TWI261958B - Universal connector assembly and method of manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

An advanced modular plug connector assembly incorporating an insert assembly disposed in the rear portion of the connector housing. In one embodiment, the connector has a plurality of ports in multi-row configuration, and the insert assembly includes a substrate adapted to receive one or more electronic components such as choke coils, transformers, or other signal conditioning elements or magnetics. The substrate also interfaces with the conductors of two modular ports of the connector, and is removable from the housing such that an insert assembly of a different electronics or terminal configuration can be substituted therefor. In this fashion, the connector can be configured to a plurality of different standards (e.g., Gigabit Ethernet and 10/100). In yet another embodiment, the connector assembly comprises a plurality of light sources (e.g., LEDs) received within the housing. Methods for manufacturing the aforementioned embodiments are also disclosed.

Description

Ir 1261958 玖, DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to an electronic component, and more particularly to a good design of a single or multiple connector assembly that can include internal electronic components and a method of making the same . [Prior Art] Modular connectors, such as those having an "RJ" configuration, are well known in the electronics industry. The connector is adapted to receive one or more modular plugs of different types (eg, RJ-45 or RJ-1 1) and to communicate between the modular plug terminal and the female component coupled to the connector signal. Typically, the connector performs certain types of signal conditioning (e.g., filtering, voltage conversion, or the like) as the signals pass therethrough. The production of efficient and cost-effective connector designs involves many considerations. Such considerations include, for example: (i) the available volume and "footprint" of the connector; (ii) the need for electrical status indicators (eg, LEDs); (iii) and assembly And the cost and complexity of manufacturing the component; (iv) accommodating a variety of electronic components and signal conditioning capabilities; (v) the electrical and noise performance of the component; (vi) the reliable shoulder of the component (vii) to adjust the design to Compatible with complementary technologies; (viii) compatibility with existing and "pi η 〇" standards and applications; (i X) the ability to configure this connection into one of multiple ports The potential of individual variable internal configurations, and (ix) the potential for repair or replacement of defective components. The switch device is the same as the sub-devices in the 5 1261958 electronic connector (including modular sockets), which is used more and more in data network applications, such as wired or wireless LAns (regional network), regardless of It is used for computers or other electronic devices (such as routers, gateways, hubs, switching medium to digital machine boxes, etc.). More and more data connectivity and performance • Make these connectors more usable in a wider range of applications. Increasing the rate of lean rate requirements, such as those required by the so-called "Ultra High Speed Ethernet (GBE)", also increases the performance requirements for these connectors. As more performance and components (e.g., both discrete and integrated circuits are deployed in the connection), more efficient use of the available space in the connector and more efficient heat dissipation are required. The factors described thus result in the myriad of different configurations of the prior art modular connectors (and usually South Specialization). Many of these designs use an internal printed circuit board or substrate to mount an electronic or J-switching member inside the connector housing. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,0,9,6, 4, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to the entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire disclosure The modular jack is mounted, and the modular jack has a printed board that includes a noise suppression electronic component in a housing. The printed board is provided with a contactor for contacting the plug and terminal for mounting the modular jack on the circuit board. The etc. contactors and terminals are connected to the signal suppression electronic component by a line on the printed board. U.S. Patent No. 5,5,1,6,1, 2, issued to Goodall et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. The modular jack assembly mounted on the printed circuit board 6 1261958 includes a plurality of modular jacks assembled in a common integrated housing and is configured in a back-to-back mirror symmetrical manner. The connection is shielded (s h i e 1 d i n g) around the component, and there is also a shield between the two columns to suppress interference therebetween (c r 〇 s s _ t a 1 k). The design is dense, providing a large number of connections without increasing the length of the connector assembly, while also providing accessibility to the locking latches of the complementary modular plugs that the receptacles receive.

U.S. Patent No. 5, which was issued to Raman on December 24, 1996, and entitled "Electrical connector jackwithencapsu 1 atedsigna 1 c ο nititi ο ningcom ρ ο nents" 5 8 7,8 8 4 discloses a modular jack electronic connector assembly for use with a network component for a 5-week unshieided twisted pair of wires. The modular jack includes a conventional insulative housing and an insert subassembly including an insert molded front and a rear embedded component. A contact terminal for mating with the modular plug extends from the front embedded component into the rear embedded component. The post-embedded component also includes signal conditioning components for adjusting twisted pair signals, such as common mode choke coils, filter lines, and transformers, for example, for inputting or outputting IEEE 10 B ase-T ( IEEE 10 baseband twisted pair) is used in the application of network components. </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; Adjusting unshielded double 7 1261958

Modular socket electronic connector assembly for signals within the stranded wire. The modular jack includes a conventional insulative housing and an insert subassembly that includes an insert-molded embedding element and a rear embedding element. A contact terminal for mating with the modular plug extends from the front insert member into the rear insert member. The rear entry element also includes signal conditioning components for adjusting the twisted pair signal, such as common mode choke coils, filter lines, and transformers, for example, for use in wheeling or outputting IEEE 10 Base-T network components. Used in. The rear embedding component includes a body to be shaped that stabilizes the contact terminals and the position of the wires from which the wires such as salt are extended to connect to external circuitry, such as external printing with interface processors for specific applications. Circuit board. A common prior art method is exemplified in U.S. Patent No. 5,75,067, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this configuration, one or more PCBs are disposed in the connector housing in a vertical planar orientation with the inner surface of the PCB pointing toward the interior of the assembly and the outer surface directed toward the exterior of the assembly. Approved by Kunz on January 9th, 2001, "Standard footprint and form factor RJ-45 connector with integrated signal conditioning" is the standard footprint and size factor for integrated signal conditioning with high-speed network integration. U.S. Patent No. 6,171,152, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire disclosure The socket, and the opposite open end. A contact spring assembly of a plurality of lines in the split circuit extends forwardly through the housing and the open end enters behind the front open end. 8 1261958 The contact assembly also includes a plastic block that supports the plurality of wires at a right angle and is perpendicular to the plurality of wires, and the plastic block is embedded and locked behind the casing. Inside. A set of mounting pins are disposed at the bottom edge of the plastic block to connect to the printing host board. A signal conditioning portion is disposed in the plastic block to provide signal conditioning of signals from the set of mounting pins to the contact spring assembly.

