The present invention relates to an electronic connector and, more particularly, to a connector that can provide at least two specifications for external communication interfaces, in which a detective terminal pin is provided and can be electrically grounded according to the way of insertion of an external communication interface into the connector, so that the terminal pin sets of the connector can be selectively activated or deactivated so that an accurate and reliable communication can be achieved.
Due to advances in technology, electronic products have opened the door of the world's knowledge and thus are indispensable in people's daily lives. According to the demand of market, the electronic products are being developed in the tendency of light, thin, short, and small, which will make the external connectors of an electronic product necessary be more compact than ever in addition to a reduction of its internal space.
Among the existing electronic products, Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the most popular specification for communication between devices. A connector implementing the specification of USB can be applied in various peripheral devices for computers, such as mouse, printers, flash drives, etc. To achieve the purpose of transferring a large amount of data, the connectors of USB 2.0 have gradually insufficient for completing the task in short time, so that USB 3.0 has been developed and would be suitable for transferring a large amount of data in short time.
Since the number of terminal pins of USB 2.0 is different from that of USB 3.0, and the connectors of USB 2.0 cannot support the functions of USB 3.0, additional connectors of USB 3.0 should be purchased for a high speed transfer. To have a slim design of electronic products, the connectors of USB 2.0 and the connectors of USB 3.0 should be integrated into an integral connector that is more compact and simple in structure. Additionally, to obtain an easy, accurate and reliable communication, the way of insertion of external communication interfaces into connectors should include a normal insertion and a reverse insertion. The present invention can provide a solution for the above demands.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an electronic connector that can provide an easy, accurate, and reliable way of communication.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the electronic connector comprises an insulated housing, a first terminal pin set, a second terminal pin set, a third terminal pin set, a detective terminal pin, and a metal shell. The insulated housing contains a base plate at a front end thereof and defines a first space above the base plate and a second space below the base plate, in which the second space corresponds to the first space. The first terminal pin set, which conforms to the standard of USB 2.0, is located in the first space and may cooperate with the third terminal pin set to conform to the standard of USB 3.0. The second terminal pin set, which conforms to the standard of USB 2.0, is located in the second space and may cooperate with the third terminal pin set to conform to the standard of USB 3.0. The detective terminal pin is disposed in an inner surface that defines the first space. The metal shell encases the insulated housing and is electrically grounded. In use, an external communication interface can be normally inserted in the second space or reversely inserted into the first space. When the external communication interface is reversely inserted into the first space, the detective terminal pin can be urged by the interface to have it contacted with the metal shell and thus electrically grounded, so that a signal can be triggered to disable the second terminal pin set and enable the first terminal pin set. Such manner will allow the first terminal pin set or the second terminal pin set to be activated or deactivated according to the way of insertion of the external communication interface into the electronic connector to achieve an accurate and reliable communication
According to another aspect of the present invention, the third terminal pin set includes five pieces of third front terminal pins and five pieces of third rear terminal pins corresponding to the third front terminal pins. The third rear terminal pins are disposed in the base plate of the insulated housing. Each of the third rear terminal pins has one end being formed as a contact portion for electrically connecting with one of the third front terminal pins and has another end being formed as an electrical connection leg. At least two of the third rear terminal pin may be each provided with a side plate extending upwardly or downwardly from the contact portion thereof to increase the longitudinal strength of the contact portion thereof, so that the contact portion can be prevented against a longitudinal deformation and the base plate can be strengthened.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Turning now to
The first terminal pin set 200 is disposed to the base plate 110 and located in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100. The first terminal pin set 200 includes four pieces of first terminal pins 210, which are respectively disposed in the first recesses 111 of the base plate 110. The two outer pieces of the first terminal pins 210 are respectively served as a positive power source and a ground, whereas the two inner pieces of the first terminal pins 210 are respectively served as a signal-transmitting port and a signal-receiving port, so that the electronic connector may conform to the standard or specification of Universal Serial Bus, version 2.0 (USB 2.0). Each of the first terminal pins 210 has one end being formed as a contact portion 211 for electrically connecting with a corresponding terminal pin of an external communication interface and another end being formed as an electrical connection leg 212, which extends out of the insulated housing 100.
The second terminal pin set 300 is disposed to the base plate 110 and located in the second space 130 of the insulated housing 100. The second terminal pin set 300 includes four pieces of second terminal pins 310, which are respectively disposed in the second recesses 112 of the base plate 110. The two outer pieces of the second terminal pins 310 are respectively served as a positive power source and a ground, whereas the two inner pieces of the second terminal pins 310 are respectively served as a signal-transmitting port and a signal-receiving port, so that the electronic connector may conform to the standard or specification of Universal Serial Bus, version 2.0 (USB 2.0). Each of the second terminal pins 310 has one end being formed as a contact portion 311 for electrically connecting with a corresponding terminal pin of an external communication interface and another end being formed as an electrical connection leg 312, which extends out of the insulated housing 100.
The third terminal pin set 400 includes five pieces of third front terminal pins 410 and five pieces of third rear terminal pins 420 corresponding to the third front terminal pins 410. The middle piece of the third front terminal pins 410 is served as a ground, whereas the other four pieces of the third front terminal pins 410 are respectively served as a signal-transmitting differential pair and a signal-receiving differential pair. The third front terminal pins 410 are respectively disposed in the third recesses 113, which are located in the first space 120 and the second space 130 at the front portion of the base plate 110. Each of the third front terminal pins 410 is formed with a first contact portion 411, a second contact portion 412, and a strip 413 between the first contact portion 411 and the second contact portion 412. The first contact portion 411 and the second contact portion 412 are used for electrically connecting with an external communication interface. Also, the first contact portion 411 is electrically connected with the second contact portion 412 by the strip 413. The first contact portions 411 of the third front terminal pins 410 are located in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100, whereas the second contact portions 412 of the third front terminal pins 410 are located in the second space 130 of the insulated housing 100. The third rear terminal pins 412 are disposed in the insulating housing 100 and the base plate 110. Each of the third rear terminal pins 412 has one end being formed as a contact portion 421 for electrically connecting with one of the third front terminal pins 410 and has another end being formed as an electrical connection leg 422, which extends out of the insulated housing 100. Furthermore, in the electronic connector, at least two pieces of the third rear terminal pins 420 can be each provided with a side plate, which extends upwardly or downwardly from the corresponding contact portion 421 thereof. For example, as shown in
A detective terminal pin 500 is disposed in the fourth recess 400. The detective terminal pin 500 has a detection arm 510 extending from one end thereof and an electrical connection leg 520 formed at another end thereof. The detection arm 510 is constructed with flexibility that allows it to be restored to its original shape. The free end of the detection arm 510 is bent toward the opening 141 of the fourth recess 140 in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100. The detection arm 510 of the detective terminal pin 500 can extend through the fourth recess 140 into the first space 120 when it is not urged by external force. The detection aim 510 of the detective terminal pin 500 can move through the opening 141 of the fourth recess 140 into the cutout or accommodating space 150 when it is urged by external force
The metal shell 600 encases the insulated housing 100. The metal shell 600 is provided with an engagement arm 610 at a lateral side thereof corresponding to the detective terminal pin 500, in which the engagement arm 610 has one end connected with the metal shell 600 and another end bent with a contact portion 611 within the cutout or accommodating space 150 of the insulated housing 100.
The above-mentioned electrical connection legs 212, 312, 422 and 520 can extend out of the insulated housing 100 so as to be electrically connected with an external circuit board (not shown). Furthermore, each of the third front terminal pins 410 can be formed with an electrical connection leg 414 extending from the second contact portion 412 thereof to be electrically connect with the contact portion 421 of one of the third rear terminal pins 420, so that the first contact portion 411 and the second contact portion 412 of each of the third front terminal pin 410 can be electrically connected with the external circuit board. Also, the contact portion 421 of each of the third rear terminal pins 420 can be electrically connected with the first contact portion 411 and the second contact portion 412 of one of the third front terminal pins 410.
