Patent US6162089A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6162089A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stacked LAN connector
Assignee: Tyco Electronics Service GmbH
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Filing: 1998-11-05
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Granted: 2000-12-19
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Expires: 2018-11-05
Abstract
Abstract Stacked LAN connector (10) adapted for mounting to a circuit board (24) and including a stacked USB component (150) and a modular jack component (200) secured in respective portions of main housing (50), around which is an outer shield (32). An inner shield (130) shields the arrays of contacts of the modular jack component (200) and the stacked USB component (150) as they depend from the board mounting face to be connected to circuits of the circuit board (24). LEDs (28,30) indicate full mating by a modular plug with the modular jack component. The connector saves board real estate otherwise occupied by a modular jack positioned beside a stacked USB connector on the circuit board.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Patrick Costello
- 👤 Benjamin Jacobson
- 👤 Jason M'Cheyne Reisinger
- 👤 Michael S. Abbott
- 👤 Barry D. Holtzclaw
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R27/00; H01R27/02; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; H01R13/00; H01R13/64; H01R13/641; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/659; H01R13/6591; H01R13/6594; H01R13/66; H01R13/717; H01R13/7175; H01R2201/00; H01R2201/04; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H01R25/00; H01R25/006; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49133; Y10T29/49137; Y10T29/49147
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts; and an outer shield affixed around said insulative housing and exposing said mating face and said board-mounting face, wherein flaps of a top wall of said outer shield and flaps of a rear wall of said outer shield include slots that lock over embossments of side walls of said shield when said flaps are folded to coextend along portions of said side walls adjacent thereto, upon assembly of said shield around said insulative housing, to secure said outer shield around said insulative housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts; and an outer shield affixed around said insulative housing and exposing said mating face and said board-mounting face, wherein flaps of a top wall of said outer shield and flaps of a rear wall of said outer shield include slots that lock over embossments of side walls of said shield when said flaps are folded to coextend along portions of said side walls adjacent thereto, upon assembly of said shield around said insulative housing, to secure said outer shield around said insulative housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said insulative housing includes a pair of LEDs secured therein, each said LED including a light-emitting lens exposed along said mating face and further including leads extending at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein each said LED includes a pair of leads extending rearwardly therefrom, said insulative housing includes a pair of LED-receiving apertures into said mating face and a pair of lead-receiving openings extending rearwardly from each said LED-receiving aperture, a contact-receiving opening extending upwardly from said board-mounting face intersecting said lead-receiving openings, and board-connecting contacts insertable into said contact-receiving opening at selected positions therewithin and in electrical engagement with respective ones of said LED leads after insertion into said contact-receiving openings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The electrical connector of claim 2 wherein said LEDs are contained in an insert of insulative material that is affixed in a recess extending into an outer side surface of said insulative housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said recess is shaped as an inverted L and includes an upper wall and opposed vertical walls, said insert is complementary in shape to said recess, said insert includes a groove into a top surface thereof and at least one vertical wall, and said upper wall and at least one said vertical wall of said recess include respective tongues for snapping into respective grooves of said insert, to retain said insert in said recess.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
208 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face, wherein said first aperture extends into said insulative housing from said mating face and is adjacent to and in communication with said board-mounting face; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; and a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
208 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face, wherein said first aperture extends into said insulative housing from said mating face and is adjacent to and in communication with said board-mounting face; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; and a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein said shielded electrical connector is a stacked Universal Serial Bus Connector defining two plug-receiving cavities along a mating face thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The electrical connector of claim 7 wherein said shield between said board-connecting sections of said first and second arrays of contacts is a rear shield affixed along a rear face of said shielded electrical connector rearwardly of board-connecting sections of said first array of contacts, electrically connected with an outer shield of said shielded electrical connector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said rear shield includes a window along a rear plate thereof, and a projection extends forwardly into said first aperture from a rear wall of said first aperture and through said window upon insertion of said shielded electrical connector into said first aperture to assist in retention of said shielded electrical connector in said first aperture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein an outer shield surrounding said insulative housing includes a front wall surrounding said first and second apertures, and a portion of an outer shield of said shielded electrical connector abuts portions of said front wall of said outer shield of said assembly adjacent said first aperture to assist in retention of said shielded electrical connector in said first aperture.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
235 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face, wherein said second aperture is a modular jack cavity adjacent said mating face of said insulative housing, for receiving thereinto a complementary modular plug and wherein said insulative housing includes a jack-receiving cavity extending into a rear face thereof, said jack-receiving cavity having an opening in communication with said second aperture; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; and a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
