Patent Publication Number: US-6659805-B2

Title: Eight-pin electrical connector and USB connector

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/072,753, filed Feb. 8 2002, now allowed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to electrical connectors for use with electronic devices, and more particularly, relates to an improved eight-pin connector for use with electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electronic devices such as wireless telephones, hand-held computers and personal digital assistants use a variety of power/data/audio connector/jack combinations for transferring power, data and other electrical signals to and from the electronic devices. For example, electronic devices equipped for audio input/output include an audio output jack for receipt of an audio connector for presenting audio output to a user. Prior art audio output connectors often include a four-pin stereo plug that can mate with and accept signals from standard four-pin stereo contacts and an additional four-pin plug arranged adjacent to the four-pin stereo plug for additional electrical connectivity. The physical size associated with such prior art connectors becomes relatively large compared to modem electronic devices that are very small and lightweight. Consequently, the audio plug becomes obtrusive and cumbersome, and often contact between the connector and the electronic device is difficult to maintain. 
     Additionally, modem electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants, include jacks for other types of connectors, such as power connectors and universal serial bus (USB) connectors. Prior art systems include a USB connector for mating to a USB jack and a separate power connector for mating to a power jack. As is often the case, a user of a personal digital assistant may have a number of connectors attached to the personal digital assistant at any given time. That is, the user may have an electrical connector for providing audio signals to a speaker device, the user may have a USB connector connected to the personal digital assistant for transferring data to and from the personal digital assistant, and the user may have a power connector connected to the PDA for providing electrical power. The problem with this arrangement is that the mass of the various cords and connectors attached to the personal digital assistant often overwhelm the mass of the personal digital assistant and thus places strain on the various connectors and jacks which may cause damage to the connectors and jacks and which may make use of the personal digital assistant cumbersome. 
     It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, the above and other problems are solved by an improved electrical connector and an improved USB connector. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, an improved electrical connector includes a main connector housing having an upper pin housing and a lower pin housing. The upper pin housing has an outer surface and an inner surface where the outer surface forms a continuous surface with the surface of the main connector housing. The upper housing has a pair of electrical contact pins disposed along the inner surface of the upper housing. 
     The lower pin housing is disposed in spaced-apart relation to the upper pin housing, and the lower pin housing has an outer surface and an inner surface, where the outer surface forms a continuous surface with the surface of the main connector housing. The inner surface of the lower pin housing faces the inner surface of the upper pin housing. The lower pin housing has a pair of electrical contact pins disposed along the inner surface of the lower pin housing. The electrical connector of the present invention also includes a stereo plug that protrudes from a front surface of the main connector housing between the inner surface of the lower pin housing and the inner surface of the upper pin housing. 
     The electrical connector is adapted to connect to a jack. The stereo plug of the electrical connector is adapted to connectively insert into a plug port of the jack. The upper pin housing and the lower pin housing are adapted to connectively engage a forward plug port housing of the jack. 
     The stereo plug includes a plurality of electrical contact pins for engaging a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts disposed along an interior surface of the plug port of the jack. The pair of electrical contact pins of the upper housing engage a corresponding pair of electrical contacts disposed along an upper surface of the forward section of the plugged port housing of the jack. The pair of electrical contact pins of the lower housing likewise engages a corresponding pair of electrical contacts disposed along the lower surface of the forward section of the plug port housing. 
     The stereo plug has a plurality of contact pins. The contact pins of the stereo plug may include a microphone contact, a right speaker contact, a left speaker contact, and an analog ground contact. The pair of electrical contact pins of the upper housing may include a clock contact pin and a digital ground pin. The pair of electrical contact pins of the lower housing may include a data pin and a power pin. 
