Universal connector assembly and method of manufacturing
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A connector assembly comprising:
- a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and at least one rear cavity;
a plurality of terminal insert assemblies each comprised of a substantially mirror imaged pair of terminal inserts such that a given one of the plurality of terminal insert assemblies is received at least partly within at least two of the plug-receiving recesses; and
a plurality of insert assemblies, each said insert assembly comprising;
a top substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive pathways associated therewith, and at least one electronic component disposed substantially thereon, said top substrate further comprising a plurality of terminal apertures;
a pair of insert body elements comprised of an electronic component receiving space, each of said body elements comprising;
a plurality of upper conductive terminal portions;
a plurality of lower conductive terminal portions; and
a plurality of channels that run between the electronic component receiving space and at least a portion of the lower conductive terminal portions;
wherein said plurality of channels allow for the routing of wire between the electronic component receiving space and the lower conductive terminal portions internal to an outer periphery formed by mated pairs of insert body elements.
4 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
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.
114 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and at least one rear cavity; a plurality of terminal insert assemblies each comprised of a substantially mirror imaged pair of terminal inserts such that a given one of the plurality of terminal insert assemblies is received at least partly within at least two of the plug-receiving recesses; and a plurality of insert assemblies, each said insert assembly comprising; a top substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive pathways associated therewith, and at least one electronic component disposed substantially thereon, said top substrate further comprising a plurality of terminal apertures; a pair of insert body elements comprised of an electronic component receiving space, each of said body elements comprising; a plurality of upper conductive terminal portions; a plurality of lower conductive terminal portions; and a plurality of channels that run between the electronic component receiving space and at least a portion of the lower conductive terminal portions; wherein said plurality of channels allow for the routing of wire between the electronic component receiving space and the lower conductive terminal portions internal to an outer periphery formed by mated pairs of insert body elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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13. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and at least one cavity, said at least one cavity being disposed substantially in a rear portion of said housing; a plurality of terminal insert structures, each comprising; an upper and a lower plurality of conductors; and an upper and a lower polymer carrier, wherein said upper and said lower plurality of conductors are disposed at least partly within said upper and said lower polymer carriers respectively, said upper and said lower polymer carriers being arranged in a substantially mirror-image configuration with one another; wherein said upper and said lower plurality of conductors are disposed at least partly within said plug-receiving recesses and configured to interface electrically with respective ones of a modular plug; and an insert assembly comprising a substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive pathways and a plurality of electronic components associated therewith, with one or more of said electronic components disposed on said substrate, said insert assembly further comprised of a plurality of slots on a bottom surface thereof; wherein said slots permit the electrical connection of one or more electronic components disposed within a cavity associated with said insert assembly to a plurality of conductive terminals disposed external to said cavity; wherein the connector assembly is further adapted to receive within said cavity alternatively any of at least two variants of said insert assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and at least one cavity, said at least one cavity being disposed substantially in a rear portion of said housing; a plurality of terminal insert structures received at least partly within at least two of said plug-receiving recesses simultaneously, each comprising; an upper and a lower plurality of conductors; and an upper and a lower polymer carrier, wherein said upper and said lower plurality of conductors are disposed at least partly within said upper and said lower polymer carriers respectively, said upper and said lower polymer carriers being arranged in a substantially mirror-image configuration with one another; wherein said upper and said lower plurality of conductors are disposed at least partly within said plug-receiving recesses and configured to interface electrically with respective ones of a modular plug; and an insert assembly comprising a substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive pathways and a plurality of electronic components associated therewith with one or more of said electronic components disposed on said substrate, said insert assembly further comprised of a plurality of slots on a bottom surface thereof, said slots permitting the electrical connection of one or more electronic components disposed within a cavity associated with said insert assembly to a plurality of conductive terminals disposed external to said cavity; wherein said substrate interfaces with a given terminal insert structure via a surface mounted electrical