Electrical contact arrangement for telecommunications and data systems technology

• US 7,950,926 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Hetzer, Ulrich, Mossner, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US12/522,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 439/59, 439/676, 439/557, 439/344, 439/941, 439/258, 361/766
• US Class Current: 439/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2442 with a single cantilevered beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6467 by cross-over of signal conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6477 by variation of dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical contact arrangement (1) for telecommunications and data systems technology, comprising at least one electrical contact (K1) and a printed circuit board (2), the contact (K1) being connected to the printed circuit board (2) both electrically and mechanically. The contact (K1) comprises a contact region (7) on which an electrical contact for contacting the counter-contact is generated. The distance (L el) between the contact region (7) of the contact (K1, K8) and the electrical contact point (K8) for contacting the printed circuit board (2) is shorter than the distance (L mech) between the contact region (7) of the contact (K1, K8) and the mechanical contact point (9) for contacting the printed circuit board (2).

Claims

1. An electrical contact arrangement for telecommunications and data technology, comprising:

at least a first electrical contact and a printed circuit board, the first electrical contact being connected electrically to the printed circuit board at an electrical contact point and mechanically to the printed circuit board at a mechanical contact point, the first electrical contact having a contact region at which the first electrical contact electrically connects to a mating contact, the electrical contact point being located between the mechanical contact point and the contact region, wherein a length between the contact region of the first electrical contact and the electrical contact point with the printed circuit board is shorter than a length between the contact region of the first electrical contact and the mechanical contact point with the printed circuit board.

2. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the first electrical contact extending between the electrical contact point and the mechanical contact point is bent back from the printed circuit board.

3. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in addition, a further electrical contact point to the printed circuit board is formed via the mechanical contact point.

4. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact is pressed against the printed circuit board under prestress via a comb element.

5. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted to a housing part such that the printed circuit board is configured to move in relation to the housing part via a spring-elastic element.

6. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted fixedly in a second housing part, the second housing part being pivotally connected to the first housing part.

7. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second housing part is designed to have at least one receptacle for a cylinder of the first housing part.

8. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical contact arrangement is in the form of an RJ45 contact arrangement, wherein at least two outer contacts of the RJ45 contact arrangement are designed to have a mechanical length which is longer than an electrical length.

9. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first insulation displacement contact mounted to another side of the printed circuit board, the first insulation displacement contact being connected electrically to the first electrical contact.

10. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first housing part to which the printed circuit board is mounted, the first housing part defining a receptacle; and

a second housing part including a pin that is configured to mount in the receptacle to pivotally connect the second housing part to the first housing part, the second housing part at least partially covering the first electrical contact.

11. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board is connected to a contact pressure spring, which prestresses the printed circuit board.

12. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first housing part houses at least one insulation displacement contact that is coupled to the first electrical contact.

13. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first housing part houses two rows of insulation displacement contacts that are mounted to the printed circuit board.

14. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receptacle of the first housing part is located below a bottom side of the printed circuit board and the first electrical contact is mounted to a top side of the printed circuit board.

15. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second electrical contact mounted to the printed circuit board, the second electrical contact being connected electrically to the printed circuit board at a second electrical contact point and mechanically to the printed circuit board at a second mechanical contact point, the second electrical contact having a second contact region at which the second electrical contact electrically connects to a mating contact, the second electrical contact point being located between the second mechanical contact point and the second contact region, wherein a length between the contact region of the second electrical contact and the second electrical contact point with the printed circuit board is shorter than a length between the second contact region of the second electrical contact and the second mechanical contact point with the printed circuit board.

16. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of additional electrical contacts mounted to the printed circuit board between the first and second electrical contacts.

17. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein a length between an electrical contact point and a contact region of each additional electrical contact is the same length as a mechanical contact point and the contact region of each additional electrical contact.

18. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the additional electrical contacts are bent alternately in opposite directions to one another.

19. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein mechanical contact points of certain ones of the additional electrical contacts are generally aligned along the printed circuit board.

20. The electrical contact arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mechanical contact points of the certain ones of the additional electrical contacts are generally aligned with the electrical contact points of the first and second electrical contacts.