Modular connector

• US 6,346,010 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Legrand (Legrand SA), Legrand Snc (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Wiremold Co (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Emplit, Raymond H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Felix O.
• Application Number:
  US09/661,242
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 439/620, 439/941, 439/676
• US Class Current: 439/620.17
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6466 on substrates, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6473 Impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression

Abstract

A modular connector has a body defining an opening to receive a telephone type jack. The conductors are arranged in pairs so that adjacent conductors of non-pairs create capacitive and inductive cross talk. The conductors are non-parallel in-part to provide inductive coupling that reduces cross talk. The free ends of the conductors are connected to capacitive layers of a substrate located behind the contact portions to reduce capacitive cross talk.

Claims

1. A modular connector for mating with a plug connector for electrical connection therewith, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of paired and non-paired conductors disposed with the body, each of the conductors extending from a first portion to a second end and having a contact portion therebetween, said contact portions being parallel and arranged in a row for electrical connection with a row of contacts of the plug connector when mated with the modular connector, said first portions for connection with an external circuit for communication of signals between the contacts and the external circuit, said first portions being electrically spaced from said contact portions by a first electrical distance; and

said contact portions lying in a plane so that the plug connector when mated with said modular connector lies in front of said plane, and a substrate lying behind said plane;

a capacitive element disposed with the substrate and in electrical communication with said second ends of non-paired conductors, said capacitive element being electrically spaced from said contact portions of the first pair of conductors by a second electrical distance that is less than said dirst electical distance.

2. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said electrical conductors including at least four conductors,

said first conductor is next to said second conductor, said second conductor is next to said third conductor, and said third conductor is next to said fourth conductor,

a first section of said first conductor is parallel to a first section of said third conductor, a first section of said second conductor is parallel to a first section of said fourth conductor, and said first sections of first and third conductors are not parallel to said first sections of said second and fourth conductors, and

said first sections of said four conductors are arranged in a row for providing a selected inductive coupling between at least two of said first sections that are parallel.

3. The modular connector of claim 2 wherein each of said first sections is straight.

4. The modular connector of claim 2 wherein said second and fourth conductors each include a second section, said second sections being parallel, and wherein for each conductor, said second section of that conductor forms a continuous length with the first section of that conductor, said second sections forming a row of second sections.

5. The modular connector of claim 2 wherein first and third conductors each include a second section, said second sections being parallel, and wherein for each conductor, said second section of that conductor forms a continuous length with the first section of that conductor, said second sections forming a row of second sections.

6. The modular connector of claim 5 wherein said first sections of said first and third conductors are coplanar with said second sections of said first and third conductors.

7. The modular connector of claim 5 wherein said second sections of said first and third conductors include said contact portions of said first and third conductors.

8. The modular connector of claim 7 wherein said second sections of said second and fourth conductors are coplanar with said first sections of said second and fourth conductors.

9. The modular connector of claim 7 wherein said second sections of said second and fourth conductors include said contact portions of said second and fourth conductors.

10. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said first pair of conductors includes first and second conductors, said contact portion of said first conductor being non adjacent to said contact portion of said second conductor, and there being a single contact portion between said contact portions of said first and second conductors along said row of contact portions.

11. The modular connector of claim 10 wherein said conductors of said first pair include sections shaped for providing a selected inductive coupling therebetween for compensation of cross talk.

12. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said two conductors of said first pair each include a respective second portion, said electrical communication with said capacitive element being established with each conductor'"'"'s second portion, and wherein for each conductor of said two conductors said contact portion of that conductor is located between, as measured along the length of that conductor, said second portion of that conductor and said first portion of that conductor.

13. The modular connector of claim 12 including a substrate disposed with the modular connector, said capacitive element being disposed with said substrate.

14. The modular connector claim 12 wherein said substrate includes conductive paths in electrical communication with said capacitive element and said second portions of said two conductors of said first pair for establishing said electrical communication with said two conductors of said first pair of conductors.

15. The modular connector of claim 1 including a second capacitive element in electrical communication with a second pair of conductors, said second pair not including the conductors of said first pair of conductors.

16. The modular connector of claim 15 wherein said contact portions define first and second pairs of contact portions, wherein for each pair, one contact portion of that pair is adjacent and in between both contact portions of the other pair, and wherein said conductors of said first pair of conductors include said first pair of contact portions and said conductors of said second pair of conductors include said second pair of contact portions.

17. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said second electrical distance is less than 5 degrees of phase at a frequency of 200 MHz.

18. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said second electrical distance is less than 3 degrees of phase at a frequency of 200 MHz.

19. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said contact portions define first and second pairs of contact portions, wherein for each pair, one contact portion of that pair is adjacent and in between both contact portions of the other pair, and wherein said conductors of said first pair of conductors include the contact portions of one of said pairs of contact portions.

20. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said capacitive element is a discrete capacitor.

21. The modular connector claim 1 wherein said capacitive element includes planar conductive areas disposed with the substrate, said planar conductive areas having a portion of the substrate disposed therebetween for use as dielectric of said capacitive element.

22. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said capacitive element includes interdigitated conductive areas disposed with said substrate.

23. The modular connector of claim 1 wherein said capacitive element includes a discrete capacitor affixed to said substrate.

