Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AUDIO JACK WITH ESD PROTECTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to electrical connectors for
electronic devices. More specifically, the application discloses an apparatus
for
protecting electronic components from electrostatic discharge from electrical
connectors.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Electronic devices often have electrical inputs and outputs carried
over connectable cables. These cables are often connected to the internal
circuitry of the devices via plug-and-jack arrangements. However, any time a
plug from an external cable is connected electrically to the internal
circuitry of
an electronic device, it carries with it the risk of damaging the device
through
the discharge of any electrostatic charge carried by the cable.
[0003] Accordingly, efforts have been made to incorporate protection
against electrostatic discharge (ESD) into the electrical connector jacks of
electronic devices. Some devices design their jacks to ensure that any plug
being inserted comes into contact with a grounded contact before it comes into
contact with the internal circuitry of the device. However, momentary contact
with a simple ground wire may not completely discharge the electrostatic
charge of an external cable, and even small electrostatic charges have the
capability to damage highly sensitive internal components. Furthermore,
electrostatic charge may continue to build up on some connected devices or
cables after a plug is inserted, and after the external cable has been
momentarily grounded by contact with the ground wire of the jack.
[0004] Thus, there exists a need for an electronic device or a jack within
an electronic device that addresses, in part, these concerns.
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BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] The present application describes a jack within an electronic device
that is configured to ensure circuitry of the device is protected from
electrostatic discharge. In at least one embodiment, the jack is an audio jack
designed to protect the circuitry of the device against electrostatic
discharge
from the leads of an audio plug.
[0006] In a first aspect, the present application describes an electronic
device, comprising an audio jack for receiving insertion of an audio plug, the
audio plug having two or more plug contacts, each plug contact being separated
from the other plug contacts by at least one insulating ring, wherein one of
the
plug contacts provides an audio signal; an audio subsystem for processing
signals, the audio subsystem including a high gain circuit for amplifying the
audio signal; and an electrostatic discharge circuit, wherein the audio jack
includes an enclosure defining an elongate cavity having an opening at one
end,
a first jack contact positioned within the cavity, proximate to the opening
and
connected to the electrostatic discharge circuit, a second jack contact within
the
cavity disposed further from the opening than the first jack contact so as to
contact the plug contact providing the audio signal when the audio plug is
fully
inserted; and a mechanical switch having an open position and a closed
position, wherein the mechanical switch is biased in the open position and
wherein the mechanical switch is configured to be moved into the closed
position as a result of full insertion of the audio plug, and wherein in the
closed
position the mechanical switch electrically connects the first jack contact to
the
second jack contact and electrically connects the second jack contact to the
high gain circuit.
[0007] In another aspect, the present application further includes a
microphone jack contact within the enclosure but not positioned to directly
contact the audio plug, the microphone jack contact is connected to the high
gain circuit, and in the closed position the mechanical switch connects the
second jack contact to the microphone jack contact.
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[0008] In a further aspect, the electronic device includes a signal ground,
and the second jack contact comprises an audio signal jack contact connected
to the signal ground.
[0009] In a further aspect, the electronic device further includes at least
one other jack contact within the cavity disposed further from the opening
than
the second jack contact, and the at least one other jack contact is connected
to
the audio subsystem for receiving audio signals for communication to the audio
plug.
[0010] In a further aspect, the mechanical switch comprises a sled, and in
the first position the sled is closer to the opening than in the second
position.
[0011] In a further aspect, the cavity has a longitudinal axis and the sled
moves between the first position and the second position in the direction of
the
longitudinal axis.
[0012] In a further aspect, the sled includes a sled contact, and the sled
contact is positioned to electrically connect the first jack contact, the
second
jack contact, and the high gain circuit when the sled is in the second
position.
[0013] In a further aspect, the sled contact disconnects from the first jack
contact, the second jack contact and the high gain circuit in the first
position.
[0014] In a further aspect, the audio plug comprises a tip-ring-ring-sleeve
plug, and when fully inserted, the first jack contact is positioned to connect
with
the sleeve of the plug and the second jack contact is positioned to connect
with
one of the rings of the plug.
[0015] In a further aspect, the electronic device comprises a handheld
mobile device.
