EP0851538A2 - Modulaire Telefonsteckerbuchse mit niedrigen Profil und dessen Herstellungsverfahren - Google Patents

Modulaire Telefonsteckerbuchse mit niedrigen Profil und dessen Herstellungsverfahren Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0851538A2
EP0851538A2 EP97122933A EP97122933A EP0851538A2 EP 0851538 A2 EP0851538 A2 EP 0851538A2 EP 97122933 A EP97122933 A EP 97122933A EP 97122933 A EP97122933 A EP 97122933A EP 0851538 A2 EP0851538 A2 EP 0851538A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
housing
terminals
phone jack
portions
modular phone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97122933A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0851538A3 (de
Inventor
James T. Roberts
Lawrence E. Lenz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Molex LLC
Original Assignee
Molex LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Molex LLC filed Critical Molex LLC
Publication of EP0851538A2 publication Critical patent/EP0851538A2/de
Publication of EP0851538A3 publication Critical patent/EP0851538A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
    • H01R24/60—Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
    • H01R24/62—Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
    • H01R24/64—Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Definitions

  • This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a low profile modular phone jack, along with a method of fabricating the modular phone jack.
  • modular phone receptacles or jacks have been known in the art for many years. Although connectors of this type were originally designed for the telecommunications industry, and in particular for telephones, they have found wide acceptance in other areas. For example, modular jacks are commonly used as input/output (I/O) interface connectors for computers to communicate with each other and with a variety of peripheral equipment.
  • I/O input/output
  • Modular jacks are used extensively as an interface between a standard modular plug and a printed circuit board.
  • the modular jacks generally include a dielectric housing having a plug-receiving socket or opening therein.
  • a plurality of stamped, metallic elongated terminals are mounted in the housing for engaging contacts of the corresponding plug.
  • each terminal typically, each terminal includes a contact portion at one end extending diagonally into the socket or opening, a tail portion at the other end extending from the housing and an intermediate portion between the contact portion and the tail portion.
  • Modular phone jacks may be formed either as a one-piece housing structure or as a two-piece assembly.
  • a one-piece or unitary dielectric housing has channels adapted to locate and hold the stamped metallic terminals.
  • the terminals are mounted on a dielectric insert as a subassembly, and this subassembly is positioned in the housing.
  • the terminals are at least partially formed or bent prior to positioning the subassembly into the housing.
  • the finally assembled modular phone jack then can be mounted on a printed circuit board with the tail portions of the terminals inserted into precisely spaced holes in the printed circuit board.
  • One of the problems in the use of modular phone jacks as described above involves maintaining the tail portions of the terminals at the same precise location and spacing as the holes in the printed circuit board. This problem is particularly prevalent in two-piece assemblies where the terminals are preassembled on the insert prior to positioning the subassembly of the insert and the terminals into the jack housing. It is fairly easy to precisely locate the tail portions in a one-piece molded jack housing. However, in the two-piece assembly, the various preassembly steps, including bending and forming of the tail portions, handling and inserting the subassembly into the housing, tend to cause the tail portions to become misaligned. This problem is further complicated when filter elements are positioned about the tail portions of the terminals.
  • the present invention is directed to these problems by providing a unique system for maintaining proper spacing or alignment of the terminal tail portions in a modular phone jack particularly of the two-piece design.
  • An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved modular phone jack of the character described, along with a method of fabricating the modular phone jack.
  • the jack includes an outer dielectric housing having a plug-receiving opening formed in a forward mating end of the housing.
  • An inner dielectric insert is positionable in the housing.
  • a plurality of elongated terminals are fixed to the insert. Each terminal includes a contact portion at one end extending diagonally into the plug-receiving opening and a tail portion at the opposite end extending from the housing.
  • means are provided for securing the tail portions to the housing at predetermined spaced locations.
  • the terminals have intermediate portions between the contact portions and the tail portions.
  • the intermediate portions are fixed to the dielectric insert.
  • the tail portions are secured to a comb structure of the housing to maintain the tail portions at precise, predetermined spaced locations.
  • the insert is generally planar and includes a forward end from which the contact portions of the terminal extend and a rearward end from which the tail portions of the terminals extend.
  • a filter element is positioned about the tail portions of the terminals. In final assembly, the filter elements are sandwiched between first shoulder means on the housing and second shoulder means on the insert.
  • the invention also contemplates a method of fabricating a modular jack, including the steps of providing an outer dielectric housing with a plug-receiving opening in a forward mating end of the housing.
  • the plurality of terminals are fixed to an inner dielectric insert to form a subassembly.
  • the subassembly then is positioned in the housing with the contact portions of the terminals extending diagonally into the plug-receiving opening and with the tail portions of the terminals extending from the housing. After positioning the subassembly in the housing, the tail portions of the terminals are secured to the housing at their predetermined spaced locations.
  • the method may include the step of mounting a filter element about the tail portions of the terminals prior to positioning the subassembly into the housing. During assembly, the filter elements are sandwiched between opposing shoulder means on the insert and the housing.
  • the invention is incorporated in a modular phone jack, generally designated 10.
  • the jack is a two-piece assembly including an outer dielectric housing, generally designated 12, and an inner dielectric insert, generally designated 14.
  • a plurality of elongated terminals, generally designated 16, are mounted in the housing.
  • a filter in the form of a ferrite block 18 (Fig. 2) is positioned over portions of the terminals.
  • outer dielectric housing 12 of modular phone jack 10 is of a conventional box-like configuration including a top wall 20, a bottom wall 22 and a pair of side walls 24, all combining to define a plug-receiving socket or opening, generally designated 26.
  • the socket is open at a forward mating end 28 of the housing.
  • the rear of the socket is closed by an internal partition 30 spaced inwardly or forwardly of a rear end 32 of the housing.
  • the top of partition 30 includes a comb-like structure 30a.
  • the rear of bottom wall 22 also includes a comb-like structure 22a.
  • a pair of mounting posts 36 are integrally molded with and project downwardly from the housing. The posts are mounted into locating holes in the printed circuit board to precisely locate the housing on the board, particularly relative to the terminal tail holes in the board.
  • each terminal 16 includes an intermediate portion 16a between a contact portion 16b and a tail portion 16c.
  • the contact portion of each terminal extends at one end of the intermediate portion diagonally into plug-receiving opening 26.
  • the tail portions 16c of the terminals are bent generally perpendicular to intermediate portions 16a at the opposite ends thereof downwardly and out of housing 12 for insertion into holes in the printed circuit board. It can be seen in Figure 2 that tail portions 16c of the terminals are formed so that alternating ones of the terminals are in two different rows as is typical in the art.
  • Figure 2 shows ferrite filter block 18 sandwiched between a first shoulder 38 defined by comb structure 22a of the housing and a second shoulder 40 defined by insert 14.
  • Figure 8 shows dielectric insert 14 and terminals 16 in the process of being joined to form a subassembly for insertion into jack housing 12. More particularly, the dielectric insert is formed as a generally planar, molded plastic component having a plurality of upstanding staggered locating projections 42. Terminals 16 are mounted on top of insert 14 and include oval-shaped pilot holes 44 which are staggered with respect to one another in the alternating terminals. Locating projections 42 are adapted to be received within pilot holes 44 to precisely position terminals 16 on the top of insert 14. After positioning the terminals, locating projections 42 are cold staked to rigidly fix the terminals to the insert.
  • terminals 16 are fixed to dielectric insert 14 as shown in Figure 8, the terminals then are formed as shown best in Figure 2.
  • contact portions 16b of the terminals are bent downwardly about a front edge 14a of the insert until the contact portions extend diagonally rearwardly beneath the insert.
  • Tail portions 16c are bent downwardly generally at right angles to intermediate portions 16a behind a rear edge 14b of the insert.
  • ferrite filter block 18 is positioned onto tail portions 16c of the terminals as seen in Figure 2.
  • the inside of side walls 24 of the housing are provided with grooves 46 (see Figs. 2 and 5) for receiving the side edges of insert 14 when the subassembly of the insert and the terminals are mounted in the housing through the rear end 32 of the housing.
  • the method of fabricating modular phone jack 10 can fairly be derived from the above description of the structural combination thereof. Nevertheless, the method can be summarized as follows:
  • the method includes the step of mounting the filter element about tail portions 16c of the terminals prior to positioning the subassembly of the insert and the terminals into the housing. During assembly, filter element 18 becomes sandwiched between opposing shoulders 38 and 40 of the housing and the dielectric insert, respectively.
  • the tail portions enter comb structure 22a at the rear of bottom wall 22 to precisely position the tail portions at predetermined spaced locations corresponding to their respective holes in the printed circuit board.
  • the tail portions can be cold staked to the bottoms or bases of the slots in the comb structure.
  • Contact portions 16b are separated by comb structure 30a.
  • the structural combination of the invention takes the advantages afforded by a one-piece jack structure as well as a two-piece assembly without creating any substantial disadvantages.
  • a one-piece jack housing can best locate the tail portions of the terminals relative to their respective holes in the printed circuit board. This can be understood because mounting posts 36 precisely locate the housing on the board and the housing, in turn, precisely locates the tail portions of the terminals.
  • a one-piece housing structure has considerable disadvantages in assembling conductors 16 and/or filter elements inside the one-piece structure.
  • a two-piece assembly including a dielectric insert, such as insert 14 considerably simplifies the assembly processes of a modular phone jack.
  • the two-piece assembly suffers from the disadvantages of the tail portions of the terminals becoming misaligned during manufacture and handling.
  • the present invention takes advantage of the positive attributes of both types of designs.
  • the invention uses the two-piece structure to provide a subassembly which is very easy to assemble within the jack housing, including the terminals and the filter block, if desired.
  • the structure of the invention then relies on the housing (i.e. comb structure 22a) to precisely align and space the terminal tail portions for insertion into their respective holes in the printed circuit board.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
EP97122933A 1996-12-30 1997-12-29 Modulare Telefonsteckerbuchse mit niedrigem Profil und dessen Herstellungsverfahren Withdrawn EP0851538A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US774475 1991-10-10
US77447596A 1996-12-30 1996-12-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0851538A2 true EP0851538A2 (de) 1998-07-01
EP0851538A3 EP0851538A3 (de) 1999-01-20

Family

ID=25101351

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97122933A Withdrawn EP0851538A3 (de) 1996-12-30 1997-12-29 Modulare Telefonsteckerbuchse mit niedrigem Profil und dessen Herstellungsverfahren

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0851538A3 (de)
JP (1) JP3082078B2 (de)
CA (1) CA2225971A1 (de)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4698025A (en) * 1986-09-15 1987-10-06 Molex Incorporated Low profile modular phone jack assembly
US4772224A (en) * 1987-09-02 1988-09-20 Corcom, Inc. Modular electrical connector
US5178563A (en) * 1992-05-12 1993-01-12 Amp Incorporated Contact assembly and method for making same
US5310360A (en) * 1993-05-18 1994-05-10 Molex Incorporated Circuit board mounted modular phone jack
WO1996007219A1 (en) * 1994-08-31 1996-03-07 Berg Technology, Inc. Filtered modular jack assembly and method of use

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4698025A (en) * 1986-09-15 1987-10-06 Molex Incorporated Low profile modular phone jack assembly
US4772224A (en) * 1987-09-02 1988-09-20 Corcom, Inc. Modular electrical connector
US5178563A (en) * 1992-05-12 1993-01-12 Amp Incorporated Contact assembly and method for making same
US5310360A (en) * 1993-05-18 1994-05-10 Molex Incorporated Circuit board mounted modular phone jack
WO1996007219A1 (en) * 1994-08-31 1996-03-07 Berg Technology, Inc. Filtered modular jack assembly and method of use

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10233253A (ja) 1998-09-02
JP3082078B2 (ja) 2000-08-28
EP0851538A3 (de) 1999-01-20
CA2225971A1 (en) 1998-06-30

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