High-density plug connector for twisted pair cable

Claim 2

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body assembly comprised of two bi-partite housing portions, each housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to a first major surface of each said housing portion, and a second row adjacent to a second major surface of each housing portion, the two housing portions being adaptable for stacking together with the second major surface of each said housing portion proximate; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section, each said rear wire connecting section comprising a blade section adapted to receive a wire in soldered connection, said rear wire connecting portions being adapted for connecting pairs of twisted pair cables, with blade sections for a twisted pair having a centerline spacing which is less than, adjacent blade sections for adjacent pairs.

Claim 3

The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein said housing portions are hermaphroditic.

Claim 4

The electrical connector of claim 2 , wherein the housing portions include an upstanding alignment post on one side of said second major surface, and a corresponding alignment aperture on a laterally disposed side, whereby when said hermaphroditic housing portions are stacked one above the other, corresponding alignment posts and apertures assure proper alignment.

Claim 5

The electrical connector of claim 3 , wherein the lateral centerline of the terminal receiving cavities is offset from the centerline between the alignment post and alignment aperture.

Claim 6

The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the terminal receiving cavities are comprised of a front open channel to receive the front contact portions, and a rear open portion allowing access to the rear wire connecting sections.

Claim 7

The electrical connector of claim 5 , wherein each housing portion is comprised of front and rear sections, the front section including the front open channels, and the rear section includes the rear open portions.

Claim 8

The electrical connector of claim 6 , wherein the terminal receiving cavities further comprise intermediate cavity portions for retaining the terminals.

Claim 9

The electrical connector of claim 7 , wherein the front and rear housing sections include latching mechanisms to retain the two members together.

Claim 10

The electrical connector of claim 8 , further comprising an outer shielding shell enclosing the housing body assembly.

Claim 11

The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein the outer shielding shell is profiled to back up the latching mechanisms preventing the latching mechanisms from coming unlatched.

Claim 12

The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein the rear wire connecting sections of the terminals include an L-shaped conductive member, comprised of the flat blade section and a wall section extending from a side edge thereof.

Claim 13

The electrical connector of claim 11 , wherein said housing portions include wire alignment recesses positioned forward of said rear wire connecting sections, whereby wire ends may be inserted into the wire alignment recesses, assuring alignment over the wire connecting sections.

Claim 14

The electrical connector of claim 11 , wherein the connector is arranged for connection to twisted pair cable, with side-by-side terminals in the same row being adapted for connection to a twisted pair of conductors, the terminals being arranged with the L-shaped sections back-to-back with a thin web of material between them to minimize the centerline spacing between pairs.

Claim 15

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body having at least two cantilevered housing portions extending from a main body portion, said cantilevered housing portions being positioned vertically above one another in a laterally offset manner, with a side edge of each housing overextending a side edge of the other housing, each said cantilevered housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to an outside surface of each said housing section, and a second row adjacent to an inside surface of each housing portion; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section.

Claim 16

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body having at least two cantilevered housing portions extending from a main body portion, said cantilevered housing portions being positioned vertically above one another in a laterally offset manner, with a side edge of each housing overextending a side edge of the other housing, each said cantilevered housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to an outside surface of each said housing section, and a second row adjacent to an inside surface of each housing portion; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section.

Claim 17

The electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein said rear wire connecting section comprises a blade section adapted to receive a wire in soldered connection.

Claim 18

The electrical connector of claim 15 , wherein the rear wire connecting sections of the terminals include an L-shaped conductive member, comprised of the flat blade section and an integral wall section extending from a side edge thereof.

Claim 19

The electrical connector of claim 16 , wherein said housing portions include wire alignment recesses positioned forward of said rear wire connecting sections, whereby wire ends may be inserted into the wire alignment recesses, assuring alignment over the wire connecting sections.

Claim 20

The electrical connector of claim 16 , wherein the connector is arranged for connection to twisted pair cable, with side-by-side terminals in the same row being adapted for connection to a twisted pair of conductors, the terminals being arranged with the L-shaped sections back-to-back with a thin web of material between them to minimize the centerline spacing between pairs.

Claim 21

The electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein said insulative housing body is comprised of two housing portions, each housing portion having a cantilevered housing section.

Claim 22

The electrical connector of claim 19 , wherein said housing portions are hermaphroditic.

Claim 23

The electrical connector of claim 20 , wherein the housing portions include an upstanding alignment post on one side of said second major surface, and a corresponding alignment aperture on a laterally disposed side, whereby when said hermaphroditic housing portions are stacked one above the other, corresponding alignment posts and apertures assure proper lateral offset alignment.

Claim 24

The electrical connector of claim 14 , wherein the terminal receiving cavities are comprised of a front open channel to receive the front contact portions, and a rear open portion allowing access to the rear wire connecting sections.

Claim 25

The electrical connector of claim 22 , wherein each housing portion is comprised of front and rear sections, the front section including the front open channels, and the rear section includes the rear open portions.

Claim 26

The electrical connector of claim 23 , wherein the terminal receiving cavities further comprise intermediate cavity portions for retaining the terminals.

Claim 27

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body assembly comprised of two bi-partite housing portions, each housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to a first major surface of each said housing portion, and a second row adjacent to a second major surface of each housing portion, the two housing portions being adaptable for stacking together with the second major surface of each said housing portion proximate, said cavities including rear open channels; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section, said rear wire connecting section comprising L-shaped wire receiving sections for receiving a wire in soldered connection, said L-shaped wire connecting portions being adapted for back-to-back positioning in said channels for connection to pairs of twisted pair cables.

Claim 28

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body assembly comprised of two bi-partite housing portions, each housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to a first major surface of each said housing portion, and a second row adjacent to a second major surface of each housing portion, the two housing portions being adaptable for stacking together with the second major surface of each said housing portion proximate, said cavities including rear open channels; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section, said rear wire connecting section comprising L-shaped wire receiving sections for receiving a wire in soldered connection, said L-shaped wire connecting portions being adapted for back-to-back positioning in said channels for connection to pairs of twisted pair cables.

Claim 29

The electrical connector of claim 25 , wherein said housing portions include wire alignment recesses positioned forward of said rear wire connecting sections, whereby wire ends may be inserted into the wire alignment recesses, assuring alignment over the L-shaped wire connecting sections.

Claim 30

The electrical connector of claim 25 , wherein the connector is arranged for connection to twisted pair cable, with side-by-side terminals in the same row being adapted for connection to a twisted pair of conductors, the being arranged with the back-to-back L-shaped terminals sections having a thin web of material between them to minimize the centerline spacing between pairs.

Claim 31

The electrical connector of claim 27 , wherein the lateral centerline of the terminal receiving cavities is offset from the centerline between the alignment post and alignment aperture.

Claim 32

The electrical connector of claim 25 , wherein said connector portions are hermaphroditic.

Claim 33

The electrical connector of claim 29 , wherein the housing portions include an upstanding alignment post on one side of said second major surface, and a corresponding alignment aperture on a laterally disposed side, whereby when said hermaphroditic housing portions are stacked one above the other, corresponding alignment posts and apertures assure proper alignment.

Claim 34

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body assembly comprised of two bi-partite housing portions, each housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to a first major surface of each said housing portion, and a second row adjacent to a second major surface of each housing portion, the two housing portions being adaptable for stacking together with the second major surface of each said housing portion proximate, said cavities including first and second rear open channels, with said first open channel facing said first major surface, and said second open channel facing said second major surface; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section positioned accessible through said first and second open channels, with said rear wire connecting section being adapted for connection to a wire in soldered connection.

Claim 35

An electrical connector, comprising: an insulative housing body assembly comprised of two bi-partite housing portions, each housing portion including first and second rows of terminal receiving cavities, a first row adjacent to a first major surface of each said housing portion, and a second row adjacent to a second major surface of each housing portion, the two housing portions being adaptable for stacking together with the second major surface of each said housing portion proximate, said cavities including first and second rear open channels, with said first open channel facing said first major surface, and said second open channel facing said second major surface; and a plurality of electrical terminals, each said terminal including a front contact portion, an intermediate body section, and a rear wire connecting section positioned accessible through said first and second open channels, with said rear wire connecting section being adapted for connection to a wire in soldered connection.

Claim 36

The electrical connector of claim 31 , wherein said housing portions include wire alignment recesses positioned forward of said rear wire connecting sections, whereby wire ends may be inserted into the wire alignment recesses, assuring alignment over the wire connecting sections.

Claim 37

The electrical connector of claim 31 , wherein each said rear wire connecting section comprising a blade section adapted to receive a wire in soldered connection, said rear wire connecting portions being adapted for connecting pairs of twisted pair cables, with blade sections for a twisted pair having a centerline spacing which is less than, adjacent blade sections for adjacent pairs.

Claim 38

The electrical connector of claim 33 , wherein the wire connecting portions are L-shaped terminals sections positioned in a back-to-back relation having a thin web of material between them to minimize the centerline spacing between pairs.

Claim 39

The electrical connector of claim 31 , wherein the lateral centerline of the terminal receiving cavities is offset from the centerline between the alignment post and alignment aperture.

Claim 40

The electrical connector of claim 35 , wherein said connector portions are hermaphroditic.