US 9,793,664 B2Granted

Communication connectors

AssigneePanduit Corp.

InventorJoshua A. Valenti

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Abstract

In an embodiment, the present invention is a communication system that includes a communication plug including a plug housing and a plurality of plug contacts positioned at least partially within the plug housing, and a communication jack including a jack housing and a plurality of plug interface contacts (PICs) at least partially positioned within the jack housing. The communication plug and the communication jack are configured to mate together in a first configuration where each of the plug contacts interfaces one of the PICs along the respective plug contact's first section. The communication plug and the communication jack are further configured to mate together in a second configuration where each of the plug contacts interfaces one of the PICs along the respective plug contact's second section, the second section being different than the respective first section.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A communication system comprising:

a communication plug including a plug housing and a plurality of plug contacts positioned at least partially within said plug housing;
and
a communication jack including a jack housing and a plurality of plug interface contacts (PICs) at least partially positioned within said jack housing,
said communication plug and said communication jack being configured to mate together in a first configuration where each of said plug contacts interfaces one of said PICs along said respective plug contact's first section,
said communication plug and said communication jack being further configured to mate together in a second configuration where each of said plug contacts interfaces one of said PICs along said respective plug contact's second section, said second section being different than said respective first section;
wherein said communication plug includes a plug printed circuit board (PCB) with a plurality of plug PCB contact pads, each of said plug contacts having a plug-contact base portion secured within said plug PCB and a plug-contact contact leg,
wherein said communication jack includes a jack PCB with a plurality of jack PCB contact pads, each of said PICs having a PIC base portion secured within said jack PCB and a PIC contact leg,
wherein in said first configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is in contact with one of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is in contact with one of said jack PCB contact pads, and
wherein in said second configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is disconnected from each of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is disconnected from each of said jack PCB contact pads.

6 more elements

A communication jack configured to alternately mate with one of a first type of a communication plug configuration and a second type of a communication plug configuration, said communication jack comprising:

a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contact pads;
and a plurality of plug interface contacts (PICs),
at least one of said PICs being in contact with one of said contact pads such that said one of said contact pads is off a current path when said communication jack is mated with said first type of a communication plug configuration, and
said at least one of said PICs being disconnected from respective said one of said contact pads when said communication jack is mated with said second type of a communication plug configuration;
wherein said communication plug includes a plug printed circuit board (PCB) with a plurality of plug PCB contact pads, each of said plug contacts having a plug-contact base portion secured within said plug PCB and a plug-contact contact leg,
wherein said communication jack includes a jack PCB with a plurality of jack PCB contact pads, each of said PICs having a PIC base portion secured within said jack PCB and a PIC contact leg,
wherein in said first configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is in contact with one of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is in contact with one of said jack PCB contact pads, and
wherein in said second configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is disconnected from each of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is disconnected from each of said jack PCB contact pads.

6 more elements

A communication plug configured to alternately mate with one of a first type of a communication jack configuration and a second type of a communication jack configuration, said communication plug comprising:

a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contact pads;
and a plurality of plug contacts,
at least one of said plug contacts being in contact with one of said contact pads such that said one of said contact pads is off a current path when said communication plug is mated with said first type of a communication jack configuration, and
said at least one of said plug contacts being disconnected from respective said one of said contact pads when said communication plug is mated with said second type of a communication jack configuration;
wherein said communication plug includes a plug printed circuit board (PCB) with a plurality of plug PCB contact pads, each of said plug contacts having a plug-contact base portion secured within said plug PCB and a plug-contact contact leg,
wherein said communication jack includes a jack PCB with a plurality of jack PCB contact pads, each of said PICs having a PIC base portion secured within said jack PCB and a PIC contact leg,
wherein in said first configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is in contact with one of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is in contact with one of said jack PCB contact pads, and
wherein in said second configuration each of said plug-contact contact legs is disconnected from each of said plug PCB contact pads, and each of said PIC contact legs is disconnected from each of said jack PCB contact pads.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.