USB-C vertical - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:06:08 pm
content: Thinking about putting a vertical USB-C connector on a board (to not have the cable coming in from the side). Plenty of such connector around, but that's the problem...Is there some standard, or at least command, style or type? I am thinking that the source may change and it's be nice not to have to redesign everything in that case. Currently I only need power, but I can forsee wanting D+/- too at some point.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 11:01:43 pm
content: Standard for what? USB-C is designed to plug in either way round, so there won't be one for orientation. There is a full standard for what each pin of the connector will do.https://hackaday.com/series_of_posts/all-about-usb-c/might help

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 11:10:30 pm
content: Compare a bunch of vertical connectors, try to find a common design.

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 11:38:01 pm
content: Quote from: Infraviolet on September 08, 2024, 11:01:43 pmPCB footprint

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 02:36:33 am
content: QuoteThat's how I wound up posting my query - far too many of them for that to be simple. If there is a common design but also many non-common then it would be easy to miss the common ones in the noise (and that's assuming the sample actually captures a decent number of the common ones).QuoteNot fussed enough to go against the flow. I presume SMD with through support holes/slots.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 06:28:01 am
content: Quote from: artag on September 08, 2024, 11:38:01 pmUnfortunately, I doubt that.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 08:44:20 am
content: I have not looked into vertical type-C connectors, but from my experience with other USB connector styles: Choose one from Molex which meets your requirements (positioning pins and/or through-hole mounting present or not). Most likely you will find that various other manufacturers offer compatible versions, including cheap no-name variants from LCSC etc.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 09:40:38 am
content: I have some boards on order from JLC with some. I couldn't find a common footprint, every brand was slightly different. Heights also vary widely.A lot are a combination of TH and SMD pads, so they're not reflow hotplate compatible. I assume hot air will work but I have not tried yet.JLCPCB assembly wouldn't domy first choice part(SMD+TH) on their standard "economy" assembly service, so I switched it out foranother similar part (TH). Not sure why (maybe it falls over a lot during assembly or is too hard to solder?).

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 11:12:45 am
content: QuoteGood idea, thanks. Forgot that any decent and popular one will likely be copied by everyone elseQuoteYep, that's how it looked to me. I would have thought the footprint would be common and the height vary, but there we go.QuoteNot an expert in these things (obvs!) but I couldn't see anything obvious either. Strange.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 11:17:45 am
content: With USB C and USB Micro B, I strongly recommend a through hole version. They do exist for USB C and they are significantly sturdier than SMT ones. If you must use an SMT port, look at ways to secure the port to the board so it doesn't bend off. At the very least try to use through-hole mount point ones even if the data/power pins are SMT. Do not just rely on the case of the product to secure it, because the lever-action of the cable being inserted and removed will create a pivot point which will cause the failure of the SMT pads eventually.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 01:58:44 pm
content: Indeed, I always go for the one with the tabs for mounting, so when I say SMD I really mean the signal pins. Although with USB-C I imagine PTH could be rather tricky (although the likes of RJ45 have managed fine so far).

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 03:23:45 pm
content: I've definitely designed in a through hole horizontal-mount USB-C port, where all the data and power pins are THT, but certainly does make the routing quite difficult! The drill holes end up being pretty small.https://www.molex.com/content/dam/molex/molex-dot-com/products/automated/en-us/salesdrawingpdf/216/216989/2169890001_sd.pdf?inlineIt looks like these ports don't support USB3.0 signalling due to the density of signals (4x superspeed pairs, with a pair-swapping IC required to get it to work), you're probably stuck with SMT in that case if you need USB3.0.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 03:28:56 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on September 09, 2024, 03:23:45 pmBut would you expect a real stability benefit from using THT for the data and power pins? Those tiny wires won't help much in bearing any mechanical load. Solid through-hole mounting tabs should be fine to hold the connector in place and resist any torque from the plug; the actual contacts can all be SMD.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 04:02:09 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on September 09, 2024, 03:28:56 pmBased on repairs I've made in the past to devices using USB Micro B, I don't rate just having through hole mounting points as being sufficient. The typical failure point is that the connector remains rigidly mounted to the board, but the SMD pads flex up due to cyclic load. It is true that it is better than SMT pads alone for mounting it, and that repairs are usually easier because only one or two tend to break rather than the whole lot, but it's still not ideal.At a guess, the failure mechanism would be due to the inner plastic moulding allowing just enough movement of the pins to create a fracture point at the interface between the PCB and connector. This flex is necessary to provide the mating tolerance and spring force on the pins, but the force is unfortunately transferred into the fragile pads.I haven't yet seen enough USB C devices to say if their SMT connectors are better, so it might be unnecessary for USB C but I would prefer to use THT myself until it's shown to be unnecessary. The fact that they are offered as a product suggests that there is some demand for improved reliability here (I can't imagine there are that many USB C products where THT would be necessary for other reasons, like an inability to use SMT parts.)

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 11:19:55 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on September 09, 2024, 03:23:45 pmWow, smallDon't need USB3 speeds (yet!) so not a problem. Whilst they are vertical they are not the vertical I had in mind - my requirement is for the cable to come in perpendicular to the PCB. Those would be excellent in certain circumstances, though.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 11:35:51 pm
content: Quote from: Whales on September 09, 2024, 09:40:38 amThere are a selection of different heights, its not really that one manufacturer makes a different height than another, AFAIK.10 or 10.5mm seems to be more popular from what LCSC has.https://www.lcsc.com/products/USB-Connectors_369.html(then filter Type-C + Direct insert)https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807335954809.html

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2024, 12:39:05 pm
content: In the end I found a common footprint for 6P power connectors. AnAmphenol 10173568has the appropriate drawing and 3d model, and there seem to be cheap clones on the likes of LCSC. No idea who is copying who, but so long as they faithfully copy I don't really care