Patent Publication Number: US-9419390-B2

Title: USB electrical receptacle connector and USB electrical receptacle connector assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 201410154896.9 filed in China, P.R.C. on 2014 Apr. 18, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant disclosure relates to an electrical connector, and more particular to a USB electrical receptacle connector and a USB electrical receptacle connector assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to the PC architecture with a focus on computer interface, consumer and productivity applications. The existing Universal Serial Bus (USB) interconnects have the attributes of plug-and-play and ease of use by end users. Now, as technology innovation marches forward, new kinds of devices, media formats and large inexpensive storage are converging. They require significantly more bus bandwidth to maintain the interactive experience that users have come to expect. In addition, the demand of a higher performance between the PC and the sophisticated peripheral is increasing. The transmission rate of USB 2.0 is insufficient. As a consequence, faster serial bus interfaces such as USB 3.0, are developed, which may provide a higher transmission rate so as to satisfy the need of a variety devices. 
     The sizes of existing USB 2.0 and 3.0 electrical connectors and the sizes of their terminals meet the standard formulated by the USB-IF organization. Moreover, in addition to transmitting signals, existing USB 2.0 and 3.0 electrical connectors can be provided for power transmission as well. 
     With rapid developments in functions of electronic devices, the devices need more electricity for operation, yet the speed for power transmission of the existing USB 2.0 and 3.0 electrical connectors are too slow to allow rapid charging. 
     In addition, the sizes of the existing USB 2.0 and 3.0 electrical connectors can be further reduced in the premise of retaining the functions of the electrical connectors. Therefore, how to improve the conventional electrical connector becomes an issue and is diligently developed by related personnel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of this, the instant disclosure provides a USB electrical receptacle connector comprising a metal shell, an insulation housing, a plurality of upper-row terminals, and a plurality of lower-row terminals. The metal shell defines a receptacle cavity therein. The insulation housing is received in the receptacle cavity and comprises a base portion and a tongue portion extending forward from the base portion in the rear-to-front direction. The upper-row terminals are held on the insulation housing. The lower-row terminals are held on the insulation housing and adjacent to the upper-row terminals. The lower-row terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of power terminals. The signal terminals are held on the insulation housing and each comprise a first body, a first contact portion, a first extending portion, and a first tail portion. For each signal terminal, the first body is fixed to the base portion, the first contact portion is held on the tongue portion, the first extending portion is extending between the first body and the first contact portion, and the first tail portion is extending from the first body. The power terminals are held on the insulation housing and adjacent to the signal terminals. The power terminals and the signal terminals are aligned at the same level. Each of the power terminals comprises a second body, a second contact portion, a second extending portion, and a second tail portion. For each power terminal, the second body is fixed to the base portion, the second contact portion is held on the tongue portion, the second extending portion is extending between the second body and the second contact portion, and the second tail portion is extending from the second body. Wherein, the width of the second body is greater than the width of the first body, the width of the second contact portion is substantially equal to the width of the first contact portion, the width of the second extending portion is greater than the width of the first extending portion, and the width of second tail portion is greater than the width of the first tail portion. 
     The instant disclosure further provides a USB electrical receptacle connector assembly comprising a USB electrical receptacle connector and a circuit board assembled with the USB electrical receptacle connector. The circuit board comprises a plurality of first-row holes and a plurality of second-row holes. The upper-row terminals are soldered with the first-row holes, and the lower-row terminals are soldered with the second-row holes. The second-row holes comprise a plurality of first signal holes and a plurality of first power holes. The first signal holes are soldered with the first tail portions. The first power holes are soldered with the second tail portions. The size of each of the first power holes is greater than the size of each of the first signal holes. The first power holes are adjacent to the first signal holes, and the first power holes and the first signal holes are aligned with the same level. 
     Based on the above, because the widths of the second bodies, the second extending portions, and the second tail portions are greater than those of the conventional, the contact areas of the power terminals are increased to improve the speed for power transmission. Therefore, the USB electrical receptacle connector is applicable to electronic products required for high current transmission, and the USB electrical receptacle connector can transmit current with a maximum value equal to or more than 5 amps. Besides, the USB electrical receptacle connector is not only compatible with the USB 3.0 interface, but also compatible with the USB 2.0 interface. In addition, the layout of the holes on the circuit board is configured to reduce the space for installing terminals, such that the rest spaces other than the holes can be applied for installing other components, and the layout of the holes on the circuit board is also configured to prevent from short circuit and capacitive effect which may caused by contacts between solders of first-row holes and second-row holes. 
