Contact set arrangement for right angle jack

• US 8,480,438 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Mattson, Loren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchi T
• Application Number:
  US13/273,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/941, 439/620.11, 439/620.17, 439/620.23, 439/501, 439/528, 439/620.22, 439/955
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/75 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/66 Structural association with built-in electrical component coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

A connector system includes a jack module mounted to a circuit board, which is connected to at least one processor. The jack module is configured to receive a plug connector having a first set of contacts spaced from a second set of contacts. The jack module includes a first contact arrangement configured to engage the first set of contacts of the plug and a second contact arrangement configured to engage the second set of contacts of the plug. The second contact arrangement is provided on a media reading interface, which may provide presence sensing. The first and second contact arrangements engage landings on the circuit board. One example jack module defines a right-angle jack.

Claims

1. A jack module comprising:

a jack module housing having a front, a rear, a first end, and a second end, the front of the jack module defining an open port leading to a socket, the second end of the jack module housing defining an interface opening;

a first contact arrangement having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the first contact arrangement extending into the socket at the first end of the jack module, and the second portion of the first contact arrangement extending external of the jack module housing at the second end of the jack module housing; and

a media reading interface installed at the interface opening of the jack module housing, the media reading interface including a second contact arrangement having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the second contact arrangement extending into the socket at the second end of the jack module housing, and the second portion of the second contact arrangement extending external of the jack module housing at the second end of the jack module housing.

2. The jack module of claim 1, wherein the second contact arrangement includes a plurality of contact members separately mounted to a support body, wherein the first portion of the second contact arrangement is positioned on a first side of the support body and the second portion of the second contact arrangement is positioned on a second, opposite side of the support body.

3. The jack module of claim 1, wherein the jack module defines a right-angle jack.

4. The jack module of claim 1, further comprising a shield installed around the jack module housing, the shield including engagement tabs extending outwardly from opposite sides of the jack module housing at the second end of the jack module housing.

5. The jack module of claim 1, wherein the jack module housing includes interface guides positioned at the interface opening, the interface guides including planar surfaces along which the media reading interface is configured to slide when installed on the jack module.

6. The jack module of claim 5, wherein the interface guides each include a notch configured to receive a latching tab of the media reading interface to secure the media reading interface to the jack module housing.

7. The jack module of claim 5, wherein the jack module housing includes at least one plug guide set inwards from the open port at the front of the jack module housing, the plug guide being positioned forward of the interface guides, and the plug guide defines a ramped surface facing the front of the jack module housing.

8. A connector system comprising:

a plug connector including a plug housing holding a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts, the first set of contacts being electrically connected to a cable terminated at the plug connector, the second set of contacts being electrically connected to a storage device installed on the plug housing;

a circuit board including a first set of landings, a second set of landings, and a third set of landings arranged on a first side of the circuit board;

a jack module housing mounted to the first side of the circuit board, the jack module housing defining a socket configured to receive the plug housing, the jack module housing also defining a front port through which the plug housing accesses the socket and an interface opening facing the circuit board, the jack module housing holding a first contact arrangement configured to engage with the first set of contacts of the plug housing;

a media reading interface installed at the interface opening of the jack module, the media reading interface having a first side facing toward the socket of the jack module and a second side facing toward the circuit board, the media reading interface including a second contact arrangement having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the second contact arrangement extending away from the first side of the media reading interface into the socket to engage the second set of contacts of the plug housing, the second portion of the second contact arrangement extending away from the second side of the media reading interface to engage the third set of landings of the circuit board.

9. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the jack module housing includes plug guides positioned inwardly from the front port, the plug guides defining ramped surfaces configured to direct the plug housing into the socket so that the second set of contacts of the plug housing align with the first portion of the second contact arrangement.

10. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the first contact arrangement extends through the jack module housing toward the circuit board, wherein ends of the first contact arrangement engage the second landings on the circuit board.

11. The connector system of claim 10, wherein the jack module housing includes a shield having engagement tabs that engage the first landings of the circuit board when the jack module housing is mounted to the circuit board.

12. The connector system of claim 10, wherein the media reading interface including a presence sensing member that is configured to determine whether the plug housing is received within the socket.

13. The connector system of claim 12, wherein the presence sensing member includes a conductive member that extends across at least two contact members of the second contact arrangement of the media reading interface.

14. The connector system of claim 13, wherein the plug housing biases the contact members of the second contact arrangement away from the conductive member of the presence sensing member when the plug housing is received within the socket of the jack module housing.

15. A media reading interface comprising:

a support body having a top, a bottom, a first end, and a second end, the support body defining channels wrapping around the top, the first end, and the bottom of the support body, the support body also including raised ribs that further define the channels on the top and bottom of the support body;

a plurality of contact members installed in the channels of the support body, each contact member including a first portion extending from a first end of the contact member to an intermediate section of the contact member and a second portion extending from the intermediate portion of the contact member to a second end of the contact member, each portion of the contact member defining a contact surface, the first portion of each contact member extending along the top of the support body and the second portion of each contact member extending along the bottom of the support body; and

a presence sensing member mounted to the second end of the support body, the presence sensing member including a conductive member positioned to extend across the first ends of at least two of the contact members.

16. The media reading interface of claim 15, wherein the support body includes a mounting arrangement at opposite sides of the support body, each mounting arrangement including guides defining a channel, each mounting arrangement also including a securement arrangement, each securement arrangement including a ramp and a shoulder.

17. The media reading interface of claim 15, wherein the contact surfaces of each contact member protrude beyond the raised ribs of the support body when the contact members are installed on the support body.

18. The media reading interface of claim 15, wherein the raised ribs define ramped surfaces against which the conductive member of the presence sensing member seats when the presence sensing member is installed on the support body.

19. The media reading interface of claim 15, wherein conductive member of the presence sensing member extends between first ends of two legs, wherein a mounting arrangement is connected to second ends of the two legs, wherein each mounting arrangement is configured to mount to a receiving channel defined in the support body.

20. The media reading interface of claim 19, wherein each mounting arrangement includes two vertically aligned feet that are configured to flex inwardly with respect to each other.