Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 2, 3 ) provides an interface compatible with an internal micro Serial ATA connector. The electrical connector ( 2, 3 ) includes an insulated housing ( 21, 31 ), a first number of contacts ( 221, 222, 223, 321, 322, 323 ) assembled to the insulated housing ( 21, 31 ); and a second number of contacts ( 224, 225, 324, 325 ) assembled to the insulated housing ( 21, 31 ). The first number of contacts ( 221, 222, 223, 321, 322, 323 ) constitute a power segment and a signal segment compatible with the internal micro Serial ATA connector. The second number of contacts ( 224, 225, 324, 325 ) is used for mating with a new type of mating connector ( 3, 2 ) when higher transfer speed is needed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The subject matter disclosed herein is related to the subject matter disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/288,143, filed on Oct. 16, 2008 and entitled “ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR STORAGE DEVICE”, which is assigned to the same assignee as this application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector providing an interface for a storage device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The Serial ATA International Organization published a proposed Serial ATA draft specification of revision 0.70 on 21 Sep. 2006. The Serial ATA draft specification disclosed an internal micro Serial ATA plug connector (hereinafter the Micro SATA plug) and an internal micro Serial ATA backplane connector (hereinafter the Micro SATA backplane) for mating with the Micro SATA plug in Pages 101-109. 
     The micro SATA plug has a signal segment and a power segment sharing a common base. The signal segment has a tongue portion extending from the common base for mating into the micro SATA backplane and seven signal contacts disposed in one side face of the tongue portion for delivering signals. The power segment has a tongue portion extending from the common base for mating into the micro SATA backplane and nine power contacts disposed in one side face of the tongue portion for delivering powers. The tongue portions of the signal segment and the power segment are coplanar and the contacts of the signal segment and the power segment are disposed on the same side of the tongue portions. 
     The micro SATA backplane has a signal segment and a power segment for mating with the signal segment and the power segment of the micro SATA plug. The signal segment and the power segment share a common insulated housing. The signal segment defines a slot in the housing for receiving the tongue portion of the signal segment of the micro SATA plug. The signal segment has seven signal contacts disposed in one inner side face of the slot for delivering signals. The power segment defines another slot in the housing besides the slot of the power segment for receiving the tongue portion of the power segment of the micro SATA plug. The power segment has nine power contacts (two of them are optional MFG pins) disposed in one inner side face of the slot for delivering powers. 
     However, the market demands new interfaces to increase the transfer speed of the micro SATA specification and compatible with the micro SATA plug and incompatible with micro SATA backplane. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide electrical connectors providing interfaces compatible with internal micro Serial ATA connectors with higher transfer speed comparing the internal micro Serial ATA specification. 
     In order to achieve the object set fourth, an electrical connector providing interfaces compatible with internal micro Serial ATA connectors comprising an insulated housing, a first plurality of contacts assembled to the insulated housing and a second plurality of contacts assembled to the insulated housing. The first plurality of contacts constitute a power segment and a signal segment compatible with the internal micro Serial ATA connector. The second plurality of contacts are used for mating with a new type of mating connector when higher transfer speed is needed. 
     In order to achieve the object set fourth, an electrical connector assembly for connecting a storage device, comprising a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector is disclosed. The first electrical connector comprises a first insulated housing defining a longitudinal slot in a front face, the slot defining a first and a second inner side faces facing to each other, and the first and second inner side faces extending in a first direction perpendicular to the front face; a first plurality of contacts disposed in the first insulated housing and aligned along the first side face, the first plurality of contacts being compatible with an internal micro Serial ATA plug connector; and a second plurality of contacts disposed in the first insulated housing and aligned along the second inner side face. The second mating electrical connector comprises a second insulated housing having a base portion and an longitudinal tongue portion extending from a front face of the base portion along the first direction for mating into the slot of the first insulated housing, the tongue portion defining a first outer side face parallel to the first direction and a second outer side face opposite to the first side face; a first plurality of contacts assembled to the second insulated housing and aligned along the first outer side face for mating with the first plurality of contacts of the first electrical connector; and a second plurality of contacts assembled to the second insulated housing and aligned along the second outer side face for mating with the second plurality of contacts of the first electrical connector. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , except that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are unmated; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the first electrical connector; and 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the second electrical connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an electrical connector assembly  1  according to the present invention is shown. The electrical assembly  1  includes a first electrical connector  2  to be mounted on a first circuit board (not shown) and a second electrical connector  3  mounted on a second circuit board (not shown). The electrical connectors  100 ,  200  are used for providing interfaces for a storage device. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the first electrical connector  2  comprises a first insulated housing  21  defining a front face  213  and a first plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  assembled to the first insulated housing  21 . The first insulated housing  21  defines a longitudinal slot  211  in the front face  213 , the slot  211  having a first and a second inner side faces (not labeled) facing to each other, and the first and second inner side faces extending in a first direction perpendicular to the front face  213 . The first plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  are aligned along the first side face, each of said contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  extending along the first direction for mating with the second electrical connector  3 . The first inner side face of said slot  211  further defines two grooves  2134 ,  2135  extending along the first direction from the front face  213 , said two grooves  2134 ,  2135  dividing the plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  into three groups  221 ,  222 ,  223 . The three groups of contacts  221 ,  222 ,  223  are respectively named, in sequence, a third, a second and a first groups. 
     The slot  211  and the grooves  2134 ,  2135  are shaped compatible with an internal micro Serial ATA plug connector and the grooves prevents insertion of other Serial ATA cables. The first group of contacts  223  composes of two optional contacts P 8 , P 9  for delivering power; the second group of contacts  222  composes of seven contacts P 1 -P 7  for delivering power; the third group of contacts  221  composes of seven contacts S 1 -S 7  for delivering signal, wherein the optional contacts P 8 , P 9  are not used in some times, therefore a power segment and a signal segment are form within the first electrical connector  2 . 
