Patent Grant
8449332
The present disclosure relates generally to modular telecommunications jacks and, more particularly, to a high data rate capable magnetic jack.
As is known, a connector with a receptacle configured to receive a plug connector mounted on the end of a cable can be provided. One popular configuration is the receptacle (or port) configured to receive an eight position eight contact (8P8C) module plug. It is noted that the 8P8C plug is often referred to as an RJ45 plug connector (even if the 8P8C plug technically may not be a true RJ45 connector). For purpose of being compatible with popular usage, therefore, this known interface will be referred to as a RJ45 interface herein.
RJ45 compatible modular jack receptacle connectors mounted to printed circuit boards are well known in the telecommunications industry. When used as Ethernet connectors, modular jacks generally receive an input signal from one electrical device and then communicate a corresponding output signal to a second device coupled thereto. Magnetic circuitry can be used to provide conditioning and isolation of the signals as they pass from the first device to the second and typically such circuitry uses components such as a transformer and a choke. The transformer often is toroidal in shape and includes primary and secondary windings coupled together and wrapped around the toroid so as to provide magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary circuits while ensuring electrical isolation. Chokes are also commonly used to filter out unwanted noise, such as common-mode noise, and can be toroidal ferrite designs used in differential signaling applications. Modular jacks having such magnetic circuitry are typically referred to in the trade as magnetic jacks.
Existing magnetic jacks, while helpful, suffer from certain manufacturing constraints. Typically the transformer is hand-wound with thin wires (often 34 gauge or smaller) and it is possible to damage the wires during handling. Furthermore, as data rates increase (10 Gbps uses PAM-16 encoding at 650 Mhz, for example), variations in the winding can cause significant variations in performance. In addition to the performance issues, the small size of the transformer and choke makes inspection difficult and handling awkward. A design that is more suitable for automated assembly would be desirable.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate any element, including solving the motivating problem, to be essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.
A magnetic jack assembly includes a housing and various filtering components. Multiple aspects of the assembly enhance manufacturability and facilitate automated manufacturing and may be used together or separately. In one aspect, a filtering assembly includes at least one sub-assembly manufactured in an automated manner. In another aspect, a pair of filtering sub-assemblies each include separate conductors that are electrically connected. In another aspect, the separate conductors are electrically connected to terminals of the filtering assembly. In another aspect, the filtering assemblies include recesses to accommodate windings around a core. In another aspect, conductors are retained in a slot and soldered to terminals. In another aspect, an electrical connector includes a base member with a plurality of carriers assemblies that each include filtering assemblies electrically connected to a plurality of contact circuit board corresponding to receptacles of the connector. In another aspect, the carriers include filtering assemblies on oppositely facing walls with the contact circuit boards being electrically connected to the filtering assemblies of adjacent carriers. In another aspect, the connector further includes center walls between the filtering assemblies mounted on the carriers. In another aspect, a jack includes a plurality of filtering assemblies, each having a housing, associated with each port of the jack. In another aspect, each of the filtering assemblies includes a signal pair and a centertap. In another aspect, the jack has a plurality of compliant pins for electrical connection with a system circuit board. In another aspect, a jack includes a mounting circuit board electrically connected to contact circuit boards by a plurality of filtering assemblies. The connections between the filtering assemblies and the boards being compliant pins. In another aspect, the cores of the filtering assemblies have at least one flat surface. In another aspect, a bridging member on the carrier electrically connects terminals of adjacent filtering assemblies.
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:
The following description is intended to convey the operation of exemplary embodiments of the invention to those skilled in the art. It will be appreciated that this description is intended to aid the reader, not to limit the invention. As such, references to a feature or aspect are intended to describe a feature or aspect of an embodiment of the invention, not to imply that every embodiment of the invention must have the described characteristic. Furthermore, it should be noted that the depicted detailed description illustrates a number of features. While certain features have been combined together to illustrate potential system designs, those features may also be used in other combinations not expressly disclosed. Thus, the depicted combinations are not intended to be limiting unless otherwise noted.
Referring to
It should be noted that in this description, representations of directions such as up, down, left, right, front, rear, and the like, used for explaining the structure and movement of each part of the disclosed embodiment are not intended to be absolute, but rather are relative. These representations are appropriate when each part of the disclosed embodiment is in the position shown in the figures. If the position or frame of reference of the disclosed embodiment changes, however, these representations are to be changed according to the change in the position or frame of reference of the disclosed embodiment.
Shield member 105 fully encloses housing 32 except for openings aligned with ports 33 and the bottom or lower surface of the housing. Shield member 105 includes tails 106 that are configured to extend into plated through-holes 102 in the circuit board 100 when mounted thereon. Tails 106 may include compliant press-fit members 107 in order to make an electrical connection to the plated through-holes 102 without soldering.
Housing 32 includes ports 33 positioned in two horizontal rows in front housing section 34 that define a plurality of vertically aligned upper and lower ports 33. A rear section 35 of housing 32 is configured as a sub-assembly receiving recess or section in which multi-port sub-assembly 40 is positioned. Rear section 35 includes a series of vertical walls 36 that are positioned between and behind the upper row of ports 33 and extend from the front section 34 to the rear edge 32a of the housing. Each of the vertical walls 36 extends from a top wall AA of the housing 32 so as to provide a structural support in a vertical direction and includes a slot 37 extending along its bottom surface (top surface as viewed in
Referring to
Referring to
End carrier assemblies 150 adjacent the two sides 113 of mounting circuit board 110 each have only a single-sided carrier 152. Single-sided carrier 152 is substantially identical to double-sided carrier 52 except that it is configured to have filtering assemblies 70 mounted on only one side thereof. Single-sided carrier 152 includes only one wall 53 that is identical to one of the walls 53 of carrier 52 and includes a rail 58 that is also generally identically configured to that of carrier 52. The side 151 of single-sided carrier 152 opposite filtering assembly receiving wall 53 is generally planar and is not configured to receive filtering assemblies thereon. Referring to
As depicted, the carriers 52 and single-sided carriers 152 each include four filtering assemblies 70 and one additional filtering assembly 180 on each wall 53 so that the board engaging sections 85 of the first terminal array 81 and the second terminal array 82 form linear arrays of compliant or press-fit tails along the respective upper and lower surfaces of the carrier assemblies 50 and end carrier assemblies 150. Thus, the first and second terminal array 81, 82 have board engaging sections 85 that extend in different directions. While the depicted directions are depicted as directly opposite directions, in alternative embodiments the two directions are not so limited.
Center wall 60 is formed of an insulative material and is generally elongated and has a body 61 with an inverted, generally T-shaped cross-section and a post 62 at one end thereof. An upper portion of the body 61 has a series of spaced apart ribs or projections 63. The lower portion of the body 61 includes a plurality of angled projections 64 that extend laterally from body 61 and are aligned with ribs 63. Angled projections 64 are narrower towards the top of body 61 and wider at the point in which they engage the base 65 of the body. The ribs 63 and angled projections 64 form dividers to generally separate the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 of a filtering assembly 70 from the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 of adjacent filtering assemblies 70.
If desired, center wall 60 may have one or more conductive members extending vertically therein to electrically connect two circuit boards. As depicted, post 62 has a slot 66 in which a conductive member 185 is secured. Conductive member 185 has board engaging sections in the form of press-fit tails or complaint pins 186 extending from the top and bottom surfaces thereof to electrically connect mounting circuit board 110 to the contact circuit board 120. In addition, conductive member 185 also includes a tab 187 that fits within a slot 108 in the rear face 109 of the conductive shield member 105 of the jack 30. Once the shield member 105 has been closed around the housing 32 and multi-port sub-assembly 40, tab 187 is bent or deformed to secure the shield member in place and form an electrical connection between the mounting circuit board 110, the shield member 105 and the contact circuit board 120.
