Communications Connector with Improved Contacts

• US 20140256190A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Caveney, Jack E., Lesniak, Scott M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,181 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 13/6469 on substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• 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: H01R 4/2416 the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2433 one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot
• 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 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09236 Parallel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09672 Superposed layout, i.e. in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/942 Comblike retainer for conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49201 with overlapping orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49202 including oppositely facing end orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A network cable jack includes a printed circuit board (PCB) for balancing both inductive and capacitive coupling. Using a PCB allows compact trace paths to be formed without significantly increasing manufacturing costs. By including on each trace path two distinct inductance zones separated by a neutral zone, significant gains in degrees of freedom are achieved for designing PCB trace patterns in which a pair of inductive coupling zones jointly offset the inductive coupling caused by a specification plug and the jack contacts, both in magnitude and phase angle. Further, using distinct inductance zones offers more freedom regarding the placement of capacitive plates for use in capacitance balancing as well as the placement of terminals and insulation displacement contacts. Although the magnitude of a capacitive coupling is determined by the length of the capacitor plates parallel to current carrying traces, the approach allows capacitive and inductive coupling to be balanced independently.

Claims

1. A communication jack for mating with a communication plug having a plurality of plug contacts, said communication jack comprising:

a housing including a plug receiving aperture;

a printed circuit board connected to said housing, printed circuit board in a direction rearward of said plug receiving aperture, said plug receiving aperture forward of said printed circuit board;

a plurality of jack contacts for mating with respective said plug contacts, said plurality of jack contacts at least partially within said plug receiving aperture and connected to said printed circuit board, each of said plurality of plug contacts including a plug contact region where respective said plug contacts touch off on respective said jack contacts when the communication plug is inserted in said communication jack, at least one of said jack contacts having a first end directly contacting said printed circuit board, a pivot zone between said first end and said contact region and rearward of said pivot zone, and a free end forward of said pivot zone; and

a support element connected to said housing, at least one said free end contacting and supported by said support element.

2. The communication jack of claim 1, wherein said support element is a contact carrier.

3. The communication jack of claim 2, wherein said contact carrier includes at least one pivot structure supporting a respective said pivot zone.

4. The communication jack of claim 2, wherein said contact carrier includes a comb region supporting and separating at least one said free end from another of said at least one said free end.