Communications Plugs Having Plug Blades with Staggered Current-Carrying Paths and Controlled Offending Crosstalk and Patch Cords Including Such Plugs

A patch cord comprising:

• a communications cable that includes at least a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor and a fourth conductor;
• and
• a plug that is attached to the communications cable, the plug comprising:
• a housing that receives the communications cable;
• a printed circuit board that is at least partly within the housing;
• a first plug contact, a second plug contact, a third plug contact and a fourth plug contact that each are at least partially within the housing;
• a first conductive path that connects the first conductor to the first plug contact, a second conductive path that connects the second conductor to the second plug contact, a third conductive path that connects the third conductor to the third plug contact, and a fourth conductive path that connects the fourth conductor to the fourth plug contact,
• wherein the first and second conductors, the first and second conductive paths, and the first and second plug contacts form a first differential transmission line through the plug and the third and fourth conductors, the third and fourth conductive paths, and the third and fourth plug contacts form a second differential transmission line through the plug, and
• wherein each of the first through fourth plug contacts has a first segment that extends longitudinally along a first surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein the signal current injection point into the first segment of at least some of the first through fourth plug contacts is into middle portions of their respective first segments.