Contact Assembly and Method For Reducing Cross-Talk

• US 20180198238A1
• Filed: 03/08/2018
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Bergner, Bert, Almeida, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 10,490,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6463 using twisted pairs of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6464 by adding capacitive elements

Abstract

A contact assembly comprises a first pair of contact elements connected to a first pair of signal lines in a first connector, a second pair of contact elements connected to a second pair of signal lines in a second connector, and a first electrical arrangement connecting a first contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements. A second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and a first contact element of the second pair of contact elements are positioned adjacent one another. A capacitance of the first electrical arrangement corresponds to a capacitance between the second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements.

Claims

1. A contact assembly, comprising:

a first pair of contact elements connected to a first pair of signal lines in a first connector;

a second pair of contact elements connected to a second pair of signal lines in a second connector, a second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and a first contact element of the second pair of contact elements are positioned adjacent one another; and

a first electrical arrangement connecting a first contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements, a capacitance of the first electrical arrangement corresponds to a capacitance between the second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements.

2. The contact assembly of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board, the first electrical arrangement having a plurality of strip conductors disposed on the printed circuit board.

3. The contact assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical arrangement has a pair of plate portions disposed opposite one another.

4. The contact assembly of claim 3, wherein the pair of plate portions are integral with the first contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements.

5. The contact assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical arrangement extends along an extent direction perpendicular to an extent plane in which at least one of the first contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements extends.

6. The contact assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the contact elements of the first pair of contact elements and the second pair of contact elements has a transmission portion.

7. The contact assembly of claim 6, wherein the transmission portions of the first contact element and the second contact element of the first pair of contact elements are offset in an insertion direction of the contact elements relative to the transmission portions of the first contact element and the second contact element of the second pair of contact elements.

8. The contact assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the contact elements of the first pair of contact elements and the second pair of contact elements has a connection portion.

9. The contact assembly of claim 8, wherein the connection portions of the first contact element and the second contact element of the first pair of contact elements are disposed in a first plane and the connection portions of the first contact element and the second contact element of the second pair of contact elements are disposed in a second plane offset relative to the first plane.

10. The contact assembly of claim 1, further comprising a third pair of contact elements connected to a third pair of signal lines in a third connector, a first contact element of the third pair of contact elements and a second contact element of the second pair of contact elements are positioned adjacent one another.

11. The contact assembly of claim 10, further comprising a second electrical arrangement connecting the second contact element of the second pair of contact elements and a second contact element of the third pair of contact elements, a capacitance of the second electrical arrangement corresponds to a capacitance between the second contact element of the second pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the third pair of contact elements.

12. The contact assembly of claim 11, further comprising a fourth pair of contact elements connected to a fourth pair of signal lines in a fourth connector, a first contact element of the fourth pair of contact elements and the second contact element of the third pair of contact elements are positioned adjacent one another.

13. The contact assembly of claim 12, further comprising a third electrical arrangement connecting the first contact element of the third pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the fourth pair of contact elements, a capacitance of the third electrical arrangement corresponds to a capacitance between the second contact element of the third pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the fourth pair of contact elements.

14. A method for reducing cross-talk in a contact assembly, comprising:

providing the contact assembly including a first pair of contact elements connected to a first pair of signal lines in a first connector, a second pair of contact elements connected to a second pair of signal lines in a second connector, a second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and a first contact element of the second pair of contact elements are positioned adjacent one another, and an electrical arrangement connecting a first contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements; and

compensating for a capacitance between the second contact element of the first pair of contact elements and the first contact element of the second pair of contact elements with a capacitance of the electrical arrangement.