Ramblings of an old Doc

 

Ma Yi Xuan, wherever you are: Bless you!

How much time have you wasted trying to flip the USB plug so it fits?

 

This is how it should have been done in the first place!

The greatest part of this simple modification?

It’s just an extra fixed piece of squishy plastic (in addition to the one already in USB plugs) to press the electrical contacts into place, regardless of which side is facing up.

 

My blessing to this designer who just made USB plugs “me proof”.

Source:  A really great Stardock employee who turned me onto -

http://www.ff3300.com/wordpress/input/simple-genius-a-usb-plug-that-fits-even-if-its-upside-down/


Comments (Page 3)
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on Apr 17, 2011

WebGizmos

Quoting Greg30007, reply 28Have 2 PC s and both have broken USB ports due to me pushing USB in wrong way

Virgins...always pushing it in the wrong way.

 

 

More like impatience to get it in ASAP.

on Apr 18, 2011

I just notice that we gain another gimmic that makes us even more lazy than we already are. Self cleaning toilets. Microwave food. Vacum cleaning robots the list continues with flipable usb´s

Its not about being lazier, it's about making things easier. Would you consider all of the tech we have today to make us lazier or to make our lives easier so we can focus on more important things?

I'm not so sure having a spring pressing against the (often loose) sockets at all times would be that helpful. Each set of contacts would also need to be wired separately so the pinout properly matches, and such wiring would be subject to a lot of wear due to the constant flexing on every insertion.

Sure, just take away my happiness why don't you.

on Apr 18, 2011

I simply take a felt-tip pen, and mark the side that goes up on each and every USB plug. Simple and cost-effective problem solving...

Not as simple, oddly enough I have come across PCs where the connections are flipped and also some PCs have the USB slots sideways and can also be flipped.

My news case has the most unusual ones yet. Even when I put them in right the slot on the cover seems to be just slightly gibber that the USB port so every time I still the USB connection it it gets stuck and since my PC is almost on the floor, it's completely black and I am usually in the dark in my room, it takes a few tries before it goes it, the USB plug that is (clear those dirty minds people, LOL).

I think this idea is cool but I can't help find some downsides to it. First I have to agree that the constant in and out of the side of the pins that's not connecting could eventually get messed up. I worry about that on my retractable USB sticks which have a similar concept.

Also how would this render smaller USBs which will now require extra space to accommodate the spring action and retractable piece? Not to mention how this would be useless for USBs that don't have the metal housing around it, that it's just the plastic piece with the connectors on it. Unless they are reversible and I'm not aware of that.

on Apr 18, 2011

CharlesCS
Unless they are reversible and I'm not aware of that.

I haven't seen any, though as long as the outer shell isn't grounded on the socket, that could be a lot more feasible. Since it'd be just one solid piece it could basically just be made as a multilayer PCB to get the properly reversed pin-out on the backside.

 

on Apr 19, 2011

Hey...when they come up with flippable underwear I'll be impressed....I can cut down on laundry then!

on Apr 19, 2011

Zubaz



Quoting Lord Xia,
reply 2
Man, my computer at work, has the most awful USB slot, I comes up from the bottom at this strange angle, I cant see it at all, so every time I try and stick anything in it, I have to fumble around forever. Just like sex.Dell Optiplex?

 

I just looked and it is in fact a Dell Optiplex.  You must know your shit to be able to tell that from my vague description. 

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