Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2001-09-18
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S387000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290545
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of cigarette lighters in a vehicle, and more particularly, to an insert for improving conduction with a contact of a cigarette lighter socket.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
There has been a proliferation of portable communications devices, including cellular phones and electronic computing devices such as laptop computers and hand held personal computing devices, that are powered or their battery pack recharged by a DC power supply converted from a vehicle's DC power supply, accessible from the cigarette lighter socket. Power to these devices is typically fed through an adaptor plug inserted into the cigarette lighter socket to electrically connect a conductive contact tip on the power adaptor to a contact tip in the cigarette lighter socket. Current is conducted over the connection between the contact tips of the power adaptor and socket to either an electrical device for immediate operation or to a battery pack(s) or battery pack charger. The increasing reliance on these devices for communications and computing tasks makes it imperative that the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket cooperate with the power adaptors to provide DC power for operating the devices or charging their battery packs.
A number of devices which are to be powered through the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket are returned to the manufacturer under the mistaken assumption that the devices do not operate properly because of a manufacturing defect. In many instances, the problem resides not with the device, but with poor electrical contact between the power adaptor's conducting or contact tip and the lighter socket's contact tip. The surface of the contact tip in the cigarette lighter socket is prone to oxidation or contamination by cigarette ashes deposited by a cigarette lighter plug. The oxidation or ashes deposited can act as an insulation barrier to conduction between the contact tips of the power adaptor and lighter socket. Accordingly, there is a need for a device which will improve electrical contact or conduction between the contact tips of the power adaptor and cigarette lighter socket.
SUMMARY
A cigarette lighter insert includes a body; and a tip on the body for abrasively engaging and removing electrically insulating material from a contact in a cigarette lighter socket as the body is moved relative to the contact. The tip has abrasive elements adapted for engaging, abrading and cleaning the contact during movement of the insert in the socket.
In a preferred embodiment, the abrasive elements are pyramidal in shape and situated on an end surface of the contact rejuvenation tip. The abrasive elements scrape off electrically insulating material on an electrical contact in a cigarette lighter socket as the contact rejuvenation tip is rotated relative to the contact in the cigarette lighter socket. The insert includes a flexible strip attached to the body for resiliently centering a part of the body and the contact rejuvenation tip within the cigarette lighter socket.
In a further embodiment, the insert includes a power adaptor assembly for electrically coupling the contact rejuvenation tip to a device connected to the power adaptor assembly. The power adaptor assembly includes a DC to DC converter for converting a voltage level at the cigarette lighter socket to a voltage level suitable for the device. The power adaptor assembly further includes over-current protection coupled between the contact rejuvenation tip and the DC to DC converter. The power adaptor assembly may include an indicator lamp for indicating an electrical contact between the contact rejuvenation tip and a contact of the cigarette lighter socket.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4118690 (1978-10-01), Paynton
patent: 4305180 (1981-12-01), Schwartz
patent: 4560223 (1985-12-01), Cooney et al.
patent: 5170067 (1992-12-01), Baum et al.
patent: 5775952 (1998-07-01), Lu
Japanese Patent Abstracts, JP60038529, Appln. No. 58146950.
Japanese Patent Abstracts, JP57043127, Appln. No. 55119144.
Fung Domingo
Leer Stuart
Teller Joel Samuel
Wang Wellington Chien-Yuan
Gilman Alexander
Kolodka J. J.
Laks J. J.
Paumen Gary F.
Thomson Licensing S.A.
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