This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 201510296448.7 filed in China, P.R.C. on Jun. 3, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The instant disclosure relates to an electrical connector, and more particular to an electrical plug connector.
Generally, Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to the PC architecture with a focus on computer interface, consumer and productivity applications. The existing Universal Serial Bus (USB) interconnects have the attributes of plug-and-play and ease of use by end users. Now, as technology innovation marches forward, new kinds of devices, media formats and large inexpensive storage are converging. They require significantly more bus bandwidth to maintain the interactive experience that users have come to expect. In addition, the demand of a higher performance between the PC and the sophisticated peripheral is increasing. The transmission rate of USB 2.0 is insufficient. As a consequence, faster serial bus interfaces such as USB 3.0, are developed, which may provide a higher transmission rate so as to satisfy the need of a variety devices.
The appearance, the structure, the contact ways of terminals, the number of terminals, the pitches between terminals (the distances between the terminals), and the pin assignment of terminals of a conventional USB type-C electrical connector are totally different from those of a conventional USB electrical connector. A conventional USB type-C electrical plug connector includes a plastic core, upper and lower plug terminals formed with the plastic core, and an outer iron shell enclosing the plastic core. Normally, the rears of the plug terminals are connected with wires by soldering means, so that the USB type-C electrical plug connector can be provided as a connection cable for transmitting power and signal terminals through the plug terminals and the wires.
However, the upper plug terminals and the lower plug terminals are separated and assembled to the plastic core individually. As a result, the difficulty and cost during the assembly process increase. In addition, the soldering between the upper plug terminals and the lower plug terminals is difficult and complicated. In the assembly, the wires are required to be aligned with the plug terminals, and the soldering wires (or the plug terminals) should not be in contact with each other to cause short circuit.
Consequently, how to improve the existing electrical plug connector becomes an issue.
In view of these, an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure provides an electrical plug connector. The electrical plug connector comprises a metallic shell, an insulated housing, a plurality of plug terminals, a plurality of tooth portions, and a wire organizer. The metallic shell defines a receiving cavity therein. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity of the metallic shell and comprises a base portion, a tubular portion, a mating room, and an assembling groove. The tubular portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the tubular portion is extending from one of two sides of the base portion. The mating room is between the first portion and the second portion. The assembling groove is formed at the other side of the base portion. The plug terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals, a power terminal, and a ground terminal. Each of some of the plug terminals comprises a first flexible contact portion, a second flexible contact portion, and a body portion. The body portions are held in the base portion. For each of the signal terminals, the first flexible contact portion is extending from one of two ends of the body portion and held at the first mating surface of the first portion or at the second mating surface of the second portion. For each of the power terminal and the ground terminal, the first flexible contact portion, the second flexible contact portion, and the body portion are formed as a clamping structure. For each of the clamping structures, the first flexible contact portion is extending upward form the end of the body portion and at the first mating surface of the first portion, and the second flexible contact portion is extending downward from the end of the body portion and at the second mating surface of the second portion. Each of the tooth portions is extending from the other end of each of the body portions and extending toward the assembling groove. The wire organizer is assembled in the assembling groove of the insulated housing. The wire organizer comprises a block body, a plurality of wire grooves, and a plurality of cut grooves. Each of the wire grooves is defined through the block body. Each of the cut grooves is formed at a bottom of the block body and communicating with the corresponding wire groove. Each of the tooth portions is inserted into the corresponding wire groove from the corresponding cut groove.
In some embodiments, each of the tooth portions comprises an extending portion and a plurality of sharp end portions. The extending portion of each of the tooth portions is extending from the other end of the corresponding body portion toward the assembling groove. The sharp end portions are extending from a top of the extending portion of each of the tooth portions and located in the corresponding wire groove.
In some embodiments, each of the clamping structures comprises a clamping region formed between the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion.
In some embodiments, the electrical plug connector further comprises a plurality of wires inserted into the wire grooves. Each of the tooth portions punctures the corresponding wire.
In some embodiments, the electrical plug connector further comprises a plurality of engaging members respectively at two sides of the insulted housing. Each of the engaging members comprises a hook and a protruding contact portion. The protruding contact portion is extending from the front of the hook portion toward the mating room of the insulated housing, and the hook portions are respectively fixed with the two sides of the insulated housing.
