Dual-personality extended USB plugs and receptacles using with PCBA and cable assembly

• US 7,815,469 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, David, Ni, Jim Chin-Nan, Yu, Frank I-Kang, Nan, Nan, Shen, Ming-Shiang, Ma, Abraham C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams; Neil
• Application Number:
  US11/876,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/660, 439/946, 439/353, 439/354, 439/607.35, 439/607.4, 361/736, 361/737, 361/752
• US Class Current: 439/607.35
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence

Abstract

An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller.

In one embodiment, a front piece (1701) includes a metal case (1706) for shielding and a tongue (1709) with contact pins (1781, 1782) and a rear piece (1702) includes a tip portion (1713) with contacts (1783). When the rear tip portion (1713) is inserted into the front piece the contact pins (1783) engage the contact pins (1781, 1782). The rear piece may also include locking pieces (1715) that are to enter slots (1714) in the front piece.

Claims

1. An extended universal serial bus (USB) plug connector, comprising:

a front piece including a tongue having a first set of plurality electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the tongue and a second set of a plurality of electrical pins disposed on a bottom surface of the tongue, wherein the first and second sets of electrical contact pins disposed on the tongue are used to connect another USB receptacle of an external device, wherein the front piece further includes a receptacle end opposite to the tongue; and

a rear piece including a third set and a fourth set of electrical contact pins can be mounted on a first and second sets of electrical contact pads of a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly (PCBA) respectively, the PCBA having a flash controller and one or more flash memory devices disposed thereon, wherein the rear piece further includes a tip portion inserted into the receptacle end of the front piece, such that the first and second set of electrical contact pins disposed on the tongue of the front piece and the third and fourth sets of the electrical contact pins of the rear piece are electrically engaged respectively,

wherein the third set and the fourth set of electrical contact pins of the rear piece are arranged in a first row and a second row, wherein the first row of the electrical contact pins can be mounted on a first surface of the PCBA and the second row of the electrical contact pins can be mounted on a second surface of the PCBA opposite to the first surface,

wherein the rear piece of the extended USB plug connector comprises one or more tabs and the front piece of the extended USB plug connector comprises one or more slots corresponding to the one or more tabs, and wherein when the rear piece is inserted into the receptacle end of the front piece, the one or more tabs of the rear piece are snapped into the one or more slots of the front piece, such that the front and rear pieces are interlocked with each other, and

wherein the front piece of the extended USB plug connector further includes a first tip portion in a generally tubular shape, wherein the rear piece of the extended USB plug connector further includes a second tip portion, which when the rear piece is inserted into the front piece, the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion of the front piece.

2. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein the first tip portion further includes one or more slots disposed on a top surface of the first tip portion, wherein the second tip portion further includes one or more locking pieces disposed on a top surface of the second tip portion, and wherein when the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion, the one or more locking pieces are snapped into the one or more slots disposed on the first tip portion.

3. The plug connector of claim 2, wherein the second tip portion of the rear piece further includes one or more springs disposed on a bottom surface of the second tip portion, which when the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion, the one or more springs push, against a bottom surface of the first tip portion, the one or more lock pieces upwardly through the corresponding one or more slots of the first tip portion.

4. An extended USB storage device, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PAB) assembly (PCBA) having a flash controller and one or more flash memory devices disposed thereon, wherein the PCBA includes a first set of electrical contact pads compatible with a standard USB specification and a second set of electrical contact pads compatible with an extended USB specification; and

an extended USB plug connector coupled to the PCBA, the extended USB plug connector including

a front piece including a tongue having a first set of plurality electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the tongue and a second set of a plurality of electrical pins disposed on a bottom surface of the tongue, wherein the first and second sets of electrical contact pins disposed on the tongue are used to connect another USB receptacle of an external device, wherein the front piece further includes a receptacle end opposite to the tongue, and

a rear piece including a third set and a fourth set of electrical contact pins mounted on the first and second sets of electrical contact pads of the PCBA respectively, wherein the rear piece further includes a tip portion inserted into the receptacle end of the front piece, such that the first and second set of electrical contact pins disposed on the tongue of the front piece and the third and fourth sets of the electrical contact pins of the rear piece are electrically engaged respectively,

wherein the third set and the fourth set of electrical contact pins of the rear piece are arranged in a first row and a second row, wherein the first row of the electrical contact pins are mounted on a first surface of the PCBA and the second row of the electrical contact pins are mounted on a second surface of the PCBA opposite to the first surface,

wherein the rear piece of the extended USB plug connector comprises one or more tabs and the front piece of the extended USB plug connector comprises one or more slots corresponding to the one or more tabs, and wherein when the rear piece is inserted into the receptacle end of the front piece, the one or more tabs of the rear piece are snapped into the one or more slots of the front piece, such that the front and rear pieces are interlocked with each other, and

wherein the front piece of the extended USB plug connector further includes a first tip portion in a generally tubular shape, wherein the rear piece of the extended USB plug connector further includes a second tip portion, which when the rear piece is inserted into the front piece, the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion of the front piece.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first tip portion further includes one or more slots disposed on a top surface of the first tip portion, wherein the second tip portion further includes one or more locking pieces disposed on a top surface of the second tip portion, and wherein when the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion, the one or more locking pieces are snapped into the one or more slots disposed on the first tip portion.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second tip portion of the rear piece further includes one or more springs disposed on a bottom surface of the second tip portion, which when the second tip portion is inserted into the first tip portion, the one or more springs push, against a bottom surface of the first tip portion, the one or more lock pieces upwardly through the corresponding one or more slots of the first tip portion.