Dual USB Socket Connector Merging 2.0 and 3.0 Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional USB 3.0 connectors are structurally complex and costly, and simultaneously mounting USB 2.0 and 3.0 socket connectors on a printed circuit board (PCB) complicates the layout and reduces available surface area, making it difficult to accommodate both types of connectors efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A dual socket connector design that includes an insulative housing assembly with top and bottom tongues, a partition, and multiple terminals for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 signal transmission, allowing it to simultaneously connect two plug connectors while occupying a surface area equivalent to a single conventional socket connector, with a shell covering the assembly to define socket holes for engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If USB 3.0 socket connectors are used to increase transmission speed, then transmission speed is improved, but manufacturing cost and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 socket connectors into a single integrated dual socket connector assembly. The housing contains both USB 2.0 socket and USB 3.0 socket, allowing both connector types to be mounted on the PCB simultaneously while occupying the same footprint area, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving high-speed USB 3.0 functionality and maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The dual socket connector assembly serves multiple functions by providing both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity options in a single component. This multi-functional design allows the system to support both legacy USB 2.0 devices and high-speed USB 3.0 devices, achieving speed improvement while maintaining a unified connector structure that reduces overall complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 socket connectors are mounted on PCB, then compatibility is improved, but PCB layout complexity and surface area requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges USB 2.0 socket and USB 3.0 socket into a single dual socket connector assembly that occupies a substantially identical footprint area to a conventional single socket connector. This integration allows both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectors to be mounted on the PCB simultaneously without increasing the total surface area required, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving connector compatibility and minimizing PCB space
Solution Approach 2:
The dual socket connector assembly effectively nests one socket connector within the footprint of another by stacking the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 sockets vertically or in a compact arrangement. This nesting approach allows both connector types to coexist on the PCB while utilizing the same surface area, maintaining compatibility without expanding the PCB real estate requirement
Data Source
AI summary
A dual socket connector has an insulative housing assembly, multiple first terminals, multiple second terminals, multiple third terminals and a shell. The insulative housing assembly has a top tongue, a bottom tongue and a partition formed between the top and bottom tongues. The first terminals are mounted on one of the top and bottom tongues for USB 2.0 signal transmission. The second and third terminals are mounted on the other tongue for USB 3.0 signal transmission. The shell covers the insulative housing assembly and defines upper and lower socket holes with the partition for engaging different plug connectors. The dual socket connector is compact and has high compatibility.