COMMUNICATION CONNECTORS UTILIZING MULTIPLE CONTACT POINTS
First Claim
1. A communications plug, comprising:
- a conductive shell; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned at least partially in the conductive shell, the PCB assembly comprising;
a PCB orientated parallel relative to a longitudinal direction of the conductive shell; and
a plurality of plug contacts attached to the PCB, the plurality of plug contacts comprising;
a first subset of plug contacts, each of the first subset of plug contacts to mate with two plug interface contacts (PICS) of a mating communications jack; and
second, third, and fourth subsets of plug contacts, each of the second, third, and fourth subsets of plug contacts to mate with at least one PIC of the mating communications jack.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are various communications systems allowing for multiple contacts points between plug contacts in a communications plug and plug interface contacts (PICs) in a communications jack. In some disclosed implementations, a communications plug including a first and a second plug contact mated with a communications jack having a first and a second plug PIC may form a plurality of plug/jack interfaces. The plug/jack interfaces may form multiple current paths between the communications plug and the communications jack. When a signal propagates between the communications plug and the communications jack, it may be split in the communications plug between a first current path and a second current path, and recombined in the communications jack after traveling through the plurality of plug/jack interfaces.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A communications plug, comprising:
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a conductive shell; and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned at least partially in the conductive shell, the PCB assembly comprising; a PCB orientated parallel relative to a longitudinal direction of the conductive shell; and a plurality of plug contacts attached to the PCB, the plurality of plug contacts comprising; a first subset of plug contacts, each of the first subset of plug contacts to mate with two plug interface contacts (PICS) of a mating communications jack; and second, third, and fourth subsets of plug contacts, each of the second, third, and fourth subsets of plug contacts to mate with at least one PIC of the mating communications jack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A communications jack, comprising:
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a jack housing; and a sled assembly positioned at least partially in the jack housing, the sled assembly comprising; a printed circuit board (PCB); and a plurality of plug interface contacts (PICs) secured within a front section of the PCB, the plurality of PICs comprising first, second, third, and fourth different rows of PICs, wherein a first pair of PICs including a first PIC of the first row of PICs and a first PIC of the third row of PICs, the first pair of PICs to mate with a same first plug contact of a mating communications plug; and a second pair of PICs including a first PIC of the second row of PICs and a first PIC of the fourth row of PICs, the second pair of PICs to mate with a same second plug contact of the mating communications plug. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A communications system, comprising:
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a communications plug, comprising a first and a second plug contact; a communications jack, comprising a first and a second plug interface contact (PIC);
wherein, when the communications plug and the communications jack are mated;the first plug contact and the first PIC are in contact at a first plug/jack interface, and the second plug contact and the second PIC are in contact at a second plug/jack interface; the first plug/jack interface forms a first current path between the communications plug and the communications jack, and the second plug/jack interface forms a second current path between the communications plug and the communications jack; and a signal propagating between the communications plug and the communications jack is split in the communications plug between the first current path and the second current path, and recombined in the communications jack after the first and the second plug/jack interfaces.
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Specification