Electronic connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10199784-B2
Application number	US-201715686077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Sep 6, 2016
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A unidirectional cable connector that can be operatively connected between a host device and accessory device in the ecosystem of products. The cable includes first and second plug connectors at opposite ends of a wire where the two plug connectors share a common pinout but the insertion plug of the second connector is shortened in length as compared to the insertion plug of the first connector. The shortened plug prevents the second connector from being fully inserted into the host device that includes a standard depth receptacle connector, and thus prevents the second connector from being operatively coupled to the host device. The shortened plug can, however, be operatively connected with an electronic device having a shortened receptacle connector according to embodiments of the disclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable connector comprising:
a cable having a first end and a second end;
a first plug connector at the first end of the cable, the first plug connector including a first body, a first insertion end extending away from the first body to a first connector tip and a first plurality of contacts, the first insertion end and the first plurality of contacts sized and positioned to be mated with and mechanically and electrically compatible with a first receptacle connector; and
a second plug connector at the second end of the cable, the second plug connector including a second body, a second insertion end extending away from the second body to a second connector tip and a second plurality of contacts, the second insertion end and second plurality of contacts configured to be mated with and mechanically and electrically compatible with the first receptacle connector,
wherein the first insertion end has a first length from the first connector tip to the first body and the second insertion end has a second length from the second connector tip to the second body, the second length being shorter than the first length such that the first insertion end and first plurality of contacts are configured to be mated with and mechanically and electrically compatible with a second receptacle connector having an insertion cavity that is deeper than an insertion cavity of the first receptacle connector while the second insertion end and second plurality of contacts are mechanically incompatible with the second receptacle connector.

2. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of contacts are exposed at an external surface of the first plug connector and the second plurality of contacts are exposed at an external surface of the second plug connector.

3. The cable connector of claim 2 wherein each of the first and second pluralities of contacts are spaced apart along a single row.

4. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second plug connectors are reversible connectors that can be inserted in the first receptacle connector in either a first orientation or a second orientation rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation.

5. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein the first plug connector has a uniform thickness along the width and length of the first insertion end and wherein the second plug connector has a uniform thickness along the width and length of the second insertion end connector.

6. The cable connector of claim 5 wherein a thickness of the first insertion end is the same as a thickness of the second insertion end.

7. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second plug connectors includes a retention mechanism configured to mate with a retention latch in a receptacle connector.

8. The cable connector of claim 1 wherein a first distance is defined between the first connector tip and the first plurality of contacts, a second distance is defined between the second connector tip and the second plurality of contacts, and wherein the first distance and the second distance are equal.

9. The cable connector of claim 8 wherein a third distance is defined between the first connector tip and the first body, a fourth distance is defined between the second connector tip and the second body, and wherein the third distance is greater than the fourth distance.

10. The cable connector of claim 9 wherein the first plurality of contacts includes the same number of contacts as the second plurality of contacts.

11. A cable connector comprising:
a cable having a first end and a second end;
a first plug connector at the first end of the cable, the first plug connector including a first body, a first insertion end extending away from the first body to a first connector tip, and a first plurality of contact; and
a second plug connector at the second end of the cable, the second plug connector including a second body, a second insertion end extending away from the second body to a second connector tip, a second plurality of contacts, wherein the second insertion end and the second plurality of contacts are sized and positioned to be mated with and mechanically and electrically compatible with the first receptacle connector;
wherein the first plug connector can be operatively coupled with a first receptacle connector having a first plurality of receptacle connector contacts positioned within a first cavity at a first distance from an opening of the first cavity and the second plug connector can be operatively coupled with the first receptacle connector; and
wherein the first plug connector can be operatively coupled with a second receptacle connector having a second plurality of receptacle connector contacts positioned within a second cavity at a second distance from an opening of the second cavity, the second distance being less than the first distance, and the second plug connector cannot be operatively coupled with the second receptacle connector.

12. The cable connector of claim 11 wherein each of the first and second plug connectors are reversible connectors that can be inserted in the first receptacle connector in either a first orientation or a second orientation rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation.

13. The cable connector of claim 12 wherein the first plurality of contacts includes a first set of contacts exposed at a first external surface of the first plug connector and a second set of contacts exposed at a second external surface of the first plug connector opposite the first external surface and wherein the second plurality of contacts includes a third set of contacts exposed at a first external surface of the second plug connector and a fourth set of contacts exposed at a second external surface of the second plug connector opposite the first external surface.

14. The cable connector of claim 13 wherein a pinout of each of the first, second, third, and fourth sets of contacts is identical.

15. The cable connector of claim 14 wherein the first plug connector includes a first retention mechanism and the second plug connector includes a second retention mechanism; wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip and the first retention mechanism, a second distance is defined between the first retention mechanism and the first body, a third distance is defined between the second tip and the second retention mechanism, and a fourth distance is defined between the second retention mechanism and the second body; and wherein the first distance is equal to the third distance and the second distance is greater than the fourth distance.

16. The cable connector of claim 11 wherein the cable comprises a plurality of insulated wires that connect at least some of the first plurality of contacts with at least some of the second plurality of contacts.

17. A cable connector comprising:
a cable including a first end and a second end;
a first plug connector at the first end of the cable, wherein the first plug connector includes a first tip and a first retention mechanism configured to mate with a first receptacle connector, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip and the first retention mechanism, and wherein a second distance is defined between the first retention mechanism and the cable; and
a second plug connector at the second end of the cable, wherein the second plug connector includes a second tip and a second retention mechanism configured to mate with a second receptacle connector, wherein a third distance is defined between the second tip and the second retention mechanism, and wherein a

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Soohoo Eric T
• Boyd Robert A
• Wagman Daniel C

Classifications

• H01R13/405

  Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting · CPC title

• H01R29/00 Primary

  Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, {programmable connectors} · CPC title

• H01R24/20

  Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title

• H01R13/6658

  on printed circuit board (H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R12/7076

  for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display · CPC title