Contact circuit board 120 can be formed as a multi-layer circuit board and functions to electrically connect the signal terminals 81a, 81b of each upper terminal array 81 to a contact 121 mounted on the contact circuit board 120. Contact circuit board 120 has a plurality of plated through-holes 122 positioned along the two lateral edges 123 in order to define two linear arrays of through-holes. The spacing and size of the through-holes 122 correspond to the spacing and the size of the linear array of board engaging sections 85 on carrier assembly 50. Contact circuit board 120 includes an electrical connector 124 mounted on both the top and bottom surfaces thereof. Each connector 123 has a plurality of the contacts 121.
The circuitry (not shown) of the contact circuit board 120 is configured to electrically connect the contacts 121 of the upper surface of the circuit board to the signal terminals 81a, 81b of one of the linear arrays and electrically connect the contacts 121 attached to the lower surface of the circuit board to the signal terminals of the other linear array. Each port 33 includes eight contacts 121 that are electrically connected to each carrier assembly 50 and may be configured as four differential signal pairs. Each filtering assembly 70 provides a pair of signal paths 135, 136 between the mounting circuit board 110 and the contact circuit board 120. Each of the signal paths 135, 136 is electrically connected to one of the contacts 121 within a port 33 of the magnetic jack 30. Within each filtering assembly 70, the first signal path 135 is configured as one half (e.g., S+) of a differential signal pair and the second signal path 136 is the second half (e.g., S−) of the differential signal pair. The third terminal 81c of the first terminal array is configured as a centertap (CT). The linear arrays of board engaging sections 85 of upper terminal arrays 81 of the carrier assemblies 50 are configured as repeating patterns of differential signal pairs S+, S− followed by a centertap CT. The circuitry of contact circuit board 120 is configured to electrically connect only the through-holes corresponding to each of the signal terminals 81a, 81b to the contacts 121.
Mounting circuit board 110 extends across the entire width of the multi-port sub-assembly 40 and functions as a base member of the sub-assembly. Each of the components of the multi-port sub-assembly 40 is mounted on, either directly or indirectly, the mounting circuit board 110. The mounting circuit board 110 has a plurality of plated through-holes 111 that are dimensioned and configured so as to receive the board engaging sections 85 of the lower terminal arrays 82 of the filtering assemblies 70 upon mounting the carrier assemblies 50 on the mounting circuit board.
As best seen in
Referring to
The lower sub-assembly receiving section 74 has a generally planar lower sub-assembly abutting face 77 and the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 has a flat abutting surface 164 of the choke core 165 that is positioned against the abutting face 77. A pair of vertically extending sidewalls 78 extend away from abutting face 77 and each includes a pair of spaced apart crush ribs 78a that can engage and be deformed by the sidewalls 162 of the core 165 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 upon insertion of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 into the lower sub-assembly receiving section 74.
Referring to
As depicted, lower terminal array 82 is substantially identical to the first terminal array 81 and includes a first terminal 82a, a second terminal 82b and a third terminal 82c. As with the upper terminal array 81, the board engaging sections 85 of the lower terminal array are all generally parallel to the longitudinal axis “B” of housing 72 but extend in a direction generally opposite the board engaging sections 85 of the upper terminal array. The wire engaging sections 86 of the lower terminal array extend in a direction generally perpendicular to longitudinal axis “B” but in a direction opposite the wire engaging sections 86 of the upper terminal array. Although the upper terminal array 81 and the second terminal array 82 are generally identically, some portions of the body sections 84 of the lower terminal array 82 may be bent or extend along a slightly different path as compared to the body sections 84 of the upper terminal array.
The intermediate terminal array 83 includes a first terminal 83a, a second terminal 83b and a third terminal 83c. Each of the terminals of the third terminal array 83 has a wire engaging section 86 and a body section 84 embedded within the housing 72. Only the wire engaging sections 86 of the third terminal array 83 extend out of housing 72. Each of the wire engaging sections 86 of the third terminal array 83 extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis “B” and in the same direction as the wire engaging sections 86 of the first terminal array 81.
It can be seen that each of the board engaging sections 85 of the first terminal array 81 and the second terminal array 82 are generally positioned in a common plane “C.” Each of the wire engaging sections 86 of the first terminal array 81, the second terminal array 82, and the third terminal array 83 are in a common plane “D.” The plane “C” of the board engaging sections 85 is spaced from the plane “D” of the wire engaging sections 86 by a distance “d” so as to provide clearance for automated soldering of the wire engaging sections without contaminating the board engaging sections. In some applications, it has been found that setting the distance “d” to be approximately 1.0 mm is sufficient. In other applications, the distance “d” may be as small as approximately 0.5 mm or greater than 1.0 mm.
In the figures depicting the filtering modules 70, the wire retention sections 86 are depicted in a simplified manner as slots. Referring to
The arcuate projections 171 may be formed by stamping, embossing or otherwise forming areas 174 of reduced thickness spaced from the edge of the slot 174 in order to displace the sheet metal material laterally into the slot 170. By creating the areas 174 of reduced thickness at a distance spaced from the edge of the slot, the thickness “t” along the arcuate projections 171 is maintained so as to be generally equal to the thickness of the sheet metal material from which the wire retention section 86 is formed. By avoiding a relatively thin surface engaging the conductors, the likelihood of cutting or breaking the conductors during the process of insertion, handling and soldering is reduced. Other configurations may be used to retain the conductors at the wire retention section 86 including slots having other shapes, a slot having a single projection 171 rather than the dual projections depicted in
Each upper filtering sub-assembly 90 has a plurality of wires or conductors wound around the toroidal core 160 and is configured to function as a transformer. The conductors are not shown in the Figures depicting the filtering assemblies 70, the terminals 80 or the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 but are shown in the schematic diagram of
Each lower filtering sub-assembly 91 has a plurality of wires or conductors 145 wound around the toroidal core 165 and is configured to function as a choke. More specifically, the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 includes a generally square-shaped toroid with a plurality of conductors wound therearound. In the depicted embodiment, three conductors 145a, 145b, 145c are wound around the core, and when part of filtering assembly 70, each is electrically connected to one of the signal paths 135, 136 or the centertap 141c of the second set of conductors 141 of the upper filtering sub-assembly 90. As in the case of the upper filtering sub-assembly, the actual pattern used to wind the conductors may be varied as desired.
As configured, a first signal path 135 is formed from the board engaging section 85 of first terminal 81a of first terminal array 81 through the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 and to the board engaging section 85 of the first terminal 82a of the second terminal array 82. A second signal path 136 is formed from the board engaging section 85 of second terminal 81b of first terminal array 81 through the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 and to the board engaging section 85 of the second terminal 82b of the second terminal array 82. More specifically, the first signal path 135 extends from the first terminal 81a, through the first conductor 131a of the first set of conductors 131 and is magnetically coupled to the first conductor 141a of the second set of conductors 141. The first conductor 141a of the second set of conductors is electrically connected to the first terminal 83a of the third terminal array 83 and then electrically connected to the first terminal 82a of the second terminal array 82 by the first conductor 145a of the set of conductors 145 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91.
The second signal path 136 through the filtering assembly 70 extends from the board engaging section 85 of the second terminal 81b of the first terminal array 81 and through the second conductor 131b of the first set of conductors 131 that is wound around the core 160 of the upper filter sub-assembly 90. The second conductor 131b of the first set of conductors is magnetically coupled to the second conductor 141b of the second set of conductors 141 which is electrically connected to the second terminal 83b of the third terminal array 83. The second terminal 83b of the third terminal array 83 is electrically connected to the second terminal 82b of the second terminal array 82 by the second conductor 145b of the set of conductors 145 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 90. The centertap conductor 141c of the second set of conductors 141 is electrically connected to the third terminal 83c of the third terminal array 83 and electrically connected to the third terminal 82c of the second terminal array 82 by the third conductor 145c of the set of conductors 145 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91. In summary, filtering assembly 70 has three arrays of terminals 81, 82, 83 together with three sets of conductors 131, 141, 145 with the first two sets of conductors 131, 141 wound around the core 160 of the upper filtering sub-assembly 90 and the third set of conductors 145 wound around the core 165 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91. The two sets of conductors 131, 141 of the upper filtering sub-assembly are configured so as to magnetically couple the conductors and third set of conductors 145 is electrically connected to the second set of conductors 141 through the terminals of the third terminal array 83.
