Stepped Mating Plate Electrical Connector Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing USB connectors are too small for modern, miniaturized devices and lack the necessary contacts to support higher data transfer rates, while larger connectors with more signal pins are physically cumbersome and not widely adopted due to size and compatibility issues.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an insulative body with a mating plate having two distinct steps, allowing for additional contacts on each step, enabling both USB 2.0 compatibility and higher data transmission rates through a compact form factor by ensuring proper mating alignment and simultaneous operation of original and additional contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If additional contacts are added to increase data transmission rate, then data transfer speed is improved, but connector size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional change by transitioning from a single-plane contact arrangement to a multi-level stepped structure. The mating plate includes a first step and a second step at different heights, allowing contacts to be arranged on multiple vertical levels. This three-dimensional contact layout increases the number of signal pins without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint of the connector, thereby improving data transfer rate while controlling connector size.
2Volume of moving object
If connector size is reduced for miniaturized devices, then portability is improved, but number of contacts is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses vertical stacking through the stepped mating plate structure to pack more contacts into a smaller horizontal space. The first step and second step create distinct vertical levels where additional contacts can be positioned, effectively increasing contact density without expanding the connector's overall footprint, thus maintaining miniaturization while increasing contact quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stepped structure creates a nested arrangement where contacts on the second step are positioned vertically above or adjacent to contacts on the first step. This nesting allows multiple contacts to occupy overlapping or adjacent spatial regions, maximizing the use of available space and increasing the number of contacts that can fit within a compact connector body.
3Adaptability or versatility
If stepped mating plate structure is added to accommodate additional contacts, then contact arrangement flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mating plate is segmented into distinct steps (first step and second step) that can be manufactured as separate components or as integrated features. This segmentation allows for modular assembly where contacts are mounted on specific steps, providing flexibility in contact arrangement while enabling simplified manufacturing through staged production processes or separate tooling for each step level.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector (100, 200) includes an insulative body (10, 50), a shell (20, 60), a number of first contacts (30, 70) and second contacts (40, 80). The insulative body includes a seat (12, 52) and a mating plate (18, 58) projecting outwardly from the seat, which has opposite first and second sides. The mating plate has a first mating section (184, 186) and a second mating section (186, 586) behind the first mating section. The second mating section is thicker than the first mating section. The shell surrounds the seat and the mating plate and defines an opening at a front end thereof. Each first and second contact includes a contact ends (32, 72, 42, 82) arranged on the first mating section and the second mating section, respectively. The contact ends of the first and second contacts are located on the same side of the mating plate.