Patent Publication Number: US-9413117-B2

Title: Receptacle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese patent application No. 201410683205.4, filed Nov. 24, 2014 and entitled “Electrical Connector Assembly and the Method of Manufacturing it” as well as Chinese patent application No. 201410680687.8, filed Nov. 24, 2014 and entitled “Receptacle Connector”, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a connector, and more particularly to a receptacle having a tongue and a grounding piece. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Universal Serial Bus (USB) interfaces are commonly used in a variety of applications for connecting two electronic devices. The design of USB is standardized by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), which has released a USB Type C Specification on Aug. 11, 2014 in order to meet requirements of high-speed, miniaturization and high-capacity. Under the circumstances, connectors with high frequency, compact design and excellent reliability are craved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a receptacle with high frequency, compact design and excellent reliability is provided. 
     To achieve the above objectives, one particular embodiment of the invention pertains to a receptacle comprising a printed circuit board, a plurality of top contacts, a grounding piece and a conductive shell. A tongue is integrated into the printed circuit board. The plurality of top contacts are spaced apart along a top row on a top surface of the tongue. The plurality of top contacts include a pair of top grounding contacts, wherein the pair of top grounding contacts are respectively located at both sides of the top row. The grounding piece sequentially has a tail, a base, a top shielding pad and two arms. The tail is mounted onto the printed circuit board. The base is attached to a rear portion of the tongue. The top shielding pad is located behind the plurality of top contacts and protrudes from the top surface of the tongue. The two arms respectively constitute both sides of the tongue. The pair of top grounding contacts are respectively located on top surfaces of the two arms, wherein the plurality of top contacts excepting the pair of top grounding contacts are electrically isolated from the grounding piece. The conductive shell has a wall. The wall surrounds the tongue and the grounding piece. A rear portion of the wall is coupled to the base of the grounding piece, wherein a mating port configured to receive the plug is formed from a space between the wall and the tongue and a top gap between the wall and the top shielding pad. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a receptacle  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tongue  11  shown in  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the grounding piece  20  shown in  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the conductive shell  30  shown in  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic front view of the tongue  11  shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with the USB Type C Specification. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the receptacle  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the receptacle  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the receptacle  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to an embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     In order to better appreciate and understand the present invention, reference is first made to  FIGS. 1-3 , which are an exploded view of a receptacle  1  and both perspective views of a tongue  11  and a grounding piece  20 , respectively, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The receptacle  1  is provided for electrically mating a plug (not shown) and comprises a printed circuit board  10 , the grounding piece  20  and a conductive shell  30 . The tongue  11  is integrated into the printed circuit board  10 . 
     The receptacle  1  further comprises a plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  and a plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  (not shown). The plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  are spaced apart along a top row R 1  on a top surface  11   a  of the tongue  11 . The plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  include a pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12 . The pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  will be respectively located at both sides of the top row R 1  when a base  23  of the grounding piece  20  is attached to a rear portion  11   c  of the tongue  11 . Similarly, the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  are spaced apart along a bottom row R 2  (not shown) on a bottom surface  11   b  (not shown) of the tongue  11 , wherein the bottom surface  11   b  of the tongue  11  is opposite to the top surface  11   a  of the tongue  11  while the bottom row R 2  is right below the top row R 1 . The plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  include a pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12 . The pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  will be respectively located at both sides of the bottom row R 2  when the base  23  of the grounding piece  20  is attached to the rear portion  11   c  of the tongue  11 . 
     The grounding piece  20  sequentially has a tail  21 , a flange  22 , the base  23 , a top shielding pad  24 , a bottom shielding pad  25 , two arms  26  &amp;  27  and two extensions  28  &amp;  29 . The tail  21  is suitable for being soldered to a rear pad  12 , or otherwise mounted onto the printed circuit board  10 . The flange  22  between the tail  21  and the base  23  engages the printed circuit board  10 . The base  23  is attached to the rear portion  11   c  of the tongue  11 . The top shielding pad  24  is located behind the plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  and protrudes from the top surface  11   a  of the tongue  11 . The bottom shielding pad  25  is located behind the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  and protrudes from the bottom surface  11   b  of the tongue  11 . The two arms  26  &amp;  27  will respectively constitute both sides  11   d  &amp;  11   e  of the tongue  11  if the base  23  is attached to the rear portion  11   c  of the tongue  11 . The two extensions  28  &amp;  29  respectively extend from the two arms  26  &amp;  27  transversally. The two extensions  28  &amp;  29  will respectively constitute a front edge  11   f  of the tongue  11  as the base  23  is attached to the rear portion  11   c  of the tongue  11 . In other embodiments, the two extensions may merge together to form the front edge  11   f  of the tongue  11 . It is worthwhile mentioning that the grounding piece  20  can be made from die casing zinc alloy so that each part of the grounding piece  20  is seamlessly integrated into one piece. Consequently, both the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  and the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  can be well connected together within the grounding piece  20 . 