[0016] In a further aspect, the application describes an audio jack for
receiving insertion of an audio plug, the audio plug having two or more plug
contacts, each plug contact being separated from the other plug contacts by at
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least one insulating ring, wherein one of the plug contacts provides an audio
signal, the audio jack being configured for use in an electronic device having
a
high gain circuit for amplifying the audio signal and having an electrostatic
discharge circuit, the audio jack comprising: an enclosure defining an
elongate
cavity having an opening at one end; a first jack contact positioned within
the
cavity proximate to the opening and adapted for connection to the
electrostatic
discharge circuit; a second jack contact within the cavity disposed further
from
the opening than the first jack contact so as to contact the plug contact
providing the audio signal when the audio plug is fully inserted; and a
mechanical switch having an open position and a closed position, wherein the
mechanical switch is biased in the open position and wherein the mechanical
switch is configured to be moved into the closed position as a result of full
insertion of the audio plug, and wherein in the closed position the mechanical
switch electrically connects the first jack contact to the second jack contact
and
electrically connects the second jack contact to a microphone jack contact
adapted for connection to the high gain circuit.
[0017] In a further aspect, the audio jack further includes a microphone
jack contact within the enclosure but not positioned to directly contact the
audio
plug, wherein the microphone jack contact is adapted for connection to the
high
gain circuit, and wherein in the closed position the mechanical switch
connects
the second jack contact to the microphone jack contact.
[0018] In a further aspect, the electronic device includes a signal ground,
and the second jack contact comprises an audio signal jack contact adapted to
be connected to the signal ground.
[0019] In a further aspect, the audio jack further includes at least one
other jack contact within the cavity disposed further from the opening than
the
second jack contact, and the at least one other jack contact is adapted to be
connected to an audio subsystem within the electronic device for receiving
audio signals for communication to the audio plug.
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[0020] In a further aspect, the mechanical switch comprises a sled, and in
the first position the sled is closer to the opening than in the second
position.
[0021] In a further aspect, the cavity has a longitudinal axis and wherein
the sled moves between the first position and the second position in the
direction of the longitudinal axis.
[0022] In a further aspect, the sled includes a sled contact, and the sled
contact is positioned to electrically connect the first jack contact, the
second
jack contact, and the high gain circuit when the sled is in the second
position.
[0023] In a further aspect, the sled contact disconnects from the first jack
contact, the second jack contact and the high gain circuit in the first
position.
[0024] In a further aspect, the audio plug comprises a tip-ring-ring-sleeve
plug, and wherein, when fully inserted, the first jack contact is positioned
to
connect with the sleeve of the plug and the second jack contact is positioned
to
connect with one of the rings of the plug.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view and circuit diagram of an
exemplary audio jack with ESD protection, showing the relation of various jack
components to the internal circuitry of an electronic device.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the audio jack of FIG. 1 and an
exemplary four-contact plug.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the audio jack of FIG. 1-2 and
the plug of FIG. 2 partially inserted into the jack.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the audio jack of FIG. 1-3 and
the plug of FIG. 2-3 fully inserted into the jack.
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[0029] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device
incorporating the audio jack of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Although many of the embodiments detailed herein specifically
relate to audio plugs, such as may be used in connection with microphones,
earphones, headphones, etc., it will be appreciated that the present
application
is not limited to audio signals. In some embodiments, the jacks and devices
described herein may be used in applications involving non-audio analog or
digital signals that may be supplied by an external component, input to the
electronic device via a plug-and-jack connector, and amplified within the
electronic device. Example signals may include sensor signals or video
signals.
In one example embodiment, the jack may be part of a gaming console or
computer and the plug may carry signals to or from an input device, such as a
joystick or other handheld gaming device. In another example embodiment,
the jack may be part of a computer, display screen, or television and the plug
may carry signals to or from a camera or device incorporating a camera. Other
applications will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art in
light of
the detailed description below.
[0031] As used herein, elements may be "connected" physically,
electrically, or both. In general, elements are physically connected when they
are physically joined or coupled to one another, either directly or through
one
or more interposed elements. Physically connected elements may be, but are
not necessarily required to be, actually touching or in direct contact. In
addition, physically connected elements may be physically connected to one
another via one or more an interposing physical structures. Physically
connected elements need not be connected permanently, but may be connected
and disconnected. In general, electrically connected elements have a
relationship to one another such that a change in an electrical quality of one
affects the other, for example, current flowing through one element affects
the
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current flowing through the other. Electrically connected elements need not
touch, and need not be proximate to one another, and may be electrically
connected via one or more interposing elements such as a conducting wire,
resistor or transformer. As used herein, a statement that two elements are
electrically connected should not be deemed to be a statement that the two
elements are not physically connected, or vice versa.
