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US6155881A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical connector with signal compensation

Assignee: Carl Zeiss Vision Australia Holdings Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-02-02
•
Granted: 2000-12-05
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Expires: 2019-02-02
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector assembly has a terminal housing, and a number of electrically conductive connector assembly terminals supported by the housing. The connector assembly terminals have mid-sections that protrude from the housing for contacting terminals of a mating connector, and outside connection ends for making electrical connections with outside circuits. Free ends of the connector assembly terminals next to the terminal mid-sections and opposite the outside connection ends, are positioned inside the terminal housing. An electrical circuit component is mounted inside the terminal housing. The circuit component is connected to the free ends of the assembly terminals, so that the mating connector becomes electrically connected to the circuit component through paths between the mid-sections and the free ends of the assembly terminals, in proximity to the circuit component. The electrical circuit component may be constructed and arranged to compensate for cross talk induced when the mating connector contacts the mid-sections of the assembly terminals.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jaime Ray Arnett
  • 👤 Richard Wynn Curry
  • 👤 Julian Robert Pharney

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 07:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/665; H01R13/646; H01R13/6461; H01R13/6464; H01R13/6466; H01R13/719; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H01R24/64; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/941

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 127 words
An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a terminal housing; a number of electrically conductive connector assembly terminals supported by said housing, wherein the assembly terminals have mid-sections that protrude from said housing for contacting corresponding terminals of a mating connector, and outside connection ends for making connections with outside circuits; wherein free ends of the connector assembly terminals adjacent the mid-sections of the terminals and opposite the outside connection ends, are positioned inside the terminal housing; and an electrical circuit component mounted inside the terminal housing; wherein the circuit component is connected electrically to the free ends of the connector assembly terminals so that the mating connector will be electrically connected to the circuit component through paths between the mid-sections and the free ends of the assembly terminals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 127 words
An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a terminal housing; a number of electrically conductive connector assembly terminals supported by said housing, wherein the assembly terminals have mid-sections that protrude from said housing for contacting corresponding terminals of a mating connector, and outside connection ends for making connections with outside circuits; wherein free ends of the connector assembly terminals adjacent the mid-sections of the terminals and opposite the outside connection ends, are positioned inside the terminal housing; and an electrical circuit component mounted inside the terminal housing; wherein the circuit component is connected electrically to the free ends of the connector assembly terminals so that the mating connector will be electrically connected to the circuit component through paths between the mid-sections and the free ends of the assembly terminals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said connector assembly terminals are in the form of elongated, continuous jack wires.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit component has a number of terminal contact pads, and the free ends of the connector assembly terminals contact corresponding ones of the contact pads.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outside connection ends of said assembly terminals comprise terminal posts projecting from the terminal housing for connection with said outside circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 43 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electrical circuit component is constructed and arranged to produce cross talk of substantially equal magnitude and opposite phase to cross talk produced when the mating connector contacts the mid-sections of the connector assembly terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit component is a first stage of a multi-stage cross talk compensation arrangement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The connector assembly of claim 6, wherein said multi-stage compensation arrangement comprises an outside circuit board to which the outside connection ends of said connector assembly terminals are connected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a bottom part of said terminal housing has a number of parallel slots, and the mid-sections of the connector assembly terminals pass through corresponding ones of said slots.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
A connector assembly according to claim 8, wherein the bottom part of said terminal housing has a number of parallel partition walls, and said assembly terminals extend between said partition walls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
A connector assembly according to claim 9, wherein tops of said partition walls define a rest surface on which the electrical circuit component is disposed inside the terminal housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, including an outside printed wire board connected to the outside connection ends of said assembly terminals, wherein said outside printed wire board is configured to compensate for cross talk, in cooperation with the electrical circuit component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 168 words
A distribution module comprising: a panel having a connector opening for receiving a mating connector; and an electrical connector assembly mounted to said panel for engaging said mating connector when the mating connector is inserted in the connector opening in the panel, said connector assembly comprising; a terminal housing; a number of electrically conductive connector assembly terminals supported by said housing, wherein the assembly terminals have mid-sections that protrude from said housing for contacting corresponding terminals of a mating connector, and outside connection ends for making connections with outside circuits; wherein free ends of the connector assembly terminals adjacent the mid-sections of the terminals and opposite the outside connection ends, are positioned inside the terminal housing; and an electrical circuit component mounted inside the terminal housing; wherein the circuit component is connected electrically to the free ends of the connector assembly terminals so that the mating connector will be electrically connected to the circuit component through paths between the mid-sections and the free ends of the assembly terminals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 168 words
A distribution module comprising: a panel having a connector opening for receiving a mating connector; and an electrical connector assembly mounted to said panel for engaging said mating connector when the mating connector is inserted in the connector opening in the panel, said connector assembly comprising; a terminal housing; a number of electrically conductive connector assembly terminals supported by said housing, wherein the assembly terminals have mid-sections that protrude from said housing for contacting corresponding terminals of a mating connector, and outside connection ends for making connections with outside circuits; wherein free ends of the connector assembly terminals adjacent the mid-sections of the terminals and opposite the outside connection ends, are positioned inside the terminal housing; and an electrical circuit component mounted inside the terminal housing; wherein the circuit component is connected electrically to the free ends of the connector assembly terminals so that the mating connector will be electrically connected to the circuit component through paths between the mid-sections and the free ends of the assembly terminals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
The module of claim 12, wherein said connector assembly terminals are in the form of elongated, continuous jack wires.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
The module of claim 12, wherein the electrical circuit component has a number of terminal contact pads, and the free ends of the connector assembly terminals contact corresponding ones of the contact pads.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 28 words
The module of claim 12, wherein the outside connection ends of said assembly terminals comprise terminal posts projecting from the terminal housing for connection with said outside circuits.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 40 words
The module of claim 12, wherein said electrical circuit component is constructed and arranged to produce cross talk of substantially equal magnitude and opposite phase to cross produced when the mating connector contacts the mid-sections of the connector assembly terminals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
The module of claim 12, wherein the electrical circuit component is a first stage of a multi-stage cross talk compensation arrangement.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 28 words
The module of claim 17, wherein said multistage compensation arrangement comprises an outside circuit board to which the outside connection ends of said connector assembly terminals are connected.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 34 words
The module of claim 12, wherein a bottom part of said terminal housing has a number of parallel slots, and the mid-sections of the connector assembly terminals pass through corresponding ones of said slots.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 29 words
The module of claim 12, wherein the bottom part of said terminal housing has a number of parallel partition walls, and said assembly terminals extend between said partition walls.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The module of claim 20, wherein tops of said partition walls define a rest surface on which the electrical circuit component is disposed inside the terminal housing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 41 words
The module of claim 12, including an outside printed wire board connected to the outside connection ends of said assembly terminals, wherein said outside printed wire board is configured to compensate for cross talk in cooperation with the electrical circuit component.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5478261A Cited
US4566749A Cited
US5096442A Cited
US5647767A Cited
US5674093A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-12-05 2004-06-05 2004-12-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-12-05 2008-06-05 2008-12-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-12-05 2012-06-05 2012-12-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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