U.S. Patent No. 6,5,5,540, issued to Gutierrez et al., which is incorporated herein by reference to U.S. Pat. Multi-connector electronics - which contain different noise shielding components that reduce noise interference and increase performance. In one embodiment, the connector assembly includes a plurality of connectors having associated electronic components that are disposed in two parallel rows, one disposed above the other. The assembly uses a substrate baffle that reduces the transmission of noise through the bottom surface of the component and an external "wrap-around" shield to reduce the transmission of noise through the remaining external surfaces. In a second embodiment, the connector assembly further includes an upper and lower shield between the upper row of the connector and the following to reduce the noise transmission between the connector columns and the electronic components disposed in each of the above columns and the following connectors. A plurality of front and rear shield elements between the members to limit transmission between the electronic components. U.S. Patent No. 6,7 6 9 entitled "Connector with insert assembly and method ^ _ α of manufacturing" by Gutierrez et al., March 3, 2004. , 9 3 6 discloses a /». Nadine type modular plug connector assembly, comprising a solid 9 1261958 high-quality flat, low profile detachable embedded component, which is disposed at the rear of the connector housing An associated substrate in the portion adapted to selectively contain one or more electronic components. In one embodiment, the connector assembly includes a single port having a single embedded component. The conductors and terminals of the connector are held in respective forming carriers that are received within the embedded assembly. A plurality of light sources (e.g., LEDs) are also housed in the housing, and the conductors of the LEDs are matched to the conductive paths on the embedded component substrate. In another embodiment, the connector assembly includes a multi-connected "1 X N" component. U.S. Patent No. 6,773,3, 2, issued to Gutierrez et al., entitled "Advanced Microelectronic Connector Assembly and Method of Manufacturing", issued on August 1, 2004. A modular plug connector assembly includes a substrate disposed in a rear portion of the connector housing, the substrate being adapted to receive one or more electronic components, such as a choke coil, a transformer, or other signal conditioning component or magnet. In one embodiment, the connector assembly includes a single connector pair having a single substrate disposed in a rear portion of the housing φ body. In another embodiment, the assembly includes a multi-port "row-and-column" housing having a plurality of substrates (one for each connection) in the rear of the housing. Each of the substrates - has an adjustment electronics that adjusts the input signals received from the respective modular plugs prior to output from the connector assembly. In yet another embodiment, the connector assembly includes a plurality of light sources (e.g., LEDs) housed in the housing. A shielded modular plug connection is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,848,943, issued to the U.S. Patent No. 6,848,943, the entire entire entire entire entire entire content And a detachable insert assembly disposed in the connector housing, the insert assembly being adapted to selectively receive one or more electronic components. In an exemplary embodiment, the connector assembly includes a single port connector having an integrated shielded housing and a dual substrate insert assembly. The housing is advantageously formed using a metal casting process that naturally shields the connector (and the surrounding environment) from EMI (electromagnetic interference) and other noise disturbances while reducing the shape of the housing. The above cited information is only a significant number of examples of substantially different orientations for filtered (and unfiltered) modular jacks, such as for Ethernet (10/1 〇〇) or GBE LAN. Or other data network applications. However, the foregoing prior art configurations have not been optimized in terms of application flexibility and other desired contribution characteristics. In particular, each of the foregoing solutions is limited to the particular configuration selected at the time of manufacture. This typically necessitates the manufacture, distribution, and sale of connectors of the same foundation of many different variations, each of which has the characteristics expected for a particular application. Example • For example, a conventional 10/100 Ethernet socket uses a known magnet set (filter) f and other circuits, as well as a specific pin and body footprint to match the motherboard or other components. Similarly, a connector used in a GBE application may have a different magnet configuration and a different footprint/body footprint. Therefore, two different products are needed to meet these two needs. This situation is not optimal' because it requires at least some manufacturing processes to be separated, distributed, stored, and sold at 11 1261958 (eg, different production lines, labels, sorts, part numbers, etc.). Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved electronic connector (e.g., modular jack) design that provides reliable and superior electrical and noise performance while also providing application flexibility. Such a connector design can ideally allow for the immediate use of a plurality of different electronic signal conditioning components in the connector signal path, as well as the sinister display, if desired, but does not affect the connection of the crying profile or the total body footprint. Or require a change in the housing. This improved connector design also facilitates easy assembly and disassembly of the internal components of the component, if desired. The design can be further modified to integrate into a multi-connector connector assembly, including the ability to change the configuration of the internal member to the individual ports of the assembly. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is described in the context of

The component terminals are matched to form a part of the electrical path. The substrate selectively has a plurality of signal conditioning members embedded in the latter, and is disposed between the conductors and the mating components (e.g., motherboard or PCB) in the signal path. This embedded component can be used in any number of wire (and electronics) configurations and applications. For example, in one variation, the embedded component is suitable for use in an Ultra High Speed Ethernet (GBE) application, while in other variations it is suitable for use in an Ethernet 10/100 application. In a second exemplary embodiment, the assembly includes a connector housing having a plurality of connector recesses disposed to connect the pairs, the grooves being substantially over-under and side by side ( Side-by-side) direction placement.

In a second aspect of the invention, the connector assembly further includes a plurality of light sources (e.g., LEDs) adapted to allow an operator to view directly or indirectly during operation. The light sources advantageously allow the operator to determine the status of each individual connector simply by viewing the front end of the assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the connector assembly includes a single port pair having LEDs disposed relative to the grooves and adjacent to the modular plug latch formed therein, thereby These LEDs are easily viewed from the front end of the connector assembly. The LED conductors (two pairs of LEDs) are mated with the upper substrates in the rear portion of the housing. In another embodiment, the LED conductor comprises a continuous electrode that terminates directly on the printed circuit board/external component. A multi-connector embodiment is also disclosed having a plurality of modular plug recesses arranged in columns and rows, and each recess having a pair of LEDs. In another exemplary embodiment, the light sources comprise a "light pipe" configuration in which a light guiding medium is used to transmit light of a desired wavelength from a remote source (eg, an LED) to the connector. The expected viewing position. In a variant, the light source comprises an LED, which is substantially arranged at 13

1261958 The PCB or component on which the connector assembly will eventually be mounted, wherein the optical medium receives light energy directly from the LED. In a third aspect of the invention, an electronic component modified using the connector assembly described above is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic component includes the connector assembly mounted on a plurality of electrically conductive printed circuit board (PCB) substrates formed thereon and bonded thereto by a solder process, thereby forming a slave The tracks pass through the conductive paths of the individual connectors of the package. In another embodiment, the connector assembly is mounted on an intermediate substrate that is mounted to a PCB or other member using a terminal block that reduces the footprint of the body. In a fourth aspect of the invention, an improved method of making the connector assembly of the present invention is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method generally includes the steps of: forming a component housing having at least two modular plug receiving slots and at least one rear cavity disposed therein; providing a plurality of conductors, including a first set Suitable for use in a first recess of the housing element to match a conductor of a corresponding modular plug; providing a further plurality of conductors, including a second set, adapted to be second in the housing element Used in the recess to match the conductor of the second modular plug; providing at least one substrate having an electrical path formed thereon and adapted to be received in the rear cavity; the first set of conductors Terminating on one end of the substrate; terminating one end of the body of the second set on the substrate; providing a third set of conductors adapted to terminate on the substrate, and forming a connection to a connector to match At least a portion of an electrical path of a component (eg, a circuit board); and terminating the three sets of conductors on the substrate. The third group is connected to the substrate before the termination of the substrate, and the concave portion and the containing portion of the substrate are electrically connected to the first portion 14 1261958 I from the modular plugs (when embedded therein) Passing through at least one of the first and second sets of conductors to the ends of the third set of conductors of the third set. A fourth set of conductors is selectively operable to direct the signal from the third set of conductors to the external component. In another embodiment of the method, one or more electronic components are mounted on the substrate, thereby providing an electrical path from the modular plug terminal through the (etc.) electronic component To the end of the third terminals. [Embodiment] Referring to the drawings, the same portions are denoted by the same code throughout the entire text. Should &gt; Ideas Although the following description is primarily based on an RJ-type connector and related modular plugs of the type well known in the prior art, this month can be used with any number of different connector types. Therefore, the following discussion of RJ connectors and plugs is only an example of a broader concept.

As used herein, the terms "electrical component" and "electronic component" are used interchangeably and mean a component suitable for providing certain electrical functions, including but not limited to inductive reactions. ("flow-resistant coil"), transformers, filters, gapped core toroids, inductors, capacitors, resistors, operational amplifiers, and diodes, whether discrete components or products Body circuits, either alone or in combination. For example, the US Patent Application No. 15 1261958, entitled "Advanced Electronic Microminiature Coil and Method of Manufacturing", under the joint review of the assignee filed on September 13, 2000, A modified toroidal element is disclosed in the '09, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety in its entirety in its entirety herein in its entirety in its entirety in its entirety. As used herein, it should be understood that "signal conditioning" or "conditioning" is included, but not limited to, signal voltage conversion, filtering, current limiting, sampling, processing, and lag time. (timede 1 ay).

