Patent Publication Number: US-2004048496-A1

Title: Electrical device connection port

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Filed of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to an electrical connection port, and more particularly to a structure of an electrical device connection port that can be disposed on any position on a surface of the printed circuit board and thus not limiting the arrangement of the other elements of the electronic device and making the electrical device smaller and more compact.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Nowadays, with the rapid development of information the functionality of computer, peripheral devices and a variety of software are correspondingly being upgraded continuously. Further, the prices are made more affordable than before to make the computer and peripheral devices become more popular in everyday work and enhance consumption of the same. The above development trend has motivated the manufacturer of visional communication products to research and develop new and advanced digital electronic devices for satisfying the wide-range and new and advanced technology computer consumers.  
       [0005] Taking a digital camera as an example, the small and compact size are highly appealing for the consumers. Accordingly in order to meet these market demands every major manufacturers have developed newly designed components for making smaller and thinner mini digital cameras. For satisfying the miniaturization design rule for example, for making the miniaturized digital camera, the printed circuit board (PCB) of the digital camera has to be miniaturized accordingly. In additional to the PCB, the layout of the electronic elements has to be multi-layered structure and that these multilayers has to be adhered using a surface mounted technology (SMT) and to connect the electronic elements onto the PCB in order to minimize the space occupation on the PCB. However, the use of adhesives through the use of SMT usually causes pilling off the elements due to repeated use of the external forces such as plugging in of a peripheral connection port for connecting with a computer and pulling out of the peripheral connection port.  
       [0006] In the light of the foregoing problems, one conventional way to overcome the above problems is to insert the terminal connectors into the apertures of the PCB to electrically connect with the PCB and then weld them into position for securing the connection port. Referring to FIG. 1, shows a conventional connection port  10  as the one used ever since the existence of computer a housing  11  comprising a socket  13  at one end for connecting to an external connection port, a plurality of terminal connectors  15  extending from the socket  13  and out of the housing  11  positioned perpendicular with respect to the socket  13 . The connection port  10  is mounted onto a PCB  16  by inserting the terminal connectors  15  into apertures  161  located at a predetermined location on the PCB  16  and welding the terminal connectors  15  to secure the connection port  10  in position. In this way, the terminal connectors  15  of conventional connection port  10  is positioned perpendicular to the socket  13  and the housing  11  and the socket  13  are positioned parallel to the PCB  16 . Therefore, the connection port  10  can be positioned along the four sides of the PCB  16  enabling the socket  13  of connection port  10  to project out from any of the four sides of digital camera case. However, the above-mentioned arrangement would limit the miniaturization of the digital camera, in that the space around four sides of the digital camera for having the socket  13  of connection port  10  is rendered very small, thus making it increasingly difficult to layout or arrange other electronic elements on PCB  16 . Nevertheless, the front side and the back side of digital camera comprises a lot of available spaces. Accordingly, a design of a connection port  10  which allows to be mounting at any position on the surface of the PCB  16  is highly desirable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] Accordingly, in the view of the foregoing, the present inventor makes a detailed study of related art to evaluate and consider, and uses years of accumulated experience in this field, and through several experiments, to create a new structure of a mini-electronic device of the present invention. The present invention provides an innovated cost effective electronic device connection port that can be disposed on any position on a surface of the printed circuit board and thus not limiting the arrangement of the other elements of the electrical device and making the electrical device more smaller in size and compact.  
       [0008] In order achieve the above objects and other objects of the present invention, a structure of an electrical device connection port is provided. The electrical device connection port comprises a socket at on end of a housing for connecting with an external connection port and a plurality of terminal connectors extending rearwardly from the socket protruding out of the other end of the housing and opposite to the socket. The terminal connectors are inserted into apertures that are located on predetermined positions on a surface of a PCB of an electronic device and are welded therein to securely attach the terminal connectors with a PCB and also to make an electrical contact with the circuit of the PCB.  
       [0009] According to an aspect of the present invention, the electrical device connection port is positioned perpendicular to the PCB. Thus, this would allow the electrical device connection port to be positioned anywhere on the surface of the PCB. The socket of the electrical device connection port can be projected out of front and/or backside of electronic device for connecting with an external connection port. Therefore, this arrangement would allow arrangement of other electronic elements on the PCB in a more compact manner since the electrical device connection port does not limit their arrangement. Thus, the space within the electronic device case can be fully utilized and can be more compact.  
       [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the terminal connectors of the electrical device connection port are welded into the apertures of PCB, therefore the electrical device connection port is effectively prevented from pulling off from PCB from the external pulling out and/or plugging in forces.  
       [0011] According another aspect of the present invention, the electronic device can be connected to a computer by connecting the electrical device connection port with another external connection port which is connected to a computer. This will allow central processor unit of the computer to retrieve the image data that are stored in the electronic device and/or transmit information from the computer to the electronic device.  
       [0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, the electrical device connection port comprises a female or male socket.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a conventional electrical device connection port;  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a electrical device connection port according to the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the electrical device connection port according to the present invention; and  
     [0016]FIG. 4 is a view of electrical device connection port of the present invention used in a digital camera. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0017] Reference will be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.  
     [0018] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and  4  show an electrical connection port  20  of the present invention. The electrical device connection port  20  comprises a socket  21  at on end of a housing for connecting with another connection port  40  and a plurality of terminal connectors  23  extending rearwardly from the socket  21  and projecting out of the other end of the housing positioned opposite to the socket  21 . The terminal connectors  23  are inserted into apertures  33  that are located at a predetermined position on a surface of a PCB  31  of an electronic device  30  (for example, a digital camera) and welded therein to secure with the PCB  31  and also to make an electrical contact with the circuit of the PCB  31 . This structure of the electrical device connection port  20  of the present invention would allow the electrical device connection port  20  to be connected in a position perpendicular to surface of the PCB  31 .  
     [0019] According to an aspect of the present invention, the electrical device connection port  20  is positioned perpendicular to the surface of the PCB  31 . Thus, this would allow the electrical device connection port  20  to be positioned anywhere on the PCB  31 . The socket  21  of the electrical device connection port  20  can be projected out of front and/or backside of electronic device  30  for connecting with an external connection port  40 . Therefore, this arrangement would allow arrangement of other electronic elements on the PCB  31  in a more compact manner since the electrical device connection port  20  does not limit their arrangement. Thus, the space with case of the electrical device (such as digital camera) more fully utilized and can be more compact.  
     [0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, the terminal connectors  23  of the electrical device connection port  20  are welded into the apertures  33  of PCB  31 , therefore the electrical device connection  20  is effectively prevented from pulling off from PCB  31  from the pulling out and/or plugging in forces.  
     [0021] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, shows the electrical device connection port  20  which is similar to a widely used universal serial bus connector (USB,  1394 ). The electronic device  30  can be connected to a computer by connecting the electrical device connection port  20  with an external connection port  40  which is connected to a computer through a wire  41  as shown in FIG. 4. This will allow central processor unit of the computer to retrieve the image data that are stored in the electronic device  30  and/or transmit information from the computer to the electronic device  30 . Further, the electrical device connection port  20  can be a female or male socket.  
     [0022] While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the a foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the included claims. All matters set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting sense.