     The first electrical connector  2  further comprises a second plurality of contacts S 8 -S 15  assembled to the first insulated housing  21  and aligned along the second side face, each of said second plurality of contacts S 8 -S 15  extending along the first direction for mating with the second electrical connector  3 . The second plurality of contacts compose of eight contacts S 8 -S 15  and are divided into two groups, the fourth group  224 , and the fifth group  225 . The fourth group of the contacts  224  is aligned to the groove  2135  between the first group of contacts  223  and the second group of contacts  222  in a second direction perpendicular to the second side face. The fifth group of the contacts  225  is aligned to the groove  2134  between the second group of contacts  222  and the third group of contacts  221  in the second direction. 
     The outer side surface  24  opposite to the second inner side face of the first insulting housing defines two spaced expanding portions  24 ,  25 . The expanding portions  24 ,  25  extend perpendicularly to the front face and face to grooves  2135 ,  2134  respectively. The forth group and the fifth group are loaded in the expanding portions respectively. The forth group  224  of the second contacts face to the first group  223  of first contacts and a neighboring groove  2135  of said two grooves in a direction perpendicular to the second side face of the insulated housing simultaneously. The fifth group  225  of the second contacts faces to the other groove  2134  of said two grooves in the direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , the second electrical connector  3  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The second electrical connector  3  comprises a second insulated housing  31  and a first plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  assembled to the second insulated housing  31 . The insulated housing  31  has a base portion  311  defining a front face  312  and an integral tongue portion  310  extending from the front face  312  along a first direction, the integral tongue portion  310  defining a first outer side face  313  parallel to the first direction and a second outer side face  314  opposite to the first side face  313 . The first plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  are aligned along the first outer side face  313 , each of said contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  extending along the first direction for respectively contacting the contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  of the first electrical connector  2 . The integral tongue portion  310  forms two ribs  3134 ,  3135  on the first side face  313  of the integral tongue portion  310 . The two ribs  3134 ,  3135  extend along the first direction from the front face  312  of the base portion  311  and divide the first plurality of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  into three groups. The three groups of contacts S 1 -S 7 , P 1 -P 9  are respectively named, in sequence, a first, a second and a third groups. 
     The second electrical connector  3  forms a power segment  262  having two groups of the contacts P 1 -P 9  and a signal segment having one group of the contacts S 1 -S 7 . The contacts P 1 -P 9 , S 11 -S 7  of power segment and the signal segment could be compatible with an internal micro Serial ATA backplane connector except that the rib  3134  prevents insertion of the electrical connector  3  into the internal micro Serial ATA backplane connector. The first group of contacts  323  composes of two optional contacts P 8 , P 9  used for delivering power, wherein the optional contacts P 8 , P 9  are not used in some times. The second group of contacts  322  composes of seven contacts P 1 -P 7  used for delivering power. The third group of contacts  321  composes of seven contacts S 1 -S 7  being used for delivering signal. 
     The second electrical connector  3  further comprises a second plurality of contacts  324 ,  325  shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 . The second plurality of contacts S 8 -S 15  are aligned along the second outer side face  314 , each of the second plurality of contacts S 8 -S 15  extending along the first direction for mating with the first electrical connector  2 . The second plurality of contacts compose of a fourth group of contacts  325  and a fifth group of contacts  325 . The fourth group of contacts  325  comprises of four contacts S 12 -S 15  and is aligned to the rib  3135  between the first group of contacts  323  and the second group of contacts  322 . The fourth group of contacts  324  comprises of four contacts S 8 -S 11  and is aligned to the rib  3134  between the second group of contacts  322  and the third group of contacts  321 . Each of the first and the second pluralities of contact forms a soldering portion  328 . 
     Said two ribs on the first side face divide said first face to three spaced different contact areas  313   a ,  313   b ,  313   c . The second plurality of contacts comprises first contacting sections  3231 ,  3221 ,  3211  positioned upon said three contact areas of first face in turn and first tail sections  3232 ,  3222 ,  3212  exposing to a rear face of the elongated base. The second plurality of contacts disposed in the housing with second contacting sections  3241 ,  3251  positioned upon the second face around said first and second ribs to form two spaced contact regions and second tail sections  3242 ,  3252  exposing to the rear face of the elongated base. The alignments of the fourth and the fifth groups of contacts  324 ,  325  with the ribs  3134 ,  3135  make that the tail portions  3222 - 3252  of the contacts  321 - 325  can be arranged in a line. The second face is further equipped with two recesses  318  which rearwardly communicates with an exterior via a through hole  319  which extends therethrough the base, the recesses  318  respectively are disposed at one side of contact regions of the group of second contacts. The first and second expanding portions  24  &amp;  25  are deemed as group members of a first group and the first and second grooves  2135  &amp;  2134  are deemed as group members of a second group under condition that the group members in one of said first group and said second group having a same dimension along the longitudinal direction while those in the other of said first group and said second group having different dimensions along the longitudinal direction so as to form an asymmetrical manner between the first and second expanding portions  24  &amp;  25  and the first and second grooves  2135  &amp;  2134 . 
     So it could be drawn from the above description that the first electrical connector  2  is compatible with the second electrical connector  3  and the internal micro Serial ATA plug connector, while the second electrical connector  3  is incompatible with the internal micro Serial ATA backplane connector. In addition, the first and the second electrical connectors  2 , 3  add a secondary port at the internal micro Serial ATA connectors to increase the transfer speed. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrated only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.