235 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly having an insulative housing, said insulative housing defining a first aperture, a second aperture, a mating face and a board-mounting face, wherein said second aperture is a modular jack cavity adjacent said mating face of said insulative housing, for receiving thereinto a complementary modular plug and wherein said insulative housing includes a jack-receiving cavity extending into a rear face thereof, said jack-receiving cavity having an opening in communication with said second aperture; a shielded electrical connector insertable into said first aperture and including at least one first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly, and further including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity of said shielded electrical connector; a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; said second plug-receiving cavity and each said at least one first plug-receiving cavity being vertically stacked, and board-connecting contacts sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts extending vertically at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing remote from said mating face; and a shield in said insulative housing between said board-connecting contact sections of said first array of contacts and said second array of contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein a modular jack component is insertable into said jack-receiving cavity with a forward portion extending into said second aperture, said forward portion carrying contact sections of said second array of contacts to be disposed in said second aperture for mating with said modular plug.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein said insulative housing defines a transverse partition wall above said opening and defining a rear wall of said second aperture, said partition wall includes slots extending to said opening and at least open to said second aperture, and free ends of said contact sections of said second array of contacts are disposed in respective said slots to maintain said free ends in appropriate position upon assembly and when being deflected during mating and unmating with corresponding contacts of a mating modular plug connector.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein said insulative housing further includes guide slots along side surfaces of said opening, and said forward portion of said modular jack component includes guide rails that follow said guide slots when said modular jack component is inserted into said insulative housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said modular jack component includes a vertical housing portion surrounding vertical sections of said second array of contacts, and said jack-receiving cavity extends vertically to be in communication with said board-mounting face of said insulative housing to receive said vertical housing portion of said modular jack component.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said jack-receiving cavity includes guide slots proximate said board-mounting face, and said vertical housing portion of said modular jack component includes guide rails that follow said guide slots upon insertion of said modular jack component into said insulative housing, and embossments at forward ends of said guide rails seat forwardly of latching ledges defined adjacent said guide slots, to secure said modular jack component in said insulative housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
123 words
A stacked LAN electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly including an insulative housing having a vertical axis, said insulative housing defining at least a first aperture and a second aperture stacked vertically, a mating face and a board-mounting face; a first electrical connector disposed in said first aperture including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in a first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; and a second electrical connector, dissimilar from said first electrical connector, disposed in said second aperture, said second connector including a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
123 words
A stacked LAN electrical connector, comprising: a board-mountable assembly including an insulative housing having a vertical axis, said insulative housing defining at least a first aperture and a second aperture stacked vertically, a mating face and a board-mounting face; a first electrical connector disposed in said first aperture including a first array of board-connectable contacts having contact sections exposed in a first plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly; and a second electrical connector, dissimilar from said first electrical connector, disposed in said second aperture, said second connector including a second array of board-connectable contacts disposed in said insulative housing and having contact sections exposed in a second plug-receiving cavity in communication with said mating face of said assembly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
122 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 17 further comprising: a module affixable to said insulative housing and containing at least one LED having a lens exposed at said mating face and board-connecting contact sections exposed at said board-mounting face; wherein said insulative housing defines a module-receiving recess into a sidewall thereof, said recess being in communication with said mating face and said board mounting face and having an inverted L-shape, said recess including tongues defined on at least one horizontal wall and at least one vertical wall, and said module including tongue-receiving grooves defined on at least one horizontal wall and at least one vertical wall; and whereby said module is snappable into said recess when said tongues enter said grooves.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The stacked electrical connector of claim 17 wherein said first electrical connector is a USB connector.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The stacked electrical connector of claim 19 wherein said second electrical connector is a modular jack connector.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 20 wherein an outer shield is affixed around said insulative housing to shield both said USB connector and said modular jack connector.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 20 wherein a pair of LEDs are affixed in said insulative housing with board-connecting contact sections extending at least to said board-mounting face of said insulative housing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 20 wherein said modular jack connector is positioned above said USB connector.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 23 wherein said USB connector is a stacked USB connector having two plug-receiving cavities and is insertable into said first aperture from said mating face.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The stacked LAN electrical connector of claim 23 wherein said modular jack connector includes a modular jack component insertable into said insulative housing from rearwardly thereof and includes a vertical portion disposed rearwardly of said USB connector and containing vertical portions of said second array of contacts.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of affixing a module to an electrical connector, comprising the steps of: providing an electrical connector having an insulative housing with an outer side wall having a component-receiving recess thereinto, said recess having side wall surfaces with first latching sections therealong; providing a module having side wall surfaces with second latching sections therealong, with one of said first and second latching sections being resiliently compressible and protruding from a respective one of said recess side wall surfaces and said module side wall surfaces, and the other thereof being a complementary indentation defining a seat; and pressing said electrical component into said recess into said housing side wall with said recess side wall surfaces against said component side wall surfaces and said protruding latching section being compressed until seating within said indentation latching section, thereby engaging said first and second latching sections.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of affixing a module to an electrical connector, comprising the steps of: providing an electrical connector having an insulative housing with an outer side wall having a component-receiving recess thereinto, said recess having side wall surfaces with first latching sections therealong; providing a module having side wall surfaces with second latching sections therealong, with one of said first and second latching sections being resiliently compressible and protruding from a respective one of said recess side wall surfaces and said module side wall surfaces, and the other thereof being a complementary indentation defining a seat; and pressing said electrical component into said recess into said housing side wall with said recess side wall surfaces against said component side wall surfaces and said protruding latching section being compressed until seating within said indentation latching section, thereby engaging said first and second latching sections.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-19 | 2004-06-19 | 2004-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-19 | 2008-06-19 | 2008-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-19 | 2012-06-19 | 2012-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |