Connector apparatus

摘要

A magnetic electrical connector is provided which has particular application to use in vehicles or aircraft to prevent damage due to passenger movement. The connector includes a socket having a housing with a front face, a plurality of conductor contact regions provided on the front face, and a magnet provided in the housing to physically retain a plug in connection with the socket in use.

主权项

1. An electrical connector socket for connecting with a plurality of different plugs, each plug having a front face and a plurality of pins biased out of the front face and at least some of the plugs having pins arranged in different pre-defined electronic pin-outs, the connector socket comprising:
a housing having a front face, a group of substantially planar conductor regions provided on the front face, each conductor region being arranged to make an electrical connection with a corresponding pin of one of the plurality of predefined electronic pin-outs, a magnetic material provided in the housing to enable each plug to be separately physically retained in connection with the socket in use, and wherein the conductor regions are arranged so that there is a difference in the number of connections either side of a centre line in the middle of the group of conductor regions of one connection or less for each of the plurality of pre-defined electronic pin-outs to thereby balance pressure from the pins on a face of the group of conductor regions.