Connective apparatus in which a number of contacts are...

Details Connective apparatus in which a number of contacts are... Connective apparatus in which a number of contacts are...

2003-02-21

2004-04-20

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision

Grounding of coupling part

C439S719000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06722899

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a connector comprising a number of contacts to be connected to a number of circuits.
An information processing apparatus such as a personal computer
10
illustrated in
FIG. 1
transmits and receives various kinds of signals. For input and output of these signals, the personal computer
10
is provided with a plurality of connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
different in shape and typically formed on its rear side.
The connector
11
is intended to be connected to a connector
15
of a docking station
14
or a connector
17
of a port replicator
16
. Each of the connectors
12
and
13
is adapted to be connected to a connector
19
of a peripheral device
18
such as a CD (Compact Disc) drive and a DVD (Digital Video Disc) drive. The docking station
14
and the port replicator
16
have connectors
21
and
22
, respectively, which can be connected to the connector
19
of the peripheral device
18
.
Thus, the personal computer
10
is adapted to be connected to various types of peripheral devices. Therefore, the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
are supplied with various kinds of signals.
In the personal computer
10
, the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
are not classified in accordance with the kinds of signals supplied thereto. Therefore, each of the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
may be supplied with the various kinds of signals. In this case, wiring for the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
is complicated and therefore difficult.
In cases where personal computers manufactured by different manufacturers are selectively connected, connection to the common peripheral device or the common docking station may be defective even if connectors of the same kind are used in the personal computers. This is because pin assignment of the connector is often different for each manufacturer as known in the art.
Furthermore, if connection to a particular circuit block alone is desired, a special connector for the particular circuit block must be additionally equipped in the personal computer. This requires the connector cost and the mounting cost for the special connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector that removes the above-mentioned problems by grouping a number of contacts into a plurality of groups or blocks corresponding to individual circuits, respectively.
It is another object of this invention to provide an information processing apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned connector.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to this invention, there is provided a connector which comprises an insulator, a coupling portion held by the insulator for coupling to a mating connector, and a number of contacts placed inside the coupling portion and held by the insulator for being connected to the mating connector when the coupling portion is coupled to the mating connector, the contacts being grouped into a plurality of contact groups which correspond to intended-uses, respectively, the contacts of each of the contact groups being collectively arranged.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5244397 (1993-09-01), Anhalt
patent: RE35896 (1998-09-01), Brunker et al.
patent: 6364701 (2002-04-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 6524119 (2003-02-01), Kato et al.
patent: 7-122336 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 8-503332 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 9-245909 (1997-09-01), None

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