Multi-pin connector for advanced signaling

• US 8,246,359 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sloey, Jason, Lynch, S. Brian, Zadesky, Stephen Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSUKERMAN, LARISA Z
• Application Number:
  US13/008,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 439/660, 439/76.1
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/405 Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4538 Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6471 by special arrangement of ground and signal conductors, e.g. GSGS [Ground-Signal-Ground-Signal]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6474 by variation of conductive properties, e.g. by dimension variations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53209 Terminal or connector

Abstract

Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors having a reduced size in at least one direction can be provided. One example reduces height by not including a center contact tab or tongue, but instead places contacts on an insulator that is adjacent to a bottom portion of the receptacle. Another example may reduce width by reducing contact pitch, and may use a particular shape of contact to achieve god signal quality. Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors can also provide support for one or more new high-speed communication standards, such as USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. Methods can provide one or more standardized connector components to speed connector design and manufacture of new electronic devices such as media players, thus reducing their time to market.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a housing designed to accommodate a plurality of contacts, the housing including a plurality of contact locations for locating the plurality of contacts,

wherein the plurality of contact locations include a first set of contact locations designated for USB 3.0 signals and a second set of contact locations designated for DisplayPort signals;

a first set of signal contacts disposed at the first set of contact locations, the first set of signal contacts configured to carry the USB 3.0 signals; and

a second set of signal contacts disposed at the second set of contact locations, the second set of signal contacts configured to carry the DisplayPort signals.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact locations are spaced apart in a row.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the first set of contact locations designated for USB 3.0 signals are located along the row before the second set of contact locations designated for DisplayPort signals.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein a contact for carrying ground is disposed between at least some of the signal contacts for carrying USB 3.0 signals and all of the signal contacts for carrying DisplayPort signals.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein a level of crosstalk between data signals on the signal contacts is less than 3%.

6. The connector of claim 4, wherein an impedance of the signal contacts for carrying USB 3.0 signals is 90 Ohms plus or minus 10%, and wherein an impedance of the signal contacts for carrying DisplayPort signals is 100 Ohms plus or minus 10%.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the signal contacts for carrying USB 3.0 signals for transmitting are located next to each other on a substrate, and wherein the signal contacts for carrying USB 3.0 signals for receiving are located next to each other on a substrate.

8. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is a male plug connector for connecting to a corresponding female receptacle connector.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is a female receptacle connector for connecting to a corresponding male plug connector.

10. An electronic device comprising the female receptacle connector of claim 9.

11. A connector comprising:

a housing designed to accommodate contacts in sequentially numbered contact locations, the housing including;

a first set of contact locations designated for DisplayPort signals, wherein the first set of contact locations includes two auxiliary contact locations for a DisplayPort auxiliary channel, the two auxiliary contact locations being in consecutively numbered contact locations; and

a first set of contacts disposed at the first set of contact locations, the first set of contacts configured to carry the DisplayPort signals.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the first set of contact locations further include:

a hot plug detect contact location that is at a contact location consecutive with the two auxiliary contact locations, the hot plug detect contact location designated for a hot plug detect signal.

13. The connector of claim 12, further comprising a contact at the hot plug detect contact location, the contact for carrying the hot plug detect signal, wherein the hot plug detect signal is used as an interrupt request.

14. The connector of claim 12, wherein the interrupt request is configured to enable a source device to detect when a sink device is attached.

15. The connector of claim 11, wherein the sequentially numbered contact locations lie in a single row on a surface of the housing.

16. The connector of claim 11, wherein the connector is a male plug connector for connecting to a corresponding female receptacle connector.

17. The connector of claim 11, wherein the connector is a female receptacle connector for connecting to a corresponding male plug connector.

18. An electronic device comprising the female receptacle connector of claim 17.

19. A method of using a connector having a housing designed to accommodate a plurality of contacts, the housing including a plurality of contact locations for locating the plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contact locations include a first set of contact locations designated for USB 3.0 signals and a second set of contact locations designated for DisplayPort signals, the method comprising:

transmitting the USB 3.0 signals over a first set of signal contacts disposed at the first set of contact locations; and

transmitting the DisplayPort signals over a second set of signal contacts disposed at the second set of contact locations.

20. A method of using a connector having a housing designed to accommodate contacts in sequentially numbered contact locations, the housing including a first set of contact locations designated for DisplayPort signals, wherein the first set of contact locations includes two auxiliary contact locations for a DisplayPort auxiliary channel, the two auxiliary contact locations being in consecutively numbered contact locations, the method comprising:

transmitting the signals for the DisplayPort auxiliary channel over two auxiliary contacts disposed at the two auxiliary contact locations.