Electrical connectors – Including elastomeric or nonmetallic conductive portion
Patent
1996-10-03
1998-08-04
Paumen, Gary F.
Electrical connectors
Including elastomeric or nonmetallic conductive portion
439 63, H01R 458
Patent
active
057885168
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an elastically deformable, elastomeric, electrical connector having electrically conductive elements extending in parallel between opposite ends of said connector.
The invention also relates to a use of the elastomeric connector for mounting and electrically connecting a piece of radio communication equipment with an electrical circuit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Radio communication apparatuses such as mobile telephones always comprise at least one microphone unit and one hearing capsule or speaker. The assembly of for example a microphone requires the following demands to be fulfilled: vibrations, scratches and noise entering the plastic cover of for example a mobile telephone must be absorbed; speech entering the cover from the speaker, which is mounted in the same cover, needs to be absorbed in order to avoid echo effects; an electrical connection has to be achieved between the microphone and the PCB (Printed Circuit Board); occurring TDMA (Time Division Multiplexing Access) hum has to be suppressed; high production flow and yield together with favourable cost-efficiency should be accomplished.
Today the most common way to connect a microphone is to solder two wires between the microphone and the PCB which carries the amplifier. Subsequently, the microphone is placed in a rubber gasket which can absorb the disturbances mentioned above. However, soldering has the disadvantage of being difficult to automatize since in this case soldering has to be made by hand. Consequently, the production rate is slowed down and undesired costs are taken. There is also a certain risk for mixing the wires with each other.
In order to facilitate the soldering, the wires must be long enough. However, this may cause problems at the final assembly, since there is a risk that a long wire may be pressed between mechanical parts, such that the leads are either cut off or shortened to an undesirable signal, e.g. ground.
Another metod to connect a microphone is to solder one end of a piece of flex film to the microphone, whereupon the other end thereof is soldered or pressed onto is connection pads on the PCB.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,751 discloses an electrically conductive, elastomeric connector for electrically connecting a portion of a first substrate with a portion of a second substrate, said connector having a tubular shaped body with first and second claw arms. No soldering is needed, since the elastically deformable connector is fixed into position by compressing it between the two substrates.
In order to suppress the TDMA hum, which is frequently occurring especially in GSM terminals, a capacitor has to be soldered directly on the microphone. As a consequence the microphone becomes more expensive and the sensitivity thereof is decreased since it is heated during soldering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,717 discloses an apparatus for interconnecting and shielding active electrical circuitry, wherein an electrically conductive elastomer material is used instead of metal for the purpose of shielding and at the same time has the advantage of being compressible.
It is obvious that none of the prior art is capable of meeting all the requirements stated above.
THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a method of shielding and electrically connecting a piece of radio communication equipment with an electrical circuit. According to the invention this object can be achieved by means of the elastically deformable, electrically conductive, low-resistance, elastomeric connector.
Another object of the present invention is to accomplish a method of absorbing vibrations and noise entering the radio communication equipment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of mounting a microphone in radio communication equipment without needing to mount a capacitor directly on the microphone in order to suppress TDMA hum.
Yet another object of the present invention is to accomplish a method of assembling a piece of radio communication equipment which permits
REFERENCES:
patent: 3852878 (1974-12-01), Munro
patent: 4003621 (1977-01-01), Lamp
patent: 4118092 (1978-10-01), Sado et al.
patent: 4408814 (1983-10-01), Takashi et al.
patent: 4639062 (1987-01-01), Taniguchi et al.
patent: 4754546 (1988-07-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5013249 (1991-05-01), Lindemann et al.
patent: 5259770 (1993-11-01), Bates et al.
Abstract of German document DE 42 09 097.
Patel T. C.
Paumen Gary F.
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
LandOfFree
Elastomeric connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Elastomeric connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Elastomeric connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1171441