As used herein, the term "port pair" means the upper and lower modular connectors (connecting ports), which are substantially vertically arranged, ie one connector is substantially disposed in another Above a connector, either directly or offset from a particular direction. As used herein, the term "interlock base" generally means, but is not limited to, a structure, such as the one approved by Lint et al. The method of "Microelectronic component carrier and method of its manufacture" is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,015,981, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. US Patent No. 5,9 86,8 94, approved by Lint et al. on December 21, 999, entitled "Through-hole interconnect device" with separate wires and component barriers. U.S. Patent No. 6,005,463, entitled "Electronic packaging 16 1261958 device and method", which was approved by Gutierrez on May 28, 2002. No. 6,395,983, or approved by Morrison et al. on July 15, 2003, entitled "Electronic package components and systems with embedded conductors" The method (Electronic packaging device with insertable leads and method of manufacturing) disclosed in "US Pat. No. 6,593,840 persons in each of the seven men herein by reference in its entirety is incorporated herein in square

MULTIPLE CONNECTION EMBODIMENT Referring now to Figure 1 -1, a first embodiment of a connector assembly of the present invention is disclosed. As shown in Fig. 1, the assembly 1 generally includes a connector housing member 102 having a plurality of individual connectors 1〇4 formed therein. In detail, in the illustrated embodiment, the connectors 1 〇 4 are arranged side by side in the housing 102, thus forming two columns of 1 〇 8, 1 1 〇 connectors, one column being arranged above the other column ("column and row" (r〇w-and-column)). The wall 1 〇 6a of each individual connector 104 is further arranged parallel to each other and is generally coplanar, so that the modular plug can be simultaneously inserted into the plug recesses 1 1 2 formed in each of the connectors 104 without interference. Each of the modular recesses 1 1 2 is adapted to receive a modular plug (not shown) having an electrical conductor disposed therein in a predetermined array, the array being adapted to be present The individual conductors l2a in each of the recesses 112 are mated, thus forming an electrical connection between the plug conductor and the connector conductor 120a, as will be more fully explained below. The columns 1 〇 8, 1 of the embodiment of Fig. 1 are mirrored 17 : 110 : 110

1261958, so each latch mechanism in the upper column 1 Ο 8 is reversed or mirrored to the connector below it. This approach allows the use of a latch with two columns 1 〇 8, 1 1 0 with minimal physical interference (in this case, a flexible groove type configuration is usually used on the RJ modular socket, although other Type replaced). However, it should be understood that the connectors in the following 108, 110 can have a phase with respect to their latching mechanism, and if desired, for example, all latches of the two rows of connectors can be placed above the plug recess. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector housing component 102 is electrically conductive and formed of a thermoplastic (e.g., Thermex &gt; IR compatible UL94 V-0), although it will be understood that other materials may be obtained. , polymers or other substances. The housing component 102 is formed by an injection molding process, although other processes are used depending on the material selected. The manufacture of the housing components is well known in the prior art and will therefore not be described herein. As shown in the first la-lb diagram, the connector assembly can also be shielded using, inter alia, a well-known type of art, or with an arrangement of alloy noise shields 107 as described in more detail below. A plurality of grooves 1 22, which are generally disposed parallel to one another and are vertically oriented in the 102, are typically formed in the recesses 112 of each of the connectors 104 of the housing member 102. The trenches 1 22 are inter-connected and adapted to guide and house the conductors 120 that are used to interface with the modular plug. The conductors 120 are formed in a predetermined shape, and the lockable film and the upper portion of the same can be placed on the upper non-PCT process, and the partition body in the step-by-step tin shell is selected. And Bao 18 1261958

Holding in a plurality of conductors or one of the terminal insertion components 1 29 formed by two sub-assemblies 1 3 Ο, 1 3 2 (Fig. 11), the latter being also housed in the housing member 102, As shown in the lc and lm diagrams. In detail, the housing element 1 〇 2 comprises a plurality of cavities 1 3 4 formed at the rear of each connector 104, generally abutting the wall behind each connector 104, and extending forward into the The grooves 1 1 2 are adjacent, and each of the cavities 1 3 4 is adapted to receive the terminal embedding components 1 2 9 (one, two, or more, as described in the following embodiments) ). The first conductors 120a of the substrate/member assembly 1 29 are deformed, such that when the components 129 are embedded in their individual cavities 13 4, the upper conductors 1 2 0 a are received The trenches 1 22 are held in a position matching the conductors of the modular plug, when the latter is received in the plug recess 1 1 2, and are also disposed therebetween and define the same The isolator 123 of the trench 122 remains electrically isolated. When installed, the terminals are embedded in 1 2 9 in a substantially side-by-side configuration (see Figure 1 e). Each of the cavities is further adapted to receive an electronic embedded component 150 of the type generally shown in Fig. It should be understood that the term "electronics" as used herein does not require any electronic component or electronic device to be disposed on or within the component 150, although this is a preferred configuration. In particular, the connector assembly of the present invention can be implemented with one or more ports without electronic components, if desired. Referring now to Figures 1 d and 1 f-1 k, an exemplary configuration of such (electronic) embedded components 150 is described in detail. As best shown in Figures 1 d and 1 f, the illustrated embodiment of the connector assembly 1 includes a plurality of substantially enclosed in the cavity 134 after the housing 102 of the 19 1261958. Break into component 丨5 〇. These components include an upper substrate 140 and a plurality of upper ends 152 and a lower terminal 154, the latter being in the embodiment of the Dingbee. It should be understood that it can be made as a single unit (mu1*30' ^ When needed (for example, in a one-piece "pass through" configuration), the basin is supplied with a tertiary, and the thickness of the embedded component body 151 is relaxed. Alternatively, one of the terminals, ten/丄, and or two groups (or even individual terminals in a group) can be configured in the same way, for example using a facet bonding technique.

Mount technique) (eg similar to a ball grid array or bgA semiconductor package). It is to be understood that the terms "upper" and "lower" are used in the context of the meaning of the meaning and the meaning of For example, when the connector assembly is mounted on the underside of a substantially horizontal motherboard, the "upper" terminal is actually disposed below the "down" terminal. The exemplary terminals shown in Figures 1 d and 1 f-1 k are insert-molded into the two intended body members 156, 158, which form the embedded member body 15 although these may be formed using an adhesive. It is embedded and fixed by the "staking" method. Moreover, the two body members 156, 158 can be formed using any number of processes including, for example, injection molding or transfer molding. The upper substrate 140 includes a plurality of holes 144 ′ for receiving the upper terminals 152 and may be electrically conductive on one or both surfaces (whether discrete components such as resistors, capacitors, etc. or integrated circuits) Wait for any way to compose. The upper substrate 140 also includes an end portion 145 having a series (e.g., eight) of conductive traces 146 disposed on its surface (both upper and lower surfaces) for embedding the assembly with the corresponding terminal. 9 conductors 20 1261958 120a, 120b the last end of the cooperate, as best shown in the lm diagram. The upper substrate 140 can be a single layer or comprise a multi-layered board having a plurality of vias or other electrical paths formed therein, as is well known in the art of electronics. When assembled, each individual embedded component 150 is "coupled (g a n g e d)" to its adjacent connection pair (if any), as shown in Figure 1d. The combination of the individual components 150 and a common lower substrate 1 7 利用 utilizes a complementary set of friction or snap pins 173 on the embedded body members 156, 158 and The holes ι 74 in the lower substrate, although other tools may be used if necessary (for example, by soldering the lower terminals 154, bonding the components 150 to the substrate 17 , heat riveting, or other Such a method). However, it should be understood that other configurations may also be used, including but not limited to: (i) having each of the embedded components 丨5 〇 and its upper and lower substrates composed of one unit, thus making each of the components 150 Independently moving; (ii) using both the common upper and lower substrates for each pair of embedded components 15 or (丨(1) is more than two embedded components 15〇 (eg, all four 2 X 4 configured inserts 15 The cymbal is generally "combined" on a common slab 170 that is housed in a large cavity 134 formed in the rear end of the connector housing 〇2) using a common upper and/or lower substrate. Methods are also possible, each of which can be readily understood and implemented by those skilled in the art to which the present invention is disclosed. Further, the lower substrate (1) is configured in the exemplary embodiment in the connection as a component. The bottom of the 100 is adjacent to the pcB or the outer 70 pieces on which the component 1〇〇 is finally mounted. Each of the substrates 包含7〇 is included, in the example of the embodiment 21 1261958, at least one layer of glass fiber, although Use other configurations and materials The substrate 170 further includes a plurality of conductor perforation arrays formed on the substrate 170 at a predetermined position of the conductors 1 5 4 under each of the embedded components 150, so when the connection When the component 100 is fully assembled, the conductors 154 will pass through the substrate 170 through a separate array of openings. This arrangement advantageously provides mechanical stability and alignment of the lower conductors 154, and such The embedded component 150 is stable.

One of the salient features of the present invention relates to its stability for use in many different configurations and/or applications. In particular, as shown in Figures 1 f-1 h and 1 i, the connection assembly can include a lower terminal 1 5 4 that is from front to back (i.e., along the front surface from the housing 102) 1 06 to the rear line) configured in one or more substantially parallel columns, such as those commonly used in ultra-high-speed Ethernet (GBE) or other applications; see Figure In, which is the terminal configuration Floor plan. Alternatively, as shown in the li, lk, and 〇 diagrams, the embedded component 150 can be configured with the lower terminal 154 disposed in one or more substantially parallel columns, the columns being vertically configured with the foregoing For example, it is generally used in many 1 〇/1 〇〇 Ethernet applications. Many other configurations of the lower terminals (including a mixture of the two methods described above) may be used as desired, such as tailoring the terminal pins. Obviously, the foregoing exemplary embodiment also uses a general configuration for the terminal 152 above the embedded component 150, so that the upper substrate 140 disposed on the embedded component 150 does not need to be different for each Changed by embedding component configuration. Thus, the exemplary connector assembly 100 can be configured as a GBE component, a 10/100 component, or simply by embedding an embedded component 150 in a different configuration in the housing 102. This simplifies fabrication because the shells 22 1261958 body 102, terminal inserts 129, upper substrate 140, noise shields, etc. are identical in each of the different variations; the only changes are related to the embedded component 150 and the And so on) the lower substrate 170.

In fact, the lower substrate 170 may be (i) completely excluded in some embodiments or applications, or (ii) made "universal" by making the GBE and 10/100 pins have perforations, The same lower substrate 170 can be used for any of the embedded components 150. This can be achieved, for example, by aligning the components, including the lower terminals and the embedded bodies 156, 158 to achieve the foot requirements, and then placing the perforations in the lower substrate 170, thus Both are in contact with both feet and use at least some of the same perforations for any application. It should also be understood that a particular embedded component 150 can itself be made "universal." In an embodiment of the invention (1P and 1 q), each of the embedded component bodies 156, 158 is configured such that it is substantially square and thus may be in the first or second direction Embed in the housing (each direction is rotated 90 degrees by the other). The upper substrate 140 (Fig. 1r) is designed to remain in the same direction, regardless of the direction of the body of the embedded component, and thus has two sets of substantially identical through holes 144 formed therein to allow the terminal of the embedded component body to be The 152 can be housed in one or another set of perforations, regardless of the direction in which the body is embedded. The lower terminal 154 (Fig. lq) is thus deposited in the GBE direction or the 10/10 0 direction (or any other specific position selected), depending on how the embedded body is embedded in the housing. It should also be noted that the electronic package used in the embedded component 150 can be made to accommodate two variants (ie, GBE or 10/100) by using additional or additional electronic components (eg, magnets) to carry out the task. One use, and / 23 1261958 or by having such electronic components have dual functions where possible. Alternatively, the individual components of the design for the GBE application can be wound/assembled in one way, while the designer of the 10/1 00 application is wound/assembled in another way, so even the "universal" The use of component body components 15 6 , 15 8 can reduce the cost of production 'because only one type is required to enter the component (although winding and assembly are different).

In the illustrated embodiment, one or more types of electronic components are disposed within an internal cavity 180 formed in each of the embedded components 150, including, for example, a choke coil, a transformer, etc. (see Figure U). Its circuitry is in electrical communication with one or more of the upper and lower terminals 152, 154 of the assembly 150, such as via wire (wrap), solder, solder, or the like. Multiple line channels 1 8 4 are also provided to aid wiring and separation. The terminals 1 5 2, 1 5 4 can also be engraved as is well known in the art to further assist in the bonding of the wires to their wires. The electronic components may also be encapsulated in a potting compound or encapsulant, such as an epoxy or silicone, if desired. The two body members 156, 158 are snapped together in a pinhole configuration, as shown in Figure U, although it will be appreciated that other mechanisms may be utilized, such as adhesion, thermal bonding, and the like. In addition, it should be understood that the embedded body can be formed as a single member (e.g., having an opening to embed various electronic components, or as a soot block for a plastic or sealant) rather than a "halves" as shown. In another embodiment, an interlocking substrate or a similar member is used in the cavity 180 to, in particular, provide additional electrical isolation. In yet another embodiment (not shown), the embedded component 150 can be divided into 24

The structure of 129 is 1261958, the top and the bottom, so that the two body members 156, 158 are arranged substantially in a configuration. Thus, the upper terminals 152 are configured to be disposed in the upper body member and the lower terminals 154 are disposed in the lower body member. The terminal insert assemblies 129 are maintained in their cavities by friction with the housing 70, although the method and configuration are substituted for and achieve the same results. If desired, the completed terminal assembly 129 can be easily inserted into the housing and subsequently selectively removed. Figure 11 shows the terminal components sub-assembly 1 3 0, 1 3 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the two sub-at least one friction locating pin 133 or heat staking is maintained in a different dispensing agent as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, if desired, the two sub-assemblies may be formed as an embedded (conductor) 120 type well known in the art of FIG. 11 using conventional techniques, although other configurations may be used, including the sub-components 1 3 0, 1 3 2 Embedding the toast...λ, the sound is placed on the unformed wire, and the body 120 is attached. It should also be appreciated that the divider or EMI shield can be configured in any particular terminal-embedded component 129 (or adjacent adjacent side-by-side components minimizes such conductor sets 12a, 120b and/or other sub-noises and interferences. For example, in 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield Shield In 2, the two components are included by t ', although: [for example, a single member is adhered. After the forming terminal is formed, between the conductor groups forming the conductive conductor, 1 29, etc.) To Gutierrez, its manufacturing method and method 25

