Apple Inc.

Peter J Cameron

Mahmoud R Amini

Eric B Wankoff

Eric Steven Jol

Colin M Ely

Jared Mitchell Kole

Edward Siahaan

Daniel Ray Bloom

Sean Thomas McIntosh

Jason Joseph LeBlanc

Tian Shi Li

Robert D Zupke

Mani Razaghi Kashani

Eric T SooHoo

Abhilash Rajagopal

Michael A Kinney

Neven Pischl

Rohan Gupta

Venus Kumar

Jordan J Francis

Connector assemblies and contacts that can be moisture-resistant, light-weight, space efficient, and can be readily manufactured. The connector assembly can be formed of two or more materials that can be molded together to reduce the chance of leakage at seams between the two materials. One of the two materials can have an affinity for plating materials while the other material can have an aversion to plating materials. The first material can be plated and used as contacts, while the second can resist plating and can be used to separate regions of the first material into two or more contacts.

Connector with plated plastic contacts

Connector inserts and connector receptacles that have a small form factor and where when a connector insert and connector receptacle are mated, the connector insert can rotate and articulate relative to an electronic device housing the connector receptacle. The connector receptacle can be connected to components in the electronic device through a flexible circuit board having an amount of slack or excess length to allow the connector receptacle and the connector insert to rotate relative to the connected components. A bearing supporting the connector receptacle can articulate about an axis to allow the connector receptacle and connector insert to articulate relative to the connected components. The bearing can further support a locking mechanism to lock the connector insert in place in the connector receptacle.

Separable articulating power and data interface

Connectors for connecting traces on one or more flexible circuit boards to traces on a printed circuit board. These connectors can include gaskets, potting material, and other structures or materials to seal electrical connections in the connector from moisture ingress to prevent damage. The connectors can be locked to secure the one or more flexible circuit board in place in the connector. The connectors can be unlocked and then opened to remove the flexible circuit boards to remove components or to rework the electronic device.

Sealed flexible printed circuit connector

A connector system for transferring electricity and data. The connector system includes a receptacle and a plug. The receptacle includes a shield, a power contact, a ground contact, and a data contact. The shield includes power apertures through which power conductor segments of the power contact extend, ground apertures through which ground conductor segments of the ground contact extend, and a data aperture through which a shield member and a data conductor of the data contact extend. The plug includes another power contact connected to a power wire, another ground contact connected to a ground wire, and another data contact. The plug is receivable by the receptacle to electrically connect the power wire conductor to the power conductor segments of the receptacle, to electrically connect the ground wire conductor to the ground conductor segments of the receptacle, and to electrically connect the data contact to the other data contact, respectively.

Combined power and data connector system

Connectors that are able to withstand force and are easy to manufacture. The connectors may include connecting portions that may move relative to other portions of the connectors to absorb force. The connectors may be designed to partially break in order to protect devices that may be connected to. The connectors may be further designed to break in a controlled manner to prevent springs or other components that may be under compression from being dislodged from the connectors.

Flexible and breakaway mechanisms for connectors

Growing community of inventors

Scotts Valley, CA, United States of America

Peter J Cameron