     The plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  excepting the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  are electrically isolated from the grounding piece  20 . Particularly, the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  are respectively located on top surfaces  26   a  &amp;  27   a  of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 . Furthermore, the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  even respectively protrude from the top surfaces  26   a  &amp;  27   a  of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 . Correspondingly, the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  excepting the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  are electrically isolated from the grounding piece  20 . Specifically, the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  are respectively located on bottom surfaces  26   b  &amp;  27   b  (not show) of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 . Moreover, the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  further respectively protrude from the bottom surfaces  26   b  &amp;  27   b  of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 . 
     The plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  excepting the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  are directly printed on the top surface  11   a  of the tongue  11 . The pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  respectively have a width equal to that of the other top contacts A 2 ˜ 11 . Nonetheless, the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  may have a width bigger than that of the other top contacts A 2 ˜ 11  in other embodiments. Correspondingly, the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  excepting the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  also are directly printed on the bottom surface  11   b  of the tongue  11 . The pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  also have a width equal to that of the other bottom contacts B 2 ˜ 11 . Nevertheless, the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  can have a width bigger than that of the other bottom contacts B 2 ˜ 11  in some embodiments. Also noteworthy is that both the pair of top grounding contacts A 1  &amp; A 12  and the pair of bottom grounding contacts B 1  &amp; B 12  can have a length equal to or bigger than that possessed by the rest of top contacts A 2 ˜ 11  and bottom contacts B 2 ˜ 11  according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     Two retainers  261  &amp;  271  are respectively arranged at lateral surfaces  26   c  &amp;  27   c  of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 , wherein the two retainers  261  &amp;  271  are adapted to engage with two corresponding counter retainers (not shown) on the plug. The two retainers  261  &amp;  271  can respectively formed on the lateral surfaces  26   c  &amp;  27   c  of the two arms  26  &amp;  27 . For example, the two retainers  261  &amp;  271  include, but are not limited to, angled indentations or notches formed on the lateral surfaces  26   c  &amp;  27   c . In contrast, the two corresponding counter retainers on the plug are, for example, two side latches. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1  as well as  FIG. 4 , which is a perspective view of the conductive shell  30  shown in  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The conductive shell  30  has a wall  31 , two lateral wings  32  &amp;  33  and two positioning blocks  34  &amp;  35 . The wall  31  surrounds the tongue  11  and the grounding piece  20 . A rear edge  31   a  of the wall  31  engages the flange  22  of the grounding piece  20 . A rear portion  31   b  of the wall  31  is coupled to the base  23  of the grounding piece  20 . The two lateral wings  32  &amp;  33  respectively extend from both sides of the wall  31  and span two slots  13  between the tongue  11  and the printed circuit board  10 . The two lateral wings  32  &amp;  33  are suitable for being soldered to two lateral pads  14  adjacent to the two slots  13  and, therefore, mounting the conductive shell  30  onto the printed circuit board  10 . The two positioning blocks  34  &amp;  35  respectively extend from the two lateral wings  32  &amp;  33  downward. Furthermore, the two positioning blocks  34  &amp;  35  respectively have holes  341  &amp;  351  for fastening the conductive shell  30 . As can be expected, the conductive shell  30  also can be made from zinc alloy by die casting into one piece. Therefore, both the base  23  of the grounding piece  20  and the wall  31  of the conductive shell  30  can be seamless. As a result of this, electromagnetic interference effects can be reduced while electromagnetic compatibility can be improved to meet shielding effectiveness requirements and ensure better high-frequency characteristics. 
     Reference is then made to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic front view of the tongue  11  shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with the USB Type C Specification. The plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  and the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  are in a diagonal relationship to each other regarding pin assignments. That is, the plurality of top contacts A 1 ˜ 12  are in a cater-cornered relationship to the plurality of bottom contacts B 1 ˜ 12  across a center plane  40  that bisects the receptacle  1  along a length of the tongue  11 . However, the pin assignments may alternatively comply with other specifications in other embodiments. 
     Reference is last made to  FIGS. 6-8 , which are perspective, front and bottom views, respectively, of the receptacle  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Morphology of the tongue  11 , the grounding piece  20  and the conductive shell  30  are substantially symmetrical with respect to the center plane  40 . A mating port  301  is configured to receive the plug. The mating port  301  is formed from a space  301   a (not shown) between the wall  31  and the tongue  11  and a top gap  301   b  (not shown) between the wall  31  and the top shielding pad  24  and a bottom gap  301   c  (not shown) between the wall  31  and the bottom shielding pad  25 . Moreover, the mating port  301  is substantially symmetrical with respect to the center plane  40  and another plane  50  in  FIG. 5 . Thus the plug can be inserted into the receptacle  1  in dual orientations. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative 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.