Patent US6579127B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6579127B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High frequency electrical connector assembly such as a multi-port multi-level connector assembly
Assignee: Bel Fuse Ltd
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Filing: 2001-03-22
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Granted: 2003-06-17
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Expires: 2021-03-22
Abstract
Abstract A high frequency modular electrical connector assembly including contact/terminal members arranged in such a manner to reduce crosstalk during use. The connector assembly includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle and an insert assembly arranged therein. The insert assembly includes an insert housing and first, second and preferably third sets of contact/terminal members, each contact/terminal member including a contact portion situated in the receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond the bottom surface of the insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting the contact portion and the terminal portion. The contact/terminal member(s) in each set are geometrically different than the contact/terminal members in the other set(s) and are arranged substantially parallel to one another. The insert housing has passageways in each of which a respective contact/terminal member is received. To reduce crosstalk, the contact/terminal members are arranged such that each contact/terminal member is different from any adjacent contact/terminal member(s).
Inventors
- 👤 John Matthew Hess
- 👤 David Henry Gutter
- 👤 Ted R. Meckley
- 👤 Robert Colantuono
- 👤 Leonard K. Espenshade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 08:44
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/646; H01R13/6461; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H01R24/64; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/941
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
476 words
A modular electrical connector assembly, comprising: a receptacle housing having at least one plug-receiving receptacle, and at least one insert assembly arranged in said receptacle housing and comprising: an L-shaped insert housing, said insert housing comprising a contiguous one-piece member comprising a base portion and a cap portion extending in a cantilever fashion from said base portion, a first set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion situated in said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond a bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, a second set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion situated in said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond said bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, said contact/terminal members in said first set being parallel to and geometrically different than said contact/terminal members in said second set, and said insert housing defining a first set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said first set of contact/terminal members and a second set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said second set of contact/terminal members, said first and second sets of conduits being defined such that adjacent ones of said contact/terminal members received in said first and second sets of conduits are geometrically different from one another, each of said conduits in said first set of conduits comprising a bore arranged in said base part and extending between a top surface of said base part and bottom surface of said base part, a channel arranged on said bottom surface of said cap part and extending from proximate said base part to adjacent said front surface of said cap part, and a groove arranged in said front surface of said cap part and aligning with said channel; a respective one of said contact/terminal members in said first set of contact/terminal members extending through said bore in said base part, through said channel on said cap part and through said groove in said front surface of said cap part into said receptacle and then in said receptacle toward a rear of said receptacle housing to thereby provide a rearward facing contact portion; each of said conduits in said second set of conduits comprising a first bore arranged in said base part and extending between said top and a bottom surface of said base part, and a second bore arranged in said cap part, said second bore aligning with said first bore in said base part; a respective one of said contact/terminal members in said second set of contact/terminal members extending through said first bore in said base part, through said second bore in said cap part, into said receptacle and then in said receptacle toward a front of said receptacle housing to thereby provide a forward facing contact portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
476 words
A modular electrical connector assembly, comprising: a receptacle housing having at least one plug-receiving receptacle, and at least one insert assembly arranged in said receptacle housing and comprising: an L-shaped insert housing, said insert housing comprising a contiguous one-piece member comprising a base portion and a cap portion extending in a cantilever fashion from said base portion, a first set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion situated in said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond a bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, a second set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion situated in said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond said bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, said contact/terminal members in said first set being parallel to and geometrically different than said contact/terminal members in said second set, and said insert housing defining a first set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said first set of contact/terminal members and a second set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said second set of contact/terminal members, said first and second sets of conduits being defined such that adjacent ones of said contact/terminal members received in said first and second sets of conduits are geometrically different from one another, each of said conduits in said first set of conduits comprising a bore arranged in said base part and extending between a top surface of said base part and bottom surface of said base part, a channel arranged on said bottom surface of said cap part and extending from proximate said base part to adjacent said front surface of said cap part, and a groove arranged in said front surface of said cap part and aligning with said channel; a respective one of said contact/terminal members in said first set of contact/terminal members extending through said bore in said base part, through said channel on said cap part and through said groove in said front surface of said cap part into said receptacle and then in said receptacle toward a rear of said receptacle housing to thereby provide a rearward facing contact portion; each of said conduits in said second set of conduits comprising a first bore arranged in said base part and extending between said top and a bottom surface of said base part, and a second bore arranged in said cap part, said second bore aligning with said first bore in said base part; a respective one of said contact/terminal members in said second set of contact/terminal members extending through said first bore in said base part, through said second bore in said cap part, into said receptacle and then in said receptacle toward a front of said receptacle housing to thereby provide a forward facing contact portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said cap part further comprises retaining means arranged on said top surface of said cap part for retaining said contact/terminal members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The connector assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said retaining means comprise a plurality of projections arranged on said top surface, said projections defining at least one groove receivable of a respective one of said second said of contact/terminal members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
