GB2378054A

GB2378054A - Using a zip as an electrical connector

Info

Publication number: GB2378054A
Application number: GB0117779A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ronald Bourne; Brian Cosgrove; Stepen Harrison; Martin Norman Mason
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2001-07-20
Filing date: 2001-07-20
Publication date: 2003-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-20
Also published as: GB0117779D0; GB2378054B

Abstract

A zip fastener is used as an electrical connector. Some of the teeth are conductive and some are insulating, allowing the connector to be multi-pole. The connector may be attached to clothing, with the wires to it woven into the fabric of the clothing or the zip. Different layouts of teeth can be used so that one connector may mate with a variety of other equipment.

Description

Electrical Connector Field of the Invention This invention relates to providing electrical connection.

The invention is applicable to, but not limited to, providing multiway connection.

Background of the Invention A variety of different electrical connectors are known for connecting conducting leads or wires, or other conducting elements, such as tracks on a printed circuit board.

Conventional connectors are usually of the push-fit design, e. g. plug and socket. In the case of multiway connection, many pins and sockets may be connected at the same time by a push fit method, e. g. in a printer cable connection to a personal computer. Such types of connection are also conventionally used to connect two or more printed circuit boards together.

The accumulative force of pushing all the different separate connections of such connectors together is high, requiring strong mechanical properties and leading to potential breakage/wear and tear. Also, such connections frequently do not provide a fixing force, and hence often a separate mechanical fixing needs to be employed, such as screws in addition to the pin connections on a printer/personal computer connection.

A general need therefore arises for an improved and alternative type of connector and method.

It is further known that present methods of making electrical/electronic devices (e. g. , radios or cellular telephones) easier to carry is to make them smaller, and to integrate functionality from several devices into one device to decrease the number of such items to be carried.

However, making the devices small sometimes has adverse usability aspects and the integration of devices can limit the flexibility to tailor the function of the device to a user's precise requirements. It has therefore been proposed to incorporate electrical items in clothing.

Conventional methods of electrically connecting modules within the piece of clothing so that they may communicate with one another for both electrical power and data while retaining modularity are limited in their suitability for providing flexibility and ease of use.

It is known that'press studs' (also known as'snap' fasteners) are used as electrical connectors (e. g. , as used on anti-static wrist bands). It has also been proposed to use suspenders as electrical connectors.

However, this approach has the disadvantage that press studs and suspenders become an impractical solution for a large number of connections.

Thus a further particular need arises for an improved electrical connection means for connecting electrical items in relation to clothing.

Unrelated to electrical connection applications, zip fasteners, also known as zippers, have been known for a very long time, the first patent for a zip fastener being granted in 1917 (US 1,219, 881).

Statement of Invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting items, as claimed in claim 1.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of connecting and fixing together printed circuit boards, as claimed in claim 6.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of attaching electrical equipment to clothing and making electrical connections therefor, as claimed in claim 7.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides portable electrical apparatus, as claimed in claim 8.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides electrical apparatus, as claimed in claim 11.

In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides an electrical connector, as claimed in claim 12.

Further aspects are as claimed in the dependent claims.

The present invention uses a zip fastener, also known as a zipper, for electrical connection.

Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an illustration (not to scale) of a first embodiment of a zip fastener connector ; FIG. 2A shows a person wearing a jacket with a lightweight battery driven music player sewn into the jacket; FIG. 2B shows a display device connected to leads of the music player of FIG. 2B by means of a zip fastener connector; FIGS. 3A-3F show different arrangements of zip fastener teeth with respect to conducting and insulating property ; and FIG. 4 shows a part of a zip fastener connector.

Description of Preferred Embodiments FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a first embodiment of a zip fastener (or zipper) connector 1.

