Wiring unit with angled insulation displacement contacts

• US 6,193,526 B1
• Filed: 02/16/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Dupuis, Joseph E., Fazio, Richard A., Aekins, Robert A., Milner, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Katrina
• Application Number:
  US09/250,186
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/404, 439/405, 439/676, 439/395
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/515 Terminal blocks providing connections to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2425 Flat plates, e.g. multi-layered flat plates
• 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 2201/09236 Parallel layout

Abstract

A wire connecting unit for an electrical connector includes a printed circuit board and four pairs of terminals. The printed circuit board has nose and termination areas, and a wire receiving passageway extending along an axis in the termination area. Contact connections are mounted in the nose area. Terminal connections are mounted in the termination area. Conductive paths on the circuit board electrically couple respective contact connections and terminal connections. Each of the terminals has a coupling portion mechanically and electrically coupled through one of the terminal connections, and has an insulation displacement contact portion. Each insulation displacement contact portion is adjacent the wire receiving passageway and extends in a plane oriented at an acute angle to the passageway axis.

Claims

1. A wire connecting unit for an electrical connector, comprising;

a printed circuit board having first and second areas and a wire receiving passageway extending along an axis in said second area;

contact connections mounted in said first area;

terminal connections mounted in said second area;

conductive paths on said circuit board electrically coupling the respective contact connections and terminal connections; and

first, second, third and fourth pairs of terminals, each of said terminals having a coupling portion mechanically and electrically connected to one of said terminal connections and having an insulation displacement contact portion, each said contact portion being adjacent said wire receiving passageway and extending in a plane oriented at an acute angle to said axis.

2. A wire connecting unit according to claim 1 wherein

said contact portions of each said pair are essentially coplanar.

3. A wire connecting unit according to claim 2 wherein

said first and second pairs are located on one side of said passageway;

and

said third and fourth pairs are located on another side of said passageway.

4. A wire connecting unit according to claim 3 wherein

said wire receiving passageway has a first longitudinal end adjacent said first area and a second longitudinal end remote from said first area through which wires can be initially fed;

said second and third pairs are located adjacent said first end; and

said first and fourth pairs are located adjacent said second end.

5. A wire connecting unit according to claim 4 wherein

said first and fourth pairs are located closer to said axis than said second and third pairs.

6. A wire connecting unit according to claim 4 wherein

each of said pair are located substantially equally distant from said axis.

7. A wire connecting unit according to claim 1 wherein

said contact portions are housed in insulating members extending from a surface of said circuit board.

8. A wire receiving unit according to claim 7 wherein

said insulating members define said wire receiving passageway therebetween.

9. A wire receiving unit according to claim 1 wherein

electrically conductive contacts are coupled to and extend from said contact connections.

10. A wire receiving unit according to claim 1 wherein

said acute angle is between about 20 and 50 degrees.

11. A wire receiving unit according to claim 10 wherein

said acute angle is about 30 degrees.

12. An electrical connector, comprising;

a connector body;

a printed circuit board, coupled to said connector body, and having first and second areas and a wire receiving passageway extending along an axis in said second area;

contact connections mounted in said first area;

terminal connections mounted in said second area;

conductive paths on said circuit board electrically coupling the respective contact connections and terminals connections; and

first, second, third and fourth pairs of terminals, each of said terminals having a coupling portion mechanically and electrically connected to one of said terminal connections and having an insulation displacement contact portion, each said contact portion being adjacent said wire receiving passageway and extending in a plane oriented at an acute angle to said axis.

13. An electrical connector according to claim 12 wherein

said contact portions of each said pair are essentially coplanar.

14. An electrical connector according to claim 13 wherein

said first and second pairs are located on one side of said passageway;

and

said third and fourth pairs are located on another side of said passageway.

15. An electrical connection according to claim 14 wherein

said wire receiving passageway has a first longitudinal end adjacent said first area and a second longitudinal end remote from said first area through which wires can be initially fed;

said second and third pairs are located adjacent said first end; and

said first and fourth pairs are located adjacent said second end.

16. An electrical connector according to claim 15 wherein

said first and fourth pairs are located closer to said axis than said second and third pairs.

17. An electrical connector according to claim 15 wherein

each of said pair are located substantially equally distant from said axis.

18. An electrical connector according to claim 12 wherein

said contact portions are housed in insulating members extending from a surface of said circuit board.

19. An electrical connector according to claim 18 wherein

said insulating members define said wire receiving passageway therebetween.

20. An electrical connector according to claim 12 wherein

electrically conductive contacts are coupled to extend from said contact terminals into said connector body.

21. An electrical connector according to claim 20 wherein

said acute angle is between about 20 and 50 degrees.

22. An electrical connector according to claim 21 wherein said acute angle is about 30 degrees.