Flippable Electrical Connector Diagonal Contact Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flippable plug connectors for super speed signaling require costly MUX integration, leading to signal degradation and are not optimized for future USB applications.
Innovation Solution
A flippable plug connector and complementary receptacle connector design featuring diagonally symmetrically arranged contacts within insulative and metallic housings, allowing dual orientation mating without the need for costly MUX integration, and including a metallic shield with a mating tongue and EMI collar for enhanced electrical and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If MUX (super speed switch) is built into the silicon for flippable connector, then dual orientation mating is enabled, but signal degradation occurs and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging contacts in diagonally symmetric patterns (e.g., top-left and bottom-right corners) rather than using identical symmetric arrangements. This diagonal symmetry allows the connector to function in both orientations without requiring complex MUX switching, as the contact pattern naturally accommodates flipped mating while maintaining signal integrity through direct physical contact paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by designing the contact arrangement to be inherently flip-compatible from the outset, rather than adding switching mechanisms to enable flip capability. The diagonal contact pattern is designed so that flipping the connector simply reverses the mating orientation without requiring any active switching or signal rerouting.
2Adaptability or versatility
If MUX (super speed switch) is built into the silicon for flippable connector, then dual orientation mating is enabled, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the costly MUX switching component from the design entirely. By using a diagonally symmetric contact arrangement, the invention eliminates the need for super speed switches in the silicon, thereby removing the associated manufacturing complexity and cost while retaining full dual-orientation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive active switching components with a simple, passive geometric contact pattern. The diagonal arrangement of contacts is a low-cost structural feature that can be implemented through standard manufacturing processes, eliminating the need for costly silicon-based MUX integration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If contacts are arranged in diagonally symmetric pattern, then flappable mating is achieved, but contact layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diagonally symmetric contact arrangement serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables dual-orientation mating, provides inherent alignment guidance, ensures proper pin-to-contact correspondence in both orientations, and maintains signal integrity. This universal design approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate mechanisms into a single geometric pattern.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug connector mateable with the receptacle connector, includes an insulative housing enclosed in a metallic shell, defining a receiving cavity to receive the mating tongue, and equipped with a plurality of contacts on opposite sides in the vertical direction. A latch forms a pair of locking heads extending into two opposite lateral sides of the receiving cavity to lock with a shielding plate embedded within a mating tongue of the complementary receptacle connector during mating.