The multi-dimensional concealment technique, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety, in its entirety herein. With other occlusion configurations, the foregoing is just an option. Minimized EMI and/or techniques well known in other electronic arts can be used in conjunction with the present invention as needed. The locking mechanism 1 3 5 is also provided with the insert 1 296 selectively locked in its groove in the housing 102, although this is also achieved by friction, heat riveting, or other methods. In the illustrated embodiment, the bodies 1 2 0 a, 1 2 Ob of each of the terminal assemblies 1 29 are substantially mirrored with respect to one another, although necessary. The use of mirrored conductor sets significantly simplifies the manufacturing process due to the formation and processing of the profiled conductor arrangement. However, there are promising applications for the configuration of the vision, such as two connected images of the pair, or the internal structure of the component 10 requires such a configuration. It should be further noted that although the embodiment of the first 1 -1 q diagram includes two columns of columns 10 08, 108, which have four connectors 104, thus forming a 2-column connector, other array configurations may be used. For example, two columns are available, each column having a 2 by 2 array of two connectors instead. A 2 by 8 configuration is available. A 2x 1 array (1st s) can also be used. Alternatively, an asymmetric configuration can be used, such as having a different number of connectors for each of the two columns (e.g., two connectors in the upper column, four of the connectors). The modular plug recess of each connector has a front surface 1 0 6 a) that is also not required to be coplanar as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. Revealing and concealing the device can also make the outside, if it interferes, it will be able to benefit from the two groups. This is by no means a disposable device. This device is used for each of the multi-row arrays, or as another column. (And, in addition, the 26 1261958 connector does not require a lower substrate/electronic component, or a component embedded in the component 15 and/or on a different substrate than the same one. Some of the connections in the array can have configurations The other connectors in the columns are, for example, another-winning gold-PE., , and the connector configuration in the connector housing can be 'imaged, imaged or formed. For example, one or more The upper/lower connection & 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用 用Electronic 埠

The opposite is true. Alternatively, each of the pair of ports may have a vision configuration. As yet another alternative, the pair of connections may be hybrid, such as two of the four embedded components i 5 in the 2x4 configuration of Figure 1, while the other two are 10/10 ( ) or another standard configuration. Many other variations are possible with this release; therefore, the embodiments shown herein are merely illustrative of a broader concept. Early Connection Embodiment Referring now to Figure 2, another embodiment of the connector assembly of the present invention is disclosed. As shown in Fig. 2, the assembly 2 〇 〇 generally includes a connector housing member 02' having a modular plug-receiving connector 2〇4 formed therein. The front wall 206a of the connector 204 is further configured to be perpendicular or at right angles to the PCB surface (or other component) on which the connector assembly 200 is mounted, with a latch mechanism remote from the PCB, thus modularizing The plug can be embedded in the plug recess 212 that is raised into the connection 204 without physical interference with the PCB. The plug recess 212 is adapted to receive a modular plug (not shown 27 1261958) having a plurality of electrical conductors disposed therein in a predetermined array, the array state being adapted to be present in the recess 2丨2 In the middle of the θ, the three bodies 22 0a are matched, so the conductors in the plugs are connected to one. The V body 22〇a p forms an electrical connection. This embodiment can be broadly considered to be a connection bee of only the lower half of the connector 100 of the θ Β 丨 疋 疋 1 1 m diagram. Details + σ卞5 &lt;, the upper base phase 240 has a profile, a member, etc. disposed on its lower surface, 乂 remains vertical 'grinding (although not necessary)' and the substrate 240 is configured in a fish &quot; connector 1 00 of the funeral component 1 5 0 similar streamlined body 2 5 1

Lu Zhi, because the connector 200 has only one port, the signal adjustment 'electronic construction requirements are proportionally reduced, so if a gentleman, Τ, the embedded phase piece 250 (and the cavity 234) can be made similar and More closely. In addition, the vertical profile can be lowered by lowering the height above the terminal, or another interface mechanism (such as B G Α or the like) can be used. Therefore, in the case of &quot;^, the connector assembly 2 of Fig. 2 can optionally have a conventional appearance or a similar socket size (and body footprint). Referring now to Figures 丨 丨 c and 1 f, another aspect of the invention is disclosed. As best seen in the previous figures, the connector assembly i optionally includes an external noise shield 107 that is substantially disposed about the exterior of the rm 10 0 。. The illustrated shield 1 〇 7 comprises a two-piece construction (although more or fewer pieces are used) and includes a plurality of cli-ins (cliPs) 191 formed at the rear of the shield (see panels 1a and 1c). These clips 191 are electrically connected to the pads or contacts 192 of the respective upper substrate 140 when the rear shield shield members are disposed at the rear of the connector housing 丨〇2. The contacts]g 1 r\ are electrically connected to a capacitor disposed on, for example, the upper substrate, and the via provides a grounded low impedance path through the shield. These clips 1 9 1 and 28 1261958 contact 1 92 can be purely friction mounted, soldered or mechanically bonded, or both, as expected.

As shown in Fig. 1a, the rear stage shielding member grounding piece 193 slides between the lower substrate 170 and the embedded member 150. In addition, the shielded front tabs 194 (Fig. 1b) slide in the grooves formed on the bottom of the housing and below the lower substrate 170, thereby fixing the shield 170 to the housing. on. The tabs are also selectively electrically coupled to the lower substrate 17 (e.g., contact pads formed on the upper or lower surface thereof) to provide a ground connection similar to the clip 191 discussed above. Such connections may be frictional, via bonding processes such as soldering, or other types. It should be noted that the aforementioned shields are also adapted to receive a plurality of component packages disposed at the rear of the connector assembly, for example, the devices illustrated in Figures 3a-3d, as described hereinafter. Connector Assembly with Light Source Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, yet another embodiment of the connector assembly of the present invention is disclosed. As shown in Figures 3a-3d, another implementation of the connector 3&quot;f-column, shield&amp;& has a light pipe configuration. The light pipe is well known in the art; , Wood Day &quot;V 3Γ Χ Θ configuration allows the light pipe to adapt to the connector configuration except as disclosed herein. Gentleman's seven leaves 5, as shown in Figure 3a_3d, the exemplary embodiment includes two p, * and the pieces (ie at least one of the above listed connectors and at least one of the following techniques, ° ° J ^ one or more of the light pipe assembly 3 i 与其 combined with it. Cry 2 0 1 + 对该 for the upper column connection In other words, the light pipe assembly 310 includes a light guiding medium 304, which is adapted to transmit light energy from a desired wavelength of a light source 3 1 2, in this case an LED. The LED 312 is configured The carrier member 314 is disposed in close proximity to the back of the connector assembly, the connector assembly being adapted to receive the LED and to be sized. The carrier 314 can house some LEDs or similar light sources as shown. The LED guiding system is matched with the lower substrate 37〇, which protrudes slightly from the back of the connector assembly 3 As in the first 3 C best shown by FIG.

It should be noted that the LED recess 323 in the carrier 314 may also be internally coated with a reflective coating of the type well known in the art to enhance the reflection of light emitted by the LED during operation into the inner surface of the optical medium 304. The light directing medium can include a single optical path from the inner face 316 to the viewing face 318 or a plurality of adjacent or joined optical transmission portions. As another way,

