Electrical connectors – With circuit component or comprising connector which fully... – Termination circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-16
2001-12-04
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With circuit component or comprising connector which fully...
Termination circuit
C439S607070, C439S676000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325672
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to modular jack receptacles having an internal filter element.
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 digital systems. A low speed system ordinarily transmits from about 10 to 16 megabits per second (Mbps), while a high speed system may transmit at 155 Mbps or even higher data rates. 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 apart 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 the use of conventional parts or tooling in its production with only minor modification.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,065, to Caveney et al., discloses a solution to reduce crosstalk in a modular connector. Caveney et al. propose a multilayer capacitive label that is inserted into a recessed region of a modular jack connector proximate to the contacts within the connector. The label is secured to the contacts using a conductive adhesive that capacitively couples one conductor from a first differential pair with another conductor from a second differential pair. A conductive epoxy is used to make an electrical connection between signal conductors and an electrode of the capacitor. However, the solution proposed by Caveney et al. is limited because the capacitive label must be placed in physical contact with the conductors in the connector. As such, this solution provides sufficient results with differential pairs 3/6 and 4/5, but does not work well for other differential pairs.
While the above provides some reduction in crosstalk under limited circumstances, there still remains a need for improvements in the reduction of crosstalk in modular jack connectors. The present invention provides such a solution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, the present invention, through one or more of its various aspects and/or embodiments is thus directed to an electrical connector having an insulative housing, a conductive shield secured to the housing, a plurality of contacts within the insulative housing, and a filter disposed between predetermined ones of the contacts and engaging the shield.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the contacts may have a mating portion for engaging corresponding contacts in a complementary connector and the filter may be disposed between the mating portion of the predetermined contacts.
In accordance with another feature, the filter may comprise a capacitive filter having an inner dielectric layer surrounded by outer conductive layers. One of the outer conductive layers may contact the external conductive shield, and the other of the conductive layers may contact the complementary connector. Also, the capacitive filter may have a capacitance between approximately 60-100 pF.
In accordance with yet another feature, the capacitive filter may also comprise an upper portion and a lateral portion transverse to the upper portion, where the lateral portion includes a contact region that is adapted to contact with a complementary connector. The upper portion may include an angled member extending therefrom, wherein the angled member electrically engages the conductive shield. In addition, the contacts may be formed at a predetermined angle to engage a complementary connector, and the contact region is formed at approximately the predetermined angle. The contact region may comprise a flange. The lateral portion may also define a channel such that the contact region is movable relative to the lateral portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receptacle connector having a shield that comprises an insulative member that forms a receiving space adapted to receive a complementary plug, a plurality of contacts extending within the receiving space, and a filter disposed between the contacts and extending into the receiving space.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the filter may comprise a capacitive filter having an inner dielectric layer surrounded by outer conductive layers. One of the outer conductive layers may contact the shield, and the other of the conductive layers may contact the complementary plug structure. The capacitive filter has a capacitance between approximately 60-100 pF.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receptacle connector adapted to mate with a plug connector. This receptacle connector comprises an insulative housing having an opening for receiving the plug and channels in communication with the opening, a plurality of contacts extending through some of the channels and into the opening, and at least one capacitive filter extending through another of the channels and into the opening.
According to a feature of the invention, a conductive shield is provided that generally surrounds the housing, and the capacitive filter engages the shield. The capacitive filter may reside between adjacent contacts.
Other features of the present invention are described below.
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Belopolsky Yakov
Northey William A.
Berg Technology Inc.
Bradley Paula
Leon Edwin A.
Page M. Richard
Reiss Steven M.
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