Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-08-21
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S417000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276954
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of modular communication plugs and, more particularly, to the generation of complementary crosstalk in a communication plug such that performance with connector jacks is optimized.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telecommunications and data transmission systems have evolved in recent years to accommodate the increasing demand for high speed, multi-media services. Accordingly, higher and higher frequencies are being transmitted across network infrastructure originally designed for lower frequency and volume throughput. Although present day cables and wiring, can, theoretically, handle such increased frequencies and traffic volume, the wiring paths themselves become, in effect, antennae that both radiate and receive electromagnetic radiation, thereby creating crosstalk problems. Crosstalk, i.e. the coupling of electromagnetic energy between adjacent conductors, is particularly problematic in systems incorporating multiple wire pairs. Unfortunately, the plugs and jacks that are most commonly used in interconnecting cables and hardware, such as distribution modules, generally include as many as eight wires (four wire pairs), and, in some instances, even more, that are necessarily oriented both parallel and close together, a condition that leads to excessive crosstalk, even over short distances, and which is exacerbated as the frequency of the signals or the data rate is increased.
Various techniques have been used for reducing crosstalk between pairs of wires in communication plugs and cables, such as shielding individual pairs, helically winding (twisted-pairs), or, where possible, increasing the physical separation of one pair from another. The crosstalk problem, however, cannot be solved through a simple minimization or reduction approach. While it may be desirable in future applications to eliminate virtually all crosstalk in a communication plug, legacy systems (i.e., current jacks and plugs) require a predetermined level of crosstalk in the plug for optimum performance. Legacy jacks are engineered to compensate for crosstalk in the communication plug; however, communication plugs have different crosstalk characteristics caused by variations introduced during the assembly process thereby resulting in variations in crosstalk compensation. Thus what is sought are communication plugs with uniform crosstalk characteristics, so as to consistently compliment the crosstalk engineered into the legacy jacks, and, thereby, optimizing high speed data transmission through the network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Certain advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention.
The present invention is generally directed to a communication plug having predetermined crosstalk characteristics. The crosstalk characteristics in communication plugs produced using the present invention are of a higher degree of uniformity than is found in current communication plugs. The present invention comprises an assembly of crossover electrical connectors which produce a set level of crosstalk such that the compensating crosstalk in jacks is optimized to achieve higher data transmission rates.
The principles of the invention are disclosed as applied to an eight-wire communication plug typically used in high frequency data communications. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concepts taught herein can be applied to plugs terminating cables carrying any number of pairs of conductors or wires in which crosstalk is generated in both the plug and the jack or connector.
An eight wire communication cable used in high frequency data communication is typically comprised of four sets of helically wound twisted-pairs of insulated conducting wires surrounded by a protective jacket. To mate the communication cable with an associated communication plug a portion of the cable jacket surrounding the conducting wires is removed from one end, and the four sets of twisted-pair insulated conducting wires are partially unwound. The wires are arranged in a specific order corresponding to an industry standard, aligned with a receiving opening in the back of the communication plug and with their respective receiving slots within the communication plug, inserted into the communication plug, and secured to the communication plug. Electrical connectors are attached to the wires, through slots in the top of the communication plug. The electrical connectors are adapted to make electrical contact between associated jack springs in the jack and with the insulated conducting wires in the plug. In order for two modular communication plugs, each terminating a cable, to have uniform crosstalk characteristics the insulated conducting wires of the cable need to be dressed (untwisted, straightened, and arranged) in an essentially identical manner. Communication plugs which are identical, except for the dressing of the individual conducting wires, will often exhibit different crosstalk characteristics.
The present invention eliminates much of the dressing of the insulated conducting wires of the cable during the assembly of a communication plug. The four sets of twisted-pairs are inserted into the rear of the plug housing, through the receiving opening in the rear of the housing. The twisted-pairs are aligned with their respective receiving slots, and an electrical connector in the form of a blade is attached to each wire. The electrical connectors are adapted at one end so as to make electrical contact with an insulated conducting wire, and the other end is adapted so as to make electrical contact with a jack spring. In the present invention one or more electrical connectors of an assembly of connectors may crossover, or crossunder, one or more adjacent electrical connectors such that the location of the jack end portion of each of the electrical connectors corresponds to the industry standard. The electrical connector assembly is formed such that the electrical connectors do not make electrical contact in the crossover region.
An advantage of the present invention is that the set of twisted-pairs are dressed in substantially the same manner in every communication plug. The twisted-pairs are cut to the same length and attached to the assembly of electrical connectors. Because the conducting wires remain as twisted-pairs within the plug instead of being juxtaposed in a straight parallel manner, the crosstalk between the conducting pairs of wires within the communication plug is reduced. The electrical connectors are manufactured uniformly, and consequently the crosstalk characteristics between different sets of electrical connectors in different plugs are essentially identical. Use of the present invention eliminates the variations in the crosstalk characteristics introduced by the dressing of individual insulated conducting wires in different communication plugs, thereby producing greater uniformity in the crosstalk characteristics of different communication plugs. Another advantage is the time saving; it takes less time to align properly the four sets of twisted-pairs than it does to dress and align the individual wires.
According to another aspect of the invention, the crosstalk generated in the plug can be fixed to a desired level by modifying certain engineerable parameters such as the size and shape of the ends of electrical connector. Other engineerable parameters in the electrical connector include the length of the arm connecting, the size and shape of the insulation piercing end, and the spacing between adjacent ends, and the type of the material from which the electrical connector is made.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4650269 (1987-03-01), Denkmann et al.
patent: 5226835 (1993-07-01), Baker, III et al.
patent: 5601447 (1997-02-01), Reed et al.
patent: 5791943 (1998-08-01), Lo et al.
patent: 5938479 (1999-08-01), Paulson et al.
patent: 5941734 (1999-08-01), Ikeda et al.
Arnett Jaime Ray
Fortner Larry Edward
Reichard George Willis
Avaya Technology Corp.
Nguyen Phuong
Paumen Gary
Thomas, Kaydenm Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP
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