Electrical connector system with alien crosstalk reduction devices

• US 10,608,382 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bopp, Steven Richard, Pepe, Paul John, Tobey, Shawn Phillip, Hammond, Jr., Bernard Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Jimenez, Oscar C
• Application Number:
  US16/074,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20190044288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6592 the conductive member being a shielded cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/743 integral with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2445 the contact members having additional means acting on the insulation or the wire, e.g. additional insulation penetrating means, strain relief means or wire cutting knives

Abstract

An electrical connection system includes various devices and structures for improving alien crosstalk performance in a high density configuration. In certain examples, a plurality of insulation displacement contacts of a connector are arranged at angle and oriented to be symmetrical about an axial of the connector. The connector includes a connector housing and a shield cap configured to at least partially cover the connector housing. The shield cap includes a shield wall and an open side that is not closed by a shield wall. The shield wall exposes a portion of the connector when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing. When a plurality of such connectors are arranged side by side in a high density configuration, the connectors are aligned such that the open side of the shield cap is arranged close to, or abutted to, the shield wall of the shield cap of an adjacent connector.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing having a front end and a rear end, the connector housing including;

a cavity opened at the front end for receiving a plug; and

a plurality of insulation displacement contacts supported by the connector housing and extending from the connector housing at the rear end, and a shield cap configured to be mounted to the connector housing at the rear end, the shield cap including;

an end portion;

a shield wall extending from the end portion and including a first wall, a second wall opposite to the first wall, and a third wall extending between the first wall and the second wall, the first, second, and third walls configured to partially cover the connector housing when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing; and

an open side arranged opposite to the third wall, the open side configured to at least partially expose the connector housing therethrough when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

wherein the plurality of insulation displacement contacts includes a first pair, a second pair, a third pair, and a fourth pair, the first, second, third, and fourth pairs symmetrically arranged about an axis of the connector housing, and the plurality of insulation displacement contacts being oriented at an angle relative to a reference line and symmetrical about the axis of the connector housing;

wherein the shield cap includes a shield rib extending from an inner surface of the end portion and configured to be disposed between adjacent pairs of the first, second, third, and fourth pairs when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

wherein the connector housing includes a receiving slot at the rear end, the receiving slot configured to receive the shield rib of the shield cap when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield cap further includes a cable sleeve extending from an outer surface of the end portion of the shield cap.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the cable sleeve includes an axial opening defined along an axial length of the cable sleeve.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the axial opening is arranged in the same direction as the open side of the shield cap.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the axial opening is configured such that a cable is snap-fit into the cable sleeve through the axial opening.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing, the axial opening defined along the axial length of the cable sleeve remains open.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a panel interface housing including a plurality of holes, each hole configured to at least partially receive the electrical connector.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 7, wherein the panel interface housing includes at least one panel shield wall arranged between the plurality of holes, the panel shield wall configured to be disposed between adjacent connector housings when a plurality of the electrical connectors are received within the plurality of holes.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield wall is made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield cap is integrally made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield cap is latched over the connector housing at the rear end.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield cap includes at least one latch projection configured to engage at least one corresponding groove of the connector housing.

13. An electrical connection system comprising:

a plurality of connectors, each connector according to claim 1; and

a panel interface housing including a plurality of connector holes configured to at least partially receive the plurality of connectors,

wherein the plurality of connectors are inserted into the plurality of connector holes respectively such that the third wall of the shield cap of a connector of the plurality of connectors faces the open side of the shield cap of an adjacent connector of the plurality of connectors.

14. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector housing having a front end and a rear end, the connector housing including;

a cavity opened at the front end for receiving a plug; and

a plurality of insulation displacement contacts supported by the connector housing and extending from the connector housing at the rear end, the plurality of insulation displacement contacts including a first pair, a second pair, a third pair, and a fourth pair, the first, second, third, and fourth pairs symmetrically arranged about an axis of the connector housing, and the plurality of insulation displacement contacts being oriented at an angle relative to a reference line and symmetrical about the axis of the connector housing, and a shield cap configured to be mounted to the connector housing at the rear end, the shield cap including;

an end portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a shield wall extending from the end portion and including a first wall, a second wall opposite to the first wall, and a third wall extending between the first wall and the second wall, the first, second, and third walls configured to partially cover the connector housing when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

an open side arranged opposite to the third wall, the open side configured to at least partially expose the connector housing therethrough when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing; and

a cable sleeve extending from the outer surface of the end portion of the shield cap and including an axial opening defined along an axial length of the cable sleeve;

wherein the shield cap includes a shield rib extending from the inner surface of the end portion and configured to be disposed between adjacent pairs of the first, second, third, and fourth pairs when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

wherein the connector housing includes a receiving slot at the rear end, the receiving slot configured to receive the shield rib of the shield cap when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the axial opening is configured such that a cable is snap-fit into the cable sleeve through the axial opening.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the axial opening is arranged in the same direction as the open side of the shield cap.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 14, further comprising a panel interface housing including a plurality of holes, each hole configured to at least partially receive the electrical connector.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 17, wherein the panel interface housing includes at least one shield wall arranged between the plurality of holes, the shield wall configured to be disposed between adjacent connector housings when a plurality of the electrical connectors are received within the plurality of holes.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the shield wall is made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

20. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the shield cap is integrally made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

21. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing, the axial opening defined along the axial length of the cable sleeve remains open.

22. An electrical connection system comprising:

a plurality of connectors, each connector including;

a connector housing having a front end and a rear end, the connector housing including;

a cavity opened at the front end for receiving a plug; and

a plurality of insulation displacement contacts supported by the connector housing and extending from the connector housing at the rear end, the plurality of insulation displacement contacts including a first pair, a second pair, a third pair, and a fourth pair, the first, second, third, and fourth pairs symmetrically arranged about an axis of the connector housing, and the plurality of insulation displacement contacts being oriented at an angle relative to a reference line and symmetrical about the axis of the connector housing, a shield cap configured to be mounted to the connector housing at the rear end, the shield cap including;

an end portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a shield wall extending from the end portion and including a first wall, a second wall opposite to the first wall, and a third wall extending between the first wall and the second wall, the first, second, and third walls configured to partially cover the connector housing when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

an open side arranged opposite to the third wall, the open side configured to expose the connector housing that is uncovered by the shield wall when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing, and 6a cable sleeve extending from the outer surface of the end portion of the shield cap and including an axial opening defined along an axial length of the cable sleeve, and a panel interface housing including a plurality of connector holes configured to at least partially receive the plurality of connectors, wherein the plurality of connectors are inserted into the plurality of connector holes respectively such that the third wall of the shield cap of a connector of the plurality of connectors faces the open side of the shield cap of an adjacent connector of the plurality of connectors;

wherein the shield cap includes a shield rib extending from the inner surface of the end portion and configured to be disposed between adjacent pairs of the first, second, third, and fourth pairs when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing;

wherein the connector housing includes a receiving slot at the rear end, the receiving slot configured to receive the shield rib of the shield cap when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing.

23. The electrical connection system according to claim 22, wherein the panel interface housing includes at least one shield wall arranged between the plurality of connector holes, the shield wall configured to be disposed between adjacent connector housings when a plurality of the electrical connectors are received within the plurality of connector holes.

24. The electrical connection system according to claim 22, wherein the shield wall is made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

25. The electrical connection system according to claim 22, wherein the shield cap is integrally made from a non-conductive material having conductive particles dispersed therein.

26. The electrical connection system according to claim 22, wherein when the shield cap is mounted to the connector housing, the axial opening defined along the axial length of the cable sleeve remains open.