24. The modular connector of claim 1 including four conductors, said first pair of conductors including two of said four conductors, and said conductors being arranged in a row such first conductor is adjacent said second conductor, said second conductor is adjacent said third conductor, and said third conductor is adjacent said fourth conductor, and for adjacent lengths along each conductor, said first and third conductors are parallel, said second and fourth conductors are parallel, and wherein said first and third conductors are not parallel to said second and fourth conductors, thereby providing a selected inductive coupling for enhancing the electrical performance when said modular connector is in electrical connection with the other modular connector.

25. A modular connector for mating with a second modular connector for electrical connection therewith, and where the second modular connector introduces cross talk having a predetermined inductive component and a predetermined capacitive component, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of paired and not paired conductors disposed with the body, each of the conductors extending from a first portion to a second end and having a contact portion therebetween, said contact portions being parallel and arranged in a row for electrical connection with a row of contacts of the second connector when mated with the second connector, said first portions for connection with an external circuit for communication of signals between the contacts and the external circuit, and a substrate behind a plane defined by the parallel contact portions;

wherein said substrate includes capacitive element connected to said second ends of non-paired conductors and disposed with said substrate, and an inductive element disposed with said connector, said capacitive and inductive elements being in electrical communication with said conductors, and wherein said capacitive element provides a capacitive compensation selected to address only the capacitive component of the cross talk said inductive element provides an inductive coupling selected to address only the inductive component of the cross talk.

26. The modular connector of claim 25 wherein said modular connector is a jack connector.

27. The modular connector of claim 26 wherein said modular connector is a jack type connector.

28. The modular connector of claim 25 wherein said first portions of said first pair of conductors are electrically spaced from said contact portions thereof by a first electrical distance, and wherein said capacitive element is electrically spaced from said contact portions of said first pair by a second electrical distance that is less than said first electrical distance.

29. The modular connector of claim 28 wherein said capacitive element is nearer electrically to said contact portions of said first pair than to said first portions of said first pair.

30. A modular connector for electrical connection with a second modular connector, the second modular connector introducing an undesirable cross talk, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of paired and non-paired conductors disposed with the body, each of the conductors extending from a first portion to a second end and having a contact portion therebetween, said contact portions being parallel and arranged in a row for electrical connection with a row of contacts of the second connector when mated with the second connector, said first portions for connection with an external circuit for communication of signals between the contacts and the external circuit, and a substrate behind a plane defined by the parallel contact portions;

wherein said substrate includes a capacitive element connected to selected non-paired conductor second ends, and an inductive element disposed with said connector, said capacitive and inductive elements being in electrical communication with said conductors, and wherein said inductive element is not interposed electrically between said capacitive element and said contact portion of said first pair of conductors.

31. A modular connector for electrical connection with a second modular connector, the second modular connector introducing an undesirable cross talk, comprising:

a body;

a first pair of conductors disposed with the body, each of the conductors extending from a first portion to a second end and having a contact portion there between, said contact portions being parallel and arranged in a row for electrical connection with a row of contacts of the second connector when mated with the second connector, said first portions for connection with an external circuit for communication of signals between the contacts and the external circuit, and a substrate behind a plane defined by the parallel contact portions;

said first pair of conductors each including a second portion, said contact portions being located electrically between said second portions and said first portions, and

said substrate disposed behind a plane defined by said parallel contact portions, said substrate including a capacitive element connected to selected conductor second ends and said substrate disposed with said connector and in electrical communication with a conductor of said first pair, said electrical communication being established with said second portions of said selected conductors.

32. A method of compensating for cross talk using a first modular connector when the first modular conductor is mated with a second modular corrector that includes a plurality of parallel conductor contact portions for data pairs and that introduces cross talk, having a predetermined capacitive component and a predetermined inductive component, between the data pairs, comprising:

providing a substrate behind a plane defined by the parallel conductor contact portions;

providing a capacitive element on said substrate that provides a capacitive coupling for the conductors so selected as to address only the capacitive component of the cross talk;

providing non-parallel conductor portions to form an inductive element that provides an inductive coupling selected to address only the inductive component of the cross talk; and

disposing the capacitive element with the substrate such that the capacitive element is in electrical communication with free end portions of selected conductors, the first pair of conductors being other than one of the data pairs.

33. A method of compensating for cross talk that occurs when a modular connector is electrically connected to a plug connector, the modular connector including a plurality of conductors, and the conductors having free end portions extending beyond parallel conductor contact portions for data signal pairs and comprising:

coupling a capacitive element to conductor free end portions that are not data pairs,

coupling an inductive element to conductors that are not data pairs,

disposing the capacitive and inductive elements at first and second electrical distances respectively from said contact portions,

selecting a second electrical distance greater than said first electrical distance with said contact portions provided between said capacitive and inductive elements, and

providing a substrate behind a plane defined by the parallel contact portions, and locating said capacitive element on said substrate.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein said conductors include non parallel portions defining said inductive element that is electrically spaced from said capacitive element by an electrical distance which is defined by the sum of said first and second electrical distances.

35. The method a according to claim 34 wherein said conductors include non parallel portions defining said inductive element that is electrically spaced from said capacitive element by an electrical distance which is defined by the sum of said first and second electrical distances.