Shielded microelectronic connector assembly and method of manufacturing

US 20020068484A1
Filed: 12/06/2000
Published: 06/06/2002
Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A connector assembly comprising:

a connector housing comprising a plurality of connectors, each of said connectors having;

a recess adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug, said modular plug having a plurality of first conductors disposed thereon;

a plurality of second conductors disposed at least partly within said recess, said second conductors being configured to form an electrical contact with respective ones of said first conductors when said modular plug is received within said recess, and form an electrical pathway between said first conductors and an external device; and

a substrate shield disposed proximate to said plurality of connectors, said shield having a plurality of apertures corresponding to respective ones of said second conductors, said second conductors being received in respective ones of said apertures, said shield further being configured to mitigate the transmission of electronic noise through said shield during operation of at least one of said connectors.

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Abstract

An advanced multi-connector electronic assembly incorporating different noise shield elements which reduce noise interference and increase performance. In one embodiment, the connector assembly comprises a plurality of connectors with associated electronic components arranged in two parallel rows, one disposed atop the other. The assembly utilizes a substrate shield which mitigates noise transmission through the bottom surface of the assembly, as well as an external “wrap-around shield to mitigate noise transmission through the remaining external surfaces. In a second embodiment, the connector assembly further includes a top-to-bottom shield interposed between the top and bottom rows of connectors to reduce noise transmission between the rows of connectors, and a plurality of front-to-back shield elements disposed between the electronic components of respective top and bottom row connectors to limit transmission between the electronic components. A method of manufacturing the assembly is also disclosed.

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30 Claims

1. A connector assembly comprising:
- a connector housing comprising a plurality of connectors, each of said connectors having;
  
  a recess adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug, said modular plug having a plurality of first conductors disposed thereon;
  
  a plurality of second conductors disposed at least partly within said recess, said second conductors being configured to form an electrical contact with respective ones of said first conductors when said modular plug is received within said recess, and form an electrical pathway between said first conductors and an external device; and
  
  a substrate shield disposed proximate to said plurality of connectors, said shield having a plurality of apertures corresponding to respective ones of said second conductors, said second conductors being received in respective ones of said apertures, said shield further being configured to mitigate the transmission of electronic noise through said shield during operation of at least one of said connectors.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
- - 2. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electronic components, respective ones of said electronic components being disposed in respective ones of said electrical pathways in order to condition electrical signals transmitted along said pathways.
  - 3. The connector assembly of claim 2, wherein said electronic components comprise at least one toroid core device.
  - 4. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein said at least one toroid core device is disposed within an interlock base assembly.
  - 5. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein said interlock base assembly is substantially contained within a polymer encapsulant.
  - 6. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one contour element disposed within said recess, at least one of said second conductors being shaped to cooperate with said at least one contour element, thereby retaining said second conductors in position relative to said connector housing.
  - 7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said connectors are disposed as part of said connector housing in an array, said array comprising a row-and-column configuration of said connectors.
  - 8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein said row-and-column configuration comprises at least:
    - a first row comprising a plurality of connectors disposed in a side-by-side configuration; and
      
      a second row comprising a plurality of connectors disposed in a side-by-side configuration;
      
      wherein said first row is disposed substantially atop said second row, and at least a portion of said second conductors of the connectors of both first and second rows penetrate said substrate shield in a predetermined array.
  - 9. The connector assembly of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of electronic components, respective ones of said electronic components being disposed in respective ones of said electrical pathways in order to condition electrical signals transmitted along said pathways.
  - 10. The connector assembly of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of light sources associated with respective ones of said individual connectors, said light sources having conductors which penetrate said substrate shield.
  - 11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein said conductors of said light sources associated with each of said connectors penetrate said substrate shield as part of said predetermined array.
  - 12. The connector assembly of claim 7, further comprising at least one noise shield disposed between at least two of said rows of said row-and-column configuration of individual connectors.
  - 13. The connector assembly of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of electronic components, respective ones of said electronic components being disposed in respective ones of said electrical pathways in order to condition electrical signals transmitted along said pathways.
  - 14. The connector assembly of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of noise shield elements disposed between said electronic components associated with a first row of connectors and said electronic components associated with a second row of connectors.
  - 15. The connector assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of said noise shield elements is in electrical contact with said at least one noise shield.
  - 16. The connector assembly of claim 14, further comprising at least one lateral noise shield element disposed between adjacent ones of said connectors within a given row of connectors in said array.
  - 18. The electronics assembly of claim 17, further comprising a shield element disposed between at least two of said plurality of connectors.
  - 19. The electronics assembly of claim 18, further comprising at least one shield element disposed between said electrical component of a first connector and said electrical component of a second connector of said array.
  - 20. The electronics assembly of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of light sources disposed within said array, each of said connectors having at least one of said plurality of light sources associated therewith, each of said light sources being configured to emit light based on the presence of a predetermined condition existing within its associated connector.

