USB Type-C Male Connector Reduced Pin Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing USB connectors with 24 pins according to the USB Type-C standard have narrow intervals between connecting portions, making it difficult to maintain electrical connections and potentially leading to connection issues due to the dense arrangement of pads and pins.
Innovation Solution
A USB drive design with a male connector that electrically connects fewer than 24 pins to the corresponding terminals in a female USB Type-C socket, reducing the number of pads and pins to prevent interval decreases and connection troubles, while maintaining functionality through a specific arrangement of pins and pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all 24 pins according to USB Type-C standard are connected, then complete USB Type-C functionality is achieved, but the intervals between connecting portions become narrow making it difficult to maintain electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes certain pins from the full 24-pin USB Type-C connector configuration. Specifically, it eliminates pins that are not essential for basic USB functionality, thereby reducing the number of connecting portions and increasing the intervals between remaining pins, which improves electrical connection stability while maintaining compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different connection configurations to different regions of the connector. By selectively connecting only necessary pins in specific positions and leaving other positions unconnected, it creates a localized optimization where critical electrical connections are maintained with adequate spacing, rather than uniformly distributing all 24 pins.
2Reliability
If the number of pins is reduced to fewer than 24, then the intervals between connecting portions increase improving connection stability, but the complete USB Type-C functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the connector universal by supporting multiple USB modes (USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB Type-C) through a reduced pin configuration. By carefully selecting which pins to connect, the design achieves multi-functionality where a single connector can operate in different USB modes without requiring all 24 pins, thus maintaining compatibility while improving connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing only the necessary subset of pins required for core USB functionality. Rather than fully implementing all 24 USB Type-C pins, it uses a partial configuration that provides sufficient functionality for data communication and power supply while avoiding the connection density issues that would arise from connecting all pins.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all 24 terminals are connected in the female connector, then full USB Type-C compliance is achieved, but the dense arrangement of pads and pins leads to connection troubles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts unnecessary terminals from the female connector's terminal array. By identifying and removing terminals that correspond to non-essential pins in the male connector, it reduces the number of pads and connecting portions, thereby decreasing arrangement density and eliminating connection troubles associated with dense configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the terminal connections into essential and non-essential groups. Rather than creating a uniform dense arrangement of all 24 terminals, it divides the terminal structure to maintain only those connections necessary for basic USB operation, effectively segmenting out the redundant terminals that would contribute to density-related connection issues.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a substrate, a male connector, and conductive members. The substrate includes conductors on a surface of the substrate. The male connector is mounted on the substrate and insertable into a female connector complying with a USB Type-C standard. The conductive members are mounted in the male connector, each of the conductive members electrically connecting one of twenty-four terminals complying with the USB Type-C standard mounted in the female connector with one of the conductors when the male connector is inserted into the female connector, and a number of the conductive members being less than twenty-four.