[0032] In many of the embodiments described herein, the audio plug and
corresponding audio jack are of the "TRS connector"-type. In some
embodiments, the audio plug may be a three-contact tip-ring-sleeve (TRS)
connector. In some other embodiments, the audio plug may be a four-contact
tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) connectors. In yet other embodiments, the audio
plug may be a tip-sleeve (TS) connector. It will also be appreciated that
although the example embodiments described below relate to cylindrical TRRS
or TRS audio plugs, the present application may be embodied in audio plugs
and audio jacks having non-cylindrical shapes.
[0033] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an audio jack 2 with
related ESD circuitry and other circuitry. The jack 2 is adapted to
accommodate
an audio plug (not shown) having multiple electrical plug contacts for making
electrical connections to corresponding jack contacts within the audio jack 2.
In
this embodiment, the audio plug is a TRRS connector.
[0034] The audio jack 2 includes an enclosure 3 defining a cavity 5
shaped to accommodate the TRRS-type audio plug. The enclosure 3 defines an
opening 4 at one end of the cavity 5 for insertion of the audio plug. Within
the
cavity 5, the audio jack 2 includes a first jack contact, referred to
hereinafter as
an ESD jack contact 20. The ESD jack contact 20 is located proximate to the
opening 4 and is at the inner surface of the cavity 5 so as to come into
contact
with the plug contacts as the audio plug is inserted into the jack 2. (As used
herein, "proximate" means "near" or "close to" and in some contexts may mean
"adjacent to," and may be used to indicate relative closeness of elements, but
does not necessarily indicate any particular measurement or value.) The ESD
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jack contact 20 is physically and electrically connected to an electrostatic
discharge (ESD) circuit 34 capable of harmlessly directing electrostatic
discharge from plug contacts to the system ground 8.
[0035] The audio jack 2 includes a second jack contact (hereinafter
referred to as a signal ground jack contact 22) disposed within the cavity 5
and
located further away from the opening 4 than the ESD jack contact 20. The
signal ground jack contact 22 is physically and electrically connected to
signal
ground 10, which represents the audio signal return with respect to outbound
audio signals, such as for speakers or earphones.
[0036] Also disposed within the inner cavity 5 of the audio jack 2 are a
right speaker jack contact 28, and a left speaker jack contact 30. With the
audio plug fully inserted in the audio jack 2, the TRRS plug contacts come
into
alignment with the jack contacts 20, 22, 28, 30, respectively.
[0037] The ESD circuit 34 is electrically connected to a system ground 8.
In the example embodiment shown in Figure 1, the ESD circuit includes a zener
diode and capacitor in parallel. Other embodiments may use additional or other
diodes, including transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes. In this
embodiment, the diode has low parasitic capacitance to avoid attenuating the
analog microphone signal. The capacitor may act as a DC ground, dissipating
ESD while preserving AC signals. In other embodiments, the ESD circuit may
take other forms, and may include multiple diodes and/or multiple capacitors.
[0038] The audio jack 2 may be used within an electronic device having a
casing (not shown). The casing may also be electrically connected to system
ground 8, as may other components or elements of the electronic device.
[0039] The audio jack 2 is configured to receive a left speaker signal 12
and a right speaker signal 14. As illustrated in Figure 1, the left speaker
signal
12 and right speaker signal 14 may be amplified by a left speaker amplifier 36
and right speaker amplifier 38, respectively, within the electronic device
before
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reaching the left speaker jack contact 30 and right speaker jack contact 28,
respectively.
[0040] The audio jack 2 further includes a microphone jack contact 24.
The microphone jack contact 24 is not located on the inner surface of the
cavity
as it is not intended to come into direct physical contact with the audio
plug.
Rather, in this embodiment, the microphone jack contact 24 is electrically
connected to both the signal ground jack contact 22 and the ESD jack contact
20 by way of a switch. The switch is configured to have a first or open
position
in which the microphone jack contact 24 is electrically disconnected from the
signal ground jack contact 22 and from the ESD jack contact 20, and a second
or closed position in which the microphone jack contact 24 is brought into
circuit with the signal ground jack contact 22 and the ESD jack contact 20.
The
switch is configured to be biased in the open position and may be actuated or
moved into the second position as a result of full insertion of the audio
plug.
[0041] This configuration results in the microphone jack contact 24 being
left out of circuit and unconnected to plug contacts until the audio plug is
fully
inserted and ready for use. It also results in the microphone jack contact 24
being connected to the ESD jack contact 20 and, as a result, to the ESD
circuit
34 once the microphone jack contact 24 is ready for use. This is advantageous
since the microphone jack contact 24 is to be connected to a high gain
circuit,
in this case a microphone amplifier 40, within the electronic device. Because
the microphone jack contact 24 is intended to supply audio signals to a high
gain circuit, i.e. the microphone amplifier 40, electrostatic discharge events
are
particularly hazardous to the electronic device if they occur in this portion
of the
jack 2. Thus, the present configuration results in the ESD circuit 34 being
electrically connected to the high gain circuit (microphone amplifier 40)
whilst
the audio plug is fully inserted.
[0042] In this embodiment, the switch is implemented as a sliding sled
104. The sled 104 has a sled microphone-ESD contact 108. The sled 104 is
biased in the open position, toward the jack opening 4, using any of a number
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of biasing elements, such as a spring. When a force is applied the sled 104,
such as by insertion of the audio plug, it is configured to slide
longitudinally into
the jack 2. In its first or open position, the sled microphone-ESD contact 108
is
out of circuit. When the sled 104 is pushed into its closed position, as will
be
explained below, the sled microphone-ESD contact 108 electrically connects the
microphone jack contact 24, the signal ground jack contact 22, and the ESD
jack contact 20. The sled 104 may configured to slide between the first and
second positions by way of one or more longitudinal tracks or grooves (not
shown) within the enclosure 3 and corresponding pins or flanges (not shown)
on the sled 104 configured to engage their respective tracks or grooves to
maintain the sled in place, but permit sliding movement between the first and
second positions. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate there
are a
number of other mechanical configurations that may be used to implement the
sled 104 and enclosure 3 arrangement.
[0043] The sled 104 includes a second contact, namely a sled-plug detect
contact 106. The jack 2 includes a plug-detect jack contact 26. The plug-
detect
jack contact 26 is not intended for direct physical contact with the audio
plug;
rather, it is electrically connected to the left speaker jack contact 30
through
the sled-plug detect contact 106 when the sled is in the first or open
position.
The plug-detect jack contact 26 provides a plug-detect signal 18 to the
electronic device. The electronic device may therefore determine whether an
audio plug has been inserted in the jack 2, and may take certain actions, for
example preventing audio output signals from going to device speakers and
instead routing them to the audio jack 2 for output through the audio plug. As
will be explained below, once the audio plug is fully inserted in the jack 2
the
sled 104 moves such that the sled plug-detect contact 106 disengages from the
plug-detect jack contact 26 and the left speaker jack contact 30, thereby
taking
the plug-detect jack contact 26 out of circuit.
[0044] Operation of the audio jack 2 is now further illustrated with
reference to FIGs. 2, 3, and 4.
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[0045] FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment of an audio plug 202
partially inserted into the jack 2 of FIG. 1. The plug 202 is a TRRS-type
plug,
having four plug contacts along its length: an ESD plug contact 212, a
microphone plug contact 210, a right speaker plug contact 208, and a left
speaker plug contact 206. As the plug tip 204 is inserted into the jack 2, the
left speaker plug contact 206 comes into contact with the ESD jack contact 20,
allowing any electrostatic charge built upon the left speaker plug contact 206
to
discharge through the ESD circuit 34 (FIG. 1). As the audio plug 202 is
inserted into the jack 2, each of the plug contacts 206, 208, 210, and 212,
comes into contact with the ESD jack contact 20 in turn, allowing static
charge
to be dissipated through the ESD circuit 34.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows the plug 202 inserted deeper into the jack 2 than in
FIG. 2. Here, the tip of the plug 204 has come into contact with the sled 104.
In this embodiment, the sled 104 has an inner end or abutment surface against
which the plug tip 204 is intended to bear. As the plug 202 is inserted
further
into the jack 2, the plug tip 204 will push the sled 104 from its first or
open
position to its second or closed position. If the plug 202 is withdrawn, a
bias
mechanism such as a spring or other device causes the sled 104 to return to
the first position.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows the plug 202 fully inserted into the jack 2 of FIG. 1
to FIG. 3. The sled 104 has been pushed into its second position. This
movement of the sled 104 causes corresponding movement of the sled plug-
detect contact 106, which disconnects the jack plug-detect contact 26 from the
jack left-speaker contact 30. The electronic device detects this disconnection
as
the plug-detect signal 18, which indicates that the plug is fully or mostly
inserted. The movement of the sled 104 to this second position has also closed
a circuit between the sled microphone-ESD contact 108, the microphone jack
contact 24, the signal ground jack contact 22, and the ESD jack contact 20.
[0048] The four plug contacts 206, 208, 210, 212 of the plug 202 are
separated by insulating rings 214. As a consequence of the separation and
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insulation due to the respective insulating rings 214, the plug contacts 206,
208, 210, 212 are not in immediate physical contact with one another and are
not electrically connected to one another. Each plug contact is electrically
connected to the corresponding wire in the audio cable carrying a signal: the
plug left speaker contact 206 is connected to the cable's left speaker wire,
the
plug right speaker contact 208 is connected to the cable's right speaker wire,
and the plug microphone contact 210 is connected to the cable's microphone
(or signal ground) wire.
[0049] The jack 2 protects the internal electrical components of the
system where it is installed by bringing each plug contact surface into
contact
with the ESD jack contact 20 before that plug contact surface comes into
contact with any of the sensitive audio circuitry of the system. Low-gain
components, like the speaker amplifier 36, 38 outputs, are usually not highly
sensitive to ESD from an external plug. The momentary contact between the
speaker plug contacts 206, 208 and the ESD jack contact 20 is likely therefore
sufficient to discharge any electrostatic charge built up on these leads. A
high-
gain component like the microphone amplifier 40 input, on the other hand, may
benefit from being more thoroughly protected against ESD due to its higher
sensitivity. Thus, the microphone jack contact 24 is brought into circuit with
the microphone plug contact 210 when it is simultaneously in circuit with both
the ESD jack contact 20 and signal ground jack contact 22, and after the
microphone plug contact 210 has had separate contact with the ESD jack
contact 20. These protective measures may assist in ensuring that any residual
electrostatic charge remaining on the microphone plug contact 210 can be
dissipated by the ESD circuit 34 (FIG. 1), along with any charge that builds
up
on the external microphone in use.
[0050] The audio signal ground 10 is distinct from the system ground 8.
The audio signal ground 10 is insulated from the system ground 8 and filtered
for noise, thereby preventing artifacts from being introduced into the audio
signals by ground loops or other interference effects, such as electromagnetic
induction (EMI) effects.
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[0051] In the TRRS plug configuration described above, the sleeve,
corresponding here to the ESD plug contact 212, serves to ground the plug
202. However, it will be appreciated that, because the microphone plug contact
210 is electrically connected with the ESD plug contact 212 when the plug is
inserted, the microphone plug contact 210 and the ESD plug contact 212 may
be interchangeable for some applications. Thus, their positions can be
switched
in some embodiments, with the sleeve being used to carry microphone signals.
[0052] FIG. 5 shows one example of an electronic device 300 having an
audio jack 2 as described above. The device 300 is enclosed in a case 6. The
audio jack 2 is arranged such that the opening 4 registers with a
corresponding
opening in the case 6 permitting insertion of an audio plug into the jack 2.
The
system ground 8 of the device 300 connects to the ESD circuit 34. In some
embodiments, the case 6 may also be grounded.
[0053] The electronic device 300 includes an audio subsystem 302 and a
power source 304. The audio subsystem 302 is typically a tangible component
that may comprise for example circuitry and a processor configured to process
audio signals. The audio subsystem 302 generates speaker signals 12, 14 and
receives microphone signal 16. The audio subsystem 302 is connected to the
audio signal ground 10.
[0054] In this embodiment, the device 300 also includes a built-in speaker
306 and microphone 308, which may be used by the audio subsystem 302 as
an alternative or in addition to any external microphones, earpieces, or
speakers plugged into the jack 2. The audio subsystem 302 receives the plug-
detect signal 18 from the audio jack 2. The power source 304 provides power
to the speaker 306, microphone 308, and audio subsystem 302. The power
source 304 is also connected to the signal ground 10.
[0055] When no plug is inserted into the jack 2, the plug-detect signal 18
is equivalent to the output of the left speaker amplifier 36. This signal can
indicate to the device 300 that the user is not using an earpiece or other
external speaker and/or microphone, which may change the behavior of one or
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more operations of the device 300. For example, the plug-detect signal 18 can
be propagated to the built-in speaker 306 of the device 300, or a phone-call
application of the device 300 may employ the built-in speaker 306 and
microphone 308 for telephone communications instead of using an external
microphone and earpiece unit. However, when the plug 202 (FIG. 2) is inserted
into the jack 2, the device 300 may switch to using the plugged-in external
microphone, speakers, and/or earpiece instead of any built-in microphone 308
or speaker 306 components.