The zip fastener connector 1 is based on a conventional mechanical zip fastener, and comprises, in common with such conventional zip fasteners, two strips of fabric (of any suitable flexible material, including woven material or plastic etc. ) 2,3, sometimes referred to as tapes. Affixed on the first strip of fabric 2 are teeth 4-12 (also known as elements), forming a first set of teeth. Affixed on the second strip of fabric 3 are teeth 14-22, forming a second set of teeth. Also fixed on the first strip of fabric 1 are a bottom stop 30 and a top stop 32. Also fixed on the second strip of fabric 2 is a top stop 34.

A slider 36 is positioned such that the teeth 4-12,14-22 pass through the slider 36 and mesh together, i. e. become interlocked, when passing through the slider 36.

Optionally, a pull-tab 38 is provided on the slider 36 to facilitate a user sliding the slider over the teeth. The bottom stop 30 and the two end stops 32,34 prevent the slider from sliding off the last teeth.

Such zip fasteners, their characteristics, their manufacture, and their operation are well known, and the above described parts may in practice take the form of any conventional zip fastener, for example a separating zip fastener instead of the closed bottom zip fastener of FIG.

1, or a zip fastener with two sliders, e. g. one at each

In a simple form of this invention, the zip fastener connector 1 provides only one-pole or one-way connection.

In this case all the teeth 4-12,14-22 are made to be electrically conducting, i. e. are made from a metal, e. g. copper, or coated in an electrically conducting material, for example are gold-plated or nickel-plated.

Additionally, at least one of the teeth in the first set of teeth, in this example tooth 5, is connected to a conducting lead 40 from one of a pair of items to be electrically connected, and at least one of the teeth from the other set that touches the tooth 5 when the sets are interlocked, in this example tooth 15, is connected to a conducting lead 42 from the other item to be electrically connected.

Thus, in operation, when the zip fastener is interlocked by operation of the slider, the conducting lead 40 is electrically connected to the conducting lead 42.

Moreover, if the electrical item from which conducting lead 40 extends is attached to the fabric strip 2, and likewise, the electrical item from which conducting lead 42 extends is attached to the fabric strip 3, then these two items become mechanically fixed together by virtue of the zip fastener connector 1.

In a more complex embodiment, the zip fastener connector 1 may provide multi-way connection, that is a plurality of separate independent (i. e. insulated from each other) electrical connections. One such example is shown in FIG.

1, in that a further connection is made between tooth 11

of the first set of teeth, which is connected to a conducting lead 44 (shown in dotted outline as it is only present in this more complex embodiment), and tooth 21 of the second set of teeth, which is connected to a conducting lead 46 (also shown in dotted outline as it is also only present in this more complex embodiment).

Electrical connection between tooth 11 and tooth 21 is provided by both tooth 11 and tooth 21 being electrically conducting, as per tooth 5 and tooth 15. However, in order to isolate this connection between teeth 11 and 21 from the other connection between teeth 5 and 15, at least one of the teeth from at least one of the sets of teeth 4-12, 14-22 positioned between the two connections is of an electrically insulating form, i. e. is either made from an electrically insulating material, for example nylon, or is coated in such a material.

In this particular example, all the teeth except for teeth 5,15, 10 and 21 are made to be insulating, but the layout of conducting compared to insulating teeth may be chosen as required. Also, more than two connections may be provided, and in the case of larger numbers of connections, e. g. 20-way, systematic arrangement of conducting compared to insulating teeth may be selected as required. (Indeed, certain exemplary layouts will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3F.) In each of the above embodiments, the conducting leads may be woven into the respective fabric strips 2 and 3.

The above described zip fastener connector 1 may be employed in any situation requiring an electrical connector, especially where the strong mechanical fixing provided by the zip fastener's mechanical characteristics is useful.

Depending on the items being connected, it may be preferable to connect a zero volts (OV), or other"safe" connection, to those teeth which will form the connection that will be the first connection to be formed when the slider action interlocks the teeth e. g. in the case of FIG. 1, the connection provided by teeth 15 and 5 would be connected to OV rather than the connection provided by teeth 11 and 21.

