EXHIBIT A
USOO6508678B1 

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,508,678 B1 

Yang (45) Date of Patent: Jan. 21, 2003 

(54) ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY 6,261,129 B1 * 7/2001 Kusagaya ................... 439/677 

6,280.209 B1 * 8/2001 Bassler et al. .............. 439/101 

(75) Inventor: Sheng-Ho Yang, Taipei Hsien (TW) 6,322,395 B1 11/2001 Nishio et al. ............... 439/607 

6,386,918 B1 * 5/2002 Zheng et al. ............... 439/607 

(73) ASSignee: Advanced Connecteck Inc., Taipei FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 

Hsien (TW) GB 1O29090 5/1966 ................. 439/677 

(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this * cited b 

patent is extended or adjusted under 35 cited by examiner 

U.S.C. 154(b) by 64 days. Primary Examiner Tulsidas Patel 

ASSistant Examiner Thanh-Tam Le 

(21) Appl. No.: 09/653,129 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Merchant & Gould P.C. 

(22) Filed: Aug. 31, 2000 (57) ABSTRACT 

(51) Int. Cl." HO1R 13/64 An electrical connector assembly includes a plug having a 

(52) U.S. Cl .439/677. 439/607 first mating portion defined by a multi-sided first confining wall, and a receptacle having a Second mating portion 

defined by a multi-sided second confining wall. Each of the 

first and Second confining walls has opposite first and Second 

(56) References Cited Sides, a pair of opposite third sides respectively connected to 

two opposite ends of the first Side, a pair of fourth sides 

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS respectively connected to two opposite ends of the Second 

Sides, and a pair of fifth sides each extending between and 

(58) Field of Search ................................. 439/607, 610, 

439/676, 677, 680, 682, 101, 108,924.1 

E. : E E "...O.E. interconnecting one of the third sides and one of the fourth 

5051009 A 9/1991 Pickles et al. .... ... 439/108 sides. The first side is longer than the second side. The width 

5,634,819 A * 6/1997 Pan et al. ......... ... 439/637 between the third sides is greater than that between the 

5,647,765 A * 7/1997 Haas et al. .......... ... 439/609 fourth sides. The fifth sides are angled away from each other 

5,651,685 A * 7/1997 Brinkman et al. ............ 439/79 while extending from the fourth sides to the third sides. 

6,041.498 A * 3/2000 Hillbish et al. ............... 29/883 

6,171,125 B1 * 1/2001 Kirkendall .................. 439/218 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets 

453 

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US 6,508,678 B1 

1 

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY 

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 

1. Field of the Invention 

This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, 

more particularly to a USB type electrical connector assem 

bly. 

2. Description of the Related Art 

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional USB (Universal Serial 

Bus Connector) electrical connector assembly that serves as 

a medium for data transmission in a computer. The assembly includes a receptacle 1 with a complementary plug. 2. The 

receptacle 1 includes a receptacle housing 12 having a 

receptacle mating portion 122 formed with a Substantially 

rectangular opening 121 for receiving the plug. 2, a recep 

tacle terminal Seat 11 disposed in the receptacle housing 12, 

and a plurality of receptacle terminals 111 mounted on the 

receptacle terminal Seat 11 and having ends adapted to 

be-connected to a printed circuit board 13. The plug 2 

includes a plug housing and a plurality of plug terminals (not 

shown) mounted in the plug housing. The plug housing has 

a plug mating portion 21 adapted to mate with the receptacle 

mating portion 122 and having a cable connecting end 22 

adapted to be connected to a cable 23. 

The cable 23 normally has two opposite ends provided 

with the same plugs 2 that respectively Serve as data input 

and output connectors. AS Such, there is a tendency to plug 

a wrong one of the plugs 2 into the receptacle 1 of a printed 

circuit board when using the cable 23 to connect an electrical 

device to the printed circuit board, thereby hindering data 

transmission between the electrical device and the printed circuit board. 

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide 

an electrical connector assembly that is capable of overcom 

ing the aforementioned drawback. 

According to the present invention, an electrical connec 

tor assembly comprises a plug that includes a plug housing having a first mating portion, and a plurality of plug termi 

nals mounted inside the plug housing, the first mating portion being defined by a multi-sided first confining wall; 

and a receptacle that includes a receptacle housing having a 

Second mating portion to mate with the first mating portion, 

and a plurality of receptacle terminals mounted inside the 

receptacle housing, the Second mating portion being defined 

by a multi-sided Second confining wall, each of the first and 

Second confining walls having opposite first and Second 

Sides, a pair of opposite third Sides respectively connected to 

two opposite ends of the first Side, a pair of fourth sides 

respectively connected to two opposite ends of the Second 

Sides, and a pair of fifth sides each extending between and 

interconnecting one of the third Sides and one of the fourth 

Sides, the first Side being longer than the Second Side, the 

width between the third sides being greater than that 

between the fourth Sides, the fifth sides being angled away 

from each other while extending from the fourth sides to the 

third sides. 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the 

invention, 

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional 

electrical connector assembly adapted to be connected to a 

printed circuit board; 

1O 

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25 

35 

40 

45 

50 

55 

60 

65 

2 

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective View of an electrical 

connector assembly embodying this invention; 

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a plug of the 

electrical connector assembly of FIG. 2; 

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the plug of 

FIG. 3; 

FIG. 5 is a partly exploded perspective view of the plug 

of FIG. 3; 

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective View of a receptacle of 

the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 2; 

FIG. 7 is a croSS-Sectional Side view of a mating portion 

of the receptacle of FIG. 6; 

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view to illustrate mating of the receptacle of FIG. 6 and the plug of FIG. 3; 

FIG. 9 is a front view of the receptacle of FIG. 6; 

FIG. 10 is a front view of the plug of FIG. 3; 

FIG. 11 is a front view to illustrate a modified receptacle 

of FIG. 6; 

FIG. 12 is a front view to illustrate a modified plug of FIG. 

3; and 

FIG. 13 is a perspective view to illustrate another modi 

fied receptacle of FIG. 6. 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE 

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 

FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical connector assembly 

embodying this invention. The electrical connector assem 

bly includes a receptacle 4 with a complementary plug 3. 

Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 5, in combination with FIG. 

3, the plug. 3 includes a plug housing 30 adapted to be 

connected to a cable 5 at a rear end 32 thereof and having an insulative outer shell 38 and a metal inner shell 37 

extending into the Outer shell 38, and a plurality of plug 

terminals 33 mounted in the plug housing 30. The innershell 

37 includes a Substantially rectangular Supporting portion 

371 disposed in the outer shell 38, and a hollow first mating portion 36 defined by a multi-sided first confining wall 36 

and projecting from the Supporting portion 371 and out of a 

front end of the outer shell 38. The supporting portion 371 

includes a U-shaped base piece. 360 having a flat bight 

portion 363 and two opposite arms 364 which project from 

two opposite sides of the bight portion 363 in directions 

substantially perpendicular to the bight portion 363 and 

which are formed with through-holes 365, and an inverted 

U-shaped cover piece 35 coupled with the base piece 360 

and having a flat bight portion 353 parallel to the bight 

portion 363 of the base piece 360 and two opposite arms 351 

which project from two opposite sides of the bight portion 

353 toward the arms 364 of the base piece 360 and which are 

formed with tongues 352 that respectively and detachably 

engage the through-holes 365 when the base piece 360 and 

the cover piece 35 are coupled together. An arc-shaped plate 

366 projects from a rear end of the bight portion 363 to 

Support the cable 5. A positioning tape 354 is Secured to a 

rear end of the cover piece 35 adjacent to the arc-shaped 

plate 366 for winding on the cable 5 and the arc-shaped plate 

366 so as to firmly fix the cable 5 on the arc-shaped plate 366. A pair of opposite positioning tongues 362 project 

inwardly from the first confining wall 36". A locking opening 

369 is formed in the first confining wall 36". 

The plug terminals 33 are mounted on a plug terminal Seat 

34 which includes a base part 341 formed with a plurality of 

terminal passageways 344 for receiving the plug terminals 

33 and having a contact portion 345 which projects into the 
US 6,508,678 B1 

3 

first mating portion 36, and a positioning block 342 project ing from the base part 341, crossing the terminal passage 

ways 344, and having a plurality of grooves aligned with the 

passageways 344 to confine the plug terminals 33. A pair of 

positioning recesses 343 are formed in two opposite sides of 

the positioning block 342 to engage the positioning tongues 

362 when the plug terminal seat 34 is disposed in the inner 

shell 37. An elastic sleeve 39 is sleeved on a connecting end 

51 of the cable 5, and is connected to the plug housing 30 

for protecting the cable 5 from being bent. 

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, in combination with 

FIGS. 2 to 5, the receptacle 4 includes a metal receptacle housing 45 adapted to be mounted on a printed circuit board 

(not shown) and having a Substantially U-shaped Supporting portion 451' and a second mating portion 453 defined by a 

multi-sided Second confining wall 453' and projecting from 

a front end of the Supporting portion 451", a receptacle terminal Seat 41' mounted on the Supporting portion 451, 

and a plurality of receptacle terminals 43 mounted on the 

receptacle terminal seat 41'. The supporting portion 451" of 

the receptacle housing 45 has a bight part 452 and two 

opposite arms 451 projecting from two opposite sides of the 

bight part 452 in directions substantially perpendicular to the 

bight part 452. A cover plate 456 projects from a rear end 

454 of the supporting portion 451", and has two opposite legs formed with locking recesses 459. A pair of lugs 450 project 

from one end of each arm 451 of the Supporting portion 451 

of the receptacle housing 45 for engaging the printed circuit 

board. A pair of elongated slots 455 are formed in the arms 

451, and open at the rear end 454 of the supporting portion 

451". A pair of tongues 460 project outwardly from the arms 

451 between the elongated slot 455 and the lugs 450. The 

bight part 452 of the supporting portion 451" is punched or 

is stamped to form a main spring arm 457 and a pair of 

Secondary Spring arms 458 thereon. The main Spring arm 

457 has a front end formed with a bent Section 457. 

The receptacle terminal Seat 41' includes a rectangular positioning body 41 and a base part 42" projecting from a 

front face 443 of the positioning body 41 and having a 

contact portion 42 extending into the Second mating portion 

453 to mate with the contact portion 345 of the base part 341 

of the plug terminal Seat 34. A plurality of receptacle 

terminal passageways 446 are formed in the base part 42" for 

receiving the receptacle terminals 43. The base part 42" has 

a side wall 445 defining one Side of each receptacle terminal 

passageway 446 and formed with a plurality of openings 447 

that are respectively aligned with and Spatially communi 

cated with the receptacle terminal passageways 446. A pair of protrusions 448 respectively project from two opposite Sides of the positioning body 41 to engage the elongated 

slots 455 in the arms 451 of the Supporting portion 451 

when the assembly of the receptacle terminal seat 41 and the 

receptacle terminals 43 is disposed in the receptacle housing 

45. Each receptacle terminal 43 has a spring arm 436 

disposed in one of the receptacle terminal passageways 446 

and having a front end formed with a bent portion 437 that 

protrudes through the respective opening 447 in the Side 

wall 445 of the base part 42", and an L-shaped solder tail 439 

extending from the Spring arm 436 through the positioning 

body 41 and adapted to be soldered to the printed circuit 

board (not shown). The legs of the cover plate. 456 are bent 

at an angle of 900 to permit the locking recesses 459 to 

engage the tongues 460 at the arms 451 of the Supporting portion 451' after the assembly of the receptacle terminal 

Seat 41 and the receptacle terminals 43 is disposed in the 

receptacle housing 45. 

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, in combination with 

FIGS. 3 and 6, each of the first and second confining walls 

5 

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40 

45 

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55 

60 

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4 

36', 453' has opposite first and second sides 371,372 (481, 482), a pair of opposite third sides 373 (483) respectively connected to two opposite ends of the first side 371 (481), 

a pair of fourth sides 374 (484) respectively connected to 

two opposite ends of the second sides 372 (482), and a pair of fifth sides 375 (485) each extending between and inter 

connecting one of the third sides 373 (483) and one of the 

fourth sides 374 (484). The first side 371 (481) is longer than 

the second side 372 (482). The width between the third sides 

373 (483) is greater than that between the fourth sides 374 

(484). The fifth sides 375 (485) are angled away from each 

other while extending from the fourth sides 374 (484) to the 

third sides 373 (483) The first and second sides 371, 372 

(481, 482) are substantially parallel. The third sides 373 

(483) are substantially perpendicular to the first side 371 

(481). The fourth sides 374 (484) extend obliquely and 

respectively from the opposite ends of the second side 372 

(482). The fifth sides 375, (485) are respectively and sub 

stantially perpendicular to the third sides 373 (483). The 

Shortest distance (indicated as reference mark H1 shown in 

FIG. 9 or H1' in FIG. 10) from one of, two opposite ends of 

each third side 373 (483), that is distal from the first side 371 

(481), to a plane defined by the second side 372 (482) is 

Smaller than the distance (indicated as reference mark W1 

shown in FIG. 9 or W1" in FIG. 10) from one of the opposite ends of the second side 372 (482), that is adjacent to that 

third side 373 (483), to a plane defined by that third side 373 

(483). The locking opening 369 is formed at the first side 

371 of the first confining wall 36". 

Referring now to FIG. 8, in combination with FIGS. 3 and 

7, the locking opening 369 engages the bent section 457 of 

the main spring arm 457 of the bight part 452, and each plug 

terminal 33 abuts against the bent portion 437 of the 

respective receptacle terminal 43 when the plug. 3 is plugged 

into the receptacle 4. 

FIGS. 11 and 12 respectively illustrate a modified recep 

tacle 4' and a modified plug 3' which are similar to the 

previous receptacle 4 and the previous plug 3 except that the 

fourth sides 374 (484) are substantially perpendicular to the 

second side 372 (482), that each fifth side 375 (485) is 

oblique relative to the respective third side 373 (483) and 

the respective fourth side 374 (484), and that the shortest 

distance (indicated as reference mark H2 shown in FIG. 11 

or H2" in FIG. 12) from one of two opposite ends of each 

third side 373 (483"), that is distal from the first side 371' 

(481) to the plane defined by the second side 372 (482) is 

greater than the distance (indicated as reference mark W2 

shown in FIG. 11 or W2 in FIG. 12) from an adjacent one 

of the opposite ends of the second side 372 (482) to the 

plane defined by that third side 373 (483). 

FIG. 13 illustrates another modified receptacle 4" which 

is a combination of the previous receptacle 4 and the 

previous modified receptacle 4 that are Stacked one above 

the other. 

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, the plug terminals 33 

include Spaced apart two first power terminals 331, a first 

detecting terminal 335 disposed adjacent and integrally 

formed with one of the power terminals 331, and two spaced 

apart data terminals 333,334. The receptacle terminals 43 

are spaced apart from each other, and include two Second 

power terminals 431, a second detecting terminal 435 dis 

posed adjacent to one of the power terminals 431, and two 

data terminals 433,434. The second detecting terminal 435 

is electrically connected to the adjacent one of the Second 

power terminals 431 via the interconnected one of the first 

power terminals 331 and the first detecting terminal 335 

when the plug. 3 and the receptacle 4 are coupled together, 
US 6,508,678 B1 

S 

thereby permitting the printed circuit board to distinguish 

the type of plug that is connected thereto. 

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that 

various modifications and variations can be made without 

departing from the Spirit of the present invention. It is 

therefore intended that the invention be limited only as 

recited in the appended claims. 

I claim: 

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: 

a plug that includes a plug housing having a first mating 

portion, and a plurality of plug terminals mounted 

inside Said plug housing, Said first mating portion being 

defined by a multi-sided first confining wall; and 

a receptacle that includes a receptacle housing having a 

Second mating portion to mate with Said first mating portion, and a plurality of receptacle terminals mounted 

inside Said receptacle housing, said Second mating 

portion being defined by a multi-sided Second confin 

ing wall, 

each of Said first and Second confining walls having opposite first and Second Sides, a pair of opposite third 

SideS respectively connected to two opposite ends of 

Said first Side, a pair of fourth Sides respectively con 

nected to two opposite ends of Said Second Side, and a 

pair of fifth sides each extending between and inter 

connecting one of Said third sides and one of Said fourth 

Sides, Said first Side being longer than Said Second Side, 

Said first and Second Sides being longer than each of 

said third sides, the width between said third sides 

being greater than that between Said fourth Sides, Said 

fifth sides being angled away from each other while 

extending from said fourth Sides to said third sides; 

1O 

15 

25 

6 

wherein Said first and Second Sides are Substantially 

parallel, and Said third sides are Substantially perpen 

dicular to Said first Side, and 

wherein said fourth sides extend obliquely from said 

Second Side. 

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein 

Said fifth Sides are respectively and Substantially perpen 

dicular to Said third Sides. 

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein 

each of Said third Sides has two opposite ends, the shortest 

distance from one of Said opposite ends of Said third Side, 

that is distal from Said first Side, to a plane defined by Said 

Second Side being Smaller than that from one of Said opposite 

ends of Said Second Side, that is adjacent to Said one of Said 

opposite ends of Said third side, to a plane defined by Said 

third side. 

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein 

Said plug terminals include a first power terminal and a first 

detecting terminal which is electrically connected to Said 

first power terminal, and Said receptacle terminals include a 

Second power terminal and a Second detecting terminal 

which is spaced apart from Said Second power terminal and 

which is electrically connected to Said Second power termi 

nal via Said first power terminal and Said first detecting 

terminal when Said first and Second mating portions are 

coupled together. 

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4, wherein 

Said first power terminal and Said first detecting terminal are 

integrally formed and are punched from a metal plate.