Electrical socket assembly and plug connector coupled thereto

• US 7,128,617 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Connection Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Advanced Connection Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Eric, Wang, Ming-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US11/015,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20060134983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607, 439/660, 439/939
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6582 with resilient means for engaging mating connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/939 with grounding to metal mounting panel

Abstract

An electrical socket assembly includes an insulating body, a plurality of first terminals, and a plurality of second terminals. The insulating body has first terminal grooves formed on a lower side thereof, and second terminal grooves formed on an upper side thereof. The first terminals are respectively positioned in the first terminal grooves for transmitting non-USB-compliant signals, and the second terminals are respectively positioned in the second terminal grooves for transmitting and receiving USB-compliant signals. The electrical socket assembly may be coupled with a standard USB plug connector for transmission of the USB-compliant signals, and with another plug connector for transmission of the non-USB-compliant signals.

Claims

1. An electrical socket assembly, comprising:

an insulating body including a seat, a connection plate which projects outwardly from said seat and which has opposite first and second sides, first terminal grooves formed in said first side of said connection plate, and second terminal grooves formed in said second side of said connection plate;

a shield housing surrounding said seat and said connection plate;

a plurality of first terminals respectively positioned in said first terminal grooves for transmitting non-USB-compliant signals; and

a plurality of second terminals respectively positioned in said second terminal grooves for transmitting and receiving USB-compliant signals,

wherein the first terminals are non-USB terminals, and

wherein the second terminals are USB terminals.

2. The electrical socket assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said first terminals has a contact end exposed on said first side, and a coupling end projecting out of said seat.

3. The electrical socket assembly of claim 2, wherein each of said second terminals has a contact end exposed on said second side, and a coupling end projecting out of said seat.

4. The electrical socket assembly of claim 1, wherein the non-USB-compliant signals include audio signals.

5. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

an electrical socket and a plug connector matable with said electrical socket;

said electrical socket including;

an insulating seat, a connection plate which projects outwardly from said seat and which has opposite first and second sides, first terminal grooves formed in said first side of said connection plate, and second terminal grooves formed in said second side of said connection plate;

a plurality of first terminals respectively positioned in said first terminal grooves for transmitting audio signals; and

a plurality of second terminals respectively positioned in said second terminal grooves for transmitting and receiving data signals;

a shield housing surrounding said insulating seat and said connection plate;

said plug connector having a plurality of third terminals for contacting said first terminals, respectively;

wherein the first terminals are non-USB terminals, and

wherein the second terminals are USB terminals.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 5, wherein said electrical socket is further adapted for mating with a standard USB plug connector having fourth terminals for contacting said second terminals, respectively.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 6, wherein said plug connector has no terminals to contact said second terminals when mating with said electrical socket.