Patent ID: 7160125

Claim:
A reversible connector for coupling with a USB A-type standard connector, the standard connector having a hollow section, a fixed set of four electrical contacts disposed on one side of the hollow section and an electrically conducting shield disposed on three sides of the hollow section, the reversible connector comprising: (a) a first block having a first set of four electrical contacts deployed for mechanical connection to the set of electrical contacts of the standard connector when the reversible connector is in a first coupling orientation relative to the standard connector; (b) a second block having a second set of four electrical contacts deployed for mechanical connection to the set of electrical contacts of the standard connector when the reversible connector is in a second coupling orientation relative to the standard connector; wherein said first and second blocks are slidably mounted adjacent to each other and configured for independently sliding between an operative position and a retracted position such that, when the reversible connector is engaged with the standard connector in the first coupling orientation, said second block slides to said retracted position and said first block assumes said operative position for insertion into the hollow section of the standard connector, and when the reversible connector is engaged with the standard connector in the second coupling orientation, said first block slides to said retracted position and said second block assumes said operative position for insertion into the hollow section of the standard connector.