In a preferred embodiment, the zip fastener connector 1 is used for connecting two electrical modules that are included in, or readily fixed to, clothing, as in the following example.

FIG. 2A shows a person 50 wearing a jacket 52. The jacket 52 has a lightweight battery driven music player 54 sewn into it, or as an integral part of it. The music player 54 has two conducting leads 56,58, that extend along the arm portion of the jacket 53 to a first half 60 of a zip fastener of the type described in the second embodiment above. Leads 56 and 58 may run outside the jacket. They may alternatively run either inside the jacket, or inside the material layers of the jacket.

The fabric strip, to which a set of teeth is fixed, is sewn into the material of the jacket 52. The jacket 52 also comprises an optional pouch 62 near the first half of the zip fastener connector.

Also shown in FIG. 2A is an optional display device 64 which may be connected when desired by the user 50 to the music player 54. The display device 64 comprises a second half 66 of a zip fastener connector.

When the user 50 wishes to connect the display device 64 to the music player 54, the user zips the two halves of the zip fastener connector together using a slider (not shown) thereby interlocking the teeth in conventional zip fastener manner.

FIG. 2B shows the resulting state, with the display device 64 connected to the leads 56,58 of the music player 54 by means of the zip fastener connector's two halves 60,66 being interlocked, thereby completing the zip fastener connector 1. In this example the display device is also placed in the pouch 62, which stops the display device swinging around when the user 50 moves about, but nevertheless the means by which the display device is fundamentally fixed to the jacket 52, i. e. such that it will not fall off even if the arm is swung wildly, is the zip fastener connector.

It will be appreciated that the embodiments shown in FIGS.

1,2A and 2B are merely exemplary, and a vast number of other implementations are possible. In the case of FIGS.

2A and 2B, any type of clothing may be combined with any type of electrical products requiring to be carried and interconnected. The different modules (e. g. music player, display device etc. ) may be built in or attached to clothing or other items (e. g. baggage, straps etc. ) in any suitable way, and likewise the leads 56,58 and other equivalent leads may be implemented as required, e. g. woven into material, attached to the surface, left free, etc.

Alternatively, the display may be an integral part of a sleeve assembly that is zipped on to a sleeveless jacket, possibly in order to replace a conventional sleeve without any electrical items in it.

As mentioned above, different layouts of conducting teeth compared to insulating teeth are possible, as will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3A-3F.

FIGS. 3A-3F show different arrangements of teeth with respect to conducting and insulating property. In each case the drawing is schematic to illustrate basic possibilities, and as such are not to scale and do not indicate any limitations as to length, number of connections of a whole connector, etc.

In Figs. 3A-3F, for clarity, the teeth are shown as rectangles rather than barb-shaped. In FIGS. 3A-3C, conducting teeth are shown shaded and insulating teeth are shown clear. Additionally, in FIGS. 3D-3F, conducting

portions of each tooth are shown shaded and insulating portions are shown clear.

FIG. 3A shows one arrangement. In a first set of teeth 101-107, every second tooth 101,103, 105,107 is insulating, and the teeth therebetween 102,104, 106 are each conducting. Likewise, in a second set of teeth 111- 117, every second tooth 111,113, 115,117 is insulating, and the teeth therebetween 112,114, 116 are each conducting.

Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG. 3A, three separate connections are made by conducting pairs of teeth 102/112,104/114 and 106/116, each separate connection being electrically isolated from the others by the insulating pairs of teeth 101/111,103/113, 105/115 and 107/117. This arrangement allows the same manufacturing set-up to be used for both sets of teeth (they are the same as each other) and provides a uniform distribution of connections.

A modification is to have more insulating teeth between each conducting tooth, so providing stronger isolation between the separate connections, or more conducting teeth between insulating teeth to increase current carrying capabilities, or a combination of both modifications.

FIG. 3B shows another arrangement. In a first set of teeth 121-127, every second tooth 121,123, 125,127 is insulating, and the teeth therebetween 122,124, 126 are each conducting. However, in a second set of teeth 131-

137, each tooth 131-137 is conducting. Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG. 3B, three separate connections are made by conducting pairs of teeth 132/122/133,134/124/135 and 136/126/137, each separate connection being electrically isolated from the others by the insulating teeth 121,123, 125 and 127. This arrangement allows one of the sets of teeth to be manufactured entirely from conducting teeth, as with conventional metal zip fasteners, hence possibly reducing cost.

FIG. 3C shows another arrangement. In a first set of teeth 141-147, the teeth 141,143 and 147 are insulating, the remaining teeth 142,144, 145,146 are conducting. In a second set of teeth 151-157, teeth 151, 153, 155, are insulating, and the teeth 152,154, 156,157 are each conducting. Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG.

3C, three separate connections are made by conducting groups of teeth 142/152,144/154 and 145/156/146/157, each separate connection being electrically isolated from the others by the insulating groups of teeth 141/151,143/153, and single insulating teeth 147,155. This arrangement provides varying size of connection point, i. e. the connection provided by teeth 145/156/146/157 contains more teeth than the other connections. Therefore, it may be used for a higher current carrying connection. The number of teeth so arranged may be selected as required.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 3C may be considered as a modification of the arrangement of FIG. 3A. A similar

modification may be made to the arrangement shown in FIG.

3B.

FIG. 3D shows another arrangement. Each of the teeth comprises a conducting portion (shown shaded) and an insulating portion (shown clear). The relative position of conducting portion to insulating portion is reversed in the second set of teeth (162) compared to the first set of teeth (161). Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG.

3D, a separate connection is made from each conducting part of a tooth from the first set (161) with a conducting part of a corresponding tooth of the second set (162).

This provides a high density of connections, in that one connection may be provided for each interlocked tooth pair. Also, the same manufacturing process may be employed for both sets of teeth.

FIG. 3E shows another arrangement. In a first set of teeth (171), each of the teeth comprises a conducting portion (shown shaded) and an insulating portion (shown clear).

However, the teeth of the second set of teeth (172) are each completely conducting (shown shaded). Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG. 3E, a separate connection is made from each conducting part of a tooth from the first set with a corresponding tooth of the second set.

This again provides a high density of connections, in that one connection may be provided for each interlocked tooth pair. This arrangement allows one of the sets of teeth to be manufactured entirely from conducting teeth, as with conventional metal zip fasteners, hence possibly reducing cost.

FIG. 3F shows another arrangement. Each of the teeth comprises a central insulating portion (shown clear) with a conducting portion (shown shaded) either side of the insulating portion. Thus, in the interlocked state shown in FIG. 3F, a separate connection is made from each conducting part of a tooth from a first set (181) with a corresponding conducting part of a corresponding tooth of a second set (182). This provides an even higher density of connections than the arrangement of FIG. 3D, in that here two connections may be provided for each interlocked tooth pair. Here, again, the same manufacturing process may be employed for both sets of teeth.

The arrangements shown in FIGS. 3A-3F are simple arrangements showing certain design principles with attendant advantages. More complex designs may be implemented which employ in combination more than one of the above principles.

Another option is to use more than one type of conducting material for different conducting teeth or different conducting portions of conducting teeth. The materials may then be optimized according to the application of the connector, and particularly with respect to different applications (e. g. power compared to data) for different connections being made, e. g. some gold plated, some silver plated.

Referring again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, another option is available when a plurality of different items can be

selected for connection to a given item, e. g. when either the display device 64 or an additional speaker (not shown) may be connected. In order to allow different connections to be made depending on which of the possible items is connected, the different items, e. g. the display device 64 and the speaker are provided with different arrangements of conducting and insulating teeth. In this manner, differing connections can be made by either item when connected to the single, jointly serving first half 60 of the zip fastener connector. In this case, two further leads (also not shown) may be provided in the jacket 52 from the music player 54 to the connector half 60 for connection with the speaker.

The above-described embodiments may be employed for connecting together two printed circuit boards. However, another embodiment will now be described that is particularly suited for connecting together two printed circuit boards. FIG. 4 shows a part of such a zip fastener connector according to this embodiment.

In figure 4, a first flexible tape 401 is fixed to one edge of a first printed circuit board 403. On this first tape 401 is affixed a first set of zip fastener teeth 410- 416, of the physical form shown in the drawing. A second flexible tape 405 is fixed to one edge of a second printed circuit board 407. On this second tape 405 is affixed a second set of zip fastener teeth 420-427, again of the physical form shown in the drawing. The following teeth are insulating: 411,414, 420,423, and 426. The other

teeth, i. e. 410,412, 413,415, 416,421, 422,424, 425, and 427 are conducting.

Each of the conducting teeth 410,412, 413,415, 416,421, 422,424, 425, and 427 has a corresponding connection 430, 432,433, 435,436, 441,442, 444,445, and 447 from the printed circuit board brought to it and coupled thereto.

When the teeth are interlocked by the action of a slider (not shown) consecutive pairs of interlocked teeth make up respective separate electrical connections with an insulating tooth between each consecutive connection pair providing isolation.

The angle of fixing between the printed circuit board 403 and the printed circuit board 407 may be selected as required, i. e. it need not be flat.

Although particularly suited to providing edge connection for printed circuit boards, especially flexible circuit boards, this embodiment may be employed for other edge connection applications.

It will be appreciated that FIG. 4 is not drawn to scale.

Therefore, although some degree of flexibility is required for the printed circuit boards to move from their unconnected position to their connected position, the extent of such flexibility/movement is shown as exaggerated in FIG. 4. Depending on printed circuit board sizes and thickness, even printed circuit boards not normally considered as flexible circuit boards per se may nevertheless have a small amount of flexibility that

proves sufficient to allow connection to be implemented with a zip type connector of the types described above.

It will be understood that the invention as exemplified in the above-described embodiments tends to provide the following advantages, either singly or in combination: (i) it provides automatic and repeatable registration of electrically connecting'pairs' ; (ii) it can provide a high connector density; (iii) it is of a physical form that will be readily accepted by consumers; (iv) it will remain physically flexible, unlike a conventional multiway connector; (v) low insertion force is required for making the connection, compared to many conventional electrical connectors, particularly as the number of connections is large, as in conventional connectors the overall insertion force is accumulative, whereas with the zip fastener connector each connection is made separately in time as the slider moves along the teeth; (vi) the rubbing movement as the teeth are brought into contact with each other can provide a self-cleaning effect;

(vii) it can be designed for different current carrying capacities, connector densities or a mixture of both ; (viii) The tooth size of the zip can be optimised depending on the application and overall current carrying requirements; (ix) It is robust and easy to use ; (x) Zip fastener technology is mature, and materials (conducting and insulating) are known to be long lasting and to withstand everyday activities such as machine washing; and (xi) It is particularly convenient for clothing-borne devices, also for printed circuit boards.

In summary, a method of electrically connecting items has been described. The method includes the steps of electrically connecting a first item to one or more teeth of a first set of teeth of a zip fastener; and electrically connecting a second item to one or more teeth of a second set of teeth of the zip fastener. The first set of teeth are placed in electrical contact with the second set of teeth by interlocking the two sets of teeth using a slider of the zip fastener.

Furthermore, a method of connecting and fixing together printed circuit boards has been described.

Additionally, a method of attaching electrical equipment to clothing and making electrical connections therefor has been described.

A portable electrical apparatus has been described that includes clothing; electrical modules positioned in the clothing; and one or more zip fasteners arranged to electrically connect the electrical modules.

In addition, an electrical apparatus has been described that includes an electrical connector. The connector includes a set of zip fastener teeth for interlocking and thereby making electrical connection with a mating set of zip fastener teeth of a mating connector.

