Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of network communication, and more specifically, to designs for network jacks which can be used for cable connectivity.
It is known by those skilled in the art that network connectivity components such as RJ45 plugs and jacks produce and cancel, respectively, a predetermined amount of crosstalk. It is equally known that in order to more effectively cancel crosstalk within an RJ45 jack, compensation circuitry must be moved as close to the plug/jack mating interface as possible.
One method of achieving this is to use a flexible printed circuit board which is connected to plug interface contacts (PICs) of the jack at a point that is relatively close to the plug jack mating interface. An example of such configuration is provided in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0045090 where FIGS. 15A-15G illustrate an exemplary jack which uses a flexible circuit board with crosstalk compensation circuitry thereon. While effective, this method is costly due to the high cost of flexible circuit boards.
Another method of moving crosstalk circuitry close to the plug/jack mating interface is to implement a crossover in some of the contact traces of the jack. An example of such a configuration can be seen in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0073195 where crossovers in the PICs are implemented near the mandrel of the sled. Although these crossovers allow the compensation to begin relatively soon after the plug/jack mating interface, it is difficult to obtain a sufficiently desirable amount of coupling therefrom, causing a larger portion of the compensation signal to be generated further away from the plug/jack mating interface to achieve the net compensation signal.
In view of the foregoing, there remains a need for improved jack designs which provide appropriate crosstalk cancellation while remaining relatively economical to manufacture.
Accordingly, at least some embodiments of the present invention are directed towards improved jack designs which provide appropriate crosstalk cancellation while remaining relatively economical.
In an embodiment, the present invention is an RJ45 jack that utilizes a thin dielectric film between two layers of PICs that provide crosstalk compensation by way of their geometry. Compensation is achieved by way of capacitor plates which sandwich a thin dielectric film. This allows for the layers of PICs to be in close proximity and achieve higher coupling where desired, allowing a greater amount of compensation to occur close to the plug/jack contact point. This can have the effect of moving compensation closer to the plug/jack contact point, which in turn may reduce the amount of compensation and/or crosstalk needed further along the data path.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a communication jack for mating with a communication plug. The communication jack includes a housing having an aperture for receiving the communication plug, a sled positioned at least partially inside the housing, a first end of the sled being proximate the aperture and having a mandrel, a second end being distal the aperture, a first PICs, each of the first plurality of PICs having a first section extending along a side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, a second plurality of PICs, each of the second plurality of PICs having a first section extending along the side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, and a dielectric film positioned between at least some of the first sections of the first plurality of PICs and at least some of the first sections of the second plurality of PICs, the dielectric film being further positioned between at least some of the second sections of the first plurality of PICs and at least some of the second sections of the second plurality of PICs.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a communication jack for mating with a communication plug. The communication jack includes a housing having an aperture for receiving the communication plug, the housing further having a plurality of crush ribs, a sled positioned at least partially inside the housing, a first end of the sled being proximate the aperture and having a mandrel, a second end being distal the aperture, a first plurality of PICs, each of the first plurality of PICs having a first section extending along a side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, a second plurality of PICs, each of the second plurality of PICs having a first section extending along the side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, and a dielectric film positioned between at least some of the first sections of the first plurality of PICs and at least some of the first sections of the second plurality of PICs, wherein the crush ribs compress at least some of the first plurality of PICs against the dielectric film.
In still yet another embodiment, the present invention is a communication jack for mating with a communication plug. The communication jack includes a housing having an aperture for receiving the communication plug, a sled positioned at least partially inside the housing, a first end of the sled being proximate the aperture and having a mandrel, a second end being distal the aperture, a first plurality of PICs, each of the first plurality of PICs having a first section extending along a side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, a second plurality of PICs, each of the second plurality of PICs having a first section extending along the side of the sled and a second section formed around the mandrel, and a dielectric film positioned between at least some of the first sections of the first plurality of PICs and at least some of the first sections of the second plurality of PICs, wherein at least one of the first plurality of PICs capacitively couples to at least one of the second plurality of PICs via a first capacitive plate positioned on the at least one of the first plurality of PICs and a second capacitive plate positioned on the at least one of the second plurality of PICs, and wherein the first capacitive plate overlaps and extends over the second capacitive plate.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and any claims that may follow.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
During assembly of sled assembly 34, PICs 361, 365, 366, and 367 of lower PIC layer 58 are placed into respective PICs slots on sled 38 with shoulders 60 on PICs 361, 365, 366, and 367 being placed into lower PIC locating slots 64. When in position, these PICs are formed over the smaller mandrel 68 of sled 38. A thin dielectric film 40 is placed onto the lower PIC layer 58 with guide holes 41 on dielectric film 40 aligning with guide posts 39 on sled 38, Next, PICs 362, 363, 364, and 368 of upper SIC layer 56 are placed into respective PICs slots on sled 38 with shoulders 60 on PICs 362, 363, 364, and 368 being placed into upper PIC locating slots 62. When in position, these PICs are formed over the larger mandrel 70 of sled 38 trapping the dielectric film 40 between the upper and lower PIC layers. Note that PICs 36 may be formed around the mandrels immediately as they are placed into their respective positions on sled 38 or they may be formed after both the upper and lower layers have been positioned accordingly.
Using the dielectric film 40 allows capacitance plates 66 of upper PIC layer 56 and lower PIC layer 58 to be positioned within approximately 0.002 inch of each other. This can enable greater and/or more precise amount of capacitive and inductive compensative coupling between the two PIC layers while maintaining a barrier therebetween. In the embodiment shown, upper PIC layer 56 and lower PIC layer 58 are a mirror image of each other. This can allow for the use of a single metal stamping process, potentially reducing the overall cost.
To achieve the desired capacitive coupling more precisely, at least some capacitive plates are oversized relative to their corresponding plates. An example of this is illustrated in the detailed view of
The interaction of plug 26 with jack 20 is shown in a cross-section view of
Note that while this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, these embodiments are non-limiting (regardless of whether they have been labeled as exemplary or not), and there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. Additionally, the described embodiments should not be interpreted as mutually exclusive, and should instead be understood as potentially combinable if such combinations are permissive. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that claims that may follow be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/469,903, filed Mar. 27, 2017; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.: 15/097,553 filed Apr. 13, 2016, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,634,433 on Apr. 25, 2017; which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15469903 | Mar 2017 | US |
Child | 16032665 | US | |
Parent | 15097553 | Apr 2016 | US |
Child | 15469903 | US |