Another exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure provides an electrical plug connector. The electrical plug connector comprises a metallic shell, an insulated housing, a plurality of plug terminals, a plurality of tooth portions, and a wire organizer. The metallic shell defines a receiving cavity therein. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity of the metallic shell and comprises a base portion, a tubular portion, a mating room, and an assembling groove. The tubular portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the tubular portion is extending from one of two sides of the base portion. The mating room is between the first portion and the second portion. The assembling groove is formed at the other side of the base portion. The plug terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals, at least one power terminal, and at least one ground terminal. Each of the plug terminals comprises a first flexible contact portion and a body portion. The body portion is held in the base portion. The first flexible contact portion is extending from one of two ends of the body portion and held at the first mating surface of the first portion or the second mating surface of the second portion. Each of the tooth portions is extending from the other end of each of the body portions and extending toward the assembling groove. The wire organizer is assembled in the assembling groove of the insulated housing. The wire organizer comprises a block body, a plurality of wire grooves, and a plurality of cut grooves. Each of the wire grooves is defined through the block body. Each of the cut grooves is formed at a bottom of the block body and communicating with the corresponding wire groove. Each of the tooth portions is inserted into the corresponding wire groove from the corresponding cut groove.
Yet another exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure provides an electrical plug connector. The electrical plug connector comprises a metallic shell, an insulated housing, a plurality of plug terminals, a plurality of tooth portions, and a wire organizer. The metallic shell defines a receiving cavity therein. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity of the metallic shell and comprises a base portion, a tubular portion, a mating room, and an assembling groove. The tubular portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the tubular portion is extending from one of two sides of the base portion. The mating room is between the first portion and the second portion. The assembling groove is formed at the other side of the base portion. The plug terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals, at least one power terminal, and at least one ground terminal. Each of the plug terminals comprises a first flexible contact portion, a second flexible contact portion, and a body portion. The body portions are held in the base portion. The first flexible contact portion is extending upward from one of two ends of the body portion and held at the first mating surface of the first portion. The second flexible contact portion is extending downward from the end of the body portion and held at the second mating surface of the second portion. The first flexible contact portion, the second flexible contact portion, and the body portion of each of the plug terminals are formed as a clamping structure. For each of the clamping structures, the first flexible contact portion is extending upward from the end of the body portion and at the first mating surface of the first portion, and the second flexible contact portion is extending downward from the end of the body portion and at the second mating surface of the second portion. Each of the tooth portions is extending from the other end of each of the body portions and extending toward the assembling groove. The wire organizer is assembled in the assembling groove of the insulated housing. The wire organizer comprises a block body, a plurality of wire grooves, and a plurality of cut grooves. Each of the wire grooves is defined through the block body. Each of the cut grooves is formed at a bottom of the block body and communicating with the corresponding wire groove. Each of the tooth portions is inserted into the corresponding wire groove from the corresponding cut groove.
Still yet another exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure provides an electrical plug connector. The electrical plug connector comprises a metallic shell, an insulated housing, a plurality of plug terminals, a plurality of tooth portions, and a wire organizer. The metallic shell defines a receiving cavity therein. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity of the metallic shell and comprises a base portion, a tubular portion, a mating room, and an assembling groove. The tubular portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the tubular portion is extending from one of two sides of the base portion. The mating room is between the first portion and the second portion. The assembling groove is formed at the other side of the base portion. The plug terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals, a power terminal, and a ground terminal. Each of the signal terminals comprises a first flexible contact portion and a body portion. Each of the power terminal and the ground terminal comprises a first flexible contact portion, a second flexible contact portion, and a body portion. The body portions are held in the base portion. The first flexible contact portion of each of the signal terminals is extending from one of two ends of the body portion and held at the first mating surface of the first portion or the second mating surface of the second portion. For each of the power terminal and the ground terminal, the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion are oppositely extending from the end of the body portion and held at the first mating surface of the first portion and the second mating surface of the second portion, respectively. Each of the tooth portions is extending from the other end of each of the body portions and extending toward the assembling groove. The wire organizer is assembled in the assembling groove of the insulated housing. The wire organizer comprises a block body, a plurality of wire grooves, and a plurality of cut grooves. Each of the wire grooves is defined through the block body. Each of the cut grooves is formed at a bottom of the block body and communicating with the corresponding wire groove. Each of the tooth portions is inserted into the corresponding wire groove from the corresponding cut groove.
