US 10,381,767 B1Granted

High performance cable connector

AssigneeAmphenol Corporation

InventorsDonald W. Milbrand, Jr., Prescott B. Atkinson, Brian Kirk

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A cable connector with improved performance and ease of use. The connector has staggered ports to reduce crosstalk and to prevent incorrect insertion of a plug into a receptacle. The plug may be constructed with subassemblies, each of which has a lossy central portion. Conductive members embedded within an insulative housing of the subassemblies may be used to electrically connect ground conductors within the subassemblies. Further, the connector may have a quick connect locking screw that can be engaged by pressing on the screw, but requires rotation of the screw to remove. Additionally, a ferrule may be used in making a mechanical connection between a cable bundle and a plug and making an electrical connection between a braid of the cable bundle and a conductive shell of the plug. The ferrule may be in multiple pieces for easy attachment while precluding deformation of the cable, which disrupts electrical performance.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A receptacle adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising:

a housing having a cavity bounded by a first surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board and an opposing second surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board, each of the first and second surfaces being disposed above a first side of the printed circuit board;
a first lead assembly including:
a first monolithic housing member;
and
a first plurality of conductive elements each comprising a contact tail adapted for attachment to the printed circuit board that is perpendicular to the first side of the printed circuit board, a mating contact portion disposed along the first surface of the cavity, and an intermediate portion disposed in the first monolithic housing member and coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion,
wherein the first monolithic housing member comprises exterior projections extending away from the first plurality of conductive elements along a direction parallel to the first surface;
and
a second lead assembly including:
a second monolithic housing member;
and
a second plurality of conductive elements each comprising a contact tail adapted for attachment to the printed circuit board that is perpendicular to the first side of the printed circuit board, a mating contact portion disposed along the second surface of the cavity, and an intermediate portion disposed in the second monolithic housing member coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion,
wherein the second monolithic housing member comprises exterior projections extending away from the second plurality of conductive elements along the direction parallel to the first surface.

9 more elements

A receptacle adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising:

a housing having a cavity bounded by a first surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board and a second surface that faces the first surface and is parallel to the printed circuit board;
a first lead assembly including:
a first plurality of conductive elements disposed along a first direction, each comprising a mating contact portion extending along the first surface of the cavity in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a contact tail adapted for attachment to the printed circuit board and disposed perpendicular to the mating contact portion, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend,
wherein the first plurality of conductive elements comprise signal pairs and ground conductors with the signal pairs positioned between adjacent ground conductors;
and
a first monolithic housing member molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the first plurality of conductive elements;
and
a second lead assembly, separate and distinct from the first lead assembly, including:
a second plurality of conductive elements disposed along the first direction, that are longer than the first plurality of conductive elements and each comprise a mating contact portion extending along the second surface of the cavity in the second direction, a contact tail adapted for attachment to the printed circuit board and disposed perpendicular to the mating contact portion, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend,
wherein the second plurality of conductive elements comprise signal pairs and ground conductors with the signal pairs positioned between adjacent ground conductors;
and
a second monolithic housing member molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the second plurality of conductive elements;
and
wherein the contact tails of the first plurality of conductive elements are aligned along the first direction, and the contact tails of the second plurality of conductive elements are aligned along the first direction.

11 more elements

A receptacle adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising:

a housing made of an insulative material and having:
a first cavity shaped to receive a first plug in an insertion direction, wherein the first cavity is bounded by a first surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board and a second surface that faces the first surface and is parallel to the printed circuit board;
a second cavity offset from the first cavity in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, wherein the second cavity is shaped to receive a second plug in the insertion direction, and the second cavity and is bounded by a third surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board and a fourth surface that faces the third surface and is parallel to the printed circuit board;
a first lead assembly comprising:
a first plurality of conductive elements disposed in a row extending in a first direction, each of the first plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the first surface of the cavity in a second direction parallel to the insertion direction, a contact tail extending from the monolithic housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend;
and
a first housing member made of an insulative material, molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the first plurality of conductive elements;
and
a second lead assembly, separate and distinct from the first lead assembly, comprising:
a second plurality of conductive elements disposed in a row extending in the first direction, each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the second surface of the first cavity in the second direction, a contact tail extending from the monolithic housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend;
and
a second housing member made of an insulative material, molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the second plurality of conductive elements;
a third lead assembly comprising:
a third plurality of conductive elements disposed in a row extending in the first direction, each of the third plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the third surface of the second cavity in the second direction, a contact tail extending from the monolithic housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend;
and
a third housing member made of an insulative material, molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the third plurality of conductive elements;
and
a fourth lead assembly, comprising:
a fourth plurality of conductive elements disposed in a row extending in the first direction, each of the fourth plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the fourth surface of the second cavity in the second direction, a contact tail extending from the monolithic housing, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend;
and
a fourth housing member made of an insulative material, molded over the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the fourth plurality of conductive elements;
wherein:
the first, second, third and fourth housing members engage with the housing to hold the intermediate portions of the first, second, third and fourth plurality of conductive elements relative to the circuit board, and
the receptacle is in combination with a metallic cage, and the receptacle is disposed within the cage.

21 more elements

A receptacle adapted for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising:

a monolithic housing made of an insulative material and having a cavity bounded by a first surface that is parallel to the printed circuit board and a second surface that faces the first surface and is parallel to the printed circuit board;
a first lead assembly including:
a first plurality of conductive elements disposed along a first direction, each of the first plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the first surface of the cavity in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a contact tail adapted for attachment to at least one first hole in the printed circuit board and disposed perpendicular to the mating contact portion, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend, such that each intermediate portion comprises a first portion parallel to the first surface and a second portion perpendicular to the first surface;
and
a first monolithic housing member made of an insulative material molded over the first portions of the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the first plurality of conductive elements and disposed within the monolithic housing;
and
a second lead assembly, separate and distinct from the first lead assembly, including:
a second plurality of conductive elements disposed along the first direction, each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprising a mating contact portion extending along the second surface of the cavity in the first direction, a contact tail adapted for attachment to at least one second hole in the printed circuit board and disposed perpendicular to the mating contact portion, and an intermediate portion coupling the contact tail to the mating contact portion and comprising a right angle bend, such that each intermediate portion comprises a first portion parallel to the first surface and a second portion perpendicular to the first surface;
and
a second monolithic housing member made of an insulative material molded over the first portions of the intermediate portions of each conductive element of the second plurality of conductive elements and disposed within the monolithic housing.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/065,683Filed 9 Mar 2016 · continuation
Priority: 7 May 2010
Granted: 13 Aug 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

H01R 13/26
Contact members: pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only
H01R 12/00
Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted
H01R 12/7005
Coupling devices: guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors
H01R 12/724
Coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits: containing contact members forming a right angle

Family

Application61/332,366Us provisional application · filed 7 May 2010
PCT/US2011/035515Parent of this continuation · filed 6 May 2011
Application13/671,096Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Nov 2012
Application13/683,295Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Nov 2012
US 10,122,129 B2Parent of this continuation
US 10,211,577 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2013/0065454 A1Published application
US 2013/0078870 A1Published application
US 10,381,767 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.