D-Shaped Audio Connector Plug Asymmetry and Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio connectors, such as 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm TRS and TRRS connectors, are limiting factors in the design of thinner and smaller electronic devices due to their size and length, and USB connectors suffer from orientation difficulties, inconsistent insertion feel, wobble issues, and debris collection, which can lead to faulty connections or breakage.
Innovation Solution
A D-shaped audio plug connector with external contacts and flexible materials that allows for a single insertion orientation, reduced thickness, and a smooth insertion and extraction feel, eliminating the need for internal cavities prone to debris collection, and incorporating a flexible inner member for increased flexibility and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If standard 3.5 mm or 2.5 mm TRS/TRRS connectors are used, then audio connection functionality is achieved, but device thickness and size are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into a plug portion and a receptacle portion with distinct functions. The plug portion includes multiple contacts segmented along its length (tip, ring, sleeve sections), allowing compact arrangement of multiple conductive elements within a reduced overall connector length while maintaining audio functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design transitions from traditional cylindrical symmetry to a D-shaped cross-section with asymmetric geometry. This dimensional change allows the connector to be inserted only in one orientation (improving ease of operation) while reducing the required insertion depth and overall connector length, thereby reducing device thickness.
2Length of moving object
If USB connectors are used to reduce size, then connector length is reduced, but insertion orientation becomes ambiguous and connection reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector plug features a D-shaped cross-section with a flat side and a curved side, creating an asymmetric geometry that allows insertion in only one orientation. This asymmetric design eliminates the ambiguity of insertion orientation while maintaining a compact connector length, directly addressing the drawbacks of symmetric USB connectors.
3Length of moving object
If USB connectors with internal cavities are used, then connector size is reduced, but debris collection increases leading to faulty connections
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing contacts inside an internal cavity (inward-facing), the connector design inverts this arrangement by placing contacts on the outer surface of the plug portion (outward-facing). This inversion eliminates the enclosed cavity where debris could accumulate, while maintaining compact connector dimensions and reliable electrical connections.
4Manufacturing precision
If rigid connector materials are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but flexibility and ease of insertion are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a flexible membrane or thin-walled structure in the plug portion that provides controlled flexibility. This flexible element allows the connector to deform slightly during insertion, providing a smooth insertion feel and accommodating minor misalignments, while the overall connector maintains precise dimensional tolerances for reliable electrical contact.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to connector plugs and jacks and in particular to an audio connector plug and jack that can be used in place of the a standard low profile plug and electronic devices using low profile plug receptacles. The connector plug has a reduced plug length and thickness, an intuitive insertion orientation and a smooth, consistent feel when inserted and extracted from its corresponding receptacle connector. A portion or all of the plug connector may include a flexible material that allows the connector to bend with respect to an insertion axis along which the plug connector is designed to be inserted into a corresponding receptacle connector. A corresponding connector jack may be configured to receive the reduced length and thickness connector plug.