Connector module and patch panel
First Claim
1. A substrate comprising:
- a plurality of circuits;
a plurality of ground planes comprising a ground plane corresponding to each of the plurality of circuits, each of the plurality of ground planes being spaced apart and disconnected from others of the plurality of ground planes;
an edge card male connector comprising a first and second plurality of contacts;
a first layer comprising a first portion of each of the plurality of circuits, and a first portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, the first plurality of contacts being on the first layer and including contacts corresponding to the first portion of each of the plurality of circuits, for each of the plurality of circuits, the contacts of the first plurality of contacts corresponding to the circuit comprising at least one ground plane contact electrically connected to the first portion of the ground plane corresponding to the circuit and at least one circuit contact electrically connected to the first portion of the circuit;
a second layer comprising a second portion of each of the plurality of circuits, and a second portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, the second plurality of contacts being on the second layer and including contacts corresponding to the second portion of each of the plurality of circuits, for each of the plurality of circuits, the contacts of the second plurality of contacts corresponding to the circuit comprising at least one ground plane contact electrically connected to the second portion of the ground plane corresponding to the circuit and at least one circuit contact electrically connected to the second portion of the circuit;
a first intermediate layer positioned between the first and second layers, the first intermediate layer comprising a third portion of each of the plurality of ground planes; and
a second intermediate layer positioned between the first intermediate layer and the second layer, the second intermediate layer comprising a fourth portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, for each of the plurality of ground planes, the first, second, third and fourth portions of the ground plane being electrically interconnected.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A substrate operable to construct a male-type connector, a female-type connector, and/or a multi-outlet module. The substrate has a plurality of circuits and an edge card male connector including contacts for each circuit. For each circuit, the substrate has a ground plane connected to one or more of the contacts for the circuit. The ground planes may be implemented as localized, electrically floating, isolated ground planes. The substrate may include multiple layers upon which portions of the circuits and ground planes may be disposed. The ground plane corresponding to each of the plurality of circuits may be located in close proximity to conductive elements of the circuit so as to provide a localized common ground to which energy can be conveyed from the conductive elements to thereby limit an amount of energy radiated outwardly from the conductive elements to surrounding conductors.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A substrate comprising:
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a plurality of circuits; a plurality of ground planes comprising a ground plane corresponding to each of the plurality of circuits, each of the plurality of ground planes being spaced apart and disconnected from others of the plurality of ground planes; an edge card male connector comprising a first and second plurality of contacts; a first layer comprising a first portion of each of the plurality of circuits, and a first portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, the first plurality of contacts being on the first layer and including contacts corresponding to the first portion of each of the plurality of circuits, for each of the plurality of circuits, the contacts of the first plurality of contacts corresponding to the circuit comprising at least one ground plane contact electrically connected to the first portion of the ground plane corresponding to the circuit and at least one circuit contact electrically connected to the first portion of the circuit; a second layer comprising a second portion of each of the plurality of circuits, and a second portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, the second plurality of contacts being on the second layer and including contacts corresponding to the second portion of each of the plurality of circuits, for each of the plurality of circuits, the contacts of the second plurality of contacts corresponding to the circuit comprising at least one ground plane contact electrically connected to the second portion of the ground plane corresponding to the circuit and at least one circuit contact electrically connected to the second portion of the circuit; a first intermediate layer positioned between the first and second layers, the first intermediate layer comprising a third portion of each of the plurality of ground planes; and a second intermediate layer positioned between the first intermediate layer and the second layer, the second intermediate layer comprising a fourth portion of each of the plurality of ground planes, for each of the plurality of ground planes, the first, second, third and fourth portions of the ground plane being electrically interconnected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A connector for terminating a first plurality of cables, each cable comprising a plurality of wires, the connector comprising a substrate having:
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a first surface opposite a second surface; a circuit corresponding to each of the first plurality of cables, each circuit comprising a first portion disposed on the first surface of the substrate, and a second portion disposed on the second surface of the substrate, a first portion of the plurality of wires of the cable being connected to the first portion of the circuit on the first surface of the substrate, and a second portion of the plurality of wires of the cable being connected to the second portion of the circuit on the second surface of the substrate; an edge card male connector comprising for each of the first plurality of cables, a first plurality of contacts on the first surface of the substrate and a second plurality of contacts on the second surface of the substrate, ones of the first plurality of contacts being electrically connected to the first portion of the plurality of wires of the cable by the first portion of the circuit corresponding to the cable, and ones of the second plurality of contacts being electrically connected to the second portion of the plurality of wires of the cable by the second portion of the circuit corresponding to the cable; and a ground plane corresponding to each of the first plurality of cables, the ground plane being electrically connected to ones of the first plurality of contacts corresponding to the cable and ones of the second plurality of contacts corresponding to the cable. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A multi-outlet module for terminating a first plurality of cables, each cable comprising a plurality of wires, the module comprising:
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a housing having a frontward facing opening opposite a rearward facing opening; a substrate positioned inside the housing; and an outlet corresponding to each of the first plurality of cables, the outlets being mounted on the substrate and accessible through the frontward facing opening of the housing, the substrate comprising; a first surface opposite a second surface; a circuit corresponding to each of the first plurality of cables, each circuit comprising a first portion disposed on the first surface of the substrate, and a second portion disposed on the second surface of the substrate, a first portion of the plurality of wires of the cable being connected to the first portion of the circuit on the first surface of the substrate, and a second portion of the plurality of wires of the cable being connected to the second portion of the circuit on the second surface of the substrate; an edge card male connector accessible through the rearward facing opening of the housing, the edge card male connector comprising for each of the first plurality of cables, a first plurality of contacts on the first surface of the substrate and a second plurality of contacts on the second surface of the substrate, ones of the first plurality of contacts being electrically connected to the first portion of the plurality of wires of the cable by the first portion of the circuit corresponding to the cable, and ones of the second plurality of contacts being electrically connected to the second portion of the plurality of wires of the cable by the second portion of the circuit corresponding to the cable; and a ground plane corresponding to each of the first plurality of cables, the ground plane being electrically connected to ones of the first plurality of contacts corresponding to the cable and ones of the second plurality of contacts corresponding to the cable. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of reducing crosstalk in a communications connector, the method comprising:
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positioning a ground plane on a substrate; positioning a first conductive element on the substrate, the first conductive element being positioned on the substrate in close proximity to the ground plane, the first conductive element having a first impedance to the ground plane; and positioning a second conductive element on the substrate, the second conductive element being positioned on the substrate in close proximity to the ground plane, such that a second impedance of the second conductive element to the ground plane is substantially equal to the first impedance, the first and second conductive elements being configured to conduct a differential signal across at least a portion of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A connector for terminating a plurality of cables, the connector comprising a substrate having:
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a different circuit corresponding to each of the plurality of cables, each circuit comprising conductive elements having an input portion connected to the cable corresponding to the circuit, and an output portion connectable to an external electrical component; and a different electrically floating ground plane corresponding to each of the circuits, the ground planes being spaced apart and disconnected from their respective circuits, the ground planes being positioned relative to the conductive elements of their respective circuits to receive electro-magnetic energy radiated outwardly from the conductive elements of their respective circuits and provide a localized common ground for the conductive elements of their respective circuits.
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Specification