Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-05
2001-08-21
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S941000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276971
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to modular jacks for use in telecommunications equipment.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
Modular jacks are used in two broad categories of signal transmission: analog (voice) and digital (data) transmission. These categories can overlap somewhat since digital systems are used for voice transmission as well. Nevertheless, there is a significant difference in the amount of data transmitted by a system per second. A low speed system would ordinarily transmit from about 10 to 16 megabits per second (Mbps), while a high speed system should be able to handle 155 Mbps or even higher data transfer speeds. Often, high speed installations are based on asynchronous transfer mode transmission and utilize shielded and unshielded twisted pair cables.
With recent increases in the speed of data transmission, requirements have become important for electrical connectors, in particular, with regard to the reduction or elimination of crosstalk. Crosstalk is a phenomena in which a part of the electromagnetic energy transmitted through one of multiple conductors in a connector causes electrical currents in the other conductors.
Another problem is common mode electromagnetic interference or noise. Such common mode interference is often most severe in conductors of the same length, when a parasitic signal induced by ESD, lightning or simultaneous switching of semiconductor gates arrives in an adjacent electrical node through multiple conductors at the same time.
Another factor which must be considered is that the telecommunications industry has reached a high degree of standardization in modular jack design. Outlines and contact areas are essentially fixed and have to be interchangeable with other designs. It is, therefore, important that any novel modular jack allow with only minor modification, the use of conventional parts or tooling in its production.
There is, therefore, a need for a modular jack which will reduce or eliminate crosstalk in telecommunications equipment.
There is also a need for a modular jack which will reduce or eliminate common mode electromagnetic interference in telecommunications equipment.
There is also a need for such a modular jack which can reduce or eliminate crosstalk and common mode interference which is interchangeable with prior art modular jacks and which may be manufactured using conventional parts and tooling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention reduces, or eliminates, cross-talk and common mode electromagnetic interference by means of the following factors:
(a) the conductors are separated into two groups and each of these groups is positioned in a distinct separate area in the modular jack;
(b) the distance between adjacent conductors is increased;
(c) the common length between adjacent conductors is reduced; and
(d) adjacent conductors of significantly different lengths are used.
The present invention could be achieved by an electrical connector assembly, comprising: a housing with an interior section, a front and a rear; a plurality of first contacts, and a plurality of second contacts. The contacts occupy eight positions in the housing. The first contacts have mating sections extending into the interior section and directed towards the rear of the housing. The second contacts have mating sections extending into the interior section and directed towards the front of the housing. The second contacts occupy three of the eight positions.
The present invention could also be achieved by an electrical connector assembly, comprising: a housing with an interior section, a front and a rear; a plurality of first contacts; and a plurality of second contacts. The first contacts have mating sections extending into the interior section and directed towards the rear of the housing. The second contacts have mating sections extending into the interior section and directed towards the front of the housing. The first contacts and the second contacts occupy positions in the housing designated
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
and
8
across the housing. The second contacts occupy positions
3
and
5
, and either position
1
or position
7
.
The present invention could also be achieved by a modular jack assembly that receives another connecting element having contacts for signal transmission so as to reduce crosstalk during such signal transmission. The assembly includes: an outer insulative housing; a first plurality of generally parallel contacts; a second plurality of generally parallel contacts; and an insulative insert. The outer insulative housing has top and bottom walls and opposed lateral walls all defining an interior section. The housing also has front and rear open ends. The first plurality of generally parallel contacts extend from the bottom wall of the insulative housing across the rear end to the top wall and then toward the front end in a common plane then toward the rear end in a common oblique plane. The second plurality of generally parallel contacts extend from the bottom wall of the insulative housing across only a part of the rear end in a common plane and then angularly toward the front end in a common oblique plane. The portions of both of said first and second pluralities of contacts that are located in said oblique planes are positioned for engaging the contacts of said other connecting element when said other connecting element is inserted into the front open end of the housing for signal transmission. The first plurality of contacts are at least partially positioned in the insulative insert. The insert has an upper section having base and upper sides and rear and terminal ends and is positioned so that its base side is superimposed over the rear open end of the insulative housing and its upper end is adjacent the top side of the insulative housing such that its terminal end extends into the interior section of the insulative housing. The insulative insert has opposed lateral sides and the contacts are arranged in a numerical sequence from one of said lateral sides to the other of said lateral sides in a plurality of positions designated
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
and
8
and the first plurality of contacts are in positions
1
,
2
,
4
,
5
,
6
and
8
and the second plurality of contacts are in positions
3
,
5
and
7
. Cross-talk between the contacts is thereby reduced.
Another modular jack which may be used to practice the method of this invention has an outer insulated housing having top and bottom walls and opposed lateral walls and front and rear open ends. A first plurality of conductive means extend in a common vertical plane from the bottom wall of the housing across the open rear end to the top wall and then extend horizontally forward and then angularly downwardly and rearwardly back toward the rear open end. A second plurality of conductive means extends first in a common vertical plane from the bottom wall across only a part of the rear open end and then extends obliquely, horizontally and upwardly toward the open front end. The downwardly extending oblique plane of the first plurality of conductive means and upwardly extending oblique plane of the second plurality of conductive means have a common length but that common length is small preferably being between 0.8 inch to 1.0 inch while the length of the horizontal section of the first group of conductive means is relatively much longer being preferably 0.6 inch to 2.0 inch.
Also encompassed within the invention is an insert for a modular jack assembly comprising an insulative member comprising a lower section having a base side and opposed front and rear sides and an upper section. The upper section has an upper side, a lower side and a terminal end interposed between said upper and said lower side. The upper section is superimposed over said lower section and extends from the lower side perpendicularly to said terminal ends. A first wire extends from adjacent the base side of the lower section longitudinally through th
Berg Technology Inc.
Donovan Lincoln
Hamilla Brian J.
Page M. Richard
Prasad Chandrika
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