Electrical connector assembly

• US 6,508,678 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oceana Innovations LLC (Endpoint IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Advanced-Connectek Incorporated (ACON Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yang, Sheng-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US09/653,129
• Time in patent office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607, 439/610, 439/676, 439/677, 439/680, 439/682, 439/101, 439/108, 439/924.1
• US Class Current: 439/677
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes a plug having a first mating portion defined by a multi-sided first confining wall, and a receptacle having a second mating portion defined by a multi-sided second confining wall. Each of the first and second confining walls has opposite first and second sides, a pair of opposite third sides respectively connected to two opposite ends of the first side, a pair of fourth sides respectively connected to two opposite ends of the second sides, and a pair of fifth sides each extending between and interconnecting one of the third sides and one of the fourth sides. The first side is longer than the second side. The width between the third sides is greater than that between the fourth sides. The fifth sides are angled away from each other while extending from the fourth sides to the third sides.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a plug that includes a plug housing having a first mating portion, and a plurality of plug terminals mounted inside said plug housing, said first mating portion being defined by a multi-sided first confining wall; and

a receptacle that includes a receptacle housing having a second mating portion to mate with said first mating portion, and a plurality of receptacle terminals mounted inside said receptacle housing, said second mating portion being defined by a multi-sided second confining wall,

each of said first and second confining walls having opposite first and second sides, a pair of opposite third sides respectively connected to two opposite ends of said first side, a pair of fourth sides respectively connected to two opposite ends of said second side, and a pair of fifth sides each extending between and interconnecting one of said third sides and one of said fourth sides, said first side being longer than said second side, said first and second sides being longer than each of said third sides, the width between said third sides being greater than that between said fourth sides, said fifth sides being angled away from each other while extending from said fourth sides to said third sides;

wherein said first and second sides are substantially parallel, and said third sides are substantially perpendicular to said first side; and

wherein said fourth sides extend obliquely from said second side.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said fifth sides are respectively and substantially perpendicular to said third sides.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2, wherein each of said third sides has two opposite ends, the shortest distance from one of said opposite ends of said third side, that is distal from said first side, to a plane defined by said second side being smaller than that from one of said opposite ends of said second side, that is adjacent to said one of said opposite ends of said third side, to a plane defined by said third side.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said plug terminals include a first power terminal and a first detecting terminal which is electrically connected to said first power terminal, and said receptacle terminals include a second power terminal and a second detecting terminal which is spaced apart from said second power terminal and which is electrically connected to said second power terminal via said first power terminal and said first detecting terminal when said first and second mating portions are coupled together.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4, wherein said first power terminal and said first detecting terminal are integrally formed and are punched from a metal plate.