17. An electronics assembly, comprising:
- a first substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals thereon;
  
  a plurality of connectors disposed in an array on said substrate, said modular connectors each having;
  
  a recess adapted to receive a modular plug having a plurality of first conductors disposed thereon;
  
  a plurality of second conductors adapted to conduct and electrical signal between said first conductors of said modular plug and said electrically conductive terminals of said substrate; and
  
  at least one electrical component disposed within the electrical pathway between said first conductors and said conductive terminals;
  
  a second substrate disposed between said first substrate and said array of connectors;
  
  said second substrate being adapted to shield at least said second conductors and said at least one electronic components from external noise.

21. A connector assembly comprising:
- a plurality of individual connectors, each of said individual connectors having;
  
  means for receiving at least a portion of a modular plug, said modular plug having a plurality of first conducting means disposed thereon;
  
  second conducting means disposed at least partly within said means for receiving, said second conducting means being configured to form an electrical contact with respective ones of said first conducting means when said modular plug is received within said means for receiving, and form an electrical pathway between said first conducting means and an external device; and
  
  means for shielding being disposed proximate to said plurality of connectors, said shield having positioning means corresponding to respective ones of said second conducting means, said second conducting means being received in respective ones of said positioning means, said means for shielding further being configured to mitigate the transmission of electronic noise through said means for shielding during operation of at least one of said connectors.
- View Dependent Claims (22, 24, 27, 30)
- - 22. The connector assembly of claim 21, further comprising:
    - means for conditioning an electrical signal, individual ones of said means for conditioning being disposed in said electrical pathway of at least two of said connectors in order to condition electrical signals carried thereon;
      
      second means for shielding disposed between at least two of said connectors of said assembly;
      
      third means for shielding disposed between said means for conditioning of said at least two connectors; and
      
      fourth means for shielding disposed around at least a portion of the exterior of said connector assembly.
  - 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
    - providing a first shield element;
      
      disposing at least a portion of said first shield element between at least a portion of said connectors in said first and second rows;
      
      providing a second shield element adapted to cover at least a portion of the external surface area of said connector housing;
      
      disposing said second shield element over said connector housing.
  - 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
    - providing at least one third noise shield;
      
      disposing said at least one third noise shield between said at least first and second rows of connectors;
      
      providing at least one fourth noise shield; and
      
      disposing said at least one fourth noise shield between individual ones of said electronic signal conditioning elements.
  - 30. The noise shield of claim 29, wherein said substrate further comprises a third layer, said third layer comprising electrically non-conductive material and being disposed upon said first layer on the side opposite of said second layer.

23. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising a plurality of electrical connectors formed in an array, comprising:
- forming a connector housing having a plurality of individual connectors arranged in a first row and a second row, each of said connectors having a recess adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug;
  
  providing a first set of conductors having a first predetermined shape, said first shape including a first end and a second end;
  
  providing a second set of conductors having a second predetermined shape, said second shape including a first end and a second end, disposing said first end of said first set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said first row;
  
  disposing said first end of said second set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said second row;
  
  providing a substrate adapted to mitigate the transmission of electronic noise there across;
  
  forming a plurality of apertures in said substrate; and
  
  positioning said substrate in proximity to said housing such that said second ends of said first and second sets of conductors are received within respective ones of said apertures.

