Jack connector assembly having circuitry components integrated for providing POE-functionality

• US 20090298349A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Michael, Filipon, Sven, Herrmann, Wolfgang, Steinke, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 7,854,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/669
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

The invention relates to a jack connector assembly having circuitry components integrated providing power over LAN-functionality, in particular for use with regard to Ethernet-networks. An object of the present invention is to provide a jack connector assembly providing integrated power over LAN-functionality and especially avoiding any undesirable and destructive heat accumulation. The object is achieved by a modular jack connector assembly having at least one connector housing (100) and at least one connector insert (200) insertable into the connector housing, each connector housing (100) having a front mating side with at least one port opening (301, 312) for receiving a plug having a plurality of electrical contacts and a rear side (112) for inserting at least one of said connector inserts (200), each connector insert (200) having a front end side and a rear end side and is supporting electrical contacts (240) with contact sections (245, 246) arranged at the front end for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one of said plugs, and is supporting at the rear end side components (260) of a circuitry providing a power over LAN-functionality.

Claims

1. A modular jack connector assembly comprising:

at least one connector housing (100) and at least one connector insert (200) insertable into the connector housing;

each connector housing (100) comprising a front mating side with at least one port opening (301, 312) for receiving a plug having a plurality of electrical contacts and a rear-side (112) for inserting at least one of said connector inserts (200); and

each connector insert (200) comprising a front-end side and a rear-end side and supporting electrical contacts (240) with contact sections (245, 246) arranged at the front end for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one of said plugs and supporting components (260) of a circuitry providing a power-over-LAN functionality;

wherein addressing means is incorporated for providing a power over LAN-functionality for at least some of the ports individually and selectively.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each connector insert (200) supports, at the rear-end side, components (260) of a circuitry providing a power over LAN-functionality, the components (260) being arranged outside the jack connector housing (100).

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said circuitry components (260) are mounted to a backplane board (251) connected to the rear-end side of at least one support insert (201), said backplane board (251) and the at least one support insert (201) forming at least one insert (200) which is received by at least one connector housing (100) with the front-end side of the at least one support insert (201) first and with at least said circuitry components (260) being arranged outside.

4. A connector assembly of a local area network (LAN) that includes at least one local area network node, the connector assembly comprising:

at least one connector housing (100);

a first plurality of first electrical contacts (240) mounted in said housing (100) and arranged for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one plug insertable into a respective port opening (301, 312) provided by the housing (100);

a second plurality of second electrical contacts (220) arranged for connection with corresponding electrical contact of local area network equipment; and

active power control circuitry components (260) coupled to at least some of said first and second electrical contacts (240, 220), said active power control circuitry components (269) being operative for controlling the supply of electrical power over cabling of said local area network to said at least one node of said local area network, said active power control circuitry components (260) being located outside said at least one connector housing (100);

wherein said circuitry components (260) are mounted to a backplane board (251) connected to the rear-end side of at least one support insert (201), said backplane board (251) and the at least one support insert (201) forming at least one insert (200) which is received by at least one connector housing (100) with the front-end side of the at least one support insert (201) first and with at least said circuitry components (260) being arranged outside.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein at least some of the circuitry components (260) are mounted at a backplane board surface defining an exterior surface of the insert (200) and are sandwiched layered between said exterior surface and components (700, 320, 750) suitable for heat dissipation.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein said components (700, 320, 750) suitable for heat dissipation are fixed close to each other by mounting means provided at the backplane board (251).

7. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein said components (700, 320, 750) suitable for heat dissipation comprise a heat conductor (700) covering said at least some circuitry components (260) and a heat sink (750).

8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein said heat conductor (700) comprises heat conducting and electrically isolating material.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8, further comprising an outer common shield (315, 320) encapsulating the housing (100) and the insert (200) with the circuitry components (260), a rear part (320) of the common shield being used as one of said components suitable for heat dissipation.

10. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein each support insert (201) comprises two support boards (210) spaced apart from each other and defining together with said backplane board (251) exterior side and rear surfaces of a respective insert (200).

11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein each support board (210) and the backplane board (251) is provided with at least one of a wiring circuit and a routing circuit.

12. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein each support board (210) and the backplane board (251) comprise respectively complementary formed mounting means (211, 252).

13. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein each support board (210) comprises at its rear-end side at least one tap (211) overlapping with a respectively complementary formed recess (252) soldered together, thereby providing at least one electrical connection.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein for each port a power-over-LAN connection is provided.

15. The connector assembly of claim 10, further comprising LEDs (248) supported by the support inserts (201) and arranged to emit light in direction to the port openings (301, 312).

16. The connector assembly of claim 15, wherein for each port at least one LED (248) is provided, said LED being electrically connected by means of a ground board (400) of the assembly, the ground board (400) having a definable routing layout.

17. The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein a power connector (680) is integrated with the assembly by an electrical and mechanical connection with the backplane board (251) for receiving a power supply via an insertable power connector plug (690).

18. The connector assembly of claim 4 wherein a power supply is provided over power pins electrically connected via a ground board (400) having a definable routing layout.

19. The connector assembly of claim 4, having a ground board (400) having a definable routing layout with particular pin arrays (220a, 220b, 220c, 220d) respectively adapted for at least one of providing and receiving terminal pins (220) enabling individual functions.

20. The connector assembly of claim 19, wherein the pin arrays are at least split in arrays (220a, 220b, 220c) enabling at least one of a power-over-LAN pin functionality, a LED pin functionality, and a LAN pin functionality.

21. The connector assembly of claim 19, wherein the pin arrays comprise address pins.

22. The connector assembly of claim 21, wherein addressing means is incorporated that comprises address pins.

23. The connector assembly of claim 21, wherein said address pins are connected for addressing purposes of said connector from the outside.

24. The connector assembly of claim 23, wherein the control of the address pins is supported by at least one bus.

25. The connector assembly of claim 24, wherein the connector is provided with a hipot insulation for the address pins and the bus.

26. The connector assembly of claim 25, wherein the hipot insulation comprises the use of at least one a component providing galvanic isolation.

27. The connector assembly of claim 19 wherein the arrays comprise at least one array (220d) providing a power supply pin functionality.

28. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein at least some of the circuitry components (260) comprise at least one IC-chip controlling power supply and power management for providing the power-over-LAN functionality.

29. The connector assembly of claim 28, comprising for each port a respective such IC-chip.

30. The connector assembly of claim 4, with the assembly being Ethernet compatible.