Communications connector with flexible printed circuit board

• US 20060014410A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Caveney, Jack E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6461 Means for preventing cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6467 by cross-over of signal conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0228 Compensation of cross-talk by a mutually correlated lay-out of printed circuit traces, e.g. for compensation of cross-talk in mounted connectors balanced signal pairs H05K1/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector

Abstract

A communications connector with a flexible printed circuit board is provided. The flexible printed circuit board is electronically and mechanically connected to the plug interface contacts of the jack near the plug/jack interface, in order to provide effective crosstalk compensation. The flexible printed circuit board has fingers at one end allowing it to flex as individual plug interface contacts are depressed when a plug is installed into the jack. A second end of the flexible printed circuit board has through holes for accepting insulation displacement contacts. The second end of the flexible printed circuit board may be rigidly supported, to allow insertion of the insulation displacement contacts. Various designs for capacitive and/or inductive couplings are provided, resulting in improved crosstalk performance.

Claims

1. A communications jack for accepting a communication plug to create a communications connector, comprising:

a plurality of plug interface contacts for making electrical contact with a plug at a plug/jack interface;

a plurality of insulation displacement contacts for making electrical contact with a communications cable; and

a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) electrically and mechanically connected at a first end to the plurality of plug interface contacts and at a second end to the plurality of insulation displacement contacts, thereby electrically connecting the plug with the communications cable.

2. The communications jack of claim 1, wherein the FPC is connected to the plurality of plug interface contacts at the plug/jack interface.

3. The communications jack of claim 1, wherein the FPC is connected to the plurality of plug interface contacts by fingers that allow the FPC to flex as individual plug interface contacts are depressed when the plug is installed in the jack.

4. The communications jack of claim 1, wherein the FPC is supported in part by a sled and in part by a PCB.

5. The communications jack of claim 1, wherein the FPC has a rigid extension having through holes for accepting the plurality of insulation displacement contacts.

6. The communications jack of claim 5, wherein the FPC is vertically oriented with respect to a horizontal insertion of the plug into the jack.

7. The communications jack of claim 6, wherein the insulation displacement contacts are horizontally oriented with respect to the horizontal insertion direction of the plug into the jack.

8. The communications jack of claim 5, wherein the FPC is horizontally oriented with respect to a horizontal insertion of the plug into the jack.

9. The communications jack of claim 8, wherein the insulation displacement contacts are vertically oriented with respect to the horizontal insertion of the plug into the jack.

10. The communications jack of claim 1, wherein the FPC includes a substrate having two sides, and wherein a conductive layer is laminated to each side.

11. The communications jack of claim 10, wherein the conductive layer exists as a plurality of patterns, and wherein a minimum registration tolerance is maintained between the patterns.