Accordingly, the first flexible contact portion, the second flexible contact portion, and the body portion of each of the power terminal and the ground terminal are formed as the clamping structure. Therefore, the power terminal and the ground terminal can be assembled to the insulated housing by one-time assembling, and the first flexible contact portions and the second flexible contact portions can be received in the mating room and provided as upper and lower terminals. Hence, the conventional problem that the upper terminals and the lower terminals have to be assembled to the insulated housing in a separate and complicated manner can be solved. In addition, the tooth portions of the plug terminals can puncture the surface of the wires, so that the sharp end portions of the plug terminals can be in contact with the sub wires of the wires for electrical conduction. As a result, the complicated soldering procedure adapted in the conventional way for the connection of terminals and wires can be replaced. In addition, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals each having the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion. Alternatively, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals having the first flexible contact portions or the second flexible contact portions. In a further option, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals in which some of the plug terminals have the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion.
Detailed description of the characteristics and the advantages of the instant disclosure are shown in the following embodiments. The technical content and the implementation of the instant disclosure should be readily apparent to any person skilled in the art from the detailed description, and the purposes and the advantages of the instant disclosure should be readily understood by any person skilled in the art with reference to content, claims and drawings in the instant disclosure.
The instant disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus not limitative of the instant disclosure, wherein:
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The first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 are respectively extending from one of two ends of the body portion 314 upward and downward toward the mating room 213. The front of the first flexible contact portion 315 and the front of the second flexible contact portion 316 are provided for being in contact with receptacle terminals of an electrical receptacle connector. Each of the signal terminals 311 only comprises the first flexible contact portion 315 (and does not comprise the second flexible contact portion 316). The first flexible contact portion 315 of each of the signal terminals 311 is extending from one of two ends of the body portion 314 and held at the first mating surface of the first portion 211 or the second mating surface of the second portion 212. As shown in
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In this embodiment, the clamping structure 32 further comprises a clamping region 321 formed between the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316. The clamping region 321 is for the insertion of a tongue portion of an electrical receptacle connector. The front of the first flexible contact portion 315 and the front of the second flexible contact portion 316 of each of the clamping structures 32 are symmetrical with each other and leaned toward each other. In other words, the width of clamping region 321 gradually reduces from the interior toward the opening of the clamping structure 32. When the electrical plug connector 100 is mated with an electrical receptacle connector, an upper surface and a lower surface of a tongue portion of the electrical receptacle connector are respectively pushed against the corresponding lateral surfaces of the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 of each of the clamping structures 32, and the holding force of the plug terminals 31 for the tongue portion can be improved because of the shape of the clamping structure 32 (i.e., the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 are aligned inclinedly toward each other). In other words, the distance between the front of the first flexible contact portion 315 and the front of the second flexible contact portion 316 is less than the width of the tongue portion. When the tongue portion is inserted into the space between the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 (i.e., inserted into the clamping section 321), the tongue portion pushes the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 away firstly, then the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 are deflected resiliently, so that the holding force of the plug terminals 31 for the tongue portion can be further improved.
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In this embodiment, the electrical plug connector 100 may be mated with an electrical receptacle connector in either of two intuitive orientations, i.e., in either upside-up or upside-down directions, and the plug terminals 31 of the electrical plug connector 100 may be in contact with upper receptacle terminals or lower receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector. Specifically, the clamping structure 32 of the ground terminal 313 and the clamping structure 32 of the power terminal 312 may be respectively in contact with the ground terminal and the power terminal of the receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector, and the signal terminals 311 may be in contact with upper signal terminals or lower signal terminals of the receptacle terminal of the electrical receptacle connector. In other words, the electrical plug connector 100 may be mated with the electrical receptacle connector in dual directions, and the plug terminals 31 of the electrical plug connector 100 may be in contact with upper receptacle terminals or lower receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector. Therefore, the inserting orientation of the electrical plug connector 100 is not limited by the electrical receptacle connector.
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In the aforementioned embodiment, the electrical plug connector 100 has twelve plug terminals 31 for USB 3.0 signal transmission, but embodiments are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the first pair of high-speed signal terminals 3111 (TX2+−), the second pair of high-speed signal terminals 3113 (TX2+−), and the secondary bus terminal (SBU2) are omitted, and the rest seven plug terminals 31 are provided for USB 2.0 signal transmission. In other words, according to embodiments of the instant disclosure, the electrical plug connector 100 comprises plug terminals 31 aligned in a single row (either as upper plug terminals or as lower plug terminals). In addition, the number of the plug terminals 31 may be further reduced to seven. In the illustrative embodiment, the plug terminals 31 are lower plug terminals of the electrical plug connector 100, but embodiments are not limited thereto. The plug terminals 31 may be the upper plug terminals of the electrical plug connector 100. Moreover, the plug terminals 31 of the electrical plug connector 100 may be in contact with upper receptacle terminals or lower receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector. Therefore, the inserting orientation of the electrical plug connector 100 is not limited by the electrical receptacle connector.
