Communications connector with improved contacts

• US 7,980,901 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Caveney, Jack E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US12/861,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/941
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/58 terminals for insertion into holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6466 on substrates, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6474 by variation of conductive properties, e.g. by dimension variations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6625 with capacitive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/242 the contact members being plates having a single slot
• 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 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression

Abstract

A communication jack is provided with plug interface contacts that have a short conductive signal pathway between a plug-jack interface and crosstalk compensation provided on a printed circuit board within the jack. Contacts of the jack are specially designed not to take a permanent set if a six-position plug or an eight-position plug is inserted into an eight-position jack. A printed circuit board in the jack is placed at an angle, shortening the conductive pathway between plug contacts and the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A communications connector for mating with a communications plug having contacts, the connector comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB comprising a first contact pad; and

a first plug interface contact (PIC), the first PIC rigidly attached to the PCB at a first end of the PIC, the first PIC also comprising a first bend with a first radius and a second bend with a second radius, wherein the second bend is proximate to a second end of the first PIC, the second bend curving toward the first bend, and the first PIC is configured to contact the first contact pad at a point along the second bend.

2. The communications connector of claim 1 wherein the PCB further comprises a second contact pad and further comprising a second PIC, the second PIC rigidly attached to the PCB at a first end of the second PIC, the second PIC also comprising a first bend with a first radius and a second bend with a second radius, the second bend proximate to a second end of the second PIC and the second PIC configured to contact the second contact pad at a point along the second bend.

3. The communications connector of claim 2 further comprising an array of cantilever PICs, the first PIC, second PIC, and array of cantilever PICs arranged in a row such that the first PIC and the second PIC are on opposite sides of the array of cantilever PICs, allowing the plug contacts to each contact a corresponding PIC when the communications plug is inserted into the communications connector.

4. The communications connector of claim 3 wherein the PCB further comprises an array of contact pads, each PIC of the array of PICs configured to make electrical contact with an associated contact pad of the array of contact pads.

5. The communications connector of claim 1 wherein the first radius and the second radius are configured to collapse and survive stress from a large deflection.