As can be appreciated, the second and third set of conductors could be combined to form a single set of conductors as each individual conductors in the second is electrically connected to a corresponding conductor in the third set. Thus, in certain embodiments the filtering assembly 70 could have just two sets of conductors that are coupled at the center tap but allows the primary and secondary windings to magnetically couple together. More preferably, however, a break in the conductor will occur between the transformer and the choke so as to allow the transformer and the choke to be wound separately and joined together in the filtering assembly as disclosed herein as discussed below.
If desired, an additional filtering assembly 180 may be provided along wall 53 that serves to provide a filtering function for power-over-Ethernet (“POE”) circuitry. The housing 72 and terminal configuration of the additional filtering assembly 180 may be identical to that of filtering assemblies 70 in order to reduce the number of parts necessary for the manufacture of jack 30. In the additional filtering assembly 180, only the conductors of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 are used and the upper filtering sub-assembly 90 omitted. One end of a first conductor 145 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the first terminal 81a of the first terminal array 81 and the opposite end is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the first terminal 82a of the second terminal array 82. One end of a second conductor 145b of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the second terminal 81a of the first terminal array and the opposite end is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the second terminal 82a of the second terminal array. Finally, one end of a third conductor 145c of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the third terminal 81c of the first terminal array and the opposite end is connected to the wire engaging section 86 of the third terminal 82c of the second terminal array. With such a configuration, the third terminal array 83 is not used.
It should be noted that each of the cores 160, 165 (
Board engaging sections 85 of the terminals 80 are configured as press-fit pins or tails so that the filtering assemblies 70 may make an electrical connection with a circuit board without the necessity of a soldering process. The press-fit tails of the board retention section 85 of the upper terminal array 81 is configured to be pressed into plated through-holes 122 within the contact circuit board 120 and the press-fit tails of the lower terminal array 82 are configured to be pressed into plated through-holes 111 of the mounting circuit board 110 so that the process of assembling multi-port sub-assembly 40 may be completed without soldering. In addition, tails 45 are press-fit into plated through-holes 111 of mounting circuit board 110. Tails 45 may also include a press-fit section 49 for mating with plated through holes 102 of system circuit board 100. Through such a configuration, the jack 30 may be assembled and, if desired, mounted on system circuit board 100 without soldering (other than forming the filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91). In other words, the process of assembling the various circuit boards together may be completed without requiring soldering.
In some circumstances, it is necessary to maintain predetermined clearance distances between electrical components. This can increase the complexity of routing circuitry or the placement of certain conductive components. If the position of a board engaging section 85 of a centertap terminal (e.g., the third terminal 82c of a lower terminal array 82) causes such a routing or placement challenge, it may be desirable to remove or cut-off the board mounting section and create an electrical connection with a centertap circuit of an adjacent filtering assembly 70. Referring to
When assembling each filtering assembly 70, first and second sets of conductors 131, 141 are initially formed. In one configuration, the first set of conductors 131 may be formed with three conductive members or wires each having one end centrally connected (e.g., at 130) in order to define the first and second conductors 131a, 131b as well as the centertap 131c. The second set of conductors 141 may be formed in an identical manner. In an alternate embodiment, the set of conductors 131 may be formed with only two conductive members 132, 133 (
After the sets of conductors 131, 141, 145 have been formed, the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 are assembled by winding the first and second sets of conductors 131, 141 around rectangular transformer core 160 in order to magnetically couple the two sets of conductors. The third set of conductors is wound around the square choke core 165. While the process of winding the sets of conductors around the cores 160, 165 is intended to be performed in an automated manner, it may also be performed manually.
To assemble the filtering assemblies 70, each of the first set of conductors 131 of the upper filtering sub-assembly is secured to one the wire retention sections 86 of the upper terminal array 81. More specifically, the free end 131a′ of the first conductor 131a of the first set of conductors 131 is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the first terminal 81a of the first terminal array 81, the free end 131b′ of the second conductor 131b of the first set of conductors is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the second terminal 81b of the first terminal array, and the free end 131c′ of the third or centertap conductor 131c of the first set of conductors is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the third terminal 81c of the first terminal array. The free end 141a′ of the first conductor 141a of the second set of conductors 141 is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the first terminal 83a of the third terminal array 83, the free end 141b′ of the second conductor 141b of the second set of conductors is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the third terminal 83b of the third terminal array, and the free end 141c′ of the third or centertap conductor 141c of the second set of conductors is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the third terminal 83c of the third terminal array 83. Due to the magnetic coupling between the first set of conductors 131 and the second set of conductors 141 and the electrical connection between the first set of conductors 131 and the first terminal array 81 as well as the electrical connection between the second set of conductors 141 and the third terminal array 83, the first terminal 81a of the first terminal array is magnetically coupled to the first terminal 83a of the third terminal array and the second terminal 81b of the first terminal array is magnetically coupled to the second terminal 83b of the third terminal array.
A first end 145a′ of the first conductor 145a that is wound around the square choke core 165 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the first terminal 83a of the third terminal array 83 and the opposite end 145a″ is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the first terminal 82a of the second terminal array 82. The first end 145b′ of the second conductor 145b wound around the core 165 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the second terminal 83b of the third terminal array 83 and the opposite end 145b″ is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the second terminal 82b of the second terminal array 82. The first end 145c′ of the third conductor 145 wound around the core 165 of the lower filtering sub-assembly 91 is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the third terminal 83c of the third terminal array 83 and the opposite end 145c″ of the conductor is secured to the wire retention section 86 of the third terminal 82c of the second terminal array 82. As can be appreciated, the use of the third terminal array 83 permits the upper and lower filtering sub-assemblies 90, 91 to be formed as part of two distinct winding processes. The ability to have separate winding processes simplifies the manufacturing process and permits automated winding of the cores. In addition, each of the sub-assemblies may be separately tested after being formed which may reduce scrap.
After the conductors are secured to the wire retention sections 86, it is typically desirable to apply solder to the intersection between each conductor and terminal to create a reliable, permanent mechanical and electrical connection between the conductors and terminals. Referring to
To assemble jack 30, each of the filtering assemblies 70 are assembled as described above. Individual filter assemblies 70 are aligned with the filtering assembly receiving recesses 54 on each wall 53 of the carriers 52 and pressed into the recesses. The top and bottom surfaces of the housing 72 engage crush ribs 57 positioned along the top and bottom ledges 55 of the carrier 52 as best seen in
It should be noted that the contact circuit board 120 is electrically connected to the filtering assemblies 70 on a first wall 53 of a carrier 52 and to the filtering assemblies 70 on a facing wall 53 on an adjacent carrier. As a result, the linear arrays of filtering assemblies 70 on the oppositely facing walls 53 of a single carrier 52 are electrically connected to contacts 121 of adjacent contact circuit boards 120 and thus to the contacts 121 in adjacent pairs of aligned ports.
