Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-10
2001-02-20
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190210
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical connector receptacles, and more particularly to receptacles for receiving telecommunications data/voice line plugs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connector receptacles for receiving telecommunications data/voice line plugs are most commonly used to interconnect telephone lines. Such telecommunication jacks are used to connect telephone lines and telephones (transmitting voice signals) or telephone lines and computers (transmitting data and/or voice signals).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,497 describes a connector receptacle of a type which is intended for use in the telephone industry. This receptacle comprises an insulating housing having a plug-receiving end and a plug-receiving opening extending into the plug-receiving end. A plurality of circular openings extend through the housing from the plug-receiving end to the rearward end of the housing and contact springs extending from these circular openings diagonally into the plug-receiving opening so that when a plug is inserted into the receptacle, the contact members on the plug engage the contact springs. The contact springs are in the form of wires and are connected by means of crimped electrical connections to lead wires. These crimped connections are contained in the circular openings in the housing and the lead wires extend from the circular openings and away from the housing at the rearward end thereof. The most commonly used type of connector plug which is intended to be mated with connector receptacles of the type described above is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,320.
The connector receptacle described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,497 has been widely adopted in the telephone industry and other equipment such as data processing equipment which may be installed adjacent to a telephone exchange, personal computers, and similar equipment. The use of these connector receptacles in such related equipment often requires that the receptacle be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), also referred to as a printed wiring board (PWB).
So that telecommunications receptacles can be easily and readily mounted on PCB's, the receptacle of U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,497 is modified to have formed electrical conductors rather than wire type conductors and one end of each formed conductor extends beyond the housing of the connector so that the connector can be mounted on a PCB with the ends of the conductors extending into openings, or through holes, in the PCB. These ends of the conductors can then be soldered to conductors on the PCB in the usual manner.
Space on PCB's of computer-related equipment, however, is always at a premium. It is, therefore, to provide a receptacle for receiving a telecommunications plug that can be mounted on a PCB and occupy the minimum required amount of space on the board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A receptacle and printed circuit board combination for receiving a plug and achieving electrical connection between the plug and the printed circuit board is provided. The combination occupies a minimum required amount of space and requires a minimum amount of material. The combination comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of electrical contacts, and a printed circuit board, wherein the housing and circuit board form a plug receiving opening.
The housing has a front, rear, bottom surface and top wall situated above the circuit board. Each electrical contact has a first end portion extending within the opening for engaging the plug, and a second end portion fixed to terminals on the circuit board. The printed circuit board has a cut-out portion for receiving the receptacle.
The receptacle, which comprises the housing and electrical contacts, further comprises a peg extending from the bottom surface of the housing for mounting the receptacle on the circuit board, wherein the cut-out portion of the circuit board receives the peg. Preferably, the receptacle comprises two pegs and more preferably, the pegs are latches. In addition, the cut-out portion has a substantially rectangular shape.
In certain preferred embodiments, the housing further comprises two side walls extending between the top wall and the bottom surface, and two ledges, wherein each ledge extends from each side wall at the plane of the bottom surface such that an underside of the ledges is coplanar with the bottom surface such that the bottom surface and the ledges make contact with the circuit board when mounted on the circuit board. Preferably, the two ledges extend from their respective side walls toward each other.
In additional preferred embodiments, the ledges have respective ledge extensions extending down and substantially perpendicularly from the ledges at the front of the housing to help anchor the receptacle in place on the circuit board by making contact with a leading edge of the circuit board. In yet other preferred embodiments, the ledge extensions have respective lips extending from the ledge extensions toward each other such that the receptacle can receive a latch arm of the telecommunications plug. In certain other preferred embodiments, the lips are joined together by a connecting member extending between lower surfaces of the two lips.
In additional preferred embodiments, the insulating housing is located a distance from the circuit board and the printed circuit board has a cut-out portion for receiving a latch arm on the plug. Preferably, the cut-out portion is defined by a first substantially rectangular section and a smaller substantially rectangular extension adjacent a leading edge of the circuit board.
A receptacle for receiving a telecommunications plug and achieving electrical connection between the plug and a printed circuit board also is provided. This receptacle comprises an insulating housing and a plurality of electrical contacts. The housing has only a top wall having a front and rear, and a rear wall, wherein the top wall is situated above the circuit board and the housing and circuit board form a plug receiving opening. Each electrical contact has an end portion serving as a contact spring that extends from the top wall at a location proximate the front of the housing across the opening to a location proximate the rear of the housing. The electrical contacts extend from the contact springs at the area proximate the front of the top wall across the top wall toward the rear of the top wall down through the rear wall to meet the circuit board where they are fixed in place to effect an electrical connection with terminals on the circuit board.
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Berg Electronics Catalog, “Telephone Interconnection Systems: PCB Modular Jacks,” Jan., 1998, 27-8 thru 27-11.
Belopolsky Yakov
Oleynick Gary J.
Berg Technology Inc.
Hyeon Hae Moon
Nguyen Khiem
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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