One or more "ganged" fibers (e.g., single mode or multimode fibers of the type well known in the art of optical networking) can be used as the optical medium. Alternatively, the use of a substantially split light, particularly if the substantial dispersion is expected, is detachably retained in the connector assembly (e.g., by being formed in the housing), or any combination of the foregoing. The component is used as the optical medium 3〇4, . If necessary, the optical medium can be in the housing, or fixed in place 'or use adhesive or friction force to protect one - 吟 设 亚 冗 又 又 又 又 腹 上 上 上 上 上 上 上Within the channel. It should be noted that because of the longer "light" of light and the optical loss associated with this second optical medium, the strip/intensity of led 3 η and/or the optical characteristics and dimensions of the medium 304 can be selectively adjusted to produce In essence, the luminosity of 30 1261958, etc., is related to the following column &lt; leDs. In addition, the LEDs in the lower column can be used in combination with lenses, cymbals, or optical media (although the length is much shorter than the one above the connector), if desired, to provide a homogeneous appearance for the indicators above and below the connector. It should be understood that although the embodiment shown in Figures 3a-3d has an exemplary external noise mask 307, the mask is optional or, if desired, may include another configuration, including LEDs and light indicators. . Placing the LEDs outside of the noise shield also helps to mitigate interference between the LeDs and the signal path/electronic components in the connector. It will also be appreciated that while the embodiment of the present invention is described in terms of two columns of connecting elements, the light pipe assembly of the present invention can be implemented in other numbers of elements, such as having a weir element. U.S. Patent Application entitled "Advanced Microelectronic Connector Assembly and Method of Manufacturing", filed on September 18, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference. A light pipe configuration of the type shown in 10/246,840 can be used in conjunction with the present invention to provide an indication function. In another embodiment of Fig. 4, the connector assembly 4 includes a plurality of light sources 403, which are currently in the form of light-emitting diode LEDs of the type well known in the art. These light sources 403 are used to indicate the electrical connection status in each connector as fully understood. The LEDs 403 of the embodiment of Fig. 4 are disposed at the bottom edge 4〇9 of the lower column 410 and at the top edge 4 1 4 of the upper column 4〇8, two LEDs per connector, adjacent to the modularization Insert 31 1261958

The head latch mechanism is on either side and is thus viewable from the front surface of the connector assembly 400. In the present embodiment, each of the LEDs 403 is received within a recess 444 formed in the front surface of the housing member 402. Each of the L ED s includes two conductors 4 1 1 , which generally travel from the rear end of the LED to the rear of the connector housing component 402 in a horizontal direction within a wire path formed in the housing component section. The LED conductors 41 1 are sized and deformed at an angle toward their ends so that they can (i) be individually opened on the (or other) main substrate associated with each modular plug connection Matching, then electrically connecting the conductors to individual second conductors disposed at the other end of the main substrate, (ii) uninterruptedly traveling to the upper substrate 440 (ie, a continuous conductor), and passing therethrough and from The corresponding opening in the substrate 440 is exposed, or (iii) travels directly from the LED to the PCB/external component, regardless of or interaction with the upper substrate. Similarly, a set of complementary trenches are provided which terminate on the bottom of the housing 402 to coincide with the conductors 411 of the LEDs listed below the connector. These allow the LED conductors to be received in their respective recesses 444 and, when exposed from the rear end of the recess 444, deform downwardly to be frictionally received in their respective recesses. Each of the grooves 444 formed in the housing member 402 surrounds its respective LED when the latter is embedded. And the LED is firmly held in place via the friction between the LED 403 and the inner walls of the grooves (not shown). Alternatively, a looser mounting and adhesive, or both a frictional and an adhesive can be used. Alternatively, the recess 444 may comprise only two side walls having LEDs s held primarily in position 32 1261958 by their conductors 41, which are frictionally received in adjacent formations. Inside the groove in the surface of the connector housing. As yet another alternative, the outer shield member 107 can be used to provide support and retention of the LEDs within the recess 444, which includes the three-sided channel into which the LEDs are mounted. Many other configurations can be used to position and maintain L E D s at a position relative to the housing member 40 2 . Such configurations are well known in the relevant art.

The two LEDs 403 used by each connector 404 emit visible light of a desired wavelength, such as emitting green light from one LED and emitting red light from the other 'although a multi-color component (eg, a "white light" LED), if desired , or even can be replaced by other types of light sources. For example, a light pipe configuration that uses optical fibers or conduits to transfer light from a remote source to the front surface of the connector assembly 400 can be used. Many other options are possible, such as incandescent or even liquid crystal (LCD) or thin film transistor (TF1r) components, all of which are well known in the art of electronics. The connector assembly 400 with LEDs 403 can be further configured to include noise masking of individual LEDs. It should be noted that in the embodiment of Fig. 4, the read LEDs 403 are disposed inside the external noise shield 1〇7 (not shown) (i.e., on the connector housing side). Such masking can be included in the connector assembly 3(R) in a number of different ways if it is contemplated to mask noise from the LEDs to protect the individual connectors 404 and their associated conductor and component packages. In one embodiment, the LED shield is formed by forming a thin metal layer (eg, copper, on the inner wall of the LED recess 444 prior to embedding each of the LEDs (or even on the non-conductive portion of the LED itself). Nickel or copper alloy). In a second embodiment 'can be used from the connector housing 33 1261958

4 Ο 2 separate discrete shield elements (not shown), each of which is formed to receive its respective LED and is also suitably mounted in its respective recess 444. In yet another embodiment, the external noise shield can be fabricated and deformed within the recesses 444 to receive the LEDs 403 on the outer surface of the shield, thereby providing the LEDs and individual connectors 404. Noise isolation between the two. If it is desired to use various other methods to shield the LEDs to protect the connectors 404, the only limitation is sufficient electrical isolation between the LED conductors and other metal components on the connector assembly to avoid short circuits. Manufacturing Method Referring now to Figure 5, a method 500 of manufacturing the aforementioned connector assembly 100 will now be described in detail. It should be noted that although the description of the method 500 of FIG. 5 below is based on the multi-connector connector assembly of FIG. 1, the broader method of the present invention can be equally applied to other configurations (including, for example, the second Figure single connection 埠 embodiment). In the embodiment of Figure 5, the method 500 generally includes forming the component housing component 102 in step 502. The housing is formed using an injection molding process of the type well known in the art, although other processes are available. The injection molding process is chosen because of its ability to accurately replicate the small details of the mold, low cost, and ease of handling. Next, two sets of conductors (120a, 120b) are provided in step 504. As previously described, the conductor sets comprise a strip of metal (e.g., copper or aluminum alloy) having a substantially square or rectangular cross-section and are sized to fit within the housing 102 at 34 1261958. In the slit of the conductor.

In step 506, the isolating system is placed in groups; the first set of slots is used in conjunction with each of the first pair of connector recesses (i.e., in the housing 102, and with the modules) The plug terminals are matched, and a second set of 1 2 Ob is provided for the other port of the pair. The conductors are formed into a desired shape using a forming die or machine of the type well known in the art. In particular, for the embodiment of Figure 1, the first and second conductor sets 1 20a, 1 2Ob are deformed to produce side-by-side, substantially coplanar as shown in Figure 11 and described above. Configuration. In step 508, the first and second conductor sets 120a, 120b are insert-molded into respective portions of the terminal embedding assembly 129, thereby forming the member shown in FIG. In step 510, the two sub-components of the insert 129 are mated, such as by snapping (s n a p - f i t), friction, adhesive, thermal bonding, and the like. In step 512, the upper and lower terminals 152, 145 may be formed using methods similar to those used for the conductors 120a, 120b, if desired, although in the illustrated embodiment, And the lower terminals 1 5 2, 1 5 4 do not need to be deformed (ie, can be kept straight). It should also be noted that either or both of the aforementioned sets of conductors may also be engraved at their ends (not shown), thus wires associated with the electronic components (eg, fine wires wrapped around the magnetic toroidal coil elements ( Fine-gauge wire)) can be wrapped around the end of the engraving to provide a secure electrical connection. In step 514, the first and second body members 156, 158 of the (electronic) embedded component 150 are formed, for example, by injection or transfer shaping. In a 35 1261958 embodiment, the high temperature polymers of the type ubiquitous in the art are used to form the body elements 156, 158, although this is not essential and other materials (even non-polymers) may be used. Next, the upper substrate 140 is formed in step 516 and penetrates its thickness in a plurality of openings having a predetermined size. The method of forming the substrate is well known in the art of electronics and will not be further described herein. Any conductive traces required by a particular design are also added to the substrate so that when contained in the openings, the conductors of the conductors will electrically communicate with the traces.