268 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third set of contact/terminal members, each of said contact/terminal members in said third set including a contact portion extending into said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond said bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said third set being different than said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said first and second sets, said insert housing defining a third set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said third set of contact/terminal members, said conduits in said third set being different than said conduits in said first and second sets, said first, second and third sets of conduits being arranged in said insert housing such that adjacent ones of said contact/terminal members are different from one another, each of said conduits in said third set of conduits comprising a bore arranged in said base part and extending between said top and bottom surfaces of said base part, and a groove arranged in said front surface of said cap part and aligning with said bore, a respective one of said contact/terminal members in said third set of contact/terminal members extending through said bore in said base part, over a respective one of said at least one projection, through said channel in said cap part and through said groove in said front surface of said cap part into said receptacle and then in said receptacle toward a rear of said receptacle housing to thereby constitute a rearward facing contact/terminal member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
115 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein each of said conduits in said third set of conduits further comprises a groove arranged in a top face of a respective one of said at least one projection, each of said third set of contact/terminal members being arranged to pass through said groove in a respective one of said at least one projection such that said contact/terminal members passes along the respective projection in a first direction, into and through said groove in the respective projection, along the respective projection in a second direction opposite to the first direction and then through the aligning one of said channels on said bottom surface of said base part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 , wherein said at least one projection on said base part comprises a plurality of projections spaced apart from one another to define channels between each adjacent pair of said projections, at least one of said first set of contact/terminal members extending through a respective one of said channels between a pair of said projections.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said bores in said base part are arranged in first and second rows, each of said first set of contact/terminal members extending through a respective one of said bores in said first row of bores in said base part, each of said second set of contact/terminal members extending through a respective one of said bores in said second row of bores in said base part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said contact portion of each of said first set of contact/terminal members is inclined and has a free edge facing a rear of said receptacle housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector assembly of claim 8 , wherein said contact portion of each of said second set of contact/terminal members is inclined and has a free edge facing a front of said receptacle housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said intermediate portion of each of said contact/terminal members in said first set is straight and said intermediate portion of each of said contact/terminal members in said second set includes an inverted U-shaped portion such that at least a portion of the conductor portion of each of said contact/terminal members in said second set is spaced from said intermediate portion of each of said contact/terminal members in said first set.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said intermediate portions of said contact/terminal members in said first set are situated in a first plane and said intermediate portions of said contact/terminal members in said second set are partially situated in a second plane spaced from and parallel to said first plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein said contact portions of said contact/terminal members in said first and second sets extend obliquely through said receptacle between a lower position proximate an entrance opening of said receptacle and an upper position closer to a rear of said receptacle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
150 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion situated in said receptacle, a terminal portion extending beyond said bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said third set being different than said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said first and second sets, said insert housing defining a third set of conduits receiving said contact/terminal members in said third set of contact/terminal members, said conduits in said third set being different than said conduits in said first and second sets, said first, second and third sets of conduits being arranged in said insert housing such that adjacent ones of said contact/terminal members received in said first, second and third sets of conduits are geometrically different from one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
145 words
The connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein the connector assembly is an eight position, eight contact jack wherein the positions are designated 1 - 8 in sequence, said first set of contact/terminal members comprising two contact/terminal members designated R 1 , said contact portion of each of said first set of contact/terminal members being inclined and having a free edge facing a rear of said receptacle housing, said second set of contact/terminal members comprising four contact/terminal members designated R 2 , said contact portion of each of said second of contact/terminal members being inclined and having a free edge facing a rear of said receptacle housing, said third set of contact/terminal members comprising two contact/terminal members designated F, said contact portion of each of said third set of contact/terminal members is inclined and has a free edge facing a front of said receptacle housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein said contact/terminal members of said first, second and third sets of contact/terminal members are arranged at positions 1 - 8 as follows: R 2 ,R 1 ,F,R 1 ,F,R 1 ,R 2 ,R 1 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The connector assembly of claim 14 , wherein said contact/terminal members of said third set are arranged at positions 3 and 5 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
152 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector assembly is a multi-level jack, said receptacle housing having a plurality of said plug-receiving receptacles arranged in upper and lower levels such that each of said upper and lower levels includes at least one of said receptacles, each of said receptacles being receivable of a respective plug, further comprising at least one lower insert assembly arranged in a respective one of said at least one receptacle in said lower level and including a plurality of contact/terminal members having contact portions situated in said respective receptacle, said at least one insert assembly being arranged in a respective one of said at least one receptacle in said upper level top thereby constitute an upper insert assembly and such that said contact portions of said first and second sets of contact/terminal members of said at least one insert assembly are situated in said respective receptacle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
156 words
The connector assembly of claim 17 , wherein each of said at least one upper insert assembly further comprises: a third set of contact/terminal members each including a contact portion extending into said respective receptacle in said upper level, a terminal portion extending beyond said bottom surface of said insert housing and an intermediate portion interconnecting said contact portion and said terminal portion, said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said third set being different than said intermediate portion of said contact/terminal members in said first and second sets, said receptacle housing defining a third set of conduits for receiving said contact/terminal members in said third set of contact/terminal members, said conduits in said third set being different than said conduits in said first and second sets, said first, second and third sets of conduits being arranged in said insert housing such that adjacent ones of said contact/terminal members are geometrically different from one another.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The connector assembly of claim 18 , wherein each of said at least one upper insert assembly is arranged such that said cap part of said upper insert assembly extends over one of said at least one lower insert assembly and said base part of said upper insert assembly extends rearward of said one of said at least one lower insert assembly.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-16 | 2006-12-16 | 2007-06-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-16 | 2010-12-16 | 2011-06-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-16 | 2014-12-16 | 2015-06-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |