Electrical connectors – Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use – With means to apply lubricant or coolant
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-09-18
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use
With means to apply lubricant or coolant
C439S676000, C439S941000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290506
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cabling systems for supporting high-speed full duplex digital transmission protocols and, more particularly, is concerned with an enhanced modular jack assembly for use in such cabling systems and having a contact array subassembly with a non-parallel intermediate contact and a seat restricting deflection of the intermediate contact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Network transmission rates have increased hundred fold during the past five years. These increases have prompted standards organizations to draft performance standards covering cabling systems that will ensure that such cabling systems are capable of supporting full duplex digital transmission protocols. These performance standards specify near end cross talk, power sum near end cross talk, attenuation, and return loss electrical performance across the interconnection device interface to ensure the channel performance is maintained to digital transmission protocols. These performance standards require separation of pairs in the unshielded twisted pairs cabling. These standards also require separation and isolation of contacts in the interconnection devices.
Heretofore, Hubbell Premise Wiring of Stonington, Conn., a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, has manufactured and marketed an interconnection device in the form of a modular jack. assembly for use in these cabling systems. The modular jack assembly has an array of contacts which includes pairs of long and short contacts mounted on a circuit board and connected to the four unshielded twisted pairs in the cabling. The pairs of long and short contacts are situated in spaced-apart substantially parallel first and second rows in which the long contacts of the first row are aligned with one another and the short contacts of the second row are aligned with one another but are offset relative to the long contacts of the first row. The contacts of both rows have generally hook-shaped configurations with substantially straight inner portions extending generally upright from the circuit board, substantially straight outer portions extending generally forwardly and downwardly at acute angles relative to the inner portions and the circuit board and substantially rounded or arcuate-shaped middle portions rigidly interconnecting the straight inner and outer portions. The inner and middle portions of the long contacts of the first row are longer than the inner and middle portions of the short contacts of the front row such that the middle portions of the long contacts of the first row are disposed above but offset from the middle portions of the short contacts of the second row. The outer portions of the long contacts of the first row extend toward the circuit board at a steeper acute angle than the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row such that the outer portions of the long contacts of the first row extend between the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row and have free ends which protrude beyond the adjacent free ends of the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row.
The above-described modular jack assembly produced by Hubbell Premise Wiring has met the prior industry performance standards and achieved substantial commercial success. However, innovations are now needed to this modular jacket assembly in order to meet the aforementioned new increased performance standards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an enhanced modular jack assembly and contact array subassembly designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The enhanced modular jack assembly and the contact array subassembly therefor of the present invention incorporate an intermediate contact which replaces one of the long contacts of the prior art modular jack assembly and has a length substantially the same as the length of one of the short contacts. Particularly, the intermediate contact replaces an end one of the long contacts. The intermediate contact enables the desired specific levels of near end cross talk, power sum near end cross talk, attenuation and return loss electrical performance across the interconnection device interface to be achieved. The intermediate contact reduces unwanted crosstalk noise when mated to a plug due to the geometry of the intermediate contact relative to the adjacent long and short contacts of the first and second rows.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an enhanced modular jack assembly and a contact array subassembly therefor which comprise a plurality of long and short contacts mounted to the circuit board in first and second rows and an intermediate contact having a length substantially the same as a length of one of the short contacts and mounted to the circuit board in the first row and extending therefrom to the first row and being disposed at a shallow acute angle relative to the long contacts of the first row and the short contacts of the second row. The intermediate contact has an inner portion mounted on the circuit board in the first row of long contacts and extending in an upward and forward inclined orientation relative to the circuit board from the first row of long contacts to the second row of short contacts to a middle portion of the intermediate contact disposed in the second row of short contacts. The enhanced modular jack assembly and contact array subassembly therefor also comprise a seat structure disposed upright between the circuit board and the middle portions of the short contacts of the second row and the middle portion of the intermediate contact but only engaging the middle portion of the intermediate contact so as to restrict deflection of the inner portion of the intermediate contact while allowing deflection of the outer portion thereof.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5061209 (1991-10-01), Bollick et al.
patent: 5399107 (1995-03-01), Gentry et al.
patent: 5647770 (1997-07-01), Belopolsky
Publication entitled “Hubbell Premise Wiring Full Line Catalog”, p. 4 (undated).
'Hubbell Incorporated
Bradley Paula
Gilman Alexander
Swartz Michael R.
LandOfFree
Modular jack assembly and contact array subassembly therefor... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Modular jack assembly and contact array subassembly therefor..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Modular jack assembly and contact array subassembly therefor... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2526943