According to the present invention, the first terminal pin set 200, which conforms to the standard or specification of USB 2.0 and is located in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100, may cooperate with the first contact portions 411 of the third terminal pin set 400, which includes 5 pieces of the third front terminal pins 410, to thereby conform to the standard or specification of USB 3.0. In addition, the second terminal pin set 300, which conforms to the standard or specification of USB 2.0 and is located in the second space 130 of the insulated housing 100, may cooperate with the second contact portions 412 of the third terminal pin set 400, which includes 5 pieces of the third front terminal pins 410, to thereby conform to the standard or specification of USB 3.0. Therefore, the electronic connector can provide two specifications for external communication interfaces, each of which can be inserted in the upper space (i.e. the first space 120) or in the lower space (i.e. the second space 130) of the electronic connector. That is to say, an external communication interface, which conforms to the standard of USB 2.0 or 3.0, can be inserted into the electronic connector in a normal way or reverse way. For example, when an external communication interface 800 conforming to the specification of USB 2.0 or 3.0 is normally inserted into the electronic connector, the terminal pins of the external communication interface 800 can be electrically connected with the second terminal pin set 300 in the second space 130 of the insulated housing 100 or both of the second terminal pin set 300 and the second contact portions 412 of the third terminal pin set 400. On the other hand, when an external communication interface 800 conforming to the specification of USB 2.0 or 3.0 is reversely inserted into the electronic connector; the terminal pins of the external communication interface 800 can be electrically connected with the first terminal pin set 200 in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100 or both of the first terminal pin set 200 and the first contact portions 411 of the third terminal pin set 400.
It is noted that, when the metal shell 600 is electrically grounded and a special communication interface 800, such as a thin USB port or an unshielded USB port, is normally inserted into the electronic connector (see
Turning now to
Furthermore, the electronic connector may be provided with a socket 700, which can be mounted at a rear portion of the insulating housing 100. The socket 700 defines a plurality of first holes 710, a plurality of second holes 720, a plurality of third holes 730, and a fourth hole 740, in which the first holes 710 can be respectively inserted with the electrical connection legs 312 of the second terminal pin set 300, the second holes 720 can be respectively inserted with the electrical connection legs 212 of the first terminal pin set 200, the third holes 730 can be respectively inserted with the electrical connection legs 422 of the third rear terminal pins 420 of the third terminal pin set 400, and the fourth hole 740 can be inserted with the electrical connection leg 520 of the detective terminal pin 500, so that the first terminal pin set 200, the second terminal pin set 300, the third terminal pin set 400, and the detective terminal pin 500 can be securely mounted in the insulated housing 100.
Turning now to
Turning now to
In light of the foregoing, the present invention can provide at least two specifications for external communication interfaces conforming to one of the specifications. When an external communication interface is normally inserted into the electronic connector, the terminal pins of the external communication interface will be located in the second space 130 of the insulated housing 100, and thus will be electrically connected with the second terminal pin set 300 or both of the second terminal pin set 300 and the second contact portions 412 of the third terminal pin set 400. On the other hand, when the external communication interface is reversely inserted into the electronic connector, the terminal pins of the external communication interface will be located in the first space 120 of the insulated housing 100, and thus will be electrically connected with the first terminal pin set 200 or both of the first terminal pin set 200 and the first contact portions 411 of the third terminal pin set 400. Also, the detective terminal pin 500 can be flexibly bent by the external force exerted from the communication interface to allow the detective terminal pin 500 to be electrically grounded, so that a signal can be triggered and sent to the control processor on the circuit board, so that the first terminal pin set 200 in the first space 120 or the second terminal pin set 300 in the second space 130 can be selectively activated or deactivated according to the way of insertion of the interface 800 into the electronic connector, a normal way or a reverse way, to obtain an accurate and reliably communication. Thus, the present electronic connector can provide an easy, accurate and reliable way of communication.
Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example only and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereinafter claimed.
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