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In the third embodiment, the plug terminals 31 are arranged as a single row. The plug terminals 31 comprise the clamping structures 32, so that the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 are formed as terminals in dual rows. in other words, the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 are arranged in the upper portion and the lower portion of the mating room 213, respectively, for signal and/or power transmission by mating with an electrical receptacle connector in dual orientations. In the third embodiment, the plug terminals 31 comprise a plurality of signal terminals 311, at least one power terminal 312, and at least one ground terminal 313. The first flexible contact portions 315 of the plug terminals 31 comprise, from right to left, a ground terminal 313 (Gnd), a first pair high-speed signal terminals 3111 (TX2+−, differential signal terminals), a power terminal 312 (Power/VBUS), a reserved terminal, a pair of low-speed signal terminals 3112 (D+−, differential signal terminals), another reserved terminal, another power terminal 312 (Power/VBUS), a second pair of high-speed signal terminals 3113 (TX2+−, differential signal terminals), and another ground terminal 313 (Gnd). The second flexible contact portions 316 of the plug terminals 31 comprise, from left to right, a ground terminal 313 (Gnd), a first pair high-speed signal terminals 3111 (TX2+−, differential signal terminals), a power terminal 312 (Power/VBUS), a reserved terminal, a pair of low-speed signal terminals 3112 (D+−, differential signal terminals), another reserved terminal, another power terminal 312 (Power/VBUS), a second pair of high-speed signal terminals 3113 (RX1+−, differential signal terminals), and another ground terminal 313 (Gnd).
In this embodiment, because the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 of each of the clamping structure 32 are integrally formed with each other, the first flexible contact portion 315 and the second flexible contact portion 316 of each of the plug terminals 31 have the same pin configuration. For example, for the same clamping structure 32, if the first flexible contact portion 315 is the ground terminal 313, the second flexible contact portion 316 is also the ground terminal 313; for two adjacent clamping structures 32, if the first flexible contact portions 315 are the first pair of high-speed signal terminals 3111 (TX2+−, differential signal terminals), the second flexible contact portions 316 are the first pair of high-speed signal terminals 3111 (TX2+−, differential signal terminals), and vise versa.
In this embodiment, an electronic device for connecting with the electrical plug connector 100 further comprises an IC chip. When the electrical plug connector 100 is mated with an electrical receptacle connector in either two orientations, the IC chip can detect the pin assignments of the electrical receptacle connector and changes the pin assignments of the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 of the plug terminals 31 for meeting with the pin assignments of the electrical receptacle connector. In other words, the IC chip can instantly change the pin assignments of the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 into the pin assignments shown in
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Based on the above, the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 of the plug terminals 31 may be formed as upper and lower terminals received in the mating room 213. Alternatively, the first flexible contact portions 315 of the plug terminals 31 may be formed as the upper terminals or lower terminals received in the mating room 213. In a further option, the first flexible contact portions 315 and the second flexible contact portions 316 of some of the plug terminals 31 may be formed as dual-row terminals, and the first flexible contact portions 315 of rest of the plug terminals 31 are formed as terminals in one row. Hence, these plug terminals 31 may be adapted optionally based on needs. In addition, the number of the plug terminals 31 may be reduced without removing the function of power and signal transmission. Furthermore, the rear of each of the plug terminals 31 comprises the tooth portion 51.
The first flexible contact portion, the second flexible contact portion, and the body portion of each of the power terminal and the ground terminal are formed as the clamping structure. Therefore, the power terminal and the ground terminal can be assembled to the insulated housing by one-time assembling, and the first flexible contact portions and the second flexible contact portions can be received in the mating room and provided as upper and lower terminals. Hence, the conventional problem that the upper terminals and the lower terminals have to be assembled to the insulated housing in a separate and complicated manner can be solved. In addition, the tooth portions of the plug terminals can puncture the surface of the wires, so that the sharp end portions of the plug terminals can be in contact with the sub wires of the wires for electrical conduction. As a result, the complicated soldering procedure adapted in the conventional way for the connection of terminals and wires can be replaced. In addition, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals each having the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion. Alternatively, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals having the first flexible contact portions or the second flexible contact portions. In a further option, the tooth portions may be extending from the rears of the plug terminals in which some of the plug terminals have the first flexible contact portion and the second flexible contact portion.
While the instant disclosure has been described by the way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015 1 0296448 | Jun 2015 | CN | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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