As best seen in
Rather than individually mounting carrier assemblies, center walls and contact circuit boards on the mounting circuit board 110 as described relative to the embodiment of
Each carrier assembly 210 has a generally U-shaped insulative carrier 211 with a filtering assembly receiving face 54 upon which a plurality of filtering assemblies 270 are mounted. Leg sections 212 extend towards and engage end sections 221 of center wall 220 in order to define the perimeter of the toroid box assembly 200. As depicted in
As with the embodiment depicted in
Each filtering assembly 270 includes a first terminal array 281, a second terminal array 282 and a third terminal array 283 supported by an insulative housing 272. These are depicted in
Center wall 220 is similar in shape and function to center wall 60 of the first embodiment. Center wall 220 includes a plurality of angled projections 64 for separating each of the lower filtering sub-assemblies 90. A central elongated rib 224 extends along the length of the body 225 to separate the upper filtering sub-assemblies 90 from the lower filtering sub-assemblies. A conductive shield 226 may be provided within center wall 220 that extends generally along the length of the center wall. The shield includes an upper terminal 227 configured to engage the contact circuit board 120 and includes one or more lower terminals 228 that extend from a lower surface of the shield and are configured to engage a lower circuit board that supports the toroid box assembly 200. As can be appreciated, the shield 226 includes a body 229 that, as depicted, does not extend the full height of the filtering assemblies 270 so that the body 229 is only aligned with the choke or lower filtering sub-assemblies 91 of the filtering assemblies. It has been determined that in some applications such shielding provides significant performance benefits when configured to only provide shielding adjacent the lower filtering sub-assemblies 90. In some systems, the shielding need not be substantially continuous as depicted and the design of the shield may vary according to the performance requirements of the system.
Toroid box assembly 200 is assembled by mounting a plurality of filtering assemblies 270 on each of the carriers 211 to form the carrier assemblies 210. A first carrier assembly 270 is positioned adjacent center wall 220 so that the post 213 of the carrier is aligned with the opening 222. The center wall 220 is moved relatively towards the carrier assembly 210 and the post 213 is secured within the opening 222 in order to secure the two components together. A second carrier assembly 210 is positioned adjacent center wall 220 on the opposite side of the first carrier assembly with the post 213 of the carrier aligned with the opening 222 of the center wall. The center wall 220 is moved relatively towards the carrier assembly 210 and the post 213 is secured within the opening 222 in order to secure the second carrier assembly to the center wall and create an assembly of two carrier assemblies 210 and the center wall 220. A contact circuit board 120 is then aligned with this assembly so that the plated through-holes 122 of the contact circuit board are aligned with the upper terminal array 81 of each of the carrier assemblies 210. The contact circuit board 120 is moved relatively towards the upper terminal array 81 so that each of the press-fit pins of the board engaging sections 85 of the upper terminal array enter and make an electrical connection with the through-holes of the contact circuit board 120.
The toroid box assembly 200 thus formed may be mounted onto a mounting circuit board 110 by aligning the toroid box assembly with the mounting circuit board and moving the toroid box assembly relatively towards the mounting circuit board. The press-fit pins of the board engaging sections 85 of the lower terminal array 82 of each filtering assembly 70 enter the plated through-holes 111 of the mounting circuit board 110 in order to establish an electrical connection between the toroid box assembly 200 and the mounting circuit board 110. A fixture 240 such as that depicted in
Referring to
Referring to
The wire engaging sections 86 of the intermediate terminal array 483 of filtering assembly 470 extend generally perpendicularly to longitudinal axis “B” but in a direction opposite the wire engaging sections 86 of both the upper and lower terminal arrays 481, 482. Upper terminal array 481 includes terminal 481a, 481b and 481c while lower terminal array 482 includes terminals 482a, 482b and 482c. The intermediate terminal array 483 includes first nested generally U-shaped terminal 483b. The U-shaped terminal 483a has a wire engaging section 86 at both ends thereof. Unlike the embodiment depicted in
Another alternate embodiment of a filtering assembly 370 is depicted in
Although the disclosure provided has been described in terms of illustrated embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. For example, aspects of the illustrated embodiments could be utilized with electrical connectors other than magnetic jacks. Numerous other embodiments, modifications and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/419,230, filed Dec. 2, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/434,166, filed Jan. 19, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/498,848, filed Jun. 20, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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