Elastic Contact Arms in USB Type-C Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
USB Type-C electrical connectors experience structural damage and poor terminal contact due to abrasive interference between hooks when mated, leading to inefficient data transfer.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an insulated housing with metal sheets featuring hook structures and through holes that form contact arms, allowing for elastic deflection and reducing abrasive contact, along with a metallic shell for dispersion of insertion force to prevent terminal deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If hooks on both sides of the electrical plug connector are in contact with metal sheets in a poor interference manner, then the connector structure is simple, but the hooks experience abrasion resulting in structural damage and poor terminal contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces elastic contacts made of flexible metal sheets with hook structures that can deflect and absorb mechanical stress. These thin metal sheets provide both structural support and elastic compliance, allowing the connector to accommodate assembly tolerances and repeated mating cycles without damage to the rigid plug hooks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the contact elements by using elastic metal sheets with specific flexibility characteristics. The metal sheets are designed with controlled elasticity to provide both structural integrity and compliance, transforming the rigid-interference contact into a compliant contact that prevents wear while maintaining connection reliability.
2Strength
If rigid metal sheets are used for structural support, then the connector provides stable structure, but the hooks on the plug connector suffer from abrasive interference and structural damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal sheets with elastic metal sheets that maintain structural support through their flexibility rather than rigidity. The elastic contacts can deflect under load, providing structural support while eliminating the abrasive interference that occurs with rigid components.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic metal sheets act as an intermediary between the rigid plug connector hooks and the internal terminal structures. This intermediate elastic layer absorbs the mechanical stress and prevents direct abrasive contact between rigid components, protecting the plug hooks from damage.
3Reliability
If elastic contacts are introduced to reduce abrasive contact, then terminal contact reliability improves, but the connector structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic metal sheets perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, enable reliable terminal contact through elastic compliance, and protect against abrasive interference. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural support function and the contact compliance function into a single elastic metal sheet component. By combining these functions that would traditionally require separate rigid and flexible components, the design achieves improved reliability without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the durability of USB Type-C connectors by preventing structural damage and ensuring reliable terminal contact, thereby improving data transfer efficiency and reducing the risk of short circuits.
Implementation Method 1
the contact arms of the hook structures deflect inwardly to the through holes in an elastic manner
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical receptacle connector includes an insulated housing, receptacle terminals, and a metallic shell. The insulated housing includes a base portion and a tongue portion outwardly extending from the base portion. Two metal sheets are arranged at two sides of the tongue portion. Each of the metal sheets includes a hook structure protruding from a side portion of the tongue portion and a through hole adjacent to the hook structure. The receptacle terminals are held in the base portion and disposed at the surface of the tongue portion. The metallic shell includes a receptacle cavity. The insulated housing is held in the receiving cavity. The contact arms are formed by the through holes of the metal sheets in an elastic manner, to avoid the hooks on both sides of the electrical plug connector in contact with the metal sheets in a poor interference manner.