The openings in the primary substrate are configured as two arrays of side-by-side perforations, one at each end of the substrate, and having a spacing (i.e., spacing) such that its location corresponds to the desired pattern, although other configurations may be used. Any number of different methods can be used to penetrate the substrate, including a drill bit, a punch, a heated probe, or even a laser energy. Alternatively, the openings may be formed when the substrate itself is formed, thus eliminating a separate manufacturing step. Next, the lower substrate 170 is formed in step 518 and penetrates its thickness in a plurality of openings having a predetermined size. The openings are configured as an array having bi-planar perforations that receive the respective lower conductors 154. The openings of the lower substrate function to register (r e g i s t e r) and increase the mechanical stability of the lower set of conductors. Alternatively, the openings may be formed when the substrate itself is formed. In step 520, one or more electronic components, such as the aforementioned toroidal coil and surface mount component, are then formed and prepared (if used in the design). The manufacture and preparation of such electronic components are well known in the art and will not be further described herein. 36 1261958

The associated electronic component is then mated with the upper substrate 140 in step 522. It should be noted that if no components are used, the conductive traces formed on/in the main substrate will form conductive paths between the first and second sets of conductors 120 and the individual upper conductors 152. The members may optionally be (i) housed in corresponding openings designed to receive a portion of the member (eg, mechanically stable), (ii) bonded to the substrate, such as through an adhesive or sealant. Use, (iii) be mounted "free space" (ie, the tension generated by the wires of the member is held in place when the latter terminates on the substrate conductive traces and/or conductor ends) , or (iv) use other methods to keep it in place. In one embodiment, the surface mount member is first disposed on the primary substrate and the magnets (e.g., toroidal coils) are disposed later, although other sequences may be used. The components are electrically coupled to the PCB using a eutectic solder re-flow process, as is well known in the art. In step 512, the remaining electrical components are disposed in the cavity of the embedded component 150 and electrically wired to the appropriate upper and lower terminals 152, 154. This wiring may include winding, soldering, soldering, or any other suitable process to form the desired electrical connection. In step 526, the two completed body members 156, 158 are aligned (e.g., snapped, joined, etc.) to form the body 151 of the embedded component 150. The electronic component of the assembly 150 is then selectively secured with silicone or other sealant (step 5 28), although other materials may be used. This completes the embedded component substructure 1 5 3 . In step 530, the assembled SMT/magnet base will then be assembled.

The 1261958 board is mated with the embedded component substructure 1 5 3 and its components, in particular because the upper terminal 15 2 is disposed in its corresponding opening of the substrate 140. The terminals 152 are in contact with the substrates, for example via soldering, to ensure a secure electrical connection for each. If necessary, test the completed embedded components to ensure proper operation. In step 532, if desired, the two completed inserts 150 can be mated with and joined to a common lower substrate 170 to form a substantially secure embedded structure. In step 534, the previously formed terminal insert assembly 129 is incorporated into a groove formed in the cavity 134 of the housing 102 and brought into position. Next, the complete embedded structure of step 523 is embedded in the housing and snapped into place, thus completing the (unmasked) connector 100 (step 5 3 6)° or, in step 534, the The terminal insert embedding assembly 129 can be mated with the upper substrate; for example, by inserting the upper substrate 160 into the conductor ends 120a, 120b and the latter and the corresponding conductive pads on the surface of the board 140 / Execution bonding, for example via solder or process. The assembled component (i.e., the embedded component 150 having the sub-substrate 170 and the terminal assembly 129) can then be pushed into the housing as a unit via a step. Finally, in step 538, the external noise barrier (if ί is mounted on the assembled connector 100, and the grounding strap and the grounding clip as described above are disposed to provide the noise barrier This is then either grounded or soldered into a frame that is embedded and buckled, and the component directly engages the base to weld 536 1 scoops. Various 38 1261958. As with the other embodiments described herein (ie, a single connector housing, The connector assembly with LEDs or light pipes, etc., can be adjusted as needed to meet additional components. Such adjustments and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

It will be understood that although certain aspects of the invention have been described in the specific sequence of steps of a method, these are merely illustrative of the broader aspects of the invention and may be adapted to the particular application. In some cases, certain steps may be made unnecessary or optional. In addition, some steps or functions may be added to the disclosed embodiments or the order of execution of two or more steps may be interchanged. All such variations are considered to be included within the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed herein. While the invention has been shown and described with reference to the various embodiments of the embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that Changes are made without departing from the invention. The foregoing is the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not intended to be limiting, but rather should be construed as illustrative of the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the scope of the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the Detailed Description of the Drawings. A front and rear perspective view of an exemplary embodiment (shading 2 X 4, for ultra-high speed Ethernet or GBE). 39 1261958 Figure 1a is a perspective view of the connector assembly of Figure 1 showing the baffle after removal. Figure 1b is a rear perspective view of the connector assembly of Figure 1 showing the relationship between the slot plate and the lower substrate. Figure 1c shows a side perspective cutaway view of the connector assembly according to Figure 1, taken along line 1c-1c. Figure 1d is a perspective view of the connector assembly of Figure 1 showing an embedded component removed.

Figure 1 e is a perspective view of the housing component of the connector assembly of Figure 1 showing the removed terminal insert assembly and various housing component details. Figure 1 f is a perspective view of one of the connector assemblies of Figure 1 embedded in the component. The first lg diagram is a front view of the embedded component of the connector assembly of Figure 1, with the substrate removed. Figure 1 h is a perspective view of one of the connector assemblies of Figure 1 embedded in the component, with the substrate removed and the upper substrate removed. Figure 1 i is a perspective view of another embodiment of the connector (with the removal of the underside and the upper substrate) showing the applicability for a typical 1 0/1 00 Ethernet application. The ljth image is a perspective view of the body of the embedded component after moving out of half in the 1st figure. The 1 kth image is a perspective view of the body of the embedded component after the half of the embedded component is removed. Figure 11 Figure 1 Figure 1 One of the connector components after the terminal is embedded in the component 40 1261958 Perspective exploded view. The first m diagram is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 taken along line 1 c -1 C showing the internal configuration of the terminal embedding assembly and the upper substrate. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the terminal arrangement of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 (GBE). Figure 1 is a plan view of the terminal arrangement of the connector assembly of the Lith diagram (10/1 00).

Fig. 1p is a plan view of a terminal arrangement of yet another embodiment of the electronic inlay assembly showing a plurality of upper terminal arrays. The lq figure is the bottom plan view of the embedded component of the lp figure, showing the "universal" GBE and 10/100 pin configuration. The 1 rth diagram is an upper plan view showing the upper substrate configuration, which can be used in combination with the first and second p-components. The first s diagram is a perspective view of another illustrative embodiment of the connector assembly (2 x 1, for ultra high speed Ethernet) in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment (single port) of a connector assembly in accordance with the present invention. The 3a-3d drawings are a plurality of rear perspective views of another exemplary embodiment (2x4) of the connector assembly in accordance with the present invention, including a configuration of the display device. Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of yet another illustrative embodiment (2x4) of a connector assembly in accordance with the present invention (showing shading, and for clarity with electronic inserts and various components removed), including another representation device A configuration. Figure 5 is a logic flow diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of a method of making a connector assembly of the present invention. 41 1261958

