High performance communication connector construction

A communication connector, comprising:

• a connector housing having a front face with a connector opening for receiving a mating connector, and a rear wall;
• a wire board having a number of elongated contact wires extending above a top surface of the board to establish points of electrical contact with corresponding contact terminals of the mating connector when the mating connector is received in the opening in the connector housing;
• a terminal housing fixed on the top surface of the wire board for supporting associated connector terminals mounted on the wire board;
• and
• a lower cover fixed on a lower surface of the wire board;
• wherein the connector housing is constructed and arranged to engage with both of the terminal housing and the lower cover when a portion of the wire board and associated contact wires are inserted in the connector housing through a passage in the rear wall of the connector housing, thus restraining displacement of the points of electrical contact between the contact wires of the wire board and the contact terminals of the mating connector during use of the communication connector.

A communication jack, comprising:

• a jack housing having a front face with a connector opening for receiving a mating plug connector, and a rear wall;
• a wire board having a number of elongated contact wires extending above a top surface of the board to establish points of electrical contact with corresponding contact terminals of the plug connector when the plug connector is received in the opening in the jack housing;
• a terminal housing fixed on the top surface of the wire board for supporting associated connector terminals mounted on the wire board;
• a lower cover fixed on a lower surface of the wire board;
• and
• means for attaching the jack housing to both of the terminal housing and the lower cover when a portion of the wire board and associated contact wires are inserted in the jack housing through a passage in the rear wall of the jack housing, thus restraining displacement of the points of electrical contact between the contact wires of the wire board and the contact terminals of the plug connector during use of the communication jack.