25. A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising a plurality of electrical connectors formed in an array, comprising:
- forming a connector housing having a plurality of individual connectors arranged in a first row and a second row, each of said connectors having a recess adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug having conductors disposed thereon;
  
  providing a first set of conductors for conducting electrical current, said first set of conductors having a first predetermined shape, said first shape including a first end and a second end;
  
  providing a second set of conductors for conducting electrical current, said second set of conductors having a second predetermined shape, said second shape including a first end and a second end;
  
  disposing said first end of said first set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said first row so as to place said first end in position within said recess to contact the conductors of said modular plug when said plug is received within said recess;
  
  disposing said first end of said second set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said second row so as to place said first end in position within said recess to contact the conductors of said modular plug when said plug is received within said recess;
  
  providing a substrate adapted for mitigating the transmission of electronic noise there across;
  
  forming a plurality of apertures in said substrate for receiving respective ones of said first and second sets of conductors; and
  
  positioning said substrate in proximity to said housing such that said second ends of said first and second sets of conductors are received within respective ones of said apertures.

26. A method of shielding an array of electrical connectors from electronic noise, said array having at least first and second rows of connectors and being mounted on an electronic device, at least a portion of said connectors having conductors and electronic signal conditioning elements associated therewith, comprising:
- providing a first noise shield;
  
  disposing said first noise shield between at least a portion of said connectors and said electronic device, the distal ends of said conductors passing through apertures formed in said first noise shield;
  
  providing a second noise shield;
  
  disposing said second noise shield around the external surfaces of said array; and
  
  terminating said array to said electronic device using said distal ends of said conductors;
  
  wherein said first and second noise shields cooperate to mitigate the transmission of noise through all of said external surfaces of said array.

28. An electronic device comprising a plurality of electrical connectors formed in an array, produced using the method comprising:
- forming a connector housing having a plurality of individual connectors arranged in a first row and a second row, each of said connectors having a recess adapted to receive at least a portion of a modular plug having conductors disposed thereon;
  
  providing a first set of conductors for conducting electrical current, said first set of conductors having a first predetermined shape, said first shape including a first end and a second end;
  
  providing a second set of conductors for conducting electrical current, said second set of conductors having a second predetermined shape, said second shape including a first end and a second end;
  
  disposing said first end of said first set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said first row so as to place said first end in position within said recess to contact the conductors of said modular plug when said plug is received within said recess;
  
  disposing said first end of said second set of conductors at least partially within said recess of each of said connectors in said second row so as to place said first end in position within said recess to contact the conductors of said modular plug when said plug is received within said recess;
  
  providing a substrate adapted for mitigating the transmission of electronic noise there across;
  
  forming a plurality of apertures in said substrate for receiving respective ones of said first and second sets of conductors; and
  
  positioning said substrate in proximity to said housing such that said second ends of said first and second sets of conductors are received within respective ones of said apertures.

29. An electronic noise shield for use in a multi-connector array, comprising:
- a substrate having at least;
  
  a first layer, said first layer being substantially comprised of a metallic material adapted to mitigate the transmission of electronic noise; and
  
  a second layer disposed upon said first layer, said second layer comprising an electrically non-conductive material; and
  
  a plurality of apertures formed in said substrate, said apertures adapted to receive respective ones of conductors of said connectors;
  
  wherein the area of said substrate immediately surrounding said apertures does not have said first layer.

Specification

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Current Assignee
Pulse Electronics Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
Original Assignee
Pulse Engineering Incorporated (Yageo Corporation)
Inventors
Gutierrez, Aurelio J., Dean, Dallas A., Doyle, Bruce I. III

Granted Patent

US 6,585,540 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

439/620
CPC Class Codes

H01R 13/6633   with inductive component, e...

H01R 13/6691   with built-in signalling me...

H01R 24/64   for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Y10S 439/941   Crosstalk suppression

Shielded microelectronic connector assembly and method of manufacturing

First Claim

5 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

18 Citations

30 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

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Shielded microelectronic connector assembly and method of manufacturing

First Claim

5 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

18 Citations

30 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links