpendicular to the face 45 to allow nevertheless this désinsertion, by a sufficient force of traction on the plug 10. For this purpose it may include an extraction ring 48. The notch 40 has a complementary manner to the slopes 44 and 46 a triangular profile. It would of course be possible to reverse, in the plug 10 and in the wall 41, the presence of the notch 40 and the tongue 42. The solution shown is however preferred because only in this case the base 1 must be provided different tongues 29 and 42. This simplifies the manufacture if these tongues are all metal. The tongue 42 may nevertheless be made of plastic. The base 1 and the plugs 9 and 10 can be obtained by completely conventional moldings.

FIG. 1c shows the juxtaposition of three insertion plugs 10 with planar slots 40. The three plugs serve respectively, and simultaneously in insertion in the base 1, the audio function, the load and the data transfer function. The audio connector and the data transfer connector preferably have eight electrical contacts each. The presence of notches 40 in the upper face allows such a juxtaposition. The base 1 then comprises three cavities 5 juxtaposed, according to a lateral extension 22 metallizations to each receive one of the three cards.

Figure 2a shows in perspective a preferred embodiment of a pressure connection. In this case a plug 9 comes to rest above the front blades 6 of the game 2. The plug 9 comprises in correspondence on a front edge 11 of the slats 12-13 to come into contact by pressure with the slats of the game 2. According to an important characteristic, the slats 12 and 13, in their mechanical cooperation with the slats of the game 2, constitute a reaction force 49 tending to push the plug 9 upwards.

The base 1 further comprises a set of hooks 50 and 51 intended to be hooked inside cavities arranged in the edge 11. There is shown the hooks 50-51 protruding above the front face 55 of the base 1 but it would be quite possible to invert the mechanism and make the hooks 50 in the conical protrusions 25 of the plating 26 and 27 as appropriate (see Figure 1a). In doing so, the hooks 50 tend on the contrary to attract, by an elastic arrangement which will be shown later, the plug 9 in the direction 52 of the base 1. The forces 49 and 52 thus formed form according to the invention a reversal torque of the card 9 (or the mobile phone that would be provided at the bottom end of such a card).

This reversal torque is fought either by the existence of a backrest 53 secured to the base 1, or by the thickness 54 of the front 55 of the base 1. The corresponding reaction force 56 is oriented in the same direction as the effort 49.

Under these conditions the pressure contact of the slats 12 and 13 on the game 12 metallizations 6 is much better. Indeed a mobile phone, in the preferred example, must be as light as possible. If one relies on its sole weight to ensure pressure contact with the slats of the game 2 it immediately leads to insufficient pressure. Indeed, especially when the game 2 has about ten contacts and when the mobile phone weighs about 100 grams, the pressure forces on each blade are of the order of 10 grams: they are very insufficient. On the other hand, when the mobile phone is placed in abutment on the face 55 according to the invention, the operator can easily press for a short time with a significant force, for example of the order of 5 Kg. In this case, it forces the engagement of the hooks 50 and 51 in the corresponding cavities. It is possible to choose the elastic forces of the hooks 50 and 51 so that they each exert a holding force of the order of 1 Kg. As a result, a force of 2 Kg is then available to be distributed over a dozen contacts. : 200 grams per contact, which is very sufficient.

2b shows schematically in section the cooperation of the hooks 50 and 51. Cavities 57 are formed in the edge 11 of the plug 9 facing pins 58 carried by the base 1 (or vice versa). The pins 58 comprise the hooks 50. The cavities 57 are provided with hook tongues 59. The hook tongues 59 may be made at the time of manufacture by molding the plug 9. The tongues 59 project into the cavity 57 and are maintained in the structure of the plug 9. The maintenance can be a molding by holding for example. The tabs 59 comprise an end 60 intended to cooperate with a point 61 of a hook 50. At the time of insertion, it is necessary to force (in an example with 5 Kg) on the plug 9 or the mobile phone to embed it and pass the end 60 of the tongue beyond the tip 61. For disengagement, either the base is sufficiently heavy, or it is attached to a non-removable part (dashboard of the car), or again the operator uses both hands to disengage both pieces. The tip 61 thus has with respect to the end 60 two slopes respectively 62 and 63 whose inclination will be chosen according to the ease and difficulty, insertion and tearing desired.

By doing so, efforts 49 and 52 balance out. Note the intermediate position of the force 52 between the efforts 49 and 56. Dashed return lines show the distribution of forces. In order to allow this equilibrium of constraints, the front face 55 of the base 1 comprises an inclined plane 64 which can accept a tongue 6 at the time of insertion if the embedding direction is not well perpendicular to the face 55 The inclined plane 64 promotes in particular a setting up with a slight rotation of the plug 9 in the base 1. This rotation associated with the specific shape of the pins 58 allows to insert and extract the plug 9 of the base 1 without any effort.

Figure 2c shows a variant of these hooks. The base 1 comprises on its edge 55 a cavity 65 provided with an overhang 66. The plug 9 comprises a hook 67 provided with an elastic hook 68. For engagement, the hook 67 of the plug 9 is lowered into the cavity 65. Then the plug 9 is rectified. This straightening is facilitated by the presence of telescopic electrical contacts 69 bearing, in alignment, above the overhang 66.

Claims (6)

1. A mixed connection assembly for a mobile device, notably a telephone device, of the pressure and insertion type, including a base (1) provided with a set (2) of front metallizations to be used as a pressure contact and a set (3) of lateral metallizations to be used as an insertion contact, characterized in that it includes a set (8) of complementary (23, 24) plugs (9, 10) provided with matching metallizations (12, 13, 17, 18), by pressure and insertion respectively, in order to electrically cooperate simultaneously with the front and lateral metallizations respectively.
2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the base 1 includes two placement reliefs (20, 21) located on either side of a transverse extension (22) of the metallizations, a relief cooperating with a border (23) for placing the pressure plug, the other relief cooperating with a border (24) for placing the insertion plug.
3. The assembly according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the complementary plugs each include a flexible portion interposed between a rigid portion, provided with a border and to be connected in the base, and a connector for electrically connecting a device to the base.
4. The assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the base includes several sets of juxtaposed metallizations to be notably used for a charging connection, a data transmission connection, and a remote audio connection, and several sets of plugs corresponding to these sets of metallizations.
5. The assembly according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the front metallizations are connected to the lateral metallizations.
6. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the metallizations include metal lamellae which extend on the rear (30) of the base so as to form another insertion connector in the base.

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