     Detailed description of the characteristics, and the advantages of the instant disclosure, are shown in the following embodiments. The technical content and the implementation of the instant disclosure should be readily apparent to any person skilled in the art from the detailed description, and the purposes and the advantages of the instant disclosure should be readily understood by any person skilled in the art with reference to content, claims and drawings in the instant disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The instant disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus not limitative of the instant disclosure, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a USB electrical receptacle connector formed in an exemplary embodiment according to the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the USB electrical receptacle connector formed in an exemplary embodiment according to the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates perspective sectional view of the USB electrical receptacle connector formed in an exemplary embodiment according to the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of lower-row terminals of the USB electrical receptacle connector according to the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the lower-row terminals of the USB electrical receptacle connector according to the instant disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of a circuit board of a USB electrical receptacle connector assembly formed in an exemplary embodiment according to the instant disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a USB electrical receptacle connector  100  formed in an exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  formed in an exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 3  illustrates perspective sectional view of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  formed in an exemplary embodiment. Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  can provide a USB 3.0 connector interface. The USB electrical receptacle connector  100  comprises a metal shell  11 , an insulation housing  13 , a plurality of upper-row terminals  21 , and a plurality of lower-row terminals  31 . 
     The metal shell  11  defines a receptacle cavity  111  therein. The receptacle cavity  111  is adapted to receive and enclose the insulation housing  13 . The metal shell  11  defines an opening at one side thereof. The opening is formed in the shape of rectangular and communicates with the receptacle cavity  111 . 
     The insulation housing  13  is received in the receptacle cavity  111 . The insulation housing  13  comprises a base portion  131  and a tongue portion  132 . Here, the insulation housing  13  is adapted with several terminal slots for assembling with the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31 , but embodiments are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the base portion  131  and the tongue portion  132  of the insulation housing  13  may be formed by insert-molding and the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  are adapted in the insulation housing  13 . In this embodiment, the tongue portion  132  is extending forward from the base portion  131  in the rear-to-front direction. Besides, the base portion  131  is assembled to a terminal mount  1311  adapted to fix the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31 . 
     The assembly of the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  meet the regulation in transmitting USB 3.0 signals. The upper-row terminals  21  are held on the insulation housing  13 . The lower-row terminals  31  meet the regulation in transmitting USB 2.0 signals. The lower-row terminals  31  are held on the insulation housing  13  and adjacent to the upper-row terminals  21 . The lower-row terminals  31  comprise a plurality of signal terminals  32  and a plurality of power terminals  33 . 
     The signal terminals  32  are held on the insulation housing  13 . Each of the signal terminals  32  comprises a first body  321 , a first contact portion  322 , a first extending portion  323 , and a first tail portion  324 . The first body  321  is fixed to the base portion  131 . The first contact portion  322  is held on the tongue portion  132 , and the first contact portion  322  is a flexible piece exposed upon the tongue portion  132 . The width of the first contact portion  322  meet the standard formulated by the USB-IF organization. The first extending portion  323  is extending between the first body  321  and the first contact portion  322 . The first tail portion  324  is extending from the first body  321 , and the first tail portion  324  is a DIP pin. 
     The power terminals  33  are held on the insulation housing  13 . The power terminals  33  are adjacent to the signal terminals  32 , and the power terminals  33  and the signal terminals  32  are aligned at the same level. Here, the power terminals  33  are at the two sides of the signal terminals  32 ; in other words, the signal terminals  32  are sandwiched by the power terminals  33 . Here, the signal terminals  32  are a differential pair for signal transmission (D+−), and the power terminals  33  are divided into terminals for power transmission (Power) and terminals for grounded (Gnd). Here, each of the power terminals  33  comprises a second body  331 , a second contact portion  332 , a second extending portion  333 , and a second tail portion  334  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
     The second body  331  is fixed to the base portion  131 , and the width of the second body  331  is greater than the width of the first body  321 . Besides, the width of the second body  331  is greater than the width of the second contact portion  332 . The second contact portion  332  is held on the tongue portion  132 , and the width of the second contact portion  332  is substantially equal to width of the first contact portion  322 . Here, the second contact portion  332  is a flexible piece exposed upon the tongue portion  132 , and the width of the second contact portion  332  meets the standard formulated by the USB-IF organization. The second extending portion  333  is extending between the second body  331  and the second contact portion  332 , and the width of the second extending portion  333  is greater than the width of the first extending portion  323 . The second tail portion  334  is extending from the second body  331 , the width of the second tail portion  334  is greater than the first tail portion  324 , and the second tail portion  334  is a DIP pin. Here, the width of the second body  331  is greater than the width of the first body  321 , and the distance between each second body  331  and each corresponding first body  321  may be adjusted to a proper distance to avoid crosstalk interference between terminals during signal or power transmission. Accordingly, when the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is mated with a USB electrical plug connector, the crosstalk interference within the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  can be attenuated. Moreover, the first and second bodies  321 ,  332  can pass the terminal strength test, and the first and second bodies  321 ,  332  have proper volumes. 
     When the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is mated with a USB electrical plug connector, because the widths of the second bodies  331 , the second extending portions  333 , and the second tail portions  334  are greater than those of the conventional, the contact areas of the power terminals  33  are increased so as to improve the speed for power transmission. Therefore, the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  according to the embodiment is applicable to electronic products required for high current transmission. A typical USB 3.0 electrical connector can transmit current with a maximum value of about 1.8 amps, yet a typical USB 2.0 electrical connector can transmit current with a maximum value of about 1.5 amps. The USB electrical receptacle connector  100  for transmitting USB 3.0 signals according to the embodiment can transmit current with a maximum value equal to or more than 5 amps. Besides, the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is not only compatible with the USB 3.0 interface, but also compatible with the USB 2.0 interface. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which illustrates a top view of the lower-row terminals  31 . As shown, the second extending portion  333  of each of the power terminals  33  has a first lateral surface  3331  and a second lateral surface  3332 . For each power terminal  33 , the first lateral surface  3331  is joined between one of two sides of the second contact portion  332  and one of two sides of the second body  331 , and the second lateral surface  3332  is joined between the other side of the second contact portion  332  and the other side of the second body  331 . For each power terminal  33 , the first lateral surface  3331  is not parallel to the second lateral surface  3332 . In other words, the first lateral surface is slanted from the second lateral surface  3332 . Accordingly, the contact areas of the power terminals  33  are increased so as to improve the speed for power transmission effectively. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 , in which embodiment, a first distance L 1  is defined between the front portion of the tongue portion  132  and the base portion  131 . The first distance L 1  is 8.85 mm, in other words, the length of the tongue portion  132  of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  according to the embodiment is 8.85 mm, which is smaller than the length of a tongue portion standardized by the USBIF organization, 10.15 mm. Therefore, when the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is mated with a USB electrical plug connector, the USB electrical plug connector would be in contact with the base portion  131  inside the metal shell  11  of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100 , and the terminals of the USB electrical plug connector are in contact with the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  of the USB electrical receptacle connector. Accordingly, the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is configured to be mated with a conventional USB electrical plug connector, and the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  can perform effective power and signal transmission. That is, in the premise of retaining the USB 3.0 and USB transmission compatibility, the overall size of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  can be decreased by the shortening of the tongue portion  132 . In other words, for a typical USB electrical receptacle connector, the tongue portion is much longer such that the USB electrical plug connector would not be in contact with the base portion inside the metal shell of the typical USB electrical receptacle connector, and the overall size of the typical USB electrical receptacle connector would be greater than the overall size of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  according to the embodiments. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 6 , where  FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of a circuit board  51  adapted to be assembled with the USB electrical receptacle connector  100 . In some embodiments, the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  is adapted to be combined to the circuit board  51  and formed as a USB electrical receptacle connector assembly. Here, the circuit board  51  is adapted to be assembled with the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  and the circuit board  51  comprises a plurality of first-row holes  52  and a plurality of second-row holes  53 . The upper-row terminals  21  of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  are adapted to be soldered with the first-row holes  52 , and the lower-row terminals  31  of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  are adapted to be soldered with the second-row holes  53 . The second-row holes  53  comprise a plurality of first signal holes  531  and a plurality of first power holes  532 . Here, the distance between the first-row holes  52  and the second-row holes  53  of the circuit board  51  according to the embodiment is different from the distance between the first-row holes and the second-row holes of a circuit board standardized by the USBIF organization, but embodiments are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the distance between the first-row holes  52  and the second-row holes  53  of the circuit board  51  may be the same as the distance between the first-row holes and the second-row holes of a circuit board standardized by the USBIF organization. 
     The first tail portions  324  are adapted to be soldered with the first signal holes  531 , and the second tail portions  334  are adapted to be soldered with the first power holes  532 . The size of each of the first power holes  532  is greater than the size of each of the first signal holes  531 . The first power holes  532  are adjacent to the first signal holes  531 , and the first power holes  532  and the first signal holes  531  are aligned with the same level. In other words, the first power holes  532  and the first signal holes  531  are aligned along a horizontal line. Each of the first power holes  532  is approximately formed as an ellipse. Here, the width of the long axis of each of the first power holes  532  is 1.4 mm. 
     In assembling the USB electrical receptacle connector  100  to the circuit board  51 , the first-row holes  52  and the second-row holes  53  of the circuit board  51  are respectively soldered with the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  of the USB electrical receptacle connector  100 . Since the sizes of the first power holes  532  are mated with the size of the second tail portions  334  and the sizes of the first signal holes  531  are mated with the size of the first tail portions  324 , the first tail portions  324  and the second tail portions  334  can be respectively inserted into the first signal holes  531  and the first power holes  532 . Accordingly, solders are then applied to the first tail portions  324  and the second tail portions  334  to fix the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  with the circuit board  51 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent power holes  532  is 6.5 mm, which is less than 7 mm, the distance between two adjacent power holes of a circuit board standardized by the USBIF organization. Specifically, in some embodiments, a second distance L 2  is defined between a proximate center of each of the first power holes  532  and the center of adjacent first signal hole  531 . Based on this, the circuit board  51  according to the embodiments can provide more spaces for assembling or installing other components. In addition, the overall volume of USB electrical receptacle connector  100  corresponding to the circuit board  51  can be reduced. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, the first-row holes  52  further comprises a plurality of second outermost holes  521 , and a third distance L 3  is defined between each two adjacent second outermost holes  521 . In addition, a fourth distance L 4  is defined between the circumferential edge of each of the second outermost holes  521  and the circumferential edge of adjacent first power hole  532 . The third distance L 3  is 9 mm, which is greater than 8 mm, the distance between each two adjacent second outermost holes standardized by the USBIF organization. Based on this, the fourth distance L 4  can be configured properly. Accordingly, when the upper-row terminals  21  and the lower-row terminals  31  are assembled to the circuit board  51 , the solders applied to the second outermost holes  521  are not in contact with the solders applied to the first power holes  532  to prevent short circuit condition and capacitive effect. Moreover, by adjusting the fourth distance L 4  properly, the circuit board  51  according to the embodiments can provide more spaces for assembling or installing other components. In addition, the overall volume of USB electrical receptacle connector  100  corresponding to the circuit board  51  can be reduced. 
     Based on the above, because the widths of the second bodies, the second extending portions, and the second tail portions are greater than those of the conventional, the contact areas of the power terminals are increased to improve the speed for power transmission. Therefore, the USB electrical receptacle connector is applicable to electronic products required for high current transmission, and the USB electrical receptacle connector can transmit current with a maximum value equal to or more than 5 amps. Besides, the USB electrical receptacle connector is not only compatible with the USB 3.0 interface, but also compatible with the USB 2.0 interface. In addition, the layout of the holes on the circuit board is configured to reduce the space for installing terminals, such that the rest spaces other than the holes can be applied for installing other components, and the layout of the holes on the circuit board is also configured to prevent from short circuit and capacitive effect which may caused by contacts between solders of first-row holes and second-row holes. 
     While the instant disclosure has been described by the way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.