Furthermore, an electrical connector has been described that includes a zip fastener including two sets of interlocking teeth and a slider operable to bring the teeth into an interlocked state. In one of the sets, at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically conducting and at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically insulating.

In the other of the sets, at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically insulating, such that when the teeth are interlocked a plurality of separate electrical connections are formed by respective groups of teeth, each of the respective groups of teeth comprising at least one tooth from each of the sets of teeth.

Claims

Claims 1. A method of electrically connecting items, the method being characterised by: electrically connecting a first item (54) to one or more teeth of a first set (60) of teeth of a zip fastener; electrically connecting a second item (64) to one or more teeth of a second set (66) of teeth of the zip fastener; and placing the first set (60) of teeth in electrical contact with the second set (66) of teeth, by interlocking the two sets of teeth using a slider of the zip fastener.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of interlocking the two sets of teeth using the slider of the zip fastener includes the step of: fastening the first item (54) to the second item (64).
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, the method further characterised by the step of: forming a plurality of separate connections along the zip fastener by use of both conducting and insulating material for the teeth of the zip fastener.
4. A method according to claim 3, the method further characterised by the step of: allocating a 0 volts connection to the teeth of the zip fastener which are first to be joined by operation of the slider.

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5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein different items are provided with different arrangements of conducting and insulating teeth so that differing connections are made by different items when connected to a given set of teeth connected to a given item.
6. A method of connecting and fixing together printed circuit boards (403,407) comprising using the method of any of claims 1 to 5.
7. A method of attaching electrical equipment to clothing and making electrical connections therefor comprising using the method of any of claims 1 to 5.

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8. Portable electrical apparatus, comprising: clothing; and electrical modules positioned in the clothing; characterised by: one or more zip fasteners arranged to electrically connect the electrical modules.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a first electrical module (54) is connected to one or more teeth of a first set (60) of teeth of the zip fastener (1); a second electrical module (64) is connected to one or more teeth of a second set (66) of teeth of the zip fastener (1); and in operation electrical connection is made between the first and second electrical modules by the first set of teeth being placed in electrical contact with the second set of teeth by interlocking the two sets of teeth using a slider of the zip fastener.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first and/or second module is connected respectively to the one or more teeth of the first and/or second set of teeth by connecting leads woven into fabric of the clothing and/or the zip fastener (1).
11. Electrical apparatus, comprising an electrical connector, characterised by the connector comprising a set of zip fastener teeth for interlocking and thereby making electrical connection with a mating set of zip fastener teeth of a mating connector.

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12. An electrical connector, comprising: a zip fastener (1) comprising two sets of interlocking teeth (4-12,14-22) and a slider (36) operable to bring the teeth (4-12,14-22) into an interlocked state; characterised in that: in one of the sets at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically conducting and at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically insulating, and in the other of the sets at least some of the teeth have at least a portion that is electrically insulating, such that when the teeth are interlocked a plurality of separate electrical connections are formed by respective groups of teeth (5 and 15; 11 and 21), each of the respective groups of teeth comprising at least one tooth from each of the sets of teeth.
13. An electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein at least the exterior of each of the teeth is either completely of electrically conducting material, thereby providing a conducting tooth, or completely of insulating material, thereby providing an insulating tooth, and the conducting teeth are arranged relative to the insulating teeth such as to provide the plurality of separate electrical connections formed when the teeth are interlocked.

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14. An electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein some of the teeth comprise an electrically conducting portion and an electrically insulating portion, and the teeth are arranged so as to provide the plurality of separate electrical connections formed when the teeth are interlocked.
15. An electrical connector according to any of claims 12 to 14, further comprising electrically conducting leads woven in to the fabric part of the zip fastener and connected to teeth of the zip fastener.
16. An electrical connector according to any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the slider (36) is of electrically insulating material.
17. A method of electrically connecting items substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18. An electrical connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.