Methods and systems for minimizing alien crosstalk between connectors

• US 20080299821A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Hammond, Bernard Harold JR., DeBenedictis, Damon F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/540.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6471 by special arrangement of ground and signal conductors, e.g. GSGS [Ground-Signal-Ground-Signal]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/659 with plural ports for distinct connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6598 Shield material

Abstract

A telecommunications device comprising a faceplate including at least two adjacent jack receptacles, the two adjacent jack receptacles positioned vertically and horizontally offset to each other and a jack mounted in at least one of the two jack receptacles, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable. A cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path fits about the jack to cover at least a portion of the outer surface defined by the insulation displacement contacts.

Claims

1. A jack assembly comprising:

a first jack including a front end, a back end, a first outermost sidewall and an opposite second outermost sidewall, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts projecting in a direction from the front end to the back end of the jack, the insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable, the insulation displacement contacts arranged in two columns that define a space thereinbetween for receiving the conductors of the cable, the insulation displacement contacts defining an outer surface; and

a first cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path, the cap constructed to fit about the jack to cover at least a portion of the outer surface defined by the insulation displacement contacts, the cap including a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, wherein, once mounted thereon, the first sidewall of the cap is configured to align flush with the first outermost sidewall of the jack, the first sidewall of the cap including a notch that, when mounted, defines an airspace between the first sidewall of the cap and the first outermost sidewall of the jack.

2. A jack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second sidewall of the cap extends laterally past the second outermost sidewall of the jack.

3. A jack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap includes an electrically non-conductive material which is impregnated with an electrically conductive material such that the cap is overall electrically non-conductive.

4. A jack assembly according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive material impregnated into the electrically non-conductive material includes carbon.

5. A jack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the jack is a recommended (RJ) type jack.

6. A jack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap defines an opening in the back wall of the cap generally aligned with the space defined in between the two columns of the insulation displacement contacts.

7. A jack assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap defines a recess on the second sidewall of the cap.

8. A jack assembly according to claim 7, wherein the cap defines an inner surface of the second sidewall and an outer surface of the second sidewall, wherein the cap defines a recess on the inner surface and a recess on the outer surface of the second sidewall.

9. A jack assembly according to claim 3, further comprising an unshielded cable terminated to the jack, wherein the electrically conductive material of the cap is not grounded through the cable when the cap is mounted on the jack.

10. A jack assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a second jack adjacently positioned next to the first jack, the second jack including a second cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path mounted thereon, the second cap including a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the second sidewall of the second cap including a recess that is positioned adjacent the first sidewall of the first cap, the recess on the second sidewall of the second cap defining a clearance space for accommodating ends of conductors of a cable protruding laterally from the insulation displacement contacts of the first jack.

11. A jack assembly comprising:

a first jack including a front end, a back end, a first outermost sidewall and an opposite second outermost sidewall, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts projecting in a direction from the front end to the back end of the jack, the insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable, the insulation displacement contacts arranged in two columns that define a space thereinbetween for receiving the conductors of the cable, the insulation displacement contacts defining an outer surface; and

a first cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path, the cap constructed to fit about the jack to cover at least a portion of the outer surface defined by the insulation displacement contacts, the cap including a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, the second sidewall including a recess defining a clearance space for accommodating ends of conductors of a cable protruding laterally from the insulation displacement contacts.

12. A jack assembly according to claim 11, wherein the second sidewall of the cap extends laterally past the second outermost sidewall of the jack.

13. A jack assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cap includes an electrically non-conductive material which is impregnated with an electrically conductive material such that the cap is overall electrically non-conductive.

14. A jack assembly according to claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive material impregnated into the electrically non-conductive material includes carbon.

15. A jack assembly according to claim 11, wherein the jack is a recommended (RJ) type jack.

16. A jack assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cap defines an opening in the back wall of the cap generally aligned with the space defined in between the two columns of the insulation displacement contacts.

17. A jack assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cap defines an inner surface of the second sidewall and an outer surface of the second sidewall, wherein the cap includes a recess on the inner surface and a recess on the outer surface of the second sidewall.

18. A jack assembly according to claim 13, further comprising an unshielded cable terminated to the jack, wherein the electrically conductive material of the cap is not grounded through the cable when the cap is mounted on the jack.

19. A jack assembly according to claim 11 further comprising a second jack adjacently positioned next to the first jack, the second jack including a second cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path mounted thereon, the second cap including a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the second sidewall of the second cap including a recess that is positioned adjacent the first sidewall of the first cap, the recess on the second sidewall of the second cap defining a clearance space for accommodating the ends of conductors of the cable protruding laterally from the insulation displacement contacts of the first jack.

20. A telecommunications device comprising:

an outlet box;

a faceplate mounted to the outlet box, the faceplate including at least two adjacent jack receptacles that are positioned vertically and horizontally offset to each other and staggered front to back at different depths with respect to each other; and

a jack mounted in at least one of the two jack receptacles, the jack including a front end, a back end, a first outermost sidewall and an opposite second outermost sidewall, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts projecting in a direction going from the front end to the back end, the insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable, the insulation displacement contacts arranged in two columns that define a space thereinbetween for receiving the conductors of the cable, the insulation displacement contacts defining an outer surface.

21. A telecommunications device according to claim 20, further including a cap mounted on the jack, the cap manufactured of a material configured to minimize transmission of electrical signal away from its intended path, the cap constructed to fit about the jack to cover at least a portion of the outer surface defined by the insulation displacement contacts, the cap including a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, wherein, once mounted thereon, the first sidewall of the cap is configured to align flush with the first outermost sidewall of the jack, the first sidewall of the cap including a notch that, when mounted, defines an airspace between the first sidewall of the cap and the first outermost sidewall of the jack.

22. A telecommunications device comprising:

an outlet box;

a faceplate mounted to the outlet box, the faceplate including a front face and at least two adjacent jack receptacles that are positioned vertically and horizontally offset to each other;

a jack mounted in at least one of the two jack receptacles, the jack including a front end, a back end, a first outermost sidewall and an opposite second outermost sidewall, the jack defining a port in the front end for receiving a plug, the jack also defining spring contacts within the port for making electrical contact with the plug, the jack including insulation displacement contacts projecting in a direction going from the front end to the back end, the insulation displacement contacts electrically connected to the spring contacts, the insulation displacement contacts configured to establish electrical contact with conductors of a cable, the insulation displacement contacts arranged in two columns that define a space thereinbetween for receiving the conductors of the cable, the insulation displacement contacts defining an outer surface; and

a designation label corresponding to each jack receptacle, the designation labels mounted on the front face of the faceplate and positioned laterally adjacent to each of the corresponding jack receptacles.