connection, said surface mounted electrical connection residing on two opposing surfaces of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and substantially defining an outer perimeter of said connector assembly; a plurality of terminal insert assemblies, each comprising; a first and a second plurality of conductors; and a first and a second polymer carrier, supporting at least a portion of said first and second plurality of conductors, respectively; at least one indicator assembly comprising a plurality of light pipes, at least a portion of said indicator assembly being mounted substantially along a rear face of said connector assembly and configured to provide one or more indications visible from a front face of said connector assembly; and a plurality of insert structures, each of said plurality of insert structures comprising; a substrate disposed horizontally atop at least two insert body elements, said substrate having one or more electronic components disposed substantially thereon and a plurality of conductive traces that are configured to interface with at least one of said plurality of terminal insert assemblies via a surface mounted electrical connection; wherein said at least two insert body elements form an electronic component receiving space, each of said body elements comprising; a top surface with one or more upper conductive terminal portions protruding therefrom, said top surface also including a standoff feature; a bottom surface with one or more lower conductive terminal portions protruding therefrom; and a plurality of wire channels with at least a first portion of said wire channels running from said electronic component receiving space to said bottom surface; and a plurality of wired electronic components, at least a portion having at least two wired ends, said wired electronic components being disposed at least partially within said electronic component receiving space; wherein the wired ends of the wired electronic components collectively are routed to both the upper conductive terminal portions and the lower conductive terminal portions; and wherein said connector assembly is adapted to receive either of two variants of said insert structures in pairs without altering the size of said defined outer perimeter of said connector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a plurality of plug-receiving recesses and substantially defining an outer perimeter of said connector assembly; a plurality of terminal insert assemblies, each comprising; a first and a second plurality of conductors; and a first and a second polymer carrier, supporting at least a portion of said first and second plurality of conductors, respectively; at least one indicator assembly comprising a plurality of light pipes, at least a portion of said indicator assembly being mounted substantially along a rear face of said connector assembly and configured to provide one or more indications visible from a front face of said connector assembly; and a plurality of insert structures, each of said plurality of insert structures comprising; a substrate disposed horizontally atop at least two insert body elements, said substrate having one or more electronic components disposed substantially thereon and a plurality of conductive traces that are configured to interface with at least one of said plurality of terminal insert assemblies via a surface mounted electrical connection; wherein said at least two insert body elements form an electronic component receiving space, each of said body elements comprising; a top surface with one or more upper conductive terminal portions protruding therefrom, said top surface also including a standoff feature; a bottom surface with one or more lower conductive terminal portions protruding therefrom; and a plurality of wire channels with at least a first portion of said wire channels running from said electronic component receiving space to said bottom surface; and a plurality of wired electronic components, each having at least two wired ends, said wired electronic components being disposed at least partially within said electronic component receiving space; wherein the wired ends of the wired electronic components collectively are routed to both the upper conductive terminal portions and the lower conductive terminal portions; and wherein said terminal insert assemblies are connected to said substrate via a surface mounted electrical connection on at least two surfaces of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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37. A connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising means for receiving a modular plug and means for receiving a plurality of insert assemblies; a plurality of terminal insert assemblies each comprised of means for interfacing with a modular plug, each of said terminal insert assemblies being received within at least two of the means for receiving a modular plug; and a plurality of insert assemblies, each said insert assembly comprising; a top substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive pathways associated therewith, and at least one electronic component disposed substantially thereon, said top substrate further comprising means for interfacing with a plurality of terminals; a pair of insert body elements comprised of an electronic component receiving space, each of said body elements comprising; a plurality of upper conductive terminal portions; a plurality of lower conductive terminal portions; and means for routing wire between the electronic component receiving space and at least a portion of the lower conductive terminal portions; wherein said means for routing allow for the routing of wire between the electronic component receiving space and the lower conductive terminal portions internal to an outer periphery formed by mated pairs of insert body elements. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification