Double-sided USB connector structure having a spring mechanism supporting an insulating body with plurality of terminals on two surfaces of the insulating body

• US 9,231,344 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheng-Hsin Liao
• Original Assignee: Sheng-Hsin Liao
• Inventors: Liao, Sheng-Hsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US14/555,658
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 439/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/00 Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure contact members H01R13/02; securing contact members in or to a base or case or insulating of contact members H01R13/40; bases or cases H01R13/46; means for supporting coupling part when not engaged H01R13/60; means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement H01R13/62; means for preventing, inhibiting or avoiding incorrect coupling H01R13/64
• 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

Abstract

A double-sided USB connector structure includes an insulating body, a plurality of first terminals, a plurality of second terminals, a metal housing, and a spring mechanism. Said first terminals are disposed on the insulating body, several first contact portions are provided on the first terminals respectively, and the first contact portions are exposed on a first surface of the insulating body. Said second terminals are disposed on the insulating body, several second contact portions are provided on the second terminals respectively, and the second contact portions are exposed on a second surface of the insulating body. A containing space is provided within the metal housing, an opening is provided on one end of the metal housing, and the insulating body is floatingly suspended within the containing space through the spring mechanism.

Claims

1. A double-sided USB connector structure, comprising:

an insulating body having a first surface and a second surface, wherein one end of the insulating body is defined as a plugging end;

a plurality of first terminals disposed on the insulating body and each formed with a first contact portion exposed on the first surface of the insulating body;

a plurality of second terminals disposed on the insulating body and each formed with a second contact portion exposed on the second surface of the insulating body;

a metal housing formed with a containing space therein, wherein one end of the metal housing is formed with an opening, and the insulating body is disposed in the containing space and is free to be raised and lowered in the containing space; and

a spring mechanism, supporting the insulating body in the metal housing.

2. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein guiding faces are respectively formed between the plugging end and the first surface and between the plugging end and the second surface.

3. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body includes a tongue piece positioned at a front portion of the insulating body and neighboring the plugging end, and the first surface and the second surface extend to the tongue piece.

4. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein a circuit unit is disposed on the insulating body or behind the insulating body, and the first terminals and the second terminals are electrically connected to the circuit unit.

5. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism includes a first spring unit and a second spring unit, the first spring unit is disposed between the first surface of the insulating body and the metal housing, and the second spring unit is disposed between the second surface of the insulating body and the metal housing.

6. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 5, wherein one end of the first spring unit and one end of the second spring unit are attached to the insulating body, and another end of the first spring unit and another end of the second spring unit are attached to the metal housing.

7. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 5, wherein the first spring unit, the second spring unit, and the metal housing are integrally formed as one body.

8. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism includes a spring body clamping the insulating body, a top portion and a bottom portion of the spring body each have an elastic plate respectively abutting a top portion of the metal housing and a bottom portion of the metal housing.

9. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein a guiding structure is disposed between the insulating body and the metal housing.

10. The double sided USB connector structure according to claim 9, wherein two sides of the insulating body are each formed with a first sliding portion, two sides of the metal housing are each formed with a second sliding portion, the second sliding portions extend vertically, and the two first sliding portions engage the two second sliding portions, forming the guiding structure.

11. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body is a circuit board.

12. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein a first sliding block and a second sliding block are disposed in the metal housing, the first sliding block is disposed between the first surface of the insulating body and the metal housing, the second sliding block is disposed between the second surface of the insulating body and the metal housing, the first sliding block and the second sliding block are configured to move along a plugging direction, the insulating body is formed with a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion is joined to an end of the first surface distal from the plugging end, the second protrusion is joined on an end of the second surface distal from the plugging end, the first sliding block selectively slides toward the first protrusion and then slides in between the first protrusion and the metal housing, and the second sliding block selectively slides toward the second protrusion and then slides in between the second protrusion and the metal housing.

13. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 12, wherein the first sliding block and the second sliding block are each connected to an elastic body for restoring the positions of the first sliding block and the second sliding block.

14. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the USB connector structure is a type A male connector or a type A female connector.

15. The double-sided USB connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the spring mechanism includes an elastic unit, the elastic unit is disposed between the insulating body and an outer housing, the elastic unit abuts the insulating body for suspendingly supporting the insulating body in the containing space.