Communications Connector With Crimped Contacts

• US 20080166925A1
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Lesniak, Scott M., Caveney, Jack E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,544,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6466 on substrates, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression

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. The flexible printed circuit board, or a flexible portion of a printed circuit board, is provided with elongated extensions for certain conductors to accommodate the connection of six-contact or eight-contact plugs to the connector.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a crosstalk compensation apparatus for a modular communications connector, said method comprising:

providing a flexible printed circuit having circuit traces to compensate for near-end crosstalk (NEXT);

providing a plurality of plug interface contacts; and

mechanically and electrically connecting said flexible printed circuit board to said plurality of plug interface contacts by clamping the flexible printed circuit board between an end portion and an intermediate portion of each plug interface contact at a clamping area of each plug interface contact.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising welding together portions of each plug interface contact adjacent to the clamping area.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing each of said clamping areas with at least one irregular surface which contacts gripped portions of the flexible printed circuit.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing first through eighth flexible connection extensions on the flexible printed circuit;

wherein said step of mechanically and electrically connecting said flexible printed circuit board to said plurality of plug interface contacts comprises clamping said flexible connection extensions between said end portions and said intermediate portions of said plug interface contacts.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

providing eight of said plug interface contacts; and

providing eight of said flexible connection extensions on said flexible printed circuit board, first and eighth of said flexible connection extensions being longer than second through seventh of said flexible connection extensions.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing S-shaped bends in said first and eighth flexible connection extensions.

7. A method for manufacturing a crosstalk compensation apparatus for a modular communications connector, said method comprising:

providing a flexible printed circuit having circuit traces to compensate for near-end crosstalk (NEXT), said flexible printed circuit having a variable compensation zone that reduces NEXT compensation as a communication frequency increases;

providing a plurality of plug interface contacts;

providing a plurality of network cable connectors; and

mechanically and electrically connecting said flexible printed circuit board at a first end to said plug interface contacts and at a second end to said network cable connectors.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of mechanically and electrically connecting said flexible printed circuit board to said plug interface contacts comprises clamping the flexible printed circuit board between an end portion and an intermediate portion of each plug interface contact at a clamping area of each plug interface contact.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising welding together portions of each plug interface contact adjacent to the clamping area.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing each of said clamping areas with at least one irregular surface which contacts gripped portions of the flexible printed circuit.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing first through eighth flexible connection extensions on the flexible printed circuit;

wherein said step of mechanically and electrically connecting said flexible printed circuit board to said plurality of plug interface contacts comprises clamping said flexible connection extensions between said end portions and said intermediate portions of said plug interface contacts.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing eight of said plug interface contacts; and

providing eight of said flexible connection extensions on said flexible printed circuit board, first and eighth of said flexible connection extensions being longer than second through seventh of said flexible connection extensions.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing S-shaped bends in said first and eighth flexible connection extensions.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a clamping force on said flexible printed circuit board via said plug interface contacts, said clamping force resulting from a separation of said end portions and said intermediate portions of said plug interface contacts which are spring loaded together by the configuration of each contact.