Universal Serial Bus (USB) Connector Having Positive Retention

• US 20130217252A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADTRAN Incorporated (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADTRAN Incorporated (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carden, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,283 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure

Abstract

A lockable connector includes a receptacle having an opening located on an engagement surface and a spring clip slidably attached to the receptacle, the spring clip having a plug retention tang oriented substantially perpendicular to the opening on the engagement surface, the plug retention tang being positioned on the spring clip so that when the spring clip assumes a locking position the plug retention tang aligns with the opening located on the engagement surface of the receptacle.

Claims

1. A lockable connector receptacle, comprising:

a receptacle, the receptacle having an opening located on an engagement surface; and

a spring clip slidably attached to the receptacle, the spring clip having a plug retention tang oriented substantially perpendicular to the opening on the engagement surface, the plug retention tang being positioned on the spring clip so that when the spring clip assumes a locked position the plug retention tang aligns with the opening located on the engagement surface of the receptacle.

2. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein when a mating plug is located in the receptacle, at least one opening in the mating plug aligns with the opening located on the engagement surface of the receptacle such that the plug retention tang engages the opening in the mating plug.

3. The receptacle of claim 2, wherein an edge of the plug retention tang engages an edge of the opening in the mating plug.

4. The receptacle of claim 3, wherein the receptacle is a universal serial bus (USB) series A receptacle.

5. The receptacle of claim 3, further comprising a housing over the receptacle and the spring clip, the housing comprising a first access hole adapted to allow the insertion of a tool to engage and move the spring clip to the locked position.

6. The receptacle of claim 3, wherein the housing further comprises a second access hole adapted to allow the insertion of a tool to disengage and move the spring clip to an unlocked position.

7. A series A universal serial bus (USB) connector having positive retention, comprising:

a series A USB receptacle, the series A USB receptacle having an opening located on an engagement surface;

a spring clip slidably attached to the series A USB receptacle, the spring clip having a plug retention tang oriented substantially perpendicular to the opening on the engagement surface, the plug retention tang being positioned on the spring clip so that when the spring clip assumes a locked position the plug retention tang aligns with the opening located on the engagement surface of the series A USB receptacle; and

a series A USB plug located in the receptacle, the series A USB plug having at least one opening such that the at least one opening in the series A USB plug aligns with the opening located on the engagement surface of the series A USB receptacle such that the plug retention tang engages the opening in the mating plug.

8. The USB connector of claim 7, wherein an edge of the plug retention tang engages an edge of the opening in the series A USB plug.

9. The USB connector of claim 7, further comprising a housing over the receptacle and the spring clip, the housing comprising a first access hole adapted to allow the insertion of a tool to engage and move the spring clip to the locked position.

10. The USB connector of claim 9, wherein the housing further comprises a second access hole adapted to allow the insertion of a tool to disengage and move the spring clip to an unlocked position.

11. A method for using a connector receptacle having positive retention, comprising:

providing a receptacle having an opening configured to receive a plug retention tang;

providing a spring clip associated with the receptacle, the spring clip having the plug retention tang;

mating a plug with the receptacle; and

causing the plug retention tang on the spring clip to engage the opening in the receptacle and an opening in the plug.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein associating the spring clip with the receptacle comprises slidably coupling the spring clip to the receptacle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein slidably coupling the spring clip to the receptacle allows the spring clip to engage and disengage the opening in the receptacle and the opening in the plug using a tool.