Abstract:
A USB connection device that is capable of holding a USB receptacle and a USB plug, where the USB receptacle and USB plug are capable of mating inside the USB connection device. In some embodiments, the USB connection device comprises a housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, two side walls, at least one open side, and a protruding lever. The upper wall and the bottom wall have interior surfaces with a plurality of ridges and a plurality of slanted ridge walls capable of compressing a plurality of spring arms on a USB receptacle. The upper and bottom walls also have a plurality of pockets that allow the spring arms to de-compress. The device is capable of moving from side-to-side when a force is applied to the protruding lever, and the device is capable of retaining the USB receptacle and a mated USB plug during the side-to-side movement.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical connectors and in particular to the retention of a universal serial bus (“USB”) plug mated to a USB receptacle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    USB systems are the modern standard for connecting peripheral electronic devices to computers or other electronic devices. Most modern computers have at least one USB receptacle (also referred to as a “port”) and many feature two or more USB receptacles. USB receptacles are also found on many other electronic devices including personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), video game consoles, digital cameras, televisions, cell phones, home stereo equipment, and many other devices. These USB receptacles connect the electronic devices to peripheral electronic devices such as keyboards, microphones, video cameras, mice, game controllers, scanners, faxes, external data storage devices (e.g., flash drives, external hard drives, etc.), printers, etc. Some peripheral electronic devices are designed to be connected and disconnected from the computer or electronic device in a plug-and-play arrangement. Some users, however, desire to keep peripheral electronic devices connected all the time to the computer or electronic device. 
         [0003]    USB plugs are held in place by the gripping force from the USB receptacle&#39;s spring arms and do not need the screws, clips, etc., that other electric connectors require. The force needed to make or break a connection between a USB plug and a USB receptacle is quite modest. 
         [0004]    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. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention generally relates to a USB connection device that is capable of holding a USB receptacle and a USB plug, where the USB receptacle and USB plug are capable of mating inside the USB connection device. In some embodiments, the USB connection device comprises a housing having an upper wall, a lower wall, two side walls, at least one open side, and a protruding lever. The upper wall and the bottom wall have interior surfaces with a plurality of ridges and a plurality of slanted ridge walls capable of compressing a plurality of spring arms on a USB receptacle. The upper and bottom walls also have a plurality of pockets that allow the spring arms to de-compress. The device is capable of moving from side-to-side when a force is applied to the protruding lever, and the device is capable of retaining the USB receptacle and a mated USB plug during the side-to-side movement. 
         [0006]    Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the principles of the invention by way of example only. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, will be more fully understood from the following description of various embodiments, when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a frontal view of a plug connector. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  depicts an overhead perspective view of a plug. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  depicts an overhead perspective view of a plug and a receptacle. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  depicts an overhead perspective view of a receptacle. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  depicts a rear perspective view of a USB connection device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  depicts a front perspective view of a USB connection device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  depicts a front perspective view of a USB connection device connected with a receptacle according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  depicts a front cross-sectional detailed view of a USB connection device connected with a receptacle that is mated to a plug in the unlocked position according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  depicts a front cross-sectional detailed view of a USB connection device connected with a receptacle that is mated to a plug in the locked position according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    While USB systems have become the standard for connecting peripheral devices to electronic devices, there are some downsides with the design of the connectors. For example, USB receptacles are known in the art to have a low retention force due to the spring arms that connect the two mating parts, i.e., the plug and the receptacle. While the force needed to make or break a connection between a plug and a receptacle is minimal, allowing connections to be made in awkward circumstances or by people with motor disabilities, this can create a problem when connections are easily and unintentionally broken. Furthermore, USB plugs are known to become dislodged and fall out of the electronic device when subjected to vibration or unintended lateral force. This can lead to a loss of connectivity and data transmission between the peripheral device and the electronic device. In some cases, the dislodgement can result in the loss of the peripheral device. For example, flash drives (also referred to as thumb drives) can disconnect from a USB receptacle when shaken or jarred, and the owner might lose the drive if they are not attentive. 
         [0018]    Attempts have been made to solve this problem by using various attachment means (e.g., duct tape, electrical tape, etc.) to secure the USB receptacle and plug together. Other inventions, such as the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,595 to Boutros, have attempted to solve this problem by providing a flexible locking member that engages both the USB receptacle and plug. There are drawbacks with both of these solutions, however, as the tape attachment means does not allow for easy separation and oftentimes leaves a sticky residue, and the flexible locking mechanism may become bent out of shape with repeated use or break off entirely when excessive force is applied. 
         [0019]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that allows a positive locking mechanism for a USB receptacle to a USB plug while maintaining a high retention force between the receptacle and the plug. 
         [0020]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]    Some embodiments of the present invention address the above problems by providing a device that comes in one solid piece and slides over the USB receptacle (also known as a “port”), and then slides side-to-side to create a lock between the USB receptacle and the USB plug. The device provides a higher retention force than the springs alone and helps prevent unintentional disconnection of the USB plug from the USB receptacle. Some embodiments of the present invention have the ability to adopt to any USB device including those using different USB types includes USB-A, USB-B, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of a plug connector  100  that is known in the art. The plug connector  100  has four pins  101 - 104  that are connected to a pin pad  105  and are either integrally formed to the plug connector  100  or otherwise attached to it by various attachment means known in the art, such as by welding, screws, etc. A contact opening  115  allows the plug connector  100  to mate with a receptacle  150 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts an embodiment of a USB plug  110  that is known in the art. The plug  110  has a cable  160  or other means of connecting it with a peripheral electronic device such as a keyboard, microphone, video camera, mouse, game controller, scanner, fax, external data storage device (e.g., a flash drive or an external hard drive), a printer, etc. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts an embodiment of a plug  110  and a receptacle  150  that are known in the art. The receptacle  150  connects to an electronic device by cable or other means and communicates with the peripheral electronic device connected to the plug  110  by communication means known in the art. The receptacle  150  is designed to mate with the plug connector  100 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of a USB Type-A receptacle  150  that is known in the art. The receptacle  150  includes a shell  106  with a bottom wall  111  and a top wall  108 , and sidewalls  112  and  113  that extend between the bottom wall  110  and the top wall  108 . The bottom wall  111 , top wall  108 , and sidewalls  112  and  113  define an inner area  114  that supports spring arms  124  and  125  on the bottom wall  111 , and spring arms  126  and  128  on the top wall  108 . The inner area  114  also has a receptacle connector  129  that mates with the contact opening  115  of the plug connector  100 . The receptacle connector  129  and the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  are either integrally formed to the inner area  114 , or otherwise attached by welding, screws, or other attachment means. The receptacle  150  has opposite ends—front end  120  and back end  122 . The front end  120  is open to receive the plug  110 . The back end  122  has a cable  131  or other means of connecting it with an electronic device such as a computer or other hardware interface. Spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  grip the plug connector  100  when received in the inner area  114  and connect to the pins  101 - 104 , thus allowing communication between the peripheral electronic device connected to the plug  100  and the electronic device connected to the receptacle  150 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  depicts one embodiment of the present invention. The USB connection device  200  has a lever  210  on the side of the device that allows it to slide side-to-side  295           . The lever  210  is spaced apart from the rear  290  of the USB connection device  200 . This allows the lever  210  to be placed in an electronic device or computer and move freely side-to-side  295            without being stopped by the body of the electronic device. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  depicts one embodiment of the present invention. The USB connection device  200  has a bottom interior wall  270 , a top interior wall  220 , and two side walls  230  and  240 . The bottom interior wall  270 , a top interior wall  220 , and two side walls  230  and  240  define the interior area  251  of the USB connection device  200 . In one embodiment of the device  200 , there are three ridges  201 ,  203 , and  205  on the bottom interior wall  210 . The front  250  of the USB connection device  200  has a rectangular front bar  209  that is in front of pockets  202  and  204  and flush with ridges  201 ,  203 , and  205 . The lever  210  has a rounded tip  261  that protrudes from the face  250  of the USB connection device  200  and allows a user to better manipulate and apply force to slide the device  200  side-to-side  295           . In other embodiments of the invention, the device  200  is capable of sliding up and down          . 
         [0028]    In one exemplary embodiment, a user slides the USB connection device  200  by applying force to the lever  210 . In some embodiments, a user slides the lever  210  to the user&#39;s right  291  → to lock the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  together. In other embodiments, a user slides the lever  210  to user&#39;s left  292  ← to lock the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  together. To unlock the plug  110  and the receptacle  150 , a user pushes or pulls the lever  210  on the USB connection device  200  in the opposite direction required to lock the plug  110  and receptacle  150  together. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  depicts an exemplary embodiment of the device where the USB connection device  200  is mated with the receptacle  150 . The receptacle  150  takes up most of the interior area  251  of the USB connector device  200 . The bottom wall  111 , top wall  108 , and sidewalls  112  and  113  of the receptacle fit into the interior area  251  of the USB connector device  200 , with the bottom wall  111  and top wall  108  secured to the bottom interior wall  210  and the top interior wall  220  of the USB connection device  200 . In some embodiments of the device, the receptacle  150  has extensions  151 - 154  that are positioned on the bottom wall  111 , top wall  108 , and side walls  112  and  113  to overlap a portion of the external faces of the USB connection device  200 . 
         [0030]    In some embodiments of the invention, the extensions  151 - 154 , like the receptacle  150 , are made out of either plastic, metal, or a combination thereof. 
         [0031]    The receptacle  150  is placed into the USB connection device  200  with the front end  120  oriented facing the plug  110 , with the back end  122  having a cable  131  extending from the receptacle  150  to the electronic device. The receptacle connector  129  is configured to be able to mate with the contact opening  115  of the plug connector  100 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 , the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  are fully extended because the side wall  240  next to the lever  210  is flush with the side wall  112  of the receptacle  150 . In this configuration, the receptacle  150  is unlocked and able to receive a plug  110 . To lock the receptacle  150 , a user applies force on the lever  210  in the opposite direction required to unlock the receptacle  150  from the USB connection device  200 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  depicts an exemplary embodiment of the invention where the plug  110  is mated with the receptacle  150  inside the USB connection device  200  in an unlocked position. In one embodiment of the invention, the unlocked position is on side wall  240  of the USB connection device  200 , or, in other words, on the proximal side  241  of the USB connection device  200  in relation to the lever  210 . 
         [0033]    In the unlocked position, the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  of the receptacle  150  are at rest in the pockets  202 ,  204 ,  222 , and  224  as there is no tension or force applied to them. The spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  are not in contact with the interior walls  212 ,  213 ,  216 ,  217 ,  232 ,  233 ,  236 , and  237  of the pockets  202 ,  204 ,  222 , and  224 , and are not close to touching the slanted ridge walls  211 ,  214 ,  215 ,  218 ,  231 ,  234 ,  235 , and  238 . A user applying force to the lever  210  in the locking direction causes the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  to become depressed when they come into contact with the slanted ridge walls  211 ,  214 ,  215 ,  218 ,  231 ,  234 ,  235 , and  238  at the corners of the pockets  202 ,  204 ,  222 , and  224 , and locks the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  in a compressed position on the ridges  201 ,  203 ,  221 , and  223 . This causes the locking of the receptacle  150  and the plug  110  inside the USB connection device  200 . 
         [0034]    As depicted in  FIG. 8 , the receptacle connector  129  is mated with the contact opening  115  of the plug  110 . When the USB connection device  200  is in the unlocked position, the connection between the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  has the same retention force as when the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  are not mated inside the USB connection device  200 . In other words, the force needed to break a connection between the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  when they are unlocked in the USB connection device  200  is modest. 
         [0035]      FIG. 9  depicts an exemplary embodiment of the invention where the plug  110  is mated with the receptacle  150  inside the USB connection device  200  in the locked position. In one embodiment of the invention, the locked position is on side wall  230  of the USB connection device  200 , or, in other words, on the distal side  231  of the USB connection device  200  in relation to the lever  210 . 
         [0036]    In the locked position, the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  of the receptacle  150  are compressed on the ridges  201 ,  203 ,  221 , and  223 . In one embodiment of the invention, a user locks the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  together by applying a force to the lever  210  towards the user&#39;s right  291  → (i.e., towards the proximal side  241  of the USB connection device  200 ). This moves the USB connection device  200  in a direction that causes the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  on the receptacle  150  to move from full extension to compression when they come into contact with the slanted ridge walls  211 ,  215 ,  231 , and  235  of the USB connection device  200 . The spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  become more compressed as they travel further onto the slopes of the slanted ridge walls  211 ,  215 ,  231 , and  235 , and finally become fully compressed on ridges  201 ,  203 ,  221 , and  223 . 
         [0037]    To release the tension on the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128 , thus unlocking the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  from one another, a user applies an unlocking force towards the user&#39;s left  292  ← (i.e., towards the distal side  231  of the USB connection device  200 ). The plug  110  and the receptacle  150  are unlocked when the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  are no longer engaged by the ridges  201 ,  203 ,  221 , and  223  or the slanted ridge walls  211 ,  215 ,  231 , and  235 . Thus, in the unlocked position, the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128  are in between interior walls  212 ,  213 ,  216 ,  217 ,  232 ,  233 ,  236 , and  237  and the spring arms  124 ,  125 ,  126 , and  128 , and are fully extended in pockets  202 ,  204 ,  222 , and  224 . 
         [0038]    When the USB connection device  200  is in the locked position, the connection between the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  has a much higher retention force that is much harder to break than when the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  are not mated and locked inside the USB connection device  200 . In other words, the force needed to disconnect the plug  110  and the receptacle  150  when they are locked in the USB connection device  200  is much higher than in the unlocked position depicted in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0039]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.