[0056] In some embodiments, the device 300 is a mobile electronic device
having a processor, a memory, a rigid plastic case, a visual display, and user
input devices, such as a keyboard, trackball, scrollwheel, and/or touchscreen.
The processor may execute various software applications stored in memory,
such as a phone application, a media application, a gaming application or
others. The operations of these applications may be affected by the state of
the
plug-detect signal 18: for example, a phone application may switch between
using the external microphone and earpiece and the built-in microphone 308
and speaker 306 during a phone call depending on the state of the plug-detect
signal 18. Alternatively, the device 300 may have configuration settings
allowing a user to set the behavior of one or more applications of the device
300 depending on the state of the plug-detect signal 18.
[0057] Referring again to FIGs. 1-4, the contacts of the jack 2 and plug
202 may be embodied as smooth conductive surfaces. Those contacts that
come directly into contact with each other, such as the plug left speaker
contact
206 and the jack left speaker contact 30, are in some embodiments shaped as
complementary surfaces. Other contacts that are only brought into circuit
through the action of the mechanical switch, such as the microphone jack
contact 24 in the above-described embodiments, may have a different shape.
Those skilled in the art will be aware of the range of variations in
implementing
plug-and-socket connections.
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[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the plug 202 comprises a 2.5mm-
diameter, four-contact TRRS connector. Alternatively, it may comprise a three-
contact TRS connector or any other plug type with one or more contacts.
[0059] The arrangement of the various contacts within the jack 2 and
along the length of the plug 202 may differ from the above-described
configuration in certain embodiments. The sled 104 (or a different embodiment
of a mechanical switch) might operate to bring more than one signal contact of
the jack 2 into circuit with the ESD circuit 34 once the plug 202 is inserted.
Furthermore, the jack contacts positioned furthest from the opening 4 need not
be speaker contacts; in some embodiments, these contacts could be connected
to other components of the electrical device 300, and the jack 2 could have
two
or more of them, only one, or none. The ESD jack contact 20 and/or the signal
ground jack contact 22 in some embodiments may not be placed along the
inside surface of the cavity 5.
[0060] The jack 2 and/or plug 202 may be further adapted to retain the
plug 202 in the jack 2 when fully inserted. For example, the plug 202 may
have a groove around its circumference near the plug tip 204, and the inside
of
the jack 2 may have one or more complementary flexible protrusions adapted
to fit into the groove and retain the plug 202 when it is fully inserted.
Alternatively or in addition, the jack 2 and sled 104 may be adapted to lock
the
sled 104 into position when the plug 202 is fully inserted, so as to prevent
the
spring bias of the sled 104 from forcing the plug 202 back out of the jack 2.
The means by which the sled 104 could be held in place could comprise any of a
number of releasable mechanisms known in the art, including any of a number
of different latches, catches, gears, or teeth.
[0061] Although the embodiments detailed above implement the
mechanical switch as a sliding sled 104, any of a number of alterative
embodiments are possible. Other types of mechanical switch could be used to
effect the same functions as the sled 104 detailed above, namely opening and
closing one or more circuits as the plug 202 is inserted. For example, the
CA 02753084 2011-09-22
switch could operate by rotational or radial motion in response to the
insertion
of the plug 202, rather than the longitudinal sliding motion of the sled 104.
[0062] Some embodiments of the present application may realize one or
more benefits, including, but not limited to, reducing the risk of ESD,
improving
adaptability to a variety of plugs and jacks (beyond audio plugs/jacks),
saving
manufacturing cost and/or space on a circuit board, among others.
[0063] The various embodiments presented above are merely examples
and are in no way meant to limit the scope of this disclosure. Variations of
the
innovations described herein will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in
the
art, such variations being within the intended scope of the present
application.
In particular, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments
may be selected to create alternative embodiments comprised of a sub-
combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. In
addition, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may
be selected and combined to create alternative embodiments comprised of a
combination of features which may not be explicitly described above. Features
suitable for such combinations and sub-combinations would be readily apparent
to persons skilled in the art upon review of the present application as a
whole.
The subject matter described herein and in the recited claims intends to cover
and embrace all suitable changes in technology.
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