     The jack of the present invention is mounted within the casing of an electronic device such as a hand-held personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a wireless telephone, or a paging device. A face surface of the forward section of the jack is flush with an exterior surface of the casing of the electronic device. An upper housing receiving port is defined in the casing immediately above the upper surface of the forward section of the jack. A lower housing receiving port is defined in the casing immediately below the lower surface of the forward section of the jack. When the electrical connector is connected to the jack, the upper pin housing is inserted into the upper housing receiving port and the lower pin housing is inserted into the lower housing receiving port so that the electrical connector is mated to the casing of the electronic device. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an improved USB connector includes a connector body, a USB connector plug, and an alignment post. The USB connector plug is defined along a first end of the connector body and protrudes perpendicularly from a front face of the connector body. The alignment post is defined adjacent to the USB connector plug in spaced-apart relation to the USB connector plug and protrudes perpendicularly from the front face of the connector body. The USB connector also includes a pair of electrical contacts defined on the face of the connector body. A first electrical power contact of the pair of electrical contacts is disposed adjacent to a first side of the alignment post, and a second electrical contact of the pair of contacts is disposed on the face of the connector body immediately adjacent to a second side of the alignment post. 
     The USB connector plug is adapted for connectively inserting into a mating plug port of a USB jack. The alignment post is adapted to connectively insert into a corresponding alignment post port of the USB jack. The first and second electrical power contacts are adapted to engage corresponding first and second electrical power input contacts defined adjacent to first and second sides of the alignment post port of the USB jack. 
     The alignment post includes an alignment post guide member that is disposed along the first side of the alignment post for guiding the alignment post into the alignment post port. The alignment post has a greater length than the USB connector plug so that the alignment post inserts into the alignment post port prior to insertion of the USB connector plug into the USB connector plug port to insure that the USB connector plug is in a proper orientation when it is inserted into the USB connector plug port. A locking latch may be disposed along an upper surface of the alignment post for engaging a locking latch detent disposed in an interior upper surface of the alignment post port for securing the USB connector to the USB connector jack. 
    
    
     These and other features which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an illustrative prior art eight-pin audio connector and corresponding jack. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an eight-pin electrical connector and jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective pictorial view of an eight-pin electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective pictorial view of a jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective pictorial view of a personal digital assistant showing an exterior case of the personal digital assistant in phantom and illustrating a jack and mini-USB connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a top-plan view of a personal digital assistant showing an eight-pin electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial perspective view of a mini-USB connector plug and a mini-USB connector jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of embodiments of the present invention is made with reference to the above-described drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts or components throughout the several figures. The present invention is directed to an improved eight-pin electrical connector and to an improved USB connector that includes an integrated power connector so that a separate power cord is not required. 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an illustrative prior art eight-pin audio connector and corresponding jack. The illustrative prior art eight-pin audio connector  50  illustrated in FIG. 1 is adapted to mate with a jack  65 . The prior art connector  50  includes a four-pin stereo plug  55  and an additional four-pin plug  60  for additional electrical connectivity. The four-pin stereo plug  55  is adapted to mate with the jack port  70  and the four-pin plug  60  is adapted to mate with the jack port  80  and contacts  85 . A cord  52  is adapted to the rear section of the prior art connector  50 . When the prior art connector  50  is mated with the prior art jack  65 , forces placed on the connection by the weight of the connector  50  and cord  52  often place extensive strain on the electrical connections between the plugs  55 ,  60  and the corresponding jack ports  70 ,  80 . Over time, the connections become worn and electrical connectivity may be disrupted or lost. Additionally, due to the size of the prior art connector  50  compared to modern small and lightweight electronic devices, such as wireless telephones and personal digital assistants, the weight and size of the connector and cord may overwhelm the weight and size of the electronic device to which they are connected to add further stress on the connections between the prior art connector  50  and an electronic device to which it is connected. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an eight-pin electrical connector and jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, an improved eight-pin electrical connector  100  is adapted for mating with a jack  200 . The eight-pin electrical connector  100  includes a cord  190  disposed along an upper surface of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 . As should be understood by those skilled in the art, the cord  190  may be placed along other surfaces or sides of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  as desired. Protruding from a front side of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  is a four-pin stereo plug  105 . Description of the connector  100  for use in audio connections is by way of example only and is not limiting of the types of connections for which the connector  100  may be used. The connector  100  of the present invention may be used as a vehicle for a variety of connection pins to corresponding contacts of a mating jack. For example, the connector  100  may be used to transfer data to and from an electronic device via a connection between the connector and a mating jack such as the jack  200  described below. 
     According to the exemplary audio connector illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the four-pin stereo plug  105  may include a microphone contact  110 , a right speaker contact  120 , a left speaker contact  130 , and an analog ground contact  140 . Disposed between the contacts  110 ,  120 ,  130  and  140  are a plurality of insulators  180 . As set forth above the contacts  110 ,  120 ,  130  and  140  may be used for a variety of other types of electrical and data connectivity. 
     Above and below the four-pin stereo plug  105  are an upper pin housing  170  and a lower pin housing  172 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower pin housing  172  includes a pair of additional electrical pins, for example, a data pin  150  and a power pin  160 . Referring to FIG. 3, for a different view of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 , the upper pin housing  170  includes additional electrical pins, for example, a clock pin  192  and a digital ground pin  196 . 
     A jack  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2,  4  and  5 . The jack  200  includes a number of contacts for establishing electrical connectivity with the pins of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 . As described above with reference to the connector  100 , the contacts of the jack may be used for a variety of electrical or data connections with the connector  100 . By way of example, as shown in FIG. 2, a pendant bus clock contact  210  and a pendant bus ground contact  220  are disposed along an outer surface of the forward end of the jack  200  for electrically mating with the contacts  192  and  196  of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 . Additional contacts may include a microphone input contact  230 , a speaker pass-through contact  240 , a right speaker contact  250 , a pendant bus clock contact  260 , an analog ground for audio signals contact  270 , and a pendant bus ground contact  280 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective pictorial view of a jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. A number of other contacts are disposed along the other side of the jack  200  and may include, for example, a pendant bus power contact  215  and a pendant bus ground contact  220  for electrically connecting to the pins  150  and  160  of the connector  100 , illustrated in FIG.  2 . Additional contacts of the jack  200  may include a pendant bus power contact  265 , a left speaker contact  275 , a pendant bus open collector data contact  285 , and a microphone pass-through contact  295 . Electrical connectivity between the pins of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the contact of the jack  200 , and operation thereof, is well known to those skilled in the art. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective pictorial view of a personal digital assistant showing an exterior case of the personal digital assistant in phantom and illustrating a jack  200  of the present invention integrated with the personal digital assistant  300 . The jack  200  is integrated with the personal digital assistant (PDA)  300  such that the front face  245  of the jack  200  is flush with the outer surface of the casing (shown in phantom) of the PDA  300 . An upper housing receiving port is adapted into the casing of the PDA  300  directly above the upper edge  248 . A lower housing receiving port is adapted directly below the lower edge  249  of the jack  200 . The receiving ports allow for insertion of the upper and lower pin housings  170 ,  172  of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 , illustrated below with reference to FIG.  6 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  3 ,  5  and  6 , the eight-pin electrical connector  100  is adapted for mating with the jack  200  so that the four-pin plug  105  is inserted into the entry port  235  of the jack  200  until the rear surface  141  comes into snug contact with the front face  245  of the jack  200 . When the eight-pin electrical connector  100  is connected to the jack  200 , the upper contact housing  170  slides over the upper edge  248  of the forward section  247  of the jack  200 . The lower contact housing  172  slides over the lower edge  249  of the forward section  247  of the jack  200 . Thus, the pins  192  and  196  of the upper contact housing  170  engage the electrical contacts  210  and  220  of the jack  200 , and the pins  150  and  160  of the lower contact housing  172  of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  engage the contacts  215  and  225  of the lower edge  249  of the forward section  247  of the jack  200 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, when the eight-pin electrical connector  100  is connected to the jack  200 , as described, the upper and lower contact housings  170 ,  172  are inserted into the receiving ports integrated within the casing of the PDA  300  in order for the pins  150 ,  160 ,  192 ,  196  to engage the corresponding contacts of the jack  200 . Advantageously, insertion of the upper and lower pin housings  170 ,  172  into the casing of the PDA  300  in order to achieve electrical contact between all pins of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  with, corresponding contacts of the jack  200  creates a secure fit between the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the jack  200  and corresponding electronic device (for example, the PDA  300 ) in which the jack  200  is integrated. 
     The illustration in FIG. 6 shows a cutaway section of the PDA  300  for illustration of the insertion of the four-pin plug  105  and the upper and lower pin housings  170  and  172  into the PDA  300  (jack  200  not illustrated in FIG.  6 ). The upper and lower pin housings  170  are inserted into the interior of the PDA  300  so that the eight-pin electrical connector  100  achieves a secure connection with the jack  200  integrated interior of the PDA  300 . In contrast to the prior art connector  50  illustrated in FIG. 1, stresses placed on the eight-pin electrical connector  100  from contact with foreign objects or from the mass of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and cord  190  relative to the PDA  300  place very little stress on the electrical connections between the pins of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the contacts of the jack  200 . Insertion of the upper and lower pin housings  170  and  172  into the casing of the PDA  300  insures that vibration and stresses acting on the connection between the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the jack  200  are not directed to the electrical contacts, but instead are directed to the housing of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the casing of the PDA  300  which are stronger and less likely to be damaged by the introduction of stresses applied to those components. 
     Additionally, by placing the additional four-pin contacts of the connector  100  inside the upper and lower housings  170 ,  172 , the overall size and shape of the eight-pin electrical connector  100  is minimized relative to prior art connectors, such as the connector illustrated in FIG.  1 . As illustrated in FIG. 6, the cord  190  is disposed along the upper surface of the eight-pin electrical connector  100 . This orientation is advantageous if the electronic device  300  is a personal digital assistant, wireless telephone, or other audio output device that may be carried in a shirt pocket or connected to a belt or other location, where an upward orientation of the cord  190  reduces additional strain on the connection between the eight-pin electrical connector  100  and the jack  200  integrated into the device  300 . 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial perspective view of a mini-USB connector plug and a mini-USB connector jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. THE USB connector plug  500  illustrated in FIG. 7 includes a printed circuit board  510  connected to a plug main body  505 . Along a front surface of the plug main body  505  is a mini-USB connector plug  520  for passing data to and from an electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant  300 . Adjacent to the USB connector plug  500  is an alignment post  525 . Disposed on an upper surface of the alignment post  525  is a locking latch  540 . An alignment post guide  550  is defined along an inner side of the alignment post  525  for guiding the alignment post  525  into an alignment post port  590 . On each side of the alignment post  525  is an electrical power contact  530 . 
     Opposite the USB connector plug  500  is a USB jack  555 . The USB jack  555  includes a USB connector plug port  565  for receipt of the USB connector plug  520  and an alignment post port  590  for receipt of the alignment post  525 . A pair of electrical contacts  595  and  596  are defined along each side of the alignment post port  590  for engagement with the power contacts  530  defined along each side of the alignment post  525 . Interior of the alignment post port  590  is a locking latch detent for engagement with the locking latch  540  when the USB connector plug  500  is connected to the USB jack  555 . A separate power jack  575  with a power jack port  580  is disposed adjacent to the alignment post port  590  for connection of a separate electrical power contact to an electronic device in which the USB jack assembly  555  is integrated. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 7, the alignment post  525  has a greater length than the USB connector plug  520  so that the alignment post  525  engages the alignment post port  590  before the USB connector plug  520  engages the USB connector plug port  565 . This configuration allows the alignment post  525  to place the USB connector plug  500  in a proper orientation before introduction of the connector plug  520  into the connector plug port  565 . As is well known to those skilled in the art, small connector plugs, such as the mini-USB connector plug  520  are fragile and can become damaged if proper alignment of the connector plug to the connector plug port is not maintained during connection of the plug to the corresponding port. 
     Advantageously, use of the improved USB connector plug  500  of the present invention allows for the transfer of data via the connector plug, in addition to the transfer of electrical power, utilizing one USB connector plug  500 , as illustrated in FIG.  7 . Thus, the need to connect a separate power cord and plug to the power jack  575  is eliminated. Additionally, use of the alignment post  525  and locking latch  540  insures a secure connection between the connector plug and the corresponding jack. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein.