Inherently sealed electrical connector
An entirely wearable electrical connector for power/data connectivity. The principal element of a modular network is the wearable electrical connector, which is integrated into a personal area network with USB compatibility. An embodiment comprises a non-conductive elastomeric environmental seal.
1. A wearable electrical connector for use in a body conformable network, the connector comprising:
a first mating element;
a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network;
a second mating element configured to be mechanically coupled to the first mating element and having a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrical paths on the printed circuit board when the mating elements are mechanically coupled; and
a polymer seal disposed between the printed circuit board and the second mating element when the elements are mechanically coupled, the polymer seal being configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
2. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 : wherein the polymer seal is further configured to isolate signal paths of pairs from adjacent pairs, the pairs comprising of one of the plurality of electrical paths of the printed circuit board and one of the plurality of contacts of the second mating element.
3. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 :
further comprising a second printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the second mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrically conductive paths of the printed circuit board disposed on the first mating element.
4. The wearable electrical connector of claim 3 :
wherein the polymer seal is disposed on the first printed circuit board; and
further comprising a second polymer seal disposed on the second printed circuit board and configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
5. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises an anisotropically conductive elastomer, rubber, or synthetic rubber material.
6. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the polymer seal further serves to maintain a non-permeable barrier between the external environment and the printed circuit board.
7. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymer seal becomes anisotropically conductive when a sufficient force is applied parallel to an axis of conductivity; and
the mating elements are held together with at least the sufficient force when mechanically coupled.
8. The wearable electrical connector of claim 7 , further comprising a torsion spring for holding the elements together when mechanically coupled.
9. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the seal further comprises a non-conductive support structure.
10. The wearable electrical connector of claim 5 , wherein the seal further comprises a rubber compound composed of cured rubber and silver-coated glass microspheres.
11. A garment comprising
a garment portion;
an electrical connector coupled to the garment portion, the electrical connector comprising:
a first mating element;
a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network; and
a polymer seal disposed on the printed circuit board and configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
12. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the polymer seal is further configured to isolate signal paths of pairs from adjacent pairs, the pairs comprising of one of the plurality of electrical paths of the printed circuit board and one of the plurality of contacts of the second mating element.
13. The garment of claim 11 , further comprising a second polymer seal disposed on the second printed circuit board and configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
14. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the seal comprises an anisotropically conductive elastomer, rubber, or synthetic rubber material.
15. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the seal further serves to maintain a non-permeable barrier between the external environment and the printed circuit boards when the elements are mechanically coupled.
16. The garment of claim 11 , wherein:
the polymer seal becomes anisotropically conductive when a sufficient force is applied parallel to an axis of conductivity; and
the mating elements are held together with at least the sufficient force when mechanically coupled.
17. The garment of claim 16 , further comprising a torsion spring for holding the elements together.
18. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the seal further comprises a non-conductive support structure.
19. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the seal further comprises a rubber compound composed of cured rubber and silver-coated glass microspheres.
20. A method comprising:
sending a communication to a device along a path which includes an electrical connector comprising:
a first mating element;
a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network;
a second mating element configured to be mechanically coupled to the first mating element and having a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrical paths on the printed circuit board when the mating elements are mechanically coupled; and
a polymer seal disposed between the printed circuit board and the second mating element when the elements are mechanically coupled, the polymer seal configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein
the polymer seal is further configured to isolate signal paths of pairs from adjacent pairs,
the pairs comprising of one of the plurality of electrical paths of the printed circuit board and one of the plurality of contacts of the second mating element.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein
the connector further comprises a second printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the second mating element,
the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrically conductive paths of the printed circuit board disposed on the first mating element.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the connector further comprises a second polymer seal disposed on the second printed circuit board and configured to anisotropically conduct electricity.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the seal comprises an elastomer, rubber, or synthetic rubber.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the seal is further configured to maintain a non-permeable barrier between the external environment and the printed circuit boards.
26. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the seal becomes anisotropically conductive when a sufficient force is applied parallel to an axis of conductivity; and
the mating elements are held together with at least the sufficient force when mechanically coupled.
27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising a torsion spring for holding the elements together.
28. The method of claim 20 , wherein the seal further comprises a non-conductive support structure.
29. The method of claim 20 , wherein the seal further comprises a rubber compound composed of cured rubber and silver-coated glass microsphere.