BACKWARD COMPATIBLE CONNECTOR SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A plug connector for use in a connector system having a receptacle connector, the receptacle connector having alignment projections projecting toward an interior of a box shaped housing of the receptacle connector, the plug connector comprising:
- a body having a bottom plate with a width W, a top plate with a width W′
that is smaller than W, a first side plate and a second side plate each having a step to accommodate the width differential between the top and bottom plates, wherein the first and second side plates are smaller relative to the top and bottom plate providing a substantially flat body; and
a plurality of electrodes located within the body, the plurality of electrodes consisting of a single row of electrodes extending in the direction of the depth of the body and being positionally secured by insulating material to an interior surface of the bottom plate of the body leaving an insertion cavity in the interior of the body between the single row of electrodes and the top plate, wherein all electrodes within the body are in the single row,wherein the steps in the first and second side plates are aligned with the alignment projections of the receptacle connector to guide insertion of the plug connector into the receptacle connector housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of connectors and connector assemblies provide modified structural features to meet evolving industrial design requirements while maintaining backward compatibility. In one embodiment, alignment posts on the two sides of a plug connector are substantially removed and the remaining connector shell reshaped so as to preserve alignment capability. Other pre-existing features such as alignment grooves and some or all springy raised tabs can be eliminated resulting in a more compact and monolithic structure for the connector without impacting functionality or backward compatibility. In another embodiment, a trim ring is molded to the base of the connector to form an integrated unit. The integrated unit results in a reduced size of the connector when it is incorporated into other devices such as a docking station. In yet another embodiment, a printed circuit board is integrated into the boot of a connector assembly to act as an intermediate connection mechanism between the cable wires and the connector pins. Other functionality such as identification circuitry or electrostatic discharge protection circuitry can be incorporated on to the integrated printed circuit board.
86 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A plug connector for use in a connector system having a receptacle connector, the receptacle connector having alignment projections projecting toward an interior of a box shaped housing of the receptacle connector, the plug connector comprising:
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a body having a bottom plate with a width W, a top plate with a width W′
that is smaller than W, a first side plate and a second side plate each having a step to accommodate the width differential between the top and bottom plates, wherein the first and second side plates are smaller relative to the top and bottom plate providing a substantially flat body; anda plurality of electrodes located within the body, the plurality of electrodes consisting of a single row of electrodes extending in the direction of the depth of the body and being positionally secured by insulating material to an interior surface of the bottom plate of the body leaving an insertion cavity in the interior of the body between the single row of electrodes and the top plate, wherein all electrodes within the body are in the single row, wherein the steps in the first and second side plates are aligned with the alignment projections of the receptacle connector to guide insertion of the plug connector into the receptacle connector housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A plug connector comprising:
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a connector shell formed from a single piece of conductive material, the connector shell having a bottom portion with a width W, a top portion with a width W′
that is smaller than W, a first side portion and a second side portion each having a step to accommodate the width differential between the top and bottom portions;insulating material on the inside of the bottom portion of the connector shell, such that an insertion cavity is formed between the insulating material and the top portion of the connector shell; and a single row of pins disposed within the connector shell, the pins of the single row being secured in position by the insulating material on the inside of the bottom portion of the connector shell such that pins are present only along a bottom side of the insertion cavity, wherein having all pins in a single row allows the connector shell to be substantially flat. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A plug connector comprising:
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a body having a bottom plate with a first width, a top plate with a second width that is smaller than the first width, a first side plate and a second side plate each having a step to accommodate the width differential between the top and bottom plates, wherein the first and second side plates are smaller relative to the top and bottom plate providing a substantially flat body; and a plurality of electrodes located within the body, the plurality of electrodes consisting of a single row of electrodes extending in the direction of the depth of the body and being positionally secured by insulating material to an interior surface of the bottom plate of the body leaving an insertion cavity in the interior of the body between the single row of electrodes and the top plate, wherein all electrodes within the body are in the single row, wherein a region extending from a top side of the insertion cavity to an interior surface of the top plate is devoid of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A plug connector comprising:
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a body having a bottom plate with a width W, a top plate with a width W′
that is smaller than W, a first side plate and a second side plate each having a step to accommodate the width differential between the top and bottom plates, wherein the first and second side plates are smaller relative to the top and bottom plate providing a substantially flat body; anda plurality of electrodes located within the body, the plurality of electrodes consisting of a single row of electrodes, each electrode having a single elongated finger shape, the electrodes extending in the direction of the depth of the body and being positionally secured by insulating material to an interior surface of the bottom plate of the body leaving an insertion cavity in the interior of the body between the single row of electrodes and the top plate, wherein all electrodes within the body are in the single row, wherein the steps in the first and second side plates are aligned with alignment projections of a receptacle connector to guide insertion of the plug connector into the receptacle connector. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification