EP1176677A1 - Electric connection assembly, in particulary for enterprise local network - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical connector for local business networks comprises a base (100) containing electrical contacts (120. A set of different inserts may be provided each offering a connection assembly which is complementary to the required distribution of electrical contacts (220). The electrical connector for local business networks comprises a base (100) containing electrical contacts (120) which are connected to conductors by connection cables, all of which are accessible from the base. An insert (200) is provided which is to be fixed mechanically to the base: this also has electrical contacts (220) which are intended to come into contact automatically with those of the base (120), when the insert is fitted into the base. A set of different inserts may be provided each offering a connection assembly which is complementary to the required distribution of electrical contacts (220). The base includes at least one electrically conducting lamella which ensures an earth connection between the screening of the base and the screening of the insert.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors. It applies in particular to connectors for local networks of companies to strong information flow.

Since the beginning of the last decade, we have witnessed a significant increase in information rates on local networks of companies, seeing the corresponding base frequencies pass from 100MHz into 1990 at 600MHz in 1997 and more today.

This development leads to a strong demand for new creations cables and new connectors associated with the market need thus defined.

In practice today, those skilled in the art generally classify the connectivity for local business networks with high information flow in three sections.

The first and second headings respectively group the connectors working at 100MHz and 250MHz. These connectors use cables of four pairs of 100 Ohms, see 120 Ohms, either unshielded or common shielding using metallic plastic tape twisted around the pairs. In some cases, a mass drain is added. Finally, in the best of cases EMC a braid is additionally arranged above the layer banded.

The third section brings together the connectors working at 600MHz (1Gbit for local area networks) and capable of going up to 1.3 GHz or more for multimedia applications. It uses cables of four pairs of 100 Ohms see 120 Ohms. These pairs must be shielded separately by through metallic plastic tape. A common shield made up either additional tape, or a braid, or if necessary combination of such additional tape and braid, covers the pairs.

One of the problems posed by the connection devices hitherto proposed is that the diversity of connectors available today means that, on site, frequently finds incompatibility between connection sets (receptacle / sheet) offered and available.

The main purpose of the present invention is to propose new connection means making it possible to simplify the connection in particular for local networks of companies with high data rates.

• une embase comportant des contacts électriques adaptés pour être raccordés aux conducteurs d'au moins un câble de raccordement tout en étant accessibles sur l'embase, et
• un insert susceptible d'être fixé mécaniquement sur l'embase et possédant lui-même des contacts électriques adaptés pour venir automatiquement en appui contre les contacts électriques de l'embase lors de l'engagement de l'insert sur cette dernière, tout en étant eux-mêmes accessibles sur l'insert selon une répartition sélective adaptée à la disposition d'un ensemble de connexion complémentaire.

This object is achieved in the context of the present invention thanks to a connection assembly comprising:

• a base comprising electrical contacts adapted to be connected to the conductors of at least one connection cable while being accessible on the base, and
• an insert capable of being mechanically fixed on the base and itself having electrical contacts adapted to automatically come into abutment against the electrical contacts of the base when the insert is engaged on the latter, while being themselves accessible on the insert according to a selective distribution adapted to the arrangement of a complementary connection assembly.

In the context of the present invention, a set of inserts is thus provided with different distributions of their contacts, adapted respectively to sets of complementary connections.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the base carries at least one electrically conductive and elastic blade capable of ensure a ground connection between a shielding of the base and a shielding of the insert.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, one of the base or of the insert carries at least one component such as a component capable of operate a symmetrical / asymmetrical signal transformation.

• la figure 1 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'une embase conforme à un mode de réalisation préférentiel de la présente invention,
• les figures 2 et 3 représentent des vues en perspective de deux inserts conformes à des variantes de la présente invention,
• la figure 4 représente une vue schématique en perspective éclatée d'une embase conforme à la présente invention,
• la figure 5 représente une vue arrière en perspective de la même embase,
• la figure 6 représente une autre vue en perspective de l'insert conforme à la variante illustrée sur la figure 2,
• la figure 7 représente une vue en perspective éclatée du même insert,
• la figure 8 représente une vue en perspective d'un insert conforme à une troisième variante de la présente invention,
• la figure 9 représente une vue en perspective éclatée d'un ensemble comprenant embase et insert conforme à une variante de la présente invention, et
• la figure 10 représente encore une autre variante de l'ensemble, tandis que
• la figure 11 représente schématiquement une vue en coupe axiale longitudinale d'un dispositif d'adaptation apte à opérer une transformation de deux fils parallèles vers une prise coaxiale.

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples and in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a schematic perspective view of a base according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
• FIGS. 2 and 3 represent perspective views of two inserts according to variants of the present invention,
• FIG. 4 represents a schematic exploded perspective view of a base according to the present invention,
• FIG. 5 represents a rear perspective view of the same base,
• FIG. 6 represents another perspective view of the insert according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 2,
• FIG. 7 represents an exploded perspective view of the same insert,
• FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of an insert according to a third variant of the present invention,
• FIG. 9 represents an exploded perspective view of an assembly comprising base and insert according to a variant of the present invention, and
• FIG. 10 represents yet another variant of the assembly, while
• FIG. 11 schematically represents a view in longitudinal axial section of an adaptation device capable of operating a transformation of two parallel wires towards a coaxial socket.

The connection system according to the present invention illustrated in the appended figures essentially comprises a base 100 capable of receiving selectively an insert 200 chosen from a set of separate inserts available.

Schematically illustrated in Figure 1 a base 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Base 100 is illustrated without its shielding in Figure 1.

The base 100 comprises a body 110 generally parallelepiped. This can be made of electrically conductive material or even be made of thermoplastic material coated with an electric coating driver.

The base 100 includes a series of electrical contacts 120. These are adapted to be connected to the conductors of at least one connection cable, in the rear part of the base 100, while being accessible on the base 100, in front part of it.

More specifically, the contacts 120 are carried in pairs respectively by an insulating body 130 each associated with an inserter 140.

In the front part, the body 110 of the base 100 has the shape of a cage rectangular 111 formed by an upper wall 112 and a lower wall 113 and of two side walls 114, 115. The two upper walls 112 and lower 113 each define two parallel rectangular rectilinear channels 116 intended for receive the front portion 132 of the insulators 130. In addition, the bottom wall 113 has near the opening contour of the base 100 a housing 117 adapted to receive additional locking teeth provided on a insert 200.

Each of the two side walls 114, 115 defines a housing 118 capable of receive an electrically conductive blade 150 elastic capable of ensuring a electrical connection with the mass of the associated insert 200 to ensure continuity shielding. Typically each blade 150 comprises a clamp 152 adapted for be engaged on the front edge of a side 114, 115 and which extends towards the rear by a corrugation 154 able to come into contact with an insert 200.

The rear part of the base 100, as seen in Figure 5, has preferably the shape of a cross 160 forming a shield respectively between the four pairs of contacts. The cross 160 is formed by two membranes 162, 164 medians perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, preferably, this shielding, in rear part of the base 100 is completed by two lateral flanks 165, 166 which respectively extend the two side walls 114, 115 of the front part.

According to the particular embodiment illustrated in the appended figures, the assembly is designed to receive four pairs of electrical contacts. However, the invention is not limited to this particular provision.

• un premier tronçon rectiligne 122 accessible au niveau de la partie avant 132 d'un isolant 130 et de la partie avant 110 de l'embase 100,
• un second tronçon 124 formant transition, susceptible de diverses configurations mais globalement perpendiculaire au premier tronçon 122, et
• un troisième tronçon 126 globalement parallèle au premier tronçon 122, qui s'étend vers l'arrière de l'embase 100 et se termine sous forme d'une fourche 128 à découpe d'isolant par coopération avec un inserteur 140.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, preferably, each electrical contact 120 is formed of three sections:

• a first rectilinear section 122 accessible at the level of the front part 132 of an insulator 130 and of the front part 110 of the base 100,
• a second section 124 forming a transition, capable of various configurations but generally perpendicular to the first section 122, and
• a third section 126 generally parallel to the first section 122, which extends towards the rear of the base 100 and ends in the form of a fork 128 with insulation cutting by cooperation with an inserter 140.

The geometry and the function of such forks 128 with insulation cutting in cooperation with an inserter being known to those skilled in the art, this arrangement does not will not be described in more detail below.

• un tronçon avant 132 en forme générale de lame rectiligne destinée à prendre position dans l'une des rainures 116 de la partie avant de l'embase, lequel premier tronçon 132 définit lui-même deux rainures parallèles 133 destinées à recevoir chacune respectivement un premier tronçon 122 d'un contact 120,
• un second tronçon 134 globalement perpendiculaire à la lame 132 et servant de support au tronçon de transition 124 des contacts, et
• un troisième tronçon 136 globalement parallèle au premier tronçon 132, dirigé vers l'arrière de l'embase 100 et servant de support au troisième tronçon 126 des contacts électriques.

Each of the insulators 130 has a generally homologous shape of contacts 120, that is to say that each insulator is preferably formed of three sections:

• a front section 132 in the general shape of a straight blade intended to take position in one of the grooves 116 of the front part of the base, which first section 132 itself defines two parallel grooves 133 intended to each receive a first section respectively 122 of a contact 120,
• a second section 134 generally perpendicular to the blade 132 and serving as a support for the transition section 124 of the contacts, and
• a third section 136 generally parallel to the first section 132, directed towards the rear of the base 100 and serving to support the third section 126 of the electrical contacts.

Thus, the eight contacts 120 are arranged in pairs in four insulators 130 respectively at each corner of the parallelepiped cage 110.

The base 100 is thus preferably permanently wired, thanks to the self-stripping contacts 128 with four pairs of cables preferably shielded separately.

Furthermore, preferably, the rear part of the base 100 receiving the wiring by self-stripping contacts and inserter is mechanically closed and electro-mechanically by a conductive cover (not shown in the figures appended for simplicity of illustration) thus forming four tunnels each housing a pair of contacts, in cooperation with the aforementioned cruciform shield 160.

As previously indicated, in the context of this invention, the base 100 is capable of selectively receiving several types 200 inserts.

Three distinct types of insert are shown respectively in the figures 2, 3 and 8 appended.

The insert illustrated in FIG. 2 is typically an RJ45 type insert, or still category 6, 5th or 5 depending on the professional terminology used. The insert illustrated in FIG. 3 is typically a category 7 insert compatible with RJ45.

Each insert 200 is preferably formed from a block 210 generally rectangular whose envelope is complementary to the internal volume of the chamber defined by the front part 110 of the base 100.

Preferably, the rear part of the insert 200 is provided with a cross conductive establishing on its face directed towards the base 100, a sealed contact electromagnetically with the cruciform part 160 of the base by a arrangement of contacts with baffle overlap. Likewise, the face of the cross formed on the insert 200 directed towards the opening preferably also has a arrangement of contacts covered by a baffle intended to ensure continuity electromagnetic with the shielding of a plug intended to be coupled with the insert.

Each insert 200 also carries a set of electrical contacts 220.

Thus preferably, each insert 200 carries four pairs of contacts electric 220.

These electrical contacts 220 are adapted to come automatically into support against the electrical contacts 120 of the base 100 when engaging a insert 200 on the latter, while being themselves accessible on the insert 200. As indicated above, the distribution of electrical contacts 220 over the insert 200 is adapted to the arrangement of the connection assembly or plug complementary.

• un premier tronçon d'extrémité 222 incurvé et élastique disposé dans une fenêtre 212 formée dans la paroi supérieure ou la partie inférieure de l'insert 200 et émergeant sur la face externe de ces parois, pour venir automatiquement en contact avec le tronçon 122 de l'un des contacts de l'embase 100 lors de l'engagement de l'insert 200,
• un tronçon de transition 224 de géométries diverses selon la configuration de connectique demandée sur l'insert 200, le second tronçon 224 étant cependant globalement transversal au premier tronçon 222, et
• un troisième tronçon 226 globalement parallèle au premier tronçon 222 et accessible à l'intérieur d'une chambre 214 de l'insert 200.

Preferably, each of the electrical contacts 220 carried by an insert 200 comprises three sections:

• a first curved and elastic end section 222 disposed in a window 212 formed in the upper wall or the lower part of the insert 200 and emerging on the external face of these walls, to automatically come into contact with the section 122 of the one of the contacts of the base 100 during the engagement of the insert 200,
• a transition section 224 of various geometries depending on the connection configuration requested on the insert 200, the second section 224 however being generally transverse to the first section 222, and
• a third section 226 generally parallel to the first section 222 and accessible inside a chamber 214 of the insert 200.

The section 226 accessible inside the insert 200 is designed to come pressing against an associated electrical contact of the complementary plug. This section can be the subject of numerous embodiments. Note that according to the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the section 226 is formed of a elastic clip with two V-shaped arms.

Each insert 200 also has a locking tab 230 having a toothing adapted to penetrate into the housing 117 of the base.

Each insert 200 also has a faceplate or flange on the front face. 240 defining on its lateral edges two curvatures 242 designed to facilitate gripping and handling the insert 200 during its engagement in a base 100 and its withdrawal therefrom.

Preferably, each insert 200 is produced from a body of material electrically insulating while being coated with an electrically protective cover conductor forming mass.

As previously indicated, depending on the configuration of connectors sought, the arrangement of contacts 220 inside an insert can vary from one insert to another.

More precisely still, preferably, the position of the first sections 222 is identical for all 200 inserts in order to ensure a correct connection with the base 100. On the other hand, the arrangement of the end sections 226 varies according to the configuration sought.

By way of nonlimiting example, the insert shown in Figure 2 and illustrated moreover in FIGS. 6 and 7, presents a single connection plane at the level of the internal face of its upper wall, on which all the sections are accessible 226 of the eight electrical contacts 220, as seen in particular in FIG. 6.

On the other hand, the insert illustrated in FIG. 3 has two connection planes at the inner faces of the upper wall and the wall respectively bottom of the insert on each of which are respectively available four end sections 226 of contacts 220.

The shape of the contacts 120 and 220 carried by the base 100 and the inserts 200 is advantageously adapted to compensate for the crosstalk effects undesirable.

Illustrated in FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of an insert comprising also four pairs of contacts 220 accessible on the upper wall and the lower wall in the form of sections comparable to the curved section 222 described previously and accessible inside the insert in the form of two pairs of male pins 228 and two pairs of female pins 229. This arrangement is given for illustration only and may also be subject to many configurations and variants.

As previously suggested, the compliant connection device to the present invention may also carry at least one component, in especially an electrical or electronic signal adaptation component.

In particular, in the context of the present invention, such a component can be formed of a signal balancing device which can be used for example for domestic cable or satellite television applications. Such balun device is designed to provide signal transformation symmetrical between two wires available on a twisted pair towards a signal asymmetrical available on a coaxial cable between a central active wire and a ground or shielding, or vice versa from an asymmetric signal to a symmetrical signal. Such converter component allows for example to have a coaxial output to receive a signal from a video demultiplexer.

In practice, such a component is generally formed by a transformer of coupling.

In FIG. 9, such a component is shown diagrammatically under the reference 300.

We see that this component 300 has on the rear a socket 310 coaxial compatible providing or receiving the asymmetrical signal and on the front a output in the form of two parallel wires 320, 322 supplying or receiving the signal symmetrical. The distance between the two wires 320, 322 corresponds to the distance between two contacts 128 of the base. Such a component 300 can be housed for example in the base 100 in the rear part thereof as illustrated in FIG. 9.

The contact between the component 300 and the contacts 120 of the base is automatically ensured by insertion of wires 320, 322 into the insulation-displacement contacts 128 adapted.

For example, a video signal arriving on the coaxial cable and on the socket 310 is transformed by component 300 into a symmetrical signal emerging from one of the four pairs of the base 100. Obviously, as part of the present invention, four associated symmetrization devices can be provided respectively to each of the contact pairs.

According to yet another variant illustrated in FIG. 10, the component adaptation 300 operating a symmetrical / asymmetrical conversion is no longer planned on the base 100 but selectively on each of the inserts 200. More specifically, according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 10, the component 300 is placed in a cavity in the rear part of an insert 200 between the two sections 222 and the two sections 226 of a pair of adjacent contacts 220.

In this case, the coaxial cable can be connected to contacts 128 by example by placing the stripped core of the coaxial cable in a self-stripping contact 128 and by welding an additional terminal wire engaged with the other contact self-stripping 128, on the braid of the coaxial cable.

According to yet another variant as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, this adaptation of the coaxial cable can be made using a specific component 350 designed to provide a transition between two parallel wires 352, 354 a pair of contacts 128 on the one hand and a coaxial output or input on the other hand, on the other side.

Claims (17)

Electrical connection assembly, in particular for local networks of companies with high data rates, characterized in that it comprises a base (100) comprising electrical contacts (120) adapted to be connected to the conductors of at least one connection cable, while being accessible on the base, and an insert (200) capable of being mechanically fixed on the base (100) and itself having electrical contacts (220) adapted to automatically come into contact with the electrical contacts (120) of the base (100) during of the engagement of the insert (200) on the latter, while being themselves accessible on the insert (200) according to a selective distribution adapted to the arrangement of a complementary connection assembly. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a set of inserts (200) respectively adapted to the complementary connection assembly by their distribution of electrical contacts (220). Assembly according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the base (100) carries at least one electrically conductive strip (150) capable of ensuring a ground connection between a shielding of the base (100) and shielding of the insert (200). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises an adaptation component. Assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the component is a symmetrization device (300). Assembly according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the component (300) is placed on the base (100). Assembly according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the component (300) is placed on the insert (200). Assembly according to one of claims 4, 5 or 7, characterized in that the component is placed between two sections of a pair of contacts (220) carried by the insert (200). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the base (100) carries a shielding cross (160). Assembly according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it carries four pairs of electrical contacts (120, 220). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that each contact (120) of the base (100) has three sections: a first section (122) designed to be accessible on the insert (200), a transition section (124) and a third section (126) designed for connection to a cable. Assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the third section (126) has a self-stripping contact (128). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the electrical contacts (120) of the base (100) are carried in pairs by an insulating body (130). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that an insert (200) has two connection planes each in the form of two pairs of contacts (226). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that an insert (200) has a connection plane in the form of four pairs of electrical contacts (226). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that each insert (200) has a shielding crosspiece. Assembly according to one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that each contact (220) of the insert has three sections: a first elastic and curved section (222) designed to bear against a homologous contact (122) of the base, an intermediate transition section (224), and an end section (226), preferably elastic, accessible inside the insert to come into contact with a homologous contact of a complementary plug .

Images