[Main component symbol description] 1 0 0, 2 0 0 component 104, 204, 302 connector 108, 110, 408, 410 connection 112, 212, 444 groove 120, 411 conductor 122 trench 12 9 terminal embedded component 134, 180, 234 Cavity 133 Friction Locating Pins 140, 240 Upper Substrate 145 End Portion 150, 250 Electronic Embedding Assembly 152 Upper Terminals 156, 158 Embedding Body Element 173 Pin 184 Line Channel 192 Contact 194 Adjustment Sheet 310 Light Pipe Assembly 314 Carrier Element 318 viewing surface 409 bottom edge 102, 202, 402 housing element 107 &gt; 307 baffle 歹 120a, 120b, 220a conductor 123 isolator 130 &gt; 132 subassembly 135 locking mechanism 144 hole 146 conductive track 151, 251 embedded component Main body 154 Lower terminal 170, 370 Lower substrate 174 Hole 191 Clip 193 Grounding piece 304 Light guiding medium 312, 403 Light source 3 16 Inner surface 3 3 3 Groove 414 Top edge 42 1261958

Claims (1)

1261958 Pickup, Patent Application Range: 1. A connector assembly comprising at least: a connector housing comprising a plurality of recesses, each adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug, the module The plug has a plurality of first terminals disposed thereon; a plurality of sets of conductors at least partially disposed in the respective recesses and adapted to be in electrical contact with the respective first terminals of the respective plugs; A special purpose portable embedding structure comprising at least one substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive paths associated therewith, and at least one embedded body having a plurality of electronic components disposed substantially therein; wherein the at least one substrate The paths interface with respective ones of the conductors to form an electrical path from the first terminals through the conductors and at least one of the electronic components. 2. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a terminal embedding assembly substantially adapted to register at least one of the plurality of sets of conductors within the housing and associated with the at least one substrate group. 3. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the terminal insert assembly comprises two substantially mirrored polymer members, each of the members having a set of the conductor groups formed therein . 4. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the terminal 44 1261958 embedded component is adapted to register two sets of the conductor sets such that at least a portion of the substrate is received therebetween. 5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to receive the embedded structure in a plurality of different configurations, or alternatively. 6. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the plurality of different configurations comprises at least one (i) a super high speed Ethernet (GBE) configuration, and (ii) an Ethernet 10 /100 Mbps configuration. 7. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one indicator assembly adapted to provide one or more indications that are viewable from a front surface of the housing. 8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one indicator assembly comprises a plurality of light pipes, the indicator assembly being substantially mounted along a rear surface of the housing. 9. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the substrate is adapted to receive the embedded body in a plurality of different configurations. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the substrate is adapted to include a plurality of openings adapted to receive a second terminal associated with the embedded body of any of the plurality of different configurations 45 1261958, the different configuration Each of these includes a different pin-out configuration of the third terminal of the embedded body. 1 1. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the different pin configuration comprises at least: (i) a super high speed Ethernet (GBE) configuration, and (ii) an Ethernet network Road 10/100 Mbps configuration. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one substrate is substantially disposed on the embedded body in a substantially horizontal direction, and the embedded body, the substrate, and the terminal are embedded The assembly can be moved from the housing as a single unit. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one external noise barrier, and at least one internal noise barrier configured to mitigate the connection Signal path in the component 1 . A configurable multi-connected modular jack assembly that can be configured in at least first and second functional configurations, comprising at least: a plurality of back-in components, including a bulging body, a substrate, and a plurality of a conductor; a housing having a plurality of plug receiving ports, the housing being adapted to receive the plurality of embedded components therein; 1261958 a plurality of electrical conductor sets adapted to mate with respective phases of the plugs and the substrate, thereby forming an electrical path therebetween; wherein the housing is more adapted to receive a plurality of the components having the first configuration, and Simultaneously or alternatively, a plurality of components having a second configuration are housed. 1 5 - The component of claim 14, wherein the system is for a first type of data network application and the second configuration is for a type of data network application. 1 6. The component of claim 15 wherein the first is not available in the second type of network application and the second configuration is in the first type of network application. 1. The component of claim 15, wherein the first comprises a super high speed Ethernet (GBE) having a first pin pattern and the second configuration comprises a second and different pin The Ethernet configuration of the pattern. 18. The assembly of claim 14 further comprising an indicator assembly adapted to provide one or more indications from a front surface of the housing. In the case of the conductor embedding group, the second configuration cannot be used in a configuration, and the 10/100 is at least one observed in the case of 47 1261958 1 9 , as described in claim 18, wherein the at least one The indicator assembly includes a plurality of light pipes that are mounted substantially along the rear surface of the housing. 2 〇 The component of claim 14 further comprising at least one external noise barrier, and at least one internal noise barrier configured to mitigate the connector Between the respective signal paths in the component 21. A method of manufacturing a connector assembly, the method comprising: forming a component housing having at least two modular plug receiving recesses formed therein and at least one cavity; providing a first plurality of conductors, including a first group for use in a first recess of the housing component for mating with a corresponding modular plug conductor; Providing a second plurality of conductors including a second set adapted to be used in a second recess of the housing member for mating with a corresponding second modular plug conductor; providing at least one substrate having a body formed thereon An electrical path, and adapted to be received in the cavity; configuring one end of the first set of conductors to be in contact with the substrate; configuring one end of the second set of the conductors to be in contact with the substrate; Providing a third set of conductors adapted to terminate on the substrate and forming at least a portion of an electrical path to an external component, the external component mating with the connector; and 48 1261958 The second set of conductors is terminated on the substrate. The method of claim 2, wherein the terminating comprises forming an electrical path from the modular plugs, when embedded in the slot, through the first and second At least one conductor of the group to the end of the at least one conductor of the third group. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration is included between the end of the first conductor and the substrate, and between the end of the second body and the at least one substrate Forming an electrical contact by embedding the substrate between the end of the first conductor and the end of the second conductor. 2. The method of claim 23, wherein the step further comprises the step Soldering at least one of the ends of the first and second conductors to a conductive trace disposed on the at least substrate. Make a concave guide The method of claim 21, wherein the step further comprises: configuring one or more electronic signal conditioning members on the at least one substrate, thereby providing an electrical signal conditioning path from which the module is modularized A plug terminal passes through the electronic component to the third set of conductor ends. 2 6. The method of claim 21, wherein the step further comprises providing a fourth set of conductors to directly match the external component; and in citing 49 1261958 in the third set of conductors and the fourth An electrical path is formed between the sets of conductors. The method of claim 26, wherein the step further comprises: configuring one or more electronic signal conditioning members on the at least one substrate, and forming an electrical signal conditioning path from the modules The plug terminal passes through the electronic component to the fourth set of conductors. A method of reconfiguring a multi-connector connector assembly having a housing adapted to receive a plurality of differently configured electrical signal conditioning sub-assemblies, the method comprising the steps of: Providing a first configuration signal conditioning subassembly in the housing, the first configuration being suitable for the first application; confirming that the first configuration does not provide a second application; providing a second configuration of the signal conditioning subassembly, the a second application; detaching the first configuration subassembly from the housing; and embedding the second configuration subassembly in the housing. The method of claim 28, wherein the providing action comprises: providing a super fast Ethernet (GBE) subcomponent; and providing a 10/100 Ethernet subcomponent. The method of claim 29, wherein the signal conditioning 50 1261958 sub-assembly each of the first and second configurations comprises: an embedded body; a plurality of electronic components, substantially disposed The substrate is embedded in the embedded body; the substrate is substantially horizontally disposed on the embedded body; at least the first and second terminal groups are respectively adapted to match the substrate and an external component; and a terminal embedded component is substantially adapted Maintaining the conductor set within the housing The disassembly and embedding action includes disassembling and embedding the sub-assemblies in their entirety. 51