USB Type-C Connector Shared Soldering Pads Lower Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
USB Type-C connectors used in mobile devices face challenges in achieving a lower profile despite their smaller dimensions, necessitating an improved electrical connector design for reduced height without compromising functionality.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features an insulating housing with a mating tongue and mounting portion, arranged terminals with shared soldering pads, and a metallic shell configuration that reduces the overall length from 8.3 mm to 7.3 mm, maintaining engagement and retention force while accommodating USB Type-C signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If USB Type-C connector is used in mobile devices, then smaller dimensions are achieved, but the profile height cannot be reduced further
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple terminal functions into shared soldering pads on the PCB. Specifically, grounding terminals and power terminals from different rows are combined to share common pads, reducing the overall connector profile height while maintaining all necessary electrical connections for USB Type-C functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent reorganizes terminal arrangements from a traditional two-row configuration to a configuration where soldering pads are arranged in one row with vertical alignment. This dimensional reorganization allows grounding terminals and power terminals to share pads in the vertical direction, achieving lower profile height without sacrificing connectivity
2Length of stationary object
If terminal positions are reduced to achieve lower profile, then profile height is reduced, but engagement and retention force must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple terminal functions into shared pads, where grounding terminals and power terminals share common soldering pads. This merging reduces the number of discrete pad locations needed while maintaining all necessary electrical connections, achieving lower profile without compromising connection strength
Solution Approach 2:
The shared soldering pads serve multiple functions simultaneously - they provide both grounding and power connections through vertical alignment. This multi-functionality allows the connector to maintain engagement and retention force with fewer pad locations, enabling reduced profile height
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector mounted on a PCB includes: an housing comprising a base, a mating tongue and a mounting portion, each surface of the mating tongue defining twelve terminal positions (P1) through (P12); two rows of terminals, each terminal including a mating portion, a leg portion and a middle portion connecting with the mating portion and the leg portion, each leg portion defining a soldering pad. Each row of terminals include grounding terminals in terminal positions (P1, P12) power terminals in terminal positions (P4, P9), and there are no terminals set in terminal positions (P2, P3, P10, P11). The soldering pads of the two rows of terminals are arranged in one row and at least two grounding terminals or two power terminals aligned with each other in a vertical direction are located side by side so as to share a same pad defined on the PCB.