Crosstalk reducing electrical jack and plug connector

• US 6,231,397 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hammond, Bernard, Bennett, Anthony E., Sack, Alan M., de la Borbolla, Ian Rubin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US09/293,308
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/344, 439/941, 331/1, 331/12
• 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 13/6477 by variation of dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression

Abstract

An electrical jack and plug connector each reducing crosstalk between signal wires pairs connected to the jack and plug connectors. The jack connector including a plurality of signal carrying elements and a printed circuit board placed adjacent to the signal carrying elements. The printed circuit board includes conductive traces extending from the signal carrying elements. The conductive traces are spaced from each other to form capacitive coupling between the traces and the signal carrying elements. The signal carrying element may include both conductive contacts and conductive paths formed on the printed circuit board. The conductive paths are routed such that capacitive and inductive coupling occurs between signal pair whereby crosstalk is reduced. The plug connector is selectively insertable in the jack and includes a housing in which signal wires may be inserted. Within the plug, the signal wires are routed such that a wire from signal pair cross wires of other signal pairs such that crosstalk is reduced. Both the jack and plug connectors permit the signal pair to remain together upon entering the connector and the signals are rerouted such that the signal at the outputs of the connectors are sequentially arranged for compatibility purposes.

Claims

1. An electrical jack connector comprising:

a plurality of electrically conductive signal carrying elements extending from a first end of the connector to a second end of the connector;

each of said signal carrying elements electrically connected to and extending between an input and output termination device;

a dielectric substrate substantially horizontally aligned with said signal carrying elements, said substrate having a first portion extending between said input and output termination device and being coextensive with said signal carrying elements, and a second substrate portion disposed outside of said first substrate portion and physically remote from said signal carrying elements;

a first conductive trace formed on said substrate and being conductively connected to one of said signal carrying elements, said first conductive trace extending from said one of said signal carrying elements onto said second portion of said substrate; and

a second conductive trace formed on said substrate and conductively connected to another of said signal carrying elements, said second conductive trace extending from said another of said signal carrying elements onto said second portion of said substrate, a portion of said first conductive trace and a portion of said second conductive trace being spaced a predetermined distance apart by said substrate at a position on said second portion of said substrate to form a mutual capacitive coupling between said first conductive trace and said second conductive trace physically remote from said signal carrying elements whereby crosstalk is reduced between said signal carrying elements.

2. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a first and second opposed surfaces and said first conductive trace is formed on said first surface and said second conductive trace is formed on said second surface.

3. The connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said overlying portions of said first and second conductive traces have tab-like configurations.

4. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said each of said plurality of signal carrying elements is connected a conductive trace extending therefrom onto said second portion of said substrate, and each of said conductive traces being capacitively coupled to at least one other of said conductive traces at a position on said second substrate portion whereby each of said plurality of signal carrying elements is capacitively coupled to another of said plurality of signal carrying elements to reduce crosstalk between said plurality of signal carrying elements.

5. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein two of said signal carrying elements extend across said first substrate portion in longitudinally aligned proximity such that capacitive and inductive coupling occurs between said two of said signal carrying elements.

6. The connector as defined in claim 5, wherein said two of said signal carrying elements include conductive paths formed on said substrate.

7. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of signal carrying elements include one elongate conductive contact and one conductive path formed on said substrate.

8. The connector as defined in claim 1, further including a plurality of signal wires forming a plurality of signal pairs and each wire of each signal wire pair is positioned adjacent the other wire of the signal wire pair upon connection to said input termination device such that said signal wires are not sequentially arranged, and said signal carrying elements each include a forward portion forming said output termination which are adapted to be engagable with an element of a plug, and wherein said signal carrying elements are routed across said connector wherein said forward portion of said signal carrying elements carry signals which are sequentially arranged such that the connector is compatible with standardized connection devices.

9. The connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of signal carrying elements includes a pair of conductive paths formed on said substrate and a pair of discrete contacts.

10. An electrical jack connector comprising:

a connector body;

a plurality of signal carrying elements for carrying electrical signals across the connector between input and output termination devices being positioned in said connector body, said plurality of signal carrying elements including first and second elongate conductive contacts extending from said input and output termination devices;

a dielectric substrate positioned adjacent said first and second contacts;

said plurality of signal carrying elements further including first and second conductive paths formed on said substrate extending between said input and output termination devices; and

said first and second conductive paths extending across said connector in mutual longitudinally aligned proximity wherein said first conductive path is capacitively and inductively coupled to said second conductive path whereby crosstalk is reduced.

11. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein said first and second signal carrying conductive paths are disposed between said first and second contacts.

12. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein first and second contacts each include an intermediate elongate portion extending between said input and output termination device.

13. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein said plurality of signal carrying elements includes third and forth conductive paths extending across said connector in mutual longitudinally aligned proximity wherein said third conductive path is captively and inductively coupled to said forth conductive paths such that crosstalk is reduced.

14. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein said plurality of signal carrying elements includes third and forth conductive contacts and a third and forth elements conductive paths formed on said substrate, said first and second contacts being spaced a distance from third and forth contacts forming a contact free area, said first, second and third and forth conductive paths being disposed within said contact free area.

15. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein said substrate includes

a first portion extending between input and output termination device and a second substrate portion disposed outside of said first substrate portion and away from said signal carrying elements, and

a first conductive trace formed on said substrate and being conductively connected to one of said signal carrying elements, said first conductive trace extending from said one of said signal carrying elements onto said second portion of said substrate; and

a second conductive trace formed on said substrate and conductively connected to another of said signal carrying elements, said second conductive trace extending from said another of said signal carrying elements onto said second portion of said substrate, a portion of said first conductive trace and a portion of said second conductive trace being spaced a predetermined distance apart by said substrate at a position on said second substrate portion to form a mutual capacitive coupling between said first conductive trace and said second conductive trace whereby crosstalk is reduced between said signal carrying elements.

16. The connector as defined in claim 10, wherein said one of said first and second conductive paths has a width greater then said other of said first and second signal carrying conductive paths.

17. The connector as defined in claim 10 wherein said first conductive path having a width greater than said second conductive path.

18. An electrical plug connector assembly comprising:

a dielectric plug housing having a first end and a second end;

a plurality of signal wires forming a plurality of signal wire pairs disposed within said plug housing, said plurality of signal wires longitudinally extending from said first end to said second end of said plug;

a plurality of conductors positioned within said plug housing adjacent said first end and electrically connected with said plurality of signal wires, said conductors being arranged in a mutually spaced apart relationship; and

a first and a second signal wire of a first signal wire pair, said first signal wire having a first portion crossing over a second signal wire pair such that said first signal wire is separated by said second signal wire by said second signal pair, and said second wire having a first portion extending substantially parallel to said plurality of signal wires and a second portion located between said second signal wire first portion and said conductors, said second signal wire second portion crossing over said second signal pair and said first signal wire such that a position of said first signal wire is switched with a position of said second signal wire whereby crosstalk in the plug is reduced.

19. The connector as defined in claim 18, further including a first wire management bar engagable with said plurality of signal wires, said first wire management bar maintaining said plurality of signal wires in a predetermined arrangement, and being positioned within said plug housing.

20. The connector as defined in claim 19, further including a second wire management bar being engagable with said plurality of signal wires for maintaining said plurality of signal wires in a predetermined arrangement, said first wire management bar positioned between said first signal wire crossing and said second signal wire crossing and said second wire management bar being positioned between said second signal wire crossing and said plurality of conductors.

21. The connector as defined in claim 18, wherein said plurality of signal wires are arranged in substantially parallel alignment at a position between said first signal wire crossing and said second signal wire crossing.

22. The connector as defined in claim 18, wherein said plurality of signal wires includes eight signal wires forming four differential signal pairs, said plurality of signal wires being positioned upon entering said second end of said plug such that signal wires forming each of said signal pairs is adjacently positioned.

23. An electrical plug connector assembly comprising:

a dielectric plug housing having a first end and a second end;

a plurality of signal wires forming a plurality of signal wire pairs disposed within said plug housing, said signal wires longitudinally extending from said first end to said second end of said plug;

a plurality of conductors positioned within said plug housing adjacent said first end and electrically connected with said plurality of signal wires, said conductors being arranged in a mutually spaced apart relationship;

a first signal wire of a first signal wire pair having a first portion crossing over at least one of said plurality of signal wires at a first crossing position located between said second and first end of the plug, and said first signal wire having a second portion crossing back over said at least one of said plurality of signal wires at a second crossing position located between said first crossing position and said plurality of conductors;

a first wire management bar engagable with said plurality of signal wires, said first wire management bar maintaining said plurality of signal wires in a predetermined spaced arrangement, and being positioned within said plug housing; and

a second wire management bar being engagable with said plurality of signal wires for maintaining said plurality of signal wires in a predetermined spaced arrangement, said first wire management bar being positioned between said first and second signal wire crossing positions and said second